Planning For New Pup

[dogon]

Hi all. I've been doing a lot of reading since we have decided to purchase a cocker pup. All I'm doing now is thinking of ways to set up for him and be the most prepared I can be. He will be 8 weeks when we get him and I will be on 6 weeks holidays when he is 10 weeks so that means 2 weeks of home alone (but hubby can come home and spend his lunch with him) we will set him up in our bathroom with bed, toys and newspaper and will obviously resign ourselves to cleaning up each afternoon. When on holidays I will start the whole toilet training thing in earnest and also obedience training. We will probably let him sleep on our bed at night though (hubby's call not mine ) and may or may not use a crate for time out - short trips to shop etc. He will definitely be an inside dog - a doggy door will be installed at a later date for him to choose as he gets older.

Do we sound on track? Am I in for a horror if I'm not with him for 2 weeks at first? Of course I will spend as much time with him when I'm home etc (training and playing)

Also; when I do go back to work the pup will be four months old. From what I understand at this age they begin to really teeth. At this stage I'm hoping that he will know his area - either a penned area or a closed off room with all chewable things removed save for chew toys etc. Is there anything else people could recommend that we do here? Anything I can work on in my six week break to prepare him for our return to work. I know puppy's are hard work, I know they chew so I'm under no illusion here

I have been reading through these forums and have a fair idea of what we're in for but I'm still very excited. Maybe people with cockers can give me some specialised tips too. Thanks guys.

Edited November 4, 2008 by dogon

[Luke W]

All my opinion, new dog owner who reads a lot...(I have a perfectly behaved, perfectly house trained, crate trained, totally inside, Level 2/3 obedience trained, 8mo old cocker who thinks I'm god)

You're not going to like this...

Cancel your holiday if possible. This is crucial bonding and learning time. Take the time off work but stay at home.

A less ideal alternative - leave him with the breeder till 10wks.

Second - follow the advice in Ian Dunbar's books and use short-term and long-term confinement techniques. This means: Get a crate and a pen.

I would not let him sleep on your bed. Get him used to sleeping in a crate.

Bathrooms are cold - set up his pen in a spare room, spare area, or even your bedroom.

Buy plastic sheeting to cover the floor ($2 shop, cheap) in addition to the newspaper, he will eat the newspaper.

As for chewing - baby proof your house. Anything loose he can get his teeth on, he WILL chew. He will prefer socks, underpants, glasses, towels, rugs, pens, shoes, etc, etc over any chew toys you can provide.

ETA:

Congratulations, you are about to receive an amazing creature who will bring untold joy into your life!

Edited October 29, 2008 by Luke W

[TerraNik]

All my opinion, new dog owner who reads a lot...(I have a perfectly behaved, perfectly house trained, crate trained, totally inside, Level 2/3 obedience trained, 8mo old cocker who thinks I'm god)

You're not going to like this...

Cancel your holiday if possible. This is crucial bonding and learning time. Take the time off work but stay at home.

I got the impression that the 6 weeks WAS to stay at home with the pup...?

[Tintin Jac]

Just sticking my nose in here...I thought the OP was saying that she will be at work for the first 2 weeks when they get their puppy, then on leave from work and at home for the next 6 weeks. So, "holidaying" at home with pup.

ETA SNAP TerraNik

Edited October 29, 2008 by mrmac

[Luke W]

ahh - OK - I was confused - I read it as the OP would be away on holidays from week 10 to week 12...but the OP actually means - she will be at work during the days from week 8-10...My mistake.

[Toohey]

Am I in for a horror if I'm not with him for 2 weeks at first? Of course I will spend as much time with him when I'm home etc (training and playing)

.

.

Anything I can work on in my six week break to prepare him for our return to work.

He needs to learn to be on his own, so as long as he is in a safe puppy proof place, and someone is checking him and feeding him lunch, he will learn in that time to be on his own. He will mostly sleep then anyway, though certainly there will be moments of heart wrenching yowling , but they tire easily and need heaps of sleep as babies.

Make sure in your time off, you continue with his time alone and don't spend all your time with him.

You sound as if you are on the track to me

If you are buying a well raised, well bred pup, from a good breeder, you are also on the right track. Good luck.

[dogon]

Thanks all. Sorry for that confusion - essentially our pup will be alone during the day for the first 2 weeks until I start holdidays. I will be on holidays for six weeks approx. I have been waiting to purchase a pup all year but wanted to wait until the xmas holidays to when I knew I would have a longer break. Hubby thinks he may be able to take the pup to work (if crated) as he works in a very laid back office with people who would love to have a pup about.

I think I may have persuaded hubby to accept a crate (for the pup that is )

Toohey: I've wondered about that point you make; that puppies need to have experience of you not being there. So I'm glad that you said that. I'm not one to fuss but on the other hand I do want a well adjusted dog so don't want to set up any kind of separation anxiety by just leaving him alone for 2 weeks straight. I'm off to meet the breeder and the pup very soon but in my communications with them and the info they have provided me with, it seems like this pup is going to have a lovely temperament with some champion qualities too!

