# What if You Think You've Made a Mistake?



## Jodie (Jan 18, 2012)

I had dogs for the first 32 years of my life. Since then, I've had only cats. I decided I wanted a dog again since I now only work part time and have more time.

I've had a puppy for a little over a week. I am overwhelmed. The more advice I read, the more depressed I get. It seems, from what I read, that in order to have a dog who won't pee all over my house, chew up everything I own, and not attack innocent strangers, I have to change my whole personality, which I have never been successful in doing. I have to be calm. Not the anxious person I am. I have to be dominant. Not the 'Let's all get along' person I am. I have to be consistent. 

Besides becoming a brand new person at age 62, I also have to learn how to be a dog "trainer." I have to learn hand signals and commands. I have to like repetition and have loads of patience.

I just wanted a companion. A nice dog I could take walks with. 

I guess you're all going to tell me to give him to someone, that only strong, determined people can own dogs and the losers should stick to cats.

I had no idea. I have no memory whatsoever of having to go through all this stuff with the dogs I owned as a kid and a young married woman. What the heck's happened? I just don't get it.


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## Pawzk9 (Jan 3, 2011)

You don't have to change who you are. You don't have to be dominant. All you have to do is supervise and manage the pup to keep him from making mistakes and teach him that the things you like are rewarding to him. I'd suggest you find a good positive reinforcement based trainer and take a puppy classes. With positive reinforcement (especially what is known as clicker training) your pup will learn faster and with much less repetition. And it is fun and rewarding for the human to see how smart their puppy really is. Puppies are challenging, and they are a lot of work. But if you are consistent and clear with him, he'll grow up to be that nice companion you are looking for.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

Perhaps a puppy was not the best idea. An older dog (I don't mean OLD old, maybe two or three years old) sounds like it would be a better fit for you. They generally require less work and inspire fewer "OMG WHAT IF I DO SOMETHING WRONG AND RUIN THIS DOG FOREVER" fears. 

Honestly, though, are you getting upset because of things the puppy's actually doing, or things you've read _could_ happen? If things are going well with the puppy, then don't worry yourself over worst-case scenarios. I know plenty of people who didn't actively do any dog training, but who have well-behaved dogs. Many people train without realizing they're training -- a lot of it is just consistency. If you shoo a puppy out of the kitchen every time you cook because you don't want him under your feet tripping you up, he'll learn to leave the kitchen when you start cooking. If you don't give a puppy a treat until he sits his butt on the ground, he'll learn to sit nicely when you have something he wants. No hand signals necessary; only use them if you want to use them.

That "dominance" stuff is all a load of crap, by the way. Your dog is not out to usurp you; you don't need to worry about keeping him in his place. I can provide lots of reading material about this if you're interested!

For now, I'd just say, don't worry. If whatever you've done for the past week is working, keep doing it! If you run into a specific issue with your pup, ask us here and we can help you out.


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## RonE (Feb 3, 2007)

Most people have thought, at some point, that they've made a mistake. I thought that the night we brought Molly home and my supposedly house-trained pup jumped up on the new sofa and took a large dump. That was right after Esther tried to warn me with, "Row wow row rooooooow!" which apparently means, "The puppy has to go outside RIGHT NOW! Oh, never mind. It's too late."

Everybody in my family thought we'd made a mistake when we brought Esther home. (Do a forum search for Dog Eats Sofa for details.) I was the only who thought there was any hope for that dog and she didn't even like me for the first six months.



> I guess you're all going to tell me to give him to someone, that only strong, determined people can own dogs and the losers should stick to cats.


Nobody here is going to tell you that.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

You have not made a mistake IMO ... I am only 5 years younger than you and am actually " disabled " ... I think what has happened is called the internet and all the world has the ability to communicate ... good and bad. I read and learn and that does not mean that I do everything I read or am given advice on. I may tweak things a little and still I have been able to survive with two new rescue pups over the last year. ... and I am old school trainer!  There are some really good new methods out there. It is all an individual thing and in the end it is still your choice as to how you train your dog or puppy. I enjoy some of the the new things and then there are some I will not use.  Just relax and keep an open mind ... and do what you feel is correct ... and if you have a problem ... there are many knowledgeable people on this forum willing to help! 

Pictures please of your new pup if you would like to share?


