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[RJMacready73]

Cat lover and finally relented to my son's constant whining about getting him a dog and picked out a gorgeous 8wk old Schnocker mix, but have never had a dog, so Dog Gaf any tips for those first few weeks to help us all acclimatise to one another and give the little fella the best start

 

[daffyduck]

 

[winjer]

He is so cute.
We need more pictures of him.

 

[RJMacready73]

He has a real laid back vibe to him compared to his rambunctious siblings, hence we choose him,

 

[Putonahappyface]

Congratulations he's gorgeous! Any ideas for a name yet?

 

[Yamisan]

No such thing as a Schnocker, hope you didn't get scammed on over paying for a mutt. Nothing against mutts, I love them but people now a days breed them and make up names trying to get money for them. If you've never owned a dog the best thing to do is to look up tons of puppy guides I guess, its just like a baby but puppies are smarter than human kids. Prepare for long, loud nights with lots of pee and poop, probably will regret your choice at times but once past that phase it'll be much better.

 

[Trilobit]

Cat lover and finally relented to my son's constant whining about getting him a dog and picked out a gorgeous 8wk old Schnocker mix, but have never had a dog, so Dog Gaf any tips for those first few weeks to help us all acclimatise to one another and give the little fella the best start

Does anyone know why I can't see some images on my computer when browsing gaf? Works fine on my phone. :S
Says Gitd89y.jpg instead of showing the pic. I really need to see the puppy!

 

[ThatStupidLion]

As puppies during teething Do NOT let them gnaw on you/your shoes etc… any time it tries to bite you say no, and put a toy in its mouth instead.

Hitting the dog anywhere is useless punishment, all you need is a stern loud low “NO! Or “NOOOO”.

You will need to socialize the puppy with people and other dogs early on so it knows to play and isnt afraid.

Puppies need to go outside every one to two hours for bathroom. I forget the rule but its like every week they can go another 15?30? Minutes.

They dont know how to walk on a leash so theyll most likely not budge not want to go for a walk early on. Hes not broken. Eventually they get it.

Dont encourage barking.

I think rule of thumb is neuter around 8 months.

You can train them to do anything, it just takes a lot of time and dedication, but if you dont want a dog that pulls you everywhere for the next 15 years 2-3 times a day, youre gonna want to research and start early on about training it.

They need exercise, obvs its diff every dog breed, but dont skimp on giving it the walks and outdoor time it needs. Bonus is that its a daily excuse for you to get exercise etc.

Some dog parks are great, esp if your dog gets along well with others, but there are irresponsible owners who bring their dogs that terrorize other dogs. So you always have to be on guard and aware.

Dont skimp on food, theres a lot of crappy cheap unhealthy recalled kibble out there.

Dont give too many treats. I give my dog stella and chewy raw dehydrated treats. And he gets a greenie every morning.

Fur care differs Depending breeds. Some need daily combing others rarely if ever.

Dont force them into water it traumatizes them and could make rain walks or bath time even worse.

Learning how to trim their nails and get them comfortable with it early on will save you in the long run regarding frequency of professional nails/grooming. Read up on that.

Ear cleanings is another thing to look out for. Depending breed ear infections from water can be common, so gotta be on top of that.

Hes going to need a bunch of meds and shots initially, but they all last for dif amnts of time so the same cost wont be annual.

Flea tick meds are critical imo. I use bravecto. Its a 3 month chewable. Have never had fleas and only find dead ticks on him ie it works.

Certain breeds/dogs arent good with naturally expressing their anal glands, so keep an eye out for that, vet might need to manually do it if they become
Impacted. Usually dogs will scoot their asses on the ground if they have impacted glands or itchy worms.

Feeding dogs human food from hand is bad. Theyll learn that its okay and start biting hands and stealing food. Same with jumping on counters and tables etc.

Unsure as ive never had a dog cat combo, but ive heard dogs and cats will only get along if they are both raised as puppy/kitten together.

Separation anxiety is real, so read up about that so hopefully you can avoid it.

Some people crate train their dogs, i never have, but ive boarded dogs that are, and they know it as their home for bed time.

