...What can I do to make it as smooth as possible?
He is 7 weeks old and I want him to settle quickly - how can I train him where to pee and poop?
He is 7 weeks old and I want him to settle quickly - how can I train him where to pee and poop?
New Puppy Arriving
Communication is the key to success as well as observation of your puppy's behaviour. If you have a garden get him used to going outside.
Use newspaper indoors,so it is easier and does not stain the carpets.
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/458
Use newspaper indoors,so it is easier and does not stain the carpets.
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/458
Puppy training pads are better than newspaper - less messy and they are waterproof underneath. Also they are impregnated with something that attracts the pup to pee there.
I took my puppy to work (in an office) from a few days after I got her so it was absolutely essential that she got the idea as soon as possible.
I took her out after every meal, after every time she woke up, and loads of times in between. As soon as she 'finished' I'd praise her and bring her back in so she knew what she'd gone out to do and at home I watched her like a hawk - not so easy in the office but that's where the puppy pad came in very useful.
Good luck with it and enjoy your puppy!
I took my puppy to work (in an office) from a few days after I got her so it was absolutely essential that she got the idea as soon as possible.
I took her out after every meal, after every time she woke up, and loads of times in between. As soon as she 'finished' I'd praise her and bring her back in so she knew what she'd gone out to do and at home I watched her like a hawk - not so easy in the office but that's where the puppy pad came in very useful.
Good luck with it and enjoy your puppy!
What puppy are you getting?
I hope there'll be plenty of pics
I found, that the easiest way to stop your puppy messing in the night is to get a crate. Put his bed in there and it'll become his resting place. Dogs don't usually mess near the bed or food and water so he'll hopefully stay clean all night.
When he gets a bit older and isn't messing in the night, you can start leaving the door open. And then when he's clean all the time, get rid of the crate completely. Unless he's a small dog, and you want to keep it.
Enjoy your pup
I hope there'll be plenty of pics
I found, that the easiest way to stop your puppy messing in the night is to get a crate. Put his bed in there and it'll become his resting place. Dogs don't usually mess near the bed or food and water so he'll hopefully stay clean all night.
When he gets a bit older and isn't messing in the night, you can start leaving the door open. And then when he's clean all the time, get rid of the crate completely. Unless he's a small dog, and you want to keep it.
Enjoy your pup
Aww good luck, I hope you have lots of fun together. Puppies are hard work but totally worth it! 
I'd recommend a crate. It helped so much with toilet training and it's a safe place for my pup to be when I can't keep an eye on him. Boy, do puppies like to get in to everything! Puppy training pads didn't work for me. Mine thought they were a toy and shredded them.
Also, I think it gives a confusing message; that it's ok to go inside the house and then you have to get them to re-train by going outside. So, I went straight for toiletting him outside. I took him out every 30 mins and used our specific command and waited. I didn't play with him, I just let him sniff. Then when he toiletted - LOADS of praise and a treat and attention. Of course we had playtime in the garden but I wanted him to know that when I said a specific word, it was for toilet and play comes later. It is hard work taking them out very frequently but we got him completely trained pretty quickly this way.
I'd recommend a crate. It helped so much with toilet training and it's a safe place for my pup to be when I can't keep an eye on him. Boy, do puppies like to get in to everything! Puppy training pads didn't work for me. Mine thought they were a toy and shredded them.
Also, I think it gives a confusing message; that it's ok to go inside the house and then you have to get them to re-train by going outside. So, I went straight for toiletting him outside. I took him out every 30 mins and used our specific command and waited. I didn't play with him, I just let him sniff. Then when he toiletted - LOADS of praise and a treat and attention. Of course we had playtime in the garden but I wanted him to know that when I said a specific word, it was for toilet and play comes later. It is hard work taking them out very frequently but we got him completely trained pretty quickly this way.
I agree with Xassy, although I didn't use a crate - he had his own space....called bed! Also used specific words when taking him out the garden when he did his stuff together with loads of praise when the deed was done. Four years later, believe it or not, he still responds to the same words. Its a lot of work but if you make the effort in the early days it really, really pays off.
Also whenever he tries to do anything wrong a quick sharp NO! Make the boundaries, make sure you are in charge. A dog is a pack animal after all and you should be at the top of the pack. Believe it or not they like to know where they lie in the pack.
Also whenever he tries to do anything wrong a quick sharp NO! Make the boundaries, make sure you are in charge. A dog is a pack animal after all and you should be at the top of the pack. Believe it or not they like to know where they lie in the pack.
A good piece of advice given to me by a dog breeder friend is that very young dogs are like babies and need a lot of sleep but in a quiet place not with one eye open watching noisy owners children etc. If your pup is only seven weeks he will really benefit from a long doze with no distractions.
Originally Posted by Xassy:
“Puppy training pads didn't work for me. Mine thought they were a toy and shredded them. Also, I think it gives a confusing message; that it's ok to go inside the house and then you have to get them to re-train by going outside.”
“Puppy training pads didn't work for me. Mine thought they were a toy and shredded them.
Also, I think it gives a confusing message; that it's ok to go inside the house and then you have to get them to re-train by going outside.”
It is better than the puppy 'going' on the carpet though. There will always be accidents and it is better to have them in the right place. I had no problem progressing from pads to outdoors. In fact it was a natural progression as when the bladder is strong enough, the dog will naturally go outside as long as it is given the opportunity.
Pads aren't meant to be a substitute for going outside - just a handy place to have emergency accidents and easy to dispose of them afterwards.
Originally Posted by PIDGAS:
“It is better than the puppy 'going' on the carpet though. There will always be accidents and it is better to have them in the right place. I had no problem progressing from pads to outdoors. In fact it was a natural progression as when the bladder is strong enough, the dog will naturally go outside as long as it is given the opportunity.
Pads aren't meant to be a substitute for going outside - just a handy place to have emergency accidents and easy to dispose of them afterwards.”
“It is better than the puppy 'going' on the carpet though. There will always be accidents and it is better to have them in the right place. I had no problem progressing from pads to outdoors. In fact it was a natural progression as when the bladder is strong enough, the dog will naturally go outside as long as it is given the opportunity.
Pads aren't meant to be a substitute for going outside - just a handy place to have emergency accidents and easy to dispose of them afterwards.
”
Yes, true. I didn't even get to give it a chance because mine thought all this Christmases had come at once when he found one on the floor.
