# New puppy: Tell me it gets better? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 26, 2008, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-tell-me-it-gets-better/469623 "2008-10-26T10:42:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Nikki\_Tikki\_Tavi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3da27b/32.png) [@Nikki\_Tikki\_Tavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nikki_Tikki_Tavi)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2008, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-tell-me-it-gets-better/469623/61 "2008-10-30T20:39:43Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > IFrankly I’ve been on the fence about the puppy class, because I caught part of a class at the same store and they were using a clicker – which many people swear by, including at least one person in this thread, but which neither my SO nor I are crazy about. I don’t want to pay $120 (which I’m sure is nonrefundable) just to find out that I don’t agree with their training method, you know? If you’re considering clicker training but don’t want to lay out the $$ for the formal class, check out the book I suggested, The Power of Positive Training by Pat Miller. It gives a good overview of why the clicker works (helps the dog pinpoint the exact behavior they’re being rewarded for\*) and easy instructions on how to use it. Clickers themselves are super cheap, I think mine was $2. Sorry to get all pushy about CT, but I really am amazed at how well it has simplified training for my dog. \*Instead of “sit! good dog!” _treat_ which can be confusing for the dog (“what am I getting a treat for? crouching? looking at her? standing back up?”) it’s "sit! _click the instant butt meets floor_ _treat_. The dog learns to associate the _click_ with the desired behavior and a reward, even if the reward comes a few seconds later. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-tell-me-it-gets-better/469623/62 "2008-11-10T21:50:55Z")
Just thought I’d post a follow-up, in case anyone’s interested. 🙂 We’re now 2 weeks in with our little dog ([updated pictures!](http://www.flickr.com/photos/misnomer971/sets/72157608359814888/detail/)), and looking back I can’t believe how much that first night worried me! Bailey is doing great in almost every respect. What really surprised me was how quickly she picked up on the housetraining: of course she’s not perfect, at just 15 weeks old, but I’d say that 80% of the time she’s a very good dog. I nearly cried the first time she went to the door to be let out. _grin_ We started puppy classes at PetSmart a week ago – though really the first class was just this past Saturday, because at the “first” class there weren’t enough dogs. Bailey got to spend most of the hour playing with the one other puppy who was there (an adorable Rottweiler who will be twice her size by next week!) while the other dog’s owners and I talked to each other and the trainer about our respective dogs and challenges. On Saturday there were 3 other dogs there, and we had our first proper class. We _will_ be using clickers, which I’ve made peace with, and the trainer gave us each one to take home. I didn’t work with her any yesterday, but today I will take her aside and spend ~10 minutes working on the “watch me” command that we started to learn. The PetSmart training style is positive reinforcement, and I picked up the book that **Cisco** recommended. The biggest challenge we still face is crate training, particularly at night, but a) I screwed up last week and have had to effectively start all over again, and b) it’s only been two weeks. It’s easy to focus on this one big negative because of the lack of sleep (e.g., I was so exhausted yesterday afternoon that I actually picked a fight with my SO, for the first time ever with anyone), but on the whole she’s a great little dog and we’re so happy to have her. Cute as anything, loves to play tug-of-war and is starting to learn the concept of fetching, is getting along with the other dog and is mostly on her feeding schedule, is doing well with her housetraining, etc. We keep wondering just how big she’ll be: the vet thinks she’s mostly Beagle and won’t get to more than ~25 pounds, but more than one person at PetSmart this weekend said, “She’s going to be a big dog!” She’s already nearly as tall as our other Beagle (who was, admittedly, the runt of her litter), so we’re just waiting and seeing. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-tell-me-it-gets-better/469623/63 "2008-11-10T21:57:01Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > Just thought I’d post a follow-up, in case anyone’s interested. 🙂 > > We’re now 2 weeks in with our little dog ([updated pictures!](http://www.flickr.com/photos/misnomer971/sets/72157608359814888/detail/)), and looking back I can’t believe how much that first night worried me! Bailey is doing great in almost every respect. Great news! ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-tell-me-it-gets-better/469623/64 "2008-11-10T22:02:42Z")
[Squeeeeeeeeeeee](http://www.flickr.com/photos/misnomer971/3010891837/sizes/l/in/set-72157608359814888/)!!! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-tell-me-it-gets-better/469623.md?page=3)