Puppy is going to cry and whine at night so youll have to figure out how to deal with it or let him sleep in your bed with you which can be a dangerous road to go down.

Read up about kongs and the different recipes people pack them with and freeze - which can be good distractions and treats for dogs.

As a puppy youll want to keep him restricted to one area with a pen of some sort, with no carpets.

Youre gonna lose a good deal of items, so gotta make sure all doors are closed fully and everything picked up off the floors. Or else say goodbye to the louis vuiton your wife got last week


Lots for you to read up on tbh so do that. Feel free to ask questions. Dogs can be so different from one another.

In the end of the day though puppies require a ton of time and are a lot of work. Youll prob feel regret at some point, but honestly they become some really great family members and (dads) best friend.

 

[bender]

Puppy kindergarten is a must. If he learns something great but it's mostly about exposure to other dogs and people. Socialization is the most important thing you can do for any puppy.

 

[Rockondevil]

Dogs are fine and easy. Great pets. Prepare to bleed with the puppy teeth. Toys are a great substitute.
Socialising is great and really a must. My older dog I adopted gets a bit angry at some dogs as I can only assume he wasn’t given interaction as a puppy.
One thing I’ve done with my girl from a puppy is when she would bite while wrestling her if it was too hard I’d make a yelp sound. Now 10 years on when we wrestle she’s so gentle. I think once she got me a little too hard, but I could’ve just jerked the wrong way.

One of my cats has had mental issues since I got my two dogs near 10 years ago. Pisses anywhere and on anything.
So keep an eye out for that and I hope that doesn’t happen to you.

 

[Robot Carnival]

I demand you bury your face in it's belly and rub your face left and right for 10 seconds so I can live vicariously through your action with cute puppy.

 

[xrnzaaas]

Puppies are cute, but threads like this one keep reminding me why I've adopted only full-grown dogs in my life. Much less hassle since they (should) already know all the basics and you don't have to worry so much with having a mess in your house.

 

[NekoFever]

Puppies are hard work. Ours is 9 months now, so basically an adult, and the first few weeks had me wondering if I’d made a mistake as I was spending another night outside at 2am, waiting for a dog to shit (tip: don’t get a puppy in the winter). It gets better, though. He’s a wonderful little thing now.

But yeah, as a few people have said, the number one most important thing is socialisation, socialisation, socialisation. Introduce him to big dogs, small dogs, black dogs, yappy dogs, young dogs, old dogs. People too — men, women, children of all ages. People in wheelchairs/scooters, people with walking sticks. Take him to places with crowds (it’s fine to carry him if it’s too busy to risk trampling) so he gets used to people everywhere, walk him on paths near roads so he hears traffic noise, walk him near livestock if you’re rural.

If you get him familiar with all these strange things and situations, you’ll have a much better adjusted dog, far more likely to be chill during new experiences. And puppyhood is the one chance, because once a fear of unfamiliarity is set in, it’s almost impossible to train it out of an adult dog.

 

[bati]

Puppies are hard work. Ours is 9 months now, so basically an adult, and the first few weeks had me wondering if I’d made a mistake as I was spending another night outside at 2am, waiting for a dog to shit (tip: don’t get a puppy in the winter). It gets better, though. He’s a wonderful little thing now.

Yeah, it was the same for us. We got our first dog 10 years ago (he would've been 10 in April but sadly passed away last November). For the first few months we were wondering if we made a mistake. So much energy that had to be directed and controlled, stubbornness, waking up at the worst possible time to go out, in the night, in the rain, snow, everything. Eating everything possible off the ground, from discarded trash to horse poop. Or rolling around in poop in general. Or rebelling on walks and refusing to move, wanting to explore on his own. Running away and getting lost. Pulling on the leash. Omg. At some point I started wondering if he was a part sled dog. It was so bad we had to switch from collar to harness just to protect him from hurting himself. Eventually he mellowed out and we had some great years together where he behaved exactly like you'd expect from a family dog. Just pure joy all around.

If I could go back in time and give myself some advice - spend every possible second with your wonderful pup and enjoy it. Time is short, and when the final moment comes you'll think back and regret all the time you didn't spend with him, when you wanted to do something else instead of playing with your dog. I have a few of those myself, even though I realize my dog had a great life and we had so many wonderful adventures together. But the day he passed away I would've given everything I have for one more walk with him, one more moment, one more evening of cuddling.

