Just got a puppy!

My parents just brought home a puppy today, and so I was curious from GB people as to their experiences raising their puppies/dogs, pro strats, tips and tricks, how to get all the achievements, etc. She's a three month old black mostly labrador (maybe a pit bull further up in her family tree) according to my parents.

Right before I left for class she peed in the living room, so I'm sure that we'll have to figure out a training system for getting her used to peeing/pooing outside. Honestly, my selfish and needy self just wants to figure out how to have her love me as much as I love her (and love me more than everyone else), but I'm sure that will come with time.

I'm super interested in hearing your experiences with your puppies/dogs, and if you have any advice about raising a puppy.

Edit: puppy photo

Make sure you socialize the dog with other dogs/animals and different sorts of people while it is still young or you may have fear or aggression problems when it is an adult.

If you're looking for resources about training I can't recommend Carrots and Sticks enough, it's kinda hard to find since it's out of print in the US. But if you're willing to wait a while you can get it from Australia here. This book goes into how animals are trained and learn, it seems more generalized, but it helps you figure out how to train your dog. I've got 4 dogs and they've all become much better walkers and listeners since I started working with them in a way that they understand. They think completely differently than people, which is hard to put out of your head since it's so easy to anthropomorphize your pets

I'm so accustomed to the word "puppy" replacing curse words in thread titles here that I spent a second wondering what the title originally was.

All dogs will be different and have different needs. That being said, Labradors tend to be a good breed with not too many issues. I had seven dogs in my life and here is a few tips:

- Positive reinforcement over punishment. Making sure the dog understands it's good to pee outside will make it understand better than anything else.

- Peeing inside will sometimes happen no matter what, especially for a puppy.

- If you need to punish, a firm "no" (no need to shout) and angry look is often enough. I don't think physical punishments are any good.

- Don't buy it too many toys, but buy it a sturdy one. Stuff made by Kong are great.

- Treats are good but don't make them systematic.

- Socializing is important. Other dogs and children are especially important early on so it does not become afraid of them. Be careful though, a child that is too clingy or a dog that is too excited may make the dog snap, so be always present.

- Love it and it will love you back. It's a lot of responsibilities but I think it's great for the character to have dog.

I have a rescued Greyhound right now and they're a very peculiar breed. I would post a picture but I'm on mobile.

Good luck :)

Dude, get a dog door. It's a game changer.

Remember that teaching it it is ok to engage in certain activities that are fine for puppies but really problematic for bigger dogs can lead to trouble down the road. Your girl is going to get a LOT bigger.

In general "dog training" is more accurately owner training. There's a ton of resources for it though, so get out there.

Good luck and congrats!

Since you're living with other people, it's really important to come up with a list of commands that everybody agrees to use with the dog. When everybody has a different way of telling the dog to come, that dog has as many new commands to learn as there are people to give them. Obviously, this can be confusing, and makes it difficult for the animal to learn how to behave.

If you're willing, you can dedicate a pocket to keeping dog food in. You can use this to reinforce good behavior. Training an animal is about cause and effect. An animal needs to understand what the cause (what behavior) was that resulted in the effect (reward/nothing/punishment) that it received. This is why rewards/punishments work best when they immediately follow the behavior you wish to modify. If a dog sits on command, it should get a treat immediately. This is why it's useful to have those treats on your person all the time. It also helps make you the favorite.

If you come home to find dog poop on the carpet in the living room, it's no use to yell at the dog while it's in the kitchen. It has no idea that it's being yelled at for the poop it took an hour ago in the other room. It needs to be shown what you're upset with it about. I assume you'll be crating the dog at night, which will naturally house train it over time, given an appropriately sized cage. When it's time for bed at night, I recommend sitting outside the crate/cage with the pup on your lap for 15 minutes or so to help settle it down, and then putting it in the cage once it's calm/asleep. It will take less and less time every night, and the dog will probably start getting up off your lap and walking into the cage on it's own. You should avoid just throwing the dog in the cage at night, or using the cage as a punishment, unless you want the dog to spend half of every night whining until you let it out.

Dogs love routines, and order.

Just remember, that dogs are naturally driven towards social acceptance. Your family is the pack, and your dog just wants to find its place in it.