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## wvasko (Dec 15, 2007)

It's like riding a bicycle, the one big change is your own energy level from age 32 to 62. I have talked to many who have had dogs and when the dog they have dies the one thing I hear most say is they forgot what it was like to have/start a pup cause it's been 10 or so years since they've had their last pup. You are not alone. 

Much help here on DF and just use the same common sense that I assume got you this far in life. It's a pup not a tiger. At times it will drive you nuts but other times it's gonna be a lot of company for you. Besides that "the pup never promised you a rose garden".


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## KaywinnitLee (Jan 1, 2012)

My advice would be to give it time and expect big changes since a puppy is a huge responsibility and a lot of work! Maybe join up with a training class to help with any behavioral issues your pup may have...you will learn a lot, bond with your pup and socialize him  Potty training is TOUGH, especially with a pup because they often cannot hold it as long...but it can be a pain in the you know what even with an adult dog! I adopted my dog after her first birthday, and she went in the house for the first several months. I almost gave up, and then in a fit of frustration I scrubbed the carpet where she kept going with laundry detergent and hot water, ran the dehumidifier...and VOILA...she stopped going in the house because after that point, all of the "potty smells" were OUTSIDE! Dogs have a great sense of smell and if they smell a spot where they have marked, they will generally continue to go there. 

Hang in there...remember, the puppy stage does not last forever!


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## rkleine07 (Jan 18, 2012)

The first couple weeks of having a puppy can be very overwhelming. It's like being a new mom, and yes - there are many new worries. But you don't have to be the dog whisperer to raise a great dog. It is all about consistency and patience. Baby steps. Focus on a few specific things at first, like house training. Your dog is not going to learn to sit, stay, roll over, and play dead over night.  having a site like this to ask advice and discuss things is a good thing as well. I wish you the best, and hope you find all of the encouragement and reinforcement you need!


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## luv2byte (Oct 21, 2009)

Take a breath, sit down, love your puppy then call your vet & local doggy daycare for certified trainer that uses possitive reinforcement recommendations. You do not need to change anything, just need to learn. Think of it as lamaze classes . The classes will help you bond, teach you how to build on your Buddy's personality & shape it to be a great companion with as little stress as possible. Training classes did wonders for us, we now have two fantastic pets.


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## nbsandhills (Nov 24, 2011)

Ditto to what everyone else has said.

With that in mind, its important to have fun! and enjoy your dog!! Thats what we are all here for. I'm not too old to learn new things and I've learned a lot here. But like they say... take what you need and leave the rest.... Keep an open mind and ALWAYS share the puppy pictures!! 

After being a lurker on these and other boards for a very long time I have learned: there are many ways to remedy problem behavior. There are also a lot of dogs out there with some major human issues. The folks on this forum are always more than happy to help anyone for free! However, if you are doing something dumb, these same people are going to be totally honest and tell you, so be prepared for that as well.  I think most everyone here has the best interest of the dogs in mind.

I've had two excellent cow dogs that I've never actually "trained." I didn't have a clue what all this "positive reinforcement" stuff was all about until I came to these boards and started the great internet search. I have a job to do, and I can't do it as well without my dogs. My dogs don't know a lot of verbal commands but they do know "sit and stay." They will keep a cow from kicking my head off during calving, and they know to keep them back when we are going thru gates. They are great when we pair, sort and ship. My dogs always know where to be and what to do. I rarely have to give any voice corrections and both of them live just to hear "good boy."  Usually a nod or whistle does the trick. Neither one of them has ever had any treats or clicks and they work just fine. Neither one of them has ever been on a leash and they'd probably choke themselves if I put one on them. I've never had a problem with them coming when I call. If I tell them to "go hide" - I will find them back at the pickup otherwise they are glued to my hip 'cause they sure don't want to miss anything! lol. I don't think I "trained" them to do that. They do all of this because they want to and that is their jobs. 

