# NEW GSP owner - need help please!!



## JGranat (Dec 9, 2014)

Hey guys! My fiancé and I purchased a German Shorthaired Pointer puppy last week. He is now 9 weeks old. I guess I’m coming here for some guidance and advice on the entire situation. We’ve wanted a dog for a very long time, and I now work from home so it finally became possible. Our breed of choice was always a GSP. We are both young, active runners who are highly involved with outdoor activities. We felt that this breed fit our lifestyle fantastically. 

With that said… I am pulling my hair out with this dog!! Yes, he is our first “puppy experience” but we did research for a year before finally pulling the trigger on the purchase. I'm getting very frustrated with everything so far and I just hope we made the right decision in getting him. I just have a few questions about the last week. Any advice is GREATLY appreciated!!

1.	I guess first and foremost, what should he know so far? We started from day one with clicker training for him to make the association. He is very SMART… almost too smart because I feel like he doesn’t listen to me on purpose many times. He’s 9 weeks now and can sit but he really only likes “working for treats.” He won’t go “down” unless I physically put my finger on the ground and am holding a treat. His stay is getting better… but, waiting for food is not going so well. He barks loudly the second he hears the food pour into the bowl. You would think I starve this little guy… he doesn’t even chew his food!! I’m also trying to teach him to walk on a leash, as he pulls a LOT. And, his nose pulls him everywhere. Oh, and he eats EVERYTHING he can fit into his mouth!!! I really want a well behaved dog that is a delight to be around. What should he know by now and what should I focus on? Am I expecting too much this early on? 

2.	The potty training thing – He gets the fact that he needs to go outside, but he does not get that he shouldn’t be going in the house. For example, I took him out to pee today and afterwards we had a brief play / training session. I left him in his “play pen” area to go do some dishes and when I turned around 10 minutes later there was a puddle on the floor. We’ve been crate training him since the day he came home but he's had several "accidents" in the house. Is he supposed to be inside the crate every second that my eyes are not glued to him? He whines a bit when I walk out of his eye site, but he is sleeping there at night alone for the last 3 nights now without a peep. (we slept on the couch the first few days to acclimate him) We are also walking up every 3 hours through the night to take him for potty break. Is that correct? 

3.	He seems to have taken to my fiancé much better than me. I work from home now and she does the 9-5 thing. Maybe it’s the natural mother instinct she has or maybe it’s my male jealousy problem LOL. But, the second he sees her, I go out the window… as do my commands to him. (come, sit, etc) I’ll admit, I tend to get frustrated with him especially when I’m home alone with him so maybe he senses that? I just don’t feel the love from him that she receives… tail wagging, happy face, and he listens to her very well. 

4.	He HATES the weather. We live in New Jersey and lately it’s been cold and rainy. No big deal for me as I love it and will gladly walk him, play etc. But, he wants NO PART of it. So, here I am standing outside with a puppy who is yanking away on the leash trying to drag me back inside. I look like I am forcing the little guy. I wanted a dog to play with outside and I feel like he hates being out there all the time. Is this a normal puppy behavior?


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

He's a baby. He shouldn't know anything! Go to dogstardaily.com and download their puppy guide and look at the stickies in the puppy/new owner section of this forum http://www.dogforums.com/first-time-dog-owner/.


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

1. You are expecting way way too much! He's just a baby. Think about a 1 year old human child - would you expect them to not cry, and pick up their toys, and listen to everything you say? Of course not. Puppies are the same. It's great that you're working on sit and down and walking on leash, but those things are going to take time. Teaching a dog a single skill can take 100 repetitions and there's no way he's done that many in one week. He's also young and easily distracted and easily tired.

2. Dogs don't have full bladder control until about 6 months. They can certainly understand that going outside is preferable, but they can necessarily control it when they feel the urge to go. He's also very very young. I might expect a 4-5 month old to have some more control, but at 9 weeks he probably needs to go out every 45-60 minutes. If he's having accidents, it just means you aren't taking him out often enough or at the right times - that's it. It's really all about management and building good habits at that age until he develops bladder control. He will need to be supervised 100% of the time unless he's crated or sleeping.

