Needed! Secure Backyard

[Rubes]

Hi,

My name is Ruby and I own a young puppy named Lola. I know this is a pure breed website but she is still a dog and an amazing animal. She is a beautiful staffy x bulldog and is only 7 weeks old.

I work full time and she is experiencing separation anxiety whilst I am out of the apartment.

I am looking for someone around this area (St Kilda, close to Acland St) (Melbourne Victoria) who has a secure backyard where I can leave her a few days a week. She is vaccinated and very friendly. As she is still a baby she does get intimidated by older dogs but it is good for her to socialize at this young age. So if you already have a dog this is a bonus!

It is only until she is a bit older.

In return I offer my gardening services and will clean up all doggy mess!

Please contact me if you can help.

Kind regards,

Ruby

[Spot.]

Hello,

Sorry I can't help you out with a yard, hopefully you find a suitable arrangement.

How long have you had her for? She is very young, and the youngest puppies should be seperated from their mother and littermates is at 8 weeks old. It is quite possible that she still may be missing the comfort of her littermates, hence her crying. Most puppies usually over come that within a few nights, some puppies can take longer.

In the meantime she needs to feel as comfortable and safe as possible. How long do you leave her for everyday? Is it possible to come and check on her once or twice during the day, perhaps for a quick walk in the garden to go to the toilet? Where does she stay during the day and what do you leave her with eg toys, kong?

I personally wouldn't be leaving my very young pup unsupervised all day with another persons dogs, no matter how friendly they are. If I was in your situation I would leave her safely at home. How long will it be until you move in to a house with a yard?

Edited January 29, 2008 by spotty.spot.spot

[tramissa]

At 7 weeks old, she is not fully vaccinated and is definitely not safe to be taking around. She could pick up anything. There is apparently a fair bit of parvo going around Vic atm, so I would be very wary of where you take her.

At 7 weeks also, you would have only had her for a few days? That's not long enough for a baby to settle in. Most pups don't leave mum and siblings until at least 8 weeks. Partly for socialisation/learning and partly due to vaccination schedules (although still not fully covered until the 10 - 12 week booster, depending on which schedule you use). She is probably pining for her mum. Pups that age also need at least 4 meals per day, spaced throughout the day. Is there any chance you can come home at lunch time to break up her day and give her a feed? This may help.

I don't think you have true separation anxiety in a 7 week old pup.

Now, where's photos???

[sidoney]

You can download the free publication on this page, entitled "Before you get your puppy" by Ian Dunbar. Starting from Chapter Four particularly, you will find information that will be very useful to you.

[Miranda]

Your puppy doesn't have true separation anxiety it is simply acting as puppies do when they are first separated from their dam and siblings, it is a very traumatic time for a baby and most puppies take up to a week to settle in to their new home.

The 6 weeks vaccination may only provide partial cover and you should be very careful where you take the puppy until it has its second vaccination at 12 weeks. Placing the puppy in a stranger's yard is not a good idea, especially if they have another dog. It would be foolish to leave any 7 week old puppy unsupervised with another dog, not all adult dogs are fond of puppies and even if they are puppies can be very annoying and sometimes even the most tolerant dog will have a snap.

The best solution would be to take some time off work until the puppy has settled in, at this age it needs at least 3 feeds a day and you will find it very hard to toilet train the puppy if you're out at work all day.

Maybe I'm being a little hard, but I wouldn't recommend this sort of cross for apartment living, especially when the dog is going to be left on its own all day. Staffords are highly active dogs that like to be with their people and they require lots of mental and physical stimulation otherwise they can become very destructive.

[sas]

It doesn't sound like seperation aniexty, if it were though, putting a puppy in fenced yard isn't going to assist.

7 weeks is too young to be away from its' litter so it's probably having a really hard time adjusting.

Generally it is advisable to take a week or 2 off to work to settle in your new pooch. Your asking a puppy not yet old enough to be away from its' mother to cope all by itself in an evironment it doesn't understand yet.

Edited January 29, 2008 by sas