[RickJ]

I've always had cats. I was finally convinced, after over a year of prodding and begging by my kids, to get a dog.

We now have a 2.5 month old puppy. Beagle/Lab mix, with maybe some Weiner Dog mixed in.

We got a good dvd about general training, but I'm wondering what your recommendations would be for the best website(s) to help us further with
1. crate training
2. commands training
3. potty training

Thanks!

[Catsmine]

Two general principles will help you through this more than anything.

1. Consistency is the only way canines learn. Everybody must mean the same thing and say the same thing. "Come" does not mean "C'mere" does not mean "Here boy!"

2. Patience Patience Patience Patience Patience.

More on specifics later.

[Catsmine]

Crate training:

Start now. Let puppy have his bed and some toys in the crate from day one. We put it by the back door for ease in housebreaking. When pup comes out of the crate, it goes outside to potty, every time.

Some pups, if they start late, will fuss about being in the crate. They don't come out until they quiet down.

[Alty]

The best website is AMHD Rick. The animals experts on this site really know their stuff. :)

You've picked an interesting mix. I own a beagle and a lab, so I'm familiar with both breeds. Dachshunds have been owned by family members and personality wise they are very similar to beagles, although not exact.

Your puppy is at a good age to start basic obedience, sit, stay, heel, and luckily the three breeds making up his DNA are all very intelligent breeds, although stubborn at times, especially the beagle part. ;)

A little bit about crate training. Like Cats said, patience, patience, patience. Remember that this is a scary time for you pup, he's used to being around his parents, his litter mates, and being alone in an unfamiliar place can be stressful. The general rule for crating, other than at night, is 1 hour for each month of age. So, during the day, when you're out, your puppy should not be crated for more than 2 1/2 hours.

The crate should represent his safe place, a place that he sleeps, a place that he can go to get away from it all. Never ever punish you puppy by putting him in the crate, that will make him view it as a negative place.

Make sure the crate is big enough, but not too big. He should be able to stand up, turn around, and lie down. A big crate is not a good idea, sadly at this age he's still growing, so you may have to upgrade your crate as he gets bigger.

We always found that having the crate in our bedroom for the first while, helped puppy to settle down. He could hear our voices, our breathing, hubby's snoring, and that calmed him. Putting a clock (one that ticks) wrapped in a towel can work too. The tick tock sounds like a heartbeat, and that's what he's used to hearing. You can also buy dog toys that heat up and have a beating device inside that sounds like a heartbeat. I've never tried one, but friends have and they say it made things easier.

Make sure puppy gets plenty of opportunities to go potty. At this age he will have to go more often than an adult dog. Tons of praise, never be negative. It's normal for a puppy to have accidents. He has to learn what you expect of him, what is acceptable. Repetition, praise, treats, lots and lots of positive reinforcement. This may take a while, especially because he's still fairly young and cannot hold it like an older puppy can. Usually they gain more bladder control at around 4 months of age.

As for commands, repetition and consistency. Choose the command word that you wish to represent the his training (sit, stay, rollover, speak, potty) and never ever change that word. Everyone has to be on the same page. He will learn to associate the word with the action you wish him to do. Treats work really well with scent hounds, and beagles and dachshunds are both scent hounds.

Last but not least, we demand pictures. Yes, demand. ;)

[Catsmine]

Last but not least, we demand pictures. Yes, demand. ;)

And we insist you post from ff style so you can teach us how.

[Aurora_Bell]

OOooOO congrats on the new addition! Some helpful hints I have for when it comes to crating, is to make it a safe happy place, feed him in the crate, he gets his toys in the crate, treats are given in the crate. Never use it for punishment. Will you be crating while you are away during the day? (A great idea as it's the safest place for puppy while no one is home to keep a watchful eye) Will you be crating at night while you are sleeping?

The one fool proof key to house breaking is consistency. As soon as puppy eats or drinks he goes out side. And it helps if you wait out there with him until he does his business, and when he does it's time to praise, praise, praise! Even offer a small treat at first.

Don't use puppy pads or paper train, that only confuses puppy. He will have accidents, but unless you catch him red pawed in the act, there is no sense in "bad dogging" him.

