# The best puppy advice you ever received ???



## Semp (Apr 5, 2016)

What is the best advice you have received in regards to a new puppy? It can be very specialized advice, or just a general piece of common knowledge....


Years and years ago I bought my first German Shepherd. I read many books before I brought him home, but my favorite (I can't remember title) was written by the head animal trainer of Disney. It was very well written and I liked his straight forward style. The 2 things I took from that book (and have used on every dog I have owned since), are pretty common knowledge but are worth their weight in gold. 


#1. Socialize, socialize, socialize. As soon as you get your puppy home and get his shots up to date, introduce him to as many other pets, people, places, and noises as you can. Get him around as many big and small dogs and cats as you can. Also introduce him to tons of people. If you don't have young kids (6-10) then go find some. Let them play with him and run around screaming and play like little kids do. Expose them to lots of kids and running and yelling. Take him outside while someone is mowing, weedeating, riding a motorcycle, etc etc. Just expose him to anything and everything possible. 


#2. This one is actually my favorite. Mess with the dog constantly while it is eating. Pet him, touch his back, brush him, talk to him, etc, while he is eating. Reach down and push his head away from the bowl and take his bowl while he is eating. I am not talking shove him, just push his head out of the way so you can take his food. Have him sit, and then give his food bowl back. Especially have the children take his food up and pet him while he is eating. Just do not make him food possessive or teach him that while he is eating he is off limits. Never ever let him for one second thinks that while he is eating he is off limits. That is a ticket to disaster. I have done this and I have NEVER had an incident of any form or fashion while a dog was eating. I continue this practice even into adulthood.


So those are my two......let's hear yours


----------



## *Fiona (May 25, 2016)

Great idea for a thread! I'm subscribing! I would love to hear everyone's advice!


----------



## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

Being introduced to crate training many years ago.It eliminates so much stress over potty training and chewing disasters!

Your number two makes me a little uncomfortable.I do hand feed my puppies from their bowls for the first week and phase it out the second week.There are some dogs that people create issues with resource guarding where none existed before.Depends on the individual dog.


----------



## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Never coddle a puppy/dog when something scares him.

ie: semi blows horn or scary person, or etc: dog runs to owner, owner pets and soothes/coddles pup/dog and says things like Ohhhhhh my pooooor poooor little baby! Did that scare you???? Ooooooo it's gonna beeeee okkkkkkkkk! 

Moms


----------



## Semp (Apr 5, 2016)

dogma13 said:


> Being introduced to crate training many years ago.It eliminates so much stress over potty training and chewing disasters!
> 
> Your number two makes me a little uncomfortable.I do hand feed my puppies from their bowls for the first week and phase it out the second week.There are some dogs that people create issues with resource guarding where none existed before.Depends on the individual dog.


#2 has worked on 3 German Shepherds, a boxer, and a cocker spaniel with ZERO problems. I remember the author of the book said he cringed every time he heard someone say, "Don't mess with fluffy while she's eating". He said it creates a volatile situation because when your friend shows up with her 5 year old, and while you are talking the 5 year old goes running toward the dog to play with it, guess what your German Shepherd happens to be doing at that very moment? Yep, you guessed it....eating. He also stated that it was teaching your dog that YOU are the alpha of the pack. It has worked for me, but if it doesn't sound good to certain people so be it. Let's hear more advice......


----------



## DutchKarin (Nov 23, 2013)

Don't try to be alpha... that is old school... today we work on a relationship, a working relationship. Yes you are the leader but it is not about domination it is about work and teamwork. In that vein,

Learn to use tug and tug play as a way to build relationship. (If you can't find a trainer that does this watch Michael Eliis or Ivan Balabanov youtube videos).


----------



## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

I've always done that with all my puppies and it's worked out fine. 

Number two ... well I'll say that is where "some" members learn the difference between "Exposure" vs "Socialization" with WL GSD's. 
Pack members usually no problem "everybody else" ... I don't know you kinda thing.

Usually in the 12 month to 18 month range ... "My dog changed??" Happens all the time a WL GSD ... is not a "Boxer" make "adjustments" in the people thing and it works out fine. Look don't touch. with strangers


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Engage your puppy. Play games that teach the dog that playing with you IS the rewards. That basic foundation is the key to recall, obedience and focus and a good, overall, relationship.


----------



## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

Hmmmmm....best puppy advice??? Not sure....but long sleeves sure are better than short sleeves.


SuperG


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

SuperG said:


> Hmmmmm....best puppy advice??? Not sure....but long sleeves sure are better than short sleeves.
> 
> 
> SuperG


LOL And gloves!!! Good gloves are a requirement!


