vanessa0305

We have just bought our little girl home. Day one was pretty bad for night waking. However we have her crated in our room and when she cries I take her outside for a toilet break then back in the crate. Last night was her second night with just one waking for the toilet break. I also crate her in the loungeroom when I can't be 100% watching her. The first day was a lot of crying in the crate. But when she was settled we would treat her. Now she is great (today is day 3). We pop her in with something to chew on and she is all set!

Name: Ebony Sex: Female age: 4 weeks breed:shih tzu x bitsa colour: Black Ebony's mum died a week ago and I have agreed to take Ebony at around the 7-8weeks stage. She is doing very well and will be my first Bitsa. I go to visit her daily so the transition will be smoother.

Thanks Mystiqview, There is an older dog with the pups and a cat as well. So far the pups are doing very well, they are lovely and playful. I will visit them almost daily as I live up the road. It was an accidental breeding but having met both mum and dad, I am hoping pups temperament is similar to either one or both. I am keeping a close eye on proceedings as Bailey and my cats are most important and adding another family member is a big step.

Hi Everyone, I have agreed to take on a new puppy. Her mother died when she was under 3 weeks old (poisoned by a frog says the vet). She does have siblings and is doing very well. With no mother to teach her what kind of problems do you think I might encounter and is there anything I can do to prepare before she arrives. How long should she stay with her littermates to get the best chance of a normal puppy demeanor?

Bailey will shred any paper he comes in contact with.....it's what puppies do! I just try to make sure that there is no paper left where he can get it. I also crate Bailey when I am out or I put him in his run. I wouldn't trust him in the house alone. Who knows what a playful pup could get up to unsupervised?!?

From your other post I can see Franklin is a Cavalier, there are plenty of Cavy owners here and we would be happy to give advice if we can!! Good advice from Ashka and don't forget to come see us in the photo section as there are lots of photos of our cavs and we would love to see photos of Franklin!

I am also another vote for Nutro! I have a fussy eater and couldn't get Bailey to eat any of the premium foods but he loves nutro.

Show dog, so they get their start from litter mates and that training is carried on by their human companion? I understand. Thanks, just wondered.

For the first few weeks until I was pretty sure of his training. If I couldn't watch him closely then he was in the crate. This gave me plenty of incentive to have quality and quantity time with him when he was little and he never once had an accident on my floor. efs

I know that everyone has said that the biting problem has nothing to do with him being a singleton but.....(dons flame proof suit). I though one of the reasons we leave puppies with their parents and litter mates longer is because they learn things like bite inhibition and good manners by playing with their litter mates. If he didn't have other pups to play with so he could gage when he was biting too hard, maybe he just didn't learn that his bite is hurting.

Cavies can be notorious picky eaters. I had such problems with getting Bailey to eat. We had him on Euk but it was always a fight for him to even eat one of the 3 meals a day. When we changed to Nutro it made a huge difference. Took a few days but he is 6 months old (almost) and eating like a pro!

Can I ask evelin what breed of dog Tobie was? I am so sorry for your loss!

I used a crate to train Bailey and it took no time at all. Any time I couldn't watch him carefully (not just be in the same room as him) he was in the crate. I took him out every 1/2hr to toilet. When out of the crate I took him outside every 1/2hr as well. I let the times become longer over 2 weeks till I could leave him in his crate for 2hrs at a time and I took him out after every event. Every time he ate, drank, played or slept. If you put a lot of work in at the begining and let life revolve around training Piper it will happen in such a short time but the more you let her pee and poop around the house the longer its going to take. Bailey is now 5 months old and had his first inside accident yesterday and that was because it was hailing outside and he couldnt' go out. He wimpered and carried on then pooped near his door out. I cleaned it up quickly and didn't say anything and made sure I used an smell neutraliser.

We used a airline crate until Bailey was about 12 weeks old. He did well and was fine to change over to the wire crate without problems. I just wanted a bigger crate for Bailey but he was so little this was easiest way to go. We still use the airline crate to transport Bailey.

Hey Kazza how did it all go? I hope your little Piper is just fine!!

I would continue to take him downstairs to toilet. Then carry him back up. We carried Bailey outside to toilet even though we don't have stairs because walking around stimulates their need to wee. When you have to leave him alone where does he go? Does he have access to outside while home alone? I am not sure when he can go up stairs I would say he should be right by 6 months but someone here would have a proper answer for that question.

My best friends puppy was vaccinated at 6 weeks then 12 weeks. The vet says she doesn't need another booster until same time next year. Is this right. Only 2 vaccinations? But she asked again to make sure she wasn't confused and the vet says no its right only 2.

I am a Nutro girl too. Bailey has just done so well. I have been so worried about him and now he his coat is beautiful and cleaning up after him is easier. He just looks like a beautiful healthy dog!!

Bailey has been the fussiest dog to feed. Being a small dog I have been very concerned that he wasn't getting what the nutrience he needed. We started him out on Eukanuba. But it was a real fight to get him to eat it. He would only one meal out of the 3 a day he was offered and then he would only pic at it. I just changed him over to Nutro about a week or so ago. The first few days it was the same as the Eukanuba but I just kept putting it down for him. Now he eats 2 meals out of the 3 offered. I have stopped offering his lunchtime feed. He has really shown lots of improvments. His coat is beautiful and there are less stools to clean up. I couldn't be happer, I was worried to start with but its a great investment.

using a shammie to wipe away excess dirt when he comes in from play can help.

Rosi, I know what you mean. I have really struggled getting Bailey to eat. But I have found a food that bailey will eat. Nutro puppy. I cant believe it. It took a few days but now Bailey eats it almost anytime that I serve it. He still wont eat it at lunch which is when I give him a bone or something similar. But its perfect. Its a fantastic quality food and a total diet that Bailey will eat!

nah nothings wrong, bailey still has a pink spotted nose. it might still go black as his does get blacker each week or it may always be pink spotted. just remember the doggy sunscreen when out in the sun.

Kazza, you could always offer a raw meaty bone or chicken wing for lunch.

Thanks for that wolfgirl. Its no trouble for me either way but he is only a small dog so I feel that spreading his meals out will make him eat a little more and bulk up as he is a skinny little thing.

When do pups need to go from 3 meals to 2? Bailey is on 3 at the moment but wont eat his kibble at lunch so we have been giving him a chicken wing tip or a pork rib at lunch time and kibble morning at night. When should I stop lunch all together and just give him his 2 meals? I am happy to continue doing things the way we are as I work from home and am with him all the time anyway. But was worried about when 3 meals become too much. Bailey will be 16 weeks on Thursday!