3. Dogs will choose their favorites, but often it's the person who has spent the most fun times with them. It is typically the person who trains them, but only if that training is fun and rewarding. If your fiance is having fun and making training time super rewarding, and you are getting frustrated with him, that may be why. He's also so so young. Your bond and relationship will develop over time. I don't know too many puppies that young who really have a favorite person they are bonded to. Most well socialized puppies will go home with anyone who has a treat at that age. Don't read too much into it and just try to have fun with him.

4. It's pretty normal for puppies to dislike rain and cold. It's common for some adult dogs too, but he'll probably grow out of that.

ETA: My best advice for you is to sign up for a puppy obedience class. You'll learn the best ways to teach him basic obedience, and how to deal with common puppy issues (biting, jumping up, etc). But the best part is that you'll get to talk to other puppy owners and realize that yours is just like every other puppy and that you're going through the same things together.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Puppies don't really have the body fat and coat to deal well with cold and rainy weather so its quite reasonable that he wants back inside when the weather is bad. You could pick up an inexpensive coat for him to wear outside, the Target house brand coats are surprisingly good quality for around $10 and will block wind and light rain pretty decently. 

I think you're expecting too much from such a young puppy. Like a 6 month old baby human who grabs at everything and shoves everything into their mouths (or noses...), lacking hands, puppies explore their world with their mouth. Over time and with you consistently redirecting the pup towards an appropriate chew toy and by managing the environment to reduce what the puppy can get to begin with, the dog will learn what not to chew and not to eat. It can be a long process though as the pup matures.

If he is eating really fast, you can try feeding him from a toy (like a kong wobbler for example) or you can hand feed him and use the meals as very simple training sessions. Maybe just associating his name with eye contact as a starting place.

As for liking your fiancee better, it could be any variety of things. You're home all day so you're not as exciting as the "newness" of her arriving home each evening. It could be that if you are getting frustrated with him and speaking harshly that he doesn't feel as confident around you as around her. Her natural tone of voice could catch his interest more (my observation is that higher pitched voices seem more "happy" and attract more of the dog's attention than lower pitched voices). Sometimes dogs just pick a person they are more interested in, sometimes they have different people depending on their mood like play time with one person and cuddle time with another, sometimes the dog's "person" changes over time or when the humans' routine changes. 
My advice would be not to stress about it and to work on building your own strong bond with the puppy and building trust (pups can be super frustrating but especially with a baby puppy you sometimes really have to take a step back, a deep breath and relax) and enjoy your time with him. Take turns feeding him, take turns doing some training and when he's old enough for walks, take turns walking him and he'll learn to listen to both of you and work with both of you.


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

I want to second and EMPHASIZE the puppy classes. I've come to the conclusion that first time puppy owners (and even non-first timers sometimes) NEED puppy class. Definitely find a POSITIVE reinforcement trainer and get those started now. The support is awesome, you have someone there to help you teach your puppy properly, and your puppy gets socialization (people, other puppies and many times strange surfaces/objects). 

Everything you are feeling/dealing with is completely normal. Yes you are expecting too much. Puppies are hard and require constant management. If you can't keep an eye on the puppy and I mean 100% focus.. it's in the crate. No doing dishes while the puppy is next to you in the room. Puppy is best rushed outside every 15 minutes while awake/active. It's all a pain in the butt, but the more you prevent puppy from getting in trouble, the quicker they learn to house train and don't form a habit of getting in trouble.


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## Tyler_X (Aug 30, 2014)

JGranat said:


> Hey guys! My fiancé and I purchased a German Shorthaired Pointer puppy last week. He is now 9 weeks old. I guess I’m coming here for some guidance and advice on the entire situation. We’ve wanted a dog for a very long time, and I now work from home so it finally became possible. Our breed of choice was always a GSP. We are both young, active runners who are highly involved with outdoor activities. We felt that this breed fit our lifestyle fantastically.
> 
> With that said… I am pulling my hair out with this dog!! Yes, he is our first “puppy experience” but we did research for a year before finally pulling the trigger on the purchase. I'm getting very frustrated with everything so far and I just hope we made the right decision in getting him. I just have a few questions about the last week. Any advice is GREATLY appreciated!!
> 
> ...