----------



## crazyontrt (Jul 27, 2004)

So much good advice! 

Enjoy every second of their puppyhood. All the blood, sweat and tears pays off! It goes by so quick


----------



## Traveler's Mom (Sep 24, 2012)

Jax08 said:


> LOL And gloves!!! Good gloves are a requirement!


Old pants and shoes for when they catch you from behind:grin2:

Lynn & Traveler


----------



## WateryTart (Sep 25, 2013)

SuperG said:


> Hmmmmm....best puppy advice??? Not sure....but long sleeves sure are better than short sleeves.
> 
> 
> SuperG


And don't wear shorts. Wear pants. Preferably with loose legs, and made of very sturdy fabric.

I think what we found most useful was the advice to socialize, and also the advice not to make a big deal out of stuff. It was sometimes really hard to do the latter, but I can point out some specific instances during her puppyhood when that advice paid off. She's naturally resilient, and I'm glad we didn't stifle that.


----------



## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

WateryTart said:


> And don't wear shorts. Wear pants. Preferably with loose legs, and made of very sturdy fabric.
> 
> I think what we found most useful was the advice to socialize, and also the advice not to make a big deal out of stuff. It was sometimes really hard to do the latter, but I can point out some specific instances during her puppyhood when that advice paid off. She's naturally resilient, and I'm glad we didn't stifle that.


Excellent!Both the pants and not making a big deal over stuff.Both are extremely important.I'm smiling right now remembering trying to walk with a puppy attached to my ankle


----------



## MMcCoy (May 12, 2016)

1) Relax, when your pup tears up a roll of toilet paper try to enjoy picking it up :laugh2:

2) Enjoy the good, and try to find the good in the bad! 

3) Correct bad behaviors ASAP

4) Feed quality food and treats


----------



## WateryTart (Sep 25, 2013)

crazyontrt said:


> So much good advice!
> 
> Enjoy every second of their puppyhood. All the blood, sweat and tears pays off! It goes by so quick


And this!

She's two now, and she's wonderful. And now we find ourselves reminiscing about her puppyhood, and while I love and enjoy the dog even more than the puppy, I sometimes feel a tiny bit sad that an entire stage of her life is completely over.


----------



## VTGirlT (May 23, 2013)

Enjoy and utilize every day with your puppy, because boy does time fly by, they grow up so quickly! :wink2:


----------



## Moriah (May 20, 2014)

It's a baby!! You have to be patient. Teach the baby what you want. Relationship, relationship, relationship.


----------



## Ghraizi (Jun 1, 2016)

I have a 6 month German Shepherd his head looks small. . Will it grow bigger ??


----------



## Clay Hill (Jan 27, 2016)

Great idea for a thread....

So here's a few things I've held onto and tell my gundog clients. 

No behavior that is NOT cute at 80 lbs should ever be cute at 10 lbs. 

If your puppy doesn't have your 100% attention inside the home it's place is in the crate. You can not correct what is already done. 

Never ever train frustrated. 

Training starts day one, short sessions, don't miss opportunities to mold new little minds. 

Never put down a squirming pup. This is a great opportunity to teach a pup how to deal with pressure on the slightest of levels and pays dividends later on. Hold pup against you until they stop squirming, reassure then place them down. 

Never use a command you cannot enforce. ("HERE" without long line or lead.)

Don't be afraid to back up in training to move forward 


Here's just a few....


----------



## WateryTart (Sep 25, 2013)

Clay Hill said:


> No behavior that is NOT cute at 80 lbs should ever be cute at 10 lbs.


Your whole post was good advice but I wanted to call this out. It's so true.

I've been amazed by the number of people who seemed to think I was too hard on my dog for following this rule. I appreciate that they liked and accepted her as she was (and yes, she was a baby and we allowed for that in teaching her), but there are some behaviors that I just plain don't find acceptable from any dog, least of all the one I live with.

Jumping up was the big one. Jumping is flatly never okay - in fact, that's a great way for me to decide quickly that I dislike a particular dog, unless I know the dog is a puppy or new to training and the owner is actively working with it; I'll cut that dog and owner a break (versus a dog whose owner doesn't bother, I'm not going to enjoy being around that dog at all). Paws up on the legs actually was adorable when my dog weighed 10 lb, but I knew she would be huge quickly, and capable of knocking me over.


----------



## Jupiter_0203 (May 5, 2016)

Jax08 said:


> Engage your puppy. Play games that teach the dog that playing with you IS the rewards. That basic foundation is the key to recall, obedience and focus and a good, overall, relationship.


