# Need help training my new puppy



## Tenma (Sep 20, 2015)

Alright, so it's the second day and I know I'm doing so many things wrong. I wanted to ask for help and start changing the way I approach this puppy. (He's currently sleeping in front of the crate instead of inside it because he wont sleep when he is inside.) He's my golden retriever, his names Simon, he's just barely over 8 weeks old and I swear the last thing I'll do is give him up to anyone. I already love this little douchebag even though he drives me insane. So please, for the sake of both of us, read over this, let me know what I'm doing wrong and how to correct it, and please, please help me!

So, first problem. First day went sorta smooth, he only had one accident indoors and every other time he went out and got lots of praise!! But today, I decided to trust my family to supervise him for a couple hours while I slept (No sleep last night) and he ended up having 6 accidents indoors so far and it's not even 1:30 PM. I feel like this set me back a ton, weeks, months, I don't know.

Second problem, he doesn't like the crate. He goes in there just fine, usually putting half his body in, but he wont put his entire body inside. It's a massive crate, so I closed half of it off with a cardboard box covered with my baby blankets, and then the floor of the crate has his puppy bed and his puppy blanket that smells like his littermates. I feel like my family accidentally reinforced his whining at night too many times when my family would come into the room to ask if I took him to do his business, or if he's just whining for attention. I don't really know how to train him to go in the crate since he prefers sleeping ANYWHERE but the crate.

Third problem, half the time when I take him out to do his business and I KNOW he has to go, he wont do it. I put him in his crate (which he doesn't like) for 15 mins, then take him out again until he goes. I'm not really sure how to fix this.

Fourth problem, He wont really respond much unless I get his attention by whistling. I'm not sure how to teach him his name is Simon, I'm not sure how to teach him how to sit or go down, I've been trying to push his lower body down gently, so the second his butt hits the floor I praise him tons and give him a treat! But it's not really sticking. Any advice? Should I get a clicker?

Fifth problem, he refuses to have his teeth brushed. I tried. Trust me I tried, while he mostly likes to stay with me, he runs away when he sees my pull out the tooth brush. I didn't even get to put it in his mouth yet, he just senses it and runs. Which is kinda cute LOL

Sorry if this is in the wrong sub! Please let me know if it is, this is my first post here.

Anyway, as you can see. I'm a very self doubting new puppy owner (Where'd all my confidence from before I got him go?), and I'm not really sure what to do. Please help! Thank you so much for taking the time to read this!!

P.S. Here's a bonus of him sleeping in my room, literally one meter away from his crate. Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

Take a deep breath. Your doing fine. When you take him out to potty and he won't go put him back in his crate for like ten minutes then take him back out and try again. He's a baby so it's going to take a little time for him to get used to sleeping in his crate.

Lookup videos on YouTube for teaching sit and down. When teaching sit take a treat in your hand. Hold it above your pups head. When they look at your fist it automatically makes them sit. Say sit as your doing this. When they do reward with the treat and praise. You can also use a clicker. When they sit click and treat. They usually catch on to this pretty well after a few short training sessions.

He is a adorable pup. We never crated. We used baby gates to use a small part of the kitchen as our crate. So it's not the end of the world if he don't eventually like his crate.


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## Lambeau0609 (Aug 3, 2015)

Wow, just relax he's a baby that needs time to adjust to everything including his crate. The first week don't expect much but alot of bonding. My puppy is 14wks and to get him in crate I have to throw a few treats in. My dog prefers when I'm home to sleep outside of the crate. When i need him in crate i either put him in or throw a treat in. My dog only likes going in it when he has to. When I need to lock him in it. I wouldn't trust anyone to supervise when your napping unless they r mature enough to know when to take puppy out. 
The first few weeks we spent alot of time outside with puppy and praised him and gave him a treat whenever he did his job. He caught on quickly with treats.
And it takes a few weeks for them to understand there name. And the word come, sit, lay down need to be taught. Lots of good youtube videos on training a puppy. I use youtube all the time for training and with a good treat he will catch on quickly. The first 2 weeks I did no training except potty training. Than we started with, sit, down, come, and getting him used to leash, etc.

And for brushing his teeth wait a few weeks and try again. I don't believe in brushing there teeth daily.

The first few weeks are very tiring not much sleep for either puppy or you since he will need to go outside every few hours. 
My puppy is 99% housebroken but I still don't take my eyes off of him if he is not locked in crate during the day.


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

Sit down, take a deep breath, and lower your expectations
He's 8 weeks old. He's so much a baby that it's amazing he can even walk and eat by himself. He has no idea what you want. He doesn't speak English, so trying to teach him his name is going to take time, and so will teaching him to sit, etc. Think of how the teacher sounds in Charlie Brown -wahwahwahwah. That's how you sound to him. 
You'll be fine, in baby steps. You'll find tons of advice here - and I hope you'll make good use of it.