Like others are saying, hes just a baby, don't expect major breakthroughs for at least a month.


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

JGranat said:


> Hey guys! My fiancé and I purchased a German Shorthaired Pointer puppy last week. He is now 9 weeks old. I guess I’m coming here for some guidance and advice on the entire situation. We’ve wanted a dog for a very long time, and I now work from home so it finally became possible. Our breed of choice was always a GSP. We are both young, active runners who are highly involved with outdoor activities. We felt that this breed fit our lifestyle fantastically.
> 
> With that said… I am pulling my hair out with this dog!! Yes, he is our first “puppy experience” but we did research for a year before finally pulling the trigger on the purchase. I'm getting very frustrated with everything so far and I just hope we made the right decision in getting him. I just have a few questions about the last week. Any advice is GREATLY appreciated!!
> 
> 1.	I guess first and foremost, what should he know so far? We started from day one with clicker training for him to make the association. He is very SMART… almost too smart because I feel like he doesn’t listen to me on purpose many times. He’s 9 weeks now and can sit but he really only likes “working for treats.” He won’t go “down” unless I physically put my finger on the ground and am holding a treat. His stay is getting better… but, waiting for food is not going so well. He barks loudly the second he hears the food pour into the bowl. You would think I starve this little guy… he doesn’t even chew his food!! I’m also trying to teach him to walk on a leash, as he pulls a LOT. And, his nose pulls him everywhere. Oh, and he eats EVERYTHING he can fit into his mouth!!! I really want a well behaved dog that is a delight to be around. What should he know by now and what should I focus on? Am I expecting too much this early on?


Okay. Couple issues here. Lets talk about them one by one. 

The biggest thing you need to keep in mind is that he is a baby. He has very little impulse control. Do not expect to much from him to early. He has only been on this planet for two months. I'm guessing you've only had him for a week or so. If you want, you can go back and look at some of my threads about how frustrated I was when I first got my pup. I sucks. They bite, they're mean and needy, they tear up your stuff, and all you want to do is love them. It does get better. Consistency helps a lot. 

1. Work on charging the clicker. 
2. Work on a passive "Leave it." There are videos all over youtube for it, but kikopup is a favorite around here. Here's the link to hers: Kikopup Leave It. Here's another great video on it: It's Yer Choice.
3. Work on a solid sit. 
4. I'm guess he's still puppy biting. Work on that and bite inhibition. Here's another kikopup video: Kikopup Puppy Biting
5. I don't know his temperament, but you also may want to work on capturing calmness. Kikopup Capturing Calmness

For a nine week old pup, I wouldn't go far past that until he has those down really well. I'd give it at least two weeks before I started even touching on anything else. Really what you have to work with in puppies that young is impulse control and learning the rules. You want to teach them manners and behaviors as opposed to tricks. 

For the food thing, there are a couple things you can do. My Watson was like that at that age. Anytime he heard me preparing his food, he went into a frenzy. So, I did two things:
1.) I would prepare the food, then put it in the fridge till he calmed down. 
2.) When I brought his food dish out, I would demand a sit until I put the food down. Then, I would not let him at the food till I gave him a release cue (His is "get it"). If I was putting the bowl on the ground, and he went for the food, I would just raise it back up again. If he went for it when the food was on the ground I would put my hand in front of it and tell him to sit. He'll learn quickly that he can only have the food when you say, and that he can't lunge at it. It will take a bit of doing when you first start. But Watson is six months old now, and he goes into an automatic down whenever I bring his food out. And I've left him alone with his food bowl and he still left it alone. Keep in mind though, that that took probably a 2 or 3 solid weeks of doing that, for three meals a day. It takes _time_. 

As for the loose leash walking.... Don't expect too much. If you want to start laying the foundation for it, heres Zak George's playlist on loose leash walking (you'll see it often refereed to as LLW). Zak George: Loose Leash Walking. But like I said, at this age, don't expect too much. Just be patient, and always have treats on hand when you're outside to mitigate any distractions. 



