Sooky German Shepherd Pup

[charli73]

Hello all,

We have had our 8wk old GS pup for a week now and have been leaving her alone for a few hours at a time to get her ready for us to go back to work. She cried most of the day and most of the night and whenever we are out of her sight she cries also... We have her in the kitchen separated from us in the next room at night by a baby gate so she can see us.

She doesnt like going out for walks (2 houses up and back) and is always eager to go back home and inside. She has plenty of toys (Kong, balls) and a warm kennel but prefers to be inside.

We have started training already and have done heaps of socialisation to dogs, power tools, trains, mowers etc all in the first week.. Was this too much?

She is shy and sits in between our legs and on our feet and curls up in my lap when she can...

Is this just a puppy phase that she will get through with time? I would love to hear from you all who have had the same Shepherd crying pup problems and any words of wisdom on help for our little Zoe.....

[Tapferhund]

Remember......she is ONLY 8 weeks old, a baby, and has had the trauma of losing her litter mates , mother and smells that she knows. Getting use to a new home and new ways takes a little time,so don't expect TOO MUCH from her in just a week.

If she winges all the time I would have her checked by your Vet just to make sure there is no underlying problem or pain. Also is she getting a good quality diet and enough of it?

Why are you separating her from yourselves and is she quiet when with you? She needs to be WITH you and INSIDE at night ...it is far to cold to be leaving a puppy out at night.

Why don't you crate her last thing at night and have the crate in your room.....then when you hear her stir get up and take her out to toilet,when she complies bring her back in and back in her warm crate.

If she cries and winges when you first put her in......take no notice.....she will eventually drop off to sleep and if you are consistant in doing this she will learn very quickly the routine of it. Dogs love routine so show her what you want,be consistant and she will get in to that routine.

During the day make sure she is somewhere draft free with her warm Kennel and make sure the Kennel is close to the house and not WAY UP the back yard somewhere. Pop her out there with her breakfast and a big RAW juicy bone to chew on plus some toys.

It might be ok to leave her for a few hours but what about when you are back at work? Eight to ten hours gone is a hellava long time to leave a puppy alone and how will she be fed as she will be on at least three meals a day at this age?

[Flaves]

She is only a baby.

Please do not walk her each day, play with her inside until she has had her other 2 needles. It is too dangerous.

Tapferhund is right. Crate inside with you.

I am getting a sheppie pup to add to my family in 10 or so weeks and he will be inside with us like th eother 2

[kyeesha]

Hello all,

We have had our 8wk old GS pup for a week now and have been leaving her alone for a few hours at a time to get her ready for us to go back to work. She cried most of the day and most of the night and whenever we are out of her sight she cries also... We have her in the kitchen separated from us in the next room at night by a baby gate so she can see us.

She doesnt like going out for walks (2 houses up and back) and is always eager to go back home and inside. She has plenty of toys (Kong, balls) and a warm kennel but prefers to be inside.

We have started training already and have done heaps of socialisation to dogs, power tools, trains, mowers etc all in the first week.. Was this too much?

She is shy and sits in between our legs and on our feet and curls up in my lap when she can...

Is this just a puppy phase that she will get through with time? I would love to hear from you all who have had the same Shepherd crying pup problems and any words of wisdom on help for our little Zoe.....

We have three 8 weeks old gsd x puppies at home atm, they are still with their mum and their siblings, the cuddle up to each other at night, they know us and our other dogs and that is their entire world. Pls remember that this is the type of world your little has just left, everything atm is strange to her and it's going to take far more than a week for her to get used to you and your enviornment.

I'm a little concerned that she is out on the street and around other dogs atm, personally I would be waiting until 2 weeks after her 12 week injections BEFORE letting her walk on any ground where there have been other dogs as she really doen't have much ( if any ) immunity atm.

Whilst it is great to socialise her, I would try taking it slowly, lotsa people around her can be quite confusing and distressing to her while she is so little. What she really needs atm is you, losta cuddles and re assurance and not to be put outside away from you at night she is far too little.

At eight weeks she still need at least three meals a day so what is going to happen when you are not there to feed her?

