My reason for posting here is to learn how to raise my dog properly so he's happy. I knew it would be tough. I had no plan, but I am trying to figure out one now so I can meet both their needs (baby and dog).

My first step is to figure out how to walk the energy out of my dog so I can get him calm and out of the cage with me during the day so I don't fear him messing with the baby or tearing up things. I need to also figure out how to work with him once or twice during the day so I can keep him happy and entertained. It's tough learning it all and implementing it, but I'm working on it. I appreciate the help.

For now, I honestly would ignore the obnoxious behavior in the crate.

Just bring him out, catch him by the collar, get the leash on him and get out the door. Be completely neutral to his obnoxious behavior.

He's too wound up and untrained to offer you anything different, so having a battle of wills with him over it will only end badly.

Just be neutral and boring until you get him outside, and then get him engaged in a nice game of tug, since he seems to really like tugging. Once he's had a few minutes of tug, then set off on your walk.

Walk briskly and keep the pace up, so that he doesn't get engaged in his leash biting antics again.

Start reading up on marker training so you can begin incorporating that into your routine.

Once he's getting regular exercise, and once you've trained a couple of commands, you can start expecting better behavior around the crate, and asking him to sit nicely to be leashed up.

Thanks so much Aaron! I will do that.

What about a flirt pole? Even my Shih Tzus like to chase the 'prey' around. Just be sure you're not lifting him off the floor or jerking the prey out of his mouth.

You could even use this while holding/feeding the baby.

Google 'flirt pole' to see videos of how they're made & used. For your puggle I would just tie a piece of clothesline around a stuff-less toy or rag.

For right now, forget about walks as exercise. Hes really too young to get anywhere on a walk. Take him out and let him run around on a long line and play with him to wear him out.

When my pup was this age the romp n roll was a favorite, she would chase, tug, wrestle and "kill" it.

http://leerburg.com/730.htm

For right now, walks are more for teaching him to walk nicely, letting him explore and socializing him to new places and things. Dont make yourself crazy trying to walk the energy out of him, you have a few more months before a walk will be exercise.

 Quote: Amy VandeWeerd

Be patient for that split second of calm when letting him out of his crate. It's hard to catch, but puppies have to stop and take a breath eventually I know how hard it can be to juggle puppies and babies. When my oldest was 2, I purchased an 8 wk old Golden Retriever puppy. My second was born when puppy was 12 wks old. (I added a foster dog when baby #2 was one and a permanent dog soon after baby # 3 was born as well) It's all about time management. Baby naps and you train, play tug and wear the pup out for 20 minutes. Tethering work pretty well with baby in tow too. Changing diapers on a table, feeding or just hanging out will help calm the puppy a bit because being around you guys won't be such a rare occasion. I'm no expert, but I feel it helped me establish a healthy pack mentality when it came to where the kids ranked. Enjoy the non-mobile baby + puppy combo. When the kid starts crawling, it will not be near as easy Not to discourage you, but to help you realize this is as easy as it gets for a couple years. Good luck with your pup!

Wow, I do have a lot to learn. I will have to learn your method. I think if I get a good routine down, I'll be okay. The hard part is learning a good routine and implementing it initially. Once I get it down, I think I'll be a lot more confident with all of this.

I honestly think once you get comfortable with the marker training you will be amazed at how easy it will be to train your pup almost anything you can dream up.

If you have a fenced in yard or area you can play, the flirt pole is a great way to burn off some of that energy. I tied a piece of rope onto a long dowel and then tied a stuffed animal to the other end of the rope. Falcon loved chasing that and it really helped tire him out. And as already mentioned, you can play with that inside as well.

Another random thought: if you are feeding him kibble, you might look into one of the dispensers which he would push around to make the food fall out. That keeps them busy for a bit longer than just scarfing it up out of a bowl.

You are ahead of many folks in that you have a crate and found Leerburg.

 Quote: randy allen

You're a whole lot kinder then I would be Barabara.

'nough said.

Ditto.

 Quote: brian carman

I'll learn the marker training then get the energy walked out of him. I had a very good dog whisperer friend tell me my puppy was an alpha male, so I figured his behavior might be partially due to that. Maybe not, though.

Forget the whole "alpha male" "dominant" idea. Four m/o pups are about like a toddler developmentally. They have needs, they have energy, they have not yet learned all the appropriate behaviors or the proper outlet for their energy - they just do what is reinforced/rewarding to them.

When your kiddo is two and pulls out all the kleenex out of the box and stuff them in the toilet, you're not going to read anything else into it except that they were bored, they thought it looked like fun and that it's your job to teach them a better way to have fun. Think on the same terms with your "toddler" pup. Your pup is bored and you come to let him out of the crate. He's crazy happy to see you. So he jumps all over you. It's what crazy-happy-excited-energetic-bored puppies that haven't yet learned anything different do.

On the same track as Barbara mention with the kibble dispenser, check out something like a Kong that you can stuff with kibble, peanut butter, etc that will keep him content in his crate after he has had a good long exercise session.

You'll probably be amazed at what a difference good exercise followed by a calm engaging activity (stuffed kong to clean out) will make for your pup.

 Quote: mara jessup

When your kiddo is two and pulls out all the kleenex out of the box and stuff them in the toilet, you're not going to read anything else into it except that they were bored, they thought it looked like fun and that it's your job to teach them a better way to have fun. Think on the same terms with your "toddler" pup. Your pup is bored and you come to let him out of the crate. He's crazy happy to see you. So he jumps all over you. It's what crazy-happy-excited-energetic-bored puppies that haven't yet learned anything different do.

Love that correlation!