Next tuesday I am adopting my first puppy from WCAS. His name is Cody and he is an adorable 3 month old beagle - shepherd mix. Looks like this guy, just a little smaller.




Anyway, I want to do everything right from the beginning. He is being neutered on monday as well as getting checked for kennel cough and anything else that might be wrong. So I get to pick him up tuesday.

House training worries me. For those of you who have owned puppies what did you do? I bought a crate because a lot of friends use that technique. I'm not a huge fan and hope to use it in the future as just a small den for Cody. However I have no problem house training him with a crate if it is the best option. Also, where did you have the puppy sleep before he was house trained? Seems like letting him in my bed is absolutely terrible idea until he is trained.

If you have more tips other than house training please let me know. What works, what doesn't. I've been doing a lot of research but a website can only tell you so much.

9/17/2008 3:48:54 PM

Crates work well, and it's never seemed cruel to me. They have cave instincts, and they generally don't seem upset, as long as they're not in there for way too much time. How much time that is probably depends on the dog, etc.

Very very cute dog in the photo - looks like my supposedly beagle/corgi mix, Dorrie



[Edited on September 17, 2008 at 3:59 PM. Reason : /]

9/17/2008 3:58:43 PM

They do look pretty similar. Lol maybe he is a beagle/corgi. I just know what the paper said about him. The WCAS has been known to be off before though. I see you have tags on your dog. I heard it is bad to put your dogs name on his tag. Then whoever finds him/her will develop a bond with the dog. Instead it is better to simply put the owner name and number (or some sort of contact info). Is there any validity to this?

9/17/2008 4:02:47 PM

I have my dogs' names on their tags and have never had a problem with it. If it's a beagle mix, I would DEFINITELY get it microchipped- didn't read your whole post, don't know if you've already mentioned this.

9/17/2008 4:09:56 PM

i crate trained clyde when she was a puppy and she almost never has any accidents... if she does it's because i didn't take her out when she asked to go, or because she was sick and couldn't help it.

she's about 2.5 years old and still sleeps in the crate at night, but she gets lucky every now and then and sleeps in the bed with me.

the thing that sucked the worst about potty training was that when she was a little puppy she had to go outside a couple times at night, and sometimes wouldn't start to cry until it was too late so she would pee in her crate so i would have to clean up after her at 3 or 4 in the morning. that stage didn't last too long though, thank goodness.

she also pooped probably 5 times a day when she was little, which freaked me out at first, but i read somewhere that's it's normal when they're puppies.

definitely walk your dog everyday if you can. it's not just about exercise, but you'll see a huge difference in his/her behavior.. especially with a beagle because they have so much fucking energy.

that's all i have to say for now.

9/17/2008 4:14:58 PM

My dog is part Beagle and was very tough to house train.

She also HATES her crate. I would definitely use it from the minute you get this dog home. It seems mean because the puppy wants to sleep by your side but if you do not get the dog used to sleeping there from the onset you never will.

My dog will physically resist going in her crate to this day. Beagles are stubborn dogs.

The other thing I did not understand then was that walking the dog does not just help them find a spot that they like to go in. If you walk them first thing when you get up it gets their dump moving so they can go ahead and shit. If you just take them outside and do not walk very far they may not feel like they have to take a dump yet, pretty much they will as soon as you get back in the house.

9/17/2008 4:23:17 PM

Beagles are also pack dogs. They can just plain get lonely when they're not around other people or animals. I know with my parents' beagle Truman, he had a really hard time adjusting to crate time. However, he's almost a year old now, and sleeps in there (with the door open now) and doesn't view it as a punishment.

I think the biggest thing with crate training is to never let them see the crate as a punishment. If they do something wrong, don't just throw them in there. It should be a place they are able to escape as well. So, if they're in there voluntarily, it typically means they don't want to be played with, so leave them alone.

