I've had a Rat Terrier before but I really wasn't involved in much of his training. And now I have another one but I'm unsure where to start?

Where can I start? What do I do?

I just got him an hour ago. I've already purchased a little bed for him, a collar, and a leash. And an odor eliminator (I accidentally got the kitty one, will that work?) I know I'm missing a crate, and some newspaper.

What is the first thing I should tackle?

When I got home with him I let him walk around outside so he can smell where he can go potty. I don't know if he even peed at all. He's so little and the grass is a little bit tall. Anyways, please help!

Thanks!

Like I said I just barely got him. I haven't had much of a chance to even take a picture of him. BUT, I'll be sure to do so. He's so adorable I love him so much already! So I guess of course I should check out the crate training thread?

BTW, I think I will name him Socks or PePe. He was a little stinky when I first got him, that's why I thought he should've been named Socks. Besides, he has a white stripe in the middle of his face.

My digital camera doesn't work, my camera phone doesn't have a USB wire to connect to the computer, so I had to take a picture with an old webcam. Lol sorry, the quality isn't very great. I'll try and get batteries for the digital camera soon.

I'm still not sure whether to name him Socks or Pepe..

Tomorrow I'll also see to getting a crate and a lot of newspaper...and the right deodorizer.

And thank y'all loads!

Oh, and should I let him sleep in my bed tonight?

Hey DaisysMom. Thanks for the advice on the crate.

I got my dog from the same place we got our old rattie, Oreo, from about 2-3 years ago. Some place in Kennedale, TX.

I'm not so sure I would want him to sleep anywhere in my room. My bed is pretty high up and I don't want him to fall. Plus, my room is rather small and can get messy and crammed very quick.

I don't know if I'm overreacting about not wanting him to get accustomed to going inside? I wanted him close enough to me to where I can slip on my shoes, pick him up, go outside, then come back inside.

I guess I just don't know how to go about potty training him.

Thanks.  I'm in the Crowley/Burleson area.

That seems like a pretty good idea.

Well, my old rattie, Oreo, would always want to sleep on the bottom half of the bad between my legs. He would not go anywhere else. Then, every morning I would wake up, go outside, he would do his business, then I would go back inside, and get ready for what I had to do for the rest of the day. I might end up doing the same thing with Socks.

How often would you recommend taking Socks out, just to begin with since he's a pup and all.

Thanks! I'm glad I found this board!

Well, I think I'm going to go with Socks. Since he was stinky when I first got him. he he.

Cool, thanks. I was doing it every two hours. I guess I can hold out one more hour.

Thanks, I definitely will. I know I'll be coming back here to check out the threads for more advice/info.

Thanks! Nora? When is she usually on? I'll definitely want to talk to her!

Thanks so much. I was definitely needing something like this. I've probably briefly touched on the socialization period thru heirarchy period. Thanks so much! That was definitely helpful!

LadyLes: Oh okay. So hopefully she'll see this post tomorrow maybe.

I've got another question that's starting to bug me now. This coming week I have 2 and a half school days then i'm out for Christmas vacation for about 2 and a half weeks. After that, I'll be spending less time with my rattie. I don't want him to be confined to a crate for miserably long hours by himself, nor do I want him pottying all over the house. How much potty training do you think I could do in just 3 weeks?

Welcome to the site!  I live in Temple, TX just north of Austin.  This is my potty training method.  Yes, you can get a lot of potty training done in 2.5 weeks.  I once trained a dachshund in a 12 day Spring Break when I was still teaching.  Here ya go:

POTTY TRAINING: 

1. Fixed feeding times (don't leave food in bowl all day long) is necessary if you want rapid success with poop training.  You can switch to free-feeding after they are totally housetrained.

2. Cardinal Rule:  Walk your dog IMMEDIATELY after eating, sleeping & playing (that third one's a bit tricky with young pups as sometimes that's only 5 mins! ). That's when puppies get urges to go pottie. Always walk them on leash to the same spot in the yard! The first week or so, praise with a treat and exhuberant verbal praise when done. Soon you can just give verbal praise.  Bring them right back inside, because if you allow them to play afterwards, they will confuse two important concepts:  OUTSIDE = POTTY; INDOORS = PLAY.  Restrict play to indoors until they're fully pottie trained lest they get these two ideas reversed!  The logic here is if they play after doing business & then you let them in "after you're done playing with them" the Cardinal Rule (after play) kicks in again and they immediately squat to pee!    There'll be time enough to play outside when they have got those two basic concepts firm in their widdle heads.

3. In addition to the Cardinal Rule, walk them hourly the first week, then every 2 hours the second week, then every three the third week, and so on (except at night, when you walk each time they wake). In other words, BEAT THEM TO THE URGE! Remember, always take them to the SAME SPOT in the yard. Prior pee & poop scents will speed up the learning process.  Dogs learn where to go from adult pack members.  If you have an already trained adult dog, it helps train even faster!.  The reason it is vital you do not "free feed" but give food at fixed times of the day is that puppies have a strong gastro-colo-rectal response & tend to have to poop within 3-10 minutes of eating (varies with each dog).  Use that fact to to your advantage in your training efforts!

4. Crate train: Keep crate within bedroom hearing distance first month).  Crate them at night, whenever you're not home or just can't watch them. Dogs will try hard not to soil their "den".  This works in your favor. Be sure crate isn't too large or they'll make a spot to go in the crate! When they wake up at night walk them to "the designated spot".  When done, praise, treat  & bring right back to crate to sleep (do not be tempted to play with them at night.  Ride out any whining!). You will lose some sleep week 1 & 2 , but believe me, the fast results will be worth it. If they go potty in the crate (because you slept through their wake up call), just clean it up in the A.M. with no correction.

5. Accidents:  If caught in the act just pick the pup up quickly, (scoop & run) say "Nooooo, pottie outside" in a firm, displeased voice and take them outside to the usual spot. (this teaches the word "outside" fast, too, by the way). Set them down and again say "pottie outside". They'll usually go on & finish the interrupted task. Praise for finishing in the right place, outside, & just clean up when you get back inside.

If found after the fact, do not scold.  Instead, let them passively watch you clean up the urine spot with Natures Miracle  saying  "pottie outside" in a normal tone as you do so.   If it's a poop, I pick up the poop in a paper towel with the pup watching (pups learn watching mom clean the den in the wild, don't they?), carry it outside (with pup following). Drop the poop out of the paper onto the ground & say "pottie outside" in a normal tone. That's it. Don't make a big deal of it!  No harsh voice.  Above all, never rub nose in urine or poop.  By doing this, you teach the dog that eliminating itself is bad & "maybe I better hide it better next time" (like under furniture, or yuck, eat it to hide the evidence)!  Remember, dogs live in the moment & don't connect delayed corrections with the act that occured a long time ago.  But they "reshape behaviors" learning from watching other pack members.

All my dogs have been house trained in about a month with this method.  Even my rescue Zipper, a stray used to going whenever and wherever, house trained in 1 month!   She only had 1-2 accidents the next month, when I got busy & forgot to let the pup outside "on scshedule".  Can't hardly blame the dogs for those, can we?

Hope this helps.  Potty training takes serious and consistent effort on the part of every member of your family.  It's a family dog and the entire family needs to help train her.  Teach these techniques to everyone in the house.  Consistency is extremely important or the puppy will take a lot longer to train.