What do I need for a new puppy?

[Morganna]

My friend's son was having issues with a spaniel pup, and took him to a 'dog whisperer'. Apparently the transformation has been miraculous, although haven't met the dog, so this is second hand.

Anyway, the trick the dog whisperer recommended was to hiss loudly at the pup, preferably standing up. This is a gender-neutral sound, and sounds the same if it's done by a young or older person, so suitable for all the family, and is something that instinctively animals don't like. This has cured the puppy of jumping up at people, climbing onto sofas and other unspecified anti-social behaviour. It might be worth a try?

[SunnyMum]

Oh, that's a good tip, Morgs. Especially the gender / age neutral aspect.
I will try this on Le Puppy who is dreadful for jumping up on people (customers !!) when they try to get out of their car.

[Luna]

We put Poppy in her crate when she was being a pain but I don't think she hated her crate for it Often when she's bored with us, she'll lie in it or takes herself to bed at night sometimes.
This phase will be over soon. Hang in there.

[Little My]

I will hang in, thank you all. It had just gotten to the point of me wondering if it was beyond normal behaviour. It probably isn't.

The hissing idea sounds worth a try, I've started on that immediately. And I will be persistent about it. (You are right, Toast, that even if something isn't getting results it doesn't mean that it never will.) Plus that's how we tell the cats off.

I went back for the bully sticks last night. She LOVED it. Took her about 30 minutes to chomp through it. Not sure how often I can feed her those. She did look like she might start guarding it though, which she has never done with food before.

[Texaco Shirley]

How are you getting on with the biting now Little My? We are having exactly the same issues with Daisy and A. It’s clearly excitement rather than any sort of aggression but he’s finding it really hard.

[Cosmopolitan]

We tell Ripley to go find a toy when she gets a bit bitey and the resulting praise from finding the toy and having something in her mouth usually sorts her out.

[Texaco Shirley]

How old is Ripley now?

[Cosmopolitan]

11 months. She's not bitey very much any more, only really when she's over excited (new people, being allowed on the bed). It was a very sudden drop off if that helps? Basically the tiny sharp needle puppy teeth fell out and her adult teeth grew in and she stopped biting everything. We went thru a lot of split antlers / pigs ears / dried tripe etc but she's really good now.

[Texaco Shirley]

That’s reassuring, thank you.

[Little My]

Poor A. It's so hard for them!

My psycho puppy is much less psycho now. She is 5.5 months, and no longer bites us all the live long day. Even the kids. Her baby teeth have been falling out, and adult teeth coming in (chewing toys a lot, like Ripley). The kids can take her leash when out on a walk now, but are still not able to go out unsupervised and sometimes have to be reminded to be calm with her. I have high hopes that we will get there.

Since I last updated this thread, she got very sick with v+d and tapeworm. It was utterly horrendous. Her final vaccinations were delayed, which was miserable. But she's enjoying getting out more now, and is actually really loving meeting other dogs. She doesn't get aggressive at all. And she is a GIANT puppy. Already almost 50 lbs. She is going to be like Clifford the Big Red Dog.

Our biggest struggles at the moment are jumping up, both on people and on kitchen counters. And chasing the cats.

I bought her a sweater to match our family xmas pjs, so I suppose she's one of us now.

[Texaco Shirley]

That is also reassuring, thank you.

[Hobbes]

Ha, we have exactly the same struggles Little My - jumping up and chasing the cats! Archie’s a Labrador cross and just incredibly greedy - he will eat anything, edible or not, and he’s always on the lookout for food.

He was also very bitey Tex, but is already getting so much better. When he gets over excited and nips the game stops immediately and I ignore him for 15 seconds or so. I was also removing myself fully from him on the other side of the stair gate if he wouldn’t stop, and I haven’t had to do that for a few weeks now - he’s 16 weeks tomorrow.

Now, bless him, when he knows he’s going to get over excited and nip, like when he sees us first thing in the morning, he goes and gets a toy first to gag himself so he can direct his biting elsewhere!

[Texaco Shirley]

First thing in the morning is def the worst. She’s a whirlwind of excitement after not seeing us All Night. The biting is still happening but def improving.

Next question, toilet training. When do they get the idea that they should be outside?? I know she’s little and there will be accidents but she’s not even trying yet.

[Luna]

Stand by the door and say ‘go wee wees’ then take her to the spot you want them to wee on. Then they get lots of praise and a treat. Practise this a lot throughout the day.

[Cosmopolitan]

We still get the leaping around like a crazy thing first thing in the morning. Such delight in seeing us.

She won't get the idea that outside is right until you train it in her. We would put her outside first thing, last thing and pretty much every hour and then when she did a wee or poo then she had a treat. We also said the command word for wee or poo (in our case, Hurry Up) and the praised her for doing a good hurry up and she got a treat.
She figured it out fairly quickly that doing her business outside had treats involved and doing it inside had totally silent treatment and people running around finding cleaning supplies which is no fun.

It did take a little while for her to stop going on the lounge carpet, especially if we were playing with her as she didn't want to stop to go outside.

[Duophonic]

First thing in the morning is def the worst. She’s a whirlwind of excitement after not seeing us All Night. The biting is still happening but def improving.

Next question, toilet training. When do they get the idea that they should be outside?? I know she’s little and there will be accidents but she’s not even trying yet.

You really should join dog training advice and support on FB their guides will take got through step by step every stage.

[Texaco Shirley]

We’ve been doing all that. Loads of praise and a treat for doing it outside and if she does it inside she gets put outside immediately while we clean up. Hopefully it will click at some point.

[Cosmopolitan]

It really will click suddenly. Nothing more satisfying than letting them out the door and bellowing Hurry Up while they peacefully pee in the rain while you stand inside. (we've only just achieved this,!)

[Texaco Shirley]

First thing in the morning is def the worst. She’s a whirlwind of excitement after not seeing us All Night. The biting is still happening but def improving.

Next question, toilet training. When do they get the idea that they should be outside?? I know she’s little and there will be accidents but she’s not even trying yet.

You really should join dog training advice and support on FB their guides will take got through step by step every stage.

I have joined it. I’ll have another read of their guide.

ETA I’ve reread the toilet training bit and we are pretty much following it apart from giving treats when she wees outside. We did stop after I’d read that previously but it seemed to be counter productive.

[Duophonic]

Yeah it's all repetition until they get it.

It worked a bit too well for innes and he wouldn't toilet outside the garden but eventually grew out of it.