Greetings,
After all of the research, waiting, delaying, and procrastinating, we are finally going to get a new puppy....YIPEEE!!!! My Honeybear and I have decided on a Brown Miniature Short-Haired Dachshund. We went shopping this weekend for puppy books (and I have been reading like crazy) and to scope out what doggie products and equipment we will be needing.
We will be getting our new doggie from a local Dachshund breeder so I have a few weeks to learn all that I can. I have never had a dog so this will be a new experience all together for me, fortunately my Honeybear has had 2 dogs growing up. One common thing that I keep reading is that Crate-training is the best....what are your thoughts? The dog will be inisde of course, so the only part I am not looking forward to is "potty-training," so doggie lovers please share your wisdom.
I am open to any suggestions or advice before we bring our little pup home :)
Thanks a bunch!!!
9 comments:
oooo Puppy! Well having a minature dog can be fun but they can also be a handful, from what I can remeber from what I read the breed dog you chose is very smart, mild tempered and calm so potty trining shouldn't be too hard. I know with my dog it took a little while because he always thought potty time was run around and see how long mommy would chase him time but once we got him on a schedule and punished for going in the house and got the mad face and sent in the cage he got the hang of it. One thing I did that I would not suggest is sending them to their cage when they have had an accident or after being punished (which was very hard to do to that little cute face) it will make them begin to relate their cage to something negative. Otherwise they are a big bundle of joy, very loving and very huggable. My dog slept through the night in his cage (well really a shoe box with blankets the first night) right away no noise, no fuss not everyone has that luck. Just like your locks have fun enjoying every stage of your little puppy. Good luck I hope I helped.
I completely training both of my dogs using a crate. For the first 3
months they remained in their crates when they were not supervised. Immediately upon leaving the crate, potty time and before going into the crate, potty time. It worked for both of my dogs and they never use the crates at all now. I also use the crates if they get sick, which rarely happened. If they are sick it provides a place of comfort and safety. I never used the crate for punishment. I also came them tricks upon using the potty, don't forget that part. It will all work out with patience. There is nothing like a puppy.
Blessings
No advise on dog training (I'm a cat person myself), but might I suggest investing in pet insurance through a company like care credit for pets? Cost is less than $100 per/yr and worth every dime. All it takes is one visit to the vet for emergency treatment - which will run you $1000's - to recoup this fee. This advice is coming from a pet owner of many years, I now consider this part of responsible pet ownership. All except one of my pets have gotten sick at least once and had to have emergency or just plain costly veterinarian treatment - trust, the last thing you want when your beloved companion is sick is to have to consider denying treatment, or worst, putting the animal down, due to an inability to cover the bill.
I love puppies!!! And mine has changed my life for the better. I too had not had a dog growing up and had no clue how to raise one. I purchased all the books on her breed and how to train them...
Crate Training is phenomenal!! Athena cried for the first couple days, then got used to it. Now, a little over a year later, she wanders into her Crate/Kennel when she wants her alone time. How awesome is that?! The only time we put her in the crate is when we are gone for long periods of time. We also give her a treat when we put her in the crate as well.. Gotta make sure she doesn't associate negativity with being inside it.
Potty training wasn't all that bad. We used the training pads in the house for a little time then we moved on to taking her outside every couple hours and she was fine. I've also heard you can put a bell by your door and ring it every time you take her out to the bathroom. Soon, your pup will be ringing the bell when she/he needs to go out...
Taking your pup to a PetSmart or Petco class is also a great idea. I forget if we even finished but we were taught the basic training tips for dogs such as; sit, down, leave it, etc.
I have no clue what I would do without my Athena now....LOL!!! You're going to fall in love with your puppy!
And like everything else...patience is key...
I have a doxie too!!! Mine is a long haired which have a more mellow temperment. The best advice I can give is to keep a schedule for going outside (3-4 times a day; regulate the feeding a drinking times so you predict elimination needs). You also may want to train on a "wee wee" pad on the inside as well...
These dogs are smart as well as stubborn so having that indoor option is a good idea (ex. mine doesn't go out in too much rain; too low to the ground, very uncomfortable...)
As for crate training, I am not sold on it. Especially if they are left in the crate for several hours (like while you are at work;
8+ hours...).
I would prefer to confine the dog to one closed off room w/ food and water for long unsupervised sessions. Being confined for too long (4hrs or more) in a small space is a little cruel in my opinion...just a thought. Maybe a puppy class would be a good option as well??
Enjoy your new puppy!!!!
Congratulations! Have you gotten him/her yet? I sooooo want to get a puppy. Please post pics when you get your new little one.
ooo that puppy looks as though he is smiling with his eyes. Very cute - I thought he was a Cocker Spaniel for a second. Good luck and although I have never owned a dog I have heard the crate is best for quick toliet training :)
Thanks ladies for all of the ideas, input, and support :)
I grew up with a short haired dachshund as well, they are quite tempermental and diva-esque. We had a male which apparently suffer from napoleon complexes, he seriously thought he was a doberman :-) They are alot of fun and great around kids, but the things I would focus on training are potty training and barking. We got our as an adult and we never broke him of those habits. they also like to run and play chase (were bred to fereet out badgers etc during hunting) so give them plenty of room to run (park or yard) ours was actually wuite fast for his little legs:-) I recommend reading Ceaser Milan's Head of the pack book, great insight and training tips.
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