New puppy advice

[suninvited]

my daughter brought home a puppy yesterday, which is good as I have been looking for a dog for a long time. However, I would have preferred an older dog, but this angel is a real cutie.

The previous owner of the puppy was at work and school for eight hours at a time, and left the puppy crated. I was thinking about making naptime for my grandbaby easier by crating the puppy and having her sleep at the same time during the day that we do.

When I put the puppy in the crate though, she makes so much noise and is so obviously stressed that I let her sleep with me on the bed. She is much happier, and so am I as I cant stand a sad puppy.

Here is where I need advice. I stay home with my grandbaby (and now the puppy, too) all day. My daughter works during the day and when she gets home I go to work. Someone is here twenty four hours a day, so potty training should be a breeze.

There might be one or two times a month that the puppy would be alone, probably for never more than two hours. Do I need to keep up crate training for those rare times that the puppy would be alone, or do I even need it at all? She is a very well behaved puppy.

Edited to add: she gets stressed and yelps if she is left alone outside or if I go into another room with her on the wrong side of the baby gate. I am thinking if she continues to be this stressed when left alone crating would be best but dont know if you have to do it every day so it doesnt become something horrible when it is done.

Here she is.

[HopeHoops]

1. WHOA! NOT FAIR! The OP should have had a HUGE warning: "WARNING: CUTENESS ALERT!"

Crating actually is a form of comfort. We crate trained our border collie when she was a puppy. It didn't take long before it was no longer necessary, but she still got upset if the door was closed and she couldn't get it - ESPECIALLY when God was angry at her for being a dog and started throwing lightening bolts everywhere. It took about 8 months before she no longer needed the "security blanket" of the crate, but we hadn't shut the door in about 6 months. Frankly, she just got to damn big for it. It was a large crate, but she's a large dog (77 lbs last I had her to the vet and she's not really carrying much extra baggage).

At that age, don't worry about it. He'll eventually grow out of needing the crate and you can test it by removing it for short periods (day or two) to see if he's ready.

[suninvited]

4. I have never used a crate before

but the girl who had the puppy was apparantly using it for potty training and for leaving the puppy alone for long periods of time.

If I understand what you are saying, it is that the crate is for the puppys security and if she doesnt feel secure in there then I shouldnt use the crate at all. She HATES it.

I am just worried about the rare instances that she will be alone in the house and was hoping I could make the crate a secure place for her to be able to leave her in when we are gone. So she will feel secure and not abandoned.

[HopeHoops]

5. Well, don't use it for potty training - that's all wrong. Use it as "your den".

If the puppy screws up, don't get angry. Just firmly say "no, you don't pee, go poopies, (or whatever euphemisms you decide on)" and immediately take him outside. If he does ANYTHING, even pretending, praise him and don't forget the ear scratches - lots of ear scratches - ear scratches are good. It won't take long. Fucking up on the CARPET - ooooh, now THERE'S where you blow a gasket and rub his nose in it. Hitting, even with a newspaper is a good way to train a dog to be hand-shy. That's just wrong on way too many levels to even start talking about it.

On Edit:
Get one of those machine-washable foam mats with a fake fleece cover. They aren't very expensive but will reinforce the "den" aspect and you can use it in other parts of the house or the car to reinforce the idea that the den is a sleeping spot, not a bathroom. Road trip #1 will also be much easier if he has such a mat and you put it down for him somewhere in the vehicle.

[elleng]

2. Dunno.

Post at 'Pets' forum.

Provide soft toy/stuffed animals in crate, whenever.

[flvegan]

3. Oh my God. Cuteness has been redefined!

How old is puppy (# weeks) and where is the crate in proximity to your bed?

That noise she makes when left alone should go away. A little anxiety in a new home is normal. I'd keep the crate training up if you plan to crate her a couple times a month. You'll really want it if she has any sort of mischief in mind during her childhood. And that bully/boxer-y face tells me she might.

[suninvited]

6. she is ten weeks old

and I have the crate right at the foot of my bed. I hate to be overly soft, but I cant stand puppy crying. She fell right asleep when I put her in bed with me.

That is what I am worried about, that if I dont use the crate at all, then one day leave the house for two hours and put her in there that she will be totally distressed while I am gone.

And yes, she already shows signs of being a huge chewer of all things within reach. Right now, I just take away whatever she picks up that she shouldnt chew and replace it with her chew rope.

