First time owner of 11 week old Shih Poo puppy - needing some advice!

[Hemlock]

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If you do leave pup with other people, make sure everyone is using the same words and setting the same standards. For instance, if she is not allowed on your furniture, it will confuse her if allowed on the other household's furniture. Same with being fed from the table or being allowed to bark at the window.
With words, a common mistake is when people want a dog to get off something, so they say "Down" which of course means lie down. This results in one confused dog which is sometimes referred to as stubborn or stupid.

It is easy peasy to teach a dog the difference between "off" (get off) and "down" (lie down) but some folk just do not 'get it'.

 

[excuseme]

My words are "Down" and "Off. No need for a sentence or any other words, one word as a command is easy and simple.
Unless you are calling a dog, in which case call name first to get attention and then the command word.

I find my husband is very difficult to train!!
.

 

[JoanneF]

When we first got T, Mr F was frankly a PITA for using the ”wrong” word for stay. So, on the basis that (a) to a dog, it's only a noise and (b) the dog is easier to train than the husband, we use his choice of word instead - wait.

And if any of you ever tell him I told you, I will not be merciful. Just saying.

 

[excuseme]

PITA !!

 

[JoanneF]

Pain in the ass ... I only did that to annoy you!

 

[excuseme]

Wait, in our household means just that "wait". Anyone walking too far ahead or getting too busy is told to "Wait", they all listen and come back from what ever they are doing and walk with us. We do not use the word "Heel" as "wait" brings them back close enough.
.

 

[excuseme]

How long has it taken you to learn how to annoy me!!
So you did that on purpose "hmm", I will try to remember that!

 

[JudyN]

'Wait' is possibly my most useful word too - it means, pretty much, don't do what you're thinking about doing. It also means 'stop' on a walk, though Jasper's interpretation is to wander over to some interesting smell so he'll have something to do while waiting for us to catch up with him.

The number of times OH told Jasper to 'sit down' when to Jasper, that's two mutually exclusive commands. I managed to train him eventually though.

 

[Summer Elsley]

How long will family stay with her when they come in. ..i also think leaving her with relatives one or two days a week is a very good idea if they dont mind ..

As long as she needs really, my nan would most likely be doing it as it's great company for her too. She has also said she wouldn't mind her coming to her house for the working day once or twice a week either so think I will set this up

 

[Summer Elsley]

Leaving your puppy with relatives a couple of times a week is a good idea, as long as she does not get shut up in the cage again (as security), I think a whole night in a cage is quiet long enough to be fair to any dog

.

Yes I agree, I want her to be able to run freely all day and have her crate as a night time thing. We never shut the crate door in the day, she has the opportunity to go in there but when she is we don't shut it. She would be able to run freely at a relatives house, I'd take her crate there too just in case she wanted to nap in there but she would be supervised by my relative the whole day and not be shut in the crate

 

[Summer Elsley]

'Wait' is possibly my most useful word too - it means, pretty much, don't do what you're thinking about doing. It also means 'stop' on a walk, though Jasper's interpretation is to wander over to some interesting smell so he'll have something to do while waiting for us to catch up with him.

The number of times OH told Jasper to 'sit down' when to Jasper, that's two mutually exclusive commands. I managed to train him eventually though.

Ah I will start working on 'wait' she knows 'sit' 'down' 'in your crate' and 'paw' now (just learnt this half an hour ago. 'Wait' will definitely be our next training session

 

[JoanneF]

I managed to train him eventually though.

Which?

Wait' will definitely be our next training session

I'll send Mr F down to your house then!

 

[excuseme]

Will you keep the car to use for yourself and get the old bicycle out of the shed for Mr T to use Haa ha

 

[JudyN]

Which?

You need to ask?

 

[excuseme]

Which?



I'll send Mr F down to your house then!

Sorry, I think I'm getting my wires crossed here!!

 

[lurcherman]

Wait is also great word, you know wot I’ve a a easier word on a mini schnauzer and it’s just a cluck in ur voice, it’s that simple , people make it so hard , a cluck, a no, a wait , a oh, no is my thing or a click or cluck ,

 

[Flobo]

'Drop' or 'leave' are another couple of good words to teach, just incase they pick something up they shouldn't, which they invariably will at some point in their life! I'm another advocate of simple word use..or KISS.. as my other half says..(@excuseme Keep It Simple Stupid-'kiss'!!)...btw I'm not calling anyone stupid!

 

[excuseme]

We use the word "Dead" in place of drop or give.
@Flobo
Ok, what or who is a Stupid- "KISS"
.

 

[Flobo]

It's a saying we have in our house if one of us is trying to over think/over complicate something we say 'KISS!'

 

[JudyN]

It stands for Keep It Simple, Stupid'. Though as it's become quite common, it's not now usually intended to imply that the person is actually stupid.