First, Susan’s videos saved my relationship with my puppy. ❤ I was beyond stressed and couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. Then I watched “It’s your choice.” Wonderful!! I have 1 issue though, I work from home - how should a schedule work?? I have a 10 month old Aussie Shepherd, crate trained - still eats everything.
Hi @kaylenirwin7342 thank you for such a lovely note. Our playlist on planning dog training can help you create a schedule - th-cam.com/play/PLphRRSxcMHy3bIhKLPQApN0x_2PjNJgkG.html&feature=shared And you might like this video too of the rhythm of life with puppies and dogs - th-cam.com/video/kCRkT6saAgM/w-d-xo.html
I have raised my now 2+ years old puppy that way and what a fantastic young dog I have! He never wakes me up at night and had only one pee incident in the house but it was my fault as I missed his potty break after a play time! So much good things happen when you are a Recallers and Hone School the Dog student! Thank you Susan and your team!
I’m fostering 2 eight week old puppies until they go to their forever homes, they’re brother and sister. I’ve been asked to keep them together, eating from the same bowl, sleeping together etc . Together they have so much energy, playing, racing, learning how far to go in their wrestling bouts which all seems positive but there are clearly negatives too 😅 I don’t feel I can crate train so they’re in a pen with an open crate in the corner. I’ve managed to play choice games and they’re both doing so well but after seeing your podcast I realise perhaps I should have done things differently. I want them to have the best start they can in their new homes. I’d be grateful for any advice. Your content is amazingly educational….. wish I could keep all my foster dogs longer to show them how brilliant they can be ! Thank you for all you do 🙂
I'm going to have to re- watch this episode and take notes (particularly around the suggested morning routine) but THANK YOU for such a practical and jam-packed-full-of-tips episode!!! 🙏🤩
Hi @Laudidor, Susan is a huge proponent of taking notes while watching the podcast episodes! Well done for being proactive for your pup and thank you for the kind words. (Sarah - DogsThat)
Funnily enough, I was pondering this thought just the other day. Mostly along the lines of "If you're not with them, you're not training them. And if you're not training them, and you didn't manage their environment, then they're training themselves - probably to do something you'd rather they didn't." Also, now I feel oddly blessed that our front and back gardens were totally puppy-insecure when I brought my boy home - for a number of months I *had* to take him out on lead otherwise my little explorer would have been off into the road! Our only grassed area is the front lawn, it's secure now, but there was no question of "chuck pupper out, leave him to do his thing" when he was tiny. (In fact, we only got the back garden properly fenced a couple of months ago.)
I'm fairly new to the community and have learned so much already one question I do have is if you have already given too much freedom how can you scale it back ?
We adopted a now year old rescue that’s had almost zero training. She’s been with us 2.5 months. She’s a 53 pound lab/pit mix (as far as we know, she was a stray in September). She’s generally great with her crate and is potty trained. BUT since she had freedom in our yard, her recall out there is horrible and she’s started to jump, bite, and pull on us. She gets really hyper outside in the yard and on walks etc. Trying to get her to listen, or to stop, has become almost impossible when she’s wound up. SO I’m thinking I’ll go out there with her on a leash and work on behavior when she is on potty break. It’s hard because it’s been cold and she has been indoor a lot. I was hoping her zoomies would help her stretch her legs. Also, we do have a baby gate to the back of the house to give our cats space. But she’s too big for an exercise pen. I do put a leash on her sometimes if I need to. I hope that’s not a mistake. Is she too old for scheduled alone time / naps? I have trouble figuring how much sleep she needs.
This was really helpful. I had been feeling guilty about not letting my new 8 week old puppy loose in the house so I feel much better now. The only toilet accidents we have had are when she has been loose for zoomies and I was too slow to spot the signs. She’s not good at alone time yet but I’ve only had her a few days
as a sitter i have had o calm some owners who thought they were mean to their dog for locking them in a crate. i explain how not every dog may like the crate but how it may be needed for things such as destructive behavior, potty issues, recovery, travel, vet stays, and even boarding with a sitter or daycare. i also tell them that at home a crate is more like a play pen then a jail. i sometimes call them a necessary evil. i felt bad at first for using one but my dog has never had accidents due to poor training and too much freedom. ive sat many dogs who were given too much freedom and it showed. they would be poorly behaved around food, constantly pull on walks, demand attention all the time, had poor potty habits, and would counter surf if given the chance. when i would put up a gate they would jump over it like show horses. one thing that comes with training dogs when it comes boundaries is to not give them a lot of freedom and to not allow them to even think a boundary can be crossed.
