Brand New Pet Owners - Just need some advice

[AvalonStyx]

I just picked up my 8 week old Boston Terrier yesterday from the airport. And we're so excited to have a new member to our family.

We've been reading about crates, pens, feeding schedules, housetraining, etc.

And just have a couple of questions that we would love some advice/insight on.

We try to feed him regularly but his attention span doesn't keep him at his bowl for more than 2 minutes. He eats a little and starts to wimper. We're feeding him in a large pen that's lined with newspaper and watching him eat. Should we be feeding him in his crate? I know we're supposed to get a crate just big enough for him to sit, stand, and spin, nothing too big.

When it comes to after eating (normally we give him like 20 minutes to eat, then take it away), how should we go about the house training, we read about lining the area with newspaper, praising for when he goes then gradually taking newspaper away reducing the area, but what happens when he doesn't go on the paper?

Also should we have like 2 pens, 1 for feeding and play and the other for potty? the pen we got is adjustable and fairly large so i thought 1 side for bed , food, and play and the other for potty.

Finally is the question of newspaper, wee wee pads, doggie litter, etc. We got a package of wee-wee pads as a gift, but they don't stay on the ground very well, most of the time, the little guy just bites it and walks away. We also got doggie litter and a doggie litter pan as a gift too, should we be trying that?

I'm sorry for the long questions, but i want to make sure we are doing this right, i don't want to tramatize him or mistreat him in any way.

One more thing, sorry, at night when we sleep, should we put him in his crate or let him roam is pen area? i thought a better bond would be made if we crate him and place him next to the bed when we sleep. Also when we go out is it better to crate or pen the puppy?

thanks in advance to anyone who can point us in the right direction...

 

[Sirius]

As for the bed thing, don't let him roam as he might pee somewhere he is not supposed to because his bladder isn't that big.

 

[Doberluv]

My suggestion would be to put his food down for 15 minutes or so and what he doesn't finish, pick up until the next feeding time. This will prevent too much pickiness on his part and you'll be able to track his schedule better in the way of bathroom duties. If you feed him in his crate, that will make him associate the crate with the good stuff. It helps, but if he doesn't mind going in there without, that wouldn't be needed. Just always associate the crate with pleasantness, never as a punishment and have some toys and his favorite blanket, treats everytime he goes in and give a command, like "go to bed" or "crate." That will help later on.

As far as potty training, if you want your dog to learn to go outside, I would discourage you from using newspapers or pee pads...giving the green light to go inside, regardless of what he's going on, will tend to confuse him. You want him to go outside, and yet he's learning that it's OK to go inside. No, he should not have a pen inside for going to the bathroom, IMO. If you're going to be gone for hours and hours, some people train using these pads or a litter box. That is an option. However, if you're going to be home enough and you want your dog to learn to go outside, I'd stick with that kind of training.

With a new pup, it's very important to prevent accidents. He can barely feel it at this point and once he does, can't hold it very long. So, constant supervision, I mean never taking your eyes off of him for one second while he's lose in the house will help. If you can't watch him...if you have to use the bathroom for 2 minutes, don't trust him...stick him in his crate. You can let him out when you're done. Once they start going inside, having accidents, that situation is perpetuated.

Take him out often....every 30 minutes or so till he's a little older. I usually wait about 10 minutes after pup eats and then take him out. After a drink of water, a play session, a nap, take him right out. Watch for signs; sniffing around furniture, circling, restlessness and hurry him out. Give a command while he's going, "go pee pee" or whatever and the second he's through, praise big time and give a treat. Take him to the area you want him to use every time.

If you keep a log of when he eats, drinks, sleeps, plays and when he goes to the bathroom, you'll see a pattern and be better prepared.

Congrats on your new puppy and I hope things go well for you. I hope you can find helpful info on training. There is a lot even on this forum if you do a search. I personally love training based on operant and classical conditioning. It's fun and makes for a very happy and willing dog. Clicker training is based on this and is so effective and fun. http://www.clickerlessons.com/index.html

Hope some of this will help. Good luck! Got pictures?

 

[Saje]

I just picked up my 8 week old Boston Terrier yesterday from the airport. And we're so excited to have a new member to our family.

Yay! Congrats

We've been reading about crates, pens, feeding schedules, housetraining, etc.

And just have a couple of questions that we would love some advice/insight on.

We try to feed him regularly but his attention span doesn't keep him at his bowl for more than 2 minutes. He eats a little and starts to wimper. We're feeding him in a large pen that's lined with newspaper and watching him eat. Should we be feeding him in his crate? I know we're supposed to get a crate just big enough for him to sit, stand, and spin, nothing too big.