9/17/2008 4:31:47 PM

my german shepherd is about 4 months (~12 wks now) and will cower and hide when she "goes" inside the house. Everything online will say things like "oh they don't know what they did was wrong" and "don't punish them if you don't catch them in the act." It's HIGHLY suspect IMO; I think she definitely knows that she did something wrong, considering how she hides and cowers from you whether you catch her in the act or not

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAEIW59_-Lc

9/17/2008 6:10:11 PM

Quote :

"I heard it is bad to put your dogs name on his tag. Then whoever finds him/her will develop a bond with the dog. "

aha, what?! Whoever would do that is probably off in the head anyway. For some reason my house attracts runaway dogs. I've never once considered not calling the owner to tell them we had their dog in our backyard. One time we got a dog that came all the way from Greenville

9/17/2008 7:21:22 PM

I found my Beagle Molly as a stray last fall. House training took about 4-5 months- she was also 2-3 years old at the time, and was probably an outdoor breeding bitch. Spaying her, keeping her on a rigid backyard schedule, a brisk daily walk, and feeding her 2x a day helped get her trained.

Also, be really careful with feeding your Beagle mix- fullbloods were bred to go on little food in the field all day long, so they gain weight really easily (you'll see a lot of overweight Beagles around). I also find running her 3+ miles 2 or 3x a week gets her tired out.

Good luck.

9/17/2008 8:32:29 PM

When they're that young, the best way to potty train them is to never give them the opportunity to pee inside. You must take him outside every 2-3 hours. If you have to work ... too bad. During the night, you must wake up every couple of hours and take the dog out. Just take him out, wait for him to pee (don't come back in without doing it!), and then congratulate him.
It's not so much about punishing him for peeing inside (at least, not at first, while he's still a tiny puppy) but more about congratulating him for doing it correctly.

After a few weeks you can start bumping it back to every 4 hours. Then every 5 hours. The timing will just come with experience with the dog. You'll know when you've waited too long to take him out.

[Edited on September 17, 2008 at 9:31 PM. Reason : ]

9/17/2008 9:29:54 PM

yeah, 2nd that.
The puppy will respond to positive reinforcement over punishment. It's common practice, if the puppy goes in the house, to shove his nose in the mess and smack him or whatever - that doesn't work. the dog doesn't know what the hell is going on. They have an extremely short attention span. If you don't catch him while he's literally in the act, and try to punish him later, he won't know what the hell is going on.

if you take him outside often and give him a small treat or something as soon as he goes to the bathroom, he will get the idea that's what he's supposed to do when you go outside.

worked for my little boy - we got him about 2 months ago!

Dirty - we have a beagle/corgi mix too. or a dachshund/corgi mix, depending on which person at the pound we're supposed to trust!





he's a Mac fan


[Edited on September 17, 2008 at 9:58 PM. Reason : .]

9/17/2008 9:56:09 PM

Dogs are den animals, they don't really mind the crate. In fact, he may still want to go in there later on when he is trained and you just kind of have it around. You gotta think of it as a bedroom. Make absolute sure that it's not to big - just big enough to stand up and turn around and get comfie in. If it's bigger then that, he will shit in one corner and sleep in the other, which will completely ruin what you're trying to do. If it's to big, throw a box in the back or use a divider or something to make it shorter.

Do not use puppy pads or any of that - it just gives the dog an excuse to pee in the house, and they're not nearly as effective.

Never acknowledge the dog when he starts whining because you put him in the crate. The dog is trying to train you to come get him whenever he whines. If he whines because he's in the crate and he has to go out, that's one thing, but if you put him in there and he automatically starts up just ignore it. Of course he doesn't want to be in the crate, it's not that it's mean or that it's a cage or whatever the fuck, it's that he knows you're leaving him. I promise, he'll still love you, and you'll love him more for not shitting all over your house.

NEVER, ever, use the crate as punishment. In fact, hide a few treats and stuff in there occasionally so he gets all excited when you put him back in.

The dog should sleep in the crate. Put the crate in your room though - you being there will comfort him, and it'll make sure that you wake up when he needs to go. Letting him sleep somewhere else other then the crate is asking for disaster before he is trained.

