Puppy-Common Mistakes?

[Linds]

Ok, so I haven't had a puppy since Kaylee and I got her at five months old and she's never been a stable dog and I've done a lot of learning in the past three years. And Hannah's 8 so I had her when I was 13 and my mom cared for her mainly.

Anyways, my point is that with my Koolie puppy coming on the 18th ( I pick him up bright and early at 5 am from the Chicago airport) I really want try and limit some of the mistakes I made before. Now, of course I know for every mistake I fix I'll do five new ones but it doesn't hurt to try So what I wanted to know was what are some of the mistakes you see new puppy owners make? Be it yourself or anyone else? What's something you wish you could go back and rectify or things that make you squirm when you see others doing it? What are some of the more common mistakes you see?

Pretty much, give me your puppy words of wisdom!

 

[Maxy24]

Lack of socialization is a BIG one, I'd say much if not most of the aggression problems people have is due to the dog not being socialized to enough people, dogs, or situations (busy traffic, loud noises, the car, crowds, beach, etc.).


Not getting the puppy used to handling. Grooming issues are extremely common, especially not being able to clip nails. Start manipulating his paws, ears, mouth, etc. from the start and do it daily.


Not addressing things like jumping up and leash pulling until it gets annoying. Know what rules the dog needs to follow from the start and teach them to him immediately.

Good luck with the new pup and give us lots of PICS!!

 

[skKi]

Wisdom: Don't focus too hard on raising the perfect puppy. I obsessed too much over doing everything perfect and fixing all the problems before they got bad when I got my puppy that I literally stressed out over everything and didn't enjoy him at all. I was ready to do everything right, but it all went wrong. I wish I could go back and just relax.

 

[Linds]

Lack of socialization is a BIG one, I'd say much if not most of the aggression problems people have is due to the dog not being socialized to enough people, dogs, or situations (busy traffic, loud noises, the car, crowds, beach, etc.).

Completely agree! That was the single best things I did with Kaylee who is a complete nerve bag but able to go out into public and pretty much anywhere I want to because she's been exposed to everything. So while she still might freak out at anything her recovery time is fast and her threshold has gone up

Not getting the puppy used to handling. Grooming issues are extremely common, especially not being able to clip nails. Start manipulating his paws, ears, mouth, etc. from the start and do it daily.

I will be doing this definitely! Luckily Kaylee is such a physically mailable dog so I'm used to manipulating her. But the nails is something I'm going to really have to work on remembering to do. I'm gonna have that dremel out daily to get him used to that.

And baths, can't deal with another dog that goes does the dead weight thing when I try to get them in a bathtub.

Not addressing things like jumping up and leash pulling until it gets annoying. Know what rules the dog needs to follow from the start and teach them to him immediately.

Question, what is the best tactic for stopping people from petting him when he jumps while not being rude?

Wisdom: Don't focus too hard on raising the perfect puppy. I obsessed too much over doing everything perfect and fixing all the problems before they got bad when I got my puppy that I literally stressed out over everything and didn't enjoy him at all. I was ready to do everything right, but it all went wrong. I wish I could go back and just relax.

Thanks!

I honestly don't think I'm stressing too much, but I can very much see how it could get to that point. I have so much floating around my head right now

And don't worry, I'm going to have pictures coming out the wazoo once he gets here! I'm dying on the limited pictures I get from the breeder

 

[MPP]

Going too fast! He's a BABY and just because he "knows" something this second doesn't mean you can mark that and move on.

Socialize up the wazoo. It is absolutely the best gift you can give your puppy and it will last him his entire life.

 

[mrose_s]

I am still kicking myself for not socialising Buster enough, not just with other dogs but with traffic, crowds, kids etc etc. My newpup will be comign everywhere with me. I figure if I can just socialise enough to have a stable dog, exposure to new things later in life won't be such a big deal.

 

[Maxy24]

Question, what is the best tactic for stopping people from petting him when he jumps while not being rude?

Depends on the situation. If you are dealing with children I would kneel down and keep the dog on the floor either with his collar or by putting your hand on his chest and a hand on his back to stop the jumping.

