Crying Puppy Please Help

[Engelvongott]

Hi, I need help fast. We just got a new 12 week old German spitz and she is beautiful. Problem is that to begin with she will be sleeping in the laundry for a while until she has had some training. We have sent her to bed about an hour ago and she has been barking and howling the whole time. I have only gone in once to put some music on for her but she is still going like crazy. I am concerned that the neighbours in the next town might complain. Are there any suggestions that will help with immediate silence.

[The Spotted Devil]

What sort of bed has your pup got? It's hard for a little pup to feel safe and secure when it is suddenly on its own. My pup had an open crate with a comfy bed in the laundry from the start with a sheet or blanket over the top to keep it dark, warm and cosy. I left a very soft lamp on so he could find his water and paper to toilet on and a radio on a soft chat station outside the door. Make sure pup is nice and tired before you put her to bed - but not hyped up! I always had a good play with pup then some nice quiet calm cuddles - 3 big yawns was always the signal that it was bed time....and he always (and still does) got his puppy kong with a few puppy biscuits to keep his tummy full and content. Don't make the mistake of reassuring puppy when she cries as you will just reward her. At the same time, you need to make sure she is warm enough and doesn't need to toilet.

Welcome to the joys of puppyhood :rolleyes: Buy your neighbours a bottle of wine or some flowers and ask them to be patient

[Trisven13]

I have a 4 month old greyhound pup here who has just been returned to us - he is currently screaming in his crate in the loungeroom. Luckily I know that if I ignore him for a little while he will curl up and go to sleep - he is already starting to quieten for short periods. Its kind of like controlled crying with a new baby - they're normally not used to sleeping on their own, they're in a new home - its all just too scarey and too new. In a week's time you'll be pleased you stood firm. :rolleyes:

[poodlefan]

A laundry is all hard surfaces. Noise reverberates around in it.

It's also the coldest room in the house.

What is puppy sleeping or or in?

If you want immediate silence, the answer is simple. Bring her bed into you. If that's not the choice you want to make then add a radio, make sure she has a warm secure den and tough it out.

You've taken a social animal from its pack and placed it in isolation in a new and unfamiliar environment. She's doing what comes naturally. Her barking would be a combination of distress and calls for attention.

If you're worried about 'accidents' in the house, buy a crate and let her sleep in there.

[Bilbo Baggins]

I have a 4 month old greyhound pup here who has just been returned to us - he is currently screaming in his crate in the loungeroom. Luckily I know that if I ignore him for a little while he will curl up and go to sleep - he is already starting to quieten for short periods. Its kind of like controlled crying with a new baby - they're normally not used to sleeping on their own, they're in a new home - its all just too scarey and too new. In a week's time you'll be pleased you stood firm. :rolleyes:

Controlled crying is now a big no no for human babies, makes them feel neglected. I reckon same applies to a pup. I always put new pups, ie ones I am keeping, in the kitchen with a gate to the hall and the one door off the kitchen shut. But as the mothers are also round its different. With my first pup she was in the kitchen with paper everywhere and a basket near the door. Toys, hotwater bottle, and the light left on. Yelled for about 2 mins. I was just about to get up and she went to sleep. PS the paper was useless always wee or poo 2 cms from edge of paper.

[Engelvongott]

OK. She had a lovely bed with a nice thick mattress on it in the laundry. I had put my mp3 player on speakers for her. I thought about the other replys and decided to move her from the laundry to the bathroom giving her the choice of sleeping in a portable dog box, with mattress with no door on it. I've moved the mp3 to the bathroom and have given her a clock under her mattress. I'm not concerned about the cold room because we live in Brisbane and its quite hot at the moment. I would move her into my room or my daughters room but my husband has made a condition about the dog. She is not allowed to sleep in the main parts of the house.

[Cazz]

Mishka got an alarm clock and a heat pad seperately and together. He has a crate too...he still wouldn't shut up! He now has a girlfriend (she's desexed) and now I have 2x JRTx's to annoy me!

Hopefully your patience is longer then mine. He's still a bit sensitive if you touch him somewhere he doesn't expect, but as he's been abused there's not much more I can do for him.

I wish you luck with your puppy.

[jillybean]

My puppy is an outdoors dog but I thought I'd let her sleep indoors. For the first few nights I had her I'd wait till she fell asleep in her bed then carry her whole bed into the bathroom. Usually she'd sleep for another hour or so but then she'd wake up and realise she was inside and alone and howl and whine all through the night! The only thing that would stop her howling was if I went and sat in the bathroom and let her fall asleep on my lap.

