Getting a puppy in November

[Erin and Sadie]

I just joined the site and appreciate all the feedback and friendship.  I just cant decide if now is a good time to get a puppy. I know what I want and I know I want one, however my husband is hesitant about trying to train a petite goldendoodle through the winter months in western PA.  I anticipate this pup to be smart (poodle) but due to its size (I've heard little dogs are harder to train) have some reservations.  What takes precedence when it comes to training, the size or intelligence of a dog? Your feedback would be appreciated and anyone who has experience getting a puppy this time of year (in a colder/snowy climate) I'd love to hear from you! Thanks!

[Kim]

I (in upstate NY) have to agree with your husband!!!!! I wouldn't want to train a dog in the Winter if I had a choice!!! Brrr... we got our dog in the middle of September, and it took about a month before being fully potty trained. But she still had to go out MUCH more that season than she does 2 years later. I feel like we were outside that whole Winter! That was a very long and cold Winter (lol).

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

We found that housebreaking was definitely easier in the Summer. Because you have to take them out often (and sometimes very quickly), it's preferable not to have to "bundle up" every time you go out. That said, it certainly can be done. With our mini Doodle, we shovel a path to the "potty area" and the area itself when there's lots of snow on the ground. As for what takes precedence with training a dog, I think it depends on the dog. Our mini was a breeze to train, but that was because this dog was not strong willed, loved doing the "work" of training, was very motivated by treats and praise. He was also very easy to manage with things like "heeling" due to his size. Our large Doodle is more difficult. He is much stronger willed and impulsive, he likes treats and praise but not enough to impact his behavior when there's something he really wants to do, and he's more difficult to control because he's so strong. They are both intelligent...they just have different temperaments. Even though one "personality" may be easier than another to train, both are definitely "trainable"....your approach and timeframe may just be a little different. Best of luck whenever you decide to get your puppy.

[Holly St Pierre]

I picked Gunner up Nov 7, 2008 & live in PA. DO NOT DO IT!!! I wouldn't trade him for the world, but I always say "what was I thinking getting a puppy in November." You are outside many days more than inside, that is the only way they learn where & when to go. We went out ALOT, however, I was fortunate, he got it rather quickly & was pretty much trained by January.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I disagree with everyone! Winter was / is the BEST time to train a puppy.

When we got Spud is was 4 degrees. That's all. It remained that way for another month.

We went outside, once he went we came right back inside. He got the idea--that is all we do out here! Any messes in the house, we cleaned them up and threw them in the yard so the smells remained there. It took him just a few days to figure this out. Of course, puppies don't perfect potty training for a few months, but he certainly was EASY!

I potty trained 3 dogs last year--from December until April

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I agree with Joanne!! We got Tara toward the end of January and her potty training was smooth sailing. She went outside, did her business immediately and wanted to go back inside. No distractions!! I don't live in an extreme climate but we did have snow on the ground during part of that time. Another good thing was that by late Spring ( and for you it would be early spring if you got the puppy in November) when the weather warmed up and we wanted to go outside and take her places she already had all of her puppy shots and was ready to hit the ground running!!

As for intelligence, Nancy is right on with pointing out the many factors that weigh into what appears to be the"intelligence" of a dog. Tara is the smallest dog I have ever had (20 pound mini) and while I CAN"T tell you whether or not she is the MOST intelligent, I CAN tell you that she is the MOST easily trained dog I have ever had as a companion.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Erin, having just gotten a puppy because we wanted to wait until it was below 115 degrees outdoors to do our training, I would have to agree with the reasons for waiting until the weather is more comfortable for both of you. I have to say I am outside a lot, and training is going really well in just 3 weeks, but again, we are outside a lot because it is so beautiful out now. It could work to your advantage as Joanne stated, in that you are out and back in post haste, but if you get one who LOVES being outdoors and takes it's sweet time, then you better enjoy cold snowy nights a lot! As for size? Bladder storage capacity comes to mind with a bigger dog, but bladder control is a learned behavior that probably intelligence plays into. I would think though that you could have a dog as dumb as a box of rocks, but if his only goal in life was to please you, then he'd probably learn as quick, it not quicker than those we spend tons of $$$ on treat. Although I have never met a doodle as dumb as a box of rocks and they all seem to want to please us!!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I am from California and have a doggy door so no help with winter housebreaking. However, our small doodle, Ned was a cinch to train. He has the bladder of a big dog and doesn't poop any more often than our other big dogs.

[Kyoko]

I think also it will be depend on how your house, bedroom, puppy's crate is set up. My bedroom is on the first floor where Charlie's crate was located, and we have flat front yard, that does not require no going down steps, etc...Charlie came to us in Feb.( Brrrrr ) and going out side for potty was miserable, but, we were quickly in and out. ( Easy access to the puppy- being in my room, easy access to outside ) Plus midnight potty did not last too long. I think she soon started to sleep through the night until 5 am or something. But I agree with Nancy in regard to waiting until the holiday is over. It may be a bit heck tick for the new puppy and the new puppy parents!( You may not be able to go visit people/shopping for long period of time, people coming over to your home to visit may be overwhelming for the puppy, etc...)

[Lesley, Wellington & Bingley]

I had Welly in January, and it was a parlicularly cold winter - but being in the UK it was nowhere near as cold as your winters. I remember the toilet training sessions very well - but with Bingley I hardly noticed them at all. Thats because Bingley was a summer pup.

Bingley arrived in May and so I had the whole summer to train and socialise him - lots of people about, things to see and do and many more hours of warmth and daylight. Spring/summer puppies are by far the easiest in my book.