New puppy arriving this weekend

[BlueOrchid]

Hi

We have a Cavalier King Charles spaniel puppy (9 weeks) coming to live with us this weekend.

I am quite nervous as I have never had a dog before. My husband has - but I suspect I will be more on the front line day to day.

We have two kids (12 and 15) who are very excited.

So if anyone has any advice - please please get in touch. Also if anyone is selling anything dog related that they recommend please let me know too. I have a whole Amazon basket full of stuff (destined for next day delivery) - I just am trying to make sure I get the right version of each thing and it is mine field with so much conflicting advice.

For example - I read that the puppy should sleep in a crate next to our bed to begin with. That is fine. But I also read they should have a crate in the main living area and also that having two crates could be confusing and also moving a crate about could be confusing. How did you square this circle?

Anyway - would love to hear from people who have lived through this.

Thanks in advance.

[SpringTime]

I've had five dogs and never used a crate but know many owners who have. One crate should be more than enough. If you are using one I'd recommend leaving it far away from the bedroom(s). They're known for crying on the first night or first few nights. Just bear it, it should diminish. Exciting - good luck with your first doggy!

[Jules-and-Boo]

start training early.

training is ongoing and repetitive.

you all need to be consistent (i.e. all do and say the same things) or the dog will not get the message

eg not jumping - don't pay attention when they jump but make a fuss when they don't

walking - use word like heel

eg decide if the dog can sleep on your bed/ sofa from the outset - once they are on - that's it!

I'd get a book or watch training videos if you need tips.

enjoy your puppy! Happy days :-)

[Castleton]

There's a ton of dog/puppy training videos online. Enlist the kids to do the research and carry it out!

[HeadNun]

Ignore most advice and go with your gut.

I left my pup to cry overnight until he was in an utter state and it was the wrong decision. Best thing to do for the first two nights is sleep on the floor next to their crate to comfort them.

It was 18 months before I could happily leave him alone - did all the training and it didn't work. Might be different for you though.

You can try as hard as you like with the potty training but they have no bowel or bladder control when brand new, so be patient and expect accidents. Instinctively they want to go outside, they just haven't figured out how to hold on yet.

Some love crates, others hate them. Mine hated his for ages and now takes himself off there all the time. And yes, it is a cage. I invite him to sleep on my bed and he chooses the cage every time.

Every dog is different - a dog training expert told me my nervous dog was untrainable and offered me a refund. I knew this was rubbish. He's over two now and a happy little camper who understands most of what I'm saying (but chooses to do what he bloody-well wants).

[edcam]

Crates are a very good idea in most cases but it really isn't a good idea to have it in a bedroom. That's a road to separation anxiety. Best to have it in a kitchen or spare room. There are a lot of useful tips about crates online.