Set up a schedule. Whoever said that above me is positively right. He'll especially have to go potty whenever he wakes up, or after he eats, or after a good play time. Pick a specific spot in the yard and designate that as the potty spot. Always take him there on the leash. Don't play there - play with him in a different spot. That spot is just for pottying. It'll help him get the message. Have a command word ("Go potty!" "Bombs away!") Give him a small treat and some praise when he goes.

Make sure everyone who has a part in training the dog does the exact same thing - do not confuse the dog.

Don't feel bad for using the crate. The crate uses the dogs natural instincts to train them. One of the main reasons that people give for giving up their pet is that they couldn't house train them properly, and it's never the dogs fault. Don't feel bad for using a tool to make both of your lives easier.

And last but not least: Enjoy your puppy! He sounds adorable!

9/17/2008 10:02:20 PM

I have to agree with not using puppy pads. I started using them because my dog was already using them when I got her and it was a pain to get her to go potty outside. She's still shy to use the bathroom in front of others and she'll pee on towels and small rugs that resemble a pee pad if nobody is paying attention to her.

9/18/2008 3:43:13 AM

positive reinforcement for house training is crucial


on a similar note: i suggest getting dog insurance at petsmart (technically at banfield, as thats the vet at petsmart). saves a ton on all the puppy visits

9/18/2008 4:58:34 AM

agentlion you're puppy is precious i would assume he's a daschund/corgi mix over a beagle/corgi mix, but i'm no dog expert. i have a daschund mix and she looks similar to your dog except smaller and without the long hair.

9/18/2008 7:33:27 AM

Quote :

"positive reinforcement for house training is crucial"

9/18/2008 10:17:59 AM

Quote :

"Dogs are den animals, they don't really mind the crate. In fact, he may still want to go in there later on when he is trained and you just kind of have it around. You gotta think of it as a bedroom. Make absolute sure that it's not to big - just big enough to stand up and turn around and get comfie in. If it's bigger then that, he will shit in one corner and sleep in the other, which will completely ruin what you're trying to do. If it's to big, throw a box in the back or use a divider or something to make it shorter. Do not use puppy pads or any of that - it just gives the dog an excuse to pee in the house, and they're not nearly as effective. Never acknowledge the dog when he starts whining because you put him in the crate. The dog is trying to train you to come get him whenever he whines. If he whines because he's in the crate and he has to go out, that's one thing, but if you put him in there and he automatically starts up just ignore it. Of course he doesn't want to be in the crate, it's not that it's mean or that it's a cage or whatever the fuck, it's that he knows you're leaving him. I promise, he'll still love you, and you'll love him more for not shitting all over your house. NEVER, ever, use the crate as punishment. In fact, hide a few treats and stuff in there occasionally so he gets all excited when you put him back in. The dog should sleep in the crate. Put the crate in your room though - you being there will comfort him, and it'll make sure that you wake up when he needs to go. Letting him sleep somewhere else other then the crate is asking for disaster before he is trained. Set up a schedule. Whoever said that above me is positively right. He'll especially have to go potty whenever he wakes up, or after he eats, or after a good play time. Pick a specific spot in the yard and designate that as the potty spot. Always take him there on the leash. Don't play there - play with him in a different spot. That spot is just for pottying. It'll help him get the message. Have a command word ("Go potty!" "Bombs away!") Give him a small treat and some praise when he goes. Make sure everyone who has a part in training the dog does the exact same thing - do not confuse the dog. Don't feel bad for using the crate. The crate uses the dogs natural instincts to train them. One of the main reasons that people give for giving up their pet is that they couldn't house train them properly, and it's never the dogs fault. Don't feel bad for using a tool to make both of your lives easier. And last but not least: Enjoy your puppy! He sounds adorable!"

Spot on. I used basically the exact same techniques and both of my dogs are crate trained now. They love their crates and will often go in them to take a nap on their own now.