After 3 nights of that I thought why move her if she's fast asleep outdoors. Surprisingly she was quiet through the whole night! So now she just sleeps on the verandah all the time. She has a kennel with her soft bed inside it. I thought I'd bring her indoors the other night when it was storming but she howled the minute I tried to leave her in the bathroom.

Perhaps your puppy doesn't doesn't like being shut up indoors?

Just be patient, it can take a while for new pups to settle down in their new environment.

[Engelvongott]

Hi again, OK so she ended up sleeping in my daughters bed. I guess we will try again. The only reason for the bathroom is because until she is trained and wont make mess on the carpet. Once we have trained her she might find herself in the bedroom all the time. Bring on tonight

[Animal House]

Unless you are going to allow the pup to sleep with your daughter every night (and that includes when she is a hairy, fully grown big dog) then dont do it again.

You need to set some boundaries with the pup, now.

Choose where you want her to sleep and stick with it. First nights are always hard, but perservere. Make sure she has somewhere warm to sleep, maybe some music, a cuddly toy to snuggle up to, and maybe a kong to chew on. Then leave her and dont go back unless you are planning to take her out to the toilet etc.

Have you thought about crate training her? That way, she can sleep in a main area, but be enclosed. :rolleyes:

[Poodle wrangler]

If you're concerned about accidents, save yourself the grief and buy yourself a crate. < $100 for the size you need. Try ebay. Buy a wire one, not a canvas one (too easy to chew).

Sure, it looks like a cage, but the dog will come to see it as their den. The crate can then be moved around as required.

The crying/whining is normal behaviour, but will settle in time. It's just part of settling a pup into a new home.

Start as you mean to go on

is common advice

i.e. pup sleeps where you want them to from day1.

Edited November 4, 2007 by Poodle wrangler

[Monah]

Oh the joys of puppies. Most of mine have been fine. The latest one was not going to go to sleep so I slept on the floor by her crate (slept??) with my hand in there on the first night. Next night I just had her by the bed (crated) with my hand in it. Gradually over a week we moved her away and then into another room. (I put my pjs in it too) She loves her crate and runs to get to bed every night (with a little treat) and has never had an accident or cried since 9 weeks of age. It's all very well to just let them cry but you do have to think about the rest of the family (work/ school) and the neighbours. Our dogs are all big but our littlies always slept on the bed. If your daughter is happy with this, and I don't think spitzs grow very big, I'd leave the pup where it is but I just love having the doggies in bed :rolleyes: Agree with the others though, you do need to start as you mean to go on. You'll have the crying again if you let the pup sleepwith your daughter then decide it's a no no. Crates really are terrific.xxx

[Engelvongott]

Oh boy, I arrived home from work today to find a nasty note in my letter box, it says. "PLEASE SHUT YOUR DOG UP OR WE WILL ALL GO TO THE COUNSEL WE ARE SICK OF HEARING IT GO ON FOR HOURS & HOURS". OMG I am now upset and don't know what the heck I am doing with this beautiful dog that is suffering seperation anxiety. I think the complaint was during the day time. I don't know if any suggestions will help but please keep them coming. So I can control night time by making her an inside bed dog, my newest problem is day time! Hopefully I can upload a photo of my little girl

[Animal House]

How long is your dog alone during the daytime?

She would be upset if you only got her yesterday, shes just a baby really, & has been separated from her litter mates, and gone to a strange home, with no company, even during the day.

If shes outside, make sure she has plenty to keep her occupied, some toys to play with, kongs are good if you fill them with treats or peanut butter, make sure she has a snuggly kennel/bed to go to, as well as water.

Can someone come home at lunchtime or something to keep her company?

Its a long day for a puppy on its own, they will howl their displeasure, or simply because they are bored.

[jillybean]

Wow that is a little harsh. How long have you had the pup for?

Puppies really need company, at least for the first few weeks until they get settled. There should be someone home with her through the day, or at least for most of the day.

Have you got lots of toys for her? Kongs are great once your pup figures out how they work! Fill them with a peanut butter & yoghurt mixture and freeze them. My puppy's favourite toy at the moment is a soft toy animal I got from the Reject shop for $3! It's a frog that croaks.