Hi Angelina, here's a great resource for anyone doubting crate training is good for dogs: th-cam.com/video/IokYnQOAWVg/w-d-xo.html Plus they love it if they're taught though Susan's Crate Games! 🐾
Thank You for bringing more clarity to this topic! At least with our family, you have made the “dream doggy” idea into the reality that WE play a role in creating this dog, just as much as we are responsible for our kids. We were so shortsighted thinking we were being “mean” to our new family member, but your explanation really seals the deal about how boundaries, just like rules and guidelines for our kids, are LOVING! We will stop blaming the dog and become an active pawrent with our next puppy!
This is very useful! My pup mastered pottying almost immediately (thanks to the breeder starting the process), so I think I got a little too excited about that and have given her too much freedom. I'll be implementing these things. Thank you!
Thanks for this video. I wish I seen this earlier. My dog is already 1 year old, and I have made sooo much mistakes. Very hard to modify some of his bad behaviours now....
Never too late! I’d strongly recommend you look into our Recallers program it is brilliant for modifying the behaviour of even the most run-a-muck rescue dogs. You will be surprised how far you will go with just some focused intentional training.
Dear Susan, thank you for again an extremely helpful, concrete guideline to healthy dog training :-) One question I have: when you clarify the 'puppy daily routine' you talk of leaving home at 8:30 and then having someone coming in at lunch time, do I understand correctly? Would you say that a 9-10 week old puppy can be alone in a create 4 hours?!? I ask because here (Switzerland) we are usually told that - if well trained - a puppy of maybe 5-6 months could be alone 4 hours, but surely not before then... and this is a question that many working owners have (how many hours can I leave him alone). Thank you!
Yes, my experience has been that a puppy of 10 weeks of age can easily be alone even over night for 7-8 hours in a crate without an issue. So having one in a crate for 4 hours followed by a nice mid day lunch then exercise session would be no problem at all.
I think most people forget that any dog you first bring home, especially puppies, are very young children. You wouldnt give your 2yr old run of the house so why would you give the new dog?
Love these videos thank you!! Any suggestions for when pupsy is in x-pen - say in the kitchen and morning like you said, making coffee/food etc and the puppy whines and jumps on the pen? Should i start turning my back to that until they sit or stop whining then reward it?
Thank you for these amazing videos. As far as I understood, you recommend that the puppy is in the crate when home alone. Our dog will be alone for 7 hours (In the first months someone will come after approx. 4 hours). Do you recommend that the dog is in its crate for that many hours? I am thinking that it may get uncomfortable not to be able to move as it will be possible in an x pen.
I taught one of my dogs to pee and poop at home, in the designated place, AND THEN we went on a walk. So the walk was a REWARD for doing his “business” and I never had to take poop bags.
Hi Gayle! It's best to train them separately while you work on them being able to wait turns, here's an episode with help: th-cam.com/video/u4L-ra0fwc8/w-d-xo.html
No worries @TheTetheredButterfly80, the important thing is that you are looking for ways to help your pup. Great news - Susan has you covered with this podcast about the FRIDA protocol for separation anxiety: th-cam.com/video/nr-qRKBCPUE/w-d-xo.html and we have no doubts you have the capabilities to solve this. 💚 (Sarah - DogsThat)
Following for this- my puppy cries, tries to dig under, and bites or paws the ex pen or crate. He stops eventually but this time it takes for him to stop hasn’t decreased even though he gets no reinforcement for the unwanted behavior (I ignore him completely until he stops and is quiet for a bit). We are playing crate games, but the value isn’t there yet for any duration during the day.
