[LibbyRed]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this forum. I love Basset Hounds and I'm finally picking a female up this Saturday. I'm full of excitement, I can't wait to finally bring her home .
I have done plenty of research on Bassets but after reading some threads here about potty training, I'm freaking out.
By the way, her name is Libby Red, my daughter's idea . It was easy to potty train my Golden Retriever, Barkley, so I'm wondering how difficult it really is to train a Basset. Anyway, I'm up for the challenge.
This is my first Basset, and I hope to learn more from the experts, you guys, who are Basset owners.

Pati

 

[Murdoc's Dad]

I have only had my Murdoc a couple of weeks.. outside of about 3 urination accidents, Murdoc has been very easy so far. Crate training is the way to go in my opinion. The accidents that he has had, have been because we missed the signal.

Murdoc will go to the back door, but he makes no noise.. if you don't see him sniff at the door and make his little circle, you miss it. Every time he wakes up from a nap, I make him go out. He seems to be doing pretty good this way.

I know that I have a long way to go, but so far so good.

Welcome to the Forums. Once you pick her up, please make sure you post a pic or 2.

 

[José]

Welcome - this board is full of great information.

Don't be scared. I actually had a super easy time training José. I did what my books told me - after every activity (eating, sleeping, playing) whisk him outside and let him go and then act like you won the lottery! It went very smoothly, I'm almost glad I didn't know bassets were notoriously 'slow' in that area. But then again, if you know you will be sure to be very diligent about training.

I've never used a crate except when I first got him. But everyone's circumstances are different, so you end up doing what is best for you. I had a kitchen that I could gate shut, that was puppy proof, and in the early months I left newspapers by the door and he was paper trained. José is 5 now and has the run of the house (okay I still use a babygate to keep him out of the hallway with bedrooms and the bathroom - too tempting for him to find mischeif). I don't leave him more than a few hours though. Got a dogwalker (aka Mom) to come over every day around noon).

There is nothing better than puppy pictures, so I look forward to seeing some!
Lisa & José

 

[Stephn]

Hi
Yep I agree we crate trained Charlie and Anna(GA) . Brandy we used the kitchen as the crate no room for the crate. But when they would wake up their little feet didn't touch the floor I carried them out and told them go potty. I would feed them and put them back out. To this day Charlie eats and goes out and potties. that is his key word I send him out before going to work and I tell him and Brandy go potty I have to go to work. If they have been outside and I want them in I just open the door and tell them I have to go to work. Charlie is 11 years old he is very much a creature of habit and we learned way back to make sure his habits were good ones.
Good luck and enjoy your new baby
Stephanie

 

[daisy8869]

Welcome

This board has been a huge help for me and my four month old Jackie. How old is Libby? I also have a golden retriever and it is a big difference in housebreaking. Bassets aren't horrible but according to my vet, their bladders mature later so you can't expect an eight week old puppy to hold it longer than an hour or so. Jackie's housebreaking is going pretty well, it was frustrating at first because her "signals" gave us about five seconds warning. We are using bells now to train her and she rings the bells 85% of the time she needs to go. She hasn't pooped in the house for over a month now, so I think that battle is won (hopefully).

The best advice I can give you is to take time to get to know Libby and establish a routine for her. All dogs are different and they all give different signals. Until you learn her signals...invest in lots of paper towels and a good carpet/floor cleaner. :lol: Good luck it getting Libby and please post pictures!!!!

 

[sadeyes2]

Hello and welcome, I'm sure as the months go on, you will find this board really helpfull with any problems you have. Never had a pup, but I know that treats are the best way to train a basset to do anything.

 

[LibbyRed]

Welcome

This board has been a huge help for me and my four month old Jackie. How old is Libby? I also have a golden retriever and it is a big difference in housebreaking. Bassets aren't horrible but according to my vet, their bladders mature later so you can't expect an eight week old puppy to hold it longer than an hour or so. Jackie's housebreaking is going pretty well, it was frustrating at first because her "signals" gave us about five seconds warning. We are using bells now to train her and she rings the bells 85% of the time she needs to go. She hasn't pooped in the house for over a month now, so I think that battle is won (hopefully).

The best advice I can give you is to take time to get to know Libby and establish a routine for her. All dogs are different and they all give different signals. Until you learn her signals...invest in lots of paper towels and a good carpet/floor cleaner. :lol: Good luck it getting Libby and please post pictures!!!!
[/b]

Thank you all for your replies. At two months Barkley already scratched the back door to be let out.
That's exactly what I plan to do, get to know Libby and her signals. You are right, all dogs aren't the same. She will be eight weeks this coming Friday, and she is a red & white. I will post pictures as soon as I can this weekend.
I used a crate for my Golden, and I plan to use the same one for her (a Vari-kennel 300). I know that in the beginning, I have to put something in there to minimize the space. I wouldn't want her pooping in one corner and sleeping on the next.
I'll try my best not to miss those circles .

