Help with a new puppy

[blinkedandmissedit]

We have had our puppy for a month and she is 14 or 15 weeks. She is from rescue and was in a lovely foster home for 2 weeks before coming to us. She was used to a crate so we carried on with one.

She is fine in the crate if i go out and will actually get in of her own accord when she realizes i am taking the kids to school or at bedtime. She will also get in if i am in the same room.

BUT, she won't be left alone if we are still in the house, she goes crazy. I tend not to crate her loads and maybe this is the problem, but she will even follow me from one end of a room to another. Its not just in her crate either. If i shut stair gate on the kitchen she also goes mad.

Now in the mornings she is awake at half 5 or so going mad. I can't just leave her as she will not stop and will wake the whole street.
I make her sit before she comes out and am practising in the day, leaving the room then coming back, but what else can i do? I can't get anything done as not every room is puppy proof and sometimes i just need her safely elsewhere for a short time.

Have also tried kongs and am now giving meals in her crate.
HELP!

[blinkedandmissedit]

Bum forgot to put a title!

[Marne]

Sorry, not much help but i'm having the same problem with our pup. I left him a minute ago in his crate so i could go and have a bath and he howled the whole time i was in there , he does the same when i have to go and cook dinner (i cant have him in the kitchen as i run a food buisness). What i did do a few nights ago whilst i was cooking is get dd1 to sit near the crate and use the clicker and a treat when he was quiet, he only seems to cry when i leave and not other people so seemed a good idea to get someone else to reward him, it seemed to work well for a while and he got the idea and eventualy he settled but then today (dd1 is at school) he's back to the 'crying whenever i leave the room'.

Its anoying as he sleeps in his crate during the day with the door open (through choice) but as soon as i leave the room he gets very upset.

Hopfully someone will be along with some good advice for us both.

[pepsiesmammy]

Bumped

14 / 15 weeks is still very young and bless her she has had a lot of change in her young life. She probably feels very insecure at the moment. Are you going to puppy training classes? These will help a lot in building up her confidence and help you as a dog owner. It takes time to establish a routine and build up a pups confidence but you will get there.

[blinkedandmissedit]

Thanks. Sorry you're having the same problems marne. I found today that i can go upstairs and leave her in the living room , i think its just locking the crate or kitchen gate . I have been practising lots with her today, leaving the room, then coming back after a few seconds. We will get there!

Its the early mornings that are killing me !

Yes we are doing puppy training and her confidence is improving massively. She is also getting better on walks .

Poor little thing has probably had at least 4 homes and was so skinny . No wonder she's a bit clingy.

[pepsiesmammy]

"I have been practising lots with her today, leaving the room, then coming back after a few seconds. We will get there!" High five to that. Good job. 4 homes already. That is so sad. So glad she has finally found her forever home with you.

This--> www.amazon.co.uk/RSPCA-New-Complete-Training-Manual/dp/1405314400?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21 is a helpful book.

[blinkedandmissedit]

Thanks. Will look that book up, can't open links on stupid phone!

When i say 4 homes i mean us , foster carers, her own mum and the rescue centre. There is also the possibility of an Irish pound .

She is doing so well in all other areas but was up again at half 5 again today barking her head off. To be fair tho she was wide awake and ready to go. Its quite windy here too which seems to be turning her into a loon!

So tired!

[needastrongone]

bumping for advice re crate!! I am so glad our puppy likes his so I feel for you.

Could you put her back to bed at 5.30am? I did this a couple of times with our puppy with a firm 'bed' and no eye contact (after a wee break) and he settled back down to my amazement, although he is very placid.

Now, I 'lift' him at 10pm and make him wee (he's used to it and just goes, almost still asleep) as I would rather be up at 10pm than 4am! Pop him back in the crate and he sleeps until we get up really (6am with DH midweek, although he doesn't want to) and later at the weekend.

Could you lift at 2am intially to see if it helps?

[Marne]

We have had a better day today too, have spent the day coming in and out of the room, he seems worse if he can hear me in the kitchen but if I'm upstairs he's not as bad. I have just managed to go into the kitchen without him leaping up to follow me, he lifted his head but that was it.

We are not doing great with the toilet training though, he will wee on demand if I go outside with him but still won't ask to go out so having lots of puddles, he sleeps through until about 4am and then poops on the floor (as I'm half asleep and not fast enough to take him outside).

I'm sure we will get there though, he's only 11 weeks old so early days.

[blinkedandmissedit]

Right so this morning it was 5.15. Let her out for a wee then she got back in her crate. SO I went back to be, and bark bark bark! So I ignored her.

DH reckons the neighbours won't be woken by her - she's in the kitchen which is an extension with no walls adjoining the neighbours.

After about 20-30 mins she went quiet. Until about 6 am. Annoying as DH was just about to get up and we could have caught her being quiet.

I am going to keep practising and practising. She will get there. But i'm bloody knackered.

In the nicest waypossible, I am glad it's not just us going through this!

With the toilet training, we literally lifted her from her crate to the garden or she would go on the floor if she put her feet down as she was so desperate. She will stand by the door to go out during the day, but doesn't bark or scratch, so we have to catch her there.

Bloody thing, barks when we don't want her too, but not to go out!

[mistlethrush]

The thing is they think its blatantly obvious they want to go out - but you're meant to have xray vision and complete attentiveness on them to understand! I think if they're standing by the door they know what they are meant to do which is a huge step in the right direction (take this from a person who has just had to housetrain a 2 yo dog who thought that you waited until you were INSIDE to do anything...).

They are still very small - you almost need to set yourself an alarm and take them out whether they're asking or not every 30mins or so - certainly no more than an hour whether or not they are asking. Make sure you have a key word or phrase to associate with it too and lots of praise when sucessful outside.

I know someone who managed to train their dog to hit the keys in the back door to make a noise to let them know he wanted to go out - but this backfired as he also 'rang' the keys to get attention or a biscuit!

We managed to teach our last dog to bark to come in (eventually) rather than pawing the door - and when they have a bit more control you might have similar luck with yours (we woofed for her every time and she eventually caught on!!!)

[YouveCatToBeKittenMe]

I would ignore her if she wakes that early. But I am quite a tough dog owner!
I have a puppy who is 14 weeks, or he may be 15 by now!
He goes from about 10:30pm to 7am in the week and then a little bit longer at weekends.
I also still do the picking him up for his first wee in the morning as like you say he would wee by the back door whilst I was unlocking it.

I don't have the separation anxiety thing. I think he is already used to being put in his crate when I do school runs etc. He does whine if I leave him downstairs but I ignore him, he will also destroy all the newspaper in his crate if he doesn't want to be in there! I am lucky that I have other dogs to keep my puppy company, even though he is in his crate he can see that they are relaxed and sleeping.

Try going down a bit later every day. Don't leave him alot of water overnight, I used to take my previous dog's water away overnight but my current dogs are all on dried food and i think they would need a drink in the night.
My puppy doesn't bark to go out, I still take him out every 45mins, or as soon as he wakes and after he plays. You'll just have to keep a close eye on your puppy and let her out as soon as she goes to the door. Or teach her that barking by the door means it opens for her.

As your puppy has had a few homes already she may have already experienced several different ways of doing things and this might be confusing her a bit. She'll get there in the end!