The 3 basic commands to start with now are sit, stay and come. The rest will come shortly after.

Does he know any of these commands right now? Stay will be the most tedious, and the hardest for him to learn, but the earlier you start the higher your success rate will be.

How old is your pup now? Have you considered puppy socialization classes or obedience once he is up to date with vaccines?

Sorry for all the questions, but no sense in feeding you useless information! :)

Oh and I am with Alty, we want PICTURES! :D

[Alty]

And we insist you post from ff style so you can teach us how.

As if! :eek:

Every time someone asks how to post a picture I actually have to do it so I can give them the step by step instructions. Reminds me of Starby, no matter how hard I tried, she never could do it. I once spent an hour on the phone with her, walked her through it, and she still couldn't get it. After that, whenever she wanted a picture posted, she'd email me with the picture, her password, and beg me to do it. :rolleyes:

I'm pretty sure Rick can figure it out. ;)

[Cat1864]

Congratulations on the new family member. :)

Yes, lots of pictures. We know you know how to post them so no excuses. :D

Be prepared for everything to end up in his/her mouth. Kittens are bad-puppies are worse. You have read the stories of remotes, shoes, books, etc. They are not exaggerated.

When the pup gets something you don't want it to have substitute an appropriate toy. If it is a person, a sharp yelp and moving away can tell the pup it crossed a boundary line.

Training is 24/7. Everyone is involved in training and caring for the pup.

[Aurora_Bell]

Congratulations on the new family member. :)



Be prepared for everything to end up in his/her mouth. Kittens are bad-puppies are worse. You have read the stories of remotes, shoes, books, etc. They are not exaggerated.

Yes, not to mention your unmentionables. ;)

[shazamataz]

Congrats on the new addition Rick.

I have been making a website for what seems like forever now, I have just never got around to uploading it.
I'll cut and paste some of the information about training I have typed up

Toilet training.

When toilet training a puppy you have two options...
Start training the puppy to go do their business outside from the start, or get them to use puppy training pads.

Puppy training pads are cloth pads with a plastic backing, they encourage your dog to relieve themselves in one area only without damaging your carpet. You can use something like newspaper but unless you have it on a hard surface it will soak through.

If you have bought your puppy from a reputable breeder they will already have had some degree of toilet training. Most breeders will use pads or paper on one side of the room as well as having blankets for bedding on the other.
The puppies naturally train themselves to go on the paper and not their bed.

If you unfortunately bought your dog from a pet store it is much harder. These dogs are generally kept on completely newspapered areas with little or no bedding, encouraging them to just urinate wherever they please. It can be remedied, it just takes a little longer, same with a lot of rescue dogs.

You can usually tell when your dog needs to go to the toilet, even puppies. Most pups will 'sniff out' the perfect spot to potty so if you catch your pup sniffing the ground and walking in circles this is the perfect time to rush them to your designated toilet spot!

If you happen to catch your puppy urinating or defacating on the floor and not in the designated area then just tell the puppy "no" in a growly voice and pick them up and move them to where they are allowed to go.

Soe pups will be naturals and catch on very quickly, others can have quite a few accidents before finally learning what is expected of them. Never lose patience with them, they are not doing it to 'spite' you, they just simply don't understand what is expected of them.

When you dog does go in the correct place, whether it be on the paper or outside on the grass the most important thing is to praise praise praise! Make them think that they have just done the best thing in the entire world. Dogs respond a lot better being praised when they have done something right than scolded when they have done something wrong.

The biggest misconception when it comes to toilet training is to rub the dogs nose in its own excrement. DO NOT do this as it has no benefit whatsoever other than to show the dog that you are just being plain mean to it, they do not understand the concept of this sort of punishment.

The best time to take your dog out to urinate is after every nap time. Whether it be a designated nap time in a crate or the pup has just fallen asleep, you need to rush them to their 'spot' as soon as they are awake.

As for defacating, the best time would be around 20-30 minutes after eating, although this does vary a lot depending on the dog.



Separation anxiety.

Does your dog cry when you leave the room? Urinate only when you leave the house?
These are a few signs that your dog may be suffering from Separation Anxiety.

