New Pup

The Governor

As I mentioned in another thread we recently got a 3 month old lab pup, she's a lovely wee thing.

Just looking for some general advice from other dog owners as it's our first time raising a pup. We have another fella same breed, but he's a few years older. His previous owners were cnuts to say the least so he arrived a pup too but was very quiet and preferred to stay outside for ages around the farm and that and was needed no actual training due to being so quiet and timid.

Anyway the new lady is obviously full of life and I've been trying to train her. My main things I need help with are:

1. House training, she only pees in the tiled hall so I've began putting down a designated toilet area with newspapers and she has started to pee beside it. Is this the best method? How would you transfer her from this to a spot outside?

2. When exactly to let her off the leash full time. We're on a farm but close to the road. She has plenty of fields to run in but she can go out the drive towards the road so I'm wondering how old is best to try and trust her to stick to the farm like the other fella and not be going mental running around the road?

Currently we have a chain tied near her dog house when she needs to be left alone for a bit but she hates it and wants to run around after the bigger fella and loses the head. Only today I let her run on her own when I brought them both for a walk in the field and she loved it. I'd like to let her wonder the the farm area on her own but am understandably nervous about whether it's safe at this age.

VonVix

1. You're teaching your dog that it's okay to go inside, it'll be a very difficult habit to break if you don't break it now (the requirements are very specific for her to understand, as far as she knows, she can go wherever feels good enough, paper or no paper). Personally what I would be involving crate training as well as tethering the puppy to my waist and keeping an eye out for any signs that she may need to do her business and getting her used to a key word such as "get busy" for when it's time to go.

2. When you have reliable recall. Not all dogs are born with it or naturally learn it, more often than not you have to instill the idea into them. You'll need to make sure you're a beacon of awesomeness. Even start some really basic recall training now. Get her used to her name (and make sure you NEVER use it to scold her, her name must mean really good things), the moment she looks at you give her lots of praise and a little treat, once this is consistent stand a few steps away and call her name (be patient though!) then build upon that by playing things like hide and seek within your home.

When you say she needs to be left alone a bit, can you elaborate? Is she outdoors by herself?

I think it's okay to take her off the leash in the field while she's still small enough not to go charging off, but you should work on recall now, but only very simple things and don't expect her to get it straight away, everything is exciting to her right now, you just have to make yourself exciting to her as well.

The Governor

Ah ok thanks for that. She's only been going inside for a day or two so hopefully it's not too late. She has been going when walking in the fields and I give her lots of praise and stuf when she does.

How exactly does crate training work?

No in regards to her being outside I mean she wants to be out around the farm following our older dog or following when doing various farm stuff, dogs seem to love seeing work going on

It's not practical to have her tied to your person when doing all this work so I meant having her following along by herself with the other fella.

We let her in to the house when she wants, but then she's mad to go outside and not be on the leash just wants to go on her own little rambles. I was with her for a hour this evening with the leash off and she had a grand time pattering about smelling grass and flowers and stuff.

Are those electric dog fences any good a good few families in the area have recommended them to stop her access to the road.

I have the beginnings of the recall just a simple come on Sam and she looks up from whatever has her interest and bounds after me. Should I be giving her a treat when she does to encourage it?

aonb

Sounds like she is doing fine with the start of recall for a 12 weeks old. Treats when she does anything you want her to do, are a great reinforcement.

Toilet training - take up the newspaper from the floor - get her in to the habit of going outside on a very regular basis - always after eating and every hour or so. Stand with her until she pees/poos (give a command of some sort, that will tell her when you want her to pee, rather than just wandering about) and praise praise praise for doing it. This is how she learns she cant pee/poo in the house. If she has an accident in the house, just say no! and take her outside again. You have to take the time to take her outdoors to pee/poo, so that she learns where to go.

If she has access to the road, she has no sense at this age, and if there are passing cars, she is in danger. Is there a gate to close to keep her away from the road? SOmeone very recently had a thread on this very subject. You cant expect a puppy to have ANY road sense. If she wanders off on her her own she will get lost/stolen. If she wanders out on to the road, she may get killed/injured/cause an accident.

Also very recently on here, there is a thread on the subject of the electric collars. They are not very well thought of for the most part on here I think. If there is a gate to be closed, or some other sort of fencing/restriction to keep her safe, rather than the problems/issues of electric collars.

If you are leaving her chained to a kennel when you are away, and the older dog is loose she is understandably going to be upset. How boring to be tied up when her friend is wandering about having a lovely time. I would say that it is probably better to leave her indoors when she is being left alone, while she is so young. Can you leave her in utility/kitchen or someplace, with a bowl of water and a chew/something when she is being left alone?

I guess on a farm, its different for dogs - as you say, they love watching the work being done, and as the farm work is on your own property its all a bit more contained. Once she gets to know her place and her boundaries and space, she will hopefully be fine, and will also have the experienced older dog to stay with and learn from. But until she is older, I would worry about her safety on the road and wandering etc. Is she your personal dog? I guess you will just have the headache of keeping an eye on her constantly during the day to ensure that she is always on the home place, and supervised. Until she is older at the very least.

I live in the country, very quiet road/lane outside our gates. One of my dogs can never be outside on his own (back of the house is securely fenced) as he has absolutely zero road sense. If he got out to the road, he would wander and get hopelessly lost, or killed on the road. (Another point, do you have her microchipped, or a tag on her collar with contact details - at the very least)