It is possible that because of the previous owners overuse of the crate that I will just have to ease her into getting used to it just a few minutes at a time.

[theNotoriousP.I.G.]

7. She is only 10 weeks old

so you should be able to habituate her back into the crate. She might cry and carry on but if you put something that has your scent on it and a favorite toy, she will settle down and go to sleep. Easing her back into it sounds like a good idea.

My pup will be one year old in two days and she cannot be trusted in the house alone for more than 10 or 15 minutes before she starts chewing up my stuff (had to replace my couch after I first got her!) but I never leave her more than one or two hours at a time.

Your girl is beyond adorable! Good luck :)

left out an r

[hippywife]

8. Maybe place her crate next to the bed where

she can still see you. And an old t-shirt that has your scent on it will work wonders. Wear it around and then as people have suggested, put it in there at bed time with a soft toy that she loves.

That should work, as long as she can see you and know you aren't putting her in there and leaving her alone until she is secure with the situation.

:hi:

[TorchTheWitch]

16. she may not be able to see you

If the crate is at the foot of the bed, that could be partly why she's fussing in it. Try putting it somewhere where she can look out of it and see you in the bed even if it means maybe elevating it a little.

The anxiety associated with the crate is very similar to a baby being put in the crib at bedtime... they cry and fuss to get their way of being taken out of where they don't want to be. And just like babies, it's best to ignore the fussing and they'll realize it isn't getting them what they want so they stop. Fortunately, dogs learn to stop this behavior a hell of a lot faster than babies.

If she can and does sleep through the whole night in bed with you without going to the bathroom or getting into other mischief while you're asleep then I wouldn't worry about it too much if her crying and carrying on is really very bothersome for you. But try repositioning the crate first and ignoring the fussing for a night or two to see if she'll give up and settle down.

Some tricks to get her to like the crate is feeding her meals in it, hiding treats in it, putting something stinky of yours in it like a sock you wore and don't mind never wearing again, etc. A nice comfy blankie or pad in there and some favorite toys help to make it a nice and safe place to be. Most dogs like their crate and want to be able to use it all their life... like it's their own special safe haven. It could be though that the dog's previous experience with the crate has made her feel anxious and upset about it, but that behavior can probably be changed. She may never grow to love her crate, but she can be taught to be ok with it.

[applegrove]

9. What a pretty girl.

[Redstone]

10. I've never been an advocate of "crate training," even though I've had many

puppies.

In your situation, I'd suggest making a comfortable bed for the puppy, and leading her to it when the kidlet is sleeping.

Or just go ahead and put the puppy in bed with the baby. They'll reinforce the sleep mandate with each other. As I told Mrs R, and it turned out to be true, no human (nor any dog) can manage to stay awake when paired with a sleeping puppy or a sleeping child.

What I mean to say is to build on the bond between the two. You won't be sorry that you did.

Redstone

[suninvited]

14. they did take a little nap on the couch together this afternoon

they played outside for a long time and got wore out.

[femmocrat]

11. Start crate training NOW!

That sweet little baby-puppy will soon be an inquisitive adolescent getting into and chewing everything in sight. The destructive stage lasts a long time, until age 10-12 months or so.

You will need to leave her in the crate (or a secure room) if you have to go anywhere. Try putting her in the crate with a stuffed Kong toy for short periods. When she starts to associate the crate with something pleasurable, she will even go in there on her own.
The crate is their den or safe haven.

She is adorable! :hug:

[pokerfan]

12. clock

We used to use an old-fashioned wind-up ticking clock along with a big stuffed animal. The rhythmic ticking is apparently evocative of his mother's heartbeat. Just make sure the alarm is off. :)

[burrfoot]

13. I know how hard it is,

but you should totally force yourself to get her crate trained while she's still young. My guess is that her crying in there isn't because she hates the crate, it's because she gets extremely anxious not having immediate access to you. She will grow out of it, and if you get her to the point where she can sleep in there reliably you'll have the comfort of knowing that she can go in there if she HAS to- for her safety, and for the safety of your house when you're gone.

Once she's accustomed to it, and you know you can use it if you have to, you obviously are free to let her spend the nights in the bed with you :)

Using it for a couple of hours a day- even if you aren't gone- might actually reinforce that the crate is for rest time and you WILL come back to her and let her out....there's lots of various ways you can use it; but I would suggest that you figure out what pattern seems most comfortable for you while also getting her used to it.

