At wit's end with a new puppy. Please help.
December 15, 2015 8:51 AM Subscribe
A couple nights ago, we brought home a spunky nine-week-old Pointer/Lab mix from The North Shore Animal League. We did this after the sudden passing of our beloved Westie, who died at 13 from rapidly progressing cancer. I don't know. Maybe we did this too quickly. Maybe we weren't ready for the CONSTANT chewing, peeing, biting and jumping.
But the fact is he's here. The animal lover in me is telling me that his behavior isn't his fault, and bringing him back to the shelter is an absolute LAST resort, bordering on impossible, for my family and I. But we don't know how much more we can take. Help? WOT inside, sorry.
A little history: We're a family of four- myself ( with cerebral palsy and limited, often painful mobility), my brother, who is fully-abled but is at work most of the day ( 8-7), my middle-aged dad, who, because he is overweight, depressed and works from home, was never expected to be the most active pet parent, and my mom (late 50s as well) who works from 9-5 and is sort of giving the dog the cold shoulder because a small part of her, understandably, feels like he's replacing our Westie ( NEVER).
This new guy has really been nothing but destructive since we got him. Barely even passes out for more than 2 minutes. He's chewing on anything that isn't nailed down (most worrisome are the electrical cords and my dad's insulin pens which he for some reason refuses to not leave lying around. He only very selectively comes when called, runs from us and doesn't respond to no, even though he seems to recognize its meaning on-and-off.
We've read all we can about puppy training. We've kept him in a crate for several hours at a time, but he lets out heart-piercing cries whenever he's left alone in the basement, though he does calm down after a while. I make sure he goes on training pads ( which, mercifully, he's been pretty consistent about). I got him every possible chew toy and calming aid. But I can't keep my eye off him for more than 5 seconds. I can't constantly chase after him, not only because I have my own life to live ( though I'm at home most of the day for now), but because it's physically painful for me to do so. I don't have the energy and I tire quickly. My dad just wants to be out of the house as much as possible and leaves me to either hear his crying or to deal with his craziness until my brother comes home.
Help. We need to have him trained by someone who knows what they're doing. We're in NYC but we can't afford an expensive trainer. He can't yet be walked because he hasn't had his rabies shot ( he'll only have it done in a couple weeks).
Please help. He's a good dog. He wants to be a good dog. I can see it. But I'm in tears from exhaustion and from what it's doing to our family. I'm hurting thinking about the trauma the puppy is going through. My parents are yelling at me when really, I'm doing my best. I just don't know anymore.
A little history: We're a family of four- myself ( with cerebral palsy and limited, often painful mobility), my brother, who is fully-abled but is at work most of the day ( 8-7), my middle-aged dad, who, because he is overweight, depressed and works from home, was never expected to be the most active pet parent, and my mom (late 50s as well) who works from 9-5 and is sort of giving the dog the cold shoulder because a small part of her, understandably, feels like he's replacing our Westie ( NEVER).
This new guy has really been nothing but destructive since we got him. Barely even passes out for more than 2 minutes. He's chewing on anything that isn't nailed down (most worrisome are the electrical cords and my dad's insulin pens which he for some reason refuses to not leave lying around. He only very selectively comes when called, runs from us and doesn't respond to no, even though he seems to recognize its meaning on-and-off.
We've read all we can about puppy training. We've kept him in a crate for several hours at a time, but he lets out heart-piercing cries whenever he's left alone in the basement, though he does calm down after a while. I make sure he goes on training pads ( which, mercifully, he's been pretty consistent about). I got him every possible chew toy and calming aid. But I can't keep my eye off him for more than 5 seconds. I can't constantly chase after him, not only because I have my own life to live ( though I'm at home most of the day for now), but because it's physically painful for me to do so. I don't have the energy and I tire quickly. My dad just wants to be out of the house as much as possible and leaves me to either hear his crying or to deal with his craziness until my brother comes home.
Help. We need to have him trained by someone who knows what they're doing. We're in NYC but we can't afford an expensive trainer. He can't yet be walked because he hasn't had his rabies shot ( he'll only have it done in a couple weeks).
Please help. He's a good dog. He wants to be a good dog. I can see it. But I'm in tears from exhaustion and from what it's doing to our family. I'm hurting thinking about the trauma the puppy is going through. My parents are yelling at me when really, I'm doing my best. I just don't know anymore.
You do not seem like the home for this rambunctious puppy. Many new puppies are an all day time commitment. NO puppy wants to be crated in a basement. This dog needs serious exercise, walks, and someone available all day.
Pointer-lab? This is a very physical dog. I was still running my lab EVERY night (even in the middle of the winter in the dark) at 4 years old to get him enough exercise to be pleasant to be around.
There is no shame in saying, "whoops, I think we might have made a mistake" and doing it SOON. A puppy at this age needs many things to thrive as a dog. 8-15 weeks is a REALLY important time. Give this dog a chance at a good life, bring him back and choose a dog that is ore suited for your lifestyle. An adult dog or a different breed.
posted by ReluctantViking at 9:02 AM on December 15, 2015 [70 favorites]
Pointer-lab? This is a very physical dog. I was still running my lab EVERY night (even in the middle of the winter in the dark) at 4 years old to get him enough exercise to be pleasant to be around.
There is no shame in saying, "whoops, I think we might have made a mistake" and doing it SOON. A puppy at this age needs many things to thrive as a dog. 8-15 weeks is a REALLY important time. Give this dog a chance at a good life, bring him back and choose a dog that is ore suited for your lifestyle. An adult dog or a different breed.
posted by ReluctantViking at 9:02 AM on December 15, 2015 [70 favorites]
A pointer lab puppy seems like a woefully poor choice for your family. Why don't you just adopt an adult, small-breed dog?
(Though tbh, stuff like "dad leaves his insulin pens lying around everywhere" should be dealt with before you get another dog)
posted by cakelite at 9:04 AM on December 15, 2015 [21 favorites]
(Though tbh, stuff like "dad leaves his insulin pens lying around everywhere" should be dealt with before you get another dog)
posted by cakelite at 9:04 AM on December 15, 2015 [21 favorites]
I think this dog just isn't the right fit for you, and that's okay! I think you need to call The North Shore Animal League, explain the situation, and ask if they have any older dogs you could see instead, who are house trained and perhaps lower energy. It doesn't need to be a senior dog or anything - but I get the sense you'd appreciate a dog who's at least grown out of the puppy stage.
That doesn't make this puppy a bad dog - he just needs to find a different forever home for him. And you would make a different dog very happy instead - it sounds like you are really great dog owners, but just not the right fit for this particular dog at this point.
posted by warble at 9:04 AM on December 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
That doesn't make this puppy a bad dog - he just needs to find a different forever home for him. And you would make a different dog very happy instead - it sounds like you are really great dog owners, but just not the right fit for this particular dog at this point.
posted by warble at 9:04 AM on December 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
Your thought to reach out to a positive trainer right now is spot-on, and hopefully the community can find someone who can help. Your puppy may or may not be a good fit for your family, but there are things you can do right away to make yourselves are more content.
However, you can get the eBook for Dr. Sophia Yin's Perfect Puppy in 7 Days. It's a step-by-step, extremely detailed guide that can provide a great deal of help.
One of the keys is to have him eat all his food and snacks from Kongs (ideally stuffed with kibble that has been soaked in water and then frozen, so it's a pupscicle) or other food toys that extend the time he spends eating -- and just as importantly, redirect his chewing to a cooling, comforting appropriate item. You'd probably want to get the puppy ones. They aren't super cheap, but 4 or 5 of them could be a lifesaver.
Secondly, get him outside! The puppy's need for exercise as well as exposure to scary things while he is so young is more important the small risk of illness. Also, trips outside filled with slowly sniffing the world around him will exhaust him and he will sleep - long and hard. This has been documented in position statements by experts (see http://avsabonline.org/). The book Perfect Puppy addresses the issue -and how to safely expose your puppy to the world outside (people, things, sounds, noises, other dogs, etc) in the most effective way and minimize infection risks.
Best of luck!
posted by apennington at 9:06 AM on December 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
However, you can get the eBook for Dr. Sophia Yin's Perfect Puppy in 7 Days. It's a step-by-step, extremely detailed guide that can provide a great deal of help.
One of the keys is to have him eat all his food and snacks from Kongs (ideally stuffed with kibble that has been soaked in water and then frozen, so it's a pupscicle) or other food toys that extend the time he spends eating -- and just as importantly, redirect his chewing to a cooling, comforting appropriate item. You'd probably want to get the puppy ones. They aren't super cheap, but 4 or 5 of them could be a lifesaver.
Secondly, get him outside! The puppy's need for exercise as well as exposure to scary things while he is so young is more important the small risk of illness. Also, trips outside filled with slowly sniffing the world around him will exhaust him and he will sleep - long and hard. This has been documented in position statements by experts (see http://avsabonline.org/). The book Perfect Puppy addresses the issue -and how to safely expose your puppy to the world outside (people, things, sounds, noises, other dogs, etc) in the most effective way and minimize infection risks.
Best of luck!
posted by apennington at 9:06 AM on December 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
Absolutely OK to rehome him in good conscience.
posted by mochapickle at 9:07 AM on December 15, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by mochapickle at 9:07 AM on December 15, 2015 [4 favorites]
Puppies need a huge amount of exercise to make them not be demons. Huge. When our best adult dog was the worst puppy (he ate 1.25 sofas, and a chair), my husband would walk him for 45 minutes and hand him over for me to walk for another 45 minutes and he would still literally be trying to climb trees.
It doesn't sound like you guys have the resources for this.