Luke w: You've scared the beejezuz outta me :rofl: Sounds like I'm letting the creature from the black lagoon into my house (maybe I am ) I did have a look at Ian Dunbars book and I have to say I don't warm to his position on dog training etc. He seems very unforgiving of any kind of mistake (either by the owner or the pup) and suggest that this could set up a problem for life in which you'll be playing catch up for a long time when trying to correct. That sounds kinda stressful and harsh to me. I have been reading the 'perfect puppy' instead and while it gives you an idea of what you'll be in for, it still makes it seem fun and very rewarding. But yes, I agree, I've made a good choice with this breed...i've owned one before when I was a kid and know how lovely they can be so thanks for your advice.

Now...all I have to do is try to talk hubby out of having the dog in our bed!

.....but is it really so bad? can anyone tell me why dogs in bed are a bad idea?

Edited October 30, 2008 by dogon

[PandaGirl]

Crating them at night makes life so much easier. Especially for toilet training.

[dogon]

Crating them at night makes life so much easier. Especially for toilet training.

Yep I agree! it's just that others in my house don't but that's ok, i'll get my way in the end mwahmwahmwahhahahahah!

[Luke W]

Thanks all. Sorry for that confusion - essentially our pup will be alone during the day for the first 2 weeks until I start holdidays. I will be on holidays for six weeks approx. I have been waiting to purchase a pup all year but wanted to wait until the xmas holidays to when I knew I would have a longer break. Hubby thinks he may be able to take the pup to work (if crated) as he works in a very laid back office with people who would love to have a pup about.

I think I may have persuaded hubby to accept a crate (for the pup that is )

Toohey: I've wondered about that point you make; that puppies need to have experience of you not being there. So I'm glad that you said that. I'm not one to fuss but on the other hand I do want a well adjusted dog so don't want to set up any kind of separation anxiety by just leaving him alone for 2 weeks straight. I'm off to meet the breeder and the pup very soon but in my communications with them and the info they have provided me with, it seems like this pup is going to have a lovely temperament with some champion qualities too!

Luke w: You've scared the beejezuz outta me Sounds like I'm letting the creature from the black lagoon into my house (maybe I am ) I did have a look at Ian Dunbars book and I have to say I don't warm to his position on dog training etc. He seems very unforgiving of any kind of mistake (either by the owner or the pup) and suggest that this could set up a problem for life in which you'll be playing catch up for a long time when trying to correct. That sounds kinda stressful and harsh to me. I have been reading the 'perfect puppy' instead and while it gives you an idea of what you'll be in for, it still makes it seem fun and very rewarding. But yes, I agree, I've made a good choice with this breed...i've owned one before when I was a kid and know how lovely they can be so thanks for your advice.

Now...all I have to do is try to talk hubby out of having the dog in our bed!

.....but is it really so bad? can anyone tell me why dogs in bed are a bad idea?

Yes, Dunbar does seem unforgiving and tries to really ram home his points with dire predictions. I think he figures better you put heaps on pressure on yourself early on and TRY not to make mistakes, while at the same time, he understands mistakes will be made. He just wants you to aim for perfection.

From memory, his methods are pretty much exactly the same as the methods in The Perfect Puppy - he's just a little more British, while Gwen is a little more new age American .

I think you should really strive to be mistake free, but realistically, it's not going to happen. Strive though.

I tihnk you should try to follow Dunbars advice but don't be TOO hard on yourself if you don't quite live up to his expectations.

My pup made mistakes in the house (my fault), I made mistakes with my pup. We aren't perfect, Dunbar encourages us to be perfect (I'm sure he's realistic, maybe he stresses perfection in the hope you get 80% compliance).

The first 6 months are the hardest. You will have stressful times. There will be times when you are tearing your hair out. There are times when you will kick yourself for missing the signals and letting the dog shit on the carpet. It's all worth it though. Things do get better all the time.

I don't think having a dog in a bed is necessarily such a bad idea - but I think it should be done AFTER the dog is crate trained and very happy in it's crate. Crate training should be a priority. I just can't stress it enough. It makes life so, so, so much easier. It's much less stressful for dog AND owner.

I repeat, my dog loves his crate. I've just turned around to see where he was...you guessed it, lying in his crate on his back, sound asleep (door open, he went in of his own accord).

ETA:

convince the rest of your household that crate training isn't cruel.

Tell you OH that dogs in the wild spend most of their time asleep in a den (a hole in the ground). It's the natural thing ;)

Edited October 30, 2008 by Luke W

[Drumbeat]

From memory, his methods are pretty much exactly the same as the methods in The Perfect Puppy - he's just a little more British, while Gwen is a little more new age American .

