# First time poodle owner...HELP! :)



## Minie (Oct 4, 2021)

Welcome to the forum. What an adorable pup. What's his name?

Regarding your questions: children need to learn how to respect and be around a puppy and vice versa.
It's an absolute no no to wake a puppy up because a child wants to play. You wouldn't have it if it was a 6 month old baby being disturbed.
Teach your children not to randomly pick up the pup. He's growing and all of a sudden, one of them has dropped him by accident and both get hurt. Sometimes, when children carry pups, they hold them tightly to avoid dropping them. That hurts, hence the growling. His barking and growling is his voice. It's the only way he can tell you all that this is unpleasant.
Poodles are totally different to most other breeds. I have had many different breeds and these are just a handful in the beginning. They are incredibly mouthy. Search Landshark on the forum and you'll find, you're not alone.
Set up good boundaries for your kids and the pup. Teach the pup to walk from A to B, rather than being forcibly moved. You want to create a loving trusting bond from which your pup wants to cooperate and learn new things. It's a totally different approach with poodles. They think, what's in it for me and is it fun? Make it fun and rewarding.
Looking forward to more pictures!


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## BennieJets (Oct 10, 2021)

In the beginning, I had the mantra “She’s a puppy, not a toy doll” for my three kids. As minie offered, puppies need to learn to cooperate and move of their own accord. Teach your kiddos swooping in scares or hurts puppy. And frankly, it’s disrespectful to a living thing’s sense of space and free will too, which is a good lesson for kiddos to learn. Puppies need a ton of sleep, best to let sleeping dogs lie.


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

Hi and Welcome to you, Jack Little (your pup?), and your family.

Yes! to what Minie and BennieJets have offered. Puppies growl and snap to communicate. They're saying "I don't like that!" in the only way they have in those circumstances.

This is all very typical for poodle pups. Smart means they THINK, they believe that they have rights too.

I'll address the unspoken concern. No, this is not aggression on his part. It is communication which the kids will need to learn to translate to human language. If they wouldn't like it done to them, they shouldn't do it to the puppy. Not without the puppy's permission. They will need to learn to ask the puppy if it's ok to *___*.

There's a video around here somewhere that shows kids a way to interact with puppies on the puppies terms (understanding) but I can't find it right now. If I do, I'll link it in later.

Read thru this post, too. It's on target for you and has a relevant video, not sure if it's the one I was thinking of but it's appropriate.








Not very friendly


Dogs enjoy doing things they choose to do. The challenge with puppy raising is to get puppies to choose to do the things we want them to do by making what we want the fun, easy, and rewarding option. Forcing a dog to do something it does not want to do does not make it fun, easy, or rewarding...




www.poodleforum.com





Heading to a different topic, would you mind describing the daily routine for Jack, from get up to go to sleep, please?
Puppies need mostly sleep in these early weeks/months, as much as 18-20 hours a day. They also need some exercise/play time and some mental stimulation/training time.
An overtired, overstimulated puppy is grouchy and snappy. Like an infant or toddler they may declare that they aren't tired...until their head hits the pillow .

Does he have an expen, a safe place for him to be (on several levels )?


These may be the ones I was thinking of.
Kid Vids - The Whole Family (thefamilydog.com)

Two of our members who are Certified Professional Dog Trainers participate in this thread which is also on target for you.








My pup behaved strangely:(


Hi everyone, I am thankful to find out this site. I am a first time poodle parent. I am concerned about my pup Dakota. He is a red mini poodle. He came home at 8 weeks. 3 weeks after that he started developing strange behaviors: 1. He would sit and didn't want to walk at the time that he usually...




www.poodleforum.com





Your situation sounds far less fraught than the OP was dealing with so by implementing some ground rules it's unlikely to escalate.


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## The Popster (Feb 23, 2021)

Great advice above.
Kids have to get the '“She’s a puppy, not a toy doll” for my three kids', as BennieJets says.
I'm sure you will work it out.
So will your very smart pup.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Jack is such a cutie! 
You're puppy will be 50+ lbs in a year or so. You definitely won't be picking him up to move from A to B then so there isn't any benefit in doing it now. I'd minimize picking him up as much as possible, especially the kids. Make a game out of getting him to move from A to B on his own. Reward him with a yummy treat when he does it! Also, be sure you don't punish him for growling (speaking his mind). It's his way of saying "please don't do that". Heed the warning and do something else (or just walk away and ignore him). If you punish him for growling, next time he may just keep quiet until he can't handle it anymore, then Snap or Bite without a warning growl. You definitely don't want that. Good luck! Keep active here on the forum and you'll find tremendous support from us all.


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## For Want of Poodle (Feb 25, 2019)

To quote my father, when 5 yo me got a puppy. 

