New Member and a newbie owner =)

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ylrebmik
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New Member and a newbie owner =)

Post by ylrebmik »

Hi Everyone,

I just got my new, first ever chow chow puppy on Tuesday, 3/29/2016. I've done tons of research, asked the kind breeder numerous questions, and have read every forum on here that I can find on what to expect :)
I wanted to introduce my little Yuki-bear (or just Yuki). He's very calm, well behaved, and playful! He lets anyone come near him to pet and hold him. He's currently teething so he tries to bite every
time he gets. We have brought him outside in our backyard (our vet says that is okay) in the past few days that we've gotten him, but he doesn't seem to like it outside and only wants to be inside. He seems to enjoy car rides, he just falls asleep next to me whenever we're in one or likes to look outside the window. He has whined/cried when we leave him to sleep but it only lasts for about a minute right when he is left alone and after he'll fall soundly asleep (if there is no noise haha!). He's just the sweetest, mellow puppy so far! Also, He will be 8 weeks this Sunday. :D
The questions I have are,
When can I start potty training? He is pad trained on the area we have wooden floors, but when he goes into the area with carpet he will pee.
What are some tips for teaching basic tricks and when do/can I start on it? (Sit, Lay, Up, Stay)
How can I help with the teething?
What are some good treats to give to him?

Thank you everyone =) Down below is my Yuki.
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Rory's Dad
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Re: New Member and a newbie owner =)

Post by Rory's Dad »

Congrats on your new pup. Sounds like everything is going well so far.

Don't worry about his time outside. He is a puppy and is bonding with you, so it makes sense that he wants to zip right back in and spend time. Yes, he is teething. You just want to gently correct that nipping. Replacement is best. If he tries to nip, give him something more appropriate to chew on. Puppy toys, chews, etc. At his age its expected, so just show him what items you consider acceptable.

Being outside is part of the potty training. Walk him and encourage him to 'do his business'. When he is done, walk him back inside, but continue to walk him outside until he accomplishes the mission. I would recommend circling a small area (over and over again if needed) where you want him. This will train him to that area and make clean up much easier. Depending on his personality, he may want to be outside longer and explore as he grows up, but for now, this is OK.

Keep on with the sleep/night ritual. If he only complains for a brief time then you are on the right path. He will be independent and able to handle being on his own pretty easily.

As for your questions...keep him off the carpeted areas. He can mistake the texture for the grassy yard, and it is almost impossible to clean it enough to get the odor out. He will most likely still smell it and resoil the area. Keep him close to the exit when not supervised, and keep the puppy pad there as well. He will learn to associate that area and going out. Chows are really smart and pick it up quickly. Not everyone is a fan of crate training, but if you find it necessary, he will think of the crate as his home and not dirty that space. You can take him right out of the crate to outdoors and he will figure it out. Then, expand his 'home' area to the rest of your house.

For the teething...anything he will chew on. A nice one believe it or not is frozen waffles. The cold helps to lessen any discomfort.

Training and treats should go hand in hand. You need to find something that interests him. I have always used "train-me' treats. They are a pea sized treat that come in a different couple flavors. Use vocal cues and hand signals. Do a You Tube search for videos that show the technique, but its pretty simple. For "Sit", you want to get the dogs attention with the treat in your hand. Bring the treat to his nose, and slowly back over his head. The motion of the treat will naturally put him into a sit position. Repeat the command verbally as you move the treat and your hand. For lye, same thing. Bring the treat and your hand to his nose. Then draw an "L" in front of him. Bring your hand down from his nose to the floor, and then draw if forward towards you. If he is interested in the treat, he will follow the motion. After a successful exercise praise him, pet him, and give him the treat. Up is the exact opposite. A nice way to break this up is what is called 'doggy push ups'. Once you have taught him 'lye', reverse and tell him up. Withhold the treat until you get both actions, and then string them together in quick succession. You can even add the ever cute paw or high five. Again, just a variation on the basic technique. Move the treat in your hand to about a 45 degree angle from his nose to his side. The 1st few times, tap the treat to his paw and then raise it up. Depending on your hand angle (face up/face down) you can vary this to 'giving a paw' or a 'high five'. Finally, I also am a fan of 'pretty'. For me this is also having the dog up on just his hind legs. This comes after he has the paw tricks down and simply changes the hand position so that it taps on your other arm. Put the arm without the treat horizontal and tap the treat on the forearm, repeating whatever command you opt to use. Both paws should then rest on your arm waiting for the treat. After a bit of training he will actually move into this position without relying on your arm for balance.

Stay is tough, especially with chows. He wants to be at your side (another nice command to have him learn). Recall with Chows is difficult to learn, but if he can get through those other basics, it would be worth some time.