9/18/2008 10:39:59 AM

Quote :

"my german shepherd is about 4 months (~12 wks now) and will cower and hide when she "goes" inside the house. Everything online will say things like "oh they don't know what they did was wrong" and "don't punish them if you don't catch them in the act." It's HIGHLY suspect IMO; I think she definitely knows that she did something wrong, considering how she hides and cowers from you whether you catch her in the act or not "

Dogs read body language. She knows you're pissed off at her, hence she cowers and hides. Does she know why you're angry with her? No. Unless you catch them in the act they don't know.

I got my puppy at 8 weeks and started crate training him right away. He picked it up fairly easy and has been house trained for a long time now.

Nobody has addressed feeding the puppy people food. While there's nothing wrong with giving the puppy some human food (read up to know what is and isn't harmful to them) you want to give it to them in the proper manner so they're not trained to beg. Never give them any food while you are eating. If you want to give them some of your food wait till after you are finished eating. Then take that food off your plate and put it in their dish. You don't want the dog to associate your dinner plates and you eating with him getting food. You need to disassociate it. Otherwise you'll end up with a begging dog, which is fucking annoying.

*When a puppy is very young be careful of what you give them. Their stomach is sensitive and you don't want them shitting all over the place

9/18/2008 10:49:22 AM

a lot of what I was going to say was summed up by birdbrains.

I have three dogs of my own and have fostered over 50 ( ) the majority of my fosters were puppies. I'm also an animal science teacher.

I always crate train them. Do not use the crate for punishment! Do give treats/toys in crate.
(I feed my dogs in their crates as well, otherwise one dog will eat all 3 bowls.)

Exercise! Exercise! Puppies have a lot of energy. Wear the litte guy out. He'll be easier to train when he's tired.

Always supervise the pup when he's out in the house. I encourage mine to follow me throughout the house (by giving them treats, calling to them, etc...) puppies will get into anything and until it's housetrained you really need to keep an eye on it. Most puppies will sniff around before urinating. If you see it doing that or going towards the door or just otherwise looking distracted - take it outside. If it goes to squat - get its attention and take it outside. Take it outside as often as possible. Praise him.

Food - I recommend a premium dog food. Makes a big difference in the overall health of the animal. I feed Pro Plan but other good feeds include Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet, etc... There are also holistic feeds which is another conversation. I do not personally recommend the BARF diet. Ask the shelter what type of feed he's been on. Definitley get him a puppy food. He should stay on puppy food until close 9 months - year.
I don't encourage feeding people food to dogs. Teaches them to beg and it's not good for them. Obesity and their digestive systems and dietary needs are very difference from ours. Never give a dog chocolate, grape or raisins!! Poisonous!

I recommend microchipping him. Costs $75-$150 at a vet. There are also microchip clinics ($25).
Put a tag on him with your phone #.


Socialize the puppy. Take him on walks , dog parks, into pet stores, parks. Get him used to being around difference environments and different age groups. Learn to read your dog though and anticipate his reactions. The more you expose him to at a young age the easier it will be to take him places.

Obedience school. I recommend going to a private facilty such as Teamworks. Not petsmart. Or you could just read books and watch videos yourself. Teach the dog that you are the Alpha. Dogs are pack animals.

[Edited on September 18, 2008 at 11:11 AM. Reason : f]

9/18/2008 11:10:59 AM

join other tdubbers at carolina pines to exercise your puppy

message_topic.aspx?topic=539594

9/18/2008 11:26:19 AM

^^ depending on whether or not he actually is a beagle will depend on when to take him off puppy food. Our vet recommended us taking the beagle off of puppy food around 6months. He said that any longer than that and the extra nutrients in the puppy food will just cause the beagle (which he said physically matured faster) to get fat.

I also super recommend your socializing suggestion. My parents use a "Doggy Day Care" and drop him off twice a week. It's pretty much a few hours of playing with other dogs and other people. It gets them super tired, and you aren't worried about over-aggressive behavior if you do take him to parks and other places. Truman is one of the most sociable beagles I've met, and I really think it's because of Doggy Day Care.

9/18/2008 12:24:58 PM

well he said a beagle/shepherd mix, depends on how big the pup gets and how quickly it matures. I would just ask the vet about when to switch to adult food. Most of my fosters have been lab mixes so I'm used to the 9month-1year. Puppy food is high in calories. My adult dogs love to eat the foster puppies food.