If it's people in your house tell them right up not to pay any attention to the dog until he calms down. Tell them to turn away from him if he jumps. Or use your leash to keep him away from them until he is calm.

On walks if he meets people tell them you are training him not to jump so don't pet him if he does, but still expect to pull him off (gently) with the leash while saying "no jumping" (so the people no what you're doing, not so much for the dog). If they're kneeling down you can always do the same thing you did with the children.

 

[Doberluv]

Socialize up the wazoo. It is absolutely the best gift you can give your puppy and it will last him his entire life.

That ^^

This is a very good explanation of the socialization process and puppy development. I recommend reading it and the links provided. (puppy socialization - part 1 and part 2)

OA Pup behav

Along with the other great advice, here are a few things I can think of right off the bat.

Get puppy accustomed to the idea that people coming around his food, toys, other valuables or even touching it equals the most fantastic stuff...more and better food gets put in the bowl. Kids walking past his food also means good things. Get him use to it without harrassing him though. If you take something from him, trade him for something else better. If possible, give him back the thing you took as well. But if it's something he shouldn't have, just trade him. Try to keep those things put away so you're not constantly taking stuff from him. That can ruin a dog's aptness for retrieving, especially when there's no pay-off for him for your taking something from him. So, early on, get him onto the game of trading for something better and make bringing you things a fun game.



Bite inhibition: I think this is something that's really important. Here's a good article for ya: Bite Inhibition Article

One of my most favorite articles:
26. Zen

There is so much information out there and it's vital to raise a puppy correctly. There are do's and don'ts. But all the while you're learning...reading and practicing what you learn, don't forget the biggest thing: Let your puppy BE a puppy.

 

[Chewbecca]

Here's a secret for ya from me. It's not about any tips, it's about something we are personally considering:

I walk Ophie EVERY day. For some reason, all those people that allowed their dogs off leash, simply have decided that since I got a dog friendly dog, they MUST start being responsible and leashing their dogs.:lol-sign:

We're considering fostering a male pit bull, probably either a puppy or a young adult.
Everytime I take her to petsmart, there are NO dogs she can socialize there.
She just loves everyone and everything right now.
And I want her to stay that way.
And I really want her to have POSITIVE experiences with both people AND, especially, other dogs.

 

[Renee750il]

*fostering a male pit bull* :rofl1:

I call pitbullshit, lmao! "Foster," indeed!

 

[Linds]

Thanks for the info everyone and I'll look through those links.

And while I'm thankful for all the advice and none of it is not useful in the least, this Koolie is going to be a sport dog so I'm more kinda looking for more advanced behaviors you wished you had worked on while your dog was young or plan on working on with your next dog. Like hind end awareness at a earlier age, doing positions on a chair or upside down garbage can, working on making them enjoy retrieving and fetch, what order you taught commands etc.

So if anyone has any other tips like that I would be most appreciative!

 

[Doberluv]

You can get into all kinds of advanced training that requires rear end awareness. A few little exercises you can do would be to place a ladder flat on the ground, just high enough that the dog needs to pay attention where he puts his feet. And you help him through, first just a few steps, reward, a few more steps etc. You can lay jump bars (or broom handles, 2x4's...whatever at various angles, some near each other, some a little further apart and have the dog negotiate over those. If he seems to be merely following with his hind legs and doesn't care if he drags his hind feet over them, raise them just a few inches off the ground with something. A fairly wide board can be placed just a few inches above the ground and he can be taught to balance across that.

If you get into free style dance, you can learn a lot of stuff. But those are some early exercises you can try.

There was a really neat video that was posted a long time ago that showed a trainer teaching her dog to pivot by placing something on the floor. I think she used a book, but something round might be even better. It showed what she did with her hands to help him to move the right way. I have dial up so that takes so long to find the one I am thinking of in particular. But if you do a search on Google, (teaching rear end awareness videos) or something, you might find something.

 

[Linds]

A few little exercises you can do would be to place a ladder flat on the ground, just high enough that the dog needs to pay attention where he puts his feet..