A few months ago, I rescued a golden retriever puppy. I started out with him the way I've always worked my cowdogs and was really starting to think that for such a loving personality.... that poor boy, "just was a little on the slow side" - if you know what I mean. Which at the time I wasn't too concerned because I rescued him for a pet, not a working dog. I was getting frustrated that he couldn't seem to grasp even simple stuff like "sit." tho.... Anyway... I started to research dog training. I've bought tons of books on the topic and I think to sum it all up today: I'm not a "pack leader." My dogs and I are partners. My golden doesn't have the attention span to always watch my every move so therefore doesn't always know what to do - unlike my cowdogs. Once I started using some clicker training/positive reinforcement, WOW! he sure isn't as dumb as I thought he was! Now that I know how to get his attention and keep it, he's coming along great! Dogs are kind of like people. Everyone learns things in their own way. I just had to figure out a way to get my golden to learn and positive reinforcement/clicker training is working well. It's been a learning experience and I like this forum in particular because there is a lot of useful information here from real people.


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## abigail1989 (Nov 22, 2011)

The frustration I have felt owning my first puppy has brought me to tears on more than one occasion. I had no say in getting the dog, my partner just came home with it one day. It's been a few weeks, and although it is still hard the small triumphs and little headway we have made thus far has been incredibly rewarding, and the more we bond the more my patience and understanding grows. You'llake it threw, it will get easier, and the irate time your puppy cries to go outside and poop, or comes to it's name, or learns its first basic command, you're going to be ecstatic


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## Inga (Jun 16, 2007)

Oh dear, you are not alone. I have had a lot of puppies over the years and usually have multiple dogs at a time. Every puppy I get I think "What was I thinking?" That will pass as the pup grows up and starts finding it's place in your life. The great thing about dogs is that they are pretty adaptable. The puppy stage will take a bit of adjusting on your part but fear not, it is not a huge change and won't need to be forever. The older I get the more I think... Do I really want another dog? I guess each time I get one, I answer my own question. The first few months my answer is "no, I did NOT want this" followed by several wonderful years of "this is the best thing ever" Hang in there for the "best thing ever" it is on it's way.


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## Canaqua (Sep 27, 2011)

I can tell that you tend to be anxious...you are getting very stressed over what you've been reading on the Internet! 

Honestly, it's not as hard as people make it out to be, I suspect you'll be fine, you've had dogs before. Much as I love the Internet and the easy exchange of information, it most certainly does offer TOO MUCH information at times. No matter what anyone says there is no "perfect" way to raise a puppy and no one "right" way to do it. If you've successfully raised nice dogs before, you know how to do it. 

And, the other thing to remember about Internet message boards is that you tend to hear about worst case scenarios and problems...people for whom everything is going smoothly don't tend to seek support!

I take what I think makes sense and is helpful from what I read and, otherwise, keep doing what, from my experience, has worked well in the past, whether it's the latest "in" theory or not.

I do not believe you have to be "dominant" to raise a dog properly. Not at all. If you've been reading Cesar Milan et al, you might want to stop . 

I came back to horses, after 30 years away, like you've come back to dogs after many years. LOTS has changed and I felt overwhelmed at first. Then I realized that everything I already knew WASN'T all wrong, so I didn't have to ditch all my prioer experience. Yes, there are some new ways to do things that are improvements, but all the "old" stuff isn't necessarily bad and wrong!

A week isn't very long! How are you doing with the new puppy so far? What kind of dog? Puppies are a lot of work at the beginning, but it doesn't last all that long.


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## SetterHugger85 (Jan 18, 2012)

Your puppy does not come with a handbook. It can get frustrating and every puppy is different. But I promise you that with that patience and consistency a wonderful companion is in there. They look to you for guidance, to learn the "house rules". I too have had dogs my whole life and once I started living on my own found myself buying books and reading up on behaviors, because it is a whole new situation than just growing up with them! This forum, other forums, books, you name it, will help you with training....you will be surprised how some things will just click! My husband would at times speak sentences to our dog with the assumption he understood. To be honest it has made me a better person.


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## BIgbluefrog (Jan 17, 2012)

*Oh you're going to be a great dog owner...because you care enough to search for the answers. Parenting kids, we say the same thing, "Am I doing this right?" Why not for dogs, so we are deep in the middle of the puppy phase, chewing, peeing, and training...we are bound to make some errors along the way...hang in there. After a while it will become better. Do you own a crate? Sometimes during nap times I think wow this is tough, constant watching to make sure my couch is still intact or the carpeting. Yes, I have lots of suitable chew toys, yes- we play with our pup, Yes- we train her for a minimum of an hour a day. Then they get all cuddly and sleepy - awe how sweet. 

