First-time puppy owner and resources that helped me
Hi, I just got my australian cattle dog puppy 3 weeks ago (now 14 weeks) and I was so stressed out at first!
Luckily I was able to get some tips from this forum (and realized I wasn't doing enforced naps so the puppy wasn't getting enough sleep). I also learned a lot more about training and timing, and it's pretty hard at first, and there's subtle things that I was doing wrong and am still trying to figure out.
I wanted to share some resources I've found helpful (Most are free):
- Reading and rereading "Perfect Puppy in 7 days" by Sophia Yin (details: I tried do the thing where the puppy tethered to me at all times but that was too much for me. Other than that--the positive reinforcement training, crate training, and potty training guide was very helpful to me. There's a checklist for all things you should do to socialize your puppy. Bonus: there are a LOT of pictures on every page)
- WatchingKikopup's training videos (very in-detail explanations) and also referencing Zak George's videos
- Referencing Reddit's puppy101 guide
- "The Truth about Cats and Dogs" course by University of Edinburgh (Only takes a couple of hours. Has some basic information on animal welfare, where it gets interesting is some of the extra resources they have, book recs. If you want puppy info it's in week 5's reading. Week 3+4 body language guide is also very helpful).
What are some of the most useful resources you've come across?