A Suggestion or Two on How to Deal with a Puppy

The wife's best friend got so interested in my story about Pete, the truck puppy, he went out and bought one. A little male Doberman was just what he'd always wanted. In all fairness, he'd told us that several times in the past, so I believe that he really thought he wanted a puppy. But wanting and having are two different things. Very different as he discovered. His job keeps him pretty busy and gone a lot. I guess it never occurred to him that puppies take time to train.

Last week, he called the wife and begged her to take the little guy or he was going to the pound. My soft hearted wife agreed and told me about it later. We have always had mixed breed dogs and found them to be great pets and companions. A pure bred never interested us before because of the possibilities of inbreeding and mental problems. She's really getting a work out with this pup and giving me a play by play report, so I've come up with a few suggestions for anyone who wants a five month old, untrained dog.

Suggestion One:

If your puppy is like Hank (our new dog) and has had no training at all, the first thing you need to teach him is not to eat the house. Hank was left alone most of the time and worked out his frustrations by eating a chair, a couch, carpet, linoleum, and walls (chewed clear through!). The wife watches him like a hawk over a chicken coop and every time he puts anything in his mouth besides his own toys, she tells him "NO!" and swats him on the nose. So far it's working. We still have intact furniture. So keep a close watch on the pup and don't let him slide with the chewing even once.

Suggestion Two:

Hank was only partially housebroken. He doesn't let her know when he needs to go out, but will usually squat and piddle once she takes him outside. Unfortunately, he does the "other thing" on the floor because he was never taught not to. We live in an apartment with no yard so she can't just boot him out the door. We do have an enclosed patio, however. So she started picking up his "piles" from the floor and putting them on the patio, hoping to make him understand he should relieve himself out there. She says the concrete is a whole lot easier to clean up than carpet. Put the turds where you want him to leave the next batch and tell him "Go potty!" Make him stay near it for an hour or so. She says it works really well.

Suggestion Three:

Hank wasn't trained to a leash. She didn't have one, so she got an old bathrobe sash and tied it to his collar. For the first couple of hours he dragged it around with him all over the house. Then she picked up the end and dragged him out the front door. He panicked and fought her the first few times, but then got used to it and willingly goes along now. She said that leash breaking him was the easiest thing so far.

Suggestion Four:

Have dog biscuits available for treats. Don't give the puppy table scraps. He has Pedigree Puppy Food in his bowl and Milk Bone biscuits aplenty. If he doesn't get used to "people food" he will be less likely to get into the garbage or bother you during your meals. Dog food is designed to give them what they need, table scraps aren't.

Suggestion Five:

Sleeping arrangements are very important. I think she made a mistake with this part. She knew I wouldn't allow the dog to share the bed with me when I'm home, so she couldn't let him sleep with her. Instead she started sleeping on the couch to be close enough he couldn't eat the furniture while she slept. Our couch isn't big enough for her and a really big pup at the same time. She's going to try putting him in the guest room, after removing everything he could chew up, of course. Next month we'll be moving back into our house and he can sleep on the porch. But for now the guest room should work. Make sure the puppy has a regular place to sleep so he is comfortable and doesn't cry all night.

Suggestion Six:

When she picked him up to bring him home, he'd never been in a car (since he was first bought) and had never seen a television or heard a radio. He seems to like the Lawrence Welk Show, she tells me. And Fox News Channel. If you plan to have your pup as a companion, get him used to the car, too. Puppy puke isn't much fun on upholstery! Short trips are good to start with, making him feel safe when you take him for a ride and getting him used to the motion of a car.

Suggestion Seven:

Be sure he has his own things. Food and water bowls, always in the same place are a really good idea. Keep them full, too. Hungry puppies tend to chew more where they shouldn't. Toys are a good idea. Hank has a cloth duck he throws around and does battle with. It isn't damaged hardly at all, even though he's had it most of his young life. The furniture, etc. in his previous home didn't fare so well. The wife found an old pair of shoes for him, too. So he doesn't get bored with just the duck. She plays with him several times a day, too, to reinforce the toys he can play with.

Suggestion Eight:

She has been talking to him a lot. He sits and watches her when she's busy, and stares at her when she talks to him. It doesn't matter what you talk about with your puppy. He probably doesn't understand anything more than "NO!" but the attention and sound of your voice are great ways to bond.

Suggestion Nine:

Before you get a dog, make sure you really want one. It's a lifetime commitment and a big job. Well worth the effort when the dog grows up, but very time consuming and at times frustrating during the early stages. If you find you can't deal with it, please find someone who can. Don't abandon the little guy or take him to the pound. It's not his fault, after all.