I am right where you are, and the reason I got the puppy are for the long term benefits, companion, and walking, and the unconditional love....that is a two way street...so when I threw out our favorite plant destroyed by Good golly Miss Molly...that is my unconditional love saying your worth it. 

Hang in there!!!*


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## a7dk (Mar 30, 2011)

I think everybody feels that way at some point. I got my dog when he was already a year old and potty-trained and still spent the first 2-3 months thinking "What the hell have I done?!?" 

Once you figure out training and start really bonding with the dog everything will change. At least, it did for me. With A LOT of help from people here at DF, of course. :clap2:

Good luck!


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## Averyismypei (May 24, 2010)

Oh I'm sorry you are overwhelmed. I am a very anxious person, I'm on prescribed anxiety medication. And I train dogs as a side job and train my own pets as well including my service dog. So anxiety can be channeled. If you feel overwhelmed with basic obedience, consider taking your puppy to training/socialization classes. Walking is great it'll help you bond, release some or the pup's energy as well as soothe your anxiety.


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## Jodie (Jan 18, 2012)

Thank you to EVERYBODY for all the encouraging words and words of advice. Maybe it's the way I read things or the way people (ex husband) talk to me about it, but I so got the impression that I had to be this dominant personality in order to have a happy, well behaved dog, and the puppy, who I've only had for a little over a week, is pretty wild, so I'm thinking I won't be able to do this.

Your posts make me feel so much better. I'm going to go back and reread them again in detail, and I'll also read around the forum. I love the little dog (Oliver) already. I was feeling super frustrated yesterday. 

You each should be happy to know that you've made a total stranger's day much brighter!

I'm going to find and post a picture as soon as I figure out how.


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## Inga (Jun 16, 2007)

Jodie said:


> Thank you to EVERYBODY for all the encouraging words and words of advice. Maybe it's the way I read things or the way people (ex husband) talk to me about it, but I so got the impression that I had to be this dominant personality in order to have a happy, well behaved dog, and the puppy, who I've only had for a little over a week, is pretty wild, so I'm thinking I won't be able to do this.
> 
> Your posts make me feel so much better. I'm going to go back and reread them again in detail, and I'll also read around the forum. I love the little dog (Oliver) already. I was feeling super frustrated yesterday.
> 
> ...


This link should help with the picture posting 
http://www.dogforums.com/dog-pictures-forum/13113-having-trouble-posting-photos.html

Also, LOVE the name Oliver. I have an Oliver also. 


I think the term "dominant" is so over used. When it comes to dogs, think a little like "how would I treat a child?" You need to be fair, friendly and consistent to get results. Instead of thinking in terms of "what do I NOT want this dog to do?" Think... "What DO I want this dog to do?" I have always found it easier to redirect then to punish a less desirable behavior. Example: Dog is jumping on me. I could shout "NO" and try to smack the dog. This will do one of 2 things, get the dog more excited and cause him to begin nipping as he jumps OR scare him/her and lessen your ability to be seen as a "boss" or "leader." Rather ask for a behavior that you want. I tend to use "sit" or "down" as they are generally easy to train and the dog can quickly be directed to these behaviors. 

There is a lot of knowledge on this board and very willing help right at your finger tips. I sure hope you will hang around for support, laughs and sharing fun stories.


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## CrazyDogLady (Dec 9, 2011)

I'm a little late to this party, but I'm really glad you found DF Jodie. There's a lot of compassion and knowledge here, that folks are extermemly willing to share!

For what it's worth, I brought home Mercy, my year old Akita/JRT mix, over Thanksgiving weekend and recall at least three separate times when I've thought "She's just too much for me! I can't do this." This is usually when she's chasing the cats at 3am or not mastering something basic as quickly as I think she should. All of these episodes have passed. Yours will, too.

Welcome!


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## Jodie (Jan 18, 2012)

OK. I uploaded a picture of Oliver to PhotoBucket and am going to try to add it here.










He was born on October 26 and he's a miniature poodle. (Not toy, miniature.) He's now 6 1/2 pounds but they say he'll be from 12 - 17.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Personally I think you'll get farther raising a puppy if you have an empathetic and/or compassionate personality than a dominant one. 



And I hope cats aren't for losers... I have 4.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

I had one cat that would have frustrated a lot of dog trainers.  That cat (all black, half Siamese) talked constantly, was always on the highest thing she could find, shredded everything, ate all my houseplants, and could open all my drawers and cupboards, as well as some of the doors. My dogs are both so easy compared to her!