JGranat said:


> 2.	The potty training thing – He gets the fact that he needs to go outside, but he does not get that he shouldn’t be going in the house. For example, I took him out to pee today and afterwards we had a brief play / training session. I left him in his “play pen” area to go do some dishes and when I turned around 10 minutes later there was a puddle on the floor. We’ve been crate training him since the day he came home but he's had several "accidents" in the house. Is he supposed to be inside the crate every second that my eyes are not glued to him? He whines a bit when I walk out of his eye site, but he is sleeping there at night alone for the last 3 nights now without a peep. (we slept on the couch the first few days to acclimate him) We are also walking up every 3 hours through the night to take him for potty break. Is that correct?


Yes. If you cannot watch him, at nine weeks he should be in the crate. If you're not watching him, you can't see him sniffing around looking for a place to pee. I can almost guarantee that at this point he doesn't really understand that he shouldn't go in the house. Keep a close eye on his and be consistent. 

Also, _anytime _you play you should take him out immediately after, even if you took them out right before. Puppies forget about their bladders when they're playing, so accidents happen.

We have a sticky on potty training that pretty much covers everything and anything you could need. http://www.dogforums.com/first-time-dog-owner/88458-enough-potty-threads.html



JGranat said:


> 3.	He seems to have taken to my fiancé much better than me. I work from home now and she does the 9-5 thing. Maybe it’s the natural mother instinct she has or maybe it’s my male jealousy problem LOL. But, the second he sees her, I go out the window… as do my commands to him. (come, sit, etc) I’ll admit, I tend to get frustrated with him especially when I’m home alone with him so maybe he senses that? I just don’t feel the love from him that she receives… tail wagging, happy face, and he listens to her very well.


It happens. I would just train with him more. It's the best way to bond with him. Food and play helps too. 

It's really easy to get frustrated with puppies. Just take a deep breath and understand that he's not doing it out of spite. He just doesn't know what you want, so he's doing what comes naturally. 



JGranat said:


> 4.	He HATES the weather. We live in New Jersey and lately it’s been cold and rainy. No big deal for me as I love it and will gladly walk him, play etc. But, he wants NO PART of it. So, here I am standing outside with a puppy who is yanking away on the leash trying to drag me back inside. I look like I am forcing the little guy. I wanted a dog to play with outside and I feel like he hates being out there all the time. Is this a normal puppy behavior?


Get him a coat. He's a puppy. Watson was like that too. And I still put a coat on him when it's raining or snowy.


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## JGranat (Dec 9, 2014)

Thank you for the responses!!! I guess I need to be more patient with him. We also don't have children yet so I'm not used to it LOL. My biggest fear is that if I don't address issues now that I'll have a badly behaved dog in 6 months that is a burden rather than an enjoyment. We are going to sign up for Petsmart classes next week actually. It's not the best but its affordable and in the area. The trainer we met with actually seemed great. At the moment he's sleeping in the crate... And all is peaceful in the world LOL


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

JGranat said:


> Thank you for the responses!!! I guess I need to be more patient with him. We also don't have children yet so I'm not used to it LOL. My biggest fear is that if I don't address issues now that I'll have a badly behaved dog in 6 months that is a burden rather than an enjoyment. We are going to sign up for Petsmart classes next week actually. It's not the best but its affordable and in the area. The trainer we met with actually seemed great. At the moment he's sleeping in the crate... And all is peaceful in the world LOL


This is why I don't do puppies, lol. I'd rather rehabilitate a neglected/abused adult, it's much less tiring!

They don't stay puppies forever, so take lots of pictures and remember, this won't last forever. It might feel like forever, though.


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

JGranat said:


> Thank you for the responses!!! I guess I need to be more patient with him. We also don't have children yet so I'm not used to it LOL. My biggest fear is that if I don't address issues now that I'll have a badly behaved dog in 6 months that is a burden rather than an enjoyment. We are going to sign up for Petsmart classes next week actually. It's not the best but its affordable and in the area. The trainer we met with actually seemed great. At the moment he's sleeping in the crate... And all is peaceful in the world LOL


Just remember that you can address issues without forcing them. If you wait a while to teach him down and stay, that doesn't mean he won't learn it just as easily later on. The biggest thing is just to not encourage behaviors you don't want as an adult. It's really as simple as that. If you don't want him to bite, don't play with him while he's biting. It you don't want him to jet out the door every time it opens, make him sit every time before you leave the house. If you don't want him to chew on the furniture, be sure he always has something better to chew on. It's pretty simple when you break it down into a formula like that, especially when you have a brand new puppy with a clean slate and no real behavior problems.