I'd heard of that one and planned on trying it! It really seems like a great idea

You can lay jump bars (or broom handles, 2x4's...whatever at various angles, some near each other, some a little further apart and have the dog negotiate over those. If he seems to be merely following with his hind legs and doesn't care if he drags his hind feet over them, raise them just a few inches off the ground with something. A fairly wide board can be placed just a few inches above the ground and he can be taught to balance across that.
.

Thats a great idea and can be done anywhere! I have a million pvc pipes laying around so those should work

There was a really neat video that was posted a long time ago that showed a trainer teaching her dog to pivot by placing something on the floor. .

Do you mean this video?

YouTube - How to train a dog Pivoting- for Heel, Rally, Freestyle + more

If so, I've used that for my current dog to work with her but can't wait to start with a puppy using it. I used a pot when doing it It's a great idea and well done video

Thanks for your ideas!

 

[lizzybeth727]

And while I'm thankful for all the advice and none of it is not useful in the least, this Koolie is going to be a sport dog so I'm more kinda looking for more advanced behaviors you wished you had worked on while your dog was young or plan on working on with your next dog. Like hind end awareness at a earlier age, doing positions on a chair or upside down garbage can, working on making them enjoy retrieving and fetch, what order you taught commands etc.

So if anyone has any other tips like that I would be most appreciative!

Eh, I work with a lot of adult dogs that have no previous training, and generally don't have a big problem with teaching these advanced behaviors. IMO puppy training is more about socialization, preventing bad habits, and teaching the puppy "how to learn" (that is, getting the dog used to whatever training method you plan to be using with him). If you can do that, when the puppy is mature and ready to start advanced sports, they should come pretty quickly.

The only thing I might do differently with a "sports" dog versus a "pet" dog would be to do specialized socialization. If you want to do agility or something similar, get the puppy used to walking on different surfaces, climbing and jumping, standing on moving surfaces, etc. If you want to do herding, socialize him to livestock. If you want the dog to be a therapy dog, socialize him to medical equipment, sick or disabled people, TONS of children, etc. But this would be in addition to tons of general socialization - people, places, other dogs, other animals, etc.

 

[Doberluv]

Eh, I work with a lot of adult dogs that have no previous training, and generally don't have a big problem with teaching these advanced behaviors. IMO puppy training is more about socialization, preventing bad habits, and teaching the puppy "how to learn" (that is, getting the dog used to whatever training method you plan to be using with him). If you can do that, when the puppy is mature and ready to start advanced sports, they should come pretty quickly.

The only thing I might do differently with a "sports" dog versus a "pet" dog would be to do specialized socialization. If you want to do agility or something similar, get the puppy used to walking on different surfaces, climbing and jumping, standing on moving surfaces, etc. If you want to do herding, socialize him to livestock. If you want the dog to be a therapy dog, socialize him to medical equipment, sick or disabled people, TONS of children, etc. But this would be in addition to tons of general socialization - people, places, other dogs, other animals, etc.

This is how I socialize any dog, whether for some specialized avenue or a pet dog. I think a pup should be familiar with all that or similar or the equivalent of something that you might not have practical access to. The wider the scope of experiences, the more adaptable and comfortable he'll be as an adult with just about anything he comes into contact with.

 

[MericoX]

What I focused on when I got the poodles pups, were problems the older dogs had. And what I could do differently to make it not happen with the puppies.

 

[Lizmo]

What I focused on when I got the poodles pups, were problems the older dogs had. And what I could do differently to make it not happen with the puppies.

^ this, exactly. I learned alot from my first dog. I made alot of mistakes, too. I think the best thing I learned was to learn from my mistakes with the first and not to make them again with the second.

 

[Kat09Tails]

Stuff I've learned from my puppies.

Play 2x as long as you train every day. I'm after a dog that loves me and lives to please me. The least I can do is not be too serious and be as much their buddy as their master.

