Advice needed

han2505

Hi All,

Well we have bought a boxer puppy for a companion for our Collie Cross and they seem to be getting on fine. Yes she is putting him in his place, which I am wanting her to do as I know that he will be bigger than her soon and dont want him turning on her.

Basically i am needing some advice. My partner has decided that after 1 night of no sleep that he wants him gone, he is worried that Holly isnt going to take to him and doesnt want anything happeneing to her. He isnt open to reasoning and I am wondering if there is anything I can do to make sure that they keep getting on. And so change his mind.

I have bought a crate for him so that he is safe when we are out and also for puppy training, and at night he is in the crate in the kitchen. Although, instead of howling just for a hour or so he goes ALL NIGHT! I knew that it would be bad, we have put the radio on, covered towels over his sleeping part and also a hot water bottle wrapped up. He is soiling on his bed as well even though there is newspaper down. Any suggestions? Is it worth bringing the crate into the bedroom with us?

Thanks all

Raksha

Yes, it is definatly worth bringing the crate into the room with you. However, you will still have to get up to let him out to wee/poo at least once a night to start with (try setting your alarm so he doesn't learn to call you). A young puppy (I'm assuming he's less than 12 weeks) physically can't hold it long enough to go all night, so by letting him wee and poo in his crate, you are teaching him that he can, and that is a very difficult habit to break.

han2505

I will try that then, I dont want him to feel deserted all the time. I am taking him outside every hour during the day and evening, how often should I get up at night?

He is nearly 8 weeks old at the minute so dont want him to struggle.

Also, do we leave the crate upstairs when were out as well or move it back down?

foreign_correspondent

You asked for advice here just last week, http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1447947 and were strongly advised against getting a pup, especially as you work full time and your existing dog is nervous.

you said yourself:

Really want to get a puppy but think it would be cruel to leave it all day and would get nowhere with training. Will see what they say though x

You were dead right.

I was reassured you would not be rushing into anything on the 28th of Jan when you said:

I dont want to make her more nervous and so until we are sure that we have found the right companion for her we wouldnt even consider it. I dont want to make her worse but at the same time if it will help even just a little then i am willing to try.

So, five days later you have bought a pup, from someone who is happy to sell a pup to a full time working home with an anxious dog - does not sound like a good breeder to me.

Then you are surprised when the pup does what pups do, and messes and keeps you up all night

My partner has decided that after 1 night of no sleep that he wants him gone, he is worried that Holly isnt going to take to him and doesnt want anything happeneing to her. He isnt open to reasoning and I am wondering if there is anything I can do to make sure that they keep getting on. And so change his mind.

I think you should have considered the reality of getting a pup more carefully rather than focussing on the 'fluffy idea' of a puppy and made sure you were both commited to it - they are hard work, and I have no idea how you plan on housetraining it when you work full time? He needs taking out every 30 mins at the moment, and watching like a hawk!

Sadly, I think returning it to the breeder, or taking it to a good rescue may be the best option here. I am not sure the breeder has to give you your money back though, as there is nothing wrong with the pup! A good breeder would but a good breeder wouldnt have sold to a full time working home.

foreign_correspondent

I just read this -

Also, do we leave the crate upstairs when were out as well or move it back down?

I do hope you are not planning on crating this dog whilst you are out at work full time?

You cannot do that, it would be cruelty and would only teach the pup to mess in his own bed, which dogs will always try and avoid. Not only will this be distressing and confusing for him, it will ingrain a terrible habit which may make housetraining incredibly difficult.

Please do not keep him if this is what you will have to do.

IsoChick

Boxers are very prone to Seperation Anxiety; although they can do well with other dogs, they often don't like being left alone. They can be very, very destructive (don't even ask what my 2 have destroyed - sometime whilst we've been in the next room).

I'd be making sure that just before bed, the puppy is taken outside for his last wee, then set your alarm every 2 or 3 hours or so for the pup to be taken outside. Don't just let him go outside - make sure you go out too, and praise when it happens.

Crates can be used very effectively for toilet-training; but, as has been said - don't crate a dog whilst you're out at work. The best thing to get puppy used to using it and feeling secure is covering it over to make a den and feeding him tasty treats in there (not just before bed though!!).

When he does mess in the crate/kitchen/house; just clean it up. Don't make a fuss of the dog or the mess, don't tell him off. He is a baby and can't help it.

And, honestly, I think that 8 weeks old is the minimum age to get a new puppy.

han2505

Thanks for all the advice. We are paying someone to keep him company during the day until he is housetrained and ok with our other dog.

I'm sorry if I have upset you but we are looking after him and I do not need your permission with what goes on in my life. We are looking after him really well. He is having company all day and I am finishing work early as well to make sure he is ok.

He would never be locked up in the Crate all day, I an not a cruel person. He has the crate to sleep in and he is the kitchen with our other dog.

callywally

Why get the pup if you knew you would have problems with training it? You say your partner does not want it and you work all day.
You are setting yourself up for a lot of problems.
You could have got an older dog if you really wanted a friend for your dog.
Your older dogs anxiety will probably rub off on the pup and you will end up with 2 anxious dogs.
A eight week old pup is like a new born baby and needs lots of attention. Things you do wrong now will affect the dog for the rest of its life.
You will need to get up every couple of hours during the night if you dont want to get the pup in to the habbit of messing in his bed.
It is good that you have arranged company for the pup during the day but if your partner does not want the pup you are in for problems.

IsoChick

I'd just like to add, that when we got our first dog, OH was ready to take him back after the first week!

We spent a week sleeping in the dining room/kitchen with him as he wouldn't settle at all. He was a real howler... after about 2 weeks, he would just make a noise when he needed the loo (if it was between his assigned night-time outings).

I think the first few weeks is a real settling in period for both puppy and people. I knew exactly what having a new dog entailed, OH was gobsmacked at the amount of effort we had to put in.

han2505

Thank you for your useful help. Think I will try sleeping in the kitchen tonight and see how he gets on.

Think it will take a while anyhow, and I was expecting it to be hard, but it will be worth it in the long run x