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## JGranat (Dec 9, 2014)

chimunga said:


> Okay. Couple issues here. Lets talk about them one by one.
> 
> The biggest thing you need to keep in mind is that he is a baby. He has very little impulse control. Do not expect to much from him to early. He has only been on this planet for two months. I'm guessing you've only had him for a week or so. If you want, you can go back and look at some of my threads about how frustrated I was when I first got my pup. I sucks. They bite, they're mean and needy, they tear up your stuff, and all you want to do is love them. It does get better. Consistency helps a lot.
> 
> ...



This was fantastic info thank you sooooo much!! Puppy biting for sure, he's gotten my nose a few times LOL. And great advice on the food thing I'm going to use that. We picked up a sweater for him too and even considered the little booties for outside haha.


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

JGranat said:


> Thank you for the responses!!! I guess I need to be more patient with him. We also don't have children yet so I'm not used to it LOL. My biggest fear is that if I don't address issues now that I'll have a badly behaved dog in 6 months that is a burden rather than an enjoyment. We are going to sign up for Petsmart classes next week actually. It's not the best but its affordable and in the area. The trainer we met with actually seemed great. At the moment he's sleeping in the crate... And all is peaceful in the world LOL


Plenty of idiots raise puppies into fine dogs. Haha. You'll be fine! I think the most important thing is that new owners try and keep an open mind. As long as you are trying to do the right thing and you actually care, he'll turn out fine.

Do keep in mind that he'll probably make a ton of progress in the next few months, and then he might experience a big backslide into hooligan behavior around 8 months. Male sporting dogs can have a long and difficult adolescence, so you just have to be patient and keep your sense of humor and they come out as great dogs on the other side.


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

JGranat said:


> This was fantastic info thank you sooooo much!! Puppy biting for sure, he's gotten my nose a few times LOL. And great advice on the food thing I'm going to use that. We picked up a sweater for him too and even considered the little booties for outside haha.


Youtube is *so *helpful. I have literally watched every single Zak George and Kikopup video. 

I made this as my go-to playlist when I was super stressed and trying to find a solution: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLthN6ldtNFhjRhcmDGXTTLZpjSsiEmGqO

And this one is just videos on puppy biting: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLthN6ldtNFhjmXYJdtHa66ruHUa0yU7H8

And here's one I found the other day on teaching impulse control: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE4E3514F27696CE2

Once you get past the angry little land shark phase, you may also want to pick up _101 Dog Tricks_ by Kyra Sundance. It's a fun little book that gives you step by step instructions of neat tricks. I wouldn't expect to much right off the bat, but as he gets older, teaching tricks is a great way to bond.


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## wvasko (Dec 15, 2007)

I spent 15 years campaigning GSPs in field trials and your pup falls well within the GSPs I have known and raised etc. There is some great advice above just raise your pup and have fun.


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

JGranat said:


> Thank you for the responses!!! I guess I need to be more patient with him. We also don't have children yet so I'm not used to it LOL. My biggest fear is that if I don't address issues now that I'll have a badly behaved dog in 6 months that is a burden rather than an enjoyment. We are going to sign up for Petsmart classes next week actually. It's not the best but its affordable and in the area. The trainer we met with actually seemed great. At the moment he's sleeping in the crate... And all is peaceful in the world LOL


Not all Petsmart classes are bad. We have wonderful Petsmart trainer in my area.. so that's great you are getting him into classes.


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## JGranat (Dec 9, 2014)

ForTheLoveOfDogs said:


> Not all Petsmart classes are bad. We have wonderful Petsmart trainer in my area.. so that's great you are getting him into classes.


Very good to hear! I'm hoping they can help us build the relationship. And anything we teach at home can be perfected there.


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

JGranat said:


> Very good to hear! I'm hoping they can help us build the relationship. And anything we teach at home can be perfected there.


Yep. I've taken Watson to Puppy 1 & Puppy 2, and they were both great.


