Help me find a breed please
- Thread starter wolfdoggy
- Start date
It totally depends where you get him from. At 3 months...
If you get him from a responsible breeder, he will have started housetraining and training, as well as socializing. Expensive.
If you get him from a non so responsible breeder, he won't be housetrained nor trained, and he will have missed his most important socialization window and might have problems later on. Expensive.
If you get him from a shelter, same as number 2, because if he ended up there it's because he was too much work for the owners. Cheap.
If you get him from a rescue, especially a foster, he should know the basic commands, and be 'partly' housetrained. Cheap.
In all cases, rescues and shelters will be cheaper, but they might not be as well trained as you would do yourself with a puppy. It's ok though, you can train them, it might just be a bit harder. But you will avoid the puppy age, which is pretty difficult and hard sometimes (well not at 3 months, you will still be in it). Some rescues do a wonderful job and really take the time to train the dogs they get before placing them. In this case, an older dog (2-5 years) might be a good idea for you.
I think all in all, it depends on whether you want to train your dog yourself or not, and if you want to have a puppy or an older dog. But older dogs won't necessarily be trained either, so you need to make sure you ask lots of questions before you get your dog.
If you get him from a responsible breeder, he will have started housetraining and training, as well as socializing. Expensive.
If you get him from a non so responsible breeder, he won't be housetrained nor trained, and he will have missed his most important socialization window and might have problems later on. Expensive.
If you get him from a shelter, same as number 2, because if he ended up there it's because he was too much work for the owners. Cheap.
If you get him from a rescue, especially a foster, he should know the basic commands, and be 'partly' housetrained. Cheap.
In all cases, rescues and shelters will be cheaper, but they might not be as well trained as you would do yourself with a puppy. It's ok though, you can train them, it might just be a bit harder. But you will avoid the puppy age, which is pretty difficult and hard sometimes (well not at 3 months, you will still be in it). Some rescues do a wonderful job and really take the time to train the dogs they get before placing them. In this case, an older dog (2-5 years) might be a good idea for you.
I think all in all, it depends on whether you want to train your dog yourself or not, and if you want to have a puppy or an older dog. But older dogs won't necessarily be trained either, so you need to make sure you ask lots of questions before you get your dog.
When should I start to train him if I get him as a 9 week old? When should be his first day at the trainer club or whatever these places are called, where they do agility training and such?
On this I'm hopeless. I have no idea what these places are called, what you do in them, when to start, and if there are several clubs I should be in. Is it called Puppy school?
On this I'm hopeless. I have no idea what these places are called, what you do in them, when to start, and if there are several clubs I should be in. Is it called Puppy school?
It's ok, everyone has to learn sometime 
Start training as soon as he gets home. 15 minutes a day, and repeatedly when you can, work on sit/stay/come etc. You can buy a book about puppies or check Internet for some tips, but I think it's very important to start as soon as possible. I got Tips at 8 weeks, taught him sit the first day, now I make him sit all the time. When he was running to me and I had treats in my hands, I was just saying 'come' and gave him the treats. It took no time for him to get it too. I'm working on stay, it's a bit harder, but I can see him hesitate, so he's learning Just keep it fun, praise a lot and give lots of treats. Same with housetraining, start as soon as he gets home.
Take him to puppy classes if you can as soon as he got his full sets of shots (3-4 months). Even if he knows the commands, it will be wonderful for his socialization, and to learn to focus when distracted. You can look for clubs, or just go to petsmart or petco. You might not learn much, but it will be very fun for you and the puppy and it will help him get used to other dogs and people.
Just remember to be careful and only take him to places where you know no potentially sick dog may walk, until he has all his shots. Don't let him walk in the street, don't take him to petstores, or the park. He will get sick if he is in contact with a virus before he has got his full shots. It's recommended to wait one or two weeks after the last set before letting them go out.
Start training as soon as he gets home. 15 minutes a day, and repeatedly when you can, work on sit/stay/come etc. You can buy a book about puppies or check Internet for some tips, but I think it's very important to start as soon as possible. I got Tips at 8 weeks, taught him sit the first day, now I make him sit all the time. When he was running to me and I had treats in my hands, I was just saying 'come' and gave him the treats. It took no time for him to get it too. I'm working on stay, it's a bit harder, but I can see him hesitate, so he's learning
Just keep it fun, praise a lot and give lots of treats. Same with housetraining, start as soon as he gets home. Take him to puppy classes if you can as soon as he got his full sets of shots (3-4 months). Even if he knows the commands, it will be wonderful for his socialization, and to learn to focus when distracted. You can look for clubs, or just go to petsmart or petco. You might not learn much, but it will be very fun for you and the puppy and it will help him get used to other dogs and people.
Just remember to be careful and only take him to places where you know no potentially sick dog may walk, until he has all his shots. Don't let him walk in the street, don't take him to petstores, or the park. He will get sick if he is in contact with a virus before he has got his full shots. It's recommended to wait one or two weeks after the last set before letting them go out.