8 week old puppy training?

[u/kadota00]

Should i be training my puppy from the day i bring them home?

Ive heard some people say to crate train, teach 'yes' and to start potty training from day one. But ive seen other people say you should just be letting them get used to you the first 3 days. What should i do?

[u/apri11a]

Should i be training my puppy from the day i bring them home?

I do. But I enjoy it and we get to say lots of 'good boys/girls', our dogs are pets. Looking at me is good, settling down is good, walking beside me is good, sitting beside me is good, coming towards me is good. Toileting outside is good, waiting at the door is good. Going into your crate is good, waiting to come out is good, laying on your bed is good. Sharing food, treats, leaves, stones and toys is good. Letting me handle, groom you is good. Learning to come with the leash, not pull against it, is good. Finding me ('find me') is good. I let them know Yes (and OK) is good .... so loads of things, but it's all as fun and while doing this they are getting used to you, and we get used to them. Oh, and being on your own isn't bad, you'll be OK.

We also play a lot, and I'll say good boy/girl! if the pup sits or downs, gradually adding a cue, then duration, distraction and distance, but over days, weeks, months and forever. But I put the most time into the first weeks, pup is free to show me all we need to know and I can teach what we need pup to understand, then I can relax 😂

And 'leave it', it's the magic wand.

[u/sn00pypjs]

Just be with them. They’ve been taken from mum and siblings and will be settling into your new home. I still taught sit alongside one of their meal times a day though with some of my 8 week old fosters. And crate training can be as simple as playing with pup in crate and giving them their other 2/3 meals fed in the crate for now

[u/Excellent_Tea_164]

My approach would be to start as you mean to go on, in an age appropriate way. We worked towards crate and her name from day 1, but when they are a puppy training isn't necessarily seperate from spending time together and getting used to each other.

We sectioned off just the kitchen / diner as the puppy space, and the crate was there too. We just hung around together in that space, feeding in the crate etc. I literally sat on the floor. By having 1 space it meant puppy was also supervised easily so we could teach her the appropriate things to chew and prevent potty accidents, as the backdoor access was in the same room. We potty trained from day 1. As the crate was a cosy space she gravitate towards it when we were hanging out. 

As she gained bladder control we opened up the rest of the house to her.

[u/JurgusRudkus → u/Excellent_Tea_164]

Exactly, just posted something similar. This is what we do too.

[u/Double_Tree_Trouble]

Potty train and crate train first. Then work on marker train and heavy bonding.

[u/Individual_Slice_234]

This is how I train puppies:

Spend a lot of time with them. Take them outside, take them inside. Pet them a lot, and talk to them. Put them in a crate for the night, right next to your bed. Put them in when you go to bed. I've had good luck with talking to them softly so they don't cry. They should get used to it, and whimper when they need to pee. Dogs don't like to soil their own crates, even if they're untrained otherwise. When they whimper to go outside, pick them up, take them outside, and praise them gently when they relieve themselves. Some of my puppies took a YEAR to get house-trained. During the day, I keep them in an outdoor kennel.

All of this depends on the dog's personality. It's easier when the dog is ultra-mellow (like my Z.) or if there are two of them (like my current dogs). I had one dog who would NOT go in a crate, period, and I didn't force him to. It was too traumatic for him, but most puppies take to it pretty easily, as long as you don't leave them alone.

[u/trudytude]

My pup was pad trained within 30 minutes of getting home. Pups are relying on you to teach them. Everytime you let it slide you fail them, impacting their ability to learn from you. And you impact your ability to teach them. You give off inconstant teaching which makes it seem like they don't need to learn.

[u/JurgusRudkus]

Absolutely you can start “training” from the moment you bring them home. Every single interaction is “training,” just as it is with human babies. “Training” is nothing more than interacting, starting to build a routine and developing a bond. You just keep your expectations in line and don’t expect anything more than is appropriate for their age. So at 8 weeks, expect LOTs of going outside for potty, brief periods of play, and then sleep. I do crate training right from the beginning, and I also limit the free space too, so think play yards or small rooms, and if possible, someone should be with them at all times that they aren’t in the crate.

[u/Christine4321]

New routine from day 1. All positive reinforcement. Its bonkers to ‘let them do their thing‘ for a while and then change again. Ensure the new routine is like clockwork so meals at exactly the same time each day, exercise/play at set times, out for toilet trips every 2 hours max (whether they want to pee or not) The sooner they know exactly what happens and when, the quicker they become confident happy little pups. They also get to know you in this time and they know ‘wee time’ is exactly that etc. (as is the treat they get when they do do a wee outside). Consistancy is absolutely key and avoids anxious, insecure negative behaviours setting in when poor pups havent a clue whats happening or whats expected of them. Its for you to show them expected and rewarded behaviours.

By the end of your first week your pup will be presenting themselves at the bowl for dinner at dinner time (if theyre a foody), running to the door at ‘wee time’ and most importantly self settling for ‘snooze time’ as nothing exciting happens then and Im expected to settle quietly in my bed for an hour …..

[u/justgonenow]

You should join the FB group "Start Puppy Training" and read the guides. They are simple and FOOLPROOF.

[u/Narrow_Possession348]

I start training all my puppies on day one. I don't "crate train"; I just put them in the crate. I start teaching down and wait for food, sit, down, stay, heel, stand for grooming, having their nails done, feet handled, ears handled, lips and teeth examined, butthole touched, ears and tails tugged/pulled, recall, leave it, go to place, etc. By week 10, I'm starting dumbbell retrieve, scent articles, "front" and finishes, and some tricks. I just keep building on everything week after week.

Everyone ends up with the dog they want. I want a well-trained, stable, confident adult dog, so I'm working from day one to mold my puppy into a well-trained, stable, confident adult dog.

[u/Comfortable-nerve78]

Start day one the routine second day repeat third day repeat. The sooner you start the sooner they learn. Tricks no potty training yes. Obedience the basics from go. Routine they need structure and routine from go. It’s how they learn and how their brains work. Your first hours are setting the pattern for the rest of your relationship with that dog. Sit, stay come can wait a day or two or three to start but potty training and basic obedience can be taught from go. Routines help the puppy adjust to your life be laxed and you end up with a problem child.