[Engelvongott]

I guess she has company which is Gema attached is a photo of Gema. They are currently both the same size but Gema is one and a half. Gema's friend passed away on 7 Oct, I had, had her for 16 and three quarter years. So Gema has been alone since then. I have been planing to get a spitz for some time and the oportunity had come up. There was a pup 12 weeks old available and I happend to be going to Bundaberg which was about 4-5 hours from where we live. Ideally I would have liked to get her at Christmas so I could spend 24 hours a day with her but it isn't to be. The only problem at the moment is Gema wants to play with Cali but Cali doesn't want to play with Gema. Until I can spend time watching their behaviour I'm not sure about giving them both free access to each other. I would hate it something happened to either one.

[Monah]

I guess she has company which is Gema attached is a photo of Gema. They are currently both the same size but Gema is one and a half. Gema's friend passed away on 7 Oct, I had, had her for 16 and three quarter years. So Gema has been alone since then. I have been planing to get a spitz for some time and the oportunity had come up. There was a pup 12 weeks old available and I happend to be going to Bundaberg which was about 4-5 hours from where we live. Ideally I would have liked to get her at Christmas so I could spend 24 hours a day with her but it isn't to be. The only problem at the moment is Gema wants to play with Cali but Cali doesn't want to play with Gema. Until I can spend time watching their behaviour I'm not sure about giving them both free access to each other. I would hate it something happened to either one.

What awful neighbours you have! God . Anyway, What we did with our pup (we cant leave her 'alone' with our bossy older dog, she can be a cow!) was crate her (they both have crates) and the older dog is not crated during the day but in the same room, so they are company for each other. That way I know they are together but safe. I have to work to but am lucky enough to be able to come home a lot. I get up about 6am and really wear the dogs out so by the time I go to work they are really tired. I'm sure they don't even notice I'm gone!! and are very happy being together. They always get a treat for going in their crates/room (kids old play room), and are very happy with this situation, it is a habit and they know the drill. I can't really think what else you can do. Can you see all the neighbours or letter drop so they know you are currently training and the situation will improve, please be patient etc? Our neighbours have 2 cockers who are in a pen during the day and are only a year old. In the first few months they did get upset regularly and all the neighbours knew what was happening and were very happy to put up with it. They are great now, dear little dogs. We are very lucky in our street that no one ever complains about parties, dogs, kids, loud cars etc. We all know each other and live and let live. Wish I could help out. You must be very distressed. Where are you? We're in Hervey Bay. Could you let the neighbours know you will be home soon, (christmas, will you daughter be home soon for hols?) and please just give you a bit of time to settle the pup in? Good luck (nasty people), she is a very pretty dog, things will improvexxxxxxxxxxxxxPS I'd be very careful what toys you leave with her, stuffing, squeakers, eyes etc, can easily choke a dog. I even know one that ate it's blanky and was in a real mess internally, big op etc. Sorry, I am just a BIT neurotic.

[Poodle wrangler]

How old is the other dog? Older dogs might not appreciate puppy antics, but usually just put pup in their place. I felt fine leaving my 2 dogs together from day 1, but they seemed to get along well and the older dog is very active.

I agree the neighbours are a bit harsh. It's been what, a day or 2? From what I understand, the spitz breeds do like the sound of their own voices, though.

This is just a puppy. They need company and are used to littermates as well.

Get a puppy kong, fill with treats. See if you think your dogs will be safe home alone together.

Leave a note in the letterboxes nearby saying you have a new pup and are trying to stop the barking/ whining.

Start a diary about when you're home and when you're out. Will help in case of complaints. People tend to exaggerate.

[Engelvongott]

to Poodle Wrangler, Gema the Pom X Bichon was born on 27 Feb 06. She behaves more like a puppy than what the new puppy does. I still call her the puppy because we can't decide on a name yet. We got her on Sunday and yesterday was day one. I took her to the vet today for her 3rd shot and to get her micro chipped. The vet has told me that she has very severe problems and isn't even sure if I will be able to solve it. The vet is also doubting the date of birth, saying that she should have probably lost a tooth by now. I will be contacting a behaviour animal specialist to see if we can be helped. I also spoke to a spitz breeder and emailed a photo of pup and she seems to think that she won't be show quality. I have to say I will be alot dissapointed, because I was kind of looking forward at having a go it it. Oh well cei la vie.(sp?) Hopefully we can train her enough to stop bugging the neighbours. We started training tonight and she has learnt sit with difficulty. Next we will add stay. Otherwise I don't know how much my neighbours will put up with.

[The Spotted Devil]

Hi Karryn67

Sorry about your neighbours

Have you been in touch with the breeders of your pup? If you bought her for show purposes they should be able to guide you....and also help you with the behavioural issues.