? the puppies first days at a new home
 

I was curious about everyones experiences with bringing home there new puppies. Is the first few nights filled with crying howling and the like? Or did you have a better experience? Also if you guys have any tricks to make it a bit better for the puppies first few nights.

I am going to be getting my DD in just under 6 weeks from now. I haven't had a puppy for 15 years and really don't remember the first days with our old puppy.

So give me the good bad and ugly and what tricks to make those first few nights bearable, and how it all went.

Thanks

Brian

If the pup wont sleep and start makin a racket DO NOT pick her up and hold her, just like a baby itll only get worse. Instead put a wind up alarm clock inside a towel or old blanket and put in the pups sleep area while its ticking. This calms recently separated pups as their used to havin bro and sis to sleep with i reckon it mimics a littermates hearbeat.

Thanks for the reply. I have heard about the alarm clock with the ticking to help it feel like it was with her litter mates. I might just pick one up and put it in her crate before hand to help her out. I will also try to poop her out before she goes in for the night.

So no matter what don't pick her up right. I just hope I don't give in... I guess that I will just put her crate in the fartherest room from the bedrooms so the noise wont be too bad LOL.

Thanks
Brian

Thats the ticket, if you baby em youll get a big baby.

Thanks Podunk. I will just have to be strong.

Brian

If youre concerned enough to post about this subject then im sure youll be a great dog owner.

Good Luck

I would first set an area for the pup. Like a laundry room or bathroom, someplace with tile or vinyl flooring, no carpet. Don't lock the door but use a baby gate. This is the area you want her to sleep at night.

For the first few nights, set the crate near you or a family member. That way, the pup can hear/see someone. It will calm them down somewhat. Later you can move them to 'their' area. You can also use a radio in combination with the clock. ie, get a small plastic bottle filled with warm water, wrap it with a towel and have the clock ticking. In the background, use the radio to make soft noises.

As for pottying, always be consistant. Take the pup out atleast (2 would be good)once a night at a certain time. Let them drink during the day but feed them less water at night. Their internal clock will tell them to hold until its time for you to take them out.

There are tips you can use while the pup is growing up like using the whistle to call the dog for feeding which you will overlay into the field. Woahing her before she eats, also overlays and not tugging the leash which will help with heeling later on.

Read "How to help gundogs train themselves" by Joan Bailey which is a precursor to NAVHDA training book.

Thanks Mite,

I will be using a crate for my puppy till she is older. I really like the warm bottle trick too along with the clock and radio with soft music. Should give me the best shot at a decent night sleep. I hope. But like Podunk said I don't want to baby her and make it worse.

I have been around regular dogs in my life for over 25 years, just not a gun dog. I am so looking forward to it. I think I will give these suggestions some a shot.

thanks guys.

Brian

I just picked up my new lab puppy today. Im going to let him get used to me and his new surroundings over the next few days before starting to work on training. The thing is that nothing you want to do now should be rushed nor should it seem like work. For now all training your puppy does should be play and fun for him/her. Seriousness comes much later after you have established yourself as the lead dog. I also have a one year old Lab that I call the hunting net byproduct :) He's done awsome as far as obedience and a good portion of his training. I think I may have pushed hos water training to fast because he will retireve dryland all day long but will not water retrieve. Take it slow and buy some patience by the caseload.... Good luck with the new addition

get a crate with wire sides not plastic.make area inside real small so puppy wont poo as much or not.you have to take puppy outside a lot like every 2 hrs for pee.dont bring puppy back in until they go or try to go.somtimes it takes 30 minutes.i did this in blizzards at 10 above in march, brrrrrr....

say OUTSIDE when you take puppy out to pee/poo.if puupy makes circle, grab him/her and run to door saying OUTSIDE.YOU CAN POTTY TRAIN A PUUPY IN ABOUT 2 WEEKS DOING THIS.secret is to make the cart only big enough for puppy to sleep. any bigger and they will pee/poo in there,THATS NO GOOD.

