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First Time Puppy Owner Needing Help


Tusker
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A baby puppy has no capacity to effectively regulate its body temperature. it is susceptible to extremes of heat and cold.

They feel the temps as we do. If you think your child would be cold naked in that kennel, rest assured your pup is.

My guess is the pup is cold and lonely. It barks to express distress or call for company. That's you.

If you are leaving food out for the pup 24/7, that's not the way to feed.

Edited by Haredown Whippets
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If she's happier in the laundry at night, that's where I'd be putting her until she's older and/or the weather is warmer.

For my own dogs and the myriad foster pups I've had along the way, I've invested in large cage crates and put them in my bedroom - pups settle MUCH faster if they can at least see their family members.

T.

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thanks heaps for all the helpful posts since I last posted. Being a newbie puppy owner I came for help. Not to be grilled.

She woke again at 10pm so we brought her inside for the night. She didn't make a peep all night. Did wee & poo inside but that's expected. might leave newspaper out tonight? As I've read they can whimper when they need to be let out? but she didn't.

Let her back outside at 11am, swear she pooped enough to last a week lol. put her back In her pen around 12/12:30 when I had to do some stuff inside, then go out for the day, she barked for 15 mins then was ok... I just got home and she's still quiet so hopefully napping in her kennel.

I bought her a little doggy jumper today.

Also booked in for puppy school starting next Monday so hoping we get a lot out of that too... I have been messaging the trainer as well and she also said to bring her in at night so I think with all the feedback I have been given I will keep her in over winter and until she is a little older.

Looking forward to HOPEFULLY getting some positive feedback and help in other aspects over the life of my new puppy.

Another quick q for anyone still reading - should I be waiting til after her 12 week vaccinations before taking her out for walks?? She will be socializing with other dogs at puppy school its just making sure she doesn't eat other pups poop right?

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You need to wait until she's had her second vaccination (a week or two after is ideal) before letting her out of your property at all or introducing her to other dogs. Diseases can be transmitted many ways, not just ingesting poo but just like us, we can catch something simply from touching where an infected person has been and it's the same for dogs. I would suggest having her vaccinated fully (C5) this does parvo, hepatitis, distemper and both kennel coughs (dogs have to be vaccinated fully to attend puppy school). Has she visited the vet yet. Probably best to get her fully vet checked if you haven't yet. I assume she came with her vaccination papers to prove she has been done?

As for whimpering when needing to go, most puppies don't associate going outside with going to the toilet so will just go when they feel like it. Your best bet is to wake once or twice during the night to take her out and let her go. That way she never gets to the point of needing to go and will associate going outside with going to the toilet. Newspaper is always a good idea for those inevitable accidents. Also setting up a feeding routine will help you estimate poo and wee times better as well.

I'm glad we can help you as having a new puppy is daunting enough. Having your FIRST ever new puppy must be very overwhelming at times. there are lots of knowledgeable people here to help you if you stick it out. Having an educated vet and a puppy pre school trainer will help you out as well. You'll also meet others in a similar boat as well. forgot to ask you her name? And you know cute puppy pictures are compulsory right?

Edited by mixeduppup
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Yep, she was fully vet checked, vaccinated, and microchipped before we picked her up. And got a folder with all that info in there.

Feeding routine is the same as what the people who sold her to us were doing, once in the morning then once at night. But she doesn't eat it all so there has been leftovers, they couldn't tell me how much to give her as they just filled the tray and the litter went nuts. I just went off what the packet says for her age.

Her name is Tusker - my username :) and I just put a pic of her in my avatar!! <3

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Is the puppy school a puppy pre-school - where they can go nbefore they've had their 12 week booster shot?

Taking pups out and about before their 12 week booster is a calculated risk. They certainly should get out and see the world - but where you walk them, to some extent depends on the prevalence of parvo in your area at the time. Check with your vet if there are any local outbreaks - less likely in winter, but not impossible, and avoid areas where there are likely to be invaccinated dogs, and/or lots of dog droppings.

Frequent shorter outings rather than long ones are preferable.

