Training.. What order?

[Mojo]

Once my puppy is all settled in... explored my garden a little (maybe even pee'd out in the garden) had a little nap... and probably become board of my fussing, and making sure she is ok..

How soon should training start... not toilet training.. but recall training and the likes...

I ask the question because my Dad has M.S. and is in a wheelchair.. My parents smoke out in the back garden. (smoking yuk!) and go out once an hour(ish) the wheelchair is electric, and is steered by my mum or myself. Its quite important that puppy learns not to go near to the chair when its moving.... flat puppy isn't something i was looking for.. so our plan is to have her around the chair and when my mum moves it, have her sit with me.. and i'll play and distract her, untill she has leared to "stay" or to "move" (move will be to the hall - the only place the chair doesn't go..) she wouldn't be able to go to her bed while he was being moved, as she will sleep in my room, which is up stairs, where i spend most of my time. However, while I'm at work, she will be with my mum, downstairs...


So after that little explanation.... my actual question are:

What age you guys started training?
How long did it take for your pups to learn these things.. (i know all pups are different.. but a general time scale will be good)
Did you use a spacific training routine... sit first, then stay, the recall? or some other pattern...

Also, I dont want to have the pup in the garden when my parents are smoking... all the time, so when would be a good time to start leaving her alone? they go out for 5-10 mins, at a time..

Thanks for reading... can you tell I'm a little nervouse and mostly excited! =] just want to make it eas for her! =]

[Tulip]

I started training at eight weeks. Soon as Maisy came home she learnt to sit for her food and in that week she also learnt 'leave it' and 'down', with more things to come. Minis are really clever so they pick things up fast!
Recall was easy, simply calling puppy to you and giving her a treat! Then coupling a word to it and practising on long-line outside.
Are you crate training at all? If you'd like to leave her alone then you can do so in a crate with her bed in there, if that's where she's sleeping, etc. It's okay for her to be outside when they're smoking, she'll probably do her business and come back in for a cuddle. ;)

As for the wheelchair thing, I think she'll get it pretty fast, but try keeping her on a collar and lead around the chair so you can move her out of the way and then couple that with a word like 'move' or 'scoot'. I use 'Back up!' when I need Freddy out of my way.

[HamishTheSchnauzer]

I started training the day Hamish arrived home, he got sit and sit and stay fairly quickly. They do seem to really pick things up fast. Just make sure you have treats with you when you are doing it and they seem to not want to leave your side! lol

[Mojo]

Thanks guys. =] Thats what I was hoping to hear.. Yeah, I was thinking about crate training... at first I though it seems cruel to have her locked away. But having read more about it.. Its more like thats her safety spot.... =]

[Tulip]

Truly is, Mojo. My older boy loves crates so much that now when I'm crating Maisy, my pup, he crawls inside and falls asleep there! Best way to keep 'em out of trouble and give them a nice den where you know for sure they won't pee or poop and thus helping house training.

[Mojo]

Just like her having her own little room.. =]

[Tulip]

Exactly. I made Maisy's very very homely and now I almost wish I were small enough to crawl inside it too.

[Caramomo]

Plus with a crate you could train her to run to it whenvever she hears the wheelchair move - so she is safely out of the way regardless of where your dad goes. Just start by taking her to the crate every time the wheelchair moves and give her a treat. As others have said with a young pup its amazing how fast they learn.

With the toilet training and her being outside with your parents. For at least the first month I'd say her going out with them is PERFECT, every time. It will be a great way of limiting the chance of accidents in the house. If she goes out on her own, she will just stand by the door and want to come back in, you let her and she then wee's on the carpet.

I have found that both my two got the concept of where to toilet by 12 weeks. then its just a matter of their bodies catching up with their heads....

Separation training is another matter - you can start that from day one too. just leave her secure (in her crate) with a toy or small chew and leave the room for five minutes. as she learns to deal with this you can extend the time until she is alone.

Puppy biting doesn't hurt. Just do as MaisyFreds said any you will teach puppy not to bite. It can take a few weeks because it is very instinctive for them to mouth but if you're consistent she will get it. If you keep going with it you will get a dog that never touches your skin with her teeth. Biting Perfection!