Puppy Schedules and obedience training

[Jeremy]

Hi Everyone - just joined the board. Our family will be picking out our doodle in a couple weeks and bringing him home January 13. I am searching for something with a great daily schedule for the puppy and also would like to know if there are any good sources for which order to train puppy each skill like sit, stay, , etc. I work from home so I will have enough time to spend daily working with him. Thanks in advance!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

There is an online training program called "Doggy Dan" that has one of the best schedules for puppy training that I've seen.  Here's a link .... http://theonlinedogtrainer.com/easyway-optin-noap/.

[BG and Gavin]

Welcome! I can't recall the exact schedule we used as puppyhood was some time ago for us, but we did something similar to what is on this site. http://www.fidosavvy.com/puppy-crate-training-schedule.html
Join the puppy madness group here, put "puppy" in the search box and join the training group. You will have weeks worth of reading material on raising a puppy. Good luck!

[Ginny Nightingale]

Sit will come first--stay is much harder. A treat over the nose will force the bottom of the pup to hit the floor--then say good sit and give them the treat! But really, there is so much that you are asking, you should go to a trainer with your pup at the age of 12 weesk for a puppy training class to get details--there is also a free e-book called After you get your puppy. Here is a link--https://www.dogstardaily.com/files/downloads/AFTER_You_Get_Your_Pup...

Lots of good info there--

And here is the puppy schedule I hand out when I raise pups (I work for a breeder)--HOWEVER, it is not written in stone and you need to go with the flow for a few days to see how your own pup does. Good luck and have fun!

6: 30 am:  wake up,  go outside to potty

(always scoop your puppy out of the crate and carry outside. Once his/her feet touch the ground they usually go potty right away. Puppies this age will pee and poop several times each, so give them enough time to do that. Praise your puppy for doing such a great job!)

 

6:30:-7am breakfast and then potty outside again. 

(ALD Puppies can eat as much as they want, though take the bowl up once they are done. They will need to potty within minutes of eating)

 

6:30-9:00: playtime/ a few minutes of training, with potty breaks when needed

 (training can be as simple as reinforcing good habits, sit, no jumping-sit for attention, no nipping or inappropriate chewing-give appropriate chew toys etc)

9:30 – 12:00 nap in crate (see tips on crate training)

 

12:00-2 pm: potty, lunch, play/train, potty breaks when needed.

(Remember you are forming new habits for your puppy by seeing how often you can get your puppy outside to potty. Refrain from yelling or reprimanding your puppy for peeing inside at this age because if he is scared he will learn to pee where it is safe, like a corner or even in his crate. Instead praise him enthusiastically for going outside.  And if he potties inside, reprimand yourself ;)

 

2-4 pm: nap in crate or tethered to you or your desk if you are sitting at it.

(During this time you may give the puppy a “snack”--it is fun to scatter some kibble or another small treat around the room and let him find it--or you can buy the toys that have room inside for treats and let them play with those--there are balls that you can load with kibble and as the roll, the kibble comes out. That will entertain the pup for quite a while!)

4pm: potty, play/reinforce good habits

 

5pm: dinner, potty,  play,  potty  (crate while you eat dinner)

 

8pm: we remove all water (as the puppy gets older and is house broken you can leave the water out longer)

(The evening is a good time for playing and snuggling, though s/he will probably take some naps also. Always keep your eye on your puppy and watch for signs of needing to potty as well as chewing inappropriate things. It’s a good time to show him what he can chew and what he can’t.)

10pm-11pm: potty, then crate for bedtime

3 or 4 am- outside for potty?

(For the first few weeks, it is very likely that your puppy will wake up during the night because he needs to go outside to go potty--this is normal and gradually the time he remains asleep in the crate will increase until that wonderful night when he sleeps all the way until morning! When the puppy cries during the night, go quietly to the crate keeping the lights and your voice low. Carry the puppy out and give him time to go potty, but keep everything low key. Once he is done, he should go back into his crate and the lights should be off---he will cry, but you need to leave him and let him settle himself back down. You can stand with your back to the crate for a few minutes, but do not speak to the puppy or play with him. Go back to bed !)

 

 Always crate your puppy when you can not watch him for his safety and the safety of your belongs. Gating off a small part of your house (kitchen is good) is important for keeping a good eye on your puppy when out of the crate. 

When he is not in the crate and you are moving all around the house, put him on a leash and have him come along. This way you can keep an eye on him. If you are sitting at your computer have him with you on a leash with a few good toys to chew. 

This schedule is just a guide, adjust it to your lifestyle.

[Jeremy]

Hi Ginny - thank you so m

[Carol Vernon]

Hi Jeremy, you and your family must be so excited about getting a doodle puppy!  What kind are you getting?  