My suggestion is to relax and just take it a day at a time with her until she start to feel safe and secure and then gradually introduce her to the outside world, one baby step at a time.

[charli73]

she is inside with us at night, i would never leave her out in the cold. while back at work i feed her morning then when i return in the afternoon then later in the evening. i never walk her

near other dogs and just want her to get used to the lead on the path. have considered a crate but would i have to,move it inside then out all the time? she gets plenty of cuddles when quiet and i have taken all the leave i can to make her feel at home and introduce her to her new home... trying really hard...

[Heidley]

It's an exciting and daunting time bringing a puppy home if you haven't done it before. She sounds like a normal puppy to me, she has just lost her litter mates and so wants to be around her new litter mates as in the 2 of you. When leaving her give her a treat of some kind, stuffed kong, bones etc and don't make a fuss about leaving. Leave her for 10 minutes on her own, lots of praise if she's quite.

The first few weeks can be a little tricky, have a look around the forum there are heaps of threads with lots of information, there's also a GSD thread in the general breed sub forum area, pop in there and say hi!

Cheers, Heidley

[Scarlet]

This article is interesting regarding puppies fear periods.

http://www.k9force.net/index.html?row2col2=develop.html

[charli73]

Well thank you all for your encouragement and hints.... We just love having our little girl and are trying to do all the right things at the right times... Sh is getting Eukanuba x3 daily and treats as well... i will have a look at the GS thread (If I can find it)..and will stop walking her around at this stage until all her shots are finished.. My sister is a vet nurse so she gets lots of extra special veternary care and advice around the clock....

Also trying to get her used to our cat, who is in the house at night also who we dont want to spook or feel her house has been taken over so we dont let the pup into the bedrooms.... Its so tricky to keep everyone happy..

[Scales of Justice]

Charli73,

I can't recommend enough that you get her a crate - one for inside and one for outside. Your puppy has security issues and she needs a "den" to climb into when you are not there. Start her sleeping in one inside. Cover the crate with blankets so that it is like a cave. Do the same outside. When you go out - leave a big marrow bone inside the crate you leave outdoors for her to crawl into and have something to amuse her and take her mind off the fact that you have left. She will be secure inside the crate with her bone and will probably fall asleep after she has gnawed on the bone for the first hour or so.

Edited July 31, 2007 by Scales of Justice

[Tapferhund]

OMG I can't beleive what I am reading here, I can't believe there are still people who believe that puppies should not be out and about until they have had all their vaccinations....WRONG WRONG WRONG !!

The most critical period for socializing ,meaning - getting puppies used to noises,people, kids, dogs, cats, machinery, transport -buses-trains-trams-trucks etc etc etc etc IS between the ages of 7 weeks and 16 weeks........so they MUST be taken out as much as possible during this critical phasee of their lives. The risk of picking up any infection is MINIMAL but the risk of having a nervy adult dog from LACK of socialization as a pup is FAR GREATER.

[Flaves]

Tapferhund, i agree that they need to be socialised, sure, but having them down on the ground is too risky until they have had their injections.

Why not take them out and carry them so they are meeting and greeting but not being put down on exposed ground.

That was what i was led to believe and that is what i will be doign when i get my pup in October.

I understand about the fear period however and agree that puppies need positive experiences in this time.

[Gayle.]

I had exactly the same criticism levelled at me when I first got my Aussie Shepherd boy and was taking him out everywhere with me. I was so shocked by the suggestions that I shouldn't be taking him outside the yard that I rang the breeder. This is what she told me:

"You have an Australian Shepherd puppy. They are a breed that has the potential to be wary as adults. This is unlikely to happen if you socialise him NOW and get him out to experience sounds, smells and life in general. Take him with you when you go out, take him for walks around the neighborhood, get him out meeting people and other dogs, big and small. His very life could depend on how well he's socialised at this age. THIS age (around 12 weeks) not at 5 or 6 months of age. By all means be careful where you take him and it's not a good idea to let him sniff dog droppings or go too close to stray dogs but he has a much higher chance of being killed through bad behaviour as an adult than by a disease he picks up now."