If you want a human bonded dog keep them separated from other dogs. Despite opinions to the contrary a dog does not need another dog to survive and will not be dog aggressive as a result of being raised with people as opposed to dogs. My best behaved dogs were kept away from mingling the rest of the pack for their first two years of life.

I don't introduce corrections for anything until I am 110% sure the dog understands what I asked them to do and they blow me off. This isn't usually until about 8-24 months old depending on the dog and it's temperament.

Marker (clicker) training is a great way to teach your dog english. You don't even need a tool to accomplish it, a bag of treats and a steady voice will do the job.

Understand your puppy/dog will destroy something in your home. It's just the way it works, just try to direct it to dog toys vs furniture and expensive shoes.

A drag line and a human to puppy tether is an amazing concept for housebreaking, keeping shoes intact, and keeping the puppy focused on you.

Understand that a dog left to it's own devices will behave as a dog. No sense in getting upset if you failed to direct the dog to do something else.

 

[Doberluv]

Stuff I've learned from my puppies.

Play 2x as long as you train every day. I'm after a dog that loves me and lives to please me. The least I can do is not be too serious and be as much their buddy as their master.

If you want a human bonded dog keep them separated from other dogs. Despite opinions to the contrary a dog does not need another dog to survive and will not be dog aggressive as a result of being raised with people as opposed to dogs. My best behaved dogs were kept away from mingling the rest of the pack for their first two years of life.

I don't introduce corrections for anything until I am 110% sure the dog understands what I asked them to do and they blow me off. This isn't usually until about 8-24 months old depending on the dog and it's temperament.

Marker (clicker) training is a great way to teach your dog english. You don't even need a tool to accomplish it, a bag of treats and a steady voice will do the job.

Understand your puppy/dog will destroy something in your home. It's just the way it works, just try to direct it to dog toys vs furniture and expensive shoes.

A drag line and a human to puppy tether is an amazing concept for housebreaking, keeping shoes intact, and keeping the puppy focused on you.

Understand that a dog left to it's own devices will behave as a dog. No sense in getting upset if you failed to direct the dog to do something else.

I so agree with your sentiment about not taking things too seriously and spending plenty of time bonding and playing with your puppy.

What I disagree with is that being raised with other dogs will make a dog less bonded to the humans in the family and less well behaved. I've had multiple dogs for most of my life, from 2 dogs to 3 to 4. My dogs are all extremely attached and attentive to me, good friends with each other and very well mannered and well trained. If I had multiple dogs (a pack, as you call it) I wouldn't dream of keeping a puppy segretated from the rest for the first two years or for any time unless there were a problem with an aggressive dog or something.

I think one on one time with the human for each dog is extremely valuable and important and some dogs may need more than others to learn to focus on their person. But so is the natural socializing with all of the family... humans and dogs. And being such social animals, socialization with other friendly dogs is very important for puppies imo. Chances are big that most dog owners will come into contact with other dogs, either unknown dogs or dogs of friends and family.

A puppy unsocialized to other dogs will have a rotten time as he grows up when he sees other dogs. Although not true-functioning pack animals, they are extremely social animals and keeping them isolated from their own species is rather sad and unnatural. I see the joy they have when playing with each other and some dogs outside of our family. I love watching dogs hanging out together and playing tug or chase or going on a mission in the woods, on a hike. They clearly get so much enrichment from each other as well as from their humans. My dogs can be very engaged with each other and if I call them over, they're equally, if not more excited to engage with me.

I think marker training is fabulous...the only way to fly. But I do not agree that dogs "blow you off." It's our perception, our human cognitive take on things that they may be blowing us off. But they're not. They're simply under-motivated and have an insufficient history of reinforcement for a particular behavior. I do not use corrections or aversives whether or not I think they should or do "know" something. If they don't comply, it's because I've slacked somewhere in their training. And I need to go back to the drawing board.

Just my .02.

 

[Zhucca]

For performance and learning how to use their bodies:
Famous cik and cap training
I don't know if you're going to do agility, but nonetheless. This woman has a youtube channel too. YouTube - yolle555's Channel

YouTube - Cik & Cap Training


Otherwise I don't have anything else to add. Lol