Tomorrow I go to collect an 8 week old 'Staffy' pup (bitch)
I had had dogs in the past but not a puppy. Any advice would be welcome.
My concerns are, to cage or not, feeding, and when to start training, also house-breaking do's and donts.
Thank you in anticipation, everyone

Rachel

there is already loads of advice on these topics.
just do a search for the topics

but briefly

start training straight away! dont expect too much but sit and down are good starters

housebreaking - put puppy outside every half and hour, after any food or drink and when it wakes up
praise heavily if goes outside
stern No and take outside if caught weeing in the house
dont tell them off if you find it later, he wont understand what he's being told off about

food - wont comment because know nothing about the breed

cage - personal choice
I used one when my pup was small and she didn't mind it
stopped using it when she got bigger though

DOH!!!!! Rachel..you got there first!
:D
I took too long typing :)

I was that bored I was practically sat there waiting for someone to post something I could answer :D

Heh heh....thats what I was doing :D
Sad isnt it :D

at least we know we're giving the right advice, the posts almost match

either that or we're both wrong :D

Heh heh, yes, thats true....lets hope we are right :)
We have probably written the same reply so many times :D

Hiya
Firstly, good luck with the new pup, I hope he brings you lots of joy.
With regards to caging...its really up to you. You will probably get lots of mixed views, some people are for, some are against...there is no right or wrong on this matter really.
Training should start as soon as you get him. When you go into the garden, clip a lead on and practise walking up and down (seriously, if you get him used to a lead now, you will have no trouble later on...but if you leave it, he will get to the age where he thinks walking to lead is a game)
Keep the feeding as the breeder had it. Continue on the diet that the dog is used to , DONT change it suddenly.
House training...hopefully your breeder will have started that, luckily when we got millie at 9 weeks, she was pretty much house trained, but start as soon as you get him home and reinforce it. A stern.."no" if he wets indoors and a lot of praise when he goes outside. You will probably still have to help him, even if he is house trained, it is a new house after all...all new smells. After eating, get him used to going ou...also before bed and firt thing in the morning..be patient. If you see him circling..straight outside..chances are he is getting ready to "go".
Good luck and with a lot of patience, you will have a lovely obedient pup.
p.s, get him booked in with puppy training and socialising, when he has had all his jabs, he can go out and socialising is highly recommended.
steph
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