People want puppies, get him back on the market before he gets any older. It really sounds like you need to wait until your mother is ready for a new dog, and then look for a small-medium adult dog.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:07 AM on December 15, 2015 [8 favorites]
It doesn't sound like you guys have the resources for this.
People want puppies, get him back on the market before he gets any older. It really sounds like you need to wait until your mother is ready for a new dog, and then look for a small-medium adult dog.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:07 AM on December 15, 2015 [8 favorites]
So you're the de-facto caregiver for the puppy -- your mother and brother are away during the day, and your dad refuses to help.
Baby puppies are a shit-ton of work for a few months, and it might be that your physical limitations mean that a baby puppy is not for you, at least not right now. Let alone a baby gundog, where -- if it's a recent cross and not a Heinz 57 that happens to look vaguely lab/pointer-ish -- it's getting high stamina, high exercise needs from both sides.
If you really want to stick it out:
General destructiveness and rambunctiousness -- Someone needs to take him for a long walk every day. Probably at least an hour. This can happen at night when your mother and brother are home. The part that really fucking sucks about this is that while this tires him out, yay, it also increases his stamina and energy, boo. When he's home with you, keep him leashed to you most of the time.
Chewing -- puppyproof. If dad won't pick up his insulin needles, you have to. You can sort of fence off the walls where cords are running with pieces of exercise pen, and you can spray them with bitter-end or other HEY DON'T CHEW ME stuff.* And watch him so that when he chews something naughty, you give him something good instead.
Won't come, won't leave off when told no, etc -- make doing the right thing worth his while, which is to say piles of treats. Clicker training is a good method to use; there are about a zillion guides online.
Cries in his crate in the basement -- don't leave him in a crate in the basement. He's a pack animal, so of course he wants to be with his pack. For crate training to work, the crate has to be his special refuge and not the place he's exiled to. There are all sorts of crate games you can play to make the crate a happy place, and of course you can feed him in his crate.
Again, all of this will be a huge shit-ton of work for the next few months. Given that it's realistically going to be just you trying to do it all, you are allowed to go back to the shelter and tell them that you've learned a baby puppy is not for you right now, and bring home an older dog (doesn't have to be a geezer or even a year old, just not a baby puppy).
*I have sampled Bitter End on the grounds that one should not do very much to one's dog that one is not willing to have done to oneself. It is like an atomic bomb in your mouth, and does a decent job of deterring chewing.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:21 AM on December 15, 2015 [5 favorites]
Baby puppies are a shit-ton of work for a few months, and it might be that your physical limitations mean that a baby puppy is not for you, at least not right now. Let alone a baby gundog, where -- if it's a recent cross and not a Heinz 57 that happens to look vaguely lab/pointer-ish -- it's getting high stamina, high exercise needs from both sides.
If you really want to stick it out:
General destructiveness and rambunctiousness -- Someone needs to take him for a long walk every day. Probably at least an hour. This can happen at night when your mother and brother are home. The part that really fucking sucks about this is that while this tires him out, yay, it also increases his stamina and energy, boo. When he's home with you, keep him leashed to you most of the time.
Chewing -- puppyproof. If dad won't pick up his insulin needles, you have to. You can sort of fence off the walls where cords are running with pieces of exercise pen, and you can spray them with bitter-end or other HEY DON'T CHEW ME stuff.* And watch him so that when he chews something naughty, you give him something good instead.
Won't come, won't leave off when told no, etc -- make doing the right thing worth his while, which is to say piles of treats. Clicker training is a good method to use; there are about a zillion guides online.
Cries in his crate in the basement -- don't leave him in a crate in the basement. He's a pack animal, so of course he wants to be with his pack. For crate training to work, the crate has to be his special refuge and not the place he's exiled to. There are all sorts of crate games you can play to make the crate a happy place, and of course you can feed him in his crate.
Again, all of this will be a huge shit-ton of work for the next few months. Given that it's realistically going to be just you trying to do it all, you are allowed to go back to the shelter and tell them that you've learned a baby puppy is not for you right now, and bring home an older dog (doesn't have to be a geezer or even a year old, just not a baby puppy).
*I have sampled Bitter End on the grounds that one should not do very much to one's dog that one is not willing to have done to oneself. It is like an atomic bomb in your mouth, and does a decent job of deterring chewing.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:21 AM on December 15, 2015 [5 favorites]
He wants to be a good dog, but he's not going to get there while crated in the basement. Give the puppy back, today, and tell the shelter that you are not the right family for that dog. Please.
posted by kimberussell at 9:37 AM on December 15, 2015 [8 favorites]
posted by kimberussell at 9:37 AM on December 15, 2015 [8 favorites]
Best answer: Everyone is doing a good job of pointing out that it's okay to realize this is not the puppy for you. It also sounds like you're still really grieving for your old dog, and, well... you may need some more time to just feel that pain before you can really open your heart to a new pup.
With that in mind, let me give you some advice for taking care of this little guy:
--It's okay to be exhausted and frustrated. A nine week puppy is a baby. A baby! Think of how parents of an infant are--they're overwhelmed, exhausted, tired and confused. Now, notice, you're looking after a baby, too. Realizing this doesn't make it any easier, but it may help you contextualize what you're feeling.
--Are you putting him down for naps? With my little pup, this was absolutely essential when she was a baby. My Zelda, she had to learn how to calm down when she was tired. She didn't know how to do that at first. So, she'd get more and more exhausted, but since she didn't understand how to calm down when she was sleepy, she'd just get crazier and crazier. She'd be the screamy, bitey, chewing monster: imagine a toddler who's been given a whole birthday cake and allowed to stay up until 2am. To help her manage her exhaustion, we had to put her on a tight schedule. During the day, she'd be allowed to be awake for about an hour, then we would put her in her crate for at least an hour. We learned how to tell when she needed a nap: she's sleepiest when she's craziest. You may have a similar dog with similar needs. You may need to enforce a nap schedule. Think about putting him in the crate regularly, but for intervals of just like an hour throughout the day: an hour up and playing, an hour in the crate and sleeping.
--The crate is a big thing. Note, above, where I said we were able to get her to nap? That's because we could put her in the crate. This is part of the reason why the crate may be so important: it can help you get your pup to sleep when he really needs it. If you've read all the puppy training books, I probably can't give any additional wisdom about how to make it work. All I can say is that it is probably worth all the work and pain to get that pup to sleep in his crate.
--A puppy proofed playpen may help a lot. It can be a space where he can do whatever he wants, and you can keep your eye on him, but not have every second consumed with "OMG NO STOP IT." If you can set up the playpen so you can drape an arm in and play tug a war or the like, that would help.
--Again, remember: he's a baby. A little baby who has all these emotions and all this energy and no understanding of any of it. He can't modulate his excitement and frustration yet. His bladder isn't even fully developed, let alone the cognitive structures in his brain! It is hard raising a puppy because they are so unformed. But they grow, and they get better, and the little baby becomes a teenager, becomes an adult, becomes your best friend.
posted by meese at 9:43 AM on December 15, 2015 [7 favorites]
With that in mind, let me give you some advice for taking care of this little guy:
--It's okay to be exhausted and frustrated. A nine week puppy is a baby. A baby! Think of how parents of an infant are--they're overwhelmed, exhausted, tired and confused. Now, notice, you're looking after a baby, too. Realizing this doesn't make it any easier, but it may help you contextualize what you're feeling.
--Are you putting him down for naps? With my little pup, this was absolutely essential when she was a baby. My Zelda, she had to learn how to calm down when she was tired. She didn't know how to do that at first. So, she'd get more and more exhausted, but since she didn't understand how to calm down when she was sleepy, she'd just get crazier and crazier. She'd be the screamy, bitey, chewing monster: imagine a toddler who's been given a whole birthday cake and allowed to stay up until 2am. To help her manage her exhaustion, we had to put her on a tight schedule. During the day, she'd be allowed to be awake for about an hour, then we would put her in her crate for at least an hour. We learned how to tell when she needed a nap: she's sleepiest when she's craziest. You may have a similar dog with similar needs. You may need to enforce a nap schedule. Think about putting him in the crate regularly, but for intervals of just like an hour throughout the day: an hour up and playing, an hour in the crate and sleeping.
--The crate is a big thing. Note, above, where I said we were able to get her to nap? That's because we could put her in the crate. This is part of the reason why the crate may be so important: it can help you get your pup to sleep when he really needs it. If you've read all the puppy training books, I probably can't give any additional wisdom about how to make it work. All I can say is that it is probably worth all the work and pain to get that pup to sleep in his crate.
--A puppy proofed playpen may help a lot. It can be a space where he can do whatever he wants, and you can keep your eye on him, but not have every second consumed with "OMG NO STOP IT." If you can set up the playpen so you can drape an arm in and play tug a war or the like, that would help.
--Again, remember: he's a baby. A little baby who has all these emotions and all this energy and no understanding of any of it. He can't modulate his excitement and frustration yet. His bladder isn't even fully developed, let alone the cognitive structures in his brain! It is hard raising a puppy because they are so unformed. But they grow, and they get better, and the little baby becomes a teenager, becomes an adult, becomes your best friend.
posted by meese at 9:43 AM on December 15, 2015 [7 favorites]
Response by poster: My dad refuses to believe that the crate needs to be upstairs because "the puppy needs his space". It's infuriating. Assuming, for now, that I convince him otherwise and get a soft, foldable pen for upstairs, what sorts of things should I be doing with him while he's in the pen?
