Hello there

It is 15 years since my last puppy and so excited to be welcoming one in the next couple of weeks.

Toilet training, I will be taking him outside into the garden every hour and after he s eaten/been drinking etc but would you put newspaper down nr the back door also? Its so long ago I cant remember.
What are these puppy pads like ive seen now in the shops?

Also I was planning on crating him downstairs at night time but a new puppy book ive bought says take the puppy to bed the first few nights or put the crate in your bedroom, but surely then the pup will expect to be in there every night?

Any advice would be helpful

It was about 15 years from the last puppy when I got my current dog, so like you had forgotten things and also everything seems to have moved on and there are new ways. You might find a book called ‘The Perfect Puppy’ by Gwen Bailey helpful. I downloaded this onto my iPad and read through, then went back to the beginning where it starts when you bring your puppy home. It was a very useful book to remind me of things I had forgotten and to bone up on all these new ideas. I now have a lovely well balanced dog so perhaps it helped

I didn’t bother with paper or puppy pads at all, just regularly took her out and gave her lots of praise when she toileted outside and ignored and cleaned up any mishaps indoors, after all it was my fault in not keeping an eye on her and continuing to take her out regularly.

I used a crate for the first time, really a smaller version of what I used to do which was put the puppy in the utility room for the night. Crates however can be made cosy and den like which help the puppy to feel safe and secure although you will need to crate train the puppy rather then just plonking them in there and hoping for the best. I used to toss treats in there for her to find, fed her in there and made the whole thing fun and desirable. The first night she did cry, but not for long and then again when she needed to go out. The second night she slept through. I feel I got lucky to be honest. The advice of having a crate in the bedroom initially can work very well for puppies that don’t settle or get very upset at being left or a high sided cardboard box. It won’t be forever, once the puppy settles quickly beside you then the next night gradually move the box further away so that eventually the puppy happily settles on the landing, then move downstairs again. All this will take a period of weeks. Alternatively if possible sleep downstairs with the puppy for the first few days until he is relaxed about being left.

Hope this is helpful

For starters, NO PEE PADS unless you want, eventually, to have to 'untrain' him.   Puppies should be discouraged from emptying anywhere other than outside in a contained area.  My puppy buyers however, always like that I had our puppies on newspaper up one end of the whelping box as they told me laying newspaper down by the door to the outside, was of help.   I'm not too sure about doing that BUT if you have a puppy in the Winter and bad weather, it might help!!

Crate - yes.   It helps to have a pup who can be crated, for use in the car and for when you have to do other things and can't supervise 24/7 (who can!).   I'd set it up, top and sides covered, in the living area by day, leaving the door open unless you have to leave the room/go out for short periods.   And I have mine in my bedroom, alongside the bed to begin with at least.  Mine still sleep in their crates, but not alongside my bed now.  You may be able to crate your puppy downstairs, but if he's going to be distressed, why do that.   His crate should be the one place he regards as safe and where you know he can be left when not supervised, without getting into danger or mischief.

As I remember, bearing in mind our puppies were those we kept from our occasional litter, and were in a puppy pen/or outside in good weather, with our two buy ins after we came to the end of our bloodline, I'd take them out roughly every hour, perhaps more if sleeping, after short periods of playing, IMMEDIATELY on waking from a nap, after each meal (depending on when they last emptied) and so on and I kept a thick towel to hand to soak up mistakes because there will be some, inevitably.

Good luck - new puppies can be fun but can be horribly time-consuming and at times, frustrating.

I wouldn't use pee pads or newspaper as you are effectively saying its ok to go inside. Outside every time and make sure the pup goes and isn't just playing. Make sure high praise when he goes in the right place.
I always say if there is an accident then get a newspaper, roll it up and smack the back of your own hands because really it is our fault for not being on the ball.
Some pups take to crates straight away even in another room, others not so, i would see how you go. If it means sleeping on the sofa for a few nights then so be it. Im not one for having a crate upstairs but some start that way and slowly move the crate downstairs. Sometimes its trial and error in what works as each pup is different. Have an idea what you want to do and see what happens. Adjust depending on how he is

> Also I was planning on crating him downstairs at night time but a new puppy book ive bought says take the puppy to bed the first few nights or put the crate in your bedroom, but surely then the pup will expect to be in there every night?

Definitely have pup next to the bed.  He will be leaving everything that gives him comfort.  The people who feed him, his mum, his siblings.  I get so annoyed when people say *I left him in the kitchen, but he wouldn't stop crying."  They shouldn't have bought a dog in my book.

Thank you Jodi that is helpful and I will get that book x

Thanks everyone, very useful info, ive got a big crate for downstairs and a puppy pen for in the bedroom