My husband and I got a miniature Aussiedoodle at the end of Sept. when she was 8 weeks old.  She is 5 months old now, and she weighs 20 lbs.  She is adorable - so smart, loving and responsive!  (I'm not at all biased, ha ha....)

I read a ridiculous number of books about puppy training but the single best resource I found was the free, short, totally positive puppy training videos at www.dogmantics.com.  The same videos are also on YouTube; search on Kikopup.  The trainer, Emily Larlham, is excellent and the videos are very easy to follow.

As for a daily schedule, the pup will learn whatever schedule you establish.  Routine is your best friend.  Our puppy wakes up around 6:30am & we immediately take her out.  (For the first few weeks, she'd whine at night when she needed to go out & one of us would get up & take her out.)  After the first AM potty trip, she hangs out with us & plays while we have coffee & wake up. She might be in her ex pen, in the family room or on the porch or deck or in someone's lap - basically, wherever we are.  

I do a short training session around 7:30 (when she is hungry & motivated) and feed her at 8:00am.  She goes for a 30 - 40 minute mid-morning walk.  She rests after that and/or follows us around as we do stuff in the house and yard.  Or she plays with her toys.  Or we play ball with her in our fenced yard.

From 1:30 - 3:30 she goes across the street to our neighbor's house.  Our neighbor has a doggie day care business and usually has her own 3 dogs plus one or two day trippers.  When Dash comes home, she is exhausted and sleeps for an hour or two.  Then more play with us or by herself, following us around the house or yard, and another short training.

Dinner is at 6:00pm.  We might do a post-dinner walk or play with her using interactive toys (like where she has to learn to open a little drawer in order to get a treat).  Or we might play fetch and tug.  We brush her & cuddle with her.  From about 8:00 until 9:30ish, we encourage her to relax with a chew toy or just hang out quietly while we watch TV or work on our laptops or read, etc.  Bedtime is 9:30 or 10:00.  Repeat the next day!

My suggestion is to think about what routine will work best for you, then establish that routine & be consistent.  Other tips that have REALLY helped us:

1.  Front clip harness (no pulling on walks - a miracle)

2.  Power training treats like chicken breast, Wellness puppy treats, Merrick power treats....

3.  Safe chew toys (all supervised).  Pigs ears (sourced & made in USA) - gross but she goes wild over them.

4.  Standing on her leash when she meets people (to minimize jumping)

5.  Bad behavior results from lack of adequate exercise.  Exercise, along with routines, are your best friends!

6.  Be positive, energized and patient - make training fun, always.  Use tons of praise, smile & laugh.   

7.  Do a puppy training class.  It's more for you than the pup, and the socialization is crucial for the pup.  

8.  Remind yourself daily that you are doing your best; your pup is improving; it's a labor of love.

Hope this helps.  This is the first time we've had an 8-week old puppy & we've had a gigantic learning curve. People here on this site have a LOT of experience, knowledge, encouragement and wisdom.  I thought Ginny's comments were excellent.  Wishing you smooth sailing!  

[Jeremy]

Thank you so much!!  We got a medium goldendoodle.  

Our little guy, Blu (We are big University of Michigan fans!!), has been with us for almost two weeks.  Schedule is working itself out.  I work from home so keeping him occupied and getting work done has been a challenge, but moving his crate into my office, tethering his leash to his crate so he can't reach anything he can destroy and surrounding him with chew toys seems to be working.  House breaking is going great.  We have only had a couple accidents which were our fault, but for the most part as soon as we let him out he goes potty and we know when he needs to poo poo so we stay out with him longer to get his plumbing going.  We have started the bell training and today for the first time, he rang the bell on his own, I let him out and he peed!!

The biggest issue we are having is the puppy biting.  His teeth are SHARP and he bites hard.  Not me so much as he is with me the most, but my 7 and 9 year olds as soon as they start to play with him he goes after their hands, feet, hair, you name it.  We have tried time outs, which seem to settle him down, but he continues to snip and bit and when the kids get scared it only gets him more excited....any tips or tricks?  Thanks!

[Amy and Annabelle]

I am in Michigan as well. My daughter is an alum of University of Michigan. With the kids, I would say for now have them use quiet voices and sit still around him. No chasing, wrestling or shrill laughing. Anything that is going to excite him. My grand kids were 2 and 5 when we got Annabelle and we had to have rules on how to behave around the puppy. Plus we used the crate a lot when they were around. Not so much as a time out, but to give everyone a break and to settle the puppy. By 6 months she was completely over the mouthy, wanting to jump on you stage.

[Frank & TeddyToyDoodle]

I think the Petco Positive Dog Training programs are excellent -- at least the women who teach it at the store near me.  They have flexible schedules, makeup dates, and also weekly Puppy Play Times.  Have to be about 3 months I think before you can be enrolled but I think their program is great.