Believe me, I hear the give him back crowd loud and clear. But I need to give this a chance for a few more days.
posted by marsbar77 at 9:45 AM on December 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
Believe me, I hear the give him back crowd loud and clear. But I need to give this a chance for a few more days.
posted by marsbar77 at 9:45 AM on December 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
I am chiming in, as someone who owned a pointer as a child: this puppy is going to be a very bad fit for your family. Both pointers and labs are notorious for being very physical and also for having a lot of energy and stamina. (As an adult, my German Shorthaired Pointer required half an hour to an hour of hard exercise--fetch, frisbee, or dog park access--every single day.) They require a lot of physical exercise, and it seems to me that your family doesn't currently have the emotional and physical abilities to commit to that. This is only going to get more important as he grows; at nine weeks, puppies are still little. At six months, he is going to take much longer to wear out, and he won't be fully mentally mature and start slowing down a little until he's 3. Can you handle that?
He is still very young and, I expect, very cute; he will probably be adopted quickly if you return him and explain that it's not his fault either. (Nor is it yours. Not all dogs fit in all households. I have rehomed a dog for bad fit before, and I think it's honestly at least as ethical if not more so to do that than to keep a dog who isn't right for you and your needs. The humans are happier, and in my experience so is the dog, since now the dogs' needs are getting met more.)
It also seems to me that your old dog was a really good fit for your household, and like a similar dog would match you much better. I listen to you and I think of my grandparents, who recently lost their sixteen-year-old Cairn Terrier, and who also live with two children (one of whom is disabled; one of whom sounds very much like your brother). When I think of dogs that would fit neatly into their lives, I think of dogs like the one they had: adult, small dogs, who don't need a lot of hard physical exercise to be happy. I also think maybe you want a dog who is very different from your old dog, because you talk about your mother feeling like this new puppy is replacing your old Westie. Is that accurate? If so, maybe think about different dogs that fit into that mold: small, not super high energy.
I might suggest a rescued beagle if you can find one. They're not terriers--they generally have very different temperaments and personalities. They also don't look anything like terriers, which might help your family. Their coats are very wash and wear, which might be helpful to a household struggling with a lot of ability issues. That said, they do have their flaws--not listening super well without a treat to start, and barking--and those are fairly similar to what you'll find in terriers and what you might be used to. There are a lot of them that really need homes, which might make your mother feel better about taking in a new dog. Would she feel better if the dog was an ex-laboratory beagle, for example?
posted by sciatrix at 9:46 AM on December 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
He is still very young and, I expect, very cute; he will probably be adopted quickly if you return him and explain that it's not his fault either. (Nor is it yours. Not all dogs fit in all households. I have rehomed a dog for bad fit before, and I think it's honestly at least as ethical if not more so to do that than to keep a dog who isn't right for you and your needs. The humans are happier, and in my experience so is the dog, since now the dogs' needs are getting met more.)
It also seems to me that your old dog was a really good fit for your household, and like a similar dog would match you much better. I listen to you and I think of my grandparents, who recently lost their sixteen-year-old Cairn Terrier, and who also live with two children (one of whom is disabled; one of whom sounds very much like your brother). When I think of dogs that would fit neatly into their lives, I think of dogs like the one they had: adult, small dogs, who don't need a lot of hard physical exercise to be happy. I also think maybe you want a dog who is very different from your old dog, because you talk about your mother feeling like this new puppy is replacing your old Westie. Is that accurate? If so, maybe think about different dogs that fit into that mold: small, not super high energy.
I might suggest a rescued beagle if you can find one. They're not terriers--they generally have very different temperaments and personalities. They also don't look anything like terriers, which might help your family. Their coats are very wash and wear, which might be helpful to a household struggling with a lot of ability issues. That said, they do have their flaws--not listening super well without a treat to start, and barking--and those are fairly similar to what you'll find in terriers and what you might be used to. There are a lot of them that really need homes, which might make your mother feel better about taking in a new dog. Would she feel better if the dog was an ex-laboratory beagle, for example?
posted by sciatrix at 9:46 AM on December 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
Im no expert but just a few pointers from a recent new 1st time puppy owner
This is all stuff I've been told and its held true for me but who knows!
Puppies don't need lots of exercise. Up to 4 months hey can make do with 15 mins a day
It's still an infant. Even its senses are still developing. You can't expect too much results from training until 14 weeks. Still important to do it though.
Negative training simply doesn't work at this age. Yes and no simply equals attention. Withdrawal and treats are your only weapons.
Freeze food and chews to make them last.
Puppy's love routine it's hard to change later. This includes puppy pads. Consider setting an hourly chime and taking her out on the hour every hour.
posted by choppyes at 9:47 AM on December 15, 2015
This is all stuff I've been told and its held true for me but who knows!
Puppies don't need lots of exercise. Up to 4 months hey can make do with 15 mins a day
It's still an infant. Even its senses are still developing. You can't expect too much results from training until 14 weeks. Still important to do it though.
Negative training simply doesn't work at this age. Yes and no simply equals attention. Withdrawal and treats are your only weapons.
Freeze food and chews to make them last.
Puppy's love routine it's hard to change later. This includes puppy pads. Consider setting an hourly chime and taking her out on the hour every hour.
posted by choppyes at 9:47 AM on December 15, 2015
Oh my, I completely understand! I took on raising a Leader Dog for the Blind puppy because my beloved shepherd/terrier mix died in May. I've got my parents completely on board, their home is puppy proofed, everyone has crates, and we have 24-7 backup through our Leader Dog counselor and trainer and I AM EXHAUSTED. I sent the puppy to spend the night at the trainer's house over the weekend because I was getting sleep deprived (and probably anemic from blood loss with all the damned BITING!).
I think everyone else has addressed the other things I'd say already, but please know you aren't alone.
posted by notaninja at 9:51 AM on December 15, 2015
I think everyone else has addressed the other things I'd say already, but please know you aren't alone.
posted by notaninja at 9:51 AM on December 15, 2015
Sorry, didn't see your last post. Stuff he can do in the crate: do you have Kongs yet? If not, go out and get some. You can stuff them with peanut butter or canned food and freeze them, and he can learn that crates go with nice, quiet chewing things. Often, then, puppies will fall asleep after eating the Kong, because they've been stationary for a while and their little bellies are full. Freezing chews will also help with teething.
If you cannot get your dad to move the puppy's crate, I suggest that you try tether training. Keep the puppy on a long leash and tie it to something that goes everywhere with you while you're home. (Most people suggest tying it to your waist, but that sounds like it might be painful for you.) That lets puppy hang out with you, but it gives you a little more control and notice when he's going to do something annoying.
posted by sciatrix at 9:51 AM on December 15, 2015
If you cannot get your dad to move the puppy's crate, I suggest that you try tether training. Keep the puppy on a long leash and tie it to something that goes everywhere with you while you're home. (Most people suggest tying it to your waist, but that sounds like it might be painful for you.) That lets puppy hang out with you, but it gives you a little more control and notice when he's going to do something annoying.
posted by sciatrix at 9:51 AM on December 15, 2015
A puppy like that basically needs to spend half the day exercising vigorously. If you're going to try to keep him, and cannot walk him outside due to the rabies shot issue, I'd find some way of getting him the amount of exercise he needs- playing fetch and running around in a backyard for hours, or doing so in a cleared area of the basement. As far as the rabies shot thing, you could still take him outside- just to abandoned parks/areas.
A puppy is a baby, and needs Firm-handed Discipline/Training, Tons of Exercise, Kindness, and Patience. If you think you cannot provide those things on a high level, find a home that can ASAP, and get a smaller, less active breed of dog that requires less energy.
Other ideas: Watch the Dog Whisperer. Find a trainer through family or friends who will give you a discount.
posted by cotesdurhone at 9:52 AM on December 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
A puppy is a baby, and needs Firm-handed Discipline/Training, Tons of Exercise, Kindness, and Patience. If you think you cannot provide those things on a high level, find a home that can ASAP, and get a smaller, less active breed of dog that requires less energy.
Other ideas: Watch the Dog Whisperer. Find a trainer through family or friends who will give you a discount.
posted by cotesdurhone at 9:52 AM on December 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
I won't repeat all the good advice already given, but one thing did stand out: you say he won't come reliably when called. Puppies don't generally do this, they have to be taught. Puppies are just a lot of work and they Do Not Act like older dogs.
If you truly feel like you cannot make the puppy your primary responsibility while you're home (and puppies also can't really be left alone for more than 4 hours, tops) then I think the best thing would be to find him a new home.
posted by Automocar at 9:56 AM on December 15, 2015 [9 favorites]
If you truly feel like you cannot make the puppy your primary responsibility while you're home (and puppies also can't really be left alone for more than 4 hours, tops) then I think the best thing would be to find him a new home.
posted by Automocar at 9:56 AM on December 15, 2015 [9 favorites]
I am not trying to sound fighty, but I've been warned that many tactics the Dog Whisperer uses are counterproductive or even dangerous. I have seen in my own puppy that certain methods Cesar Milan uses to deter biting increase aggression, and I would use caution.
posted by notaninja at 9:57 AM on December 15, 2015 [20 favorites]
posted by notaninja at 9:57 AM on December 15, 2015 [20 favorites]
Assuming, for now, that I convince him otherwise and get a soft, foldable pen for upstairs, what sorts of things should I be doing with him while he's in the pen?
He needs major mental stimulation. Frozen stuffed puppy Kongs are good for this, as are puzzle toys. (For example, my lab gets much of his meals inside of toys like this, this, and this.) These are perfect for food-motivated dogs (like most labs and lab-mixes) and give a good brain workout. You really cannot put him in a pen or crate with toys and expect him to entertain himself. He needs to play with you. Get some soft balls for indoor fetch. Try gentle tug-of-war. That kind of thing.
We've kept him in a crate for several hours at a time...
Crating is fine - good, even! - but he is far too young IMO to be left in a crate alone for several hours at a time. The rule I've always heard is that a puppy can hold its pee for about one hour for every month it is old. Your pup is just over two months old - he should be getting bathroom breaks roughly every two hours or so.