NEXT RUB A RAG ON MOTHER AT THE KENNEL, TAKE THAT HOME WITH YOU.let puppy sleep with that.
turn on radio in kitchen so voices are on radio all night.puppys like voices. doing this and puppy will not cry after 2 days.after about a week you can shut radio off.

dont let puppy pee in house.it will happen but most of time you will learn when puppy is ready to pee.
dont let puppy run all thru house.make little areas where you can play with puppy and watch tv at same time.tv is great for puppy on sounds etc.

people that dont potty train pup are asking for trouble.clock idea is good under moms rag with smell.
crate is greatest thing to have.when you cant watch puppy,put in crate .make sure its only big enough to sleep in ,my crate came with divider to make area smaller and as puppy grows you can make area bigger.
after a few weeks puppy may not need crate.
dont let puppy in your bed or on couch.aggressive puppys are happening a lot now.look at mom/pop,if anyone of them is SHY or aggresSive DONT BUY THE PUPPY,WALK AWAY.........

THATS ABOUT IT.dont use can food only dry food. purina pro plan is good and after 9 months i changed to CANIDAE ALL LIFE.

take care sproul

Sproul, Thanks for the tips. SOme of them I remember from our Yorkie we had years ago. I will be doing much of that what you mentioned. I just wish there was someway to stop her from crying the first 2 nights with me. But I guess thats mostly impossible. Oh well a couple nights wont be too bad. We will just have to take some naps during the day to catch up on the sleepless first 2 nights.

Thanks again guys

Brian

For crying puppies it is best to ignore it.

I walk away and leave the dog in the crate in my home. I may even darken the room.
One thing I will do is really exercise the pup so the pup is tired and sleeps well. Each time upon taking it out of the crate outside we go.

The crate is always their safe haven as I never put the dog in there if I am mad.

JW

When I was potty training my dog, I made a big deal everytime she went outdoors. One day, she potty in the hallway. She was so proud that she kept running to me and back to her potty tail wagging excitedly. She expected me to give a 'good girl!' I just had to laugh. She equated my praise with pottying and not pottying outside.

The best investment I've made is getting a steam cleaner. Mix part pet odor with normal steam cleaning solution. Because once they potty in a certain spot, they'll keep going there.

Lots of good advise posted. Mite, love the one about the floor cleaner.

The only thing I will add is not about house training.

Keep your pup away from places like dog parks and pet stores. Places where lots of dogs have been. Untill there around 4 or 5 months they don't have it in there immune system to deal with some of the diseases they can come in contact with. Talk to your breeder and your vet about this subject and follow there advise.

Yes, don't reward the crying by picking it up. If you know it just went potty, just leave it in the crate and let it be. Another thing I always did with my puppies, is when they wake up from a nap, get them outside right now, they will pee. And while they are looking for a spot, tell them "Hurry up", over and over. It comes in handy when they are older and you just want them to go. It becomes "code" for go to the bathroom. Good around other people and times like traveling and such. You eventually will get your dog to even pee on command with "hurry up".

more affection you show first few weeks worst it gets.puppy gets too attached to us all.i have list of things not to do.like my sister always wants toby to lick her face.i said, KAY WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO IF TOBY BITES YOU ON THE LIP.......

use radio in kitchen with voices on at night.cover top of the wire crate with blanket,reduce room in crate,make it tight. moms rag thing and clock.you will be set.

DONT SHOW AFFECTION WHEN THEY ARE CRYING.it wont stop if you do.

take care sproul

very well said,i also used HURRY UP while puppy is looking for spot.i use OUTSIDE when i grab puppy and run to back door shooting pee in air.

oh fun of having puppy........:s1:

vinagar works mixed with water too on dog pee in steam cleaner shampoo machine.i bought the LITTLE GREEN MACHINE from wal-mart.i also use it on my car carpets.

here is another tip.use BORAX powder on your carpet to kill fleas,let sit for few days and vacuum up.

borax kills fleas and DAWN DISH DETERGENT kills fleas on dogs.....