Hi @Marianne and @@rachelbaumgartner3720 here are resources to help. Puppy Home Alone: Are You Creating Chaos or Calm? - th-cam.com/video/FTi3dQ_Y2A8/w-d-xo.html+ When Reinforcement Based Dog Training Doesn't Work (covers what to do about crying or scratching in a crate) - th-cam.com/video/9ImjWUCc7zI/w-d-xo.html Is Your Dog Hyper At Home? How To Teach Relaxation - th-cam.com/video/t1fVPaWlc3w/w-d-xo.html
I've had him for two weeks, he waits until we are about to go out the door to pee on the floor 🤦♀️ I live in a rather small space so big pet pins are not an option. I have a small pin but he screams if he's in it during the day. He sleeps in it at night and is mostly okay with it.
Very informative and useful video 🙏 Please tell me the breed or mix of the puppy with short, golden, smooth fur with long legs, white spots and a lonng snout? 🙏 Color like the boxer. Shape like a mini Rhodesian ridgeback - without the ridge.
Hi Dorte, would you have a time marker? It might be Susan's new puppy, the lovely Belief. Here's a note from Susan about Belief: "Belief is a “Sport Mix” which is a purposely bred mix-breed puppy bred for dog sports. Her mother is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and her dad is a Border Collie x Papillion Sport Mix"
Hi Dorte, it's the time where the video is when something appears. As the video plays, the little line at the base of the video that shows how much you've watched, and you can see time markers. It sounds like the puppy you were wondering about is Belief. Susan has a couple of other recent videos showing Belief's training that are super.
Thank you for a great podcast episode. I’m considering to adopt a 15 month old puppy. Could the tips in this episode also be used to manage older puppies, or would they be less effective since the dog might have rehearsed bad behaviours for quite a few months already?
Yesterday, 23 October 2022, I brought a rescue dog home who was found in the midst of traffic about 3 months ago. He’s about 1-2 years old, intact, and a Dalmatian. It appears he’s never had any training and he urinates on all the dogs, walls, furniture, ME. So he is on the Dogs That puppy house training program and currently in his crate. I just purchased an additional X pen for our HSTD training. If I don’t put him on a leash and take him in and out of the house I cannot keep him from peeing on something. Is this going to be okay for the whole “peeing while on leash” idea?
Hi The1eviltemptress, using a leash while taking your puppy outside to relieve themselves is a great idea. Starting your puppy off early with going pee while they're on a leash will help to prevent any avoidances in the future of them going to the bathroom on leash. So you are off to a great start!
The other one i like is.. im gonna get a puppy and spoil it rotten! That one makes me cry. I try to explain to people that poor leadership and spoiling ur pup are a mix for disaster. But then im the bad guy until they call and need help.
What do you do about a crazy puppy who throws themself at the xPen??? My dog was crazy as a puppy and is still kinda crazy at a year and a half old, I tried to follow your puppy process including the xPen but when I put him in the xPen he would demand bark and try to knock the pen over, or try to jump out by climbing on his crate. I didn't know what to do about his behavior so I decided the xPen was too dangerous for him... I wish I knew how to get him less "crazy"!! He's not out of a good breeder
The neighbour's puppy got into the medicine cabinet somehow, and ended up in emergency. I did sent them Susan's podcast link, but I can't make them follow it. Puppy is fine.
My question might have an obvious answer, but as you go through this routine- the puppy gets used to alone time and crate time? I’m trying to follow along but my puppy gets pretty upset when it’s alone time. This is normal though for a while right? It’s not me doing it all wrong? 🫣
Hi, you can start working on your puppy's relaxation protocol: th-cam.com/video/FRmLd4k5qGk/w-d-xo.html And here's a great protocol to prevent (or fix) separation anxiety: th-cam.com/video/nr-qRKBCPUE/w-d-xo.html Happy training!
Check out our Puppy Essentials playlist -
th-cam.com/play/PLphRRSxcMHy2hywpv3Md3HbWWPPbVF8W5.html
Wow, thank you so very much. I didn’t even know that was possible. I realise I have to learn more about TH-cam (too) ♥️♥️♥️
First, Susan’s videos saved my relationship with my puppy. ❤ I was beyond stressed and couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. Then I watched “It’s your choice.” Wonderful!! I have 1 issue though, I work from home - how should a schedule work?? I have a 10 month old Aussie Shepherd, crate trained - still eats everything.
