# Picking up our puppy tomorrow - 11 weeks old!



## Pennylogic (Aug 28, 2020)

Quite a few breeders release their pups at 8 weeks, and some at 10 weeks. Our breeder (phenomenal, well-known V guy) likes to wait until 10 weeks to get another shot in them, and was out of town delivering pups last week to others ahead of us on the list. 

So, we'll be picking up our boy (yet to be chosen) hopefully tomorrow or the next day. I read a lot about the critical training from 8-12 weeks, so my question is will I need to squeeze in all that training in the first week we have him? Or are they still very young/new and trainable and not set in any ways?

The breeder puts them on birds as early as 8 weeks and works with them from a hunting perspective, but not sure how much obedience training is conducted. He's mainly a hunting breeder/trainer, and we're looking for more of a family pet, with occasional bird hunting in the fall. 

I'm hoping that having another few weeks w/the litter, he'll learn more bite inhibition, playfulness, etc...

We'll look/pick the best pup w/the temperament that we're looking for and either way he'll be an outstanding dog, strong bloodline, and provide an abundance of joy to our kids and other dogs!

Any last minute tips for picking him out (I've read most threads on here and other sites), first few days, etc....for a 11 week old vs 8 week old?

TIA


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## The Leo (Oct 19, 2020)

I just had my first V/dog on 14 Oct, not from a hunting breeder, just family dog breeder. We picked him up at about 10 weeks and he wanted to chew everything on the car already, better bring a crate or some chew toy with you. I didn't I just hold him the whole time and ya it was fun...lol...
I just had him few days and already so tired, they are young but trainable he already knows sit, stay, down, hand, come mostly in the house, won't listen when outside walking just pulling and eating almost everything. And he has been chewing things in my house which i have to remove something from shelves.
Good luck! I heard people says they get better at around 6 months!


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## Pennylogic (Aug 28, 2020)

Thanks. We picked him up today, and what an awesome dog. Chill and content on the ride home, but the real challenge will be the kennel at night. He already whines quite a bit in there, so we'll have to work on that and I understand my patience will be tried! 

I think I might move away from the wire crate as well and get a ruffland so he won't get his legs caught in the wires, etc...


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

If the breeder is working with the puppies from 8-11 weeks, then he was doing some of the foundation work for you. As well as the first shot.Not a whole lot of actual obedience is going on during this period, but there is a lot of introduction going on.
You can't "squeeze" in any training. Training just takes time, patience, patience, and more patience.
I also get the puppies on birds the first day I have them. Either a live quail in a small cage, or I hide quail wings around the house and just let them work it out for themselves. It's a lot of fun watching them the first few times. That little nose goes crazy for a few minutes when they realize that "something is there".
I've never been a fan of the wire kennels either, for the same reason that you noted. I just use the largest sized plastic "crates".
Congrat's on your new boy. Have lots, and lots of fun together.


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## Pennylogic (Aug 28, 2020)

Thanks, he’s a barrel of fun already. Trying to get through the first night of kennel sleep.










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## Cavedog (Oct 21, 2010)

Ten years ago we got our V. We had his crate in our bedroom. We put him in there and he started whining. I told my wife that I would get a quick shower and when I come back I would try and calm him down. When I came out of the bathroom he was sound asleep. I asked my wife what happened. She said she laid on the floor where he could see her and he quieted down, and five minutes later he was sound asleep. The next night was a like the first. We put him in his crate and he started whining. This time I laid on the floor where he could see me and sure enough, in five minutes he was sound asleep. After that we never heard a peep out of him at bedtime.


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## Pennylogic (Aug 28, 2020)

Thanks that is very reassuring and will try that in the living room. 


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## tegee26 (Apr 25, 2018)

Cavedog said:


> Ten years ago we got our V. We had his crate in our bedroom. We put him in there and he started whining. I told my wife that I would get a quick shower and when I come back I would try and calm him down. When I came out of the bathroom he was sound asleep. I asked my wife what happened. She said she laid on the floor where he could see her and he quieted down, and five minutes later he was sound asleep. The next night was a like the first. We put him in his crate and he started whining. This time I laid on the floor where he could see me and sure enough, in five minutes he was sound asleep. After that we never heard a peep out of him at bedtime.



With our Lab, who is no longer with us, and our two V's we did the same exact thing. We slept alongside the crate the first few nights. Another trick, if you want more comfort, is to elevate the crate to the height of your bed so your V can see you when they are crated at night. Both worked for us. 

But whatever you do don't get in and let them sleep with you in your bed. I am a big believe in crate training and it has to be very consistent, started straight away and don't give in during the whining stage.


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## Pennylogic (Aug 28, 2020)

He did fantastic last night after he fell asleep and slept through the most of the night.

Now on to crate training and intermittently leaving him in his kennel during the day for periods of time (he hates his kennel as of today)


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## Pennylogic (Aug 28, 2020)

Cavedog said:


> Ten years ago we got our V. We had his crate in our bedroom. We put him in there and he started whining. I told my wife that I would get a quick shower and when I come back I would try and calm him down. When I came out of the bathroom he was sound asleep. I asked my wife what happened. She said she laid on the floor where he could see her and he quieted down, and five minutes later he was sound asleep. The next night was a like the first. We put him in his crate and he started whining. This time I laid on the floor where he could see me and sure enough, in five minutes he was sound asleep. After that we never heard a peep out of him at bedtime.


Funny thing. Last night I did the same thing on the couch and he slept thru the night!


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## Pennylogic (Aug 28, 2020)

Doing great and rambunctious as all ****, but also so cute and fun. 

Picture of him in the backyard










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