Great that you've brought her inside at night. She will likely need a couple of outings during the night to pee at least. I used to get up around 2.00 am and take a puppy out (on lead cos I'm on an acre bush block) and wait for the pee, loads of praise, then back inside, back into bed with a biscuit or something. Then repeat about 6 or 7.00 am. After a week or so the night time outings can probably be reduced. But I still take my adult dogs out on a lead igf they need to go out in the middle of the night - just so they know it's business not play time.

Your posts made me feel apologetic all over again to my first dog I had as an adult - many years ago. She was a Kelpie/Border Collie cross, and I was going to have her as an outside dog. I didn't know then what I know now, and it was what I'd grown up with. There was no place like DOL to learn from then, so it took me longer to realise that the way I was managing her was not in her or my best interests. So kudos to you for coming and asking, and listening, and learning. You and your pup will reap the benefits. :thumbsup:

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Is the puppy school a puppy pre-school - where they can go nbefore they've had their 12 week booster shot?

Yeah, its a 5 week course that needs to be done before shes 16 weeks

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8 week old puppies usually need 3-4 small meals a day as they only have little bellies. I would be splitting her feed sup, you may notice she starts to eat it all as she'll be less full. What is she currently eating? She's adorable!

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Packets usually over estimate how much food dogs need, especially the cheaper ones. Go with 3 small meals a day at this stage. Don't leave it out for her to graze, put it out for 15 minutes, if she does't eat it take it away.

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PARVO virus is what has the possibility to kill small puppies very quickly - even with veterinary intervention.

As it is a virus, it is tough, and can be on footpaths/in soil, or in carpet etc for up to a YEAR or more after a sick dog has spread it from diarrhoea/vomit, or even muck on their feet :( :(

Puppies only need a small amount of the virus to cause the illness - sniffing /licking /cleaning themselves after a walk can all transfer the virus into their systems .

When you take Tusker to your vet for her "here is our new puppy" check - ask them for some more info on worming, etc.

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mixeduppup - shes on purina supercoat puppy. :) from the research I did before I got her I did read they need 3-4 smaller meals a day so I might try that now..

thanks for that info Persephone! I do know she was due for worming but she wouldn't take it so I chopped it up smaller into her food it wasn't left in her bowl so I hope to god she ate it.

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Hi Tusker.Welcome to DOL.

A first ever puppy is a huge learning curve. You will laugh, cry, rant, rave, and wish you could have a do-over at times, but it will ultimately be outweighed by the bond that is already developing between you both. Owning a pet is hard, the aim is to make it work for you both!

Please keep asking questions, and weighing up whether the answers are something you can incorpaorate into your own family situation. Our advice is simply that, and a lot of times is based on things we too have had to sort out.

Our first puppy 10 years ago started out as an outdoor /indoor on invitation dog.... that lasted a few days, as I just felt so bad putting him outside, all alone. I had to learn things the hard way,by trial and a lot of error, before I found somewhere I could come to to ask advice. But trust me when I say, there were many times I was in tears of frustration, anger, and worry, but it has been the best 10 years of my life, and I can never see myself without dogs!

Of course you can have an outdoor dog, a lot of us do.... but it is very cold outside at the moment, and Tusker is lonely, crying, and upsetting the neighbours and yourself. Our very smart dog trainer once gave us the best advice ever.... "work out how to manage the problem", and it seems you are working out a way to do that, well done on a solution for the short term.

We would love to see more photo's of your beautiful Tusker, and hear about how things are going... the good and bad, and if we can offer any advice, please ask.... we have all been first time puppy owners feeling our way, at one stage.

Di

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Thanks for the welcome tikira!!

Attatched a pic of tusker they sent me before I picked her up and a picture of her pen :)

SO lucky I kept her in tonight, just had some random crazy hail storm pass over!

post-52390-0-91111600-1406017417_thumb.jpg

post-52390-0-11969500-1406017427_thumb.jpg

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Oh good! I am glad it's ok for during the day!! It gets sunlight between 10 and 4 during winter... and I noticed the kennel floor has gaps in the "floor" of it too. Its the bunnings pet villa medium size.

Her mum was a lab/kelpie. dad was jack Russell. NO idea how they would have done it LOL

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