training new puppy...need advice!

[tigerlilly]

I bought a chichuahua/dachusund mix. She is 6 weeks old and were paper training her. I would appreciate any advice from anyone who has paper trained a small breed of puppy before. She is very sweet and has a good nature to her. She seems to pee on the paper when she gets up fairly easy but were having problems getting her to go poo on the paper...she always wants to go later on the carpet. We have only had her a few days now and she seems to get the hang of things fairly quickly so if anyone has any ideas that would help...please reply...also if anyone has any advice on what age to start training her on simple comands and any advice on how to do that with a small breed would help. Just simple things like sit, stay, i.e....ect....any advice on small breed of puppies would be appreciated!

[Chrisanne]

First of all, congrats on your new puppy.

I would not recommend paper training at all. If you choose to train in this fashion I would try the puppy pads instead of newspaper. The puppy pads have a sent that is supposed to draw them to it.

My training method of choice is to crate train. It really helps build their self confidence as well as housebreak them. Keep in mind in most cases small breeds take longer to train.

As for such things as sit and stay. Pick one that's most important to you and work on that first. Don't try to teach several at once, that will avoid confusion. Make it a game, and fun.

If you choose sit first (most common) then simply while playing with him/her gently push the pups backside down while telling him/her to sit. Once in the sitting position tell him/her "good boy sit" several times. Keep your tone light and happy. Always follow a "followed" command with lots of praise both verbally and physically. Tell him/her what a good baby they are and love them and pet them.

[Spiritus]

Six weeks is very young for such a small breed. What kind of set-up do you have for her while training?

The easiest way to house train a puppy, whether to go outdoors or on paper/puppy pads, is to know when a puppy needs to go potty. Generally then need to go when they wake up, after they eat, after they drink, after they play, before they sleep, etc. Often times a puppy will play-play-play, then once things calm down, they will have a bowel movement.

When I train puppies, not only do I use crate training, I gate the puppy in the kitchen UNLESS he can be ON LEASH with me on the carpet. So, unless I can pay 100% undivided attention to the puppy, the puppy is not on my carpet - period.

Puppies can't control their bladders/bowels until 12 to 24 weeks of age. No two puppies are alike. In my last litter, I had one family swear their puppy was house trained by 10 weeks of age, and they were devastated when at 4 months he had an accident in the livingroom . I had more knowledgeable puppy people know that accidents can happen anytime. Even adult dogs will have rare accidents in the case of illness, etc.

As for other obedience commands, your puppy is only six weeks old. That is very, very young. Spend a lot of time playing with her, "yelping" if she nips too hard, making sure she gets to her paper when play stops, etc. Find a good trainer and get her ready to start classes at about the 10 week stage. Have people come over to meet her. Start her socialization now.

Good luck!

[Brighteyed]

with small breeds its even more important to start them socializing as soon as possible with other dogs, people, outside environments. they are so small everything is so much bigger they might become skittery or sometimes agressive if not propperly socialized to different types of environments ect. as for toilet training. keep your pet gated off the carpet. if an "oopsie" does happen clean most of it up with a tissue and put it on the paper then show the dog its there. (clean area that was "oopsied" on up with vinager as it eliminated oders) dont push the puppies nose in it just set it down next to the paper. if it starts having an oopsie clap your hands or make a short kinda startling noise, this will stop the puppy from doing what its doing and just quickly move it onto the paper. when it continues its buissness on the paper make sure to give it lots of praise and maybe a treat. same with every time you see it peeing where its supposed to go. puppies love to be praised and will respond much faster to that than punnishment.

[alfie]

just as a sidenote, do you ever plan on training your dog to go outside instead of on paper or puppy pads?

Not in all cases, but from what I have heard from a lot of people, once dogs figure out that its acceptable to go in the house as long as it is in a certain spot, they will always feel that place is acceptable, even if there is no pad there.

If you plan on training outside in the future, I would reccomend starting now rather than later.

[Kendalle]

Please do not use those pads, they are stupid. My roommates girlfriend uses them for her dog that she has at our house. I will give you a few reasons for this

The dog sniffs the paper, nose on the paper butt is off pee goes on floor... you can't be upset, they are doing what they think you want, you can't be happy you are cleaning up pee. (or poo)

the pee is on the paper they don't want to stand in it to poo, or refuse to go near it because of the pee or poo. Puppy goes on floor.

the puppy smells the papper starts going on the paper and then walks as going a little and all poo goes on floor and i step in it. I get angry.

You want to go on trip, you take dog all day to the park, your puppy is trained to have to sniff paper or they don't go... they hold it all day, you get in side, and the pee and poo next to the paper.

Just take the dog out side, a small dog still needs to go on daily walks and things this is a great way to train them and get that puppy exercise they need.

as far as sit and lay down and roll over and stand up...

to sit, hold the piece of food above their nose until they sit. point straight down with your hand, and say sit. this comes most naturally and they learn this right away.

to lay down have them sit (dont say sit) then move the food down past their nose on to the floor then straight out from them to get them to lay down and say lay down or down or what ever you like.

to roll over get them to lay down (dont say it) then move the food slowly over and lightly push them to the side and roll over... they will get it soon

to stand on two legs bring the food up from sit or stand position until they stretch up on two legs to get it. (a dachshund shouldn't stand it hurts their back)

also dachshund should never do stairs they have bad backs most of the time.

[Dragonrain]

Just wanted to point out that this topic is from 2005.

[Kendalle]

well if the puppy isn't trained by now.... haha i don't think there is anything we can do.