New Pup

[helm]

A couple of weeks ago I posted about getting a Beagle from beagle welfare and whether they were as mad as they seemed - thanks again for all your comments....

Yesterday we picked up from a rescue centre a collie german shepherd cross. She's lovely but I think I've gone into a state of shock. My husbands dog was 15 when she died so I hadn't done the whole training thing and he can't really remember it.

Although it's only been a day i'm forever the pesimist and can't see how she'll ever get house trained and she kept us up all night howling. I feel like I have post dog depression - I love it, i care for it, i throw it balls and pick up it's poo but I keep looking at it thinking who are you and what are you doing here disrupting EVERYTHING!

Please tell me I'm not on my own and it gets better. Yes I know I'm being pathetic.

 

[armywag]

You are not on your own and it does get better, I thought my pup would never get house trained and never stop chewing the walls....Yes the walls!

But he did and it seemed to happen almost overnight...they grow up!

It will get better just keep smiling!

 

[Spudlet]

It's always a bit of a rude awakening isn't it... I remember sitting on a folding chair crying in my kitchen the day after I got Henry because he wouldn't go to sleep and screamed the house down when I left the room - this was in the morning after a grand total of three hours sleep as he had spent all night screaming his head off and hammering on the door to be allowed out of the kitchen! He soon got the hang of it though

 

[CorvusCorax]

We've had our two for 18 months and my mother is *still* pining for our last bitch - why don't they do this like N, N never barked at cats, N was so much better blah blah blah.
All dogs are different and it is important that you stay positive as dogs can pick up negative vibes and it can make them more anxious, vocal and destructive.
Your old dog, bless her, is gone and there will never be another like her.

What you have is a cross of two highly intelligent, high-energy working breeds, it is going to be a challenge.
It is really, really early days and you have the equivalent of an (intelligent and bewildered) tiny baby in a new setting.

What age is she?

Could you crate her at night? It could make her more secure.
Throw a big blanket over the crate so that it is nice and dark and maybe leave a radio on or a clock nearby. Try not to fuss or give her attention when she cries, as this will be seen as rewarding her for crying - the same as lifting a baby every time it cries, she will get used to it and expect the attention.
Try to keep all your words and actions low, slow and calm - any anxious behaviour will be mirrored.


House training I can't really advise on much as we don't keep ours in the house and usually get ours at over six months.

If in the house, you will find she will go in the farthest spot from her bed (you wouldn't like to pee near your bed, either!) so that is the best place to put down paper.
She will become quite regular in her toilet habits so when you look for the signs, take her outside and give her lots of praise when she goes.

If she goes in the house by accident, do NOT shove her nose in it - they have no idea what this means.

Sorry this is all that has come to me at present, I am sure others will be more help.

 

[helm]

She's 12 weeks. Seems very nice natured (which is why we picked her). You are right there will never be another Rosie, which is why we left it several months before getting another one. We did ignore her all night when she cried. She's weeing in her bed at the moment and eating her poo - which is pretty grim, although on a positive note this morning we managed both outside I take your point about the baby - least with one of those when you shove them in their cot they stay there! Thanks for the advice, do keep it coming. I thought I'd lost the plot this morning.

 

[Cedars]

Hiya love,

I totally sympathasise, I spent the first week panicking about doing everything right and then eventually just broke down into tears one day and told my OH we needed to take her back! We didnt, but from that day forward I just stopped caring so much about doing completely right by her - I know it sounds cruel, but you NEED to sleep, she doesnt NEED to scream all night. Buy her a crate, cover with blankets and put a chew toy in there, exercise her like mad during the day and then shut her in and take no sh*t from her! Put her in, lock the door, say something that will eventually make her recognise she needs to sleep, we use "Night Chloe, see you in the morning, love you baby", then turn all the lights off, shut the door and walk away. Its the hardest thing in the world when they scream but at least you know she hasnt hurt herself because shes in a safe place. It'll take a few nights for her to get used to it but whatever you do do NOT give into her whining and go and see her again, it just teaches her to whine and you'll come! If all else fails and you have to check shes alright, you must wait for a moment of silence before you go in, you cant go in when shes whining. I know its hard.

As for the house training, we got Chloe at 16 weeks so she had a certain level of control over her bladder and we were quite lucky with that. The crate will also help during the night, we dont have a decent bed in her crate its just a bit of carpet really that we bought from the pet shop. We bought two, and they're machine washable so we just washed them every single morning and alternated them. Invest in a good de-odoriser- Simple Solution is great- because it takes away the smell and I found it made me much calmer when she went in the house cos it stopped me panicking and getting stressed about it.

Make a real effort to take her out every half hour/hour on the dot. Take her outside, find a spot where you want her to go (flowerbeds seem to be good, or a bit of lawn!), stand there with her and say something that you want her to associate with going to the toilet. We use "Chloe go widdle". Say it once when you want her to go, and then when she actually goes (when there is actualy pee/poo coming out!!!) repeat your phrase constantly! LOADS of praise if she goes, no punishment if she doesnt just ignore her.

Top tip - Chloe got really good at going out and doing a poo, and then get excited shed done one, so come for a treat. And then we'd all go back in the house feeling thrilled with ourselves, and the rest of the poo that shed held in cos she wanted a treat came out on the living room floor!!! So try and stand dead quietly and let her be out there for quite a while =]

You're not being pathetic, its totally natural (with babies and pets!) to feel that your life has been disrupted and for everyone to reel from the shock for a bit. You'll get there!!!

Let us know how it goes. Good luck!

Hannah xxx

 

[MurphysMinder]

As CC says you have a cross of two very intelligent breeds there, she should learn very quickly, you just have to channel her learning in the right direction. As she is from a rescue kennel it is quite likely she hasn't really learnt to go outside to do her business, so you really have to start at the basics. If you haven't already got one I would definitely get a cage, then it is just a matter of really being on the ball during the day and taking her outside as often as possible, when she wakes, after playing, when she has eaten etc. And of course loads of praise when she does as you ask. You can also start a bit of basic training, sit, down, come etc. The more she uses her brain the more she will settle down I am sure. She will probably scream for a few nights but she will learn it is bed time . Good luck with her.

 

[CAYLA]

As suggested u have a baby on your hands and it's as simple as establishing a routine....I visited a couple a few weeks ago who had jsut bought a 9 week old puppy and wanted shot of it because they did not know what they had let heir selves in for, they expeced her to be jsut like their 10 year old rotti

and her urinating and defecating and needle teeth biting and knicking socks and house hold objects

had the lady ready for a break down.

A crate is a good place to start, but u must be consistant and introduce it positively and use it through out the day not just at night, otherwise u will not settle her, as she will assosiate being locked in with u dissapearing at night.
It's very easy to crate and house train a puppy, u just need a routine and patience and the rest should be puppy fun time

if u need any specific advice rather than be blathering that I can help with or the other jsut shout.