I got this little guy for my fiance.  She absolutely loves him.  Cooper is almost 8 weeks old and is already starting to go to the door when he has to go outside.  Now if we could just get him to sleep through the night! Any suggestions?

A ticking clock. Pups think it's mama's heartbeat. Just make sure the alarm isn't set. Put it with the pup near his bed.

Be prepared for teething too.

I love dogs. I keep saying I'll never have another one, just like my parents did when I was a kid, but I haven't been without a dog more than a couple weeks since I was born.

Is this one a yellow lab? ( I didn't look close before typing)

A hot water bottle wrapped in a towel helps as well.  In addition to the ticking clock.

Thanks.  Yes he is a yellow lab.  His mother was a chocolate, that is why he has a brown nose and the most amazing blue eyes.  He did good last night, he only had to go out once and went right back to sleep.

Cage training works for us.

Crate Training

Crate Training

Crate Training



Get the picture?  Be prepared to spend at least a Franklin on a good crate, and get one that will be big enough for him when he's an adult.  Cerberus is a 100 lb rottie, and his crate was 4 ft long, 2 and 1/2 feet wide, and 3 feet tall, and it was a little small for him.

cage training produced the best house traiined dog I ever had. He never once soiled the floor . He could go 12 hours at a time with free run of the house, never had an accident. He stayed in the house the first 18 months of his life. The wife(now ex) put him outside for the next 10 years. At that time, the vet said he had to come back in due to a skin problem. Brought him back in and never had a problem. Once he had an extended vet stay, the vet called frantic saying that Baxter was going through renal failure, I asked" have you taken him outside?" reply was" not necessary, all dogs go in the cages, they smell where others have gone and will go as well. I replied" I'll be right there....."you moron, Went over, picked up my dog and held him up as he went and went and went...OUTSIDE.....what a dog !!  FWIW, he was there due to a reaction that paralized him after a rabies vacination that left him with partial use of his hind legs for about 6 months...he gradually got full use of his back legs, but since I have found many folks whose dogs had the same reaction, despite what the vets say.

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+1 on the crate training. Here's what worked for our Golden Retriever:

once the dog is a little older - start with short times out of the cage when you aren't home. 30-60 minute quick trips and such.  If the dog goes without an accident you can up the time over a couple of weeks. If they mess in the house then put em back in the crate for a couple of days when you leave the house and start over with the 30-60 minutes.

Doesn't take long for them to get the hint.  The trick to making it work though is consistancy.  Take the pup outside immediately after you get home.  no playing, no feeding, just come in the house and go right outside! Develop a routine and stick to it.

In addition to the housebreaking - it helps keep the pup safe while you're away.

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Another trick to help settle the puppy in - if you still have access to the mother - take an old t-shirt of yours and wipe the mom down real good.  scent transfer will help calm the withdrawl.  Plus the pup will start to associate your smell with "safe" quicker.

good luck!

Thanks for all of the help.  He slept through the night for the first time yesterday.  We have only had him for five days, and he is already going to the door when he has to go.  He has turned out to be a very quick learner.  He hardly chews on people anymore, and he has learned to leave my parent's boxer alone.  I love this little growing guy.