We are getting a puppy...any advice?

Question

My neighbor's beagle had puppies, and after much begging from my husband and 2 sons, I told them we can get one. My husband has always had dogs growing up but this will be my first. I will be the one home during the day with the puppy so training him will pretty much be my responsibility. I have been researching crate training and potty training, and I think I know what to expect...but anyone have any of that "what they dont tell you in the books" advice?? ALSO...we have a 6 year old cat, so what can I expect there? Will she hate us for getting the puppy?

oh ps i have been doing alot of research so im not really looking for huge lists and website links...just some real advice from experienced dog owners!! :)

to the first answerer..yes i do realize that they are hunting dogs..he will be outside once he gets bigger but right now theres 2 feet of snow on the ground lol

no he wont be banished! i meant when we arent home, like instead of the crate!!

to sophy...no need to swear! sorry this is all new to me. my neighbor (the owner of the mama beagle) told me they are outside dogs so they need to be out alot during the day. maybe i shouldnt leave him tied out in the backyard when we are out doing errands? i have neer had a dog so i am still learning. my husband knows all about taking care of dogs so i will learn alot from him, but til then i figured i would come on here and learn some for myself. ive been here on YA for about a year so I guess I should have expected some answers like yours...

THANX to everyone else for all the great advice so far! I realize this will be alot of work. But I am up for it! :)

Answer 1

You are literally going to have to watch their every move for the first few months...so be prepared for that! At first you have to because you want to be able to tell when they need to go potty...then once they are potty trained you have to keep a close eye on them to make sure they aren't chewing anything up! Have LOTS of toys around to rotate out so he doesn't get bored and start chewing on your sofa. Beagles have TONS of energy so make sure you walk it everyday and start with leash training right away. Also, make sure you start socializing it at a very young age. With both other people and other dogs.

Answer 2

Since you've read up on the basics. So I'll just toss in some extras which I wish I had been told before I got my first dog:

I would suggest that if you haven't done so already, then now is the time to read up on socialization and the different puppy stages from the dog comes into your home at 8 weeks old till it is about 2 years old. This will explain much of the dog's behaviour to you and save you from a lot of frustration once you find yourself with a teen-dog on your hands.

What else to expect...hmm...probably much more work than you have imagined. I've been through it before and yet the amount of work there is with a young animal hits me with a sledgehammer every time. It's all worth it, though. Remember to remain calm. :)

As for the cat. You're getting a hunting dog, so you need to make absolutely sure that the pup is nice around the cat, no chasing (Ever. Don't even let the pup get a chance to chase her) and no harassing the cat. It's also a good idea to teach him an "off" command.

Finally puppy training classes are a really good idea, but at the same time make sure you find a good trainer. New dog owners are often insecure and afraid protest if the trainer does something wrong, so be confident and look out for your puppy.

Best of luck with her.

Answer 3

My best advice is to be almost overly consistent with everyone chipping in in the house for the puppy to understand boundaries in the beginning. It will help all the way around if you all sit down and talk about what he can and cant do in the house and how to discipline, when to give treats, feeding schedules, stuff like that. You might have a plan down pat but if the kids and husband are as excited as they seem, they could come home from school/work and undermine you in a split second. They wont mean to but having a family meeting should minimize the confusion.
Also, just as a general money saving tip - starting grooming now. This includes brushing teeth, cleaning ears, clipping nails, bathing ( not too much just every couple of months or if they truly soil themselves), paw wax if you live in cold snowy weather, etc. You should get the puppy used to you touching them ALL over so that you never need to send them to the groomers. It is possible. I have an English Mastiff and he only gets groomed by me so we save money this way
Lastly, research foods now so that he gets a good start. dogfoodanalysis.com is a great site that will help you find the right food. As a general rule, buying foods from a grocery store will never get you a quality food. There are a few now sold at Petsmart but most are sold online. I use Timberwolf and they are fantastic and my dog is thriving. I started with what the vet recommended and it was really bad when I finally researched what I was feeding him. I felt guilty and he had to switch a couple of times before we got it right. You can avoid all of that if you start right from the start with the nutrition and your puppy will be happy and healthy for your reward.
Hope this helps....
edited to add: oh I forgot. I had two cats a long time ago. My opinion is they had a firm love hate relationship with me the whole time. So expect the cat to hate you a little when the pup comes into the situation but the reality is, she already hated you a little before but for different reasons so dont worry - she will love you and hate you just the same as she did before the puppy. Gotta love cats for their duality, right?