Treat your puppy like a real person, they each have their own personality. It's one of the best thing a man can do in his life to befriend a dog and earn it's love and trust. Don't be afraid to spoil him, and be firm but not too strict in training. A dog is your friend, not a symbol or a thing to show off. It will change you in ways you cannot imagine. And seeing the love for you in their eyes is something money can't buy.

Here's a pic of my Dasty who has since crossed the rainbow bridge:

 

[jufonuk]

Love them as much as they love you.

 

[sono]

cute


as I am sure you have considered, a long term commitment, shots, microchip, vet bills, feeding, walking, care etc

 

[AlphaDump]

I cook my dog his own food and I get props from my vet all the time. Here is my recipe:

Throw into pot:
1. Ground beef
2. Brown rice
3. Broccoli
4. Green Beans

Let that go for 30 min. This has been a legitimate game changer. I have a French Bulldog and his allergies were out of control before we decided to make his food.

Dogs are the best. Treat it like family.

 

[RJMacready73]

All good tips chaps! Sounds a nitemare tbh ah well committed now

 

[RJMacready73]

No such thing as a Schnocker, hope you didn't get scammed on over paying for a mutt. Nothing against mutts, I love them but people now a days breed them and make up names trying to get money for them. If you've never owned a dog the best thing to do is to look up tons of puppy guides I guess, its just like a baby but puppies are smarter than human kids. Prepare for long, loud nights with lots of pee and poop, probably will regret your choice at times but once past that phase it'll be much better.

Schnocker (Miniature Schnauzer & Cocker Spaniel Mix): Info, Pictures & Care – Dogster

Schnockers are perfect dogs for individuals, seniors, and families. As long as you have the time to spend with them, the Schnocker might be the perfect companion...

www.dogster.com

 

[Cyberpunkd]

As puppies during teething Do NOT let them gnaw on you/your shoes etc… any time it tries to bite you say no, and put a toy in its mouth instead.

Hitting the dog anywhere is useless punishment, all you need is a stern loud low “NO! Or “NOOOO”.

You will need to socialize the puppy with people and other dogs early on so it knows to play and isnt afraid.

Puppies need to go outside every one to two hours for bathroom. I forget the rule but its like every week they can go another 15?30? Minutes.

They dont know how to walk on a leash so theyll most likely not budge not want to go for a walk early on. Hes not broken. Eventually they get it.

Dont encourage barking.

I think rule of thumb is neuter around 8 months.

You can train them to do anything, it just takes a lot of time and dedication, but if you dont want a dog that pulls you everywhere for the next 15 years 2-3 times a day, youre gonna want to research and start early on about training it.

They need exercise, obvs its diff every dog breed, but dont skimp on giving it the walks and outdoor time it needs. Bonus is that its a daily excuse for you to get exercise etc.

Some dog parks are great, esp if your dog gets along well with others, but there are irresponsible owners who bring their dogs that terrorize other dogs. So you always have to be on guard and aware.

Dont skimp on food, theres a lot of crappy cheap unhealthy recalled kibble out there.

Dont give too many treats. I give my dog stella and chewy raw dehydrated treats. And he gets a greenie every morning.

Fur care differs Depending breeds. Some need daily combing others rarely if ever.

Dont force them into water it traumatizes them and could make rain walks or bath time even worse.

Learning how to trim their nails and get them comfortable with it early on will save you in the long run regarding frequency of professional nails/grooming. Read up on that.

Ear cleanings is another thing to look out for. Depending breed ear infections from water can be common, so gotta be on top of that.

Hes going to need a bunch of meds and shots initially, but they all last for dif amnts of time so the same cost wont be annual.

Flea tick meds are critical imo. I use bravecto. Its a 3 month chewable. Have never had fleas and only find dead ticks on him ie it works.

Certain breeds/dogs arent good with naturally expressing their anal glands, so keep an eye out for that, vet might need to manually do it if they become
Impacted. Usually dogs will scoot their asses on the ground if they have impacted glands or itchy worms.

