First puppy Post #178 Has Awesome Training Info!

[Amelya]

I'm way late on this thread but I'll throw my .02 cents in.

My #1 recommendation is to take a puppy class. I know you said your friend is a dog trainer, but the socialization aspect is huge. She NEEDS to be socialized with other dogs, kids, people wearing hats, loud noises, smells, etc. By 14 weeks or so that window is pretty much closed. With a dog like a GSD you do not want temperament issues. Also, I personally don't agree with training someone's first dog as a guard dog. Being a guard dog means the dog can and will be aggressive to people if necessary. IMO that's very dangerous for an inexperienced dog owner.

Food - feed her on a schedule. Put a little warm water in the kibble and offer it to her for 20 minutes. If she doesn't eat, pick it up and don't offer anything again until the next meal. I promise you she will not starve herself. I have a picky eater myself and it will not get better if you coddle her, trust me, lol.

Potty training - a puppy needs to be watched 100% of the time. She is too young to be expected to give signals, or hold it for hours. Those "a 4 month old puppy can hold it for 4 hours" type rules are generally regarding a dog in a crate, not actively playing and running around. Take her out every 30 minutes - 1 hour, and if you can't watch her, put her in a crate or an xpen. I would highly recommend NOT using puppy pads unless they are something you want to use long term (which I also don't recommend, because a full grown GSD taking a dump in your house really sounds delightful, no?). Pads tend to be confusing for puppies - teach her that all pottying is done outside ONLY. Praise and treat EVERY TIME. She's a baby. Many puppies aren't even close to being house trained until 14-16 weeks and I wouldn't expect to start phasing out treats until around that time.

Treats - you can really use anything she likes. Tiny tiny pieces are fine. Our instructor used hot dogs cut into 1/4" pieces, and then that coin shaped piece again cut into fourths. You can also use tiny pieces of cheese, carrots, kibble, whatever. I personally like Zukes Minis for store bought treats.

I'd also recommend asking around for any puppy play groups. My vet and the local humane society both offer them. They're great for socialization.

[Aylee]

I'm way late on this thread but I'll throw my .02 cents in.

My #1 recommendation is to take a puppy class. I know you said your friend is a dog trainer, but the socialization aspect is huge. She NEEDS to be socialized with other dogs, kids, people wearing hats, loud noises, smells, etc. By 14 weeks or so that window is pretty much closed. With a dog like a GSD you do not want temperament issues. Also, I personally don't agree with training someone's first dog as a guard dog. Being a guard dog means the dog can and will be aggressive to people if necessary. IMO that's very dangerous for an inexperienced dog owner.

Food - feed her on a schedule. Put a little warm water in the kibble and offer it to her for 20 minutes. If she doesn't eat, pick it up and don't offer anything again until the next meal. I promise you she will not starve herself. I have a picky eater myself and it will not get better if you coddle her, trust me, lol.

Potty training - a puppy needs to be watched 100% of the time. She is too young to be expected to give signals, or hold it for hours. Those "a 4 month old puppy can hold it for 4 hours" type rules are generally regarding a dog in a crate, not actively playing and running around. Take her out every 30 minutes - 1 hour, and if you can't watch her, put her in a crate or an xpen. I would highly recommend NOT using puppy pads unless they are something you want to use long term (which I also don't recommend, because a full grown GSD taking a dump in your house really sounds delightful, no?). Pads tend to be confusing for puppies - teach her that all pottying is done outside ONLY. Praise and treat EVERY TIME. She's a baby. Many puppies aren't even close to being house trained until 14-16 weeks and I wouldn't expect to start phasing out treats until around that time.

Treats - you can really use anything she likes. Tiny tiny pieces are fine. Our instructor used hot dogs cut into 1/4" pieces, and then that coin shaped piece again cut into fourths. You can also use tiny pieces of cheese, carrots, kibble, whatever. I personally like Zukes Minis for store bought treats.

I'd also recommend asking around for any puppy play groups. My vet and the local humane society both offer them. They're great for socialization.

Thanks she is already enrolled in a puppy class at pet smart and I intend to do the intermediate and advanced classes with her also. The guard dog aspect is more of an additional way to stimulate and exercise her as well giving my gf piece of mind when she is home alone. When I said this is my first dog I met more along the lines of MY first puppy-puppy - adult dog. I lived with my ex for 5 years who had multiple dogs and I took care of them and taught them ticks ext... just never raised one of my own from the puppy stages. Atm I am trying to teach her to pitty strictly outside providing treats every time and saying "good potty". My gf got a pack of pee pads and placed them in the 3 spots she likes to go to try and keep it out of the carpet (using nature's Mericle if she pees in carpet).

