New puppy..need some advice!!

ORIGINAL: my3sonsohio
  Someone at puppy class said that Fooey works much better...

we have tried fooey and it works with one of our dogs but not the other. just like bitter apple, some dogs like it.

Hi there and welcome!  You are getting great advice on the nipping and housebreaking - just stick with your little puppy, you will get there!  About the car, we have not had this problem, but I have read that it is like any other fear, so you shouldn't coddle or try to reassure your dog when you go in the car and he cries.  Your puppy will just think you are rewarding his fear and that his crying is a good and desired behavior.  DO reward and praise any calm behavior associated with going on or being in the car.  Maybe someone else will know more about this issue in particular, but that is what I have read on the subject, and it has worked for us with the things our dog has shown fear or upset towards...

I disagree with the age thing, but everyone has their own ideas.  We have a Old English Mastiff who is 6 months old now, we got her when she was 5 weeks old.  I had her housebroke by 7 weeks old.  Luckily I'm a stay at home mom, so every 30 minutes I would ask her, do you have to go potty, of course she doesn't know, but I would take her outside, after a couple of days asking her this questions, she figures out that she gets to go outside, so she runs for the door.  We locked her in the kitchen with baby gates, and we had a few accident but not many, I always take away any food or water at bedtime and immediately take her out in the morning.  If you are totally commited to this routine, your puppy will learn it in no time at all.  She's still baby and if you don't catch her in the act, she won't understand why you are scolding her.  Just be consistant and she'll be great.  Hope this helps

Just to be clear, it isn't my IDEA that pups should stay with their litter longer.  In many place it is the LAW that they may not leave the litter until 8 weeks of age.  Most vets, trainers, behavioralists and GOOD and responsible breeders will tell you that HUGE leaps in development take place between 6-10 weeks and being with the litter enhances those developments.

Glenmar, don't get all upset, I was simply stating I don't agree.  Most of us don't have to or we can.  It's all a matter of opinion.  Sorry if I hurt your feelings or upset you.  It wasn't my intention.

I'm not even slightly upset.  However, I do feel that it is important to post accurate FACTS when posting to an internet board such as this.
 
FACT...removing a pup from the litter at anything less than 8 weeks of age is not only against the law in most places, it is detrimental to the pups development.
 
OPINION...and when I post my OPINION I clearly say it is my opinion and it is always based on many years of experience.....it is better for pups to remain with their litter until 10-12 weeks of age.

The law here in PA is 8 weeks.
I refer to let my pups go later then 8 weeks to better evalute them myself.
 
 

No LATER than Jaime?  It would seem to me that they'd be easier to evaluate as they get a bit older?  Did you mis-state or did I misread? 

I think she ment even later than 8 weeks.
 
I also want to add taking a pup as early as 5 weeks would cause you to have to feed it special food or milk in some cases which makes is blatenly obvious that it is too early.

I can't begin to thank you all enough! I am overwelmned at the responses I am getting. I am taking it day by day, he hasn't had an accident in the carpet in a few days now, but he has once or twice in the kitchen... he's defenetly getting there! I am a bit concerned however in regards to his nipping and specially his pant leg obsession. Yesterday, he was trying to jump on me and I repeatedly told him "down", he then got upset and launched at my face, ofcourse I was too far for him to get me (I was sitting on the couch, he was on the floor) and on his way down he scratched my hand so bad it bled. I find him getting a bit agressive, specially when he gets excited. Lady at the petstore told me this wasn't normal and that he was misbehaving, she made me feel really bad about his behaviour. Question is, am I doing something wrong? I take him outside and we have a big run plus we play and we do sit and come commands and i thought we were doing so good. Is this normal behaviour? has anyone gone through or going through this right now? If so is there any advice you can give? BTW, I tried getting the bitter apple and wasn't able to, the pet stores in my area do not carry it. I will try the vicks next. Will this work on the pant legs too? Please help!!

ORIGINAL: momo_keehlo
now if I could only get him to like the car rides (he cries the entire car ride!)