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## bixx (Sep 8, 2015)

Hi, what a handsome pup!!!

I can relate to your situation but, it's really a plus that you're only on your second day because he hasn't learned bad habits yet. He's a baby...he needs to learn what's right and wrong. And you're doing great!!

On crating. My experience? The first week was horrible but perseverance and going deaf on him is the key. No dog likes the crate. It's up to you to make him like it.

First, make it cozy. Put a blanket or cover on three side and only leave the front open so your pup can see you. Make sure you have some kind of comfortable dog pillow or vet bed on the crate floor. Second, teach him to associate the crate with all things pleasant -- sleeping, the hidden treat, lots of attention and praises when you let him out... And last, whatever you do, never react to him when he's showing how mad he is being confined in there. (and never let him out until he's quiet). If he howls for a full hour in the crate, so be it. If you give in now, he becomes the boss! He will learn that barking gets him out which is a big no-no!

When I first got Amber, I began with putting her a few minutes in the crate (door closed) for no reason. I started with 2 - 5 minutes. She was mostly curious. I would put her in, close the door, open in again two minutes or so later. I made it fast so there wouldn't be time for her to react. I did this several times during the day. The whopper came at dinner time. No sense delaying the inevitable. She has to learn to be in the crate...and to be quiet in the crate.

I left the crate open the whole day and sometimes left some nice treats in there. By day 3, she was going to the crate to check if there was something yummy. But like I said, dinner time was horrific. Because on the first day, after the brief acquaintances with the crate, dinner time was the first time she would get crated for an hour.

She whined and barked the whole time. My husband and daughter were so stressed from my orders not to look at the dog and to completely ignore her. Eventually amber settled down.

this lasted an entire week and let me tell you, my family and the dog hated the crate. my family for having the dog bark the whole time inside the crate while we wanted to enjoy dinner (especially my husband, who is not a believer in crating...though now he is!) and Amber, who did not like the confinement at all! Especially because she wasn't sleepy!

But after a week, Amber learned that barking does not help her case and she has also learned that while we have dinner, she is in the crate. It was almost an aww-moment to see how she has accepted her fate. (golden retriever pups using their sorry-sad expressions to full advantage!!!)

Put your pup in the crate after play time, short walks, puppy training. He will seem extra hyper and begin to bite, grow deaf to your commands, but that's a sign he's tired. After a week, he will associate crate with sleeping, as long as you are consistent. Never allow the pup to sleep anywhere else but in the crate. If he's also sleeping somewhere, wake him up, put him in the crate. Immediately let him out as soon as he wakes up. No exceptions! Amber is now 5 months. I still do this. Let me say, that our first two weeks of training in the crate had been really crucial to have this sweet, relaxed dog in the crate. she now sleeps in the crate voluntarily during the day (she gets in herself and stays in there)

On further training, I highly recommend Dr. Sophia Yin's methods and book on training. It has really helped me a lot with Amber.

Handfeeding is also a way for your pup to learn his name (among other things). Put a dry kibble in your hand, put it against your forehead, call out his name Simon and give it to him when he looks at you (or rather, the kibble in your hand). If you have to call out his name twice, don't reward. Otherwise, you will be rewarding him through reinforcing that he doesn't have to listen to you immediately to get his kibble.

Brushing teeth..hm. I've never done it. Amber has a floss toy and nylabone. They serve to clean her gums, provide an outlet for teething and keep her blessedly quiet in a corner for about...10 minutes. 

Potty training. I think I was lucky with potty training because the breeder began it so at 9 weeks, we got a pup who could keep dry in the crate for the entire night and who knew that she should do her business outside. amber had a pee accident inside the house during her first week. This is almost a given as its an entirely new environment. The crate is really helpful in curbing accidents. But also, young puppies are predictable. I took her out to potty first thing in the morning when I open the crate, I trained her to poop and pee on command. Potty opps came after playtime, walks, after waking up from sleep (and to repeat...especially AFTER waking up from sleep). So by knowing these, you already have the opportunity to avoid potty accidents inside the house. Don't worry if simon doesn't take the opportunity to do his thing when you take him outside. He will eventually "get it". There is also a potty training spray that you could use (although I didn't use this). You could spray this in the area where you want him to go so if you consistently bring him to this area, he will have his lightbulb moment.

My first two months with Amber was really exhausting. Mostly because I stuck rigorously to midnight as her last potty opportunity. Even on weekends! I was soooo lacking in sleep but it has all paid off!

Hope this helps!!


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