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## Jodie (Jan 18, 2012)

Cats aren't really for losers. I have two and I've many over the years and I love them. That was my frustration talking. 

Thank you for the posting instructions. I had problems at first but I think it's because my original picture was too big.


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## Jodie (Jan 18, 2012)

Inga said:


> ...
> Also, LOVE the name Oliver. I have an Oliver also.
> ...




Yay! I'm not the only one with an Oliver.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

Jodie said:


> OK. I uploaded a picture of Oliver to PhotoBucket and am going to try to add it here.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I am already in love with him!  Toooooo cute!


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## CrazyDogLady (Dec 9, 2011)

OMG! He's precious!


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## Jodie (Jan 18, 2012)

Thank you! He looks sad in that picture. It was taken the day after I got him and he was still feeling overwhelmed. He's very spunky. He bounces when he walks. He doesn't appear to be afraid of anything, including a huge Mastif (sp?) puppy we ran into at PetsMart. I think he's very smart. Though I haven't been succesful yet at teaching him anything, I think that's me, not him. My friend was here on Sunday. She taught him to "sit" in just a few tries, to the point where he sits for me, no problem. I was flabbergasted.

To answer all those who said to take him to puppy training, I do have him signed up for a 6-week class at Petsmart, beginning in early February.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Jodie said:


> Cats aren't really for losers. I have two and I've many over the years and I love them. That was my frustration talking.


Oh, I know. I was just joking with you.


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## a7dk (Mar 30, 2011)

Oliver is adorable! Please keep us updated on his progress!


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## Canaqua (Sep 27, 2011)

Oh my gosh, he's totally adorable! He doesn't look sad to me, he has a kind face. I bet you'll do just fine...the fact that you care enough to research and ask questions already puts you ahead of the game compared to 90% of the dog owners out there. 

Many ex-husbands don't know what they are talking about, I have one too. There is a reason they are "ex" .


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## InkedMarie (Mar 11, 2009)

Hi Jodie, welcome to the forum! Oliver is adorable, congrats on your new dog! I think you need to relax and do what you think makes sense. No need to be dominant, no need to change who you are. You have a puppy so you might need to change some thing you do (such as coming home right after work and going outside in the rain because Oliver has to potty). We're here for you, please stick around!


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## Goldens&Labs4Me (Jan 18, 2012)

Step away from the computer, the articles and the how to sites for pups. Now breathe. It will be okay.  

Here is what I suggest: Get yourself a crate (if you don't already) and crate train your puppy. That will help with housetraining and keeping your pup safe when you are not home and out of trouble if you can't watch him.

Then take your dogs for walks--lots of walks--and outside time playing fetch and living the good puppy life. 

Feed your pup the best quality food you can afford and feed him enough to keep his weight healthy and satisfied. 

Give him fresh cold water at all times. 

Get a kong and stuff it for when he needs a good chew--or you need a few minutes of quiet time. 

Don't stress over chewed up shoes, peed on carpet and torn up trash. Learn from those instances and remember, it is not the end of the world and more shoes can be bought and carpet can be shampooed.  

Most of all...love your puppy. You are his favorite person in the world. You have friends/computer/work/family--and all he has is you (and whoever you have) and he just wants love/play and food. Enjoy him. And don't stress. It IS going to be okay and he will be that sweet lovable companion you want--he is just a baby though and has to learn.  

Good luck and I hope you're feeling better real soon.


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

Many of us have used soft and gentle methods to train our dogs. Feel free to ask questions as soon as you have an issue. Poodles are intelligent and want to learn the rules. In addition to the other advice from the Forum....
1. Expose him to 3 - 5 different friendly people every day or two or so, to get him to believe that all people are friendly and that the world is a good place.... By the time he has met 100 men, women, and children, he'll be laid back about meeting new people. You can hold 'puppy parties' or taking him with you on normal shopping. After 50 - 100 people, you can slow down.
2. After he has all of his shots, introduce him to lots of friendly dogs and other animals, for the same reason.
3. Your friend can help you teach him to Sit, lay Down, Come, Walk on a Leash, using gentle, positive training methods. If you want, you can teach anything without force or dominance. Two general methods are Lure/reward using treats or clicker training.... There are many books and videos to explain them


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## Thracian (Dec 24, 2008)

Oh, he's sooo cute! I'm glad you're doing puppy classes--that will help.