'Put that dog DOWN, it has 4 legs!' 

When I was about 12, another puppy growled when I picked him up. He was maybe 6 months? I listened to that communication and basically never picked him up again. He was a love, a really sweet dog, and I don't think I ever heard him growl again. Message communicated and understood, he was tired of being picked up and carried.

General kid safety dog rules
1. Don't disturb a sleeping dog
2. Ask the dog permission before picking it up- if the dog moves towards you, pick it up, if the dog doesn't approach, don't pick it up. 
3. If the dog moves away from you while petting - let it go.
4. Don't chase the dog
5. Leave the dog alone when eating
6. Don't tease the dog (with food, or with toys)
7. Don't corner the dog. 
8. Don't approach or try to pet or play with the dog in the crate - crates are kid-free zones. 

We ask a lot from our dogs, and to be fair, we need to ask a lot from the humans involved too. 

Here's a good article if you haven't read it: 









Kidnapped From Planet Dog - Whole Dog Journal


Sometimes new owners tell me getting a puppy was supposed to be fun, but all I feel is stress. Here's what new owners need to remember.




www.whole-dog-journal.com





(If you click on the name of the author, she has a whole series of articles, many about new puppies, some of which might be interesting to you). 

I suggest finding a good , positive reinforcement based trainer, and attending classes with your kids, or possibly a few in home private sessions.


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## JackLittleishisname (5 mo ago)

Minie said:


> Welcome to the forum. What an adorable pup. What's his name?
> 
> Regarding your questions: children need to learn how to respect and be around a puppy and vice versa.
> It's an absolute no no to wake a puppy up because a child wants to play. You wouldn't have it if it was a 6 month old baby being disturbed.
> ...


Thank you for taking the time to reply! The pup's name is Jack Little because we briefly (5wks) had a moyen poodle in a breeding guardian program named Jack Big! Haha. We adored Jack Big but we realized we could not do all that was required for the guardianship program so we gave him back and decided to look for our own poodle pup. There were about 2wks we had both Jack Big and Jack Little and they loved playing together! Jack Big was really timid and attentive compared to Jack Little but he was about 6mos old versus 2mos! Haha! 
I will for sure implement the rules for my children that you have suggested! Thank you for your help!!


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## JackLittleishisname (5 mo ago)

Rose n Poos said:


> Hi and Welcome to you, Jack Little (your pup?), and your family.
> 
> Yes! to what Minie and BennieJets have offered. Puppies growl and snap to communicate. They're saying "I don't like that!" in the only way they have in those circumstances.
> 
> ...


Hi! Thank you for your time to reply!! And I really appreciate you addressing the unspoken concern here about aggression! I had someone tell me that if he is "already showing signs of aggression this young" then we need to find him a new home. I was distraught and felt pretty hopeless! I am so thankful to have found this group and feel hopeful and learn how to raise a poodle properly! I am implementing all suggestions! 

So Jack's routine is as follows - wakes around 7am with and chews his bully stick a few minutes and then I take him outside to go #1 & #2. He comes in and eats breakfast. By then my boys are awake and he is always SO excited to see them! 
They take him out to play ball or run with him for about 10-15min. He then comes in and terrorizes everyone at least 40min by grabbing with his teeth and chasing every living creature here (we have an old yorkie, a couple cats, and outside goats). This last week instead of allowing him to terrorize the planet, I put him on a leash and keep him next to me until he settles. I will offer him his bully sticks and eventually he will settle down to chew about 10min before falling asleep. He then naps about 2hrs. Wakes to go outside. Comes back in and naps a little more. Wakes for lunch. Goes for a nice little walk. Comes in and naps more. He wakes and chews his bones here and there and tries to terrorize my children and animals. 

We do have a crate (but not sure what an expen is), but are having a hard time getting him to like it! He cries and screams and even poops in it and buries it when we put him in! 
We keep trying. Usually 10-15min at a time especially during our meal times. 

He gets pretty wound up again when my husband gets home from work and is pretty wild for another couple hours. 
He eats dinner around 6pm. He is usually ready for bed around 9pm and he waits by my feet until everyone is finally settled in the night. He will lay in my bed and chew his bully stick a few minutes and then go to sleep for the night. 

I am open to any / all suggestions! If I am doing something wrong, I want to know!


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## JackLittleishisname (5 mo ago)

For Want of Poodle said:


> To quote my father, when 5 yo me got a puppy.
> 
> 'Put that dog DOWN, it has 4 legs!'
> 
> ...


Thank you for your reply! I appreciate it and will implement your tips! 
I was raised with dogs always but my parents came from an era where if a dog even LOOKED like it might growl, the dog was tackled and "learned to never do that again!" So, we had dogs that never ever growled or bit us but it came with a very sad price that my sister and I never wanted to force our dogs to pay when we grew up.  
I want this puppy to feel happy and safe with us! And for all of us to feel happy and safe with him! So I am looking forward to training and teaching and learning together!