Feeding dogs human food from hand is bad. Theyll learn that its okay and start biting hands and stealing food. Same with jumping on counters and tables etc.

Unsure as ive never had a dog cat combo, but ive heard dogs and cats will only get along if they are both raised as puppy/kitten together.

Separation anxiety is real, so read up about that so hopefully you can avoid it.

Some people crate train their dogs, i never have, but ive boarded dogs that are, and they know it as their home for bed time.

Puppy is going to cry and whine at night so youll have to figure out how to deal with it or let him sleep in your bed with you which can be a dangerous road to go down.

Read up about kongs and the different recipes people pack them with and freeze - which can be good distractions and treats for dogs.

As a puppy youll want to keep him restricted to one area with a pen of some sort, with no carpets.

Youre gonna lose a good deal of items, so gotta make sure all doors are closed fully and everything picked up off the floors. Or else say goodbye to the louis vuiton your wife got last week


Lots for you to read up on tbh so do that. Feel free to ask questions. Dogs can be so different from one another.

In the end of the day though puppies require a ton of time and are a lot of work. Youll prob feel regret at some point, but honestly they become some really great family members and (dads) best friend.

Yup, getting a cat was the right decision.

 

[AJUMP23]

Be good to your dog and they will be good to you.

 

[FunkMiller]

I cook my dog his own food and I get props from my vet all the time. Here is my recipe:

Throw into pot:
1. Ground beef
2. Brown rice
3. Broccoli
4. Green Beans

Let that go for 30 min. This has been a legitimate game changer. I have a French Bulldog and his allergies were out of control before we decided to make his food.

Dogs are the best. Treat it like family.

I speed read this post too quick, and thought we had somebody from Korea in here.

 

[Hudo]

Dogs are one of the very few things that make this shithole of a planet worth not destroying.

 

[dave_d]

Yup, getting a cat was the right decision.

Depends on the cat. I've got a maine coon who CONSTANTLY wants attention and will break anything that's left out, including a toaster. (Ok, to be fair I'm not sure if it was him or the siamese that knocked the toaster off the counter top. But he's done stuff like that before so I'll say it was him.) Fortunately he's pretty docile.

 

[GymWolf]

Fucking lmao what a coincidence, my sister found a small dog in the streets yesterday and we are going crazy trying to find a home for it because the house dog is super aggressive with other dogs so she can't keep it.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

Depends on the cat. I've got a maine coon who CONSTANTLY wants attention and will break anything that's left out, including a toaster. (Ok, to be fair I'm not sure if it was him or the siamese that knocked the toaster off the counter top. But he's done stuff like that before so I'll say it was him.) Fortunately he's pretty docile.

My parents got the same breed, hate the shit.
We got Angora Turk, she is lovely.

 

[bati]

All good tips chaps! Sounds a nitemare tbh ah well committed now

You will definitely think so. But when its on, it's on, absolutely nothing can prepare you for it. You'd sooner take your pup to the vet than yourself to the doctor when things are dire. Just accept it, it's normal, all the people I know who have dogs are the same. I was never one to start arguments or anything, but I distinctly remember one summer when I was playing with my dog by the river, and he liked to bark as he waited for me to throw pebbles for him into the water (our favorite activity, and we'd do it for 2h at a time). One of the local owners of the plots they had by the river got upset by the noise and he squared up, started telling me how he'd poison my dog if he doesn't shut up. I never punched a person in the face in my life before unprovoked, but that motherf- deserved it, and then some. One of the shortest arguments I ever had. I would've killed and burried that dude on the spot if necessary.

 

[ForAcademicPurposes]

What a cool little dude.

 

[RJMacready73]

As puppies during teething Do NOT let them gnaw on you/your shoes etc… any time it tries to bite you say no, and put a toy in its mouth instead.

Hitting the dog anywhere is useless punishment, all you need is a stern loud low “NO! Or “NOOOO”.

You will need to socialize the puppy with people and other dogs early on so it knows to play and isnt afraid.

Puppies need to go outside every one to two hours for bathroom. I forget the rule but its like every week they can go another 15?30? Minutes.

They dont know how to walk on a leash so theyll most likely not budge not want to go for a walk early on. Hes not broken. Eventually they get it.

