dog trainers out there?
- Thread starter fishfatty
- Start date
poniegirl
Active Member
Crate training is effective on some breeds. What is yours?
IMO, most importantly, set your puppy's schedule and stick to it. Food at very specific times. REGULAR trips outside. Immediately on waking and after feeding. I mean next to clock work.
Be sure when you set this schedule that it fits your own, too, because the little guy will absolutely depend on it. And encourage the puppy.
IMO, most importantly, set your puppy's schedule and stick to it. Food at very specific times. REGULAR trips outside. Immediately on waking and after feeding. I mean next to clock work.
Be sure when you set this schedule that it fits your own, too, because the little guy will absolutely depend on it. And encourage the puppy.
laddy
Active Member
Welsh Terriers are great dogs. Crate training is esential, IMHO. I think many times people believe that dogs want to be with the family, or their master all the time--this is not the case. Also there is no safer way to transport your dog in a car--I cringe whenever I see a dog sticking its head out a car window. Getting a dog to "kennel up" gives him/her a place of their own. A place, mind you, which nothing bad should ever happen (i.e. yelling at the dog when it's in their crate, or any other reprimands). It should be a place he can go at will to relax, sleep, or just get away from the it all (heck, I'd love a crate of my own
). Start by making sure the crate is big enough for the size your dog will become: (a) it won't create a feeling of clostrophobia at an early age, and (b) you won't have to buy a new crate in a year or two. Make sure the crate won't tip over, I use a couple boxes placed on each side of the crate., and I also line it with carpeting or blankets. Introduce the crate by placing it in his area, with the door shut and locked, and let him investigate it for a day. Then start by tossing play toys into the crate, let him go walk into the crate, and walk out--don't shut the door at this point. If he/she does get scared reinforce with positive talk. If they show no interest in the crate with toys, use a bisquit or kernals of food. You want him to start walking in and out--no pressure, just fun at this stage! After he starts viewing this as a game, shut the door when he gets in, but stay low with your face near the door--reinforce with positive talk. Wait a minute or so, open the door, and Life's a Party Again!! Once you can walk away for a few minutes w/o the pup getting upset, start by sitting the pup outside the crate, toss in a bit of food or whatever drives him into the crate, point to the crate (i snap my finger gesturing to the crate and use the command "kennel"), let the pup go and he should walk/run into the crate. Do this until he feels comfortable then start closing the door--but not for too long, you don't want to turn the situation wrong if the pup starts to believe the crate is a bad place to be--and let's face it, lifes more interesting outside the crate than in it. When the pup starts to doze off at night I usually pick them up and place them in the crate and shut the door, with any luck they won't wake up (a BIG walk down to the corner and back after dinner, with all those smells and new sights---ahh it's good to be a puppy--normally puts them out within an hour), and they'll wake up in their crate. Establish this pattern and its all down hill. Remember, view it as a game, with no pressure on the pup and it should only take a few weeks to establish this behavior. Good luck.
fishfatty
Active Member
thankyou so much for all the valuable information!
Just one more thing- We cant get her to eat. We tried different foods, and even put a little bit of honey on her food like the breeder said to do. What can we do to get her to eat? Anything in particular that she would have a good chance at eating? When you pick her up, you can basically feel her ribs, which I think isnt good! Thanks alot!
Just one more thing- We cant get her to eat. We tried different foods, and even put a little bit of honey on her food like the breeder said to do. What can we do to get her to eat? Anything in particular that she would have a good chance at eating? When you pick her up, you can basically feel her ribs, which I think isnt good! Thanks alot!
laddy
Active Member
Do you know what the breeder was feeding the pups? If so use that. Puppies, especially right after weaning don't adjust well to a varied diet--they come to expect the same taste. My two labs have been on the same brand food they were weaned off of for four years. Have you been moistening the food (I assume it's dry food) with warm water? That helps. Puppies can't eat a whole heck of a lot at one sitting so food schedules should be about three times a day--i assume it has access to water at all times. Is it drinking? A little skinny is all right, but if it hasn't eaten (or worse doesn't drink) in a few days go to a vet right away.
fishfatty
Active Member
Originally Posted by Laddy
Do you know what the breeder was feeding the pups? If so use that. Puppies, especially right after weaning don't adjust well to a varied diet--they come to expect the same taste. My two labs have been on the same brand food they were weaned off of for four years. Have you been moistening the food (I assume it's dry food) with warm water? That helps. Puppies can't eat a whole heck of a lot at one sitting so food schedules should be about three times a day--i assume it has access to water at all times. Is it drinking? A little skinny is all right, but if it hasn't eaten (or worse doesn't drink) in a few days go to a vet right away.
Yes, she fed the pup purina proplan for puppies-chicken and rice. We have already tried to feed her this for a few days, and she doesnt really touch it. Yes, we did use the warm water method also. Yes, it does have access to water at all times, and it drinks a TON. We are going to take her to the vet some time next week for her next shots, so I guess we will ask if she still isnt eating. Could we try and feed her milk? The breeder told us to feed her 2x daily. She also just said that cooking scrambled eggs for a day would get her started with the eating- which we did. She ate about 1/4-1/3 egg. Anything else you could suggest/correct? Thanks so much!
Do you know what the breeder was feeding the pups? If so use that. Puppies, especially right after weaning don't adjust well to a varied diet--they come to expect the same taste. My two labs have been on the same brand food they were weaned off of for four years. Have you been moistening the food (I assume it's dry food) with warm water? That helps. Puppies can't eat a whole heck of a lot at one sitting so food schedules should be about three times a day--i assume it has access to water at all times. Is it drinking? A little skinny is all right, but if it hasn't eaten (or worse doesn't drink) in a few days go to a vet right away.
Yes, she fed the pup purina proplan for puppies-chicken and rice. We have already tried to feed her this for a few days, and she doesnt really touch it. Yes, we did use the warm water method also. Yes, it does have access to water at all times, and it drinks a TON. We are going to take her to the vet some time next week for her next shots, so I guess we will ask if she still isnt eating. Could we try and feed her milk? The breeder told us to feed her 2x daily. She also just said that cooking scrambled eggs for a day would get her started with the eating- which we did. She ate about 1/4-1/3 egg. Anything else you could suggest/correct? Thanks so much!
laddy
Active Member
Small quantities of milk work, however, it can be more of a laxative than anything. You'll just want to monitor her for awhile. I hate to guess b/c I can't see her, and am not a vet, but if there's nothing physically wrong with her it may be seperation anxiety. I had a Golden Retriever pup about fifteen years ago that, I swear, didn't sleep for the first week--consequently i didn't sleep either. I think they just miss the mother and the other pack at that point.....that is, until you become the pack.