12 wk old puppy and training

[Massageme21]

So we have just gotten a great pyrenees puppy and we were able to meet mom and dad. The owners had them baby gated off towards the back slider door and had a dog door for in and out. There were puppy pads within the gated area but they went outside freely to poop. They also were able to freely all day long. One of the owners is a stay at home. In my household we both work and there is a small overlap section. I want to train him to eat morning and night and be on a potty schedule. I know this is a difficult breed to train but not impossible. Last night he used the pee pad when we got home but then had a poop accident. He finally warmed up to where the food dish was and at night we couldn't figure out how best to restrict him and he didnt seem to like it when he was so I let him lay at the foot of the bed which he lays very well for and understood being quiet and when he started getting up and whining we got up to take him out but on the way he would pee on the carpet and another time pooped and if I try to catch him in the act and try to move him to where I want to even after the act he runs and seems scared even when I am doing it gently. He is a big boy to try and lift and he has never been on a leash until I introduced it briefly yesterday and today. I don't know how best to retrain what he has been used to. I don't want to give him treats for unwanted behavior. My boys just love him and temperament wise once we get this down I think he will be an amazing addition. Not sure what is the best order to train him in order to get the best results.

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hello and welcome to the forums,

I like the setting the breeder offered (gated area by the door with puppy pads) as I have used a similar setting with young puppies and had good success with that for day-time use. At night, a crate in the bedroom may work best, especially if the breeder took some time to crate-train her puppies. If not, it may be a little harder to train as conditioning to a crate takes some time. Crate training can help in the future too for instance when traveling, when the dog is left alone at home for safety etc. There's a crate training section here if you are interested:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/love-the-crate/

 

It is not unusual for puppies to have some accidents as soon as they get in their new home. On top of that, consider that puppies don't have full bladder and bowel control until they are about 16-20 weeks old. So if your puppy is fairly young (most puppies are 8 weeks old when they are sent to their new homes) it is normal for them to have accidents here and there. During the night, multiple trips are often needed. If he gets up and whines at a certain time of the night, it could be he will need to be taken out about 15 minutes to half hour prior.

 

If he gets upset when you try to move him, it may help to train him to follow you outside. You can do this during the day. During the day, get up and rush towards the door as you say "let's go outside" most pups will follow you, and then, once out tell your pup to "go potty" followed by praise and a treat for going. Do this several times until he understands what is expected. If he wanders in the yard playing and not focusing on going potty, once he is leash trained, you may need to take him on leash and restricting him to a designated potty area outside to speed up the process until you can train him to potty on command.

 

Here's a guide on how to train a dog to go potty on command which you will find helpful throughout your pup's life: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/potty-on-command/

 

During training, treats should never be given for unwanted behaviors, only the desirable behaviors should get reinforced with treats. The only exception may be when doing counterconditioning (behavior modification), but that's a whole different story.

 

I am happy to hear you are excited about your new addition! You can start with the obedience 101 section teaching him some basics such as sit and down and don't forget about socialization (the window closes at 12-16 weeks). Ask your vet for advice on where to take your puppy to socialize safely. More about this here:https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/socializing-your-puppy/

 

You may also start with some easy brain games to put his developing brain to work.

Edited December 24, 2019 by Adrienne Farricelli

[JMFS]

I'll add one tip. Because those bladders are so small and their control isn't there yet I took up the water 2 hours before bed or before leaving for an extended period of time. That helps with the nighttime trips and sleeping through the night. I would encourage them to get one last drink in before I took up the water followed by a couple trips outside before bed. I am a little overboard on taking them outside compared to most and that's because I want the pups to associate outside with "do your thing."

 

I used to make a fuss over them going inside, not rubbing their noses, but making them look at what they did (as if they cared). Now I just clean it up and move on with my day like nothing happened. An enzyme cleaner will be your best friend throughout the potty training, too. It will break down all the stuff that stays behind with regular cleaners. White vinegar and baking soda will do in a pinch, though.

[s_wiss13]

Hi,

 

I'm excited to see there is another Great Pyrenees puppy in the forum! Our girl is just a about 6 weeks older than yours so it will be fun to read your posts and learn at the same time. I was so surprised when Harmonie got used to the crate at night in such a short time. I followed the advice in the link you were provided and I'm still amazed that she goes in and seems to feel safe and comfortable in her crate. Good luck with your training and I look forward to hearing how things go.

 

Susan