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

JackLittleishisname said:


> Hi! Thank you for your time to reply!! And I really appreciate you addressing the unspoken concern here about aggression! I had someone tell me that if he is "already showing signs of aggression this young" then we need to find him a new home. I was distraught and felt pretty hopeless! I am so thankful to have found this group and feel hopeful and learn how to raise a poodle properly! I am implementing all suggestions!
> 
> So Jack's routine is as follows - wakes around 7am with and chews his bully stick a few minutes and then I take him outside to go #1 & #2. He comes in and eats breakfast. By then my boys are awake and he is always SO excited to see them!
> They take him out to play ball or run with him for about 10-15min. He then comes in and terrorizes everyone at least 40min by grabbing with his teeth and chasing every living creature here (we have an old yorkie, a couple cats, and outside goats). This last week instead of allowing him to terrorize the planet, I put him on a leash and keep him next to me until he settles. I will offer him his bully sticks and eventually he will settle down to chew about 10min before falling asleep. He then naps about 2hrs. Wakes to go outside. Comes back in and naps a little more. Wakes for lunch. Goes for a nice little walk. Comes in and naps more. He wakes and chews his bones here and there and tries to terrorize my children and animals.
> ...


Just a quick note for now. It sounds like you're doing a lot right, but as you're finding, there's even more that can be done. I just want to reassure you that you're on the right path. 

Others may address your responses and I'll be back later too . 

An exercise pen is the doggie equivalent of a children's playpen. These are set up in the living area if possible, they don't need to be very big, and allow Jack to be with the family but safely contained when a responsible person isn't actively engaging with him, 

Search PF for "expen" to see some pictures of members setups. 
Tethering is another option.
You might be able to cut some of the "wild" times by using an expen. Getting overadrenalized isn't ideal 
There's techniques for helping him learn to be comfortable in his crate. Dogs aren't technically "den animals" despite popular "knowledge" so many need to learn how to get comfortable in them. First step here is very short increments, Toss treat in, Jack gets treat and comes back out. Yay! Toss toy in, Jack gets toy, comes back out. Yay! Toss a few treats in, Jack stays longer...I think you see where this is going .

Do not forget to have fun!


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

Most folks understand that puppies require work. What they don't count on is homework .

Here's some:
Search PF and the internet for "Susan Garrett Crate Games"
Read both Ian Dunbar books (easy reads) below. Actually, read all of it and have as many family members as you can do so also, so everyone will be on the same page.

PF member, Liz, has put together this great resource. It's helpful both for experienced and new families.

"The pandemic has created some unique challenges for families adding a new puppy or adult dog to their home. On the one hand, we finally have the time to devote to a four legged family member; on the other hand, surging demand has led to adoption and sales scams, and social distancing requirements have diminished opportunities for training and socialization.

In light of these concerns, we created this Pandemic Puppy Primer as a starting point for families with new dogs. We intentionally kept the discussion short to keep the focus on resources to help families. We also chose to share a few targeted resources on each topic rather than create an exhaustive list in order to preserve readability and accessibility.

Topics include:

While You're Waiting for Your New Puppy to Come Home
Buyer Beware! Adoption & Sales Scams
Training Courses - How to choose a trainer and online/virtual trainers
Socialization - Checklist and resources
Impulse Control
Separation Anxiety
A Word About Housetraining
Choosing to Give Up Your Dog
We hope it is of benefit to our human and dog community here at Poodle Forum."

The full resource is here: Pandemic Puppy Primer

*While You're Waiting for Your New Puppy to Come Home*
Whether you are eagerly awaiting the arrival of puppies or have already come home with an adult dog and are wondering what you've gotten yourself into, this is where to start. Between shopping trips for essentials items and puppy-proofing your home, here is some reading to get you in the mindset of life with your new dog:

Whole Dog Journal: Kidnapped From Planet Dog
Eileenanddogs: Life Lessons For My Puppy
Ian Dunbar: Before You Get Your Puppy
Ian Dunbar: After You Get Your Puppy


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## Minie (Oct 4, 2021)

I love the name Jack Little.! What a wonderful tale behind the choice.
You are doing so many things right. As @94Magna_Tom says, it's important to keep your pup's voice and language intact. Fortunately, we have progressed immensely in our training techniques. Poodles are very, very sensitive dogs. I believe there's a correlation between intelligence and sensitivity. They really want to please you and themselves, and take it to heart when scolded harshly or unfairly. They have an uncanny resemblance to a toddler, both in tantrums, joie de vivre, and energy levels. Like a toddler, they become very difficult when overstimulated and tired. Again, as toddlers, they don't always see reason in having a nap, so you will need to enforce them.
It's hard work in the beginning and then the tables turn and the rewards just flood in.
We definitely need more pictures of Jack


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

Soiling in the crate can be due to several reasons. Stress because he's not used to the crate, soft surfaces suggest eliminating to many pups, and the crate may be too large.

