Not Sure What To Do.

[Melo]

We have a new puppy, 18 weeks old, now I have taken an extra 2 days off to get him settled and try and get him ready for 'alone time', but its just not working. Meant to be going back to work tomorrow but so completely stressed on what I can do with him.

He just won't settle outside, been building up his hours gradually but today he just would not settle, I have persisted for 3 hours but I just could not listen to him cry, bark & howl anymore and I am sure my neighbours would have had enough as well. My options as I look at it are:

1. Get a large crate and leave him inside for the day.

2. Tough love and hope that eventually he will calm down

3. Take him to dog day care place, although he has not had his 3rd needle so doubt they would accept him.

4. Get another dog for company, although he may have eventually its not something we wanted to rush in to.

Arrggghhh help, any suggestions (constructive only) would be appreciated, its been 11 years since we had a puppy so feel a little out of it at the moment.

[Bundyburger]

We have a new puppy, 18 weeks old, now I have taken an extra 2 days off to get him settled and try and get him ready for 'alone time', but its just not working. Meant to be going back to work tomorrow but so completely stressed on what I can do with him.

He just won't settle outside, been building up his hours gradually but today he just would not settle, I have persisted for 3 hours but I just could not listen to him cry, bark & howl anymore and I am sure my neighbours would have had enough as well. My options as I look at it are:

1. Get a large crate and leave him inside for the day.

2. Tough love and hope that eventually he will calm down

3. Take him to dog day care place, although he has not had his 3rd needle so doubt they would accept him.

4. Get another dog for company, although he may have eventually its not something we wanted to rush in to.

Arrggghhh help, any suggestions (constructive only) would be appreciated, its been 11 years since we had a puppy so feel a little out of it at the moment.

Hullo

Firstly you need to breathe. Have you made outside time fun for him? We got our boy used to being outside by playing in the yard and leaving him toys/bones to play with when we were not there. He has our other dog for company, but if he doesn't have toys to play with he will sit at the door and scream for hours and I mean SCREAM, this dog doesn't howl while our other dog sleeps in his kennel.

You need to get him into the routine from the start, so I think you just need to tough it out. If you think it will be causing an issue for the neighbours, talk to them and explain you have a new puppy and he will do this for a few days, and can they let you know if it gets *really* bad eg 8-9hrs for weeks and weeks and you will look at your options. He is only a baby and I am su re they will be understanding. Our neighbours are doggy on one side, and deaf on the other, so they were very understanding when we explained. He is only a baby and you are his family, so he will take some time to adjust.

I am assuming you only got him on the weekend? That's only 4 days, he will still be adjusting so of course he'll be really upset. By the end of the week he probably won't even care!

Edited October 26, 2010 by Bundy's Mum

[ash&elar]

I would crate him in a big crate wit lots of toys etc to keep entertained, you don't want neighbours getting grumpy at you for him being noisy. And just build up the outside time over weeks/months until he gets used to it if that is where you eventually want him to be!

Have you tried giving him something really good and interesting while he is outside that he wouldn't get while he is inside? That might also help so that he see's outside as a good place not just somewhere that he gets shoved out to and doesnt want to be.

[persephone]

Hi- Where did he come from? What was his daily routine? Being some months old-- any routine he had will be well entrenched, and yes, it will be hard getting him settled.

[Melo]

The couple that purchased him as a puppy split up so gave him back to the breeder, and I got him from a friend/breeder who knew he had come available and his father is her dog. (might not make sense). He has always been with other dogs, so we knew it was going to be tough on him, but it has just stressed me out to about my max as I hate hearing him cry and howl so much.

[W Sibs]

First off, take a deep breath and relax. If you are feeling stressed, so can your puppy

I will choose number 1.

Big pen, with toys, bed, food and water till he get older and is more settled down. Then maybe on weekends you can gradually leave him outside by himself for an hour or two, while you're still at home... also make the backyard fun for him.

But, like the others have said... routine is a big thing for puppies! They like routine.

[persephone]

oh Poor pup won't know if he's arfa or marfa

I will also recommend some D A P spray or diffuser help... just to let him feel that everything's ok. He has been exposed to lots of physical and psychological changes over the past few weeks ;)

He will pick up on your body language/stress levels too, now ... take a step to teh side and breathe

[W Sibs]

oh ;) Poor pup won't know if he's arfa or marfa :D

I will also recommend some D A P spray or diffuser help... just to let him feel that everything's ok. He has been exposed to lots of physical and psychological changes over the past few weeks

He will pick up on your body language/stress levels too, now ... take a step to teh side and breathe

sorry, but this made me choke on my tea!

[megan_]

I might get flamed here, but I wouldn't choose option 1 (assume that you work f/t, I am away 12 hours during the day)

[Melo]

I am away for a good 12 hours due to horses to feed, but hubby away about 8-1/2 so he gets baby sitting job come tomorrow.

[W Sibs]

I might get flamed here, but I wouldn't choose option 1 (assume that you work f/t, I am away 12 hours during the day)

Just suggesting that till the puppy has settled down and is use of being alone in the backyard...