Hi @kaylenirwin7342 thank you for such a lovely note. Our playlist on planning dog training can help you create a schedule - th-cam.com/play/PLphRRSxcMHy3bIhKLPQApN0x_2PjNJgkG.html&feature=shared
And you might like this video too of the rhythm of life with puppies and dogs - th-cam.com/video/kCRkT6saAgM/w-d-xo.html
I have raised my now 2+ years old puppy that way and what a fantastic young dog I have! He never wakes me up at night and had only one pee incident in the house but it was my fault as I missed his potty break after a play time! So much good things happen when you are a Recallers and Hone School the Dog student! Thank you Susan and your team!
I’m fostering 2 eight week old puppies until they go to their forever homes, they’re brother and sister.
I’ve been asked to keep them together, eating from the same bowl, sleeping together etc . Together they have so much energy, playing, racing, learning how far to go in their wrestling bouts which all seems positive but there are clearly negatives too 😅
I don’t feel I can crate train so they’re in a pen with an open crate in the corner.
I’ve managed to play choice games and they’re both doing so well but after seeing your podcast I realise perhaps I should have done things differently. I want them to have the best start they can in their new homes.
I’d be grateful for any advice.
Your content is amazingly educational….. wish I could keep all my foster dogs longer to show them how brilliant they can be ! Thank you for all you do 🙂
I'm going to have to re- watch this episode and take notes (particularly around the suggested morning routine) but THANK YOU for such a practical and jam-packed-full-of-tips episode!!! 🙏🤩
Hi @Laudidor, Susan is a huge proponent of taking notes while watching the podcast episodes! Well done for being proactive for your pup and thank you for the kind words. (Sarah - DogsThat)
Susan I would love if you would put together a puppy course. There is so much knowledge we could all benefit from
Thanks for the suggestion, Milena!
Funnily enough, I was pondering this thought just the other day. Mostly along the lines of "If you're not with them, you're not training them. And if you're not training them, and you didn't manage their environment, then they're training themselves - probably to do something you'd rather they didn't."
Also, now I feel oddly blessed that our front and back gardens were totally puppy-insecure when I brought my boy home - for a number of months I *had* to take him out on lead otherwise my little explorer would have been off into the road! Our only grassed area is the front lawn, it's secure now, but there was no question of "chuck pupper out, leave him to do his thing" when he was tiny. (In fact, we only got the back garden properly fenced a couple of months ago.)
I'm fairly new to the community and have learned so much already one question I do have is if you have already given too much freedom how can you scale it back ?
Such a good question!!! I would love to know the answer too 🙏😊
We adopted a now year old rescue that’s had almost zero training. She’s been with us 2.5 months. She’s a 53 pound lab/pit mix (as far as we know, she was a stray in September).
She’s generally great with her crate and is potty trained. BUT since she had freedom in our yard, her recall out there is horrible and she’s started to jump, bite, and pull on us. She gets really hyper outside in the yard and on walks etc. Trying to get her to listen, or to stop, has become almost impossible when she’s wound up. SO I’m thinking I’ll go out there with her on a leash and work on behavior when she is on potty break.
It’s hard because it’s been cold and she has been indoor a lot. I was hoping her zoomies would help her stretch her legs.
Also, we do have a baby gate to the back of the house to give our cats space. But she’s too big for an exercise pen. I do put a leash on her sometimes if I need to. I hope that’s not a mistake.
Is she too old for scheduled alone time / naps? I have trouble figuring how much sleep she needs.
This was really helpful. I had been feeling guilty about not letting my new 8 week old puppy loose in the house so I feel much better now. The only toilet accidents we have had are when she has been loose for zoomies and I was too slow to spot the signs. She’s not good at alone time yet but I’ve only had her a few days
same for me
as a sitter i have had o calm some owners who thought they were mean to their dog for locking them in a crate. i explain how not every dog may like the crate but how it may be needed for things such as destructive behavior, potty issues, recovery, travel, vet stays, and even boarding with a sitter or daycare. i also tell them that at home a crate is more like a play pen then a jail. i sometimes call them a necessary evil. i felt bad at first for using one but my dog has never had accidents due to poor training and too much freedom. ive sat many dogs who were given too much freedom and it showed. they would be poorly behaved around food, constantly pull on walks, demand attention all the time, had poor potty habits, and would counter surf if given the chance. when i would put up a gate they would jump over it like show horses. one thing that comes with training dogs when it comes boundaries is to not give them a lot of freedom and to not allow them to even think a boundary can be crossed.
