I just got a new puppy... Don't ask, TELL me anything!

[wysimdnwyg]

Help me get through this non-potty trained and chewing on everything in sight phase. Oh, and here are her particulars:
~10 weeks old
Part Labrador, part Rottweiller
Her name is Dusty
I got her from the local Humane Society
Already spayed

And here are her pics...





And one of the cat - Bali - who has to adjust to no longer being the only one on four legs in the house... (FWIW, Bali is 14 years old. He's been my only four-legged friend his whole life.)

[commander bunnypants]

1. cute critters

just have to wait out the chewing part, take her to puppy school for help.

DDQM

[Feanorcurufinwe]

5. Awwww!

No specific advice, without a specific problem... I have a book recommendation though, The Dog's Mind - Understanding your Dog's Behavior by Bruce Fogle.

[tishaLA]

2. No advice

but that's a CUTE puppy!

[mr_hat]

3. Take her out as soon as she wakes from her frequent naps. >

Use the same language e.g., go out everytime. Don't come back in until the pup's done her business. Praise and reward her when she does.

Don't ever hit your pup as punishment. Tone of voice is usually plenty 'cos all dogs are Catholic.

[mindfulNJ]

4. crate training!

Get a doggy crate big enough for his full grown version. Leave it open for him to go in and out of during the day...he'll start thinking of it positively, as his "room". Then you have a place to put him to keep him out trouble when you leave. Its not meant as something to keep him in all the time...just when you need it. The best breeders and handlers do this. I crate trained my lab and he's a wonderful dog:)

[wysimdnwyg]

9. She's in a crate as I type this

I'm single, so she's in there while I'm at work. She's not incredibly thrilled about the crate yet, but I think she's starting to adjust. With her being so small, I'm able to put her bed inside the crate, along with a "puppy pad" and water bowl, and she's got plenty of room.

The hard part for me so far is her eating. From what I've read, I shouldn't leave the food out for her for more than about 20 minutes at a time, three times per day. But then she eats a little and walks away. A few minutes later, she eats a little more, then walks away again. It seems to me that she's not getting very much food. The bag says a puppy of her age and weight should get 2 1/4 cups each day, but she hasn't eaten that much total since I got her on Saturday.

[livetohike]

14. Don't worry about the eating

she is still adjusting to her new home. She'll realize her food is only going to be available to her at that time and she'll eat more.

You're going to be a good doggy parent :-)

[Nite Owl]

16. She will!

Dogs will eat. She's just getting used to things. Maybe try soaking the kibble see if she likes it better that way.

[wysimdnwyg]

19. Oh, soaking it did not work at ALL

I tried that first, and she wouldn't touch it. When I gave her dry food, she ate some immediately. (Not much, but any was more than what she ate of the wet.)

[livetohike]

6. What a sweet little puppy

and cute kitty!

Advice for house training is simple:

1)if you catch her squatting to pee take her out immediately - she will stop when you pick her up and take her outside to a spot where you would like her to go (tell her NO! if you catch her in the act in the house)

2)take her out immediately after she wakes from a nap and also right after she eats

3)use the same phrase each time to encourage her to go "Go pee" works LOL and praise her when she goes

4)immediately clean up any accidents and use a vinegar/water solution to neutralize the smell

Advice for chewing:

1)Don't let her gnaw on your hand - correct her gently

2)buy some of those nylabonz for puppies and tell her "chew this" when you catch her chewing on something inappropriate

Just be consistent in your training and it will work out! Good luck.

[MissMillie]

7. She looks like she will be good at playing "sock"

Wish I could have a dog.

[kmla]

8. Two words - Obedience. School.

Will make you a better owner, and make her a better dog. It will teach you how to be a good alpha dog, and teach her things that will make her pleasant to be around - like sit, come, stay, heal, down, and obeying commands.

Please don't fall for the thoughts and ideas that "That's cruel if you take them to classes, and have them wear a choker collar." It's simply not true. What IS cruel is not placing any boundaries on a dog (by treating it like a human) and having a dog that doesn't obey. She may end up getting hurt when she runs into the street or something like that. That would be really sad.

The obedience classes save the life of our dog on more that one occasion. It is really gratifying when you say "stay" - and they actually do!

But that's just my opinion. Thanks for listening...:)

[wysimdnwyg]

15. Thanks kmla

I do plan on taking her to school. I'm not sure about the choke collar. I've always thought of them as a bit cruel, and I guess it's hard to adjust to the thought of it being the best for her. I figure I'll make a decision on that when I get started with school.

[kmla]

26. Most obedience schools that I've talked to require them.

The first lesson (when I went many years ago) was WITHOUT the dog. They had you bring the leash (or lead, if you adopt the trainer lingo), and an appropriate "choker" collar. They then explained to us about the proper way to get the dog's attention while one the lead and also wearing the choker. It is more of a "pay attention" thing, as opposed to a punishment thing.