And here's some dog shenanigans:

Paging @rorie to thread, though it may risk your pup getting ONE BIG CHOMP.

To add to what some others have said (since some have said the opposite), negative reinforcement just doesn't work - with pets or people. Positive reinforcement not only works better, but you don't have to abuse your dog that way! Yes, dogs can be verbally abused as well, I've seen it a hundred times... and whaddaya know, they never behave well so they just get abused verbally more and more by their dumb owners.

How do you tell us you got a puppy, but not post pics?

Right?! This is the most disappointing thread of the decade.

I know just the guy to provide some pro tips.

You're mixing up punishment with negative reinforcement. Negative reinforcement is just a different way of rewarding a behavior. And, actually, punishments are extremely effective behavior modifiers. They just aren't very nice.

Socialize that dog as soon as your dog has all its vaccinations.

If your dog is a female, spay if you have no intentions of breeding. Not just so you don't get unwanted pups, but if your dog never breeds, the chance of cancer skyrockets.

Edit: Our new pup was born a week ago. So, we went down to see her today!

Whenever you correct or reward your dog, do it immediately after whatever your dog did that you're responding to. A minute after tearing up that rug, the dog has no idea why you're pointing at the rug and firmly saying no, bad.

I knew I wasn't alone.

Ah, yes I was unaware that negative reinforcement didn't necessarily include punishment.

However, it still has been shown that verbal, physical, or sexual abuse type punishments can obviously be effective, but far less than positive reinforcement and with greater chance of negative consequences for your relationship with the punishee, and/or greater chance of harming said punishee.

No pic. Instant disappointment.

Make sure to give the doggie lots of hugs.

Make sure to update her firmware regularly.

I've only had Shih Tzus, so some of my dog knowledge may not apply here. (Like in terms of how to get dogs to love you, the Shih Tzus my family had were incredibly lovable and friendly, so they always wanted to be around other people, would easily get excited, loved to play, loved to be hugged, etc.)

Probably the best things I would recommend would be spending plenty of time and playing with her. A lot of dogs naturally take a liking and go over to people who spend a lot of time with them. Like if you pet a dog, he/she would just sit there for however long you gave them affection. Or how the past few dogs my family had were always closest to my dad, because he was home the most during that time.

I'm not an expert trainer, but the bathroom situation basically boils down to getting the dog to know they should go outside, and it's not that cool to go inside (Edit: not through punishment or anything. More like: Outside = Good. Inside = Not Good). Once they get that concept down, they will either stand by the door waiting to go outside or come over to bug you randomly. When that's established, going outside will be depended on how long your dog can hold it and if somebody's there to open the door. Until then, yeah, there's probably going to be some pee and poop in your house randomly.

Thar looks just like my beagle if she had all black fur.

@spoonman671: @themessibeast: Your dogs are all CUTIES

:3

Just dont show that puppie to Rorie. He will eat it when you are looking away.

Use a lot of positive reinforcement. Use a clicker, similar to this, for positive reinforcement. Occasionally reward with treats, but sometimes just use the clicker or hugs, so your pup isn't always expecting food as a reward.

Expect some accidents when housebreaking. Do not punish accidents, especially since you most likely won't catch them in the act, and they won't relate the negative reinforcement with the accident. Do not use those scented pads for doing their business indoors -- only use those if your dog is old or has an illness or disability. She has a small bladder right now with little control, so it's usually best to have someone that can come home often during the day, e.g. for lunch, to take her outside.

There may be times where you may need to crate your dog, so crate train at an early age. Never use it as a punishment. (I have used it as a punishment, but in reverse, where my dog wasn't allowed to go into her crate. It's like when my parents sent me outside to play as "punishment.")

Get her used to brushing her teeth and clipping/filing her nails while she's young. Ease her into it at first by gently holding her muzzle and paws without actually doing the grooming.

Socialize your pup with children, old people, other dogs and animals, but wait until all its vaccines are up to date. Consult with your vet when to let her meet other dogs.

Get a thundershirt. You'll want one for the 4th of July, Chinese New Year, and Christmas in some areas.

Stay away from rawhide, bones, pig ears, and similar "treats."

Kongs and other toys that can be stuffed with treats are good -- stick some peanut butter in there and toss it in the freezer. Be sure to wash them frequently.