Plus attention. Puppies need a lot of attention.
Finally, I don't want to pile on, but I do feel this needs to be said. Puppies are super hard work, wayyyy more work than an adult dog. Normally I would encourage you to stick with it, because eventually even a high-energy mix like yours will mellow out somewhat.
But the truth is, your family does not sound like the right fit for him. My lab is 11 years old and if he gets less than two hours of exercise a day, he turns into a 70 pound black tornado. Really, he needs closer to three hours each day to be at his calmest and most content. Unless you can seriously commit to giving your dog that kind of exercise - plus mental stimulation - for the next decade or more, please please please rehome him. I know that rehoming feels like a failure to you - I really, really get that - but the dog will be happiest and healthiest with a family who can really meet his needs for physical and mental stimulation.
posted by schroedingersgirl at 10:03 AM on December 15, 2015 [10 favorites]
He needs major mental stimulation. Frozen stuffed puppy Kongs are good for this, as are puzzle toys. (For example, my lab gets much of his meals inside of toys like this, this, and this.) These are perfect for food-motivated dogs (like most labs and lab-mixes) and give a good brain workout. You really cannot put him in a pen or crate with toys and expect him to entertain himself. He needs to play with you. Get some soft balls for indoor fetch. Try gentle tug-of-war. That kind of thing.
We've kept him in a crate for several hours at a time...
Crating is fine - good, even! - but he is far too young IMO to be left in a crate alone for several hours at a time. The rule I've always heard is that a puppy can hold its pee for about one hour for every month it is old. Your pup is just over two months old - he should be getting bathroom breaks roughly every two hours or so.
Plus attention. Puppies need a lot of attention.
Finally, I don't want to pile on, but I do feel this needs to be said. Puppies are super hard work, wayyyy more work than an adult dog. Normally I would encourage you to stick with it, because eventually even a high-energy mix like yours will mellow out somewhat.
But the truth is, your family does not sound like the right fit for him. My lab is 11 years old and if he gets less than two hours of exercise a day, he turns into a 70 pound black tornado. Really, he needs closer to three hours each day to be at his calmest and most content. Unless you can seriously commit to giving your dog that kind of exercise - plus mental stimulation - for the next decade or more, please please please rehome him. I know that rehoming feels like a failure to you - I really, really get that - but the dog will be happiest and healthiest with a family who can really meet his needs for physical and mental stimulation.
posted by schroedingersgirl at 10:03 AM on December 15, 2015 [10 favorites]
My dad refuses to believe that the crate needs to be upstairs because "the puppy needs his space". It's infuriating.
Here's how it was with my dog when she was a puppy: if she could hear anyone being active and exciting, she COULD. NOT. DEAL. with being in her crate. She wanted to be involved! If everyone else is up and happy and active, she wants to be too! When she was an itty bitty baby (the age your pup is now), we had the crate in our general living space, but then we would be super quiet and still while she was napping. We'd put on a TV show, lay on the couch, and just chill. We also kept the crate covered: she could hear the TV and our gentle sounds, but she was in a dark and still place. But anytime one of us got up, or sneezed, or whatever, that would immediately wake her up again and we'd have to deal with soothing her back to sleep or letting her out to be active again.
When she was a little older (maybe a week or two older than yours now), we moved her crate to our bedroom. To put her down to nap, we'd put her in the crate, put on some soft music (Youtube has a lot of meditation music that works well and lasts for hours), close the door, and still try to be quiet. At night, though, her crate was in the same room where we slept. Puppies want to know that everything is okay, and that means knowing that their people/parents are nearby. If she woke up in the middle of the night while in her crate, it was important for her to be able to tell that we were still nearby, and she was safe to go back to sleep.
So, what I'm saying is: there's some logic to keeping the crate in a dark, safe, out of the way space. It isolates your sleepy puppy from all the noise and hubbub in the house, which is important for helping your pup calm down and go to sleep--the calming music is important for that, too. But you don't want to isolate your pup's crate so much that you can't hear him and thus respond if there's an emergency. And you want to be careful that your puppy feels safe and protected rather than alone and scared.
posted by meese at 10:07 AM on December 15, 2015 [4 favorites]
Here's how it was with my dog when she was a puppy: if she could hear anyone being active and exciting, she COULD. NOT. DEAL. with being in her crate. She wanted to be involved! If everyone else is up and happy and active, she wants to be too! When she was an itty bitty baby (the age your pup is now), we had the crate in our general living space, but then we would be super quiet and still while she was napping. We'd put on a TV show, lay on the couch, and just chill. We also kept the crate covered: she could hear the TV and our gentle sounds, but she was in a dark and still place. But anytime one of us got up, or sneezed, or whatever, that would immediately wake her up again and we'd have to deal with soothing her back to sleep or letting her out to be active again.
When she was a little older (maybe a week or two older than yours now), we moved her crate to our bedroom. To put her down to nap, we'd put her in the crate, put on some soft music (Youtube has a lot of meditation music that works well and lasts for hours), close the door, and still try to be quiet. At night, though, her crate was in the same room where we slept. Puppies want to know that everything is okay, and that means knowing that their people/parents are nearby. If she woke up in the middle of the night while in her crate, it was important for her to be able to tell that we were still nearby, and she was safe to go back to sleep.
So, what I'm saying is: there's some logic to keeping the crate in a dark, safe, out of the way space. It isolates your sleepy puppy from all the noise and hubbub in the house, which is important for helping your pup calm down and go to sleep--the calming music is important for that, too. But you don't want to isolate your pup's crate so much that you can't hear him and thus respond if there's an emergency. And you want to be careful that your puppy feels safe and protected rather than alone and scared.
posted by meese at 10:07 AM on December 15, 2015 [4 favorites]
In addition to what everyone has said, I would urge you to consider what is in the best interest of the dog and look at a non-working breed or breed-mix for your family. A Pointer/Lab mix is a vastly different beast than a Westie and is going to need a... lot... of exercise.
posted by DarlingBri at 10:08 AM on December 15, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by DarlingBri at 10:08 AM on December 15, 2015 [7 favorites]
Puppies can be taught to come, but they have to be taught. It has only lived with you a few days, it has no idea that the sounds you are making are in anyway related to it, never the less it's name. It also has no idea what is expected of it. You can train puppies with basic things like come & sit but it will take time & numerous patient repetitions & rewards. As soon as you can you might want to look at getting it into puppy classes, most vets run these they are great ways for the dogs to burn off energy & for you to see just how normal his puppy behaviour is. They will also be able to help you with some basic training tips & tricks.
I know you have heard it's OK to return him message loud & clear, just be aware that the breed you have needs a lot of exercise My MIL has a pointer pug cross(I don't want to know what happened there) the dog even with the lazy pug genes still needs an hour or so of good solid play on top of 2 long walks a day to keep it quiet enough to behave. My MIL can barely walk or bend to throw a ball, so she gets a dog walker to walk himfor her & uses aids to help her throw balls & frisbees for it in her backyard. She bought it much like you way to fast after a beloved dog died, but thinks she should keep it because she's an animal lover & she made the commitment (and because she is stubborn as hell because we all suggested it might be too soon). He is a sweet lovable dog with all sorts of behaviour problems from excess energy. The dog is unhappy, she is unhappy. I'm not trying to pile on the return him train, any puppy will have these sorts of problems it's the nature of puppies, but if you return him while he is young enough he will have no problem finding a new home & you can help a slightly older harder to adopt dog that will already know the basics & fit into your home much easier.
posted by wwax at 10:14 AM on December 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
I know you have heard it's OK to return him message loud & clear, just be aware that the breed you have needs a lot of exercise My MIL has a pointer pug cross(I don't want to know what happened there) the dog even with the lazy pug genes still needs an hour or so of good solid play on top of 2 long walks a day to keep it quiet enough to behave. My MIL can barely walk or bend to throw a ball, so she gets a dog walker to walk himfor her & uses aids to help her throw balls & frisbees for it in her backyard. She bought it much like you way to fast after a beloved dog died, but thinks she should keep it because she's an animal lover & she made the commitment (and because she is stubborn as hell because we all suggested it might be too soon). He is a sweet lovable dog with all sorts of behaviour problems from excess energy. The dog is unhappy, she is unhappy. I'm not trying to pile on the return him train, any puppy will have these sorts of problems it's the nature of puppies, but if you return him while he is young enough he will have no problem finding a new home & you can help a slightly older harder to adopt dog that will already know the basics & fit into your home much easier.
posted by wwax at 10:14 AM on December 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
What worked with crating my friend's puppy in the living area and still making it the puppy's "space" is draping a blanket over it. It creates a den-like atmosphere. Tell your dad that it'll give the dog a sense of still being with the pack but separate from the pack at the same time without causing the ruckus it's causing now. But for heaven's sake, bring it out of the basement, the puppy will never learn to be happy there.
posted by patheral at 10:21 AM on December 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by patheral at 10:21 AM on December 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
But I need to give this a chance for a few more days.
Why? I'm not being combative, I'm sincerely asking. What do you see changing in the next few days that could make everything workable?
posted by jaguar at 10:25 AM on December 15, 2015 [25 favorites]
Why? I'm not being combative, I'm sincerely asking. What do you see changing in the next few days that could make everything workable?
posted by jaguar at 10:25 AM on December 15, 2015 [25 favorites]
Puppies also need an incredible amount of socialization with both people and other dogs to become good canine citizens. He won't get that in the basement. Please get him back fo the shelter where he can get what he needs.