Answer 4

Make sure the pup is 8 weeks old before it leaves mom. Two biggest things I would recommend for both house training and socialization:

1) leave the pup in the crate or tethered to you by a leash at ALL times. This prevents soooo many accidents. The first two weeks are important to get good habits going. At first, take pup out every hour on the hour. Reward with BIG praise and a really good treat (little piece of cheese or hot dog, etc). Basically, puppies can hold it about one hour for every month old they are, plus or minus an hour or so. So yes, that means every 2-3 hours during day time hours. Take away water by about 9 PM or so if you don't want pup getting up during the night a bunch.

2) Have the pup meet 100 nice people of all ethnicities (and some in wheelchairs and that sort of thing) and 100 nice dogs before it gets to be 4 months old. This will ensure a more bombproof socialized dog, which everyone wants. Try to visit one new place every day if at all possible: Lowe's, outdoor at Sonic, most hardware stores, pet stores, feed stores, etc will all allow dogs, just ask.

Here's a really big thing that most dog books don't go into, but I feel as a future holistic vet is HUGE. Getting the pup on a high quality food will mean a healthier dog and less vet visits down the road (i.e.-longer life and less expensive and smaller poop!). Good commercial feeds include Chicken Soup, Canidae, Innova EVO, California Natural, A Taste of the Wild, Wellness CORE, Merrick. Purina, Pedigree, Science Diet, IAMS, and other grocery store brands are not appropriate as they have too many grains in them.

Answer 5

My best friend has 3 Beagles. They are GREAT dogs. They are wonderful with children. I don't know how he will react to the cat. If they grow up together I'm sure that they will manage getting along. Just be sure to give your cat just as much attention as he always had. I would suggest crate training, but I will warn you NOT to ever leave the dog out of the crate when you leave. I tried this once with my dog and she ate everything she could get to. Most crate trained dogs, in my opinion, aren't sure what to expect when they are alwyas in a crate at night and when the owner is gone that if they get out they are definately going to explore and possibly destroy. Beagles are hunting dogs yes, but they don't have to be. They can be pets too.

Answer 6

The first 3 weeks are the hardest. A lot of people will get a dog and expect things to just fall into place. You and you're dog will have to adapt to the change, so expect a challenge, but don't give up, it's worth it in the end. Also much sure your new puppy gets lots and lots of exercise, it's easier to train a dog that isn't so full of energy and they'll aren't as likely to be destructive.

Answer 7

Common sense if your best defense. Dog common sense. You and your other humans need to be pack leaders. Walks are the best way to establish that role. When walking, keep puppy beside and behind you. Out front determines the leader.

They are infants and need lots of watching. Their bladders are small and you can't expect them to hold it for very long so lots of potty trips to the back yard. If you mount a bell low to the ground by the door and ring it every time you go out there is a good chance he will learn to do that for you later

DO NOT PUNISH OR SCOLD for bad behavior. The dog simply does not know what you are doing. Ignore bad behavior and reward good behavior.

Good luck to you and the best trainer I know is Cesar Millan
http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/

Answer 8

I have a beagle mix and I absolutely adore her! They do always have their noses on the ground and are very sensetive to smells. She loves going on walks and playing tug-o-war but mainly just smelling around. They are good tempered and have a very cute beagle bark/howl. Good Luck I am sure if you work with it on training and maybe some obedience classes it will make a great family pet.

Answer 9

well with a puppy the best way to train them to use the bathroom outside is to when they start to go you spank them and say no and set them outside and if it seems mean its not because it works. As soon as you get him or her start to get it to know everyone and the rules of the house. With the cat just be careful of making sure the cat gets along with the dog. Be sure to tell your husband and kids to not forget the cat but to pay attention to the cat just as much as the dog. Do not pick favorites though. If you let the cat know that you like the dog more the cat will do what ever it can to try to make you pay more attention to it and try to hurt the dog. but they will be fine if you treat them equally.

Answer 10

Make sure you have a fenced in yard, Beagles tend to follow their noses and get lost. They can also bark a lot if they aren't trained well, but if you teach him from the start to not bark, he won't.

And to sophylakes, all dogs should live inside. Beagles are just as good as any other dog.

EDIT: Well to respond to the asker, I say the same thing. Dogs are pets. They are to be in the house with the family, not thrown in the yard and forgotten.