Some dogs do not like being left alone and some will think you are leaving them permanently and not coming back. Here are a few tips to help fix this problem.

When you leave, no matter how long for always have fresh water available. Toys are also a wonderful training tool as it will keep the dog distracted, I use kong toys stuffed with yummy food as a cure for boredom, having special toys or treats that the dog gets only when you go out are also a wonderful idea.

When training my own dogs for separation anxiety I first distract my dogs with their favourite toy and then exit my house through the front door.
I only leave for a minute or two, just long enough so that the dog does not bark or cry.
I then re-enter the house and give them praise for not crying.

Next time I go out I leave for a few more minutes, again only entering the house if the dog is not crying and giving praise.

Increase the amount of time you leave for and always come back before the dog starts crying (you will learn how long that threshold is pretty quickly)

This teaches the dog that you are going to come back and they are not being left alone forever.


Another technique is to not "baby" the dog.
Some dogs become overly attached to their owner and don't even like their owner being out of their line of sight, in this case the training needs to begin before you start going out

Start paying less attention to the dog, when he pushes for attention, don't give it to him
If he wants to be petted, make him wait.
As harsh as it sounds it is the only way to get the dog to start becoming less dependent on you.

After you have trained the dog to be less clingy you can move onto things like leaving the dog in the living room while you have a shower, or leaving him inside while you are out hanging up washing on the clothesline.


Crate Training.

This is very similar to separation anxiety training.
There are a few things to consider before actually starting the training:

Selecting a crate.
A dogs crate should be large enough for the dog to stand up in, turn around easily and be able to lay down comfortably.
Crates come in all shapes and sizes so shop around for one that best suits your dogs size.

I personally prefer to use all wire crates as to the plastic pet pack varieties as even though the plastic crates have ventilation they can become very hot.
When you leave, no matter how long for always have fresh water available, D-shaped water bowls are great for crates, they are shaped like a D and the flat part has clips to secure to the wire and prevent spills.

Toys are also a wonderful training tool as it will keep the dog distracted, I use kong toys stuffed with yummy food as a cure for boredom, having special toys or treats that the dog gets only when you go out are also a wonderful idea, it shows them that the crate is a good thing, not a punishment.

Another good idea for crates is to cover it with a blanket or sheet. You can leave the front open so the dog can see but having a blanket over the sides and back makes the dog feel more secure than a wire crate out in the open.
Another reason I prefer wire crates, you can adjust the covering to suit the weather.

When crate training my dogs I first coax them into the crate with a yummy treat, I let them eat the treat in the crate and play with a toy in there. Once they are comfortable with being in the crate I give them another treat then lock the crate and then go sit away from the crate and ignore the puppy.
I only sit down for a minute or two, just long enough so that the dog does not bark or cry.
I then walk over and let them out of the crate and give them praise for not crying.

Letting them out only if they are not crying is very important. If you let the dog out of the crate while it is crying it will only teach them that crying makes you come back and let them out.

Next time I sit down for a few more minutes, again only letting them out if the dog is not crying.

Increase the amount of time you sit for and always let them out before the dog starts crying (you will learn how long that threshold is pretty quickly)

This teaches the dog that they are not being left in the crate forever.

A lot of people prefer to leave the house while they are crating their dog to start with, this is purely personal preference, I have tried both and had more success with staying near the dog.

The only attention the dog shoulg get should be an angry "no" from you when it cries to show it that crying is naughty.
Just remember, however loud and hard your puppy is screaming do not let it out of the crate. It will calm down and then it can come out.


Sit.

Some dogs will learn ot sit almost immediately, others take a little more encouragement.
Take a small piece of your dogs favourite treat or use a toy.
Hold the treat above the dogs head and move it over them while saying the command "sit"
This will make the dog look up and backwards at the treat and many will naturally sit down.
As soon as they sit down give them the treat and lots of praise.

For dogs that will not sit just by doing this you can place your hand on their back just in front of their tail and gently push down while holding the food over their head.


Drop.

First teach your dog the 'sit' command.
Once they are in the sitting position, slowly lower the treat down to the ground just in front of the dog while saying the command "drop".
Most dogs will lower their head and the front legs will follow.