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## ireth0 (Feb 11, 2013)

Petsmart classes seem to depend on the individual trainer, so don't be afraid to leave the class if the trainer starts spouting dominance nonsense and suggesting techniques other than positive reinforcement. 

Also... and I can't believe nobody has asked... puppy pictures?!


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## petpeeve (Jun 10, 2010)

One of the major points in raising a pup is to get him to ENJOY training. I'm not saying that you aren't doing that, but all dogs learn at different speeds. And sometimes forcing them to go faster than their natural pace could be detrimental. 

If you're set up to begin classes in a week or so, that's great. In the meantime I'd probably be content with loading the clicker and merely teaching him eye contact / calm attention. FOCUS: it's easy, and it's truly the bottom line foundation for just about EVERYTHING you will ever do with this dog.

Sit, down, wait etc, in a more formal sense, can wait until the near fiture to initiate. Put things into perspective. You're literally only one week into a 700 week journey. Relax, and revel in his 'puppiness' for the time being. You'll soon be receiving first-hand, eyes-on instruction from people with experience who can better gauge the pace and devise a proper training regimen for you / with you. Until then, basic management and work on EYE CONTACT. Other than that, simply enjoy each other's company.


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## ChelseaOliver (Nov 5, 2014)

To echo everyone else, you're expecting way too much. As a fellow new puppy owner (not new to dogs, but new to puppies), my pup is now 6 months old and is just getting to the point where she's enjoyable to be around. It takes hard work, PATIENCE and positive reinforcement - ALWAYS positive  Make training as fun as possible - I train my pup in 3 sessions a day, using her breakfast, lunch and dinner. We run around during it, get excited, I talk in a high pitched "everything is awesome" voice and she loves it - for short 10 min periods, and then even if she is having fun she gets distracted. Potty training will come with time, we got ours around 10 weeks old and she was peeing pretty much every half hour when she was awake. Loose leash walking she is getting now, but it took a couple of months of consistent positive work on it every single day, for very short periods of time. I also work from home, and have experienced the whole my partner comes home and suddenly I don't exist. It's normal - the puppy has been with you all day, and seeing someone new in and of itself is exciting. Everything will work out - it sounds like you're doing a great job.


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## JGranat (Dec 9, 2014)

I just want to say that the feedback I have received on here has been amazinggg. Being new to the forum that means a lot! I've noticed that when I'M fun... HE'S fun. Even during training... like mentioned above the last few days I have changed my training style from "Mr. Mean pants" to have fun and bouncing around and i'm getting a way better response. Last night I took him for a long walk and clicked and treated during it and I had his attention almost the entire time. Same thing today. I definitely need to focus on him focusing on me LOL. And, getting him to not act like a raging maniac when he hears me pour food into the bowl. 

It's really good to hear responses from people who have gone through it or are currently going through it. Being a first time puppy owner is definitely not easy... even though YouTube makes it look like a piece of cake LOL. Thank you!


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## ireth0 (Feb 11, 2013)

I adopted an adult instead of a puppy, but I did go through a period where I was focusing too much on getting everything right and my relationship with my dog suffered. It was to the point where I just wasn't -enjoying- her because I was focusing only on everything I needed to fix.

When I took a step back and started doing more fun things and lightening up it got much better. Remember it's a marathon, not a sprint!


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## JGranat (Dec 9, 2014)

So does anybody object to starting puppy classes on Saturday? He will be 10 weeks on Monday and will be receiving his second round of shots on that day. The Petsmart in our area has this Saturday available and nothing available again until December 28th, at which point he will be 12 weeks. I think it would be great socialization for him with other people and dogs if he started now. Also, here are a few pics!! I attached them to the message I couldn't figure out how to insert them without a link. His name is Prefontaine - a famous track runner from the 1970s LOL. We call him "Fontaine" and "Pre."


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

So cute! His facial markings are adorable. 

Now is the perfect time for puppy classes so definitely go and see.


