Getting an 8 week puppy, need advice

Training and behavior topics, guidelines, and tips for Chow Chows.

Moderator: chowadmin

Post Reply
peachteapup
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Nov 27, 2017 10:48 am

Getting an 8 week puppy, need advice

Post by peachteapup »

Hello! I'd like to start off with that I have done a bit of research, as well as read the sub form, and theoretically I believe these techniques to be beneficial, but I would like to confirm them with those of you who already have chowdren. I know genetics play a huge role as well, but I would like to train these things (teeth brushing, grooming, socialization, etc.) onto him as early as possible since I will be most likely picking him up at 8 weeks old.

To help train my chow to have a "soft mouth", I was thinking of doing a mixture of these two techniques. Hand fed when I'm at home (https://youtu.be/grdlSRkbi1c?t=266), then Kong when I'm away at work (https://youtu.be/LwZI1isnvPQ?t=244) – which is also beneficial for crate training. The only problem being, I've read around the forum that chows are more disinterested in toys than other dogs. That together with the fact that chow chows seem to be very independent, I worry this technique may not be as effective or he may not play with the kong for his food at all.

As for socialization, I want to emphasize the importance of him being okay with strangers and small animals. Exploring different environments and different terrains is easy to accomplish, but finding nice willing participants feels a bit more tricky. I thought of inviting multiple friends over to hand feed him to get him used to others. Since he probably needs to be exposed to a variety of people, I was also thinking of taking him for walk and having strangers do the same technique. It's easier to find people, but harder to find "small animals". Note that I would preferably like to stay away from dog parks in fear of "rough play/bite dog" incidents which in turn may lead to a negative experience for my pup. Of course, I'm going to enroll him in a puppy training course which will benefit him with more exposure, but I'm having trouble thinking of other safe/controlled environments so I can guarantee the he has a fun/positive time.

Last question is for collars/harnesses. I know for sure I’m getting a rolled leather collar for an ID tag, but because I’m lightweight I was thinking of getting a gentle leader head collar (https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Gentle-L ... lk+harness) or an easy walk harness (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001TRF3SC/re ... R2E21M6Z9P) so I can control him better on walks in the future when he gets older. However, I’m worried about his fur getting tangled or even possible hair loss. Has anyone encountered any problems with types of these harnesses?

If you guys have any tips, suggestions, experiences, ect. I would be thankful for it all!
User avatar
Laura
Rank 3
Rank 3
Posts: 2198
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:33 pm
Location: Alabama

Re: Getting an 8 week puppy, need advice

Post by Laura »

I use the harness in the second link for my two. I've had it for years and years. In the beginning I fastened it on their chest to work on pulling but since then it's always fastened on their back. It doesn't damage their fur and allows more control and is much safer than a collar IMO.
Image
Chloe (left) Shuggy (right)
Post Reply