I had a trainer once tell me that the only thing pads are good for is to teach the dog it is OK to go in the house. I have always taken them outside from the start. I used crate training for my last dog and was amazed by the quick results. Of course I knew she was a very smart dog right from the beginning. Enjoy your new puppy.

Yeah, I am thinking I want to cut back on the pads and get her going outside. How often do you take 9 week old pups out?

if she is already used to going on the pads, move them outside. Don't ever put the pads inside or she will just get used to going inside. I taught my dog with the pads and it was useless because then I had to reteach him to go outside.

Dogs can go outside even if theyre young, just dont let them eat anything they find outside and always keep them on a leash, and away from strange dogs so they dont catch anything.

Last year when I got my puppy the vet told me that crate training was the easiest way to train. She is the third dog I got as a puppy and I decided to train her like I did the other two. No crate, I "baby proofed" my tiled area and let her go free. No pads otherwise she would have thought it was ok to go inside. I would take her out after every bit of play, food, and water. When she went inside I would tell her a firm "no" then bring her outside. When she went outside I praised her right away while she was in the process and gave her a little treat from my pocket. You have to equate the treat with the good action. Now a year later she is perfectly trained and has been for many months. She cries to go ouside and never messes in the house. The vet told me at about 12 weeks she would start to put 2 and 2 together but one of my dogs did at 9 weeks. At 12 weeks they can hold it for several hours. Please don't confuse her/him with pads. You will always have a dog that thinks it is ok to go in the house. I spent a lot of time outside last winter training but it is worth it now.

Thanks everyone! I started her with going outside yesterday several times, and she did her "business" as soon as I took her out and praised her.. I have a pad in her crate for night time. By the time she starts to cry at night she has already gone in the crate and I have to change her pad. Should I keep giving her a pad at night?

I haven't bought her treats yet. She has been a little bit of a finicky eater so I don't know if or what kind of treats are the best that she will like... I was at the pet store today and so many choices for treats, I don't know which kind are the best..

One can combine crate/pad and outside..My Lucky was paper/pad trained when I got him, as well as outside. Both of my dogs prefer outside, but if they gotta go, gotta go, gotta go, and I am un-available for any reason to take them out, they will use their pads..that is the good news..The bad news is that dogs, both sexes, don't seem to understand where their parts are..The female when outside and cold/wet will put her front paws in the grass and do her thing, not understanding that her back part is still on concrete..My male gets all 4 on the pad, but don't seem to understand that hiking his leg up makes either the wall or the floor wet, I get tickled..No way to teach them anatomy...LOL..Good luck with your new furry kindred..I had a poodle that I never could train. BTW..I have a min-pin AND a long coated Chi..Both are service dogs..The Chi is a certified alert dog (he taught himself-I have had him 6 yrs now.

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If you are a "if at first you don't suceed, try, try again" person; don't go skydiving!!

Nova, she is a Puggle (pug/beagle). She is 9 weeks old and just the sweetest little girl. She unfortunately has been having a difficult time eating since she has been home with us, and has been back to the vet to see what is wrong. All tests came back negative. Not sure if it is separation anxiety/excitement or what. Has anyone ever had a problem with puppies eating the first few days at home? We might have to syringe feed her for a little while. :(

Nova, it turned out it was her diet after all. I was afraid it was more serious, and they took like three poo samples on her and all tested negative, so I was happy about that! They had originally sent me home with three different foods she was eating and I guess she decided she didn't want that anymore, so they switched her to Orijin and she gobbles it up! I have gone through about a half tube of Nutri-Cal and thank goodness for that! She was getting kind of sluggish not eating and had been throwing up everything she ate before now. She spent the night at the vet last night, and today she is her perky little puppy self and eating... She hasn't had her 3rd set of shots yet, so maybe letting her outside for now is not a good idea. I think she got eating some grass or something and that irritated her tummy the other day big time. Google Puggle and you can see and read about them. The face is just too cute!

Happy Halloween!

You are so right, Nova36, about bichons being more difficult to train. My sweet girl took about 2 years!! I would take her out for what seemed like hours and nothing. Would bring her back inside and WHAM...she would "go". The few times she would go outside I praised to to high heaven, but she never seemed to get the message. Now, finally, I take her out and say "piddle, piddle" and she "goes". Then I say in an excited voice "do your po/op/s, do your po/op/s, hurry, hurry" (got that from a training book at the library) and she will . She is five now and isn't the easiest dog to get to "go" outside. The moment we get up in the morning I have to dress hurridly or throw on a housecoat and immediately take her out or she piddles on the rug. I hate that because I usually need to go also but have to wait until my little princess goes first! She does sit at the back door, very quietly, if she needs to go out, but unless I see her, it is a waste. She doesn't come and get me. How do you get them to let you know without having to watch them all day? By the way I got her in Jan of 2005 in a cold, winter climate also. Kudos to you for being able to get yours trained so well. My girl is the sweetest dog I've ever had and she does follow me everywhere all day like a 2 yr old child and lays at my feet. She also won't go out in the yard alone...looks back to be sure I'm right behind her.

Because she has not had all of her shots, don't take her to public places. No pet stores, do not let her feet hit the ground in a dog park etc. Puppies can get parvo virus so be careful. I just kept mine in my yard until she was ready with all of her shots.