Am I Doing The Right Thing.....

[ozskipper]

Hi all...

I'm hoping for some advice / reassurance on whether I'm doing the right thing with our new puppy. Neither of us have had a dog for around 15 years and back then we were both teenagers living with our folks who were more in charge of raising our respective dogs than we were.

So, I've bought loads of books and checked out heaps of websites and it's pretty hard to work out which theory is the best to follow. In any event, based on what we read we thought we could probably go ahead and buy a puppy.

Now we have a 8 weeks old Mini Dachshund male which I've had for about a week. When I made enquiries and bought the pup I was on the understanding he was 8 weeks old but when I worked out his date of birth he was actually 7 weeks old when we got him. Not ideal from all accounts but that's the way it turned out.

In any event, he does seem to be settling in reasonably well and the first day he was a bit whiney and the first night, well, he was a lot whiney. I've tried very unsuccessfully to introduce him to a crate to sleep in but he's not interested. During the day he'd tried mostly to sleep either on my feet, right on top of me or tried crawling up on my lap. I wouldn't allow any of those things (he's cute so it was difficult! lol) but when I put him in the crate he'd stay in for a few minutes and then come crawling out or whine like it was no tomorrow. I ignored it but he seemed more comfortable sleeping in a small dog bed where he can see us. So my first question is, does he really need to be in crate to sleep? I know there's this denning theory but he just doesn't seem interested in getting in it and seems to quite happy to curl up in his bed.

My second question is kinda about toilet training. At the moment, he's living inside full time and the long term view is that he'll be outside when we're not home but I feel he's too young and too little be out in our courtyard just yet. So, he has a playpen for when I need to do things around the house and he has a gated off room (now the bathroom) for overnight. I've got a pet loo that have inside (just the turf component) which I'm trying to toilet train him on. My theory is that if he uses it now that when he's older that's what he'll use when he's outside. At the moment, when he's near the turf he's pretty consistent with doing wee's and poo's on it (he misses the edges occasionally) but when he's out in the lounge room I have to watch him like a hawk to make sure he doesn't eliminate in the lounge room as he doesn't seem to seek out the toilet area. Am I missing something here or is it just a time thing and eventually he'll seek it out?

Finally, he hates being put in his playpen or behind the gate. He howls and howls and we're doing our best to ignore the behaviour and giving him lots of praise when he's quiet (which is rare). Neither of us make a fuss when we put him there and we leave some chew toys and treats behind to make it seem more pleasant but he hates being away from us. He's not howling as much (or for as long) as previously, so I'm hoping I just have to give it time - any advice on this one?

As I said before, it's been a long time since we've had a dog (we've had a cat instead - both of them now get on well and have taken to wrestling pretty much continuously) so I'm really worried that I'll screw it up and end up with neurotic dog!

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

[macka]

In any event, he does seem to be settling in reasonably well and the first day he was a bit whiney and the first night, well, he was a lot whiney. I've tried very unsuccessfully to introduce him to a crate to sleep in but he's not interested.

How have you tried? The crate isn't going to be automatically attractive to all pups - you need to make it attractive, and fun! Toss some treats in, praise like crazy when your pup goes in to get them, then give more treats while he's in there.

Feed meals in there (leave the door open at first).

Make it into a game: toss treats in, let him go in and get them, praise like crazy when he does, then let him come out again, and repeat. When you start to see him running ahead to get to the crate, give him something awesome, like a chicken neck or two, to eat in the crate and close the door. Let him out when he is done. After a while of doing this, maybe a week, you will be ready to start closing the door more regularly while he is in there.

During the day he'd tried mostly to sleep either on my feet, right on top of me or tried crawling up on my lap. I wouldn't allow any of those things (he's cute so it was difficult! lol) but when I put him in the crate he'd stay in for a few minutes and then come crawling out or whine like it was no tomorrow.

I ignored it but he seemed more comfortable sleeping in a small dog bed where he can see us. So my first question is, does he really need to be in crate to sleep? I know there's this denning theory but he just doesn't seem interested in getting in it and seems to quite happy to curl up in his bed.

Great - start as you mean to continue - if you don't want him on your lap or feet as an adult, don't allow it as a pup. The crate should also be somewhere where he can see you - at least for the first few weeks - once he is comfortable in there you can gradually move it (metre by metre) to where you want it to be permanently.

The crate has so many advantages over a bed if you can get your pup to like it - I really would recommend persevering!

My second question is kinda about toilet training. At the moment, he's living inside full time and the long term view is that he'll be outside when we're not home but I feel he's too young and too little be out in our courtyard just yet. So, he has a playpen for when I need to do things around the house and he has a gated off room (now the bathroom) for overnight. I've got a pet loo that have inside (just the turf component) which I'm trying to toilet train him on. My theory is that if he uses it now that when he's older that's what he'll use when he's outside. At the moment, when he's near the turf he's pretty consistent with doing wee's and poo's on it (he misses the edges occasionally) but when he's out in the lounge room I have to watch him like a hawk to make sure he doesn't eliminate in the lounge room as he doesn't seem to seek out the toilet area. Am I missing something here or is it just a time thing and eventually he'll seek it out?

My advice is "Start as you mean to continue".

IMO it is confusing for a pup to teach it to go inside at first and then outside later - why not simply teach him to go outside from the beginning? I have never liked the paper/pet loo method myself for this reason.

What I would be doing is keeping it simple - take him to where you want him to go permanently, and praise like crazy whenever he goes in that spot.

If you want him outside when you are not home why not set up a puppy pen with a kennel inside it outside?