I took her advice to heart, Benson comes with me whenever I get the chance to take him and at 5 months of age, he's now a well socialised and confident young man. I would imagine a German Shepherd puppy would be quite similar.

[Dogsfevr]

You have to use commensense.

Socialing happens daily but when the pup comes home it must be given the chance to adjust to its new home,owners etc etc.

If it doesnt trust its owners it wont matter how much you socialize it.

"We have started training already and have done heaps of socialisation to dogs, power tools, trains, mowers etc all in the first week.. Was this too much?"

yes i believe it was way too much.

Trains?? seriouslt these are big frieghtening things & until a pup has accepted the smaller things in life a train would be so overwhelming.The noise,vibrations.

We walk our pups done couples of houses & back at that age.We spend alot of time sitting out the front just allowing the pups to hear/see whats going on & encouraging its eagerness to explore but its done slow & steady.When the new owners pick there pup up we stress how important the first week is for the pup to simply settle.It is the key time to get pup to learn its new yard,where its slepping,who the new family members are.7 days go so quickly so you have spent more time getting it out then letting the pup now who you are.

We still encourage safety with socializing,some people are happy to take high risks where not one of those but you can alot at home & in there vicinity of home to ensure your pups thrives.

Over walking can do more damage on joints & createt life long probs that the dog suffers unneeded.

Take baby steps because you get good results in moderation,over do it & you can get the same results as undersocializing

[Isabel964]

You are obviously trying very hard and love your puppy veyr much.

I am no expert, but from my experience I offer the following;

Crate Training I highly recommend. I thought it was cruel when I first heard about it, but I researched it well, and love it. It becomes a den to your dog. A safe haven that she will cherish. It keeps her safe, it mkes her feel safe. She will go to even if you leave the door open.

I think that she does sound like she is really missing her mum and siblings. Its all been taken away from her and she sounds frightened and insecure. If I was (and I know I am not) I would crate train her. When home I would have her with me all the time. At night she would sleep with me some of the time and in the crate right by the side of my bed for the rest of the time. She will learn that you do come home and when you do she is loved and warm and safe. WHen you are away, she can be in her crate or near her crate where she will wait for you. I did this with my puppy. And during the day I used a PuppyPen. In that I put a toilet training pad (has a scent in it that encourage it to be the place the puppy goes to the toilet and avaiable in pet stores), some toys and chew things, a kong with treat inside it, and the open crate with a nice soft cushion on the base. My baby was so happy there, and safe. She is a well adjusted fabulous dog who loves her crate. (Never ever put a dog in a crate as punishment).

Now it certainly is possible that she may be a submissive sort of dog, needy. I have a kelpie like that. She is just born a total friggin woos. These dogs need ALOT of consistency. You can get a trainer to help you if this is the case. I spent the first year trying to get this dog to be confident but I went baout it the wrong way. SO once she was about 2 years old a trainer got me to basically ignore needy displays of behaviour like coming up to us with her tail between her legs and soppy puppy dog please-give-me-love-or-attention-eyes. So if she did this I would ignore her. Or I say 'Enough' with a monotone. But when she comes up confidently I reward her with some attention. Same as when we get home, she sometimes wimpers pathetically and loudly. I ignore that and she soon stops, I reward the lack of wimpering and she is very happy LOL

I'd try my suggestion about crate training, having her sleep with you for a while, and then the rest of the night in the crate by your side. Properly crate trained she will not go to the toilet in the crate so its clean and healthy. (You will take her out for toilet breaks and crate training is fabulous for toilet training/house training). Build her confidence.

As for socialising her, this is often a hot debate. Use your judgement. Socialise her with other puppies her age and size. If she feels intimidated or unhappy it will do more harm than good. Work on a building her a safe comfortable foundation to grow from, and as she feels trust and safety in you, she should gain the confidence to do more.

Congratulations on your puppy. She is a wonderful addition to your family. All the best. If things do improve soon, I'd invest a couple hindred dollars in a one on one experienced dog trainer. It may be alo of money, but getting this right as early as possible is worth every cent.