There is never a time that is too early. Start with all of your training ideas whenever you can.
ylrebmik
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Re: New Member and a newbie owner =)

Post by ylrebmik »

Thank you, Rory's Dad!! That was very helpful. I also have one more question---he doesn't come or even look when he's being called. Will he grow out of it after we repeatedly keep calling him by his name? We've had him for three days so I know it'll take time to adjust, but it seems that we can't even get his attention to even look over unless we have a treat.
Rory's Dad
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Re: New Member and a newbie owner =)

Post by Rory's Dad »

Yep, that's fairly normal.

A couple of things, after 3 days he probably has no idea what his name is, unless you kept whatever name the breeder chose to call him, and that is unlikely. When you are doing the basic training use his name...Sit,'name'. Use it frequently when praising him. Good Boy!, 'name'. He will get it. 3 days is way to quick to expect results on that.

2ndly, Chows do have what we call 'selective hearing'. When they are involved in something, and it can be as simple as staring off into the darkness, they pretend not to hear you. They most certainly are hearing you, they just ignore you. It can be both frustrating and comical once you understand that that is what they are doing. That is why recall is so difficult with Chows. Your best bet is to find that treat that he can't resist. Food motivation is really all you have at that point unless you are lucky enough to have a chow that really wants to be at your side above anything else (happens, but not that often, that's why they have a reputation as an independent breed).
ylrebmik
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Re: New Member and a newbie owner =)

Post by ylrebmik »

I see I see, thank you for all your helpful tips! Will surely keep them in mind and use them. =)
ylrebmik
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Re: New Member and a newbie owner =)

Post by ylrebmik »

Okay, my last question because I have just become curious...
When do his ears stand up? He has a younger/smaller brother (picture below) and his ears are both standing!
I can post more pictures of my fur baby if you need more for reference, but they are very much twin-like (eyes, nose shape, coat coloring, etc) except my fur baby seems to be a lot bigger (chubbier) than him from the picture, is that why his ears aren't standing?

Thanks for the help! :)
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Rory's Dad
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Re: New Member and a newbie owner =)

Post by Rory's Dad »

Heavier pups can take longer for the ears to stand. It would be unusual if they didn't unless you feel and actual 'break' in the ear. It's not technically a break, but you would feel a soft spot in the bone structure. 6 - 9 months would not be uncommon with a dog that has a thicker ear mass. You could actually sprinkle a bit of unflavored gelatin over his food to encourage cartiledge growth, but I wouldn't be too concerned.
nomadtofu
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Re: New Member and a newbie owner =)

Post by nomadtofu »

All of what I am going to say here is all based from experience. I have a 1 year and 4 month old cream chow (very similar looking to yours :D )

You asked:
1. When can I start potty training? He is pad trained on the area we have wooden floors, but when he goes into the area with carpet he will pee.
My answer: I started potty training my dog the moment I got him. The only exception was when he got a series of vaccinations and the vet advised me that he can't go outside even if it's in our garden. It was my first owning a chow so I did a lot of research and I even watched videos on how to potty train. What I did was super helpful so I am going to suggest it to you nonetheless. What I did was every after his meal I let him out and let him find his "spot" in our garden. So basically, I let him 2-3 times a day. When he poops/pees inside the house I usually shout no and say bad dog. I notice that he responds to it and he learns that he has done something bad until such time that he learned that he can't pee/poop inside the house. Now, that he's an adult he signals me each time he wants to go out and if you miss that signal for sure it will be another accident.

You asked:
2. What are some tips for teaching basic tricks and when do/can I start on it? (Sit, Lay, Up, Stay)
My answer: My dog is super lazy as in he just sleeps all day. Since, he was my first dog I watched all of the training videos I could find and I try to do the techniques shown in the videos ie: Cesar Milan's videos. But he doesn't respond well to that sort of training because as you know Chows are independent thinkers and they do pretty much what they want. My solution was incorporate all his tricks to his daily routine until finally I can command him whenever I want. I taught him sit, shake(he can distinguish his right and left paw) , stand (I used the word UP), stay, wipe paws(after letting him out, he stays on the rug so that he won't bring the dirt from outside the house) etc.

You asked:
3. How can I help with the teething?
My answer: Buy him all the chew toy he needs. Just be understanding if he chews some part of your furniture. When you catch your dog chewing off the furniture shout a loud NO or clap your hands really loud (I usually do both).

You asked:
4. What are some good treats to give to him?
My answer: I usually give my dogs treats that are good for his teeth and his fur. For example, salmon is good for a dog's fur so I occasionally give my dog that.

REMINDER:
Make sure to give your dog plenty of exercise because as they say "A tired dog is a happy dog."

Have fun! Chows are the best
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FurParent
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Re: New Member and a newbie owner =)

Post by FurParent »

Whoa... What an adorable creature! Congrats on your new baby. :)
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