Everyone knows no chocolate, but also avoid grapes, onions, and fruit seeds and pits. Watermelon without seeds and rind is a good treat, but don't overdo it.

Don't use a "gentle" leader, use a body harness when on leash.

This doesn't apply to you, but for anyone that is getting a husky pup: they don't need baths as often as other breeds (or at all unless they got into something), since a good brushing will suffice; brush them outdoors; never leave them off leash outdoors unattended; do not trust fences.

That's all I can think of for now.

Awesome tc. I can't wait to get a dog again when I retire(early).

This and tell her you'll always be there for her...forever. :-)

Also Sergio's post above is super practical and right on point for the specifics.

Definitely give your dog plenty of love and socialize with her when you have the time. Though definitely give her some expectations of good behavior and try not to let her make a mess in the house. If you have the money, dog school could be a good investment.

Maybe have your puppy in a separated room or kennel where she wouldn't go into the kitcken and eat food while you're out. If your dog makes a mistake, I would address that to her, but don't be too harsh like yelling really loud. Just make sure you send an appropriate message that your dog did something wrong so she won't repeat the mistake again. Of course, don't be a negative presence to her and show plenty of positive reinforcement and give your dogs plenty of pets and even let her kiss you to show affection.

For getting toys, find the right toys for her and see what toys your dog likes to play with best, like my dog has a tendency to get excited over frisbee throwing. Tennis Balls can be fun, but they could get lost easily and your dog could complain. Don't buy a toy that you think will get destroyed in 2-3 days, try to find something that has more durability.

Keep your dog in good shape and your dog will probably enjoy that, like taking short and daily walks. Also make sure you clip her nails and find puppy treats that can help clean your dog's teeth if you don't feel like brushing her teeth all the time. Talk to a local veterinarian and learn about what dog kibble formula would be best for her diet as well. Best of luck to raising your puppy, she looks adorable!

As someone who lost his 14 year old pup yesterday, just love the everloving shit out of that dog for as long as you can. Everything else will fall into place.

I love labradors. They are very good breeds

The best advice I can give is to remember that not everyone is fond of large dogs. As your puppy grows jumping up to say hello may be cute but as an adult it can scare kids and some adults.

Look at the puppy!

I don't have anything constructive to add, I just wanted to officially express an "aaawww". That's a real cute puppy, hope you two make a good match, you lucky bugger.

I think making a walk with your dog part of a daily routine or as often as you can, is super important. You get exercise, the dog gets exercise, everyones better off! It's hard to get in the habit of it though.

My Mom got me a 1 year old Cocker Spaniel when I was 16. She's an early riser so she always fed the dog in the morning, as a result the dog ended up loving her more than me. Basically, make sure you're the one that feeds your pup regularly.

If it has all of its shots and such, get it out there to socialize with everything and everyone! Make sure it gets a good amount of walking and exercise too. I just got a Shiba Inu pup myself, so I'm kinda learning also as I go along too. Congrats!

@zelyre said:

Edit: Our new pup was born a week ago. So, we went down to see her today!

DAAAWWWWWWWW

I've always wanted a puppy *sniff*

What a very cute puppy there!

The most important thing I think will be getting the potty training down. Make sure the dog knows that it is not a good thing to go in the house. Try and set up regular times to let the dog out so it gets a system going.

AWWWWWW!

• Socialize the dog with other dogs, people, and pets as soon as you can. Take it slow and let them do things on their own terms.
• Get the dog training as soon as possible. The younger the better.
• Don't forget about your dog's immunization shots, flea shots, and allergy shots.
• Positive reinforcement is a good thing.
• Set boundaries and rules early on. This goes with #2 listed above
• If it's an "active" breed, take them outside and let them get plenty of exercise daily. Some types of dogs need it more than others, but exercise and playtime is always a good thing
• Avoid foods like onions, grapes, fruit seeds, and especially chocolate.
• A bored dog is a dog that gets into a lot of trouble. Get them toys they like to keep them occupied when you aren't there. Chew toys, tennis balls, frisbees... Anything to stop them from chewing on things in the house and "finding" new "toys" when you aren't home.
• At a minimum, a dog needs a bath every now and then along with getting their nails clipped and coat brushed. Some dogs with longer coats might need actual grooming. You can do these things yourself, or you can get your local groomer/vet to do it for you.

