Proud new owner...some usual questions!

First topic message reminder :

Hi all

Me and my girlfriend became proud new owners of little Bolo on Saturday. He is a 9 week old male with beautiful brindle and white markings, with a panda face!
He is being quite good so early on for sleeping at night (only having to get up twice per night so far for the toilet) and is in a crate by our bedroom door so he can still smell us. We do get an occasional wee inside but I have some odour spray and biological washing powder to try and stop him soon that.

The main problem we have is the biting which is happening a lot every day now! I know this is so common but I was after some advice because some of the things I have tried from reading here are not working yet for us. Perhaps I'm being impatient as we haven't even had him a week, but please read on and let me know what you think.

So bolo is quite calm at playing with a toy which he will run and fetch and bring back to me. After a few throws he will start going for fingers instead. I will say a short loud no to him which he will not really pay attention to, so I will use a toy to distract him and say good boy, but he will soon come off that and go nipping at fingers again!
So I will say no, stand up still and ignore him and not look at him. This doesn't work because he will either start nipping my toes and legs so I can't stand still! Or he will get distracted with grass or something else so he doesn't get that nipping is not allowed! He gets quite bouncy and really goes hard for the feet and I don't want him to start thinking he is dominating us!
Can anyone offer any advice?

Thanks in advance
James

What are you feeding at the mo ?

First off welcome to the forums and congrats to you and your girlfriend on becoming new parents to Bolo. Might I add he is so adorable. I have no advice to give, as I soon will be going through this myself. My pup is 9 weeks today and I'll be picking him up on next Friday. I'm sure it's the typical teething Bolo is going through much like a human baby sounds like you're doing everything right it's just going to take some time getting Bolo to understand. Good luck! Cheers

Marley has always eaten like that, he just picks all day only when I gave him a little wet with dry food he ate it all in one (first time seeing him do it lol) also Marley goes off his dry food quickly always changing then going back to what he was on before just think they get bored quickly maybe bolo is bored? Also the gravy idea it good he will love that

Guys and gals at what age did you start clipping your little ones claws? Bolos are getting quite long but wasn't sure if that was a job for the vets or if I was the lucky one!

I asked this not long back lol well I got told by the vet and many on here that if you start clipping the nails you will always have to do it, so I just hang on in there till the concrete started to file them down you can do it yourself just clip the tips (white part of the nail) quite hard to get them to stay still tho and give them your paw long enough so if your going to clip them self I'd try and distract bolo with something tasty

Walks normally keep the main paw ones short if you have a mix of places to go. The Dew ones might need clipping though so it's worth while getting Bolo used to having his paws handled

Another tip is to file them if needs be, not as quick as clipping but safer as there is no chance of cutting the quick which not only hurts but bleeds a hell of a lot.

I wouldnt touch mias nails but if i have to they get filed down especially the dew claw thats the worst for catching skin and clothing.

Hi all

Its been a while which since I have had to come on here which is a good sign!
Bolo is getting on really well, just been taking him out on his walks the last few days and and he has been loving it!

A couple of questions though I'm after your excellent advice on again!
Bolo can hold his bladder no problem all night when we go to bed, but when he gets left for a few hours in his crate during the day he seems to wet on the towel we put down on the floor in there.
We know he is doing it as he pushes the towel away from his bed!
Any advice on somehow training this out of him? Obviously its easier at night as he is asleep!

Thanks all

Is he on a normal bathroom schedule and taken out before being left alone?

Agree with what Jstaff is asking, do you let him out before you leave him and have you cleaned up where he has been to the toilet with a deodorising cleaner & removed the towel ?.. If they can smell where they gave been before, they are likely to go in the same place again.

Yep he goes to the toilet before he is left and the towels are removed and the tray below cleaned with the odour remover.