Hi Angelina, here's a great resource for anyone doubting crate training is good for dogs: th-cam.com/video/IokYnQOAWVg/w-d-xo.html
Plus they love it if they're taught though Susan's Crate Games! 🐾
Okay! Thank you this makes me feel so much better!! When I gotta leave them in their because I can’t watch them
Thank You for bringing more clarity to this topic! At least with our family, you have made the “dream doggy” idea into the reality that WE play a role in creating this dog, just as much as we are responsible for our kids. We were so shortsighted thinking we were being “mean” to our new family member, but your explanation really seals the deal about how boundaries, just like rules and guidelines for our kids, are LOVING! We will stop blaming the dog and become an active pawrent with our next puppy!
I agree so much! You keep hearing complains about puppies having destroyed phone chargers!
This is very useful! My pup mastered pottying almost immediately (thanks to the breeder starting the process), so I think I got a little too excited about that and have given her too much freedom. I'll be implementing these things. Thank you!
This timing was brilliant, 2 more sleeps until I pick up my new puppy 💖💖💖
Thanks for this video. I wish I seen this earlier. My dog is already 1 year old, and I have made sooo much mistakes. Very hard to modify some of his bad behaviours now....
Never too late! I’d strongly recommend you look into our Recallers program it is brilliant for modifying the behaviour of even the most run-a-muck rescue dogs. You will be surprised how far you will go with just some focused intentional training.
Blessings
Thanks ahain
Dear Susan, thank you for again an extremely helpful, concrete guideline to healthy dog training :-) One question I have: when you clarify the 'puppy daily routine' you talk of leaving home at 8:30 and then having someone coming in at lunch time, do I understand correctly? Would you say that a 9-10 week old puppy can be alone in a create 4 hours?!? I ask because here (Switzerland) we are usually told that - if well trained - a puppy of maybe 5-6 months could be alone 4 hours, but surely not before then... and this is a question that many working owners have (how many hours can I leave him alone). Thank you!
Yes, my experience has been that a puppy of 10 weeks of age can easily be alone even over night for 7-8 hours in a crate without an issue. So having one in a crate for 4 hours followed by a nice mid day lunch then exercise session would be no problem at all.
I think most people forget that any dog you first bring home, especially puppies, are very young children. You wouldnt give your 2yr old run of the house so why would you give the new dog?
Love these videos thank you!! Any suggestions for when pupsy is in x-pen - say in the kitchen and morning like you said, making coffee/food etc and the puppy whines and jumps on the pen? Should i start turning my back to that until they sit or stop whining then reward it?
Thank you for these amazing videos. As far as I understood, you recommend that the puppy is in the crate when home alone. Our dog will be alone for 7 hours (In the first months someone will come after approx. 4 hours). Do you recommend that the dog is in its crate for that many hours? I am thinking that it may get uncomfortable not to be able to move as it will be possible in an x pen.
I taught one of my dogs to pee and poop at home, in the designated place, AND THEN we went on a walk. So the walk was a REWARD for doing his “business” and I never had to take poop bags.
I have 2 Aussie/border collie mix puppies. Should i train them separately or together?
Hi Gayle! It's best to train them separately while you work on them being able to wait turns, here's an episode with help: th-cam.com/video/u4L-ra0fwc8/w-d-xo.html
I made all of those with my puppy. I now have a 5 month old puppy with separation anxiety 😢
No worries @TheTetheredButterfly80, the important thing is that you are looking for ways to help your pup. Great news - Susan has you covered with this podcast about the FRIDA protocol for separation anxiety: th-cam.com/video/nr-qRKBCPUE/w-d-xo.html and we have no doubts you have the capabilities to solve this. 💚 (Sarah - DogsThat)
What about puppies who cry and scratch when they're in the crate and playpen?
Following for this- my puppy cries, tries to dig under, and bites or paws the ex pen or crate. He stops eventually but this time it takes for him to stop hasn’t decreased even though he gets no reinforcement for the unwanted behavior (I ignore him completely until he stops and is quiet for a bit). We are playing crate games, but the value isn’t there yet for any duration during the day.