Jax08 - Could you share a few ways to play with a puppy. I play tug, fetch with my Shepard mix puppy but she gets bored at times and I don't know how to keep her engaging. TIA...


----------



## Jupiter_0203 (May 5, 2016)

*Puppy Car travel advice*

Is there any advice you could share to how to travel with a puppy in car. We recently traveled 130 miles one way in car, completely stuffed and my puppy barfed both the times.We actually had her on our lap and she was also shivering. 

We have taken her in Car rides, esp to Vet appt and the training sessions and we didn't feed her before we traveled. I'm just unsure what we did wrong.


----------



## graciesmom (Jun 10, 2006)

Best puppy advice get a crate and crate train, including crate games. If your vehicle has room get two crates, keep one in the vehicle for travel. If you get second hand crates, thoroughly disinfect prior to use to guard against parvo, etc.


----------



## ipopro (May 4, 2012)

Pedigree, Pedigree, Pedigree - DNA, DNA, DNA!

Fully understand what you are getting/have and what it is made of and where/how it was created!


----------



## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

Remember he's not the exact same dog as your last puppy and he isn't that Mal you saw on Youtube.


----------



## ipopro (May 4, 2012)

Jupiter_0203 said:


> Is there any advice you could share to how to travel with a puppy in car. We recently traveled 130 miles one way in car, completely stuffed and my puppy barfed both the times.We actually had her on our lap and she was also shivering.
> 
> We have taken her in Car rides, esp to Vet appt and the training sessions and we didn't feed her before we traveled. I'm just unsure what we did wrong.


Unfortunately the two places you have mentioned you have gone without mentioning the ride home when you got the puppy can often times be very traumatic experiences in a puppy/dog mind (stressful).

The puppy/dog has no idea where it is going this time even though you do, it doesn't, and as the result could be experiencing a tremendous amount of stress leading to this BARF BARF BARF.

One thing you may want to try is taking the dog (in the vehicle) to a very close location to your home in which the puppy/dog has some very exciting and rewarding experiences fun stuff for the puppy(play) etc.... etc... etc.... ((((no stress)))) (be very conscientious of location (Disease or threats etc... a whole other topic of discussion) Just fun fun fun fun fun! Then return home and repeat often. The dog will then have different memories to consider, rather than what it has (you mentioned) now. This may lead to the desired result. NO BARF just pure excitement (we are going to have fun). :grin2:

NOTE: Some puppies like people get motion sickness!


----------



## Jupiter_0203 (May 5, 2016)

ipopro said:


> Unfortunately the two places you have mentioned you have gone without mentioning the ride home when you got the puppy can often times be very traumatic experiences in a puppy/dog mind (stressful).
> 
> The puppy/dog has no idea where it is going this time even though you do, it doesn't, and as the result could be experiencing a tremendous amount of stress leading to this BARF BARF BARF.
> 
> ...


Thank you for responding to my question ipopro, I appreciate it!  

Like you mentioned, I would like to share the exact information so we can better understand and analyse the situation. We adopted Jupiter almost 5 weeks back. That night when she came home, she was horrified to travel with us in the Car and I somehow managed to comfort her during the 20 min drive. We regularly take her to the Puppy playtime session in the car and she loves to play with other puppies & dog. She has also traveled to the Groomers & Vet visits in the same car. We first took her to my friends house which was 60 miles away one way and she was very relaxed and slept through the ride. 

The recent drive was to a camping site and back home. During both these rides, she was anxious, shivering and barfed. Please note, none of us screamed or babied her when she barfed. We ignored her and covered the barf with napkins, stopped the car in an exit and cleaned up (Sorry guys, I wanted to specific just in case). 

Also I have observed that she completely halts or sits down when she sees a car pass by during walks. To make her feel comfortable with Cars and the sounds that the Car makes, I make her sit near my front glass door and watch the passing cars both morning and evening. I'm trying my best to understand her but I also want to know what we are doing wrong. TIA!


----------



## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

She's loose in the car? Or is she in a crate?


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Ghraizi said:


> I have a 6 month German Shepherd his head looks small. . Will it grow bigger ??



Hi Ghraizi,

Your pup looks like a typical six month old: ears too big for his head!! His ears are out of proportion so it makes his head look small in comparison. Normal for pups to have the ears grow faster than the rest of the head. 

He will catch up and grow into his ears. His head does not look too small in any way.