I don't know wether this will help but I've always put a blanket over Marleys crate through the day and night so he knows it's bed time and he's never had an accident in the crate. Also the towel you put down is that for him to lie on? Or do you put it down just in case he has an accident? Because he might think he's allowed to wee on it maybe? Sorry not much help

I had this issue with Buddy -you just have to make sure you clean his towle with deoderiser and make sure you do not tell him off just make sure when you open the crate you tell him to go toilet straight away - he will get used to it and slowly he will hold himself during the day too.he is still very young and will have accidents - like children they forget they need to go and then its too late! he may also be a little stressed at being in the crate during the day if you cover it as suggested this may help as it gives them a sense of security -I still cover Buddy in the day or he will not sleep! they don't get proper bladder control until 6 months so he is doing great to be dry during the night .. takes time but he will get there

Hi how long is the dog left in the crate? Is the door open or closed? And while ur away do u come and let him out regularly? When theyre still young its important they be let out to toilet at regular intervals this minimises accidents in the home .

Thanks. Some good advice there. We do cover his crate but not as much on the front where he can see out as we do at night so I might try that. His crate is downstairs during the day as opposed to upstairs near our bedroom at night.
He has a dog cushion to sit on in the crate, the towel is just to cover the exposed plastic tray that the cushion doesn't cover just to make it more cosy for him. Plus it soaks any accidents rather than a tray which will make it run everywhere.

I would take the towel out and buy a waterproof base cushion for the crate - I have one for Buddy and it has raised sides - a godsend for accidents just wipes clean and is padded - Buddy has this with a fleece blanket to snuggle in by giving him a bed and a towel he is not associating them both as his bed and using the towel as a toilet area - dogs learn quick not to toilet where they sleep make the whole crate his bed and see what happens -the link below is the bed I have for Buddy
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008HRL35E?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00

Yh id remove the towel he may think it's there to wee on also when Marley was younger if I had to go out I'd put him in his crate cover it completely then go bk every hour or 2 so he can go out to toilet as said above regular intervals. The padded cushion sound like a good idea for you to try

I used newspaper with my wee pup but she wasnt crate trained, id try the newspaper at the door as well as the crate mat

Hi everyone we have just joined the forum & all the tips for biting are good news to my hands & ties this morning going to try them out today don't think my toes can handle much more nibbling from my 9 week old Luna

glad your little fella is doing well- Buddy is five months and he is still fussy with his food some days he will eat out of his bowl ,other times he will only eat if the food is on the floor he growls at his bowl and all sorts - don't worry too much about it they will not go hungry - put the food down and if he doesn't eat it take it back up again and put it down later in the day - that way he will learn that if he doesn't eat when its given to him he will be hungry - if he doesn't eat don't give him treats as he will not learn - it did take a while for me to find food Buddy likes - they can be fussy , Buddy still nips as well but not so much and only at my husbands feet - we have worked out he does that when he is tired or when he wants him to play with him..we just distract him and put him in his crate for time out and normally find he falls asleep and comes out a better puppy! .. it will all fall into place he is such a cutie

That is one thing bolo is fine at now, eating! We think his collar was knocking his metal food bowl and scaring him! He's been fine since we have taken that off.
How much do you guys feed your puppies? Bolo is only 3 months but we have been giving him more dry puppy food but only 3 times a day. And apple and cucumber as treats in the evening if he is good.
We were told 50gms of dry food a meal but it doesn't seem much now, but we aren't really sure how much we are supposed to increase it by, we are just going by eye really. He is growing so fast, feels heavier by the day!

I just go by the eye as well - if he asks for more then I give him a little more until he is finished I found that when I was measuring set amounts some days I would throw lots away and others it wasn't enough - if he is putting on weight and isn't crying for food then you are doing OK .. I only feed Buddy now twice a day but he gets some peanut butter in his kong at lunchtime when I leave him to go back to work.. and a treat in the evening to tide him over the night ..

I give Marley 50 grams of dry puppy food four times a day, but if I fill his kong only 3 times because it's like another meal the stuff I chuck in there

Bolo had his first puppy class last night. He was so excited. He seems to love playing with other dogs and being nosy which is great. If a dog is bigger than him he goes up to them, has a sniff and then rolls straight onto his belly like he is submitting!

Marley is like that! He loves bigger dogs his best pals are 2 golden retrievers! Massive dogs haha! Glad he enjoyed his puppy classes

Bolo is precious. Just stick with what you're doing and it'll pay off. Welcome to the forums.