Puppies have spent all of their known life with their littermates and mommies. This means they just aren’t used to being alone.
Puppies will naturally whimper and whine when left alone - whether at night or during any time when you just aren’t there. They can get frightened or nervous when alone, unsure if a predator is going to come get them or where their family has gone. You are going to have to deal with this if your puppy is going to be alone at night. Don’t baby the puppy to sleep - be soothing and comforting, but don’t coddle the poor thing. He/she is going to have to learn to sleep alone.
Try to make the puppy more comfortable. Provide a clean t-shirt for the puppy to lay with, as this will allow the puppy to feel like you are near by. If you can, move the puppy somewhere closer to you where he/she can smell and/or hear you. If the puppy whines at you, tap on the cage and tell the puppy No and to be quiet or sleep. You do not want to reinforce this bad behavior.
Some people like to use similar methods as are used with babies. There are teddy bears you can purchase that make the sounds a baby would hear when inside his/her mommy’s tummy. This has shown to be successful with dogs as well as with babies. A clock or radio can also provide soothing noises.
May 05, 2008 | | New Puppy
Bringing a new puppy into your old family is going to have a few problems. Older cats and dogs aren’t going to like it - and why should they? You have now committed to sharing your love - if not completely devoting the next year to raising the new puppy.
Cats will often react with hissing, hair standing on end and the desire to attack the new puppy. This will or should frighten your puppy. He/she may react by shivering, whimpering, or crying, unsure of why this new creature just doesn’t seem to love him/her just like everyone else seems to.
Introduce them slowly. A good idea is to rub a towel on your new puppy to get the scent of the puppy on the towel. Lay the towel somewhere in the house (preferably on tile) where your cat will encounter it. Your cat or dog will get the opportunity to smell your puppy without having to see your puppy, which will help. Make sure the puppy sees a vet prior to actual encounters with the other pet as well to reduce the risk of spreading illnesses.
Put your puppy somewhere where the other animals will not be able to directly encounter the puppy, such as in a crate or in a room with a door. The other animals can smell the puppy, see the puppy, but not touch the puppy. Slowly introduce the puppy to the animals over time, at least a few days to a week after the puppy has come home. Stay close and separate the animals if needed as soon as possible. If it is just growling or paw raising, don’t interfere unless you feel the puppy is in very real danger.
Until the old and new family have become more comfortable with one another, don’t leave them alone together without sufficient protection for the puppy. Over time, they will adjust to one another and can learn to live happily - it just takes time and positive reinforcement.
May 05, 2008 | | New Puppy
Puppies, just like children, will go through various development stages.
Stage 1 is one that you probably won’t see unless you are breeding puppies yourself. This is traditionally called the transitional stage of 2 to 3 weeks of age. Puppies start to realize what is going on in the world around them. They’ll start to respond to light, movement and sounds. They become more mobile and start moving around in their new home.
Stage 2 is also a stage that you probably won’t see unless you are breeding puppies. This is from about 3 to 4 weeks of age where your puppy is fully alert, recognizes his new family, and learns how to be a dog.
Stage 3 is still a very young puppy. From 4-7 weeks of age, your puppy learns social interaction with his/her littermates. He/she starts to learn what time mom will come around to feed them. They will learn what time you will usually come visit. This is the most optimum time of your puppy’s life in learning how to be a dog.
Stage 4 is the stage at which most new puppy owners will get to take their puppies home. This spans 8 weeks to 3 months. This is most likely to be your puppy’s fearful stage. Don’t be surprised if the puppy is easily frightened and may even wet him or herself when startled. They may start to learn some simple, basic commands like sit, come, stay, and down and you can finally start leash training. Your puppy needs human interaction a lot during this stage. Human interaction will help the puppy form essential relationships in how to deal with humans.
Stage 5 is the juvenile stage is 3 months to 4 months. The puppy learns to be more independent and may even ignore commands that he/she has just learned. It is best to reinforce those commands firmly and gently. Play with the puppy frequently! He/she needs your attention and will want to try to play fight with you. You really do not want to encourage play fighting, however. Play fighting will teach your puppy that he/she is allowed to fight with you and this is not acceptable.
Stage 6 is the brat stage of 4-6 months. Your puppy will probably go through a teething period where he/she is going to chew on things. Divert your puppy’s attention by providing appropriate teething toys - things he/she is allowed to chew. He/she may try to buck against your authority but you must retain your authority over the puppy.
Stage 7 transitions your puppy from a puppy into an adult. This spans 6 to 18 months, but some breeds of dog may stay in puppy stage longer. Keep in mind that your puppy is still young, despite how fast he/she is growing up or how big he/she gets. You still need to remember that his/her brain is still developing and you need to have realistic expectations for what your puppy can do or understands. Allow him/her more social interaction if you can - this helps him to maintain good behavior around strangers and other animals.
That’s it!
May 05, 2008 | | New Puppy
The best way to keep your puppy healthy is to keep track of your puppy. Good, healthy, nutritious food, clean water, and lots of exercise are the best possible methods to keep your puppy healthy longer.
You need to make sure you choose appropriate, adequate, and healthy food. This does often mean you puppy food will cost more than normal puppy food. However, it is better for your puppy’s future to eat that cost. Keep in mind though that your puppy will actually EAT LESS when he/she has GOOD, NUTRITIOUS food because he/she is not wasting energy on attempting to take nutrition from bad food!
Give your puppy plenty of exercise. Play with him/her, provide him/her with toys, and when he/she is old enough, take him/her for walks on a lease. Not only will you get to spend time with the puppy, you are also helping to both train and teach your puppy about life.
ALWAYS provide clean water for your puppy!!! This may mean you need to dump and replace the water frequently, but this is much healthier for your puppy and he/she will appreciate it!
May 05, 2008 | | New Puppy, Puppy Care