Also, be wary of products with Xylitol in them. It's super-toxic to dogs. It few sticks of chewing gum with xylitol will do far, far more damage than a couple of dark chocolate bars.

Since it has anti-cavity properties, you'll see it in gum, mints, tooth paste, mouthwash, and sugar-free foods, like cookies, muffins, and peanut butter. So, if you're going to give your dog human food, check for xylitol in the ingredients list.

Bathing really depends on the breed. Some breeds can actually go their entire lifespan without a bath, and may only need one if they got into something with an odor.

--

One of the things you should train your pup to do is share. If she growls when you approach her while she's eating or has her favorite toy, you will want to get her out of that habit at a young age before she grows up to be a snapping dog.

Sit with her and give her a toy or long lasting treat. Let her chew it for a few seconds, then take it away. Give it back after a few seconds at first, increasing and varying the duration the more you train her. If she growls, calmly say, "no." If she snaps, gently hold her muzzle when you say it. Wait until she stops growling, then give it back to her.

Wow, tons of really good advice here. We've been slowly figuring her out, and while her constant chewing on things is difficult to stop (I try to replace it with her kong but she gets bored of it pretty fast), I've found that if I sit on the ground with her in my lap she'll just curl up to sleep and stop being difficult.

We've clipped her nails, bathed her a couple of times, and are slowly getting the potty training down too, she hasn't peed inside yet today!

@sergio: I was wondering why you say to never use the crate as a punishment? My parents have been putting her inside for a couple of minutes as a "time out" when she misbehaves, and while sometimes she barks and whines, so far it has been a good indicator that she needs to quiet down/stop nipping people or things. She still likes the spot a lot, and often goes in of her own accord just to chill and sleep, so I feel like the space isn't automatically considered a negative one for her. Just curious about your/anyone's thoughts on this.

@themessibeast: A time out isn't necessarily a punishment. If you're saying, "you need a time out," when she's put in her crate, then she won't really consider it a negative. I've told my dog to go to her room if I need to clean up a mess I don't want her getting into, then tell her to come out when I'm done. That's fine. If you're saying, "bad girl, bad dog," raising your voice, or giving off angry vibes while you're putting her in, then she will start to associate it as a punishment and a negative.

You caught on to the reason why the crate shouldn't be a punishment: you don't want her to consider it a negative. The crate should be seen like her den where she should want to go in willingly, even when not told to do so. Even used as a punishment, a dog will still go into their crate out of fear. So it's really for the dog's mental well being and your own peace of mind to keep it as a positive place.

It doesn't sound like her crate is being used as a punishment.

@themessibeast: You may want to put some peanut butter or banana (or both!)in the kong. Then, freeze it so it takes longer to get the good stuff out. With our old dog, I had to give her a bit of peanut butter to pique her interest, then show her I was putting the same treat in her kong.

Best advice for any dog owner is treat your dog like a dog, not like a person. Don't spoil it, don't let it get away with anything and everything, don't treat it like it's a baby. If it's barking up a storm and annoying your neighbors, make it lay down and be quiet. If it bares its teeth at any other animal or person, don't coddle it and tell it everything's gonna be okay because it takes that to mean you're okay with that behavior. Instead, take it away and make it lay down and be quiet until it calms down and deny it your affection until it displays the behavior you want. Nothing is worse for a dog than thinking it's in charge. The most neurotic, stressed, and dangerous dogs I've seen are always owned by the people who claim to love animals the most, because all they know how to do when it misbehaves is give affection and shrug their shoulders, which hurts the dog even worse than an owner that yells and screams to get the behavior they want. Your affection and approval are your most powerful weapons in shaping your dog's behavior, so don't be afraid to withhold them if they aren't being earned.

@themessibeast: I think I may have just died xD thats one of the cutest puppies i've ever seen!

Pizza pupperoni!

@asmo917: this is coming late, but my condolences for your loss. I lost mine three years ago (last week) out of the blue. I'm finally thinking of getting a new friend.

@sergio: Thanks. It's been a real rough couple of days, but each one is more or less a little better. And I know I'll get another pup someday, but it's going to be years before I'm ready, too.