Dont encourage barking.

I think rule of thumb is neuter around 8 months.

You can train them to do anything, it just takes a lot of time and dedication, but if you dont want a dog that pulls you everywhere for the next 15 years 2-3 times a day, youre gonna want to research and start early on about training it.

They need exercise, obvs its diff every dog breed, but dont skimp on giving it the walks and outdoor time it needs. Bonus is that its a daily excuse for you to get exercise etc.

Some dog parks are great, esp if your dog gets along well with others, but there are irresponsible owners who bring their dogs that terrorize other dogs. So you always have to be on guard and aware.

Dont skimp on food, theres a lot of crappy cheap unhealthy recalled kibble out there.

Dont give too many treats. I give my dog stella and chewy raw dehydrated treats. And he gets a greenie every morning.

Fur care differs Depending breeds. Some need daily combing others rarely if ever.

Dont force them into water it traumatizes them and could make rain walks or bath time even worse.

Learning how to trim their nails and get them comfortable with it early on will save you in the long run regarding frequency of professional nails/grooming. Read up on that.

Ear cleanings is another thing to look out for. Depending breed ear infections from water can be common, so gotta be on top of that.

Hes going to need a bunch of meds and shots initially, but they all last for dif amnts of time so the same cost wont be annual.

Flea tick meds are critical imo. I use bravecto. Its a 3 month chewable. Have never had fleas and only find dead ticks on him ie it works.

Certain breeds/dogs arent good with naturally expressing their anal glands, so keep an eye out for that, vet might need to manually do it if they become
Impacted. Usually dogs will scoot their asses on the ground if they have impacted glands or itchy worms.

Feeding dogs human food from hand is bad. Theyll learn that its okay and start biting hands and stealing food. Same with jumping on counters and tables etc.

Unsure as ive never had a dog cat combo, but ive heard dogs and cats will only get along if they are both raised as puppy/kitten together.

Separation anxiety is real, so read up about that so hopefully you can avoid it.

Some people crate train their dogs, i never have, but ive boarded dogs that are, and they know it as their home for bed time.

Puppy is going to cry and whine at night so youll have to figure out how to deal with it or let him sleep in your bed with you which can be a dangerous road to go down.

Read up about kongs and the different recipes people pack them with and freeze - which can be good distractions and treats for dogs.

As a puppy youll want to keep him restricted to one area with a pen of some sort, with no carpets.

Youre gonna lose a good deal of items, so gotta make sure all doors are closed fully and everything picked up off the floors. Or else say goodbye to the louis vuiton your wife got last week


Lots for you to read up on tbh so do that. Feel free to ask questions. Dogs can be so different from one another.

In the end of the day though puppies require a ton of time and are a lot of work. Youll prob feel regret at some point, but honestly they become some really great family members and (dads) best friend.

Just wanted to personally say thanks for those great selection of tips M8, appreciate the effort.

We're planning on getting a crate, my bro and a few work colleagues recommended it, as we'll be heading off for a few days in August it means I can drop the pup up at my folks with the crate and at least he'll have that familiar bed/safe spot whilst they look after him.

I assume with the cat whose pretty chill we'll introduce slowly, first through the class doors and gently over the coming days instead of just fucking it into the room with the puppy and walking away lol

As it's just 8wks old, I'm gonna assume our first few weeks are simply going to be going slow, I take it we place puppy pads around the floor, we're intending to keep it confined to one room for now, our dining sitting room with the space into the kitchen blocked off. I guess toilet training is going to be a ball ache, I take it we just need to keep and eye and see if it has a familiar spot and lift it anytime it looks like it goes to wee and simply bring it outside and let it wander about the back garden till it pees,give it praise and bring it back in? Do we start that immediately?

 

[EverydayBeast]

You have to be consistent with your dog training, I've seen people give up on them and they're up for hundreds of dollars at the pound, having a dog is a really big deal. I think puppies seem to demonstrate more energy, teething, etc. there's going to be some challenges for sure.

 

[ThatStupidLion]

Just wanted to personally say thanks for those great selection of tips M8, appreciate the effort.

