Making a confident / independent puppy.

[Circadian]

In a few weeks I'm getting a new puppy (his name is Gunner, hes so cute!). I look forward to training him from week 8 on! I'm ready for all the challenges a little one can bring and I'm crazy excited! But I do have one fear...

I want to make sure, I do not have a codependent dog. I want Gunner to be Happy, Healthy and Confident! So I want to make sure I nurture him, but not cripple him. Any suggestions? What are some GOOD things to AVOID? I think the pack he is joining (my other 2 dogs) will really help with this because they are happy, independent, confident and health dogs so I really look twords them to help me instill this in the new puppy but I want to make sure I don’t mess things up! You know, like picking a baby up when it cry’s so much it learns that crying is what gets it picked up etc...

Any Tips or Suggestions? Do's or Do Nots?
Thanks in advance

[Fundog]

Hi there. Congratulations on your new puppy! Please have a read through the page with all the "Training Articles." There are a lot of great articles there about starting your puppy off on the right foot.

[emmabeth]

One of the best things to do is set him up to get things right - then you need not fix a problem because it hasn't happened.

For instance, if a puppy never needs to cry for your attention - you need'nt worry about rewarding that and creating a problem!

Get him a crate and have him sleep in your bedroom for the first few weeks/months - either listen out for him stirring in the night and take him out to potty before he cries or you can set an alarm and take him out a couple of times in the night - so he never needs to cry to get you to take him out, so he never learns to cry constantly to get your attention.

Done the other way, leave puppy in a room far away from you and hes going to cry at some point - you have to return at some point regardless of whether he is crying or not (to take him out to toilet or because you got up and are going to that room anyway) so theres a pretty high risk of him thinking you came because he cried!

Once he is older and more confident then you can move the crate away from your bed, then out of the room, then into another room etc etc, but do this as his confidence grows, and his ability to hold on overnight grows so taht again, he never has a reason to cry for you.

Same applies with potty training - if he never gets the opportunity to potty in the wrong place, and he is always rewarded for going in the right place - he is highly unlikely to ever learn to go in the wrong place! By the time he is old enough to be given a bit of freedom and has the opportunities to make mistakes he should have an ingrained habit of always going outside.

You can apply this to pretty much everything - though I make it sound easier than it really is to do because everyone makes mistakes, so don't beat yourself up if/when you do! It is normal!

The more positive, happy stuff you can achieve in the first few weeks, and the fewer scary things, the better - if he appears scared of something take him away from it/take it away from him - forcing a pup to face his fears never works and just as they learn SUPER fast all the good stuff you teach them, sadly at this age they also learn superfast the bad things that happen.

Things to avoid would be people crowding him, picking him up, cooing and generally forcing themselves upon him, people 'tricking' him into approaching if he isnt sure, by bribing with food and then attempting to touch him - other dogs scaring him, him being a pain in the rear to other dogs (socialisation wtih adult dogs is good but don't let him become a PITA!).

Do be aware that not all adult dogs are confident and happy about puppies, nor know waht to do with them. If either of your adult dogs appears wary or unnerved listen to them and don't let the puppy do whatever it is that upsets them. Hopefully they will help you out, but it isnt at all unusual for them to not know what to do!

[Nettle]

Lovely advice there and congratulations on your new puppy!

I am inclined to recommend people avoid puppy classes. You already have two adult dogs who will teach Gunner his manners, and he already knows how to be a puppy. There ARE good puppy classes but IME they are as rare as a very rare thing. Too many allow puppies to bully other puppies, or make a big thing of people overwhelming puppies with experiences some of them might not be ready for.

So if you like the puppy class idea, please attend without your puppy first to see if you are happy with what is going on (you might just have one of those extra-good classes nearby) and don't feel it's something you have to do.

Socialising must be done, but it is better done at the individual pup's pace, and with introductions to well-mannered dogs one at a time.

[Noobs]

I have very little to add to the wonderful advice you've received except congrats on your new puppy and also WELL DONE for asking here first! I wish I had known about this forum when I first brought my rescue home - I could have avoided a choke-chain-correction based training class I took him to because I didn't know any better.

Please post photos as soon as you're able to. We can't wait to "meet" your little guy!

[Circadian]

Thanks for the wonderful advice
I like to think of myself as a novis trainer My other 2 dogs are very well mannered and know a trick or two. but they were polite little ladies when I got them, with only an area or two of opratunity to improve upon So no classes for Gunner! He will be taught his Ps&Qs by me I know I can do it, and I know my girls will help me (Lucy and Chica) .

Once I get more pics of Gunner I will post em
Thank you all for the advice, I'm sure this is just the tip of my "How do you...." post I am so greatful to have found such a wonderful resorce as all of you

I have attached a photo of him., its not the best but hes so wiggly and my camera phone is so slow lol. Right now hes at my stepsons house (because thats where his 4 legged mom lives). So I have told the boys to shower him with love and start getting him use to his name before he gets to come home to his furever home

[Circadian]

Just a little update.
Gunner is now well over a year old and 100% brat (but then again i wouldnt want my dog any other way). He is the most indepenent, happy, healthy dog you have ever seen.
Is recall is close to (if not) 100% reliable.
He knows: sit, watch me, sit for greetings, take it, leave it, drop it, down, stay, shake, crawl, wait ugh and just about any other thing you can think of. (But then again im a trainer now for a pet super store). Hes crazy social with animals and people. His only slow learning point is loose leash walking! And well.., thats my fault not his.
All his training has been through positive reinfocement and maybe a curse word or two but jeez im only human!!!
He is an amazing dog. Our bond is unshakeable. He is a brat but a well trained brat!

He loves his kennel. If i stay up too late he goes to bed without me. If i have to run out the door all i say is "Gunner, kennel" and thats that! I will get an updated pic of him up soon!

Ill try now but im on my phone so not sure how it wi

[Circadian]

[Suzette]

What a handsome boy Gunner is!! Sounds like you and Gunner have done well. I can hear the love and pride you have for him in every word!