9/18/2008 12:28:04 PM

As far as when to take a dog off puppy food, it depends on the breed. Different breeds mature at different rates, as some breeds live longer than others.

Quote :

"I also super recommend your socializing suggestion. "

Oh yeah, I agree as well. Its important to have the dog around other people as well as animals so they behave properly.

9/18/2008 1:17:22 PM

Sorry to hijack your thread, but could anyone give me an idea of what kind of dog I have? I have always guess a couple of mixes, but I'd like to see what everyone thinks. She is about 45 lbs and about 2-3 years old now in this picture:

9/18/2008 8:50:50 PM

I'll have to respectfully disagree in that Iams, Eukanuba, and Science Diet are NOT premium dog foods. On the other hand, Wellness, Canidae, Timberwolf Organics, Orijen, Solid Gold, Innova etc etc etc ARE premium foods. While they cost more, your dog will eat half of what they would on Iams or other foods because they aren't comprised of fillers. Look for a food with meat as the first ingredient, a fat within the first 5 or 6, NO by-products...I also suggest supplementing with salmon oil.

Personally I feed my dog a raw diet, the prey model to be exact. However when we travel and its not feasible to feed raw, I offer a dehydrated raw (honest kitchen).

As far as training...YES crate train!!! The crate should be a safe haven for your pup, not a source of fear or a tool of punishment. Try feeding treats and meals in the crate but don't let him out if he whines. Wait until he is quiet and reward him then. Also, don't let him out of your sight until he is house trained. If he potties in the house its your fault, not his. If you can't see him, how can you correct (or praise) what he is doing?

Sorry this is short...I might come back later and add more.

Good luck!

9/18/2008 9:06:07 PM

Isn't there a thread that discusses dog nutrition comparing holistic diets, BARF/raw, premium foods and grocery store shit? I don't have time to search but it may be helpful to post the link.

What you feed your dog is a personal preference. I understand that some dogs benefit from a more holistic or organic dog feed. I tried switching my dogs over to Solid Gold but it really did a number on their GI tract (yes I did it very very gradually) so I have continued to feed "Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach" as it fits the needs of my dogs and they've done well on it for 7 years now.

Pet owners should do their own research and consult their vet. (although some vets tend to push the brands they carry)


Good luck with the pup. Post pictures when you get him. I'm thrilled that you are asking for advice and want to do things right from the start. Far too many pet owners are not as responsible as you.

9/19/2008 7:23:47 AM

i feed my dog purina one and she's never had any problems. i had her on some holistic dog food bofore and she constantly had an upset stomach and diarrhea. i think sometimes it depends on the dog.

[Edited on September 19, 2008 at 7:36 AM. Reason : ^ and what she said]

9/19/2008 7:35:24 AM

I give my dog Bil-Jack medium sized adult dog food. He does very well on it and its a step above most brands.

9/19/2008 7:42:16 AM

Sorry to make the thread then disappear guys. The WCAS called me yesterday and asked me to come get him early. He has a respiratory infection so they said it is better if he heals here then on a concrete floor surrounded by a bunch of other dogs. So I have him now and give him a liquid medicine twice a day.

He isn't eating on his own but if I bring the water bowl and a little food over to him he will eat and drink the little bit that he can. I have a vet appointment tuesday morning. Hopefully he gets better in a week or so. We also changed his name from Cody to Kobe. We all like the name more and it isn't to far from the original sound of the his name.

9/19/2008 3:30:01 PM

Good luck! And thanks for saving his life!