----------



## Jupiter_0203 (May 5, 2016)

Steve Strom said:


> She's loose in the car? Or is she in a crate?


 @Steve Strom: She is crate trained but we were unable to fit the crate in the car because it is big. We had it unfolded with other luggage. We were actually holding her to comfort her, so she could sleep through the ride.


----------



## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

Its good, she's crate trained. The crate in the car gives you the chance to use the calming side that training. If the car isn't packed up for a trip, can you fit it in there? Just putting her in it here and there and not going anywhere, mixing in some short trips, anything that can be a calm non eventful thing can help settle her down about it. The things that may overwhelm her, she can learn to lay down and ignore a lot easier in the crate then loose, with you holding her.


----------



## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

ipopro said:


> Pedigree, Pedigree, Pedigree - DNA, DNA, DNA!
> 
> Fully understand what you are getting/have and what it is made of and where/how it was created!



Totally disagree!


All dogs deserve good homes. Once those paws are on the ground it's to late to care who made them, and time to deal with the dog you have.


The best dog I ever had the privilege of putting hands on came from nowhere. She worked well past an age were many dogs are retired and not once did she let me down. Pedigrees and titles are great, but they should NEVER be the only thing you see.
The younger of the two I now have has had more against her then enough from day one and is an absolute inspiration to live with. I have no idea who her parents were and I wouldn't trade her for any pedigree.


Best puppy advice? Love the dog you have and cherish every second of the time you have. You aren't perfect either.
Learn to laugh, and let go of the little things. There will come a day when you will yearn for head butts, muddy paws and chewed stuff. One day you will miss chasing that puppy to get the remote back. Make every day a memory, someday you will wish you had more.


----------



## ipopro (May 4, 2012)

Sabis mom said:


> Totally disagree!
> 
> 
> All dogs deserve good homes. Once those paws are on the ground it's to late to care who made them, and time to deal with the dog you have.
> ...


QUOTE: Sabis Mom: I had to become adept at handling a raging 95lb dog. He is my prince, my buddy, my handsome old man. He is much loved and adored. He cuddles momma, and is well spoiled.
In hindsight, my boss was right. Bud should have been put down. I condemned him to a life in a prison, and me along with him. I love him dearly. In better hands he may have come further, but I have my doubts.

QUOTE: Sabis Mom: All dogs deserve good homes










IPOPRO SLAPS SELF, Really C'mon now I don't understand! I will never understand!

Or do I understand? I just might!

Know what your puppy/dog is and where it is from... IMHO!


----------



## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

The best advice I would give to somebody prior to getting a puppy would be to know the behavioral traits called for in the breed standard, know your lifestyle, decide whether a German Shepherd (or particular breed) puppy would be a good fit, learn what a reputable breeder is and then find such a breeder and let that breeder select a puppy that should work for you. Breeding is an inexact science, but by going with a reputable breeder the odds are much higher to getting a healthy, stable dog that will be an asset and not a liability.

If they already have a puppy, my best advice would be to enjoy that puppy and don't be afraid to let that leash go in appropriate areas. A puppy should not be all work and no play.


----------



## ipopro (May 4, 2012)

MineAreWorkingline said:


> The best advice I would give to somebody prior to getting a puppy would be to know the behavioral traits called for in the breed standard, know your lifestyle, decide whether a German Shepherd (or particular breed) puppy would be a good fit, learn what a reputable breeder is and then find such a breeder and let that breeder select a puppy that should work for you. Breeding is an inexact science, but by going with a reputable breeder the odds are much higher to getting a healthy, stable dog that will be an asset and not a liability.
> 
> If they already have a puppy, my best advice would be to enjoy that puppy and don't be afraid to let that leash go in appropriate areas. A puppy should not be all work and no play.


Now what was the best advise you ever received? :wink2:


----------



## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

ipopro said:


> Now what was the best advise you ever received? :wink2:




The best advice I ever received, and ignored although I did not do this on purpose, was to raise two male puppies together. A reputable breeder told me after the fact: Wait until they turn two, and they will try to kill each other. Yep, they sure did, just like clockwork.


----------



## ipopro (May 4, 2012)

MineAreWorkingline said:


> The best advice I ever received, and ignored although I did not do this on purpose, was to raise two male puppies together. A reputable breeder told me after the fact: Wait until they turn two, and they will try to kill each other. Yep, they sure did, just like clockwork.


LOL You crack me up! :laugh2:


----------



## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

ipopro said:


> LOL You crack me up! :laugh2:


Hey, I am sure you knew it all back then too.  But like I said, it was circumstance, not the plan.


----------