After we graduated, the jingling of the metal collar would start her tail wagging, because she always associated that sound with going for a fun walk. (All kinds of fun smells, new things to see, and things to explore!)

[Scout]

36. you can abandon the "choke" collar later

once the dog is well trained, you will not need to use the training collar (name preferred to choke collar). Really, trust me on this.

If you use it properly as a training tool, and don't leave it on the dog all the time, and never, ever, tie up the dog or leave it in it's crate with the training collar on, it will be ok.

Glad you plan to obedience train ... the most common reason dog's are taken to shelters is bad behavior, usually resulting from the owner's inadequacies at training. Puppy kindergarten can also be an excellent experience for you and your puppy. They focus more on socialization of the dog, teaching you to care for the dog, and begin some basic obedience. Our class always had free play time too ... nothing more fun than a room full of naked puppies!

Enjoy your dog!
----------------------------------------------
DOGS

The reason a dog has so many
friends is that he wags his tail
instead of his tongue.
-Anonymous

Don't accept your dog's
admiration as conclusive evidence that you
are wonderful.
-Ann Landers

If there are no dogs in
Heaven, then when I die I want to go
where they went.
-Will Rogers

There is no psychiatrist in
the world like a puppy licking your
face.
-Ben Williams

A dog is the only thing on
earth that loves you more than he
loves himself.
-Josh Billings

The average dog is a nicer
person than the average person.
-Andy Rooney

We give dogs time we can
spare, space we can spare and love we
can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all.
It's the best deal man has ever made.
-M. Acklam

Dogs love their friends and
bite their enemies, quite unlike people,
who are incapable of pure love and always
have to mix love and hate.
- Sigmund Freud

I wonder if other dogs think
poodles are members of a weird
religious cult.
-Rita Rudner

A dog teaches a boy fidelity,
perseverance, and to turnaround
three times before lying down.
-Robert Benchley

Anybody who doesn't know what
soap tastes like never washed a dog.
-Franklin P. Jones

If I have any beliefs about
immortality, it is that certain dogs
I have known will go to heaven,
and very, very few persons.
-James Thurber

If your dog is fat, you aren't
getting enough exercise.
-Unknown

My dog is worried about the
economy because Alpo is up to $3.00 a
can. That's almost $21.00 in dog money.
-Joe Weinstein

Ever consider what our dogs
must think of us? I mean, here we come
back from a grocery store with the most
amazing haul-chicken, pork, half a cow.
They must think we're the greatest
hunters on earth!
-Anne Tyler

Women and cats will do as they
please, and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea.
-Robert A. Heinlein

Speak softly and own a big,
mean Doberman.
-Dave Miliman

If you pick up a starving dog
and make him prosperous, he will not
bite you; that is the principal difference
between a dog and a man.
-Mark Twain

You can say any foolish thing
to a dog, and the dog will give you
a look that says, 'Wow, you're right!
I never would've thought of that!'
- Dave Barry

Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.
-Roger Caras

If you think dogs can't count,
try putting three dog biscuits in
your pocket and then giving Fido
only two of them.
-Phil Pastoret

My goal in life is to be as
good of a person my dog already
thinks I am.
-Unknown

[ProfessorGAC]

10. Gotta Love The Doggies!

One piece of advice on a big dog: Get her to understand right now the meaning of, and importance of, "No Jumping". If you let them jump up against people when they're little, they won't understand later why it's bad, and they're too big to take that chance.

My beastie weighs 109#. I knew he would be big and made sure he never got into the habit of jumping up on people. He would easily knock over most people if they weren't prepared, should he jump up now.

It's easier to make that message sink in early, and they can resist their instincts to jump when excited. Don't want friends getting knocked over.
The Professor

[Nite Owl]

11. Oh what a cutie

love those paws. Just keep taking her out and watch her vigilently for the chewing. Substitute the bone/toys for the furniture. Bitter apple works! It saved many pairs of shoes( and couches and chairs). After a couple of sprays on the shoes all they have to do is see the bottle. Get a crate for when you aren't home, it's going to take a while for her to get used to the fact that you aren't deserting her and will return. They get nervous when you are gone and it keeps the damage down, the crate makes them feel more secure.

[GOPisEvil]

12. Bali looks unimpressed.

But that sure is a cute puppy.

[wysimdnwyg]

18. Bali is anything BUT impressed

He is used to having the whole house pertty much to himself, even when I'm home. He's coming downstairs more each day, and he didn't even hiss at Dusty last night. I think he'll get used to it soon enough, and they'll be fast friends.

[Donkeyboy75]

22. Yep, and speaking from experience,

the cat will be the boss. No doubt.

[ihaveaquestion]

13. My last dog was a Yellow Lab

who was trained to be a seeing-eye dog, but failed the final exam. He had been trained to respond to some good commands. My favorites were - "go to bed" for get him out of the way and "take a break" for a potty break. These were great!