Hi @Marianne and @@rachelbaumgartner3720 here are resources to help.
Puppy Home Alone: Are You Creating Chaos or Calm? - th-cam.com/video/FTi3dQ_Y2A8/w-d-xo.html+
When Reinforcement Based Dog Training Doesn't Work (covers what to do about crying or scratching in a crate) - th-cam.com/video/9ImjWUCc7zI/w-d-xo.html
Is Your Dog Hyper At Home? How To Teach Relaxation - th-cam.com/video/t1fVPaWlc3w/w-d-xo.html
I've had him for two weeks, he waits until we are about to go out the door to pee on the floor 🤦♀️ I live in a rather small space so big pet pins are not an option. I have a small pin but he screams if he's in it during the day. He sleeps in it at night and is mostly okay with it.
Very informative and useful video 🙏
Please tell me the breed or mix of the puppy with short, golden, smooth fur with long legs, white spots and a lonng snout? 🙏
Color like the boxer.
Shape like a mini Rhodesian ridgeback - without the ridge.
Hi Dorte, would you have a time marker? It might be Susan's new puppy, the lovely Belief. Here's a note from Susan about Belief:
"Belief is a “Sport Mix” which is a purposely bred mix-breed puppy bred for dog sports. Her mother is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and her dad is a Border Collie x Papillion Sport Mix"
@@DogsThat Wow! thank you so much for the answer 🙏 I don’t know what a time marker is?
Hi Dorte, it's the time where the video is when something appears. As the video plays, the little line at the base of the video that shows how much you've watched, and you can see time markers. It sounds like the puppy you were wondering about is Belief. Susan has a couple of other recent videos showing Belief's training that are super.
Thank you for a great podcast episode. I’m considering to adopt a 15 month old puppy. Could the tips in this episode also be used to manage older puppies, or would they be less effective since the dog might have rehearsed bad behaviours for quite a few months already?
YES! Absolutely, they would apply to any aged rescue dog for sure.
Yesterday, 23 October 2022, I brought a rescue dog home who was found in the midst of traffic about 3 months ago. He’s about 1-2 years old, intact, and a Dalmatian. It appears he’s never had any training and he urinates on all the dogs, walls, furniture, ME. So he is on the Dogs That puppy house training program and currently in his crate. I just purchased an additional X pen for our HSTD training.
If I don’t put him on a leash and take him in and out of the house I cannot keep him from peeing on something. Is this going to be okay for the whole “peeing while on leash” idea?
Hi The1eviltemptress, using a leash while taking your puppy outside to relieve themselves is a great idea. Starting your puppy off early with going pee while they're on a leash will help to prevent any avoidances in the future of them going to the bathroom on leash. So you are off to a great start!
The other one i like is.. im gonna get a puppy and spoil it rotten!
That one makes me cry. I try to explain to people that poor leadership and spoiling ur pup are a mix for disaster.
But then im the bad guy until they call and need help.
What do you do about a crazy puppy who throws themself at the xPen??? My dog was crazy as a puppy and is still kinda crazy at a year and a half old, I tried to follow your puppy process including the xPen but when I put him in the xPen he would demand bark and try to knock the pen over, or try to jump out by climbing on his crate. I didn't know what to do about his behavior so I decided the xPen was too dangerous for him... I wish I knew how to get him less "crazy"!! He's not out of a good breeder
Mental stimulation is always a good idea. More training that exhausts the brain. And of course balanced with some physical exercise.
My puppy is 15 weeks is it too late?
It's never too late, you can do this!
The neighbour's puppy got into the medicine cabinet somehow, and ended up in emergency. I did sent them Susan's podcast link, but I can't make them follow it. Puppy is fine.
My question might have an obvious answer, but as you go through this routine- the puppy gets used to alone time and crate time? I’m trying to follow along but my puppy gets pretty upset when it’s alone time. This is normal though for a while right? It’s not me doing it all wrong? 🫣
Hi, you can start working on your puppy's relaxation protocol: th-cam.com/video/FRmLd4k5qGk/w-d-xo.html
And here's a great protocol to prevent (or fix) separation anxiety: th-cam.com/video/nr-qRKBCPUE/w-d-xo.html
Happy training!