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Puppy Prep

2K views 6 replies 4 participants last post by  party_pete 
#1 ·
Hello all,
I've been browsing the forums for a little while now because we were planning on getting a basset hound eventually, but the way things worked out we will get him in July of this year! His name is Party Pete and I can't wait to meet him! I'm looking forward to meeting him and welcoming him into our family, and I've been studying up on the breed and all of its lovely quirks so that I know how to raise him properly when he comes home! Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
 
#2 ·
Welcome- it's great that you're doing some research before your puppy comes home-

The black bar under the banner at the top of the page has a search tab: click on it, then click on "Search Forum": type in a topic, and old posts on that topic will come up so that you can browse for information.
 
#3 ·
the Intro forum i.e newbie forum does not allow UBB code so posting ling is a PIA because you have to cut and Paste to use


so here are some links to other thread (still you have to cut and paste) that have the links I usually recommend

http://www.basset.net/boards/general-basset-hound-discussion/49449-my-first-basset.html

http://www.basset.net/boards/general-basset-hound-discussion/15951-first-basset-puppy-pics-questions.html

you will want to talk to the breeder about early neonatal stimulation see http://breedingbetterdogs.com/article/early-neurological-stimulation

we do this with all the litters we have
 
#4 ·
Thanks you guys! I've got some more research to do before he comes home and these tips will be really helpful (my biggest concern is what my 3 cats will think, but I've found some encouraging stories on the forum already!)
This is our first dog as well as first basset hound, and my fiance and I are both really excited
 
#5 · (Edited)
Puppy Training 101, What has Worked for Me:

For housebreaking, take the puppy out frequently to the same place, use the same word for what you want him to do, then praise like crazy when he goes, and bring him back inside: potty time is not playtime. At night I always kept puppies in a small crate near my bed with a soft blanket- the puppy didn't want to mess his nest, so he would fuss- when I heard him I would jump up and take him downstairs for potty, then right back to bed, no play. This helped him learn that fussing was communication and got him a trip outside to relieve himself. As the puppy gets older he will be able to control his bladder better and your night time trips will get fewer and fewer. This method has always worked for me although other people may have other suggestions.

The main thing to remember is to train with a firm verbal correction, then praise him when he does what you want: for example, if he is pulling on the leash, stop where you are, tell him "don't pull", then continue walking and tell him he's a good boy when he cooperates. You can use treats as a reward too- bassets don't respond well to harsh training methods. They are stubborn by nature, but love praise for pleasing you.

Another technique for corrections in certain situations is withdrawing your attention. For example,if he is playing too rough with you, you should get up and walk away. Withdrawing your attention is much more effective than yelling, which is still giving him attention and is what he wants from you- by withdrawing he learns that his behavior has an undesired consequence.

If you go online and google Norwegion dog behaviorist Turid Rugaas, there are lots of short videos about dog body language and dog communication- dogs communicate with us constantly, but most people ignore what they're trying to tell us. Before I retired from training pet therapy teams, I used to recommend her short book "On Talking Terms With
Dogs: Calming Signals" to everyone going through the program. It is well worth the $12 price.

You should be able to get out of the Intro forum after 3 responses and a short wait (?) and after that you can do a search on housebreaking and other things.
 
#6 ·
The main thing to remember is to train with a firm verbal correction, then praise him: you can use treats as a reward too- bassets don't respond well to harsh training methods. They are stubborn by nature, but love praise for pleasing you.

Another technique for corrections in certain situations is withdrawing your attention. For example,if he is playing too rough with you, you should get up and walk away. Withdrawing your attention is much more effective than yelling, which is still giving him attention and is what he wants from you- by withdrawing he learns that his behavior has an undesired consequence.

For housebreaking, take the puppy out frequently to the same place, use the same word for what you want him to do, then praise like crazy when he goes, and bring him back inside: potty time is not playtime. At night I always kept puppies in a small crate near my bed with a soft blanket- the puppy didn't want to mess his nest, so he would fuss- when I heard him I would jump up and take him downstairs for potty, then right back to bed, no play. This helped him learn that fussing was communication and got him a trip outside to relieve himself. As the puppy gets older he will be able to control his bladder better and your night time trips will get fewer and fewer. This method has always worked for me although other people may have other suggestions.


You should be able to get out of the Intro forum after 3 responses and a short wait (?) and after that you can do a search on housebreaking and other things.
This is a very sensible answer - one I totally endorse..... fwiw
 
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