[persephone]

I would not think leaving a pup that age ...new to everything, crated for upwards of 8 hours a day will help anything

a pen, maybe.

What size is this dog?

[W Sibs]

I would not think leaving a pup that age ...new to everything, crated for upwards of 8 hours a day will help anything

a pen, maybe.

What size is this dog?

Definitely a big pen.. so the pup has space to move around and room to play ;)

[tlc]

Instead of a crate, is there a room perhaps that he could be confined to for the duration of your absence? Lots of safe toys and maybe something filled with some food he can munch on to keep him occupied. (I never leave mine unsupervised with bones.) I did this with all of mine till they were deemed old enough to go outside with the other dogs. Once I got my 4th pup they all stay inside now while I am at work but I am only gone for max 5 - 6 hours at a time.

Are your neighbours approachable, maybe go and have a chat to them and explain you have a new dog and there will be a settling in period and hopefully they will be patient and if they hear a bit of barking crying they won't be concerned.

Good luck, it can be a stressful time and hearing them cry is the pitts you just want them to be ok.

[Melo]

Not sure about a pen, we have a purpose built area out the back of our yard that was put there when we built the house, has the pergola area as shelter, no plants but a good grass area and the place is well fenced. All up probably an area of 15 x 10m or there abouts, he has lots of 'outside' toys which one suggestion given to us is to hang some from the pergola to give him something else to keep him amused.

As for the neighbours, might let some of them know, not too worried about right next door as that neighbour got a little yappy dog which they have done nothing to stop its barking, never walk it or when home keep it quiet so they will have nothing to complain about, the others we may let know if it continues.

[fuzzy82]

My two dogs will sit at the door and whimper whenever I left them outside. And then I discovered the magic weapon, Kramar chicken breast strips. They love them so much they don't even notice me going back inside.

I set them up with full kongs and beds and toys out there, and hand them the chicken strips before going back inside (and then leaving the house) and they don't even care. After finishing their chicken and kongs, we're long gone, and they both go to sleep.

So you could keep trying to find something he loooooves so much that he doesn't even notice you leaving. It might work.

If you're worried about the neighbours, maybe put puppy in the laundry with his bed, toys and some newspaper while you are out?

[matilda1]

your purpose built area sounds perfect.

Maybe you could ask your neighbour to look over the fence once or twice to make sure he's ok?

Either that or strip the bathroom or laundry of any dangerous goods and make a nice home in there for the day.

A laundry with a nice bed, some toys and food is easy to clean at the end of the day and makes a very nice safe den for a frightened puppy.

[Melo]

Well thanks for everyone's replies, yesterday afternoon I gave it another go and he cried for about 1/2 hour on and off then fell asleep, about an hour later I left the house as I was so stressed I was going to end up in hospital. It appears he slept the whole time as hubby got home about 3 hours later and he was still fast asleep.

This morning was the 1st time we were putting him out for the day while we both go to work, although hubby has organised himself to go home earlier. He was left with lots more toys and treats to hopefully keep him amused, although he was crying a little when I left. Both neighbours on either side of our house (back is old farm land) will be contacted today and given my phone number so if he does not settle in the next couple of days they can give me a call and I will try and organise another arrangement.

Cheers all.

[Animal House]

Well thanks for everyone's replies, yesterday afternoon I gave it another go and he cried for about 1/2 hour on and off then fell asleep, about an hour later I left the house as I was so stressed I was going to end up in hospital. It appears he slept the whole time as hubby got home about 3 hours later and he was still fast asleep.

This morning was the 1st time we were putting him out for the day while we both go to work, although hubby has organised himself to go home earlier. He was left with lots more toys and treats to hopefully keep him amused, although he was crying a little when I left. Both neighbours on either side of our house (back is old farm land) will be contacted today and given my phone number so if he does not settle in the next couple of days they can give me a call and I will try and organise another arrangement.

Cheers all.

Just a thought, you sound very anxious about the whole situation, maybe the pup is picking up on this as well?

I was going to suggest a kong (or similar) filled with treats, or anything hard to get out, to keep him occupied. Maybe a radio out there with a talkback station (obviously where puppy can't reach it :rolleyes:) and see how he goes.

It will be hard for the pup to settle because he's already been through 2 major upheavals in his short life. So be prepared for a little more than you would expect from a 10 week old puppy coming straight to you.

Edited October 26, 2010 by Cazablanca

[Melo]

You could be right Caza, he probably is wondering while the hell this person is freaking out so much. Just been hard as having lost our 2 older dogs this year, I am just wanting everything to be happy and calm for a while. Hopefully the time away from me he will settle.

Yes he has been through a lot in his short little life, from breeder to new owner, back to breeder, shipped off to the other breeder for me to pick him up from (ok that was only for a few short hours) and then picked up and taken to our place. He has always been with other dogs so this will be a real shock to his system, but I am sure we will get there.

He now has hanging toys, lots of squeaky toys (that he loves) and a treat ball that when he rolls the treats come out. He was getting the hang of the treat ball very soon after we showed it too him so hopefully that keeps him entertained for a little while. :rolleyes: