[pcojt10]

I just wanted to say how helpful this forum is and a big thank you. We brought an absolutely adorable 12-week old puppy home and for the first few weeks he was peeing/pooping in his crate, in the house, and I was admittedly slightly frustrated that he just didn't seem to get it. After spending a lot of time reading and a lot more time training, he's been absolutely perfect for the last week+ (at 4 months now), alerting the bell when he needs to go out, sleeping through the night (or waking me up at 4:30 when he needs to go out), and has 100% figured out the leash. We are now introducing him to the dog park and to hikes, and he has been great at those also. To any of the new puppy owners who were feeling like I was 2-3 weeks back, this site is invaluable, helpful, and if you're having the same problems don't worry, stick with it and your pup will get it!

 

[Murphy Wade]

Perfectly said. Goldens are great dogs but take A LOT of work as puppies. I can't believe I'm still breathing.

 

[Anele]

That's all such FANTASTIC news and will be so encouraging for others reading! Congrats to you on all your research, hard work, and consistency!

Just be very careful with going to dog parks. Unfortunately, several members have had negative experiences. You might want to hold off until your dog has matured and see if it works then.

http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...r/458906-puppies-do-not-belong-dog-parks.html
http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...n/451345-dog-park-nightmare-all-my-fault.html
http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/golden-retrievers-main-discussion/457794-dog-park-nightmare.html

 

[CAROLINA MOM]

Great to hear your little guy is doing so well.
Your hard work is paying off, pups are a work in progress just like kids.

Hope you'll share pictures of your little guy.

 

[jayp]

Congratulations on the Pup! Hope you have wonderful experience and make beautiful memories with him.

 

[pepperthepup]

That's how I feel about this forum too. Those first few weeks were *rough*, even after I'd spent months preparing. Once you actually have your puppy, sleep deprivation and the stress of constantly being terrified of *everything* can really do a number on your head. The forum gave me a reality check and support and I rode it through and it actually went faster than I'd thought. Most of the things I worried about just needed time to resolve themselves.

 

[pepperthepup]

BTW, you should post some puppy pictures!

 

[pcojt10]

Per the requests above, here's the pup!

 

[CAROLINA MOM]

He's adorable, thanks for sharing a picture of him.

 

[nolefan]

So glad to hear that you have learned the biggest lesson about working with dogs, "consistency is key". Your puppy is super cute Have you found a good obedience club to get signed up for puppy classes yet? It's not too soon if you haven't done that. Golden puppies are the stars of the show with just a little daily practice.

If you haven't had a chance to read through this thread regarding dog parks and puppies, I hope you will consider looking it over: http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...r/458906-puppies-do-not-belong-dog-parks.html