[Aylee]

Also she has learned that squatting = treat so now she act like she's peeing 4-5 per potty trip. Today she peed on the pee pads twice. What is the appropriate way to teach her to go outside... but if she can't hold it to go on the pads? I don't wanna praise her for going in the house (but glad it's on the pad) but don't want to tell her no! And then she just do it off the pads

[The Stig]

Not a dog owner, but I really enjoyed watching Caesar Milan's Dog Whisperer ... if you want to train dogs well. While some say he's cruel to dogs due to his training methods (i.e. some restraining or control methods), I suggest just picking up a handful of his episodes to watch how he deals with people's various dog issues. The core of most of the problem he assists with are usually the owner's fault (i.e. treating the dog like a human).

While I know I'm speaking from the point of view of not actually owning a dog, I've been around enough people with dogs with issues (though, not to them) purely because they treat them like a baby/human, so from this point of view I actually agree and side with how he shapes up a dog's behaviour.

Just a thought.

[Tajin]

This guy lol, Cesar Millan = awful outdated shit.

[Amelya]

Like I said, I would toss those pads. Every time the dog pees in the house that is reinforcing the idea that it is okay to go inside. The pads may work okay for small dogs who are going to use them long term, but I have never seen them be anything but a hindrance for house training a dog that needs to be going outside 100% of the time.

She should not be able to pee inside without you noticing immediately - she needs to be watched all the time at this age. Use baby gates to keep her in the same room with you, or even leash her to your belt so she's always close by. If you see her start to squat, give a quick yell to interrupt/surprise her and immediately take her outside. Praise like heck if she finishes outside. If you can't watch her, put her in her crate with a kong filled with a bit of peanut butter, or get an xpen that you can keep off the carpet.

I'd still give her a treat if you even suspect she may have peed outside. Treats should be given abundantly and freely at this age. I'm not really sure why you feel like it's such a bad thing, lol.

[Brill Weave]

I agree. Piddle pads for little dogs = whatever. Piddle pads for a full sized GS is going to backfire in horrific fashion. Plus as Amelya said you're giving her the impression that it's ok to pee in the house. Put the piddle pads next to the door she goes outside through. Let her use that for a few days. Then move it right outside the door. Let her use it for a few days. Move it further out into the yard etc.

[Kaslo]

Even for little dogs, I would advise against puppy pads...

[Aylee]

Would it be bad to leave the pads Down in order to catch the pee if she starts? Then just scare her and take her strait outside? So basically acting like the pads aren't even there... just more of a thing to reduce oder (to prevent peeing in same spots) and help make it easier for me to clean up

[Abandon]

.....

[Brill Weave]

Would it be bad to leave the pads Down in order to catch the pee if she starts? Then just scare her and take her strait outside? So basically acting like the pads aren't even there... just more of a thing to reduce oder (to prevent peeing in same spots) and help make it easier for me to clean up

If you leave the pee pads on the floor she will continue using them. Good luck trying to get a dog to stop peeing midstream. You can't watch her 24/7. That's why you need to break this early. Otherwise you'll be dealing with huge puddles of dog pee when she's an adult.

[Aylee]

If you leave the pee pads on the floor she will continue using them. Good luck trying to get a dog to stop peeing midstream. You can't watch her 24/7. That's why you need to break this early. Otherwise you'll be dealing with huge puddles of dog pee when she's an adult.

Every time I catch her I've been able to stop her fairly easy, then take her out to finish. So get rid of them all together? Gf is trying to convince me to leave them and let her finish on them when she HAS to go. Her way of thinking is that the puppy will learn pee pads are ok if she can't hold it... then take them away when she can hold it and she won't pee in the house becaise the pee pads are gone

[BaneTheBrawler]

dogs don't think like that.

[Aylee]

dogs don't think like that.

this is my thoughts also

[Aylee]

I keep hearing about how good a raw diet is for dogs and the science behind it makes since. Has anyone done it before that can offer any advice (did u/the dog like it, did u notice any benefits, average monthly cost, what did you use, how did u prep in ext)

[Brill Weave]

It can get extremely expensive.

[Tajin]

I raw feed my two dogs. Best advice look for one of the FB groups (Raw tips) or Raw feeding, have a look at their files section, awesome startig guides there.
It can be about as expensive as the most expensive kibble or be completely free.

[Tajin]

Brill weave is retarded too.

[Aylee]

I raw feed my two dogs. Best advice look for one of the FB groups (Raw tips) or Raw feeding, have a look at their files section, awesome startig guides there.
It can be about as expensive as the most expensive kibble or be completely free.

Ok thanks. There is a small local grocery store out in the boonies that cuts their own meat so I'ma go there and see if I can get scraps or expired shit.

Is there anything I should or shouldent try for? Like pig feet/heads hearts ext

[Tajin]

Weight bearing bones of big animals can break teeth. Pigs , goat, turkey can be fed whole to a GSD.
Freezer burnt (not spiced) meat from craglist ads is also a great source of free meat.