I wish i never got my puppy :(

[CannaeCopeCaptain]

He is 14 weeks old and driving me insane.

All I've done today is cry

He is so smart when it comes to commands. Sit, stay, roll over, down, games etc... but he just bites me constantly and has zero concept of toileting.

I take him out at night when he wakes up and cries and he will just bite the lead Or my pants or my slippers for 30 mins straight. Then cry if I put him back in the crate. This goes on all night until he either gets an opportunity to piss indoors or he can't hold it anymore.

I spend all day trying to get him to pee outside and the moment he is indoors he does it.

He just bites bites bites bites bites. My house smells like pee.

I know puppies are hard but I didn't realise it would be this hard.

I feel like it will be forever before he is old enough to pre outside and not bite me and everything I own.

This is so hard :(

I remember feeling like this and then all of a sudden he got it. Hang in there

I can sympathize puppies can really test you! With the biting try redirect them onto a toy rather than you, if that doesn't I find saying 'no' and turning my back shows that fun stops when they bite.

Toilet training can be tricky and persistence is key, take them out first thing, before and after food and frequently throughout the day. At night if they bite you or mess about just bring them straight back in and then try again later.

I feel so sad. He's in his crate crying now because I need to steam the floor again and I can't do anything with him out. He just thinks everything is a game. Daft sod.

I feel shit because I feel like the last few days I've ran out of patience and he is just a baby. It's just so stressful

This is exactly how I felt with my first puppy.

It will get better, he's a still baby.

Firstly most of us have been where you are right now and you really need to hang on to the fact that it WILL get better.

I hated the puppy months and endured the teenage period to end up with a lovely adult dog but at the time I was close to tears on most days.

Be aware that puppies are more bitey when over stimulated and tired. If yours is bitey try removing yourself from him for a short timeout (baby gates are brilliant for that). It could be that really your puppy needs some sleep and is therefore acting up but is like a toddler and won't sleep unless forced. It's hard as their teeth are bloody sharp but it's a phase that will pass.

For toilet training it was around the 5 month mark when mine finally got it. Keep taking him out as much as possible, after every meal, drink, play, sleep and frequently in between. If your house smells of pee then make sure you use a special enzyme cleaner to clean up otherwise it just encourages them to pee again.

What I did at night was outside and if no pee then back in crate without any fuss or noise. If he is chewing on the lead or biting your slippers then it sounds like he is having fun so I would give him a few mins and if nothing back in crate. If he cries wait a short while then back outside with again no fuss etc. I suspect you will need to repeat many times until he gets that there will be NO play time except a quick pee break and nothing else.

Remember they do grow up quickly and this phase will pass but you are in a shit period at the moment where they are this bitey peeing pooing demanding thing with not a lot of fun.

I felt like this with DDog when he was a puppy, would quite happily have given him up several times in the first few months.... but so glad now I didn't as 8 years on, he's wonderful.
How much are you walking him? I found teaching him to play fetch and walking for at least two hours (together or broken up) per day helped a lot... I'd also poke him to keep him awake in the evenings or during the day after walks so he slept better at night!!

Swimming might help too?

What breed is it, as some can take longer than others to toilet train? Depending on the breed you need to be careful not to over exercise them as puppies as it can cause joint problems later. You can exercise its brain by putting dog treats into one of those toys that dispenses them as they are rolled round the floor, keeps them busy for a while. I found a sharp yelp and turning away when I was nipped helped to stop it quite quickly. Agree with a PP to keep fuss and fun to a minimum when letting puppy out to pee at night, it shouldn’t hint that it can wake you up for fun. Good luck, it will end eventually!

Spaniel.

I thought you could only walk them 5 mins per month of age. So right now only 15 mins?

Yes be careful about over exercising at that age. I kept to the 5 minute rule onlead but relaxed it off lead as they can run about at their own pace.

It's a balance between over and under stimulation. So mental exercise is good and being a spaniel hunting things such as food or balls will tire them out. But then make sure you recognise when they need a timeout and a snooze.

I've got a spaniel too.... I remember your pain. Nope, personally I'd walk much more than the five minute rule. You'll know when he gets tired.
Seriously, try swimming and teaching him fetch, it will change your life!!

I don’t agree with the five minute rule

Each dog and breed is different. I just exercised until she was tired and I’d stop. Obviously you don’t want to over do it, but they also have endless amounts of energy and they have to get rid of it all somehow.

Remember mental stimulation is as important as physical. Do you do puppy classes? Play dates with other dogs? Kongs etc?

I personally would get rid of the lead for toilet training. After every meal/drink/play time take him outside and ignore him until he does something - even if it’s a tiny wee! Then lots of praise

I always used to say “do a wee” and eventually my gsd puppy realised that “do a wee” meant we were out there for the toilet not to play ball or chase things.

I think most people have days like these OP. Things will get better.

I think the 5 minute rule is there to make you think.

Dragging a 14 week puppy around on lead on the pavement for an hour is going to be hard work for them. However, letting them potter about off lead in a park or field is completely different.