 

[Chloe Mike and Penny]

CHLOE WAS PRETTY EAZY WE TOOK HER OUT EVERY 2 HOURS AS A PUP AND AS OTHERS HAVE SAID PRAISED HER FOR DOING A GOOD JOB.........BUT AS OTHERS HAVE SAID YOU HAVE TO LEARN THEIR SIGNS CHLOE WON'T BARK ARE WHINE SHE JUST COME AND STARES AT YOU LOL WHICH WAS A LITTLE HARD TO GET USE TO WHEN YOUR ASLEEP LOL AND SHE HAS HAD ACCIDENTS IF WE MISS THE SIGN BUT THEY ARE MOSTLY OUR FAULT...........AND THEN SOME TIMES SHE DOES IT JUST TO PROVE SHE CAN LOL.....AND WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF BASSETS LOL

 

[Emma and Doris]

A warm welcome to Pati and LibbyRed!

Can't wait to see her picture!






--------------------
<span style="color:#009900">The one that drools rules,
Steinar - daddy and foodslave to Emma and Doris!

http://www.basset-hound.net.tf</span>

 

[José]

Funny about the training to go out... José would go to the back door and stare. I think he believes if he stares long enough and intently enough it magically opens!

Seems to be a very slow progression because after a couple years he started to give a scratch, and I am trained to hear that little scratch in my sleep. Hubby blisfully sleeps through it, go figure! Now at five years old, José is now learning to walk in the bedroom and look at us, then go to the back door to stare, then scratch. Wow what progress! When he's 10 he might even bark to go out!

 

[LibbyRed]

I guess I'm really going to learn sign language with this one.

 

[Murdoc's Dad]

Funny about the training to go out... José would go to the back door and stare. I think he believes if he stares long enough and intently enough it magically opens!

Seems to be a very slow progression because after a couple years he started to give a scratch, and I am trained to hear that little scratch in my sleep. Hubby blisfully sleeps through it, go figure! Now at five years old, José is now learning to walk in the bedroom and look at us, then go to the back door to stare, then scratch. Wow what progress! When he's 10 he might even bark to go out!
[/b]

That is too funny, more importantly, it seems to be true.. These guys and gals seem to do things at their own pace and expect you to know what they want.. within a few weeks and by trial and error, they can eventually train their people to do what is needed. If we ever screw up, they readily forgive us and keep going.

 

[LibbyRed]

Hello again,

We are home! She is adorable but much smaller than I expected. I will post pictures later tonight.
I'm taking her to the vet today just for a quick check up.
My Golden, Barkley was going nuts about her, and Libby too. I had to put him in his crate so that she could sniff him because he's too friendly and might accidentally hurt her with rough play. But it was so funny, she would roll over as they would smell each other.
She won't stop whining though. I think she's angry, I have her in the crate right now with a Blanket over it, to see if she can take a nap.
She's been really good so far, only one pee accident inside the crate, but she likes going outside or on newspaper. I think she's going to be alright in that department, but we'll see.
Right now my main concern is what to do with her and Barkley. Do they need to be apart for a few days? I'm a little confused on whether I should let them be together at this moment or wait until she gets her first set of shots. Any input on this would certainly be appreciated.

 

[Basset Momma]

No advice today... but welcome

 

[Elmer-n-Button]

She's probably whining because she knows you have other dogs, and she wants to socialize, especially if she has been used to being with siblings. I would probably go ahead and get them together as much as possible (under close supervision, of course) The faster they get accustomed to one another, the better. Your other dogs could develop jealousy if you don't let them socialize with her. Good luck, it makes me want another one!

 

[Beverly Anne]

Sign reading and MIND reading. The trick is how to get inside the little pea brain of an 8 week old basset. God help us, I don't envy you. Francis was slow to train but if there was an accident it was almost always my fault. Patience and routine were our only solution.
Welcome, this place is great!

 

[LibbyRed]

Here are two pictures of Libby on our way back home.

 

[Terry]

... Jose' would go to the back door and stare. I think he believes if he stares long enough and intently enough it magically opens.[/b]

You mean, it doesn't? :blink: It does at our house. Moe's intent stare makes doors open, cookies appear, dinner and water bowls magically fill up, and space gets made for him on the couch. :lol: Maybe Jose's just not staring intently enough! B)