I am getting my new pug puppy a week wednesday, i'm really excited!. I have ordered a small crate for him to sleep in and a puppy pen. Does anyone else use puppy pens? Are they a good idea to stop puppy being naughty?

How exciting.
I think puppy pens are good to use at times when you need to keep a pup confined. Cages (or crates is the preffered word I think) are very useful & should help get your baby housetrained & help him feel secure at bedtime. Has he got a name yet?

-i use cages-they work a treat-i picked up a new puppy nearly a fortnight ago, other than one pee, shes had no accidents in the house, or through the night. !! as soon as they wake up in the cage, put them out, most breeds will try and keep there beds clean -good luck,. --at least any accidents will be small ones :D

I hope my training goes as well as yours! I expect it to take a while though.
For names i have been thinking of a few and i think it might be Baxter!
Does anyone recommend the puppy training mats in pet shops or are the a waste of money?

ive not used them-i feel your teaching them its ok to go in the house---mine are straight out into the garden,-----shar-pei are famously easy to house train-so dont feel that your going wrong if the puglet takes longer .

I have used a pen for mine while I was out and he used paper very well and also at night, but when I was home and able to watch him straight outside he went.

Great,
I'm really looking forward to it but paranoid i'll do somethig wrong. I've tried to do loads of reasearch but until i get to know puppy and his mannarisms there's not much else i can do!

Each puppy is different. When I got Ruby (cocker) I was told by the breeder she would circle when she wanted to go the loo. Unfortunately Ruby circles in search of a scent (typical spaniel), follows that, plays a little, and then just goes down to the loo! Her half brother Wilf who I got 13 months later literally spins round when he wants to have a poo. So both couldn't be more different. I'd just relax if I were you—the books are guides as there's always one who does things differently.

Its always useful to invest in a good puppy class as socializing is very important. Also, make sure that even though you can't let your pup walk on the ground when you get them that you carry them around with you wherever possible until all their vaccinations are done. Its so important that they experience as much as possible in their early days. My 6-month-old cocker actually loves going to the vets as I've taken him there at every opportunity—to buy food, weigh him, worm him etc. This was especially important as recently he was diagnosed with a serious illness and had to go from South Wales to Cambridge University Vet School for investigation/treatment—he took it all in his stride charming all the vet nurses there, while I was back at home in South Wales worrying about him.

I can't wait to start socialising, i'll be so proud walking around with my little baby! I want to go to puppy classes too. I'll have to try and find one near me.
What sort of things do they do in puppy classes?

Hi Pug Mum, My pugs have all benn easy to house train, we start on papers in the play pen and then go straight to outside. Only problem has been Louis, who lost all his housetraining as soon as he mated his first bitch, and shows no sign of remembering it ever again :(, He cocks his leg absolutely any where 9even on visitors!). As my lot were all brought up with puppy pens, and used cages from traveling from being babes they like cages, expectto find toys and treats in them, and put themselves in them when they want a little peace and quiet.

Where abouts are you? There is a Pug Fun Day next week end in the North West, complete with games, a stall selling pug stuff, adn any pug can go, its not just a show thing. Unfortunately dont think I will be attending as I had 4 new arrivals last night, born almost a week early, so will be on pug puppy patrol for a couple of weeks!
bye
Gwen

I have a pen and cage so hopefully he will be similar.
I am in southampton so i doubt i'll be able to make it. Who organises fun days? Do they happen reguarly? I'd love to go in the future.
Good luck with new pups, i bet they are gorgeous!

Hi, well probably a bit far to travel up the M62 then! I havent been to one of the 'fun days' myself yet, as we are new to Pugs (not quite 3 years). The breed clubs all seem to organise something of the kind each year, ther are at least 2 or 3 Garden Parties each year, in various parts of the country. The Pug Dog club has a web page, and you can join up and get details of events. There are several regional Clubs too, as well as the Parent club. I like the idea they do these sort of things for ordinary Pugs, not just the show dogs, the reports on them in the Dog press make them sound like fun, hope to get to at least 1 next year.

And yes, the babes are gorgeous, very tiny, with angry little faces and strippy legs (I have no idea why Pugs are born with stripes!) Mum is still a bit confused, happy to lie and let them feed (on the sofa) but not feeling maternal. However Junior has taken over the cleaning, he is a very proficient puppy washer, and tops and tails them beautifully!
bye
Gwen

Hi Pug Mum, Congratulations on gettting your puppy, we've had our Dane puppy, Diesel, for almost 7 weeks, and he is so good. We use a crate at bedtime and when I have to go out, and he adores it, he often disappears to it during the day, to have a nap. Housetraining was a snap with him as well, we had one widdle in the house during the first week, and we've never had anything since :) He always asks to go out, but I made sure that I took him out every half hour or so and stayed with him until he did his business, and then made a big fuss of him :D
We started puppy classes a fortnight ago now, and they're a lot of fun, plus your puppy will get the opportunity to play with lots of other puppies, all different shapes and sizes, oh and he might learn something into the bargain......got to be good eh :D
Sharon
X

Pug days sound great fun. I'll keep a look out on the internet for anything closer.
Puppy classes are a good idea as I'd like my boy to be get on with other dogs. My friend has a bullmastiff and she will be my dog sitter when i need one so i hopefully they will get on with eachother.
One thing i'm a bit confused about is injections. Before they have had the second injection where can they go/what can they do? Some people say they can go out but not meet other dogs. Others say they can meet dogs who've had jabs. Others say they can go out but not touch the floor? What can they do before the second jab?

Hi, I take my babes out after first injection, but only to carry them certainly not to go on the ground or near any dogs you dont know. However, at friends who have vaccinated dogs (or no dogs) my kids get to go down. Good for socialiation to get out and about before 12 weeks. at 13 weeks (7 days after 2nd vaccination) my lot get to go out and about properly, once vaccination portection os fully developed. Hope this helps. Oh, and by the way, have you seen all the wonderfullly cut pug stuff you can buy? I just received apackage this morning with a "Pug Hugs" brooch in it bought on ebay! It gets compulsive - I am about to make curtains from a Pug Print fabric!
bye
Gwen

Would i be able to take him round my mates house then. She as a bullmastiff who is vaccinated and she will be my dog sitter when needed so we want to introduce them as soon as we can.
Wow i will keep a look out for pug stuff, i'll get addicted too!

i wouldn't personally see anything with going round your friends. aslong as it is only on her premisies that the pup is on the ground and she is ok wityh a young pup being in the house.

think of it this way.

you leave pup at home and go to your friends house, walk around her house, come home.

anything the pup would have caught is on you and you are now at home with the puppy.

So why not let him go and have fun, meet a new dog that will be his life time friend.

I say that you shoud take him basically.

As Ice Queen says, as you will visit friends house and they you anything existing would be carried by the humans anyway. It sounds like you will be quite safe visiting this house as the dog is covered by vaccinations. Socialisation is very important.
bye
Gwen