I have officially lost my mind!

[FunnyFarmer]

As if I don't have enough chaos around here, we went to the county animal shelter today and will be bringing home a 4-5 month old puppy next week. This should be interesting--I've had dogs around for years but never had a puppy. Is housetraining a puppy all that different from potty-training a kid? (I can't believe I'm asking this) Any tips on convincing the new pup (whose name is & will remain Xena--love it!) that chickens are NOT chase & chew toys?

We're getting another dog because the young Bassett really needs another doggie playmate--the 12-year-old mini dachsund just isn't up for serious romping. So--life is about to get interesting for a while. Gee--wasn't that a curse somewhere?

 

[mlmadura]

i have to say - housebreaking a puppy takes toooo much work

 

[yab]

what kind of dog is it? if its a hunting breed, no amount of training will ever teach the dog never to go near the chickens - you'd have to keep them securely fenced off.. and no dogs aren't hard to potty train.. you learn their potty schedules and they adapt to their living conditions.. (afterawhile, if the dog still pees and poos inside, and it was preventable, you can rub his/her nose in the pee and then put them outside).. but all little critters have accidents - even old ones! oddly enough, same thing applies to people

 

[maplesky7]

how old is the pup?


I found pretty much taking the pup out every hour on the hour teaches it that outside is for doing business. at night crate the pup.

as he/she gets older...you'll learn his signs for "gotta go outside?"

and PRAISE them when they do it outside and PRAISE them when they alert you and PRAISE PRAISE PRAISE them when they do it outside...."good boy! what a good boy! poddy outside. good boy! you went poddy outside! what a goooood boy!"

chickens? dunno...my dogs were grown when we got em and they tolerated cats and chickens and a dove before i got chicks.

but when i did get the chicks, i let them smell them and then i said sternly....BEEE NIIIICE. That's NOT YOURS! You be nice.

ha ha.

have fun.

me,
g

 

[mamaKate]

Quote:
That's a joke, right? Real people don't still do that nose rubbing thing. Srsly.
You can mostly housebreak any dog in a weekend. A crate helps. Definitely don't let him have the run of the house before he is 100% trained. Have fun! I miss puppies.

 

[yab]

real people? it works everytime, and if something works.....

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
Excellent advice! Crate at night, out every hour or even more often during the day. Don't just toss her out the door, you have to ride herd every second. Lots of praise, like G. said.

Oh my, I almost forgot- when you let her out of the crate in the morning? Grab that pup and RUN for the door! Hold her a little bit to the side and don't stop. I learned that puppies leak, the hard way!

Congratulations on a new pup, and glad you adopted!

 

[debilorrah]

The whole chicken and dogs thing completely depends on the breed.....

 

[sandyj]

The crate is a great idea, but not just at night. If your gone at all, she should be crated. When she is out of the crate keep her clipped to you, at all times, with a leash, to your belt loop. If she starts to squat, make a loud noise to starle her and pick her up and run her outside. Then praise like crazy when she does her business outside. PRAISE! PRAISE! PRAISE! If she does have an accident in the house and you DON'T see it happen, do nothing. Puppies don't know what they've done wrong unless you catch them in the act. Good luck!! Alot of work goes into a good dog.

sandyj

 

[conny63malies]

Quote:
Get a crate and keep it in there an make it sleep there when you cant watch it. No food/water in there just a blankie. Dogs dont like to poop and pee in their bed/cave. Crates are good it makes them feel save and when you go somewhere you can put them in there without tearing up the house.Make sure it is just big enough so they wont soil in one corner and sleep in the other, if needed get a bigger crate with a divider.