New Furbaby!

Sugarplum97

DH and I our getting our first puppy together! I am so excited we are getting a little Sheepadoodle in eight weeks. She was just born this weekend.  We have a small dog already, but I never had to deal with the potty training issue. He was older when we got him, and the lady already had him trained. This puppy we are getting is not trained, and I have no idea where to start. Thanks!

chrisnjay05212010

Congrats on your new baby!  i would start with taking the puppy out often and through the same exit and general location outside every time. Choose a command you can stick with, like "go potty"  every time you take the puppy out tell them to go, and praise praise praise when they do go in the desired location. i would keep a close eye on the puppy while inside the house so you can learn to tell the signs when they need to go. If there should be an accident in the house, we would tell ours no, and then immediately take them outside to the desired location.  Good luck!

RedheadBaker

Please, before you pick up this puppy, reconsider. You are supporting backyard breeders and poor breeding practices, not to mention, contributing to the overpopulation in animal shelters. *Please* read the board FAQs in the post stickied at the top of the board.

bpphoto785

Congrats on your furbaby! 

chrisnjay05212010 has given good advice! 

Definitely be patient. It can take a while for your pup to become completely housebroken. For when the pup does have accidents buy an enzymatic cleaner so the pup's not tempted to go potty in that spot again. I'm also not a fan of puppy pads, as I think it's confusing to sometimes let them go inside. Also, set up a schedule if you can with more frequent breaks at first and then less as the pup gets older and can hold it for longer. 

closapio

Imma ditto RHB here.

There's not such thing as a Sheepadoodle.

Please see our FAQs for some good tips on choosing a puppy and bringing a puppy into your home.

LuckyAngel07

"Sheepadoodle"?!?  #-o

Please don't go get that puppy. Like RHB said, you are supporting a backyard breeder who is essentially charging you for a mutt. Yes. That adorable MIXED BREED puppy is a mutt just like any other "oops" litter. And you're going to shell out a boatload of money for him/her instead of adopting a sweet mixed breed from a shelter who is in need of a home. 

Please definitely reconsider this. Look on petfinder. You might have to travel to find a pup you're looking for, but it will be SO much more worthwhile than supporting someone who doesn't care about pet overpopulation and is just looking to get that "awww" factor from potential buyers and make a buck. 

Caz1221

Ditto all the PPs who urged you to reconsider purchasing this puppy. Truly reputable breeders don't breed mixes/mutts, and there are plenty of dogs of all breeds and mixes (and all ages) sitting on shelters waiting for homes. You can search on Petfinder for the particular mix - I'm guessing it's a poodle/Old English sheepdog?

If you decide you want an actual breed and feel strongly about going to a breeder, read the FAQs to help you find a reputable one, but please don't support a backyard breeder who is only contributing to the pet overpopulation problem.

I believe the FAQs have info on housebreaking, but take the puppy out very frequently (every 30-60 minutes if possible), crate train, tether the puppy to you while in the house so you can watch for any signs he has to potty, choose a potty phrase and say it every time he goes, praise and reward like crazy any time he potties outside, interrupt any accidents by clapping your hands and whisking puppy outside to finish, and clean all accidents with Nature's Miracle or another enzymatic cleaner. Patience and consistency are the keys to successful potty training.

TarponMonoxide

closapio said:

Imma ditto RHB here.

There's not such thing as a Sheepadoodle.

Please see our FAQs for some good tips on choosing a puppy and bringing a puppy into your home.

And fyi: dogs can't use a potty. I have no idea why people say a dog is "potty trained."  Housebroken is the term of choice.

DH and I our getting our first puppy together! I am so excited we are getting a little Sheepadoodle in eight weeks. She was just born this weekend. 

Eight weeks of age is TOO YOUNG for a pup to be taken from its mother.

These are NOT reputable breeders. Please don't buy that dog from them.

Who knows what they bred a poodle with???  There are lots of dogs that fall into the "Sheep dog" classification -- there are Old English Sheepdogs, Shelties and even border collies, among others.. All are used to herd sheep and other livestock.

I also second not purchasing that "sheepadoodle."

Consider a mixed breed puppy from a shelter or rescue  -- shelters usually have puppies on hand.  Give a dog that needs a home a home; go to your shelter or rescue. Don't buy, adopt.