My dog is coming

vargote

New Member
My dog will come in 10 days time. He will be 8 monsths old. I will like to know when should I start training him for basic obidience.
Victor
 

Jean Cote

Administrator
Staff member
Usually you can start training a dog when they are just puppies, 8 weeks old. Although the training is more concentrated on potty training and socialization. At 8 months, you will be much behind on your training and you should start A.S.A.P. :dogsmile:
 

snooks

Experienced Member
Agreed - from moment one. Puppy was capable of learning things as young as 4 weeks or younger. The faster you start the faster you'll have things accomplished. Plus you can take advantage of those first 6-8 weeks of honeymoon time where he's figuring out how he fits in and that this is home and redirect things you don't want to things you do and reward him for correctly done things, like not chewing your shoes. Using this time positively will build a close and rewarding relationship for both of you.

Congrats on the new pup, I bet your're excited!! I'm excited for you. Post us some pix when you get them. :)
 

szecsuani

Experienced Member
Just like the other said, the sooner the better.
Keep every training session very short (2-5 minutes at maximum), as a pupy cannot concentrate for tooo long time, and it's easier to keep a short session exciting, than making a dog do things for 10 or more minutes.
Ask for simple things at first, you have about 15 years left for the difficult stuff. :)

Congrats on the new pup! :)
(I want a pup soo badly!!! :( :D)
 

tx_cowgirl

Honored Member
Staff member
Lol I feel your pain Szecsuani. >< I've got puppy love in a real bad way, lol. I now have banned myself from Petfinder, classifieds, breeder websites, ANYTHING that leads to puppy. No no no, no puppy....lol. Tex needs nooo puppy for a while. :dognowink:

Victor, the puppy forum has "Puppy Problems" threads that you might look into. At this age, you shouldn't have the problems mentioned so far but if you do there's some helpful tips there. Also a crate training how-to thread as well. At this stage puppy should be pretty much a well-behaved house member unless he hasn't been allowed inside. Not sure what his history is...
Training can start immediately. Don't expect a whole lot from him the first week--this is a stressful time and he may not give you 100% in training, so don't drive anything into him at this time--you'll teach him to ignore you. Do easy things at this point unless you're positive he's settled in. Easy things like targetting, etc--things that help you two connect, make him think, but aren't overly mentally/physically draining. Good luck with new puppy!
 

szecsuani

Experienced Member
tx_cowgirl;17855 said:
Lol I feel your pain Szecsuani. >< I've got puppy love in a real bad way, lol. I now have banned myself from Petfinder, classifieds, breeder websites, ANYTHING that leads to puppy. No no no, no puppy....lol. Tex needs nooo puppy for a while. :dognowink:
My problem is different, I know what breed I want, I found 3 breeders that I would take a puppy from, and everything is ready for a puppy.
BUT: As I'm still under 18, I live with my parents. And they don't want a second dog. :msncry:
But I already planned, that when I'm done with school, I'll get a dog before I go to university. :)

So it will be 2 years before I get a pup... :dogwacko:
I think it's worth waiting. But still, I want a pup.
 

tx_cowgirl

Honored Member
Staff member
Lol I have a Border Collie pup planned next summer. Your wait is much longer, ouch. Good luck tolerating the puppy love until then, lol!
 

szecsuani

Experienced Member
tx_cowgirl;17860 said:
Lol I have a Border Collie pup planned next summer. Your wait is much longer, ouch. Good luck tolerating the puppy love until then, lol!
Lol, thanx! :)

And I have been dealing with this for at least 7 years, as I have wanted a bearded collie since then.... :D
Then came Pami... :) And I still want a beardie.
 

snooks

Experienced Member
I'm yearning for a GSD rescue and JackienMutts sends me the most beautiful dogs from shep rescue near where she is in CA. I want them all. But I have no business post surgery getting another dog tho so I'm waiting. Fostering is a big option tho. I went to a shelter yesterday and worked with a reactive dog and had the most wonderful experience. I'll def be going back as soon as I can.

I've been looking forward to your new pup TX as much as you have. Now you have a puppy cam too!!! YAY. The waiting is so hard. Szecsuani I dreamed of having two Goldens for 15 years before I got them and it's heaven. I only wish I had more resources/room/time to rescue more. You will get ur dream dog some day and the wait will be so worth it.
 

tigerlily46514

Honored Member
Vargote, do not be discouraged or concerned in any way that you may be a lil behind teaching your new puppy things since he could have been being trained all along before you got him.
Puppies and dogs of all ages can learn very well, it will be fine!! Don't forget, make it FUN!! Do not "correct" mistakes, but ignore them-- and reward the GOOD stuff you do like in your puppy. Always end on positive note, and ALWAYS follow with a play session, so your puppy will think ''Learning time is FUN!!"

Ha, once i forgot to do that after-training play session, and Buddy came and dropped his toy in my lap, and looked at me like, "Cmon, you forgot THIS part!" ha ha!
 

tigerlily46514

Honored Member
I can totally understand dog-hunger, cuz i went through that for TWO YEARS trying to hypnotize Craig we were ready for another dog, etc. All the while FWDing him Petfinders dogs. I was getting desperate. I just wanted a dog, any dog, i would have happily taken a 3 legged, one-eyed mutt, but Craig had all these stipulations, a young, male border collie, with this, that and the other...blah blah blah.

I almost felt like i was turning into a coworker of mine who went through an almost obsessive baby-hunger while trying to conceive. It began to consume her. (happy ending, she did get her baby, and i did get my dog!)
HERE'S TO RIDING OUT LONG WAITS WITH HAPPY ENDINGS!!
 
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