Animal Welfare Professionals

  • 1.  Baby puppy

    Posted 04-05-2019 12:14 AM

    Me and my wife just adopted a Three month old basset hound lab mix he has been pretty good he sleeps next to me because he will cry in his crate area even though we leave his crate door open and he has access to bathroom pads and water all night  unless he is allowed to sleep next to me but I have been trying to train him to poop on pads to and more often then not he misses the pad but then when I go to just pick up his poop he goes back in his crate like he knows he did something wrong how do I get him to stop running in his crate because I don’t want him to think I’m mad at him when he is a baby and I understand accidents happen but I’m afraid if he thinks I am mad at him the problem won’t get solved and every time he doesn’t poop on pad will just run back to crate also if we leave him at home in his play area with bed toys food and water he cry’s untill we come back for him so he has been traveling with us everywhere since we brought him home how do we get him to be ok with us leaving him at home when we need to take care of business or go to non puppy friendly establishments.


    #puppy
    #gumball
    #PetBehaviorandTraining
    #3monthsold


  • 2.  RE: Baby puppy

    Posted 04-05-2019 05:41 AM

    Been there, done that--I too am a dog spoiler [aren't we all in some way?]. My 10 year old lasted about an hour in his crate--sleeps with me every night since!!

    However, for some this is not acceptable and all the problems you are having with some time, consistency and positive reinforcement can be remedied.

    I have found a great resource for both training and trouble shooting problems in ""Training the Best Dog Ever".

    Good luck and enjoy your new baby--it WILL get better!!


    #PetBehaviorandTraining


  • 3.  RE: Baby puppy

    Posted 04-05-2019 06:07 AM

    I strongly recommend working on the timing of potty breaks.  Think scientifically about when he is most likely going to need to go outside, and take him out then.  Throw him a party when he does business outside.  You will need to accompany him outside; that way he knows when he's done right.  I have never had luck with potty pads and puppies; I think it's a bit confusing to them especially if the pad is too close to their 'den'.  I do use them with seniors and tinies but they are always right next to the door to encourage the idea that potty belongs outside.

    He may also be having his attachment to you reinforced, unintentionally.  If you are responding to undesired behavior like crying by providing a positive stimulus like comfort, he is learning that crying works to get what he wants.  I would try putting him in his own area while you are home for about 5 minutes and then reward when he is NOT crying...by letting him back to be with you, or giving some other reward.  If he is only ever in his special area when alone, he will naturally be upset about it as he associates it with being alone, so he needs to learn it's okay to be there.  You can feed him there, give him treats there, until he realizes that it isn't only a place he goes when alone, and it isn't a bad thing.  I think right now you may be setting him up for developing anxiety issues.

    There are a lot of great resources out there on training dogs, and I don't have one in particular that I recommend, but if your training resource recommends punishing your dog, then it's one to steer clear of.  Clearly your pup has a sensitive nature and few dogs respond well to punishments.  Yelling, hitting or smacking a puppy or dog is not an acceptable training method (and I'm not suggesting that you're doing that, just saying that if a training 'resource' recommends it, then that's not a resource to use).  You want to use a dog's natural instincts of association to build positive associations with desired behaviors.

    I would recommend looking into puppy obedience classes as well at a local training establishment.  Often, these are run by well-educated dog trainers who not only can help teach beginning manners for your puppy but also assist with things like housebreaking and teaching puppy about being alone.  I am a bit wary of the classes run by the big-box pet stores as the quality of trainers there can vary greatly.  Some of them are excellent trainers, but some of them have the minimum background in the field and may not be very helpful for you.  At best a trainer can help you learn how to teach a dog to be a great companion.  At worst they can help you ruin your dog.  Caveat emptor.


    #PetBehaviorandTraining


  • 4.  RE: Baby puppy

    Posted 08-21-2020 06:57 AM

    Oh, and don’t they smell wonderful? Especially their breath. I miss the scent of puppy breath. I believe it is the same reason that human babies smell so good - it’s a bonding thing that goes way back when, maybe the stone age, so that mothers want to take care of their wee babies https://www.animalpicturesociety.com/dotson-puppy-pictures-f573 . Oh gosh, I would love to cuddle a puppy and smell one right about now. I only had one puppy in my life, she was worth it for sure, but after that I decided that it was a load of work. Also there are grown dogs that need homes. So now I have to get my puppy breath fixes from other puppies.


    #PetBehaviorandTraining


  • 5.  RE: Baby puppy

    Posted 08-22-2020 05:31 AM

    Hi Dog spoiler, Congratulations on  your new family member!  I 2nd everything Susan RSM said.

    The last time we had a puppy we crate trained her.  We got up every two hours during the night to let her out the first week and every week after she slept a little bit longer.  It was tiring but worth it.  She was housebroken quickly.  We never used the pads.  I'm not a big fan of pads.  Every person I now who has used them never graduated beyond them.

    A good trainer is worth their weight in gold.  Take your time finding the right one.  Do phone interviews.  Follow your instincts when it comes to finding a good trainer. 

    Remember the value of praising a job well done by your puppy.  Praise goes a long way.

     


    #PetBehaviorandTraining