Stress can be addressed by using Crate Games and training in extremely short duration - seconds at a time, even.
Soft surfaces like a cozy dog bed can be replaced by a washable crate mat. There's a bit of padding but not so much that he's enveloped.
A divider to decrease space available or a smaller crate for now might help. He needs enough room to stand up, turn around, and lie down. The less space to mess in, generally the less mess in the crate.

Expens are meant to allow more space for safe containment while the family is busy.

Did you meet his dam and sire? Do you have an idea of how big he's going to get?
Practice keeping your kitchen counters free of food when not actually preparing it, tables also.
This is to avoid him learning that counters keep enticing edibles in reach.
Any behavior you can avoid allowing him to practice is one you won't have to train away.

Keep chew toys handy in the home and in pockets for when the landshark appears!


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## JasMom (7 mo ago)

I want to echo what others have said about not waking puppy up.
My Poodle is 20 weeks old now and is good about napping appropriately but early on he would fight sleep with all he had. He would become rowdy, mouthy, and annoy the crud out of us and our older dogs. I would have to force him to take naps. He would go in his crate with a teething toy and maybe a treat with the lights out. He might whine a bit but within 15 minutes he was knocked out. I always let him sleep as long as he chooses and never wake him.


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## Rian (Sep 17, 2021)

Just anecdotal here but I have a mini on my hands and I carried her around CONSTANTLY at that age. She's still plenty small to pick up at a year old but I think the idea lost its appeal to her because I noticed that any time I'd come towards her with my arms outstretched she'd turn on a dime and trot away from me. Part coy-game, part "leave me alone", I'm sure. 

Well, I noticed, and listened. I now approach her with my hands behind my back, my little promise to her that I'm just saying hi and I'm not about to "do" anything to her (bath, groom, eye boogers, what have you). Within a couple days I've noticed SHE noticed my change in body language and she no longer reacts and scurries away when I reach out suddenly to pet her. 

I grew up with goldens and this is also my first poodle - these dogs understand and expect respect, which is a new concept coming from my golden puppies who'd let me crawl all over them when I was a toddler.

Anyway, just wanted to share what I noticed with my girl. She really responded to me respecting her boundaries and it feels really positive for our relationship.


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## Wooster Tim (Nov 11, 2021)

We like puppy pictures. Yeah, were weird that way. lol


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

JackLittleishisname said:


> By then my boys are awake and he is always SO excited to see them!
> They take him out to play ball or run with him for about 10-15min.


This is a perfect time and way to train for Recall. Have your kids station themselves a distance apart, with a few treats in their hands or pockets. It doesn't matter where Jack starts . Taking turns, one of them should call him to come and when he does give the treat. The next child takes their turn and calls him to come and treat when he does. Have them do this in random order a few times in each play session. It can be done inside too, if you like. Building Recall is a lifesaving skill for them all. (Later you'll also want to train an emergency Stop! command, another lifesaver.)

When they're just running around playing, sneak in a bit more by using a "follow" instruction to Jack, and of course, take turns .

Remember to also drain his mental battery by working in just a few minutes several times a day by training some basic stuff, and for fun, some simple tricks. Everybody needs to do things the same way and use the same words. Praise what he does right and just try again if he doesn't get it right that time. Poodles just think it's all fun so long as their people are engaging with them. They don't do well with too much repetition in a single session so don't overdo. 

Some suggestions:
See the videos here for
AKC Trick Dog – American Kennel Club 

CGC Test Items – American Kennel Club (akc.org) 

You'll need to pick and choose thru these and keep it short, fun and consistent.


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

The calling game is great for kids and puppies. I'd add that the puppy should be taught to sit down before getting his treat from the kid. Otherwise the puppy develops a tendency to get excited and jump up to snatch the treat.


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## Moni (May 8, 2018)

I remember coming here 4 years ago when my mini was growling when being picked up and I remember the wonderful advice I got here from many explaining that I was totally emasculating the poor guy (what a predicament for my 11 pound macho Poodle!) and I had to stop picking him up all the time. It couldn't have come at a better time - I stopped doing that and I taught him the command "up" as "I am going to pick you up" which is not actually a command, but rather a question - and wouldn't you know it Louie is smart enough to understand that he has a way to back out. If he is in agreement he will actually leap into my arms (very dramatically so - he is a Poodle after all) if he is not ready for it he will step two steps back and it's ok...


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