puppy advice

[GameKid16]

I went and pick me a male today from a really nice man. how long does it usally take for a pup to adjust to his new home?? the pup will be 12 wks old the fourth of july.. any thing I can do to help him get used to his enviroment??

here the pedigree
http://www.apbt.online-pedigrees.com/public/printPedigree.php?dog_id=144832

[GameKid16]

anyone???.

[miakoda]

Sorry, ran to get some food. :)

Fortunately, these dogs (as most dogs do), adapt very well to their new homes. Even as adults I must add. You'll want to spend a few days just letting your pup get accustomed to his surroundings by nosing around & what not. Spend as much time as you can with your pup as you can.

First, make sure he is up to date on shots. If he's never had any, to the vet you go (not only for a shot, but for a healthy puppy check & fecal check). It's a must! And if he's had a shot, if it was 3-4 weeks ago, it's time for another. Then 4 weeks after that, another 8in1 & his rabies (rabies MUST be done by a certified vet).

My advice is to buy a wire crate/kennel (go ahead & buy one he can fit into as adults, petstores tell you otherwise but they just want you to keep coming back & spending a few hundred dollars on upgrades ;) ) & let him get used to that. Put toys in there, feed him in there (but still make sure you handle him while feeding so he knows gets accustomed to it & ward off food aggression). His crate should not only be his sleeping place, but also his happy fun place when you're not home. Most dogs take to the crate very well within a few days, some take 2 or so weeks. But leaving your pup lose in your house when your not home is a surefire way for disaster. And even the bathroom can pose disaster....as they get older, trying to dislodge the toilet is fun, messing with the knobs on the tub is fun, eating through the sheetrock on the wall is fun....you get the hint.:D

Potty training can also begin. As a pup, you must remember that he still does not have full bladder control. Not only can his bladder not hold much, but as soon as he stops & realizes he's gotta go, he's already piddling on your floor. So make potty time fun, too. As soon as he wakes up, carry him outside (if you let him walk, he'll just whiz while he's walking to the door) & put him down all the while emphasizing the words "outside" & "potty"....i.e. Let's go outside & potty...over & over again. As soon as he squats & pees it's "Oh what a good puppy! & maybe a very small treat tidbit. But don't rush him too much. Remember, he's got to go poop too, so if you take him inside right after he pees outside, he's gonna leave you a present on the floor. So everytime he wakes up, go outside to potty, after he eats, go outside to potty, right after he plays, go outside to potty, right after he drinks, go outside to potty. I'm sure you get it........

And if he's up to date on shots (had at least 2), then socializing at this age is a must. Take him everywhere you can. Let him meet new people & have them pet him. Let him meet other dogs so he'll get used to being around them (I'm not trying to make him not dog aggressive, just get him used to the sights & sounds of others, plus he's still young enough to possibly find a playmate his age to play with). Socialization is VERY important!

You can also introduce him to different toys. Find out what he likes to play, fetch (although at this age it's more like chase the ball & run even farther away from daddy), tug (although VERY gently as he has little loose puppy teeth, & what not.

Get him used to his collar & walking on a leash. For now just put him on the leash & follow him around. If you start pulling, he'll resist, & whenever he sees the leash he'll get frightened & stubborn. Make him see that walks are fun!

At this age you can also begin training. Sit is very ease to teach & so is down. Don't worry about stay yet, his attention span hasn't increased that much yet. :p You can also teach "out" or "leave it" with very gentle games of tug by saying the command & offering a small yummy tidbit with the other hand. As soon as he drops the rope, praise him & give the treat. This is a must command for all dogs! Just remember to keep training sessions short--like 10 min. or so twice a day. He'll get bored with you if they're any longer.

Overall, just get used to him, & let him get used to you. Good luck! And I want to see some pictures darn it!!!:cool:

[GameKid16]

thank you for all the info mia, but he is going to be a outside dog.. he does fine out back tail waggin and all but when I walk up to him he runs

[miakoda]

LOL. Give him time. I would at least keep him in for a few months until he gets used to you and gradually lengthen his outside time. That way he'll bond with you & learn to like be outdoors vs. being thrust outdoors in a new environment without someone there to smooth things over.

[GameKid16]

LOL. Give him time. I would at least keep him in for a few months until he gets used to you and gradually lengthen his outside time. That way he'll bond with you & learn to like be outdoors vs. being thrust outdoors in a new environment without someone there to smooth things over.
yea he is hangin inside with me tonight.. he lay with me and sleep and hang out but when I call him he want come yet.. when I sit him down outside to use the bath room he just sits and shiver

is there anyway you cant move this to the genaral forum