Also, teach her to sit before she can eat - either dinner or treats. They cooperate with this one pretty easily and it'll help keep you the master in her eyes.

Good luck with you're cutie!

[wysimdnwyg]

17. "Teach her to sit before she can eat"

Hey, that's a new one. Great idea, smjoyner!

[ihaveaquestion]

34. Yep, it worked like a charm to help my big dog

remember his manners, but it' not mine - I read it somewhere.

[Rainbowreflect]

20. I recommend kenneling the puppy while you are gone or sleeping.

My dogs were kenneled & it makes training so much easier.
My 3 year old dog still wants to sleep in his kennel.

[Donkeyboy75]

21. My advice

is to not go by all the pet books you read religiously. Dogs, as I'm sure you know, have very diverse personalities, and there's no one way to raise them. I used the books as a guideline, but my wife and I followed our instincts, and we have a very good-natured and loving two-year old boxer.

I would make sure to socialize your pup with other dogs early, though.

And, she is ADORABLE! Give her kisses from me!

:hi:

[no_hypocrisy]

23. If your little pup can't sleep, put a warm hot-water bottle in her box

covered by a soft cloth and an audibly-ticking small clock (also covered). This will comfort and relax your new friend.

[TX-RAT]

24. All things must be chewed.

[ET Awful]

25. Dusty is cute as hell :)

That picture in the pet bed is awesome (it shows off her coloring REALLY well).

Bali looks halfway miffed and halfway uncaring.

[RebelOne]

27. What a sweet-looking puppy. But of course, all puppies

are adorable. And you can be happy to know that you saved a life by adopting from a shelter.

On edit: And since she is part Rottweiler, she will learn very quickly. Take it from me, as I have a Rottweiler and she is one smart dog.

[Scout]

37. I'd like to get a Rottweiler next time ... any advice?

not to sidetrack the thread or anything ... I have a chocolate Labrador Retriever now, and a large Springer Spaniel. When I'm ready for another dog, I'd like a Rottweiler ... any advice? Female vs. male, how is their temperament, how much do they eat, etc.

thanks!

[Rhiannon12866]

40. I am a little afraid of Rotties

But I am used to smaller dogs. But someone told me once that the German-bred ones have much better temperaments than the American-bred ones, so I am just letting you know what I was told.:shrug:

[smirkymonkey]

28. OMG!! She's adorable!

Puppies who are that cute can do no wrong, just remember that! :)

[Rhiannon12866]

29. What an adorable little dog!

If the kitty is adjusting, he must also be pretty special. He reminds me of another special cat, who I know very well, and he is not thrilled with my two dogs even though they are not puppies and totally ignore him.:shrug:

[Mick Knox]

30. Potty training and Chewing

Potty: You can seclude them in an area if you wish, but to be honest most puppies will learn quickly if you scold them, maybe scruff them, and take them outside where they learn where they are supposed to go. Your puppy looks old to learn quickly. Also, you should anticipate when he needs to go. After eating (ambulation improves motility) - take for a walk.

I would get your dog fixed asap if its not done.

CHewing: make sure your puppy has chewing toys to chew on. Its not a "chewing phase"; its a teething phase and YOU WILL NOT be able to stop it. You will need to control his access, or he is going to chew on your table legs, whatever he finds, especially if you arent looking. Its not being a bad dog, his teeth hurt and he chews for relief.

I only believe in access control for the chewing phase, or something valuable (or dangerous) is going to get chewed on.

[wysimdnwyg]

31. She has been spayed already.

The shelter here does that to all animals who pass through. Of course, I would certainly have had it done anyway. One puppy is plenty.

She's doing pretty well with the potty training so far. She's peed twice in the house, but both times were as I was getting the leash. She's doing what she can, but I'm still learning her signals. Since the second time, I've been taking her out every hour or two (right after she eats and right after she wakes up).

As for chewing, I think that's going to be the biggest challenge. I have a pretty new set of furniture in the dining room that I'm afraid she's going to try to chew on. I've already caught her chewing on the legs of my bar stools. I'm just lucky those are metal. Of course, right now, she doesn't bite down hard. It's almost like she's just checking things out.

[Scout]

38. keep LOTS of chewy toys around the house

every time you catch her chewing, or acting like she's thinking of chewing, something inappropriate, correct her with a NO and give her one of her own chew toys with lots of praise and love in your voice.

can you make the dining room generally off limits to her? some people are able to train their dogs to avoid certain rooms, or not to step into the rooms that are carpeted, etc.

[maxpower]

32. Cage Train

Makes for a very happy puppy.

[sus]

33. she's a-DORable...

[WillParkinson]

35. THANK YOU!

For adopting from the shelter. :-)

[proud patriot]

39. I highly reccomend Woof Woof Uncle Matty's guide

we have had great success with our dogs using
Uncle Matty's dog raising strategies .

Good luck , CUTE Pup :hi:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/6304794584/103-3410011-2813414?v=glance