My current 8 year old dog was a nightmare of a puppy and I was with him 24/7. There were times I was reduced to tears - the biting, chewing, destruction, refusal to be potty trained, unending high energy - I was emotionally and physically exhausted by him. He didn't really stop being a puppy until about 3 years old and is awesome now. It's okay if your family isn't up for that, but to give the puppy the best chance to bond with a new family and get the socialization he needs, it's time to give him back. There's no shame in that when it's best for the animal.
posted by cecic at 10:29 AM on December 15, 2015 [5 favorites]
My current 8 year old dog was a nightmare of a puppy and I was with him 24/7. There were times I was reduced to tears - the biting, chewing, destruction, refusal to be potty trained, unending high energy - I was emotionally and physically exhausted by him. He didn't really stop being a puppy until about 3 years old and is awesome now. It's okay if your family isn't up for that, but to give the puppy the best chance to bond with a new family and get the socialization he needs, it's time to give him back. There's no shame in that when it's best for the animal.
posted by cecic at 10:29 AM on December 15, 2015 [5 favorites]
I don't see any reason to wait until he's had his rabies shot to walk him. If it's safe for you to go out walking without having had a rabies shot, it's safe for him to walk beside you on a leash.
What's your long-term plan for exercising this dog? Dog walker? Dog parks? It doesn't sound like you'll be able to take him on long walks yourself. Is someone else in the family willing to do it? Is there a way he can get at least a couple of hours of exercise every day? Is there a way some of that exercise can be off-leash, so he can really run? If not, you definitely should be thinking about returning him.
posted by Redstart at 10:31 AM on December 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
What's your long-term plan for exercising this dog? Dog walker? Dog parks? It doesn't sound like you'll be able to take him on long walks yourself. Is someone else in the family willing to do it? Is there a way he can get at least a couple of hours of exercise every day? Is there a way some of that exercise can be off-leash, so he can really run? If not, you definitely should be thinking about returning him.
posted by Redstart at 10:31 AM on December 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
I think it's good you're trying to "give it a go", but I think you need to be realistic that you're not going to see some difference in "a few days". Puppy training is a matter of months with very small incremental improvements over that time.
There is the possibility that in a few days time you will feel more confident that you Have A Strategy, but don't count on seeing changes in the puppy's behaviour.
posted by like_neon at 10:48 AM on December 15, 2015
There is the possibility that in a few days time you will feel more confident that you Have A Strategy, but don't count on seeing changes in the puppy's behaviour.
posted by like_neon at 10:48 AM on December 15, 2015
Best answer: Other ideas: Watch the Dog Whisperer.
darthvadernooooooooooooooooooo.jpg
Millan is a terrible trainer who uses wrong and bad techniques to basically freak the dog out so much that it shuts down for a little while; this looks "good" on camera but is a TERRIBLE AND WRONG AND BAD way to train a dog. It's all based on this alpha-dominance stuff that turns out to be just plain wrong. Clicker training, positive reinforcement, and simply removing the opportunities to misbehave are the way to go. If you want to watch someone on tv, ISTR that Victoria Stillwell is at least okayish. biscotti likes Ian Dunbar and Karen Pryor, who at least have some youtubeses.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 10:48 AM on December 15, 2015 [25 favorites]
darthvadernooooooooooooooooooo.jpg
Millan is a terrible trainer who uses wrong and bad techniques to basically freak the dog out so much that it shuts down for a little while; this looks "good" on camera but is a TERRIBLE AND WRONG AND BAD way to train a dog. It's all based on this alpha-dominance stuff that turns out to be just plain wrong. Clicker training, positive reinforcement, and simply removing the opportunities to misbehave are the way to go. If you want to watch someone on tv, ISTR that Victoria Stillwell is at least okayish. biscotti likes Ian Dunbar and Karen Pryor, who at least have some youtubeses.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 10:48 AM on December 15, 2015 [25 favorites]
This is a dog with INTENSE exercise needs. One thing to keep in mind is that your dog's need for exercise is not going to diminish after puppyhood is over. If you keep this pup, you're going to need to find a way to give him the equivalent of a 5-mile walk or an hour's worth of intense exercise every day probably for the next 5-6 years or so until he chills out a bit.
Could you take him to puppy daycare where he could play with other dogs? Every other day would probably be OK if you could supplement with walks the other days. Several hours in a crate is a hard thing to deal with for a dog full of energy.
(I have a 2.5 year old lab and as i type this his entire big labby head is on my leg because I need to take him for another walk. He is insane and destructive -- even at 2.5 years old -- if I don't take him out. My husband does a 3 mile run with him in the morning and I usually walk a couple miles with him in the afternoon. My lab thinks that such an exercise schedule is "just ok.")
And it's totally fine to re-home him and find a dog that's a better fit for your family. Honestly, if I had to do things over, I would not have adopted a lab puppy. I would have gotten a 6 or 7 year old dog from a shelter. But my kids love my dog, so I'm stuck with him.
posted by Ostara at 10:57 AM on December 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
Could you take him to puppy daycare where he could play with other dogs? Every other day would probably be OK if you could supplement with walks the other days. Several hours in a crate is a hard thing to deal with for a dog full of energy.
(I have a 2.5 year old lab and as i type this his entire big labby head is on my leg because I need to take him for another walk. He is insane and destructive -- even at 2.5 years old -- if I don't take him out. My husband does a 3 mile run with him in the morning and I usually walk a couple miles with him in the afternoon. My lab thinks that such an exercise schedule is "just ok.")
And it's totally fine to re-home him and find a dog that's a better fit for your family. Honestly, if I had to do things over, I would not have adopted a lab puppy. I would have gotten a 6 or 7 year old dog from a shelter. But my kids love my dog, so I'm stuck with him.
posted by Ostara at 10:57 AM on December 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
I am a bit of a fan of Ceasar Milan but it is NOT with freshly weaned pups.
If you are considering keeping him you need to figure out how to make sure he does not go in the house. You can not train a dog to urinate in the house (puppy pads). You will make him less unadoptable.
You need to figure out who is going to give him several walks a day (at minimum - he really needs to get to run). He needs to learn to walk on a leash or he will be less unadoptable.
Who is going to exercise him for an hour a day?
Who is going to take him out about 10-15 times a day in the first couple weeks?
How is he going to go out and get socialized? These weeks are vital to make him able to deal with the outside world. Cars, people, dogs, cats, traffic, noises. He needs to get out there and have positive experiences or he is going to be less unadoptable.
You don't get to have "your own life to live" and have a puppy. Lives go on hold for a little while with a new puppy in the house.
posted by ReluctantViking at 11:28 AM on December 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
If you are considering keeping him you need to figure out how to make sure he does not go in the house. You can not train a dog to urinate in the house (puppy pads). You will make him less unadoptable.
You need to figure out who is going to give him several walks a day (at minimum - he really needs to get to run). He needs to learn to walk on a leash or he will be less unadoptable.
Who is going to exercise him for an hour a day?
Who is going to take him out about 10-15 times a day in the first couple weeks?
How is he going to go out and get socialized? These weeks are vital to make him able to deal with the outside world. Cars, people, dogs, cats, traffic, noises. He needs to get out there and have positive experiences or he is going to be less unadoptable.
You don't get to have "your own life to live" and have a puppy. Lives go on hold for a little while with a new puppy in the house.
posted by ReluctantViking at 11:28 AM on December 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
If you want other good positive reinforcement trainers to watch on TV/Youtube, ROU_Xenophobe's recs are all excellent. (This includes Stilwell, who is fabulous.) I also like Zak George a lot, who seems to be trying very hard to promote himself on Youtube right now.
posted by sciatrix at 11:35 AM on December 15, 2015
posted by sciatrix at 11:35 AM on December 15, 2015
Response by poster: Perhaps I need to clarify- we would LOVE to allow him to get exercise, take him to puppy training/socialization classes, etc.. We hate the isolation as much as he does. The shelter, however, made it clear that he is not to step foot outside until he's had his shots, especially rabies. He came with a URI and worms, which he's being medicated for, but I suspect staying inside will be absolutely necessary for another week or so, as per the shelter. Anecdata re:exceptions to this rule are very welcome. We are getting a playpen ASAP- hopefully by Thursday, and will try to regroup tonight. We have a big back yard, we can afford some training classes and possibly a dog walker, when he's had his shots.
I am not giving up on this puppy for being a puppy.
posted by marsbar77 at 11:48 AM on December 15, 2015
I am not giving up on this puppy for being a puppy.
posted by marsbar77 at 11:48 AM on December 15, 2015
Best answer: We also got a puppy about a year after our elder dog died. My sweet Bella is just at two years old now, she was a six-week-old street-found baby when we got her. I absolutely second stoneweaver's advice about the timer. You have to set yourself up on a schedule that's pretty much like a newborn's. We actually went out to potty every 15 minutes she was awake and active for the first week or two, and then added ten minutes every week, which worked great. We also put her down to nap in her quiet crate every two hours, asleep an hour, up for two. I bought every puzzle treat toy I could find, like kongs, and kept her occupied like that. And short, 5 minute training sessions with treats were great for wearing her out, starting with sit and moving to down, and even then roll over. Try it for five minutes during every two-hour up time and then increase the time by a few minutes every couple of weeks. Add another five minutes of ball chasing/tugging/etc every thirty minutes or so and a lot of your issues might go away. At night, I set an alarm and took her out to potty every three hours until I had to wake her up, and then extended it thirty minutes every week until she was sleeping through the night. For me, the schedule was the part that kept me sane during her first three months or so. But it IS exhausting and just exactly like having a newborn baby in the house. If I were you, I would actually sit down and write up a schedule that works for you. I think you would feel a lot better if you were acting instead of reacting.
posted by raisingsand at 11:57 AM on December 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by raisingsand at 11:57 AM on December 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
While re-homing is certainly an option, and no one would think less of you or think you were a bad dog-parent for doing so, you sound like you really want to give this a shot.