When I first got my puppy, Louise, I talked the whole time we were in the car and played the radio quietly.   I wasn't talking to her in a coddling, "it's okay, mommy's here" way, just in a normal tone of voice, as if I was talking to a person.   I think I told her my whole life story   She whined most of the time the first and second time but got better so quickly.   She mostly goes in the car when both my husband and I are in it, so she hears us talk now, but I don't have to talk while I'm alone with her anymore.   The radio seems to comfort her.    The biggest thing is that we took her for rides often and we took her for rides to fun places like parks and my in-laws' house so she associates car rides with good things.   Sometimes I leave her little treats in her car crate.  Now she's happy to jump in the car, sleeps the whole time and even leads me to my car sometimes when we're out for walks, as if she wants to go for a ride (we live in the city and park our car on the street a block from our apartment, so going to find it is deliberate).

I found that Louise was especially nippy in these circumstances: when she had to go out to poop, when she was overtired (hyper) and when she wanted me to play with her.   In addition to teaching her not to nip (using the ouch!, redirect, praise method and, for more serious nipping, ouch! and remove myself from the situation), I had to deal with or avoid the situations that made her nip in the first place.   She now has a very regular poop schedule and knows to go to the front door if she wants to go out at an unexpected time.   She takes regular naps and we have some 'let's calm down' time during play.   And I initiate playing much more often (I found that she was dependent on me for play a lot during the first weeks and was constantly trying to tell me she wanted interactive play by nipping at my heels or pants, but as she became more independent and comfortable the pant-biting dropped by 95%).  Remember that he's just a puppy and this is what puppies do.   Nothing sounds out of the ordinary at all.  I'm actually going to take a guess and say that he didn't lunge at your face because he was angry (if that's what you meant by upset), but because he was trying even harder to get your attention.   It just takes time for you to get to know each other and learn what you're trying to say to each other - a lot of the time nipping is a message or request.  Do you do bite inhibition exercises with him?  

One thing you might want to do is use another command to get him to stop jumping up on you, such as "off", since "down" will be used to actually get him to lie down eventually.   I'm sure you're planning on enrolling in a puppy class; they can be tremendously helpful - it's nice to know you're not alone and it's nice to hear other people's puppy stories and you should get individual advice and support for specific issues you have.

Good luck!   Your puppy is absolutely adorable.

The high activity level is common for the herding breeds, and so is the heel nipping.  The solution lies in the pup getting enough exercise, preferably with other puppies.  Get him in to puppy class as soon as your training facility will take him.
I would not spray bitter apple on your pant legs, especially if you plan to teach him to walk close to you on lead.  You don't want him to associate getting to you with something bad.  Instead, use the natural desire of pups to follow you to teach him early to find you and catch up.  Carry some tiny soft treats (cut them in eency weency pieces) and practice off leash in a safe fenced area, or in the house.  As he catches up to you, drop a piece of food just behind your leg on the floor.  Go one or two steps at a time, and wait for him to swallow the food before you walk on. When he gets the idea, and keeps catching you looking for the food to appear, you can add a cue - "let's go" or some other phrase.  Then, gradually, you will ask him to follow for more steps in a row.  Pretty soon, he understands "let's go" and will perk up and come with you any time you ask.  Then, you can start with the leash on (be sure not to tug him, just let him catch up).
A tired pup is less likely to nip - exercise, exercise, exercise is your best prevention.  Get a bucket of tennis balls, a soft frisbee, or a squeak toy he will chase...
Redirect him to appropriate chew objects or a special tug toy (use a treat to trade back for it at the end, so you "win" the game). 

thanks for the advice. I am relieved knowing that its completely normal behaviour, that he just needs to be trained on it... I thought it might be not enough action for him so I went out and got him this "Talking Ball" where I can record my voice and everytime it hits a certain spot it gets activated and he hears me!! it also allows to lace treats inside that come out as he plays... let me tell you guys... he goes nuts with it!!!!! as soon as he sees it he starts barking... as soon as I place it on the ground there is nobody else in the world..he sees only his ball.... this takes up a lot of energy!!![]

Enjoy this pic....one of my faves!!

Bitter green apple spray works wonders!!! Available from dog.com or pet store