Not easy raising a puppy! - Page 2

Hi melissa, what you are expieriencing at the moment is just the typical puppy this will change as the puppy gets older, he is only 7 weeks old and cries to go to potty, thats good ! the key thing is you have to spend quality time with a new puppy to make it feel wanted we must not forget this puppy has not long been away from its mother and littermates, try having short games that are intresting for both you and your puppy not too long because the puppies attention span is low. These little activities get the puppies mind working and you will find he gets tired quickly. Also every 15-30 minutes open his cage door an offer him the toilet, i would try and cut out the crying by leaving him, because he will start to think that every time he cries he gets your attention. When he goes quiet let him go potty. Good luck with your Puppy and if you need anymore info send me a private email to lewishartley2@hotmail.co.uk

Thanks so much, everyone, for the great advice! I am a homemaker with NO kids so my puppy and I are bonding nicely. I crate him only at night because i stay home with him during the day. I took him to the garden center today to buy potting soil and he liked going, but he didn't care for the attention. I'm sure you all have gone through this before, having GSDs that are above the norm, but everyone just about died when they saw how beautiful he is! West German blood - black and red.. big strong head, deep gorgeous brown eyes. He's just precious. He's also so loving and affectionate. Sigh. I'm so in love. Thanks again :)

Your breeder should have gone over this with you .. there are also lots of good books that will help you... Here is puppy 101 Puppies can hold their bladder the number of hours equal to their age in months plus 1(sometimes) so your pup maybe can go 3 hours.. I would say at this point he needs to go about every 2 hours, give or take - always better to err on the side of caution and prevent mistakes - after he wakes up, afer he eats, after he plays and after he drinks.. did I leave anything out?? Oh, maybe after he blinks 3 times or sneezes!! This is a process that takes a long time, because basically you are teaching the dog to strengthen its bladder muscles thereby enabling better control. It is my opinion that a dog is not housebroken until around a year old, some can be a little earlier, some much later. Every puppy cries at night when they are removed from the comfort of their littermates.. much like one of your kids might cry the first night away from home.. This puppy is a baby, baby and any and all accidents that occur can only be attributed to you missing the moment before it might have happened.. Try not to flood the pup with so much stimulation he is overwhelmed and can't process. Right now, your job is housebreaking and crate traiing him and teaching him games and his name and to always come when you call because he gets a great treat!! Puppies at this age can start to learn how to learn and offer behaviors.. this is the best time.. it's really fun to figure out how to get them to think.. Pups at this age have the attention span of about 1 minute, I mean that literally.. so all play sessions should be very short and active and include another quick potty trip and then back to the crate to nap unless he is being watched all the time.. Don't feed or water after 6 - 7pm and it will make your nighttimes easier.... how many times I go out during the night depends on the pups, but I take them out right before I go to bed and then set my clock for a couple hours and get up and take themout regardless.. even if it means waking them..... in the future you can stretch it a little bit but for now be proactive! Most often they can make it halfway or so but some pups require more... Be careful of responding to him when he's crying or he will think that's how he gets what he wants... if he has been crying a while and is awake.. try to wait for a quiet moment (be quick!!) before you go get him and be very nonchalant about comings and goings to the crate.... This is a lot, I know but really if you think about it, it will make sense.. Remember he can't do anything wrong at this age because he doesn't know anything yet!! You must teach him by repetition and praise what is right.. Oh, just a bit more.. take him out quickly and carry him.. try to use the same spot and a key word or phrase and when he goes where he is supposed to, you have a party!! Because he is brilliant and then back inside you go..... Good luck, it is very time consuming .. I tell this same thing to all my prospective puppy buyers .. it's a good test!!

You have received alot of good advise, Animules I agree with you to be very careful taking her out too much at this age. Easy for them to catch parvo at this age. Melissa- don't be alarmed but this pup should not be scared of people at this age and she should be willing to venture off away from you by herself. One of the tests I do picking a pup is to take it a distance away (in a new area) and put it down and see what happens, it should start exploring on it's own. Hopefully in a day or so she will get used to her new home. I don't mean to sound mean or ugly about your pup but she may need alot of socializing. I am basing this on the limited info you shared. Wish you the best.

Hi Desert, He is a definitely an explorer. But, he is really clingy to my husband and I. He just hasn't been around a lot of people. We are taking him to the GSD club of Minneapolis (where we live) for socialization with young GSD puppies and their families starting this Friday, he will be 8 weeks old. He's not afraid of other dogs at all, in fact, he thinks HE is the big dog. But, still doesn't like to be petted by other people, he will tolerate it, but doesn't patricularly like it. Hopefully, that will change soon. Thanks again

Well, I just read the socialization section in the book The Art of Raising A Puppy - By The Monks Of New Skete. It says: New owners often notice their pups manifesting fear and avoidance shortly after they bring them home, usually in connection with new experiences. This fear/avoidance period is a normal part of socialization and is indirectly responsible for puppies' bonding quickly with new owners. Elsewhere in the book: Normal fear and avoidance of new experiences arises naturally later in the socialization period, once the brain and central nervous system have matured to their adult levels. So, this is exactly what he's going through! Thanks everyone for your good advice. I'm trying hard to get the hang of this puppy stuff, enjoying it so far... he's an amazing puppy :)

Hi again Melissa. I'm not clear from your short descriptions, but your pup may simply be the proper "aloof" dog when it comes to "non-family". It's nice for a dog to be friendly - but then, you don't want the insecure, over-anxious, wildly enthusiastic so-much-she-kills-by-knocking-over as I have, who more resembles a psycho Lab. I wouldn't worry too much if the pup is just disinterested in people. What's more of concern is if he actually cowers or, God forbid, urinates when someone approaches. I'm no expert, but I think this is a good deal common sense.

Thanks, Rebel, that's exactly what I was thinking. Yesterday 2 big dogs came up to him quickly because they "like puppies", whatever that means - per his owner, and my puppy stood his ground in a really admirable way! He didn't bark or cower or anything like that... he just stood up straight and sniffed them back. He's not an excitable puppy in any way. He hops when he runs when he's excited.. but he's a thinker.. sometimes when he's staring at me, it's like he's really thinking. He also gets bored VERY easily! Thanks again! :)

Rebel made very good points and I agree 100%. My oldest female is very aloof to everyone but me and has nerves of steel. As a pup though she did like people. Once she is settled in you might try a few experiments such as setting a strange object in a place she does not expect it, give her plenty of room to see it before she comes upon it. The old umbrella test I believe is very good also.

So, my 8 week old super-shy, $2500 super pedigreed puppy has round worms, an umbilical hernia and one testicle. I guess you could guess I'm feeling a bit ill right now.