Nthing you to please please please get his crate out of the basement. I would try keeping it in the living room (or wherever you are most of the day) to get him used to the idea that crating is not an awful thing. Put a blanket over it so he doesn't get over-stimulated. You can gradually (after a few months) move the crate to a bedroom or other less central spot. If you really need to crate him in the basement, do this very, very slowly as he gets accustomed to the crate and enjoys his time there. My 8 month old puppy will retreat to his crate voluntarily now at bedtime, or during the day when he's tired or needs a break. I keep a stuffed animal in there for him so he has something to cuddle, and a kong bone so he has something to chew on.
Do you have TaskRabbit in your city, or a neighborhood kid who's good with dogs? You can hire a dog walker relatively cheaply to come and give him exercise once he's had his shots. If he can't go outside, you're just going to have to hold tight until you can get him on a regular walk schedule. You can start gentle training to keep you both occupied now though! I like this series on Youtube.
Schedule is EVERYTHING to a young dog, so make one and stick to it. I know this whole process is tough, but it will get better. Good luck!
posted by ananci at 12:23 PM on December 15, 2015
Nthing you to please please please get his crate out of the basement. I would try keeping it in the living room (or wherever you are most of the day) to get him used to the idea that crating is not an awful thing. Put a blanket over it so he doesn't get over-stimulated. You can gradually (after a few months) move the crate to a bedroom or other less central spot. If you really need to crate him in the basement, do this very, very slowly as he gets accustomed to the crate and enjoys his time there. My 8 month old puppy will retreat to his crate voluntarily now at bedtime, or during the day when he's tired or needs a break. I keep a stuffed animal in there for him so he has something to cuddle, and a kong bone so he has something to chew on.
Do you have TaskRabbit in your city, or a neighborhood kid who's good with dogs? You can hire a dog walker relatively cheaply to come and give him exercise once he's had his shots. If he can't go outside, you're just going to have to hold tight until you can get him on a regular walk schedule. You can start gentle training to keep you both occupied now though! I like this series on Youtube.
Schedule is EVERYTHING to a young dog, so make one and stick to it. I know this whole process is tough, but it will get better. Good luck!
posted by ananci at 12:23 PM on December 15, 2015
So the shelter told you absolutely not to take him outside until he's had his rabies shot. They don't have any way of knowing whether you do it or not. I would ignore their advice and do what's best for your puppy. Think about this logically. To get rabies, he has to be bitten by a rabid animal or come into contact with saliva, brains, etc. from a rabid animal. How likely is that? Very, very unlikely. If you're walking him on a leash or he's playing in your yard, he's really no more likely to be exposed to rabies than you are. How often have you spotted possibly rabid animals in your yard or while walking on the streets? If you have a big back yard and you're not even letting him into it, you're unnecessarily making your life (and his) a lot harder.
posted by Redstart at 12:54 PM on December 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Redstart at 12:54 PM on December 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
Our dog training instructors also suggested that puppies be kept on a leash inside the house, and you should be on the other end of that leash so you can issue a gentle tug and a "no" when the puppy begins to misbehave. If the puppy is not in your immediate vicinity when it does something wrong, it's impossible to correct it. You can't punish a puppy later .... you have to catch it in the act. Our trainer recommended a 6 foot leash -- not a flexi-leash.
Am I understanding this right -- you aren't taking the puppy outside to urinate, he's relieving himself within the house? That's really odd, and I've never heard of a strategy like that. I can understand limiting interaction with other dogs and not going to the dog park until he gets his shots. But right now you're training your pup to defecate and urinate inside the house, and you're going to have to re-train him to go outside. That's just making things harder on your family.
A tired out dog will also pay better attention to training. Do a long 30-60 minute walk first, and then work on commands. You have to exhaust the dog's body before you can train the mind. Can you hire someone to take the dog for the walks if you can't?
It's good to get into a routine ... this is a mix that will require a lot of daily, rigorous exercise to be happy.
posted by Ostara at 1:04 PM on December 15, 2015
Am I understanding this right -- you aren't taking the puppy outside to urinate, he's relieving himself within the house? That's really odd, and I've never heard of a strategy like that. I can understand limiting interaction with other dogs and not going to the dog park until he gets his shots. But right now you're training your pup to defecate and urinate inside the house, and you're going to have to re-train him to go outside. That's just making things harder on your family.
A tired out dog will also pay better attention to training. Do a long 30-60 minute walk first, and then work on commands. You have to exhaust the dog's body before you can train the mind. Can you hire someone to take the dog for the walks if you can't?
It's good to get into a routine ... this is a mix that will require a lot of daily, rigorous exercise to be happy.
posted by Ostara at 1:04 PM on December 15, 2015
I've had my 21 month old lab/pointer for a little over a year now. Even though I thought I knew what I was getting into with this kind of dog, the first few months were really difficult. And it didn't feel like we really turned the corner on most of the puppy stuff until she was maybe 14-16 months. (and we've still got stuff to work on.) They need a lot of exercise. They also need a lot of mental stimulation to channel their hunting instincts in a positive direction. I don't think I could have gotten through it if I were the only one walking her, training her, running around the park, etc. You definitely need to be able to spread that workload among your family.
Also, are you going to be able to handle your guy in six months when he's 50-60 pounds? My dog is on the small side at about 45 pounds, but she's still crazy strong. She does pretty well on a leash now, but it took a lot of work (and trying a couple different types of harnesses.) to keep her from trying to go after every squirrel/rabbit/bird/leaf-on-the-wind/airplane and knocking me off my feet in the process.
One thing that helped me early on was to have a trainer come to my house to observe the dog at home, talk through some of the problems we were having, and make some recommendations about training, how to setup our space, etc. We didn't end up using him for any additional training but just getting a second opinion from an impartial observer was helpful. This might be particularly useful if you're having trouble getting your parents on the same page as you. Also, talk to a vet about the "no going out side at all" thing. I think the shelter is taking things too far there.
All that said, even though I'm pretty sympathetic to the impulse to stick it out, I think you'd be better off finding an adult, lower energy dog. I think the issues here go beyond puppy stuff. Even after he's (relatively) mellower at 2-3 years it seems like he might not be a good fit for your family. (and you still have to get through those 2-3 years!) Not trying to pile on here. Also not suggesting you make the decision right this second. Find a trainer. Have them help you come up with a plan to get through your short AND long term issues. Make sure the whole family is involved in this. Write out a detailed daily schedule. Then you need to figure out if all of that is going to work for your family.
posted by cnelson at 1:24 PM on December 15, 2015 [4 favorites]
Also, are you going to be able to handle your guy in six months when he's 50-60 pounds? My dog is on the small side at about 45 pounds, but she's still crazy strong. She does pretty well on a leash now, but it took a lot of work (and trying a couple different types of harnesses.) to keep her from trying to go after every squirrel/rabbit/bird/leaf-on-the-wind/airplane and knocking me off my feet in the process.
One thing that helped me early on was to have a trainer come to my house to observe the dog at home, talk through some of the problems we were having, and make some recommendations about training, how to setup our space, etc. We didn't end up using him for any additional training but just getting a second opinion from an impartial observer was helpful. This might be particularly useful if you're having trouble getting your parents on the same page as you. Also, talk to a vet about the "no going out side at all" thing. I think the shelter is taking things too far there.
All that said, even though I'm pretty sympathetic to the impulse to stick it out, I think you'd be better off finding an adult, lower energy dog. I think the issues here go beyond puppy stuff. Even after he's (relatively) mellower at 2-3 years it seems like he might not be a good fit for your family. (and you still have to get through those 2-3 years!) Not trying to pile on here. Also not suggesting you make the decision right this second. Find a trainer. Have them help you come up with a plan to get through your short AND long term issues. Make sure the whole family is involved in this. Write out a detailed daily schedule. Then you need to figure out if all of that is going to work for your family.
posted by cnelson at 1:24 PM on December 15, 2015 [4 favorites]
So the shelter told you absolutely not to take him outside until he's had his rabies shot. They don't have any way of knowing whether you do it or not.
Terrible advice. Nine week old puppies are still getting shots for lots of things, like parvo, which has a 90% death rate if not immediately treated. Read up on parvo - you do not want to mess around with it, and it can be in the dirt or tracked into places on people's shoes.
Do not expose your under-vaccinated teeny baby puppy to disease.
posted by Squeak Attack at 1:37 PM on December 15, 2015 [4 favorites]
Terrible advice. Nine week old puppies are still getting shots for lots of things, like parvo, which has a 90% death rate if not immediately treated. Read up on parvo - you do not want to mess around with it, and it can be in the dirt or tracked into places on people's shoes.
Do not expose your under-vaccinated teeny baby puppy to disease.
posted by Squeak Attack at 1:37 PM on December 15, 2015 [4 favorites]
nthing: you have a baby, with all that implies. Outside the US, crates are not done (but no judgement from here). Still we deal with young dogs. My pup is 2 1/2 now, and he is only just beginning to relax. He still eats the pillows in the sofa when he is excited, but he has stopped eating the wall, so I have repaired the wall, but am waiting with new pillows.
What I am saying is: there will be a lot of challenges for a long while, but if you deal with them now, he will grow out of them. If you don't, the trouble will never end. Several family members have had to give up dogs that were too much work for them.
Right now, you need to start obedience training. In your situtation, I would schedule 5-6 10 minute sessions through the day, where he learns to come when called, to walk on line, to sit, to lie down and to stay. For fun for both of you you can teach him to high-five and play catch as well. These training sessions which can be in the yard or indoors, will help him focus, and also tire him out in a good way.