How often do you feed him and how much? He'll eat when he's hungry. Plus he probably needs a few days to adjust. I don't think any of my dogs were interested in food the first couple of days. Everything is too new/exciting/scary... whatever. Give him time to adjust and if he still isn't eating much then you can start to worry/ask more questions. As for crate training I don't do it but I THINK you are supposed to feed them ... actually I don't know. I'll let someone else answer that question.

When it comes to after eating (normally we give him like 20 minutes to eat, then take it away), how should we go about the house training, we read about lining the area with newspaper, praising for when he goes then gradually taking newspaper away reducing the area, but what happens when he doesn't go on the paper?

Sounds good letting him have food for 20 minutes and then taking it away. Freefeeding would probalby be fine too but you would have less control on when they need to potty. That newspaper trick is for dogs who are already used to going on paper (from a crate...) I would just take him outside and play with him until he goes and then praise him lots and lots and even give treats occassionally. Do you know when to take him out? After food/water and after he wakes up are key times. As well as every hour or so. Get into a routine. It also helps to keep a journal.

Also should we have like 2 pens, 1 for feeding and play and the other for potty? the pen we got is adjustable and fairly large so i thought 1 side for bed , food, and play and the other for potty.

Are these outside pens? I'm not really sure the theory behind this. I'll let someone else answer....

Finally is the question of newspaper, wee wee pads, doggie litter, etc. We got a package of wee-wee pads as a gift, but they don't stay on the ground very well, most of the time, the little guy just bites it and walks away. We also got doggie litter and a doggie litter pan as a gift too, should we be trying that?

You don't want him to go in the house do you? I really don't think it's a good idea to train him that way. And if you're thoughts are to train him to go inside and outside that really doesn't work for most dogs. It's just confusing and they think they can go wherever.

I'm sorry for the long questions, but i want to make sure we are doing this right, i don't want to tramatize him or mistreat him in any way.

No worries! I really appreciate people who ask questions. make sure you browse the forums for my info. There is a 'search' button at the top in the blue bar.

One more thing, sorry, at night when we sleep, should we put him in his crate or let him roam is pen area? i thought a better bond would be made if we crate him and place him next to the bed when we sleep. Also when we go out is it better to crate or pen the puppy?

thanks in advance to anyone who can point us in the right direction...

I'm a much bigger fan of penning than crating. Or even just a puppy-proof room. Either way though if you are going to be consistent with your house training you should keep him in a secure area (pen/crate) and you will have to get up during the night to let him out. The more chances he has to go outside the more he'll realize that he CAN hold it. Keeping him with you (crate by bed) is the best I think. Better for bonding.

Good luck!

 

[Gempress]

Congrats on the new pup! Sounds like you did a lot of research, and are more than ready.

When feeding, I don't think the location doesn't really matter. He doesn't have to eat in his crate. And picking up the food after 20 minutes is just fine. Your pup probably isn't eating that much right now because he's still unsettled in his new home. Give him a few days to get comfortable in his new home.

As for the housetraining process, I have a question. Where do you want your dog's permanent "potty spot" to be? Do you want to paper train him and have him potty inside, or do you want him to go outside to potty? The key to fast housetraining is constant supervision. If you can't keep an eye on your pup, crate him.

If you want him to go inside, put paper on the area in which you want him to potty. When he looks like he's sniffing around and getting ready to go, take him to the paper. Praise lavishly when he goes. Don't punish him or get angry at him if he doesn't use the paper. Just keep an eye on him, and take him to the paper when appropriate. He'll get the idea.

If you want him to potty outside, forget the whole paper idea. It's very confusing for a dog to make the transition from inside potty to outside potty. Do what I just described above, except take him directly outside when he needs to go.

Depending how long you're gone during the day, I recommend using the crate when you're gone. But with a pup this young, make sure he's only in it 2-3 hours at a time, max. If you're going to be gone for longer, use the playpen. It's best to keep him crated at night, too. Just be sure to get up every 3 hours and let him potty. As he gets older, you can leave him for longer periods. The crate is mainly a housetraining aid. It helps immensely. When he's fully housetrained, you can use the playpen when you're gone.

 

[AvalonStyx]

unfortunately due to our current living conditions, going out is a bit more complicated, that's why we want to use the litter box or newspaper indoors.

I appreciate all the responses. Thank you all for the sagelike advice.

 

[Gempress]

Nothing wrong with a dog pottying inside. I know a lot of apartment dwellers with small dogs who use the litter box or newspaper. Just be sure to know exactly what the puppy will use (litter box or newspaper) and where he's going to use it. Train him to use that from day 1, and he will be just fine.

And two more questions:

What's his name? And do have pics? We're all suckers for puppy pics...

 

[AvalonStyx]

when we use the playpen for longer ventures, like 4 hours I mean, should we line it with newspaper? and what can we put in there? toys? a bed? water?

His name is Zeke

also what do you do when he's wimpering and whining when we leave him in the pen or crate?