Luke,

Isn't it the other way round - Dunbar is American and Gwen English?

[TerraNik]

I agree with the crate training.... Especially at first. Once they are toilet trained they can sleep wherever they like including in/on the bed.

Just remind your hubby that the puppy won't be toilet trained, so if he doesn't mind the puppy peeing on him when he's sleeping, then the pup can sleep in the bed if he wants!! :wink:

[dogon]

Thank you, thank you guys. All of that makes perfect sense. I think I will definately crate for bed and toilet training. The rewards should come later when he's an obedient doggie who will then earn the privilege to share our doona!

Also: specially thanks to Luke W. - for your time and advice. Your little Barkly is so georgeous (was reading your other threads in the name of education!) Do you clicker train btw?

[Luke W]

Thank you, thank you guys. All of that makes perfect sense. I think I will definately crate for bed and toilet training. The rewards should come later when he's an obedient doggie who will then earn the privilege to share our doona!

Also: specially thanks to Luke W. - for your time and advice. Your little Barkly is so georgeous (was reading your other threads in the name of education!) Do you clicker train btw?

I started with clicker training and tend to use a clicker for new behavior. For known behaviors, I try to use a verbal marker. I mix it up a bit. I'm a bit uncoordinated when it comes to treats, lead and clicker. A verbal marker is easier when you are working with a lead. When I finally get rid of the lead in obedience, I probably start using a clicker more again.

[Luke W]

From memory, his methods are pretty much exactly the same as the methods in The Perfect Puppy - he's just a little more British, while Gwen is a little more new age American .

Luke,

Isn't it the other way round - Dunbar is American and Gwen English?

They are actually both British.

I was being just a little facetious. Gwen is more fun and forgiving, Dunbar is serious and unforgiving.

At least - that's my vague recollection having read the books about 6 months ago.

[claireybell]

Congrats on getting a cocker! My puppy is now one year old! When we got her she had a basket next to our bed for sleeping and was really good about waking us up when she wanted toilet. Then my boyfriend went to England for two weeks and the puppy was on the bed! She now sleeps under the bed each night and comes up for cuddles in the morning.

Beware of toilet paper and tissue's. Mine will take the roll off the holder and eat the whole thing! She loves toilet paper. Also baby gates are brilliant!

Good luck and please send heaps of pictures as soon as you have him!

[Odin-Genie]

A less ideal alternative - leave him with the breeder till 10wks.

I agree with this suggestion. I left Genie with the breeder till 10 weeks ebcause I could not take leave at that time. When I got her home, I took a week off, but made sure that I didn't spend all my time with her.

Your pup is used to having littermates around. Leaving her alone in a new place for long hours suddenly may not be a good idea. She has to get used to it gradually. I know how hard it is to wait to get a new puppy, but if you can wait, do so and get her when you are on leave so that you can get her settled in.

[Blue Fox 001]

We're currently crate training our new addition who is 4 months old now and I love it. Last night as soon as we turned off the TV he went in of his own accord and went to sleep for only the second time. I was so proud He has very rarely whinges when crated but I think alot of this has to do with the fact that the breeder gets them use to the crate before they come home.

He is allowed on the bed for cuddles when we are 100% sure that he has been toileted properly, cause I have no inclination to wash doona cover, sheets, get doona dry cleaned etc... when they don't need to be

I wouldn't worry about not being home with the pup for the first two weeks. Not everyone's situation is ideal, most of us have to work or carry on lives which do not involve puppies ( but true) we can't all be home at the most opportune times, and your puppy will need to fit in with your lifestyle not the otherway round. JMO. I did have one week off when our pup come home, I could manage to get time off work, but perhaps if you can at least pick the pup up on a Saturday morning so you have the weekend together.

We bought our little guy a "Snuggle Puppie" which has a heart beat and a heat pack inside it. He loves it and we really didn't see any signs of seperation anxiety, although the plane ride, different water etc.. did cause some diarrhea (sp) for the first day. Peanut butter and kibble stuffed kongs are great too for keeping them occupied and you can freeze them coming into summer.

[Danois]

I would not wait 2 weeks to start the toilet training - this needs to be done from day 1. This is a lot easier than trying to unbreak 2 weeks of habit.

Toilet training is not hard - it just requires vigilance and patience. Train him to pee on those absorbent training pads not newspaper otherwise he will learn to associate newspaper with peeing and you will get nasty surprises if you leave the papers on the bed for example.

Personally I would leave him at the breeders til 10 weeks when you take your holiday or at least take several days to settle them in.

[dogon]

I think I will use the training pads at night and then place them in his pen during the day. I will gradually inroduce the outside toilet routine as he gets settled in with us. Does this sound like a good idea?

My hubby will be taking the pup to work (crated) so I think he will be fine for 2 weeks.