Finally, he hates being put in his playpen or behind the gate. He howls and howls and we're doing our best to ignore the behaviour and giving him lots of praise when he's quiet (which is rare). Neither of us make a fuss when we put him there and we leave some chew toys and treats behind to make it seem more pleasant but he hates being away from us. He's not howling as much (or for as long) as previously, so I'm hoping I just have to give it time - any advice on this one?

Again, the pen won't automatically be a fun place to go, so use the same games I suggested above for the crate to make it fun.

You can also try giving him something really awesome every time you have to leave him - like a kong filled with peanut butter! That way he will come to associate your leaving with getting something tasty!

Also make your comings and goings uneventful - don't fuss over him when you return, and never return to a whining dog.

Good luck and enjoy your new puppy! Post some pictures!

[corvus]

My dogs are 18 months and 4 months. They have been the first puppies I've crate-trained. We only use the crate overnight. It's set up in our bedroom so the puppy knows we are close. For the first night or two I sat with them once the lights were out until they had settled. Usually the whining is just because they are afraid you have left them all alone and that is a terrifying thing for a puppy.

I introduced them to the pen the same way. My older dog Kivi was terrible when I first got him. He was incredibly upset about being left in a pen and he would howl and cry for half an hour. I thought, why is it that he took so quickly to the crate but just can't handle the pen? Well, when he was in the crate he knew I was nearby. I reassured him when he whined and he quickly learnt not to fret about being there. So I approached the pen the same way, starting from scratch. I sat by him with my laptop and just worked away until he fell asleep. I'd try to be back to him before he woke up. Knowing I was there most of the time really made all the difference and 2 days later, he could handle the pen without crying. I did the same for Erik with the same results, only it was quicker for Erik as he was a bit older. Puppies hate being alone. It's very upsetting for them. They cry because they are distressed.

As far as toileting goes, remember that puppies don't get a lot of warning before they need to wee. It often comes on suddenly and when a puppy has to go, they have to go right now. So it's good that your puppy is going on the indoor loo, but if he needs to go when he's in the lounge room, he'll go in the lounge room. You have to look for patterns. If he regularly goes in the lounge at a certain time of the day, make sure he's near where you want him to toilet at that time of the day instead.

I have penned Erik inside since we got him as he will be an inside dog. I was interested to see how he would go with toilet training, differentiating between paper and outside. Essentially, he's a clean dog and he hates going in his pen. I've had no trouble at all with it. He doesn't go on newspaper that's lying around the house. He's more spatially cued about toileting. Some dogs are more surface cued, though. So I'm told. I believe it.

[Staranais]

It can be a good idea to get something like a kong toy, one you can stuff, to fill with the pup's supper and leave in the crate with them. Gives them something to do to keep their mind off being alone in there, and gives them a nice association with the crate.

[Erny]

I found the best and easiest way to crate train a pup was by tiring him out mentally. Take him out somewhere - for example to a street cafe. Wrap him in a blanket to keep him warm if the weather is cool and just hold him. Let him listen to the sound of the traffic; see people walking past - these sights and sounds are things he's going to need to be used to anyway, so it serves as an excellent socialisation/habituation exercise - just don't put him in a position where he feels overwhelmed (which is why I suggest to hold him right from the start) until he's used to it.

If your pup is anything like mine, he'll clonk out from all the mental stimulation and chances are will be quite happy to snuggle into a warm, comfy crate pretty quickly.

Go with the other ideas of something nice to chew on which perhaps he can have after he has awoken (although a quick toilet outing will be the order of the day first, once he awakes). You can have the crate near you if this helps to begin with just to help him get used to being in the crate, but be conscious about gradually working so that he is comfortable about being ok when you're not around as well - they need to learn to become confident about being by themselves. Just do it gradually over the next few weeks and for short periods, working so that you return before he becomes traumatised by your absence and providing him with things that might serve as a distraction.

Come night time my boy was ready to sleep (again) and I had his crate in my room on the floor next to my bed - covered by a blanket to make it cosier. I had no problems with this at all overnight and found he was really glad to snuggle down into it for his sleep.

Edited October 23, 2009 by Erny

[Danois]

I would not be leaving a small puppy especially the size of a mini daschund in the bathroom - they are a lot colder than you probably realise.

[pesh]

Crate training......make the crate a place where the dog wants to be. Feed him in there. His water bucket in there. Place treats in there. A warm hot water bottle under his blankets. Do this during the day, extending his period of time in there. Start with a 1 minute or two, then give great praise when you getting him out because he hasn't been whining and carry on. Don't push it too much, as you want it to be a "Good" thing.

I like crates training, as they are where you know they should be and not under your feet.

It's a hard process for some dogs especially pups as they're use to being in a group situation. But keep it up, you'll be pleased when you succeed.

Good luck..........

Sharon

[Tassie]

Personally, for a tiny baby, I like to have the night time crate next to my bed. That way you can hear when the pup needs to be taken out to toilet, and then pop him straight back in, maybe with a biscuit. You can speak softly to the pup, and he can hear your breathing. If the crate is too large for him at the moment, put a divider in to make it smaller, and as others have said, make it very cosy and inviting.

Totally agree with the taking outside to toilet - saves one step in the training process. Also agree with the "good things come in crates and pens' theory.

And Erny is so right as usual - a tired puppy will be a contented puppy - and that includes tiredness from mental stimulation.

IMHO it is definitely worth considering really trying hard with the crate training - makes things like travelling with dogs so much easier. The nice thing is that once a dog learns to love a crate, they love any crate - it always amazes me how they generalise the concept of crate - to plastic, wire, canvas .... really supports the notiont that to the dog, the crate is a safe den.