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## Tyler_X (Aug 30, 2014)

JGranat said:


> So does anybody object to starting puppy classes on Saturday? He will be 10 weeks on Monday and will be receiving his second round of shots on that day. The Petsmart in our area has this Saturday available and nothing available again until December 28th, at which point he will be 12 weeks. I think it would be great socialization for him with other people and dogs if he started now. Also, here are a few pics!! I attached them to the message I couldn't figure out how to insert them without a link. His name is Prefontaine - a famous track runner from the 1970s LOL. We call him "Fontaine" and "Pre."


very cute! Malcolm is in petsmart puppy classes right now, he started i believe 3-4 weeks ago at 11-12 weeks. I have been training my puppy on my own so I really only signed up for them for socialization purposes. It has helped him come out of his shell, as he was very shy. The classes will teach you basic commands also loose leash walking and commands like leave it/drop it etc. I think a good trainer helps alot, the classes are based on positive reinforcement but some trainers are better than others. Overall for beginning puppy classes I say its a good idea, it is fun and engaging and will stimulate your puppys brain. It will help you both bond as well. maybe you should wait another week or two? Just my opinion take it as you wish. I would also ask your vet about getting a Bordetella shot because there are other adult dogs in petsmart not just puppies, its what I did for Malcolm.


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## JGranat (Dec 9, 2014)

Tyler_X said:


> very cute! Malcolm is in petsmart puppy classes right now, he started i believe 3-4 weeks ago at 11-12 weeks. I have been training my puppy on my own so I really only signed up for them for socialization purposes. It has helped him come out of his shell, as he was very shy. The classes will teach you basic commands also loose leash walking and commands like leave it/drop it etc. I think a good trainer helps alot, the classes are based on positive reinforcement but some trainers are better than others. Overall for beginning puppy classes I say its a good idea, it is fun and engaging and will stimulate your puppys brain. It will help you both bond as well. maybe you should wait another week or two? Just my opinion take it as you wish. I would also ask your vet about getting a Bordetella shot because there are other adult dogs in petsmart not just puppies, its what I did for Malcolm.


Thank you! I'm hoping the socialization aspect will be great for him and also help us interact with him. We actually got him the Bordetella vaccine last week, a few days after we picked him up. This Monday he goes back for his "booster" shot for parvo / distemper I believe?


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## Tyler_X (Aug 30, 2014)

JGranat said:


> Thank you! I'm hoping the socialization aspect will be great for him and also help us interact with him. We actually got him the Bordetella vaccine last week, a few days after we picked him up. This Monday he goes back for his "booster" shot for parvo / distemper I believe?


Im assuming since hes 10 weeks it will be his second round of shots and he will then get a third and final booster shot around 13 weeks. It covers parvo distemper and two other things I believe. The vaccine is called Duramune Max 5 cvk


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## jade5280 (Feb 20, 2013)

Aww he's adorable!


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## d_ray (Nov 5, 2013)

I was waiting for pics. He's precious!


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## JGranat (Dec 9, 2014)

Tyler_X said:


> Im assuming since hes 10 weeks it will be his second round of shots and he will then get a third and final booster shot around 13 weeks. It covers parvo distemper and two other things I believe. The vaccine is called Duramune Max 5 cvk


Yup this will be his second round of shots. Thanks for the kind words everybody! He definitely turns heads in my town when I walk him. He gets all the attention from the ladies!


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## Tyler_X (Aug 30, 2014)

JGranat said:


> Yup this will be his second round of shots. Thanks for the kind words everybody! He definitely turns heads in my town when I walk him. He gets all the attention from the ladies!


No problem, if you have any more questions or anything don't hesitate to ask! There are alot of good people here.


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## pawsaddict (Apr 17, 2013)

Oh my gosh! He is so adorable!


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## klc4885 (5 mo ago)

Sounds like you have some good puppy advice, mostly dont expect too much at this age. You might try crate training it seems to work well for potty training in my opinion... I might add the next issue you will run into, these dogs are bread to hunt "All day" easily passing marathon mileage for days on end, in my 40 years of experience with 5 generations of GSP's a recreational runner will have a hard time with enough exercise volume. The key to enjoying these dogs is a high level of exercise volume, play with that next and see what your observations are with regards to behavior.


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## DaySleepers (Apr 9, 2011)

This post is eight years old, so I'm closing it to further replies. Feel free to start a new thread, or join any of our current discussions!


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