Best puppy advice needed :)

[Pamela H in Texas]

I don't want to ruin this one. Our 5yo is an honest MESS. We've tried to straighten him out but just can't seem to. We don't want to ruin Jazz.

Here is the latest pic of her:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3281/2691357170_4f6ed93283.jpg?v=0

Anyway, with the whining so bad the first night, I did "baby earthquakes" to end it last night. It took only 3 or 4 times of picking her kennel up an inch and dropping it for her to get the point. We had a good night's sleep.

And she's potty training pretty well also. She goes almost immediately after we take her outside. We use the command words we'll want to use later figuring she'll eventually catch on. And we praise her too of course.

Right now she's playing with a piece of ice. She chews EVERYTHING.

Tomorrow she sees the vet. I'm sure she'll love that.

Anyway, but if y'all have any advice, I'm http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/images/smilies/bigear.gif cuz I don't want to make this one BAD. One bad dog in the house is enough (we got the other dog as an adult and she has been wonderfully behaved).

[Mrs. Readsalot]

Dogs love consistency and schedules. I don't like them to beg at the table so I never feed them from the table. My dh will be the one to start sneaking a new dog treats at the table. Then he yells at them to stop begging:001_huh: Hello you taught the pup that food comes from the table. I find this so frustrating. Really let everyone in the family know what the dogs rules are and make sure they follow them.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Yeah, our 5yo begs. SO annoying. And yet, we ALL give into him (or give him food when we've finished) so we've engrained in him that if he begs hard enough, he can have it though that wasn't our intention. This one hasn't tasted people food yet. I'd prefer if she didn't or she only got it as a treat in her bowl or something.

Think we can break the 5yo's bad habit on this after so many years?

[Soph the vet]

No table food! Carrots are great as a treat (hypoallergenic, high fiber, can have as many as he wants and may help with anal gland problems down the road). Speaking of anal glands, these little breeds are prone to impaction. If you see him scooting on the floor get them and his ears checked:D! There is this funny syndrome that happens when a dog gets inflammed anal glands their ears usually get inflammed too (usually allergies are the culprit). Get him neutered by 6 months, before puberty.
There's my two cents.
Soph

[Danestress]

My mother's small dog has chewed the edging on every Oriental rug she owns. She's done some pretty serious damage to some very old, beautiful rugs. Mom is convinced that this started with my mother giving her toys like the one your dog has in that photo - the braided toy with fringe. She thinks the fringe was the problems.

[unsinkable]

No table food! Carrots are great as a treat (hypoallergenic, high fiber, can have as many as he wants and may help with anal gland problems down the road). Speaking of anal glands, these little breeds are prone to impaction. If you see him scooting on the floor get them and his ears checked:D! There is this funny syndrome that happens when a dog gets inflammed anal glands their ears usually get inflammed too (usually allergies are the culprit). Get him neutered by 6 months, before puberty.
There's my two cents.
Soph

Is the "before puberty" neutering really important to a male dog's development? I am getting my dog neutered by we've had some expenses come up that used up the neutering money.