You'll thank yourself later, trust me (us).

[TorchTheWitch]

15. crate training is the most reliable and fastest method

Crying in the crate is normal at first. It helps a lot if you have the crate in the bedroom where they can see you easily and be comforted that you're there. Just like human babies, puppies will cry and fuss when they don't like something, and just like human babies if they cry and fuss when put to bed you have to ignore it until they realize that their crying and fussing isn't doing anything to get what they want, and in this case what they want is out of the crate.

If the puppy is old enough to go through the night without needing to go to the bathroom, then not having them in the crate can be ok then, BUT you have to be certain they ARE sleeping through the night in the bed and not sneaking off while you're asleep either going to the bathroom somewhere in the house or getting into other mischief that can be dangerous for them. Puppy-proof the bedroom and keep the door shut so at least he can't wander the house while you're sleeping getting into mischief.

It's great that there will be someone around 24/7 that can deal with the puppy... that's usually the biggest problem with training is that there isn't any way to keep and eye on the puppy all the time.

Crate training has always been the fastest most reliable way of potty training any dog. Teaching a dog that it's never ok to go to the bathroom in the house will become ingrained and last through their life. Paper training teaches that dog that going in the house IS ok in certain circumstances like in certain areas or on certain things which confuses them. The result is accidents that last far longer than they should and may even lead to the dog never being completely potty trained.

Crate training doesn't mean keeping the dog in the crate all the time. If someone is available at all times to take the dog out often to go to the bathroom, they don't need to stay in the crate very often at all. Timing is what works here. First thing after waking up from sleeping through the night, puppy needs to go to the bathroom. If he stays in the crate at night, he needs to go directly from the crate to the outside to go. From then on throughout the day he'll need to go out about every 4-6 hours depending on how old he is and whether he's eaten or drank anything. They'll want to go to the bathroom about 15 to 20 minutes after eating, so you'll know that after a meal, he'll want to go outside again soon.

They learn VERY quickly that the outside is the only acceptable place to do their business and how to tell you they need to go outside to do it. It helps a lot to always take them out through the same door when going outside to go to the bathroom so they associate going through that door with going outside to do their business, so very quickly they learn that when they need to go to the bathroom to go to that door to let you know they need to go outside.

Having the right size and type of crate is also really important. The best kind are that metal cage-looking crates that have a removable barrier so the crate can be adjusted for the proper size as he grows. These don't seem so confining to the dog since they can easily see about them into the room and get plenty of air flow. They can also be folded up for storage or travel. The interior size of the crate should be just big enough so the dog can, sit, lie down, stand and turn around comfortably but no bigger than that or they may use one corner to go to the bathroom in.

Never use the crate as a punishment chamber. The crate is supposed to be a nice safe haven for them that they like to be in similar to a den that a dog in the wild would have. Most dogs like their crate and may want to have use of it throughout their life as their special little room that's all there own. My dog is 5 years old and wouldn't let me take the crate away. When I folded it up to store it, he fussed and got anxious and kept going to the spot where it had been, so I just set it back up and it's still there. Turns out that it's very convenient in case I need to lock the dog away if, say, a stranger comes to the house that I don't want him scaring (he's a big boy, and a lot of people are scared or nervous around a big dog). Normally, I just leave the door open all the time and he goes in there whenever he feels like it and comes out when he feels like it. If anything like a thunder storm or something like that makes him nervous or scared he goes in the crate and relaxes because he feels safe in there.

A quick note about the water. Every area has different water that though we may not notice a difference, a puppy's delicate system usually does until they become accustomed to the change in the water from where he used to live. To avoid upset stomach or diarrhea, it's a good idea to put a capful of lemon juice in their water bowl or give them a chewable tab of Pepto Bismal for a couple of weeks until their system adjusts to the change in the water. I used the Pepto tabs because my dog lapped water out of faucets, puddles, the toilet and where ever he found it besides his water bowl. I gave him one whole tablet a day, but he was a big puppy, so yours may only need half of a tablet per day if you decide to go that route. This will also help a lot if you feed him dog food that's different from whatever it was he was getting before. Throughout a dog's life an abrupt change in dog food can irritate their stomach, so for future reference, if you ever decide you want to switch his food to something different, it's a good idea to mix the two different ones together for about a week before totally taking him off the old food to get his system a chance to adjust to the new food.

What an absolutely adorable pup! I can easily see why he was impossible to resist.