We're planning on getting a crate, my bro and a few work colleagues recommended it, as we'll be heading off for a few days in August it means I can drop the pup up at my folks with the crate and at least he'll have that familiar bed/safe spot whilst they look after him.

I assume with the cat whose pretty chill we'll introduce slowly, first through the class doors and gently over the coming days instead of just fucking it into the room with the puppy and walking away lol

As it's just 8wks old, I'm gonna assume our first few weeks are simply going to be going slow, I take it we place puppy pads around the floor, we're intending to keep it confined to one room for now, our dining sitting room with the space into the kitchen blocked off. I guess toilet training is going to be a ball ache, I take it we just need to keep and eye and see if it has a familiar spot and lift it anytime it looks like it goes to wee and simply bring it outside and let it wander about the back garden till it pees,give it praise and bring it back in? Do we start that immediately?

you just need to stay on top of the timing of making sure its put outside for potty breaks. They will mainly only have accidents because they cant hold it very long or just get too excited (which can be another “feature” that comes with yoir robopup”) a dogs instinct is to not piss/shit where it sleeps/lives, so eventually it will associate inside with its home smells and outside being for potty.

Also get a certain doggy spray for cleaning poop/pee. It helps eradicate lingering smells that may attract the dog to do it in the same spot again.

And of course praise and reward/treat.

Puppies are pretty voracious, so in the beginning you might even be able to get away with giving it a kibble as a treat instead of plowing through regular treats.

On topic of eating theyll want to over eat, so even if he seems hungry just stick to the recommended portions. Some will eat really fast too, so to slow they down you can buy special maze type bowls if ya want.

Some human foods can make dogs very sick ex. Chocolate and grapes, so look up that list.

Sit, stay, release, are prob some of the most commonly used/useful commands to train them on. They can read hand signals along with voice so its good to combine the two when training.

 

[Hero of Spielberg]

I cook my dog his own food and I get props from my vet all the time. Here is my recipe:

Throw into pot:
1. Ground beef
2. Brown rice
3. Broccoli
4. Green Beans

Let that go for 30 min. This has been a legitimate game changer. I have a French Bulldog and his allergies were out of control before we decided to make his food.

Dogs are the best. Treat it like family.

I do a similar one with pet mince, pumpkin, spinach, chicken livers and rice.

 

[bitbydeath]

It’s literally like having a new baby.

 

[RJMacready73]

It’s literally like having a new baby.

This is what im dreading tbh I've already been in the trenches twice, I don't want to go back lol

 

[Little Mac]

 

[Chuck Berry]

ThatStupidLion How do you teach them to stay put? I imagine that's gotta be a rough one at first since the pup will probably be following you everywhere? lol

 

[ThatStupidLion]

ThatStupidLion How do you teach them to stay put? I imagine that's gotta be a rough one at first since the pup will probably be following you everywhere? lol

Imo easiest to teach them to sit first.

Then when they learn sit you teach them stay ie. to keep sitting until you say a certain word, release/come. Etc. Theyre food and praise oriented so eventually it clicks in their head that they only receive reward after no moving/moving when told to.

If a dog pulls on a leash you need to have a ton of (tiny bits of) treats in pocket….and everytime the dog pulls you have to stop moving until the dog stops moving and he gets a reward and start walking again when you begin walking again. That takes awhile because you stop every 2-5 feet at first. But you really want to curb leash pulling esp if you have a medium to big dog.

ecollars are also excellent training tools. Theyre need to be used properly and responsibly though. I never used one until my most recent dog. Dog wears a collar and i have a remote. It comes with a light on the collar for night time visibility. I can trigger the collar to make a sound, a vibrate, or varying static electricity strengths.

I dont use the shock function, but my dog is trained to the vibrate function (which is like a cell phone vibrate), so when hes running off leash in a forest if im hiking etc and i lose sight of him or hes not coming when i call him since hes focused on digging up an animal, i press the vibrate button and he’ll return back to me.

All breeds differ at ease of learning and eagerness to please etc too, so like one might learn to sit in a day, one might take a week. A field dog might be instinctually better at retrieving a bird where as a herding dog might be better at corralling sheep.

It all takes time and consistency but really builds a bond between you and the dog