9/19/2008 4:17:10 PM

Quote :

"Dogs read body language. She knows you're pissed off at her, hence she cowers and hides. Does she know why you're angry with her? No. Unless you catch them in the act they don't know"

I'm hiding my body language nowadays. I merely call out to her like everything is perfectly normal. She still knows to duck and cover. Today was weird. I was calling for her to come to her leash so we can get outta the house (and into the garage). She wouldn't come to me at all until after I had to *calmly* catch her.. and then she went right on the carpet in front of me! I picked her up under the arms and headed straight for the back door So it was pre-emptive cowering

9/19/2008 4:58:18 PM

Find a small treat your dog really likes and then buy a lot. Use them liberally, especially at first. Also, when coming up with command words, make sure they're very distinct, because generally dogs aren't so hot with the nuances of spoken words. Our dogs were taught "speak" and "spin," and as a result they mix up their sp's a lot. Hand signals are also very effective and I recommend using them alongside spoken commands. They're very good with body language, use that to your advantage.

Positive reinforcement is good and should be used liberally, but don't shy away from punishment altogether. Usually a loud, stern "No" will suffice. First, this supplements the overall training process. Second, it can cause the dog to show "guilt" when it's done something bad that you may not know about. If we come into the house and one of the dogs is cowering with its tail between its legs, we know to immediately look for the pile or the puddle. It's like a poop-alarm.

^Yeah, body language is a big part, but it's not the only thing. Like I said, I can walk into the house with no idea anything bad has happened -- except for the fact that the dog looks terrified.

[Edited on September 19, 2008 at 5:04 PM. Reason : ]

9/19/2008 5:03:14 PM

Quote :

"If we come into the house and one of the dogs is cowering with its tail between its legs, we know to immediately look for the pile or the puddle. It's like a poop-alarm. "

I second that.

9/19/2008 5:09:07 PM

If the dog is having trouble eating, mix in some good quality wet food with the dry. If that doesn't work, try some of the "gravy" stuff available at pet food stores. Warm the food up a little too. If that still doesn't work, put a little shredded chicken mixed in with the food. Whatever works, stick with it, and as he gets better wean him off of the extra stuff until he's just eating dry food. He should probably be eating about 1/3 of a cup of food 3 times a day (rough guess). Definitely make sure that you don't let him play to much, if he's sick and not eating he could go hypoglycemic. He's probably just sick and scared, hopefully he'll adjust soon, once he gets happy he'll probably be wolfing down food faster then you can get the bowl on the floor.

Good luck! Post pictures!!!

9/19/2008 5:34:50 PM

try feeding him plain unseasoned grilled chicken breast and white rice

9/19/2008 6:04:43 PM

Congrats!! Beagles like to bark/bay a lot, but it's cute when they do because their voice is really melodic. And they have abandonment issues if you only have one. I dunno if those attributes are in his mix, but i'm sure you'll be able to tell after a few days.

You're not supposed to let him sleep in the bed with you... he has to sleep beneath you.

Having a dog has really made me pick up after myself... anything I leave lying around on the floor is a puppy toy.

9/19/2008 6:23:54 PM

Kennel training is good for house breaking but don't get one that is too small and don't leave it in here for hours and hours. It might take about 6 months to house train. When you are home take him out right after he eats and then about every hour until he gets the hang of it, and give him lots of encourgement.

I let mine sleep in the bed with me and she still does and never had a problem, but not everyone likes the idea of letting the dog sleep on the bed. If she has to go out she wakes me up.

9/20/2008 6:13:18 PM

yeah, actually with our little guy we didn't do the crate thing either. So given that, we just have to try to be extra careful about taking him outside.

I installed a doggy-door last year for our older dog, and that was the best thing I've ever done for him. He is 100% house-broken and with the dog-door, he comes and goes as he pleases to sit on the back porch or go in the fenced-in backyard. We taught the puppy how to use the dog-door very early, and he picked up on it, and he really enjoys running around the house and flies through the dog-door onto the porch. At first, he seemed to latch onto the idea of going out the dog-door by himself to go to the bathroom outside, so at that point, I stopped taking him out, and he did fine for about 2 weeks. Then he regressed and starting going in the house again, mostly at night, so since then I've been better about forcing him to go outside in the morning and evening and treating him for it, and that seems to have cleared up the going-in-the-house problem.

but we like our dogs to sleep with us too. Our older one has a doggy-bed in the corner that he uses when he wants, but we have a low, king-size bed so both of them can jump up and curl up between us or at our feet, or sometimes on our pillows (!) and it's just like a big happy family

9/20/2008 9:05:52 PM

Is it possible to balance having to be gone for 8 hours a day and having a 3-4 month old puppy? If so, how?