[centitout]

i agree with tapferhund-all of my pups get taken out from 8 weeks,i just dont take them to dog parks or let them play with dogs i dont know.bloodhounds can be wary if not socialised at an early age.i would be more worried taking them to a vet surgery than them picking something up from the street.if the mother was adequately immunised the pups should have some resistance to infection.

[KOE]

she is inside with us at night, i would never leave her out in the cold. while back at work i feed her morning then when i return in the afternoon then later in the evening. i never walk her

near other dogs and just want her to get used to the lead on the path. have considered a crate but would i have to,move it inside then out all the time? she gets plenty of cuddles when quiet and i have taken all the leave i can to make her feel at home and introduce her to her new home... trying really hard...

Hi short walks wont hurt her at all, but be wary of other dogs. She will stop being sooky soon enough. She will be fine sleeping where she is, as long as she has a warm bed and give her some soft cuddly toys to curl up with, when she sooks try to ignore her (I know it is hard) if you go to her each time she sooks she will have you eating out of her paw in a very short span.

All GSD puppies I have had have been whingers ;) enjoy your baby

and a thought to remember everyone EVEN vaccinated dogs can contact Parvo.

Edited August 1, 2007 by isaviz

[Tarmons]

German Shepherd Puppies:

CRATE training- Yes! Yes! Yes! A must for any Baby Puppy.

SOCIALIZATION..... yes, take the puppy out. Be aware of places that are fouled by other dogs - get the puppy out to the bus stop, the shopping Centre, sit by the highway with her so that she can hear see the sights and smells of traffic roaring by, take her to the local School or playground where children are yelling and shrieking, get her used to the postman, skateboards, roller baldes.

Between 8wks and 16 weeks is the crucial time - all that she will learn and absorb is in that short period of time. Be patient with her.... it's a big change this 8 weeks little puppy has undergone.

Have you taken her to Puppy School?

She looks gorgeous and you have been given great advice from experienced people. Best of luck with her.

With the lead... attach it to her collar and allow her to walk around the yard with it on... without you attached at the other end.

Edited August 1, 2007 by Tarmons

[Golden Dragon]

Hi charli73 -

congatulations on your little girl, she looks beautiful

Don't stress too much about her, I'm sure things will settle down.... my GSD pup is 12 weeks old tomorrow and he is very vocal about telling me what he does and doesn't want to do (in other words, he whinges his head off) ;) try not to let her play you for a sucker though.... they are smart little buggers and try it on at every available opportunity

I'm definately no expert but I can recommend crate training.... I trained my boy and it was the best thing I could of done... he loves his crate, even puts himself to bed of a night and he sleeps right thru without a worry in the world! I only have the one crate inside the house (in my bedroom) and he has his kennel in the backyard for during the day... and I have been using the crate in the car (although I have to admit I'm getting sick of lugging that in and out of the house already).

I can also recommend puppy pre-school if you haven't already done that... Kato loved it and the Vet introduced the pups to a lot of new things in a non-threatening environment..

Good Luck & Enjoy your new friend!

[charli73]

Thank you for your feedback. Already I am seeing an improvement although she is still going to the toilet in the house when the door is open, eating her poo and bringing in poo form outside.. Is she trying to show me how well shes done?

She has been to puppy training for a couple of weeks now and she loves it but is a bit wary of the big dogs.. I will look at crate training although trying to get her to stay in it rather than chase the cat will be a challenge.

Im sure you will hear from me again...

Charli73

[Scales of Justice]

I will look at crate training although trying to get her to stay in it rather than chase the cat will be a challenge.

To crate train her you must lock her in for short periods, not let her come and go from it as she pleases - that comes later. Select a time when she is ready to sleep and give her a command like "time for bed". Give her a treat by placing it in the crate. Allow her to follow your hand into the crate and lock the crate behind her. Let her whinge if she wants but hopefully as she will be tired she will decide to lay down in the crate and sleep. Let her out as soon as she wakes and take her to the toilet. Once she has had this discipline she will willingly want to go and sleep in the crate.