Hellobee Boards

Congrats!! We have a golden retriever puppy (just turned one) and the best tip I have is putting a bell on the door. My pup hits the bell on the door when he wants to go out to use the bathroom. It takes a little while and its best to start young!

Good luck and enjoy!!!

@FaithFertility: Yeah! We have this one https://www.chewy.com/poochiebells-original-dog-training/dp/135481

But any bell on a sting works!!

We never tried the clicker, but I've heard good things!

so excited for you! we got our dogs when they were a little older, so no tips, but congrats!

Clicker training is awesome. Also take puppy classes that have puppy play groups- bite inhibition is so important to learn and there is only a short window to learn it!

My mum got a large breed puppy and trained her using the clicker and treat. She has trained two dogs from puppies that way and it was quite successful. She also has a bell strip hung on the door that the dog rings with her nose to go outside.

I agree with what people have said about messing with the dog's body and food. My friend had me so that with her dog when she trained him as a puppy. He was a small dog and she got me to put my hand in his food while he was eating and play with his head so he would be ready for kids. I only have a cat, but I do enforce (or try to) that he needs to be left alone while he eats and so does my mum's dog when we visit her because they might get grumpy, but for the times when just in case your children might get in their way, you don't want the dog to be aggressive.

And also what people said about the dog snarling is good to remember. My cat has upped at my daughter a few times to let her know he was cranky when she was bugging him too much. I would talk to both of them after the incident, but didn't blame the cat entirely because he was being antagonized. I don't have any specific training to follow because my mum just sort of goes with the flow. Was very careful and good about getting the crate training set up and established and I would definitely do that so that your dog has a safe haven from the kids. Most dogs really like their crates too. I would also set up the dog's toys and bed and teach your kids that those things are for the dog and not for them.

Good luck and enjoy! Your kids' ages aren't completely crazy. It will be work, but nice for them to grow up together. :).

My best tip from the puppy years is to mix cayenne pepper with water and use a basting brush to apply it to anything you don't want chewed up. I had a chewer, so I used this everywhere: on the underside of all my rugs, the stair spindles, you name it.