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Nervous new puppy not eating or drinking and scared of lead

51 replies

BlueBoy2 · Yesterday 17:59

I have just brought home a 16 week old cavachon and hes really nervous. I thought he was 14 weeks but when we worked out date of birth it was 16 weeks.
We tried to ut a lead on him and he freaked out. He won't eat, take a treat or drink.
Im worried he has t been socialised at all even though breeder said he was.
What do I do? How do I introduce him to anything I can't even get him on a lead?

OP posts:
suki1964 · Yesterday 23:09

Im so sorry, but you have bought a farmed puppy

However , you have hime now , the so called breeder isnt going to refund your money or take him back

So hes 16 weeks, very old for a new pup to come into a home - and believe me , you may have seen him in a home environment if you went to view, but he was kept in a shed at best and has had no scolialisation - so the poor thing is petrified

But hey, it happens, not every first pup owner is clued up on puppy farms. I got caught 30 years ago, but with time, patience and determination , we reared a beautiful dog

Get him to your vets asap to make sure he has been regularly wormed and inoculated to schedule as that's so very important - especially now hes lost his mums immunity

Back 20 years ago, the puppy book always totally recommended was Gwen Bailey"s Perfect Puppy - god send back in the day, Im not sure if its out of favour now or what, but it saved my sanity through two pups

If you have children, supervise at all times. At 16 weeks he will be mouthing and second teeth will be coming though., and like children - everything near their mouths needs to be chewed on. Nows the time to install into any children, toys laying around are fair game to a pup - as well as glasses, pens, keys - anything in the pups reach - fair game

The best praise for a pup is cuddles, stroking etc You dont need treats. As pups age you will learn if your pup is food motivated or interaction . When Ive toilet trained, I take pups out in the darden on a lead and keep prompting - I use wee wees, poo poo, and once its done - good boy and big fuss and cuddles

Socialising is so very important but your lad is a tad behind, but it still needs to be done. If pup can be carried, do that, take him for a carry down the park to meet other dogs and walker, take him to shops, introduce him to everyone you can, people wearing hats, using sticks , wearing glasses . Get him used to the sounds of the house - vacuum, washing machine etc. Pup before last I though I had covered all bases, then we went to a country park that had big bollards around the car park - he went mental and there I was, a 40 year old woman stoking a bloody bollard and making soothing talk till pup approached and realised it was no threat

Good luck and take it easy , but keep the training up from the get go

Oh and buy the lightest lead and collar that will hold your pup for now, Hes not used to them. in a week. or two you can upgrade but get ahim used to wearing the collar and dont expect walks to be stress free for a while - or further then the front gate

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