Puppy - how do you know if you're doing it right?!

[Howlindawg]

Our Jack Russell puppy is nearly 11 weeks old. We collected him two weeks ago on Thursday. He's doing really well, but I just feel a bit anxious about how well he should be doing etc by this stage and would love some feedback...

1. Doing quite well with TT. Still having accidents In the house esp when playing but I'm constantly taking him out (every half hour or so, after play, meals etc.) he doesn't soil his cratewhen I put him in there for brief periods but he does whine so I don't do it often! At the moment he is sleeping in our bedroom in his crate. I have attached a cardboard box to the open crate (a bit like a garden and put pads down). Most nights he is asleep at 11:30ish (tends to whine for about 15 - 30 mins the. Settles down in crate). He wakes once during the night for a wee any time between 3-5am and I take him out. Usually his pads are dry.

Does this sound about right for his age? How long should I expect him to take until he understands that the house is not a toilet. I stop him mid wee in the house and take him out. Never shout at him but cannot get him to walk to back door. He hates the cold.

1. Sleeping - as I said, he's in our room. He whines but does settle. We are currently TTC our first baby and if it weren't for the fact that we'll hopefully have a newborn soon, I would just happily have him in bed. Ideally we want him to sleep in the kitchen but when should we move him down?! I'm so worried about it, it's freezing in there (tiled floor) and surely if he messes his box out of anxiety it's counter productive to TT?

He's only 10 weeks, is it normal for him to still be so clingy? He's only really happy when I'm cuddling him and looks around for me despite the fact we are really socialising him atm!

1. The biting! When does it end. I always encourage him to bite his toy and seems to be getting a biiiit better but still biting!

Help! I'm so worried I'm ruining this dog and he'll be needy and puppy-like forever and I'll never be able to leave him alone for a second! I've read so many articles which say a pup left to cry will be emotionally damaged! Also, we are at MILs for Xmas (she's not really a dog person) and I'm a nervous wreck over it 😫

Come to the puppy survival thread!
Also worth joining the FB group dog training advice and support. Lots of help.
Ditch the pads. They just teach him it's ok to pee inside.
Lead on to go out. If he does go come in and back out in 10 mins.
I slept with mine in the kitchen! She can't one upstairs. (Giant breed and cats on bed!) I then moved out when she was settled.
Baby puppies need you. TBH I would suspect you would be more likely to have a clingy adult if you left it when it wasn't happy!

THank you! Where do I find the puppy survival thread? Sounds good!

Thanks for your advice, I agree with that. He's still so small that it seems mean to leave him to cry. I think I'm just finding it difficult to imagine him developing and becoming more mature. We've always had JR's and they've always been incredibly easy going and I suppose I'm unfairly comparing him to my parents' adult JR! I'm sure he'll get there. I just want him to be the kind of dog to be gentle and calm, enjoy a cuddle but be able to be left for 3 hours later on and be able to sleep downstairss and remain continent is that too much to ask? I bloody adore this little lad but god if I could fast forward time I would!

Hopefully tagged you in on the thread. I hear you. It was relentless at first with our pup. Time passes. And all your hard work now will pay off!

Thank you so much!

I have a jrt who just turned 11 months today. It sounds like you are doing exactly the right things, just need to have oodles of patience and persevere. Never ever give in to his whining, or he'll learn it works!
Ours whined and cried in her crate too, and every time we went out with the car. Just ignore it, and never let him out/go back to him while he is whining. Wait for a short pause instead if you can.
Even if it may seem to you he'll never get it, one day you'll realise you have not been mopping up accidents for a week. The same with everything else. Just keep doing the SAME thing consistently and he'll get it.
I was also totally surprised at how needy our pup was, and to a certain extent still is. But she has matured very much, and I am so pleased with the progress we have made. There are still days where I wonder if she'll ever get "there"; the current main issue being barking at other dogs when out (she wants to play with them). Then again a couple of months ago I was dead certain she'd never stop trying to chase my inlaws' cats, or the month before that she'd never stop peeing in the kitchen when I wasn't careful to take her out every couple of hrs.
Well guess what, she's not doing either of those anymore.
Good luck and pics please! 😉