I differentiate between "lie down" and "deck". The first is a calming command, which encourages him to find a place to relax and take a nap. Deck is something I learnt from my former German Shepherd police dog training. It is a very strict command which means he must lie down and not move before release. This must not be used if one is not in command, but it can be useful. I would wait with it till he is at least a year.
For teaching, you need a ton of snacks. Think that a third of his daily calorie-intake are snacks. At this stage, I use tiny cat-snacks for my dog, but they are too protein-rich for dog-food, and I think with a small pup it is hard to regulate (my dog gets grated carrot in his food as a counterweight). Award him all the time when he does right. Looking up at you and paying attention while on the leash is doing right, award him for that, all the time and use whatever command-word you like - maybe "walk". You shouldn't need to punish ever, just redirect him to something good, and appropriate in the situation: if he attempts to play-fight, make him high-five or play catch if you have time for play; or if he needs to chill, to walk or lie down.
I have been training my dog from the outset, and feel things are going in a good direction. But I have realized that I am bad at training my family in interacting with the dog (and that has been a pattern since my teen years) So now I am paying for sessions with a personal trainer with them. I sense that this will not be very expensive because he is already training and gets what it is about. Maybe it would be worth the money and effort to get someone to come to your house 3-4 weekends when everyone is there.
posted by mumimor at 3:12 PM on December 15, 2015
What I am saying is: there will be a lot of challenges for a long while, but if you deal with them now, he will grow out of them. If you don't, the trouble will never end. Several family members have had to give up dogs that were too much work for them.
Right now, you need to start obedience training. In your situtation, I would schedule 5-6 10 minute sessions through the day, where he learns to come when called, to walk on line, to sit, to lie down and to stay. For fun for both of you you can teach him to high-five and play catch as well. These training sessions which can be in the yard or indoors, will help him focus, and also tire him out in a good way.
I differentiate between "lie down" and "deck". The first is a calming command, which encourages him to find a place to relax and take a nap. Deck is something I learnt from my former German Shepherd police dog training. It is a very strict command which means he must lie down and not move before release. This must not be used if one is not in command, but it can be useful. I would wait with it till he is at least a year.
For teaching, you need a ton of snacks. Think that a third of his daily calorie-intake are snacks. At this stage, I use tiny cat-snacks for my dog, but they are too protein-rich for dog-food, and I think with a small pup it is hard to regulate (my dog gets grated carrot in his food as a counterweight). Award him all the time when he does right. Looking up at you and paying attention while on the leash is doing right, award him for that, all the time and use whatever command-word you like - maybe "walk". You shouldn't need to punish ever, just redirect him to something good, and appropriate in the situation: if he attempts to play-fight, make him high-five or play catch if you have time for play; or if he needs to chill, to walk or lie down.
I have been training my dog from the outset, and feel things are going in a good direction. But I have realized that I am bad at training my family in interacting with the dog (and that has been a pattern since my teen years) So now I am paying for sessions with a personal trainer with them. I sense that this will not be very expensive because he is already training and gets what it is about. Maybe it would be worth the money and effort to get someone to come to your house 3-4 weekends when everyone is there.
posted by mumimor at 3:12 PM on December 15, 2015
Honestly? There are a few red flags here. One, expecting a 9 week old puppy to come when called after a few days (puppy is still congnitively developing, you need to understand their development process). Two, isolating it in the basement (yikes, it's a baby, and a pack animal at that). And, three, your choosing a pointer/lab mix (what will be your 2 hour excercise source every day for the next 5+ years? What was your reasoning for this mix?).
Those three things say to me that you really don't understand the essentials of having a puppy/dog. I am not saying this to be harsh, rather, I am bringing these things up as something you need to take on on in the next few days if you want to commit to this dog. I don't think you will be successful until you understand the concepts behind why these are bad choices, beliefs.
That being said, you can absolutely do some study and research and become a great puppy owner. If not, the puppy would be better off in a different home, and you can find a dog that is a better fit. Remember, it may be doing the dog a favor in the long run, and is a moral success, not a moral failure, to make this choice, if needed.
posted by Vaike at 3:41 PM on December 15, 2015 [15 favorites]
Those three things say to me that you really don't understand the essentials of having a puppy/dog. I am not saying this to be harsh, rather, I am bringing these things up as something you need to take on on in the next few days if you want to commit to this dog. I don't think you will be successful until you understand the concepts behind why these are bad choices, beliefs.
That being said, you can absolutely do some study and research and become a great puppy owner. If not, the puppy would be better off in a different home, and you can find a dog that is a better fit. Remember, it may be doing the dog a favor in the long run, and is a moral success, not a moral failure, to make this choice, if needed.
posted by Vaike at 3:41 PM on December 15, 2015 [15 favorites]
If you are going to keep this puppy, you need to treat him like the very young puppy he is. Tell your dad that he is basically a toddler in puppy years and you don't send toddlers to the basement. He has his own bed (the crate) and needs to have quiet time but not so far removed from the household. My puppy napped more than she played for about the first 4 months, with the balance gradually shifting. We started with about 2 hour naps/nightly sleep times, then 3 etc and I didn't get a solid 5 or 6 hours of fuss free sleep until month 5 or 6. You may be luckier than me, but my goal was a neurosis free dog and I succeeded in that.
What I would do if I were you: 1) move the crate to a semi-public part of the house or a corner in the room where you hang out a lot. Put a blanket on the crate so when it's time to sleep you can cover it up. Institute a mandatory nap schedule like you would for a toddler, and try not to be too stern about whining until he is just a young puppy (maybe 4 months) and not a very young puppy. Then start sleep training like you would with a human. Quiet radio or tv might help a bit with this too.
2) Carve out a puppy proofed zone in your house, either as a pen or with baby-gates, and make the humans in your house behave themselves in regards to not leaving random insulin pens or other stuff around. Seriously, how did your parents deal with you when you were sticking everything in your mouth? A puppy does the same thing. Wait til he starts teething! Again, tell your parents le Pup is basically a toddler in dog years and if you want him to be a good dog you have to help him have a good toddlerhood.
3) Put a light leash on him from a standard collar (not a choke chain) when he's in the house running around outside of a playpen. You can have him walk beside you when you're walking around or working, or you can just let it drag behind him. Then if he starts to run amok you can just step on it to grab ahold. He's not going to understand commands or his name for a few more months (if you remember he's only been hearing for a few weeks) but he will start to get used to sticking by your side. And having a leash on him will make heading him off before he gets into trouble a lot easier and will help you stay sane. Very young puppies don't need so much exercise as they need stimulation and experiences. So, an hour of interaction is just as good as a long walk.
4) Remind yourself how many days he's been on this planet (about 63) and how much he has learned in that short time -- it's pretty impressive! The more you think about that the easier it will be staying patient with him. And puppies need a lot of love and PATIENCE.
Good luck!
posted by dness2 at 3:41 PM on December 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
What I would do if I were you: 1) move the crate to a semi-public part of the house or a corner in the room where you hang out a lot. Put a blanket on the crate so when it's time to sleep you can cover it up. Institute a mandatory nap schedule like you would for a toddler, and try not to be too stern about whining until he is just a young puppy (maybe 4 months) and not a very young puppy. Then start sleep training like you would with a human. Quiet radio or tv might help a bit with this too.
2) Carve out a puppy proofed zone in your house, either as a pen or with baby-gates, and make the humans in your house behave themselves in regards to not leaving random insulin pens or other stuff around. Seriously, how did your parents deal with you when you were sticking everything in your mouth? A puppy does the same thing. Wait til he starts teething! Again, tell your parents le Pup is basically a toddler in dog years and if you want him to be a good dog you have to help him have a good toddlerhood.
3) Put a light leash on him from a standard collar (not a choke chain) when he's in the house running around outside of a playpen. You can have him walk beside you when you're walking around or working, or you can just let it drag behind him. Then if he starts to run amok you can just step on it to grab ahold. He's not going to understand commands or his name for a few more months (if you remember he's only been hearing for a few weeks) but he will start to get used to sticking by your side. And having a leash on him will make heading him off before he gets into trouble a lot easier and will help you stay sane. Very young puppies don't need so much exercise as they need stimulation and experiences. So, an hour of interaction is just as good as a long walk.
4) Remind yourself how many days he's been on this planet (about 63) and how much he has learned in that short time -- it's pretty impressive! The more you think about that the easier it will be staying patient with him. And puppies need a lot of love and PATIENCE.
Good luck!
posted by dness2 at 3:41 PM on December 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
Return the dog. There's so much wrong with the portrait you've created, it's hard to know where to start, but you need to return the puppy. Keeping this puppy is a terrible idea.
You said you've read books and you're prepared, but you're not and its not fair to do this to this puppy. Every day you keep it, you're denying it a day where it could be adopted by someone else and you're exposing this puppy to things in the house that could kill him.
This new guy has really been nothing but destructive since we got him. Barely even passes out for more than 2 minutes. He's chewing on anything that isn't nailed down (most worrisome are the electrical cords and my dad's insulin pens which he for some reason refuses to not leave lying around.
WTF? Setting everything else aside, you've got a puppy roaming around a house where there are insulin pens lying around? You realize that if the puppy chews on/eats these, he's going to die?
You are not giving up on the dog by giving it back. You are giving the dog a chance at survival.
posted by kinetic at 3:46 PM on December 15, 2015 [15 favorites]
You said you've read books and you're prepared, but you're not and its not fair to do this to this puppy. Every day you keep it, you're denying it a day where it could be adopted by someone else and you're exposing this puppy to things in the house that could kill him.
This new guy has really been nothing but destructive since we got him. Barely even passes out for more than 2 minutes. He's chewing on anything that isn't nailed down (most worrisome are the electrical cords and my dad's insulin pens which he for some reason refuses to not leave lying around.