My spaniel cross took ages to toilet train so I feel your pain. Keep goiig, there will be bad days but it will be so worth it. Have you been to any puppy classes? Have a look on local facebook walking groups or your vets might run one - ours did a free one. He's an annoying part of your life atm but remember you're his entire world and you've got great times ahead

He's had 121 training from 8 weeks. He had 6 sessions so that's ended now.

I don't know anyone else with a dog.

He loves scent work.

The only group puppy classes seem to be weekday evenings and I can't do that.

I can't take him off the lead for the toilet. He literally runs off and chews sticks/eats slugs etc.

Is he left alone much? Does he go in the garden to play or just to toilet? Is he peeing in the same place in the house or just anywhere, and is he restricted to one room at the moment?

Do you meet other dogs he can play with when you're walking him? What about the other puppy owners from your breeder, can you meet up with any of them?

The biting is awful and I think about 14 weeks ish is when it is really peaking. Ours is 21 weeks and not really very bitey at all now. Hang in there. Always have a chew toy in your pocket to whip out when he's starts to bite. I really rate goats ears for them to chew on too.

A 14 week old spaniel should be fine with a half hour walk .With a longer walk he might get the urge to pee more when out so you could do 20 in the morning and 10 in the evening

It's 8.30am and I'm already crying.

I decided not to put him on his lead this morning and do some fetch and treat finding to burn off some energy.

I was out for 45 mins in the garden. He pooped. No wee.

I had to come in to sort kids. Straight away a massive piss on the floor and whilst I went to get stuff to clean it he did a huge shit and ATE half of it

I can't do this

This is life with a puppy and is totally normal, everyone with pups go through this frustrating and exhausting stage and with kids it’s double the work. Try your best to stay calm.
If he is peeing in the same place all the time make sure it is cleaned really well as if he can still smell it he will keep peeing there.
You could get puppy pads in the mean time.
Everytime he pees, try not to scold too much but take him right back outside everytime and reward every time he gets it right.
Be consistent and routined for all your sakes.
The way your feeling is also totally normal and you’ll be exhausted with it. Don’t forget to fit in you time and try to focus on that it will pass.
Hope you’re ok x

Hi. My sympathies. It took a while for our puppy to figure out that she could ‘do her business’ while out walking. Was definitely after 14 weeks. I’d argue that a walk is better than hyping up the dog in the morning. Sniffing is more taxing. But we do take her into the garden for a sniff rather than a walk, she gets taken out after our breakfast.

Our 9 month old still bites on the lead so I just wait until she calms down before we get any closer to the door. We’re still not there yet. But if you pull, it becomes a game of tug of war! And that’s FUN! Maybe a chain lead? Or have a chew toy to hand to divert? Ours also doesn’t get the lead placed on until she sits and stops jumping. She’s a poodle so very very bouncy.

Finally - feeding. I hand fed her for about a week. Good for calming her down. And then we try to mix things up - sometimes I scatter kibble on floor and she needs to find it. Sometimes it goes in an egg crate.

Anyway, that’s my experience. It is really really hard. But after 8 months it got a lot easier!

Ahh OP you can do this. Puppy's are hard work, i actually found it more stressful than when DS was a baby. Are you using puppy pads? (i know not everyone agrees with them) if our ddog wee'd or pood in the house we would immediately put her on the pad after, until she learnt what it was meant for. We had wooden flooring so when cleaning we used a spray that was safe for dogs, but left an odour they don't like, it's supposed to encourage them not to go in that spot again.

OP, it sounds like your in a real pickle there.

Lots of good advice here but a couple of things I would add:

Remember that he will most likely need a pee:

• immediately after waking up
• immediately after eating
• immediately after he stops playing
• every 30-60 mins

The most frequent combination of the above

He will not pee while being entertained in the garden. Playing will always be much more exciting so he will do that then come in and because he's stopped playing, he will need a pee.

By all means play outside, just be aware that you will be coming indoors and going almost straight back out again because when he calms down he will need to pee.

Use an enzyme cleaner for the pee. It breaks down the proteins and means there is no lingering smell - even steam cleaning can leave a bit of the scent behind. Puppies use the smell as an indicator of where to go, so if they smell pee, they think it's a toilet

The biting DOES stop. It really does. Get a variety of toys that he doesn't have free access to. Every time he goes to bite you, palm him off with a toy from the selection. Try to make biting you the dullest thing in the world (no reaction, minimum interaction in removing him). If this doesn't work then popping him behind a baby gate for a few minutes might.

Puppies make you feel like you are going crazy. They really do. They are hard work and I don't think anyone realises how hard until they get their first one. However, it does pass. New problems will come (and go) but these problems will not last forever.

Is he a Cocker Spaniel? If he is then the Cockerdile phase does pass! Working or Show type?

He's a Springer from mixed lines.

I feel like I'm letting him down by not being able to be effective in my training with him.

I'll try all the suggestions here

OP you can take him back to the breeder if you really can't cope (or you should be able to if you bought from a reputable one). Or Dog's Trust. They will have no trouble at all in rehoming him and it's best to do it now whilst he's still very young. There's no shame / blame / judgment in that at all.