Re: I need some advice please...training a young puppy

[debbalfour]

New owner


I just got a puppy from the shelter. She is 6 weeks old. They gave her, her first set of shots before I left. Any advise would be helpful. She is a loving puppy. The lady at the shelter said that she was dropped of no more than 3 hours before I got her.

Deborah

[lopezjohn49ers]

Welcome to the forums. There is a wealth of information and experts here that can assist you far better than I, but this pup is too young to be away from its mother and littermates. You will have many challenges because of this. Do a search on young puppies. You will see the problems that you will face. A little more information might help us assist you. Are you a first time Rott owner?

[debbalfour]

Yes but I am used to big dogs. I used to have an Irsh Wolfhound.

[Anne]

Since this was a rescue dog then the OP didn't have the choice to leave the pup with its mother and litter mates. The puppy is far better off where she is in a loving home than she would be left at the shelter. This little puppy now has a chance of a good life thanks to the OP.

Debbalfour: read the puppy development forum and I'm sure you will do well with your pup. Thank you for rescuing this little girl and I wish you all the best with her. Please keep us posted on her progress.

[targonrotts]

good job in rescuing the little pup...and i am glad she was not there any longer than a few hours!
read around the forums, ask us any questions that may arise.
handle your puppy often and begin simple puppy training at home such as learning her name, recall, sit and housebreaking.
once she gets a few more sets of vaccines and is free of any parasites and she hits about 3-4 months, enroll her in puppy classes in a local training club.
good luck and thanks for rescuing her!

[lilbitotrouble]

Originally Posted by debbalfour

New owner


I just got a puppy from the shelter. She is 6 weeks old. They gave her, her first set of shots before I left. Any advise would be helpful. She is a loving puppy. The lady at the shelter said that she was dropped of no more than 3 hours before I got her.

Deborah

Good for you! You are in for a grand time, with many unique opportunities (read challenges!) ahead of you. Get your sense of humor warmed up! Because she was taken away from her family so early, I would do these two things right now: go to a local thrift shop (salvation army, goodwill, arc, etc.) and pick up a sack full of small stuffed animals (no ribbons, sewn on eyes, etc. that she can swallow - cut them off if you have to) and give her a "litter" to snuggle with and 2.) make sure she has something that smells like you...always...an old t-shirt, whatever. This will help her imprint with you.

For a little reality check, pick her up and give her a good look over. This time next year, her head will be bigger than her entire self is right now! So, over the next few weeks (that will go very quickly -- you will see her grow right before your eyes; she'll wake up bigger than she went to sleep!) try to imagine her behavior magnified 100-fold. Do not let her do things now (no matter how cute they are) that would be unacceptable out of a big, big girl! Bad habits are harder to break than good ones are to get started!

And, like someone said, handle her, handle her, handle her...between her toes, her ears, her mouth, everywhere and anywhere, to get her used to your hands on her. You don't want her to be uncomfortable with what will become necessary later. It's too easy to "oh, she doesn't like it when you play with her feet" and then, months or years later, when she gets a splinter or breaks a nail, you have a huge problem.

I will probably never have another puppy (my heart is with the older, shelter dogs) but, oh, what a joyous time! The only thing that holds a candle to a rottie pup is a baby goat for down-right cuteness!

What have you named her?
How can we help?

[debbalfour]

I named her Lady. She is a sweetheart. Right now she follows me around everwhere. I did give her one of my blankets in her kennel. So she had my sent when she is in her kennel. Now with the stuff animals if I give her some won't that make her think that she can get my children's stuffed ones? She is doing good I have a little touble at night with the potty trainin. she does not have one single accindent durning the day. she starts to have accidents at night around 9pm.

[lopezjohn49ers]

Sancho seems to know which toys are his and which are not. If he gets my grandsons stuffed toys, I just trade him for one of his own. The potty training is going to take a while. Rotts aren't known for their bladder control, especially at 6 weeks old. You might want to restrict water after a certain time in the evening, but you will still have to take her out during the night. Many sleepless nights to come. Hope all is going well. Keep us posted.

[lilbitotrouble]

Welcome to our world, Lady!
Like lopez says, trade her for her toys and don't expect miracles, her bladder is still tiny and it will take some time. Be prepared to be followed for the next several YEARS! It's a rottie thing! They want to be with us!
With three here, I am in the habit of singing choruses of "I love a parade!" as we march from room to room..they come along, just in case I need them you know.

[debbalfour]

So far we only to get up once durning the night while we have had her. Since then she has slept all night!!! Last night we did not have any accidents so I am hoping that continues.