What is the most important training to focus on when I bring home my puppy

[Sim and Fonzie]

Hi everyone, I am picking up my F1b puppy on Jan 31st from Riverdoodles in Brea, Ca. It's going to be a 6 hour drive back home for us so I know potty training will have to start immediately by potty breaks happening on grass only but I wanted to know what else I should focus on once we bring him home. Any tips or advice on early training would be much appreciated :)
Also, has anyone else brought home a puppy from Riverdoodles?

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Great list, I would just add "sit" to this as it is very easy to teach to puppies and useful for greeting people, waiting to eat, etc.

[Wynnie & Jim]

Sim, I am a big fan of clicker training. Pee or poop, click and treat. I also took our puppy out every 90 minutes and used the command "Hurry Up." I also had puppy bells on my back door so every time we went outside, I rang the bells and said "OUT." Wynnie, got the hang of it very quickly and would start hitting the bells when she needed to go out. She was 12 to 15 weeks at that stage.

Wynnie's breeder also suggested taking her water away at 6:00 pm and taking her out to pee or poop just before my bedtime. Good tip. Our puppy has always slept through the night. We had a few accidents along the way when she was very young but they were typically my fault by not responding to her signals fast enough. Be patient...Doodle are so much fun. If I had enough money, I would own a Doodle ranch with lots of doodle friends.

[Sim and Fonzie]

Thank you, I had seen a clicker training video before but was unsure about it....will definitely look more into it. :)

[Sim and Fonzie]

Thank you for all the love and great advice everybody. It's great to hear from experienced doodle owners and I already feel better prepared to bring our puppy home!

[Judy, Meg & Polly Wolly Doodle]

This has nothing to do with training and everything to do with your puppy's health.  We were unprepared when we brought Polly home and I wish I had know these two things. First, she had never been in a car and got horribly car sick, 15 minutes out we had to dash to the nearest store we could find for paper towels, carpet cleaner and bags to throw it all in so next time I would have a kit in the car just in case (she grew out of it finally), and the other thing I would do is ask that the pup not be fed before you take her home and maybe they could give her a tiny Dramamine tablet to help her out just in case.  Second, try not to use a rest area for her potty break on the way home...we quickly found out that was one of the nastiest places ever to take a dog out to go potty, no one ever picks up there.  Find a strip mall or some spot with a grassy strip, carry your poop bags with you, and take her out there.  She will be less exposed to feces from other dogs and any diseases they might carry.

[Sim and Fonzie]

Wow! This is really good too know. It's going to be a long car ride so I will definitely be better prepared now. Thank you so much

[Joy Originator of GiantSchnoodles]

Important!

[Laurie, Wally & Charlotte]

I'd add the value of encouraging your puppy look at you - literally -  which will be important as you begin to teach him or her to wait for your permission before doing anything and everything. When my two were very young, we used the command, "Watch Me," and held a small treat between our eyes, which we gave to our pups as soon as they looked at us. 

[Sim and Fonzie]

I agree that having them develop a habit of looking at you must be so important throughout training and life. Thank you for the tip :)

[Wynnie & Jim]

Sim, you should look at the Training Groups current discussion on Clicker Training vs. Aversive Training. It is terrific. But, don't try to over analyze it. Commen sense and love for your puppy should be your guide.

[Joy Originator of GiantSchnoodles]

Yes, & I click & treat when they look. I start every training session this way. The treat gets them loving it & seeing training as fun

[Katie]

Someone told me not to let my pup do anything as a puppy I would not let her do as a full grown standard doodle. This means we have been really really strict about jumping up from day one. It's so cute when your tiny puppy jumps up to greet you......

The other thing we have been really strict about is biting. She already had a great bite inhibit so we do not need to teach that, but we will not let her bite our hands. We replace with a toy or chew, get up and walk away, remove our hands and say 'no' etc.

Ditto running after us and biting at trouser legs. Also going into the scullery where the cats are fed (actually NOT going into scullery....)

She is already much much better. (12 weeks)

And keep your sense of humour around! They are so funny!

Katie