I have raised a toy poodle and I sure sympathize. I always loved him dearly but there were times when I didn't like him very much. Poodles are so smart and Clayton would get into everything. He is still a little troublemaker at times but is also so affectionate and loving.


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

Oliver! He's adorable! My best friend growing up was the family miniature poodle, they are great!

Speaking as an anxious person (like, diagnosed) just remember something: you're only training Oliver one day at a time, one command at a time, one repitition at a time. It's not like you have to go from Day He Got Home to Perfectly Trained Dog Who Gets Beer Out of the Fridge in an afternoon. And you know what? Some stuff is basic safety, but a lot of stuff is optional. I could train Kabota to never take food except from his bowl, given the time, but it's easier for me to just keep food out of his reach. (He's only about 9" off the ground.) Decide what you really need him to do and what works for you and go from there.

If it makes you feel any better, my mom was partially disabled, shy and soft spoken, not at all a dominant person. Her dogs were beautifully behaved, though they knew only a few basic commands. You don't have to spend hours a day with a dog trainer or act like a movie bad guy to have a great companion at your side.


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## k-9 (Mar 10, 2010)

Jodie said:


> I had dogs for the first 32 years of my life. Since then, I've had only cats. I decided I wanted a dog again since I now only work part time and have more time.
> 
> I've had a puppy for a little over a week. I am overwhelmed. The more advice I read, the more depressed I get. It seems, from what I read, that in order to have a dog who won't pee all over my house, chew up everything I own, and not attack innocent strangers, I have to change my whole personality, which I have never been successful in doing. I have to be calm. Not the anxious person I am. I have to be dominant. Not the 'Let's all get along' person I am. I have to be consistent.
> 
> ...


Look at what you're doing! You're bring a responsible owner. YOU did research, YOU (now) know what you should do. Its normal to be overwhelmed, especially with a puppy because they are A LOT of work but once you get through the first few weeks of training everything will get so much easier. You dont have to learn hand signals or new commands. Believe it or not... you're being dominant or "alpha male" from day one. You choose when the puppy eats, where he goes to the restroom and give commands. ITs very basic but you're are being that dominate/alpha male. It some cases when a dog challenges its owner for the role of alpha male, you will have to "up the game" re-establish dominance.


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## ArlosMom (Jan 4, 2012)

What a cute little guy!! You will be just fine, remember to take deep breaths, and take it one day at a time. I haven't even raised puppies, but I always think newborn babies are similar. LOL!
Similarly, my mom called me tonight. She rescued an adult maltese mix, who'd been a stray, and underweight. She was fixed and then sent home with my mom. She called me tonight to tell me maybe she couldn't do it. She was nervous, she thought she got in over her head rescuing a stray instead of adopting from a rescue where they knew the dogs temperment, health, etc... 
I told her all she has to do, is take a deep breath, relax, and be confident in herself. 
That dog just wants to know you are confident enough to show him the ropes. If you believe in yourself, so will he! 

Before I adopted Arlo from the SPCA, I was watching/reading so much cesar milan that I was convinced, of course, that his way was the only way I was going to get my dog to behave and trust me as the "alpha" adult. PSSSSH! I've learned so much. Do not believe everything you read/watch on TV. 
We are still working on Arlos potty issues, but every day is progress. 

You're going to be awesome!


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## jersey_gray (Dec 8, 2011)

Puppies are hard. That's why I like getting grown dogs. That, and adopted older dogs bond with you in a special way unlike puppies. I'll never understand why for the majority of people it has to be a puppy.

Good luck with your puppy-he's adorable! I like Poodles, especially Standards. My friend has a Standard, very cool dog.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

I liken these feelings to when you have a minor pain somewhere and upon googling it you've discovered you have cancer. The internet is a vast insane overwhelming place designed so that you can only make yourself feel worse about every situation.


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## xxxxdogdragoness (Jul 22, 2010)

Don't feel bad , I am not a patient, easy going, type of person. I am a hyper, easily frustrated ADD person LOL. But that's who I am & I don't hide that from my girls so I don't try, dogs aren't stupid, you can't hide your true self from a dog & I believe that if someone tries then they create a distrust with the animal.


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