For dogs that do not drop straight away try moving the food away from their nose on the floor so they have to stretch after it.


Stay.

First teach your dog the 'sit' command.
Tell your dog to sit while standing right in front of them.
Hold out your hand in a 'stop motion' and take one step backward while saying the command "stay"
Hold this for 5 seconds and then give the dog a treat and praise.

Next repeat the first step but then take 2 steps backwards.
Hold for 5 seconds and then praise.

Eventually you should be able to work up to moving far away from the dog before giving them their treat and praise.

If your dog breaks the "stay" then go back and start again.



Come.

First teach your dog the 'stay' command.
Attach a long leash to your dogs collar (or a lightweight rope if you do not have a long enough leash) then tell them to stay and walk backwards away from them while letting the leash out.

Once you are a good few steps away from them say the commad "come" and gently tug on the lead, telling them that you want them to come towards you.
Once your dog reaches you give a treat and praise.


Shake hands.

First teach your dog the 'sit' command.
Once they are sitting gently take your dogs paw in your hand and lift it up while saying the command "shake"
Let the dogs paw go and praise them, withhold treats until they do it on their own.

With a bit (a lot in my case) of practice some dogs will learn to lift their paw on their own into your hand.

[Catsmine]

Excellent advice all the way down the line. I'll subscribe to the site, what's the link? I'd have put this in a comment but I'm in v2 right now and must spread the love.

[RickJ]

Wow, awesome stuff, thank you! I'll take some pics and share them here.

[Alty]

Ahem. Rick, waiting for pictures. Trying to be patient. Hint, hint.

How's the little pup doing? Everything going okay? Any concerns? Any questions? Any pictures! ;)

[RickJ]

We've had him for 2 weeks now.

He's doing pretty well with the potty training but we're not quite there yet. We typically take him out to pee and poop about 11pm but he still can't make it through the night, so the kids rotate on who gets up at 3am to take him out. Then my wife or one of the kids takes him out again about 6:30am.

He still yelps too much when we put him back in his cage, but we got an anti barking device that works fairly well. It's not the collar type, it's the type that we set outside of his crate that puts out a high pitched sound when he barks or yelps.

I'll try to get a pic or three up this weekend.

We thank ALL of you for the advice in this thread... we keep coming back to it.

[shazamataz]

Glad to help Rick.

Where do you have the crate? And is he crying at night?

The first month or so I had my new pup I kept his crate right next to our bed... it replaced my bedside table.
That way if he woke up through the night or when we first put him in there he could see that I was laying right next to him and it quietened him right down.
Over the next few weeks we gradually moved the crate further and further away from the bed and now he's happy to sleep in his crate wherever.

He will get there eventually it just takes time with a new puppy, the important thing is to try not to lose your patience with him (as hard as that is at times)

[RickJ]

The crate is in our living room. We have 2 crates. I was tempted to use the 2nd crate at night in Maria's room but I did not want to "train" him that he could think that if he yelps a bit we'd let him out.

We want him to be able to roam the house a bit (or all day once he's potty trained) during the day when someone is home but as for the nights we want him to know that the crate is "his place" for the evening.

[Catsmine]

The crate is in our living room. We have 2 crates. I was tempted to use the 2nd crate at night in Maria's room but I did not want to "train" him that he could think that if he yelps a bit we'd let him out.

We want him to be able to roam the house a bit (or all day once he's potty trained) during the day when someone is home but as for the nights we want him to know that the crate is "his place" for the evening.

General principle #2 applies

[RickJ]

General principle #2 applies

Patience. Ok.

But dog-gonnit (pun intentended) can't this training stuff be done with yesterday? :p

I will confess that patience is a virtue that I'm still working on :)

Thankfully I have a wonderful gang in my house that is doing most of the work.

They're all watching this thread and learning from it.

[Catsmine]

Patience. Ok.

But dog-gonnit (pun intentended) can't this training stuff be done with yesterday? :p

Let me name the dog "ff style." 'Nuff said?

[RickJ]

Let me name the dog "ff style." 'Nuff said?

Shame on you Catsmine, you should know better than to hijack my thread! :p

You dirty dog you (again, pun intended! :) )