Hey all. I have some young pup questions and figured I would try here for some guidance. I have an 8 week old girl (my first dog/puppy but I have been around older mature dogs for years) who I picked up this Friday. We are getting along fine so far and I am trying to be as patient as possible with her. Last night we slept from 10:30 to 6:30 without a potty break!!!

This dog will not hunt, not be going after an obedience title, or anything like that. She will however be included in everything I do and will be my shadow for hopefully the next 10-15 years.

There are of course some things I will absolutley not tolerate in my dog. Jumping up and biting. I don't want a spoiled tyrant. i want a well mannered adult.

My questions might seem simple to the pros here but I just want to be sure I am raising a well rounded girl, and don't have anywhere else to turn.

Is it ok for me to tell her no when she bites? I have been doing this since I got her on Fiday and giving her a toy and telling her ok and she seems to move on to the toy w/ no problems. Should I let her bite or correct her like I am?

She will jump up like a crazy dog at times and I grab her paws and set her back down and tell her off. My kitchen can be closed off with a baby gate where we hang out and play and if she jumps on the baby gate I grab her paws off the gate and tell her off. She really has not started to put two and two together here. Is this too soon for corrections like these? Am I being too hard on my pup?

Also she can be so mellow at times. I sit on the ground and she runs over to me and hops up in my lap and curls up. Other times its like she is possessed!!!! When she gets to be too much is it ok for me to put her in the crate for a few minuted to let her cool down? I want to be fair and loving not a dictator.

I have tried putting a leash on her a couple times and she goes into a frenzy or will sit and chew the leash. She has ran a bit holding the leash but she really doesn't like it. What do i do to get her use to the leash? I have read that you absolutely do not want the dog chewing the leash but seriously I could go blue in the face telling her no and removing the leash from her mouth..

When I take her from the crate I take her outside in the same spot and she goes to the bathroom and she gets tons of praise for this and looks at me and I tell her how good she is but I want her to be on leash and going to the bathroom especially for night time so she doesn't just take off running and turn it into a game of catch me.

Anyway I think thats it. We have visited tons of people, friends dogs, horses, sounds, and I want to expose her to everything but I want to take her outdoors to experience nature but can't have a free range puppy outdoors.

Lastly what is the fear period everyone is talking about???? Do I really need to be careful with her going with me and being exposed to new things and sounds? That seems a little silly really. I want a tough sound girl and what better way to get her heading in that direction than to be included in everything?

I know that was long winded so thanks.

Oh and i will toss a toy for her and she runs at it grabs it I tell her good girl and call her by her name and she runs at me and gives me the toy about 90% of the time. I am amazed by this. Its as if she already knows what to do! Oh and most of the times while she is running to me with her toy she lets out a little growl as if she is telling me look at what a good dog I am. She gets a lot of love.

C Minus......there are a couple of posts by Juli and Wyatt on the link below with some good puppy advice!
First few weeks, do's and don'ts?

Have fun and good luck with your new family member!

Norene S.

Thanks! I will check it out. She is a sweet heart. Last night she curled up in my lap and fell asleep for an hour then slept through the night without a sound or a potty break. Amazing considering this was night 5.

Now if there was some special recipe to get her to quit biting and tugging at my pant legs.