Nic.B Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Lots of good advice, I agree this needs this needs to be jumped on now as escaping her pen at this age can set you up for issues in the future. Separation anxiety is also something you want to avoid. I would keep things very simple for her, no fuss. Do some short training bursts with her, play games and wear her out, toilet her and then set her up in her pen with a kong, a nylabone with some nutrigel, or something she really enjoys. The rewards need to be something she will do anything for (high value rewards). Find out what she enjoys toy wise as well (squeaky toys are good fun esspecially for puppies) even an empty cardboard box, toilet rolls or an empty coke bottle with the lid and label removed. Leave her and allow her to settle, hopefully she will sleep/enjoy her treats and toys. Once she wakes ask her to sit or wait for her to settle, reward and take her outside to toilet and play. You need to ensure the time she spends in the pen is positive and in short bursts to begin with, you can build on the length of time slowly. There needs to be a balance between the pen, inside time and playing outside etc. I am a hideous worry wart and would worry about a young puppy outside while I was at work as well. My adult dogs have the house and the deck while I am at work, I have never left them in the yard unattended (mostly due to snakes and people who may arrive without notice). Relax! as she may also be picking up on your worry and concern. Keep it simple :) Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spar Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 Thanks for the replies everyone, I really do appreciate it! We have been having some success with a kong with chicken mince stuffed in it, she LOVES her chicken mince! I have also been using frankfurts to train her as she loves those as well I think we will use the kong as her special treat! I have tried the toilet rolls and coke bottles after reading it on this forum a few times and she loves those as well :) The first day she wasnt interested in any of her new toys just those! Will deff take your suggestions on board Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuffles Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Also, routine is your friend! I took 2 weeks off to settle my pup in to the household and he spent time outside, in the pen and in a crate. We tried to mimic our morning routine from the start, so... Crate overnight Exercise/training on wake up Breakfast Into the pen while we showered/dressed Outside with Kong. We didn't leave him for the full 9 hours at first obviously but would leave him outside for a while to get the feel for the routine. He's never had trouble and is very happy to go outside of a morning as he knows there is a Kong coming :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheena Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Havn't got much else to offer than what others have said, except to add, NEVER lift her in or out of the play pen over the top. If you do, then you have just taught her that the way out is over the top of the wire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuffles Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I always lifted mine in and out and he never learnt that he could jump out. He's an Aussie so he shouldn't be dumb... :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dotdashdot Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I also lifted Nala out of her puppy pen, as well as opening it outwards but that didn't cause her to jump out. She knew how to get out, she found where my husband didn't jam the edge in one day and snuck through the gap. She's also jumped over exactly one time, but that was due to immense excitement, I don't think she knew what she had just done. She still sleeps in the puppy pen every night (I only have one wire crate and Cleo uses that) and doesn't even jump up any more. She just stands and headbutts it when it's bathroom time as there is no lifting of a 17kg puppy going on here! I do agree that some breeds or particular dogs may learn to climb out, but Nala's particular personality doesn't lend itself to escapism - her three escapes have been 2 x days she was left totally alone in her inside pen + outside run for 8+ hours and the other one was when we came home one day and she just got super excited. What I personally did Spar was introduced the puppy pen from day one, I set it up going out the door to a large dog run outside so she had inside/outside time. We played in the pen with her, gave her lots of fun things to play with and made it a fantastic place to be. She whined every now and then but nothing major. We had taken a few weeks off as it was around Xmas time but maintained her routine of being in the pen with supervised play sessions with the big dogs outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuffles Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 (edited) I also lifted Nala out of her puppy pen, as well as opening it outwards but that didn't cause her to jump out. She knew how to get out, she found where my husband didn't jam the edge in one day and snuck through the gap. She's also jumped over exactly one time, but that was due to immense excitement, I don't think she knew what she had just done. Sorry to hijack the thread but mine jumped the pen once - and he jumped INTO the pen He knew it was dinner time and that's where he got fed. Then when he'd finished, he whinged to be let out... Edited March 12, 2014 by wuffles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VizslaMomma Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Havn't got much else to offer than what others have said, except to add, NEVER lift her in or out of the play pen over the top. If you do, then you have just taught her that the way out is over the top of the wire. Wise advice. I had a mountaineer puppy some years back. Could scale anything & did. LOL. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simply Grand Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 (edited) I always lifted mine in and out and he never learnt that he could jump out. He's an Aussie so he shouldn't be dumb... :laugh: Quinn finally realised she could jump the baby gate just a few weeks ago - she's two and a quarter now and would have been physically capable of it for at least 18 months, she used to hang the whole top half of her body over it but never realised she could jump it :laugh: The other week I had Saxon and foster puppy at the door about to take them for a walk, she could see us from behind the gate and just got so excited wanting to come with us that she propelled herself over it. She didn't realise how she'd done it at first and when I put her back behind it she was poking at it trying to open it for a minute then jumping must have occured to her coz she was over again. Now I just hear "thump" "thump" as she leaps straight over it whenever she wants *sigh*. I have ordered a higher one, we'll see how long that lasts. Sorry for joining in wuffles' hijack! Edited March 13, 2014 by Simply Grand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaneLover233 Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Thanks for the replies everyone, I really do appreciate it! We have been having some success with a kong with chicken mince stuffed in it, she LOVES her chicken mince! I have also been using frankfurts to train her as she loves those as well I think we will use the kong as her special treat! I have tried the toilet rolls and coke bottles after reading it on this forum a few times and she loves those as well :) The first day she wasnt interested in any of her new toys just those! Will deff take your suggestions on board I was just going to suggest a kong or pigs ear or something - something to keep her mind stimulated! Sounds like you're doing a great job :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 ..she's only been with you for a blink of an eye. I'm not a big believer in "let them scream" at this age - tiny baby steps and never let them get so distressed by your absence that they are "beside themselves" (you know that when you see it LOL), I really do believe this sort of tough love on such a tiny baby can have implications for separation anxiety later. I've never had a Stafford with separation anxiety (35 years with Staffords) but so many people seem to have this problem with the breed. I'd have the pup outside now. Nevering have had Staffords, of course I am an expert :D :D , but have to agree with Sandra777 she is not too little to go outside now, as long as you have found all the gaps along the bottom of the fence and you have time to sort something out for shade this week. Why does the puppy have to be penned while you are sitting around, can't she be out with you? Not much fun for either of you just looking at each other through a fence, might as well have a fish tank. Dogs need to be dogs and locked in a pen or room for hours at a time is not going to cut it. Puppy proof your yard, get some shade in it, buy a proper crate and learn to use it properly and let your dog hang with you in the evenings etc Yep to this too. I think we can make the mistake of thinking puppies are like human babies and can't be allowed to wander around on their own. Puppies are dogs and love to be outside sniffing and marking and doing all the things that adult dogs do. Also, routine is your friend! I took 2 weeks off to settle my pup in to the household and he spent time outside, in the pen and in a crate. We tried to mimic our morning routine from the start, so... Crate overnight Exercise/training on wake up Breakfast Into the pen while we showered/dressed Outside with Kong. We didn't leave him for the full 9 hours at first obviously but would leave him outside for a while to get the feel for the routine. He's never had trouble and is very happy to go outside of a morning as he knows there is a Kong coming :) Great system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaCC Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 ..she's only been with you for a blink of an eye. I'm not a big believer in "let them scream" at this age - tiny baby steps and never let them get so distressed by your absence that they are "beside themselves" (you know that when you see it LOL), I really do believe this sort of tough love on such a tiny baby can have implications for separation anxiety later. I've never had a Stafford with separation anxiety (35 years with Staffords) but so many people seem to have this problem with the breed. I'd have the pup outside now. Nevering have had Staffords, of course I am an expert :D :D , but have to agree with Sandra777 she is not too little to go outside now, as long as you have found all the gaps along the bottom of the fence and you have time to sort something out for shade this week. Why does the puppy have to be penned while you are sitting around, can't she be out with you? Not much fun for either of you just looking at each other through a fence, might as well have a fish tank. Dogs need to be dogs and locked in a pen or room for hours at a time is not going to cut it. Puppy proof your yard, get some shade in it, buy a proper crate and learn to use it properly and let your dog hang with you in the evenings etc Yep to this too. I think we can make the mistake of thinking puppies are like human babies and can't be allowed to wander around on their own. Puppies are dogs and love to be outside sniffing and marking and doing all the things that adult dogs do. Also, routine is your friend! I took 2 weeks off to settle my pup in to the household and he spent time outside, in the pen and in a crate. We tried to mimic our morning routine from the start, so... Crate overnight Exercise/training on wake up Breakfast Into the pen while we showered/dressed Outside with Kong. We didn't leave him for the full 9 hours at first obviously but would leave him outside for a while to get the feel for the routine. He's never had trouble and is very happy to go outside of a morning as he knows there is a Kong coming :) Great system. Very similar to how I raised Nova, but I never had a pen set up. I also made up my own "crate games" which I think helped a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverStar-Aura Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 (edited) Also, routine is your friend! I took 2 weeks off to settle my pup in to the household and he spent time outside, in the pen and in a crate. We tried to mimic our morning routine from the start, so... Crate overnight Exercise/training on wake up Breakfast Into the pen while we showered/dressed Outside with Kong. We didn't leave him for the full 9 hours at first obviously but would leave him outside for a while to get the feel for the routine. He's never had trouble and is very happy to go outside of a morning as he knows there is a Kong coming :) Definitely this routine -- it's exactly what your pup needs. A SBT pup should be fine outside alone -- I had my terrier pup outside from 8 weeks and she loved it. My routine for her was a little different as I have an older, bigger dog and a retaining wall. It was something like Play pen and baby gate to section off the garage for nighttime Exercise/training at wake-up Breakfast Nap time in garage Pee break/play time Lunch Pee break Nap time Play time/training/pee break Dinner Nap -- she'd get tiered after dinner Play time/training/pee Bedtime for the night It was a lot of in and out of the garage/play pen but it worked for us and she was only ever in the pen for sleeping because of the other dog. Not because he can't be trusted but just purely to prevent accidents when unsupervised due to the 13 kilo size difference. All outside time was supervised until about 12 to 16 weeks old when I started to feel more secure that Zeus wouldn't knock her off the retaining wall. Now they both live outside with no dramas. I've started bringing them into my room when I get home from work for a few hours but then it's outside to sleep in the garage. Although some nights I do let them sleep in my room -- Kirah has a crate and Zeus has a fluffy blanket. Edited March 15, 2014 by RiverStar-Aura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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