First, hi all, thanks so much for all the info, its really great to read your useful suggestions!

So here I am, I just got a ACD/Blue Heeler female pup. Its 7 weeks old and abosolutly beautifull. I NEVER had a dog nor raised them so don't know anything about them (but am not afraid to learn and take advice). So have lots of questions.

1) How do you know how much food she needs, till now she has eaten ALL I gave her and she gobbles up everything within about 5 seconds flat, how much I ever give her. Can dogs get over fed?

2) I'd like to start her traning as soon as possible as I know ACD's will be a handfull if not done. However, is 8 weeks too early? Should I start with simple thing like sit, stay and fetch or is that too much asked?

3) I'd like to get her active and fit asap (and myself too lol), how much can I walk with her before she either gets fed up or too tired, and how do I see that (whining\nail scratching whilst dragging)?

Sorry to rattle all these questions however I have not found a place (after browsing around for a while) with answers.

I will go on training as soon as I/she can. I am really looking forward having a great intelligent and well trained dog.

She lives outside in the garden between her teddybears to chew on and keep her busy and she seems quite happy there.

Ronald

Your advice would be greatly appreciated!

Here she is, my little Diesel:

http://www.colijns.net/images/diesel.jpg

Hes a cutey!
First question yes they can over eat, I would start on a reg schedule of feeding once in morning just a cup and again in afternoon half a cup and again at night an hour before bed, a half a cup. When he is older you can go to twice a day and give more if he needs it.

In my opinion its never to early to start training. You can make it fun, If you start sooner than later you will have better luck. Take him out 15 min or so after eating so he learns to go potty outside. If he does have an accident if you can try to bring the poo outside where you want him to go.
When you excersise him start gradually take a walk around the block at first this will also teach him to walk on a leash. If he seems still yet full of energy take another lap, you and he will find the pace.

At seven weeks, be very careful trying to walk too far on sidewalks and especially pavement. Their paws can get really raw as they are still so soft and tender.
Read through the sticky at the top of the page. Labman covers a lot of topics for new owners. I hope you'll consider letting Diesel move inside. Dogs are pack animals and like to be part of the family. :)

First of all... what a sweetheart Diesel is! :)

Question #1 Make sure you buy a high quality puppy food such as Iam's, or Ukenuba. It should tell you right on the bag what the recommended serving suggestion is. If not, you can always ask your pet store or vet. When you give him treats for training purposes, buy high quality treats also. You can also use small bites of boiled chicken, or tiny bits of cheese to entice him. He would also probably enjoy chew toys such as small rawhide bones, or a "Kong" that is filled with peanut butter should keep him busy, when you are busy. Some other good interactive toys would be something to fetch, such as balls, chew ropes, or squeaky toys. Squeakies get the puppies attention.

Question#2 I think 8 weeks is fine to be starting the beginning training commands. Start with the basics like, no, come, sit, down, and the more he learns successfully, the more commands you can add. Here is a link the might give you a few tips.
Puppy Training

Question#3 First get him used to his leash. Keep it around, and put in on him while training. Don't get him excited about going on a walk. (Don't say in an excited voice... we're going for a waaalk! ) When he seems comfortable with his leash, just put it on and leave like you are on a mission. Try not to put tension on the leash, and just move forward. You can give him a quick but gentle tug, if he hesitates. Try and keep his leash at the top of his neck. If he won't walk with you the first time, wait for awhile and try again. Be calm and confident, and try not to get frustrated, because he will pick up on your energy. Also, you might want to coax him with treats for the first little while.

I hope that helps you out a bit!

Good luck with your sweet pup!

You started training Diesel the minute you brought her home! Call the vets and grooming shops in the area and see if you can find a puppy kindergarten class for both of you. One of these classes can make a world of difference, especially for a first time owner.
Puppies learn incredibly fast, so you can get right to work on simple things like sit, lie down, stay, handling her mouth and feet, and social skills. She will have a short attention span, so several short training sessions a day are better than one long one.
If you can find it, I particularly like the program "Goodpuppy Social Club"--Google that and see if someone offers it near you.

Tanks heaps guys, very useful information. Today I seriously started training her and I think she already has the sit part, blew me away how quick that went. Must be pretty intelligent indeed!

My girlfriend has a little fox terrier and her sons 2 big dogs so I intend to bring her there as often as I can to do the socializing. I also walk her twice a day already and introudce to her as many new things possible. I think it works because she is not afraid of ANYTHING, including angle grinders lol.

I will look at an obedience class however in ACT Australia there isn't much.

Thanks heaps anyway, you guys rock!

I'm glad to hear she is learning so quickly! Blue Heelers are very intelligent dogs, and make very good companions.

If I can make just one more suggestion? Do some breed specific research, to educate yourself on the tendencies, health problems, etc. of ACD's. They are very high energy, and they get bored quickly. When you are training her, make sure to switch up the exercises. They are also a very organised dog. They like things to be put where they belong, because they like order.

You have to establish your pack leader status early on. When you are socializing her, make sure she is under your control, and doesn't bond to one of the other dogs as the pack leader. Since they are instinctively cattle herding dogs, they are also known to nip at the heels of other dogs and humans. If you see that happening, correct it early on, with a firm touch and command, because that can become a problem if it's not caught and corrected. The earlier the better.

Heelers are also prone to arthritis and joint problems, and often have problems with their eyes. So that would be something to watch for as she grows up. I had a Heeler/Collie that lived almost 16 yrs. and he was one of the most intelligent dogs I've ever owned. Arthritis became a problem for him in his last yrs. but he still wanted to fetch and play, until one day when he just went and sat under a tree, and died quietly. Your pups coloring reminds me a lot of him. :)

Be careful of those walks! At 7 weeks, your pup isn't fully vaccinated yet, iirc. That means the puppy can come down with some nasty diseases, including parvo and distemper, if you walk him where sick dogs have been. Going for walks on your own property is probably OK, if you know no strange dogs have been there.