2/14/2013 3:58:29 PM

3/4 month old is stretching it...but I guess it's possible. Only solution is to put the pup in a crate.

I wouldn't recommend it for a 2 month old. But if there's already been some crate training involved, the pup might be able to make it 8 hours. I would try and come home for lunch if possible. Or have a gf/neighbor/friend come and let the dog out midway through the day.

Also...there's a dog/pet thread that this could probably be merged into.

[Edited on February 14, 2013 at 6:54 PM. Reason : .]

2/14/2013 6:51:53 PM

Also I have a female 8ish year old 60lb lab mix. She's dominant, and lethargic, but has never attacked/bit another dog.

The people at the shelter thought it would be a bad/horrible idea to bring home a 3 month old female puppy because my current dog would not like the invasion, and might end hurting/killing the puppy if not properly supervised. They said there is a chance it could work, but given an 8+ year old dominant lethargic female and a 3 month old female puppy, the odds were greatly stacked against me.

I had two different people there tell me this, so I'm inclined to believe it. Does that mesh with what you dog experts know? Would I have a better odds with a male puppy?

2/14/2013 7:13:08 PM

I wouldnt say it could *never* work...but if she's dominant you would have to get a puppy that is willing to back down which could happen after a warning snap or after the older one does serious damage. you'd would have to watch them very closely at all times. is the shelter able to let your older dog visit with the potential new puppy? that can give you an idea if it would work before taking it home.

i would however recommend that you get a male and not a female. for some reason male-male and male-female combos work but female-female can lead to major issues, especially if one already has dominance issues.

2/14/2013 8:05:14 PM

Aren't dogs supposed to be at least six months old before they get neutered?

2/14/2013 10:05:08 PM

My 2 beagles LOVE their damn crate to death. They go in there all the time...

2/14/2013 10:12:51 PM

2^ they don't have to be. I think it may be safer, but it isn't a huge risk.

2/14/2013 11:34:40 PM

My puppy has trouble walking/running inside my house, I don't think its any type of leg ligament damage or muscle cramps, I think it has to do with the products we use to clean the floor...any advice for a wood floor cleaner that adds traction to paws?

thanks in advance

2/14/2013 11:59:02 PM

Quote :

"Also, where did you have the puppy sleep before he was house trained? Seems like letting him in my bed is absolutely terrible idea until he is trained. "

I have always been in the camp of NEVER letting your dog on the bed or furniture. Especially if you are a single guy. Last thing you want to do is bring a chick home and have your bed smelling like dog.

I crate trained my dog, and even after he was house broken he would sleep in his crate at night. I put his bed in there and just left the door open, it kind of becomes their safe place. I used the crate for about 2 years, then when I moved to a house I just never set up the crate again. Bought him a nice bed that he slept on every night with no issues.

Now I am fortunate that I have a huge fenced in yard so he stays outside all day. By the time I bring him in he pretty much eats dinner and plops down on his bed for the night.

If you do eventually decide to ditch the crate, here is a tip to keep him off the furniture when you aren't home. Buy some plastic runners (the kind that people put on high traffic areas of carpet and have the pointed cleats on the bottom) and cut them to fit the furniture you want to keep the dog off of. When you leave your house, put the runner on the furniture UPSIDE DOWN so the pointy cleats are facing up. The dog may try to jump up there once......but I guarantee it won't happen again.

[Edited on February 15, 2013 at 9:47 AM. Reason : a]

2/15/2013 9:43:15 AM

^^an area rug

For serious, you should have seen our dog run circles on the rug after slipping around on the hardwoods for years.

[Edited on February 15, 2013 at 10:22 AM. Reason : .]

2/15/2013 10:21:46 AM

^^^lolol

2/15/2013 10:22:58 AM