New puppy tips?

[suzybsyr]

Hey everyone.... we are bringing our new baby (and by baby- I mean puppy) home tomorrow and just wondering if anyone has any good tips for the first few days/nights. It's been quite a while since i've had a puppy in the house, so I'm trying to gear up for the somewhat sleepless nights ahead.

Did you start crate training immediately? Any tips to stop the night-time whining? Any "good" housebreaking tips? I'll take all the info I can get... since talking to people is so much better than reading it from any puppy book!

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

Congrats to you! I remember how excited we were and nervous! Here's a wonderful article on welcoming home your new pup! Love it..they grow toooo fast! Yes..start crate training immediately!





http://www.englishbulldognews.com/forums/content.php?r=354-Welcoming-Home-Your-New-Bulldog-Puppy

 

[JeannieCO]

Hello and to EBN. Just jump right on in. Congratulations on your new puppy. As you'll find out very fast, we LOVE pictures here so I recommend you get on posted fast!

I'm on my third puppy in less than a year. Wilson and Jack (non bully) are just over a year and Emma is 12 weeks today. I read quite a few puppy/bully books and they had some great ideas that really worked well for me. It was 30 years since I had a puppy so I was quite rusty at it.

For crate training: Yes start right away, the sooner the better. Always make it a happy place for them, never a bad place. My boys still go into their daytime crate to sleep, it's their special spot. I have another crate for nighttime that I keep close to the bed, Emma's in that now until about 6 months and when she's fully potty trained. Both Wilson and Emma whined for the first couple of weeks too. Here's what you do - get an OPEN wire crate (not a plastic one), cover it with a light weight blanket, put the crate close to your bed in touching distance, and when your little guy starts whining, just reach down and place your hand at the door and your fingers through the openings. They just want reassurance that you're there - it works wonders trust me!! If they continue to whine, it's just like a baby, leave them be they'll be ok and will fall asleep. Emma only whined for a week and now she's good to go. I usually have her up on the bed with us for about 1/2 hour and then when it's sleepy time, in the crate she goes - she's usually asleep at this point too.

Now on potty training, lots of praise is needed!!! If you wake during the middle of the night take your guy outside!! This is very important. Wilson was fantastic at letting us know he needed to go potty - he'd bark in the middle of the night (he trained fast). Emma's another story. I usually take her out at 12-1 to 3-5 am. She's gone a few times all night without potting though. She's had several piddle mishaps but those are usually because WE have not paid attention to getting her out. Always take them out after they get up, they'll only get about 20 steps and then piddle. Always take them out if they've been playing too. We're usually pretty good about getting them out even if they don't appear to need it. They'll always go. Also, and this is really important, give your guy TIME to go, especially for a Emma gives NO warning she has to go. Wilson would go to the door to go out (he caught on fast). Now Wilson he's a two-time pooper.....meaning that he'd go once and then when you think that was it, he'd walk around for a bit and a big one out. Take Jack, he was a two time piddler, still is. And Wilson's still a two-time pooper. Emma, well we're working with her still, lol.

Just accept that you'll be doing lots of laundry for the next few months. :D Heck I have a load in now of their crate beds because Emma piddle last night on one dog bed (our fault again) and she piddled on her crate pad and not her piddle pad in last night. I've just accepted laundry as part of the puppyiess.

Again, patience will be your BEST FRIEND.

Now about those pictures......

EDIT: looks like my last edit deleting just about everything, good thing I typed this in word.

 

[cali~jenn]

No help really since it has been 5 years since we have had a puppy in the house. Congrats tho!!! How exciting!!!!

 

[BruceP]

Most important thing is to start taking pix at the breeder and continue forever....... and post them here on EBN for us all to see

to the site and I hope you join right in.

 

[korikelly]

Congrats! Lola turned one last month, so this is pretty fresh in my mind. We started her in the crate from Day 1. Her crate is in our room, and we would put her in there when we went to bed. She whined a little for the first few nights, but we discovered she would settle down and fall asleep if we talked for a while. It was enough reassurance for her to hear our voices. We started saving up boring work stories for when we went to bed She loves her crate now and goes right in and to sleep.

 

[Davidh]

Great advise above plus the article. Welcome to the site and looking forward for the pics of your precious little one.

 

[suzybsyr]

Thanks so much everyone! My plan is to have a crate next to our bed for sleeping... and one on our main floor for when we leave the house (it will be next to the other dog we crate). And I couldn't remember if them seeing you was a good thing or bad thing while in the crate, so everyone's advice is great!! And i'm attempting to attach the picture i have right now... hope this works!!!

 

[Cooper11]

Yes be ready for those sleepless nights!! Just light bringing a newborn baby home:D. Crate train right away! I wouldn't recommend having puppy sleep with you, I had VERY bad experience with that:Djust say I woke up to all over the bed!!!! My puppy didn't do much whining in the crate when he was a baby baby. I think they sleep most the time and you will be wishing he would wake up more! It seems like when they are babies like that they are easier to get to potty outside. I don't think we had many accident in the house until he was a little older. My Cooper is afraid of everything and when we first brought him home like the 3rd or 4th day it was raining and he wouldn't go out to potty so I carried him to the yard and he screamed!!! He hated the rain. Made me feel bad! He still doesn't care for the rain or snow! Good luck with your new baby! And Congrats! Owning a bully is not like owning any other dog. Bullies are awesome!!!!

 

[JeannieCO]

Thanks so much everyone! My plan is to have a crate next to our bed for sleeping... and one on our main floor for when we leave the house (it will be next to the other dog we crate). And I couldn't remember if them seeing you was a good thing or bad thing while in the crate, so everyone's advice is great!! And i'm attempting to attach the picture i have right now... hope this works!!!

View attachment 17527

Oh my goodness what a cutie pie!!! If ok if they see you, IMO that is. I keep half the front of the crate covered on the part that's facing me so I can reach through. Congratulations again. Oh, do you have a name yet? :D

 

[Vince00]

My new puppy is only 11 weeks or so as well and best thing i'm doing besides a frequent 2hrs schedule outside for potty breaks is "clicker training". He is responding great and once he slams on the breaks not wanting to do something I crouch down, he thinks treat and I have action! Working great so far.

 

[suzybsyr]

I've always wanted to try the clicker training... maybe I will with the new guy! We haven't picked out a name yet, hopefully something fits once we bring him home.... we were thinking Jeffrey2 in memory of my boyfriends 10-month old bully that passed away. Do you have a book or site you can recommend for the clicker training?

 

[MamaAndi]

I'm sure anyone on EBN can tell you the struggles they've had with food for their bully. Make sure you have the food you want to use on hand and ready for a switch if you are switching from what the breeder feeds.

Good luck with your new pup....he's adorable!

 

[2BullyMama]

You've gotten some great advice form others.... welcome to EBN and the wonderful world of bulldogs!

 

[suzybsyr]

Luckily the breeder is giving us a bag of the food he's been using since no one sells it near me. So the transition won't be as bad. We cannot wait to get him home and I'm sure i will make mistakes but EBN has been great I'm so glad i stumbled upon it!