WTF? Setting everything else aside, you've got a puppy roaming around a house where there are insulin pens lying around? You realize that if the puppy chews on/eats these, he's going to die?
You are not giving up on the dog by giving it back. You are giving the dog a chance at survival.
posted by kinetic at 3:46 PM on December 15, 2015 [15 favorites]
So, as I read it, your mom isn't ready for a dog, your dad can't deal with a puppy and doesn't want to care for a really active dog, your brother is mostly absent, and you are not physically able to deal with a really active dog on your own. There are problems with your household as a match for this puppy because he's so young, which will eventually change (although possibly not in time to prevent his being damaged), and there are problems with the match because of his breed, which will not change. Although it will be uncomfortable for him to go back to the shelter, he is still at a very adoptable age and will recover sooner the sooner you return him. The animal lover in you needs to recognize that your puppy is paying for your family's well-meaning error.
posted by gingerest at 3:58 PM on December 15, 2015 [14 favorites]
posted by gingerest at 3:58 PM on December 15, 2015 [14 favorites]
Your family is not the right fit for him, and this isn't going to change anytime soon. Everything he is doing is completely normal for a puppy to do. He is not at the developmental stage where you can reasonably expect him to do anything else.
I'm hurting thinking about the trauma the puppy is going through.
I guarantee you, he is hurting more. He is not having his needs met, and what's worse, he has no idea why this is happening to him! All he knows is that he is lonely, unhappy, and physically uncomfortable. You have the power to fix this, so please do.
Please return this puppy to the shelter so he can be adopted by a family who can keep him safe and healthy and provide him with the quality of life he deserves. PLEASE return him. You will be doing the right thing, the unselfish thing, by returning him. Each extra day you keep him will detract from his quality of life. There is no magic bullet that is going to fix this situation--you and your family are not equipped to care for a very young, high-energy, needy animal, and it's actually cruel for you to insist that you "need to give this a chance for a few more days." No, you don't need to do that.
There is no shame in giving the puppy back to the shelter. It will be evidence that you are a responsible person with good judgment.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 4:18 PM on December 15, 2015 [19 favorites]
I'm hurting thinking about the trauma the puppy is going through.
I guarantee you, he is hurting more. He is not having his needs met, and what's worse, he has no idea why this is happening to him! All he knows is that he is lonely, unhappy, and physically uncomfortable. You have the power to fix this, so please do.
Please return this puppy to the shelter so he can be adopted by a family who can keep him safe and healthy and provide him with the quality of life he deserves. PLEASE return him. You will be doing the right thing, the unselfish thing, by returning him. Each extra day you keep him will detract from his quality of life. There is no magic bullet that is going to fix this situation--you and your family are not equipped to care for a very young, high-energy, needy animal, and it's actually cruel for you to insist that you "need to give this a chance for a few more days." No, you don't need to do that.
There is no shame in giving the puppy back to the shelter. It will be evidence that you are a responsible person with good judgment.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 4:18 PM on December 15, 2015 [19 favorites]
If the fun and adorable-ness of having a puppy isn't vastly outweighing the frustrations and hardships, then maybe you should rehome your pup.
That being said, we just raised a rambunctious retriever puppy (like fools, we asked for the most active of the litter, as we are avid hikers), WITHOUT crate-training (and we're in the States). If your puppy is doing well in learning how to use pee pads and/or go outside, then I don't see the point in crate training. Like others suggested, set up a play pen with lots of appropriate chew toys (our little woof loved bully sticks, and be went through LOTS). Our puppy got the idea of where to pee very quickly (puppies are smart and only want to make you happy!), but still had plenty of accidents just due to her small bladder and not having complete muscle control of her bladder. This phase won't last forever!
posted by Drosera at 5:37 PM on December 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
That being said, we just raised a rambunctious retriever puppy (like fools, we asked for the most active of the litter, as we are avid hikers), WITHOUT crate-training (and we're in the States). If your puppy is doing well in learning how to use pee pads and/or go outside, then I don't see the point in crate training. Like others suggested, set up a play pen with lots of appropriate chew toys (our little woof loved bully sticks, and be went through LOTS). Our puppy got the idea of where to pee very quickly (puppies are smart and only want to make you happy!), but still had plenty of accidents just due to her small bladder and not having complete muscle control of her bladder. This phase won't last forever!
posted by Drosera at 5:37 PM on December 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'd like to speak on the puppy's behalf - this kind of dog deserves a home with more active owners. While a Westie makes a good hang-out-at-home dog, a pointer mix has stronger needs for physical exercise - running and being out in the wild with a hunter are their favorite things. You're not a match for him and he's not a match for you. Take him back before you get too attached. You'll both be happier.
There are plenty of other dogs who need a home - especially dogs that are a little older - who would not be snatched up as quickly as this puppy. Take your mom with you. If you don't click with a dog right away, wait till next time. Some times it takes a few trips to find the right match.
It's a tough situation, I know. I wish you all the best with your situation and offer sincere condolences on the loss of your Westie.
posted by mulcahy at 9:10 PM on December 15, 2015 [7 favorites]
There are plenty of other dogs who need a home - especially dogs that are a little older - who would not be snatched up as quickly as this puppy. Take your mom with you. If you don't click with a dog right away, wait till next time. Some times it takes a few trips to find the right match.
It's a tough situation, I know. I wish you all the best with your situation and offer sincere condolences on the loss of your Westie.
posted by mulcahy at 9:10 PM on December 15, 2015 [7 favorites]
Here's a 3-4yo Westie in Islip that needs a home! I know you mentioned your Mom feels that you're trying to replace the one that died, but if she really has a thing for the breed and see that this one is living in a cage, she might want to bring him home and give him a better life. To a certain extent, he's a known variable due to his breed.
I COMPLETELY understand the need/want to fill that awful hole in your heart and home when a dog has died. I am guilty of doing it with my French Bulldogs. I lasted less than three weeks the last time one died. I probably acted too quickly and ended up with a Frenchie that has some serious health issues. Nonetheless, he is one of the best dogs I've ever had.
Send the puppy back and help out an adult dog. They have such a hard time finding forever homes. I truly believe older dogs know and are grateful to their people once they are out of those awful shelters. Good luck.
posted by dancinglamb at 12:38 AM on December 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
I COMPLETELY understand the need/want to fill that awful hole in your heart and home when a dog has died. I am guilty of doing it with my French Bulldogs. I lasted less than three weeks the last time one died. I probably acted too quickly and ended up with a Frenchie that has some serious health issues. Nonetheless, he is one of the best dogs I've ever had.
Send the puppy back and help out an adult dog. They have such a hard time finding forever homes. I truly believe older dogs know and are grateful to their people once they are out of those awful shelters. Good luck.
posted by dancinglamb at 12:38 AM on December 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
we can afford some training classes and possibly a dog walker
Never mind the training classes- are you prepared for the enormous vet bills that will result from him chewing/snacking on your dad's insulin pens?
Please don't wait for that day to happen. Nthing ReluctantViking and kinetic above.
posted by invisible ink at 9:51 AM on December 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
Never mind the training classes- are you prepared for the enormous vet bills that will result from him chewing/snacking on your dad's insulin pens?
Please don't wait for that day to happen. Nthing ReluctantViking and kinetic above.
posted by invisible ink at 9:51 AM on December 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
Regarding the rabies shot, most cities of any size have a clinic that will do low cost vaccinations. Check the SPCA and the city shelter. I paid $7 for an (unnecessary, he got the 3 year 2 years ago, but I couldn't find the documentation at the time) rabies shot the other day when one of my dogs managed to sneak out of the house and was taken to the shelter.
Regardless, unless your area is in the middle of some crazy rabies outbreak, you can let your puppy out into the yard (supervised) and get some exercise that way. That should help immensely.
FWIW, with most dogs I've had there is a happy medium. Give them little to no exercise and they are nutballs, give them some and they are calmer, to a point. Then more exercise leads to more energetic behavior. However, there is a hump past that where they pretty much drop "dead" from exhaustion. When my GSD/Akita/coydog/whatever got to go to doggie daycare for the entire day, he'd be pretty darn chill for at least a day after he came home. When left in that environment for a week straight on a couple of occasions we went out of town when he was relatively young, he'd basically not move for several days after we got home. He was completely tired out physically and mentally.
Thus, get the rabies shot and make use of the dog park. As long as he/she isn't aggressive towards the other dogs there, most of your fellow dog owners will be quite happy to have somebody new for their dogs to chase/be chased by/get the energy out with.
posted by wierdo at 10:27 PM on December 16, 2015
Regardless, unless your area is in the middle of some crazy rabies outbreak, you can let your puppy out into the yard (supervised) and get some exercise that way. That should help immensely.
FWIW, with most dogs I've had there is a happy medium. Give them little to no exercise and they are nutballs, give them some and they are calmer, to a point. Then more exercise leads to more energetic behavior. However, there is a hump past that where they pretty much drop "dead" from exhaustion. When my GSD/Akita/coydog/whatever got to go to doggie daycare for the entire day, he'd be pretty darn chill for at least a day after he came home. When left in that environment for a week straight on a couple of occasions we went out of town when he was relatively young, he'd basically not move for several days after we got home. He was completely tired out physically and mentally.
Thus, get the rabies shot and make use of the dog park. As long as he/she isn't aggressive towards the other dogs there, most of your fellow dog owners will be quite happy to have somebody new for their dogs to chase/be chased by/get the energy out with.
posted by wierdo at 10:27 PM on December 16, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
Pointers & labs have A LOT of energy in their first 18-24 months. Can you pay to have him vigorously walked/run in the mornings so he can calm down?
posted by Neekee at 9:02 AM on December 15, 2015 [19 favorites]