Nixter Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Hi all First day home with 7 week old Mini Schuanzer and slight regret is starting to sink in... did we make the right decision on buying a puppy at all... All was good at first but decided to start the crate training and confining her to her pen for small time periods after the first hour with us. Was recommended that the sooner the better, as we both need to go back to work full time on Monday. She is fine in her crate, will just sleep once we settle her, need to pat her with a finger through the wire and she is ok... Its when she is left alone in her pen that she goes nuts. Problem is that she wont stop barking, crying, howling. We are waiting for periods of up to 20 minutes for her to settle herself but she is just going nuts. Then we let her out and she just wants to be with us but still whines. I am going stir crazy. We are trying to restrict her to just the dining/kitchen (in her pen) as this has wooden floors. If I didnt work full time I'd just leave her out, to be with me, but the house will be empty on Monday (except for our lunch breaks when we will stop home). What can we do to settle her??? All help glady accepted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 (edited) You've brought home a puppy one week earlier than a responsible registered breeder would have let her go. This is a very important stage of puppy development and what happens now is very important. She's just left everything she knows - the constant companionship of her littermates and a routine she was established in. She's in an unfamiliar place, alone for the first time in her life and socially isolated. She is stressed. Pick the crate up and put in the same room you are in. She can stay in there but she will take comfort from your presence. Now is not the time to be working on independence. Let her adjust to her new home first. Personally I'd have the crate in the bedroom overnight. If she stirs, get out of bed, take her to her toileting place and once she's done what she needs to, put her back in her crate and go back to sleep. Maintain that routine and she'll be sleeping through the night pretty quickly. The crate can be slowly moved to a more permanent place if you don't want her sleeping near you. Where will she be while you're at work. Are you aware that such baby puppies ideally have a lunchtime feed? Edited March 21, 2009 by poodlefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 (edited) What poodlefan said. She is a little baby- frightened and alone, and in a strange new world. Who will feed and toilet her while you are at work? oops- re read the post.. you will be popping home? Edited March 21, 2009 by persephone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nixter Posted March 21, 2009 Author Share Posted March 21, 2009 What poodlefan said.She is a little baby- frightened and alone, and in a strange new world. Who will feed and toilet her while you are at work? Fortunately I live 3 minutes drive away from home so can make one or two trips home during the day... I will do two trips home next week, then down to one the week after. My partner is also in aposition to go home once during the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 I need to read more carefully too. When you go home Nixter, try to be there for a while. If you duck in, feed her and go I expect she'll be pretty frantic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monah Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Hi Nixter. Please please be patient. You have a lovely puppy who will eventually fit right in and be a pleasure to own and enjoy. The first few weeks can be tough all round. It does improve though, keep that in mind. A gentle approach without 'punishment' is best. The puppy really has no understanding of what is happening and why. I'm not experienced enough in your situation to offer advice on how to settle the pup when you can't be there. I have had several small dogs (terriers) as puppies though, and they have needed around 4 small feeds a day for several weeks, so maybe if possible you could keep up the 2 visits home per day between you and your OH for a bit longer than a week. The pup will only be 8 weeks old when you stop the frequent visits, the age they normally leave the litter. Very young. it will also be quite difficult to toilet train a pup unless you can be home during these visits for at least enough time to feed, play and take the pup outside to eliminate as soon as you get home, and also after feeding and before you leave again. I find that a 'command' helps greatly. Ours is just 'do wees' said over and over, then heaps and heaps of praise afterwards. I hope you and your puppy have a fantastic time together, remember she is just a baby and she will respond well to positive encouragement (the teenage time may be a different story )xxxxxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvsdogs Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 (edited) Yes what the others said. When April was 1st home, shock, horror at 5 weeks 5 days, I put a ticking clock in with her the 1st couple of nights. I stayed awake most of the night waiting for her to cry like the pups I had as a child, & she didn't make a sound. I was up early to take her out to toilet. She slept in a cardboard box for the 1st few months & was no bother unlike Tilba who was just on 12 weeks old when I got her. She slept in her crate for the 1st few weeks with no problems then she decided she didn't want to be there & made all sorts of noise & tried to get out. Eventually I let her sleep on the dog bed. All our dogs have been confined to the entry room at the back door at night. Edited March 22, 2009 by luvsdogs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Yes what the others said. It's been a week now, I thought this was their first post post 21st Mar 2009 - 07:26 PM So.. only a day or so Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 I took a slower approach to crate training then this. It took a while before I actually shut my pup in her crate. The first stage was feeding her near the door of the crate, then feeding in the crate with the door open, then closing whilst she was eating, then leaving a bit longer etc If she is still crying when you go and let her out then she is thinking that crying gets her out!! Don't let her out unless she is quiet. Get ear plugs! I try and have at least a weeks hols when I get a new puppy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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