# First week puppy issues...



## VelcrodawgMN (Feb 11, 2016)

It's been 7 years since we went through puppy issues, so maybe I'm just not remembering similar issues previously. We just got a new pup and this is our second V so we knew what to expect...or so we thought.

She was at the breeder an extra week. Came from a real small litter and also several adult V's around. Our pup was last to be picked up so it spent the last week alone with the breeder and/or the adult dogs. 

She seems to have several issues...

1. Separation anxiety. Maybe it's too early and I'm overreacting, but I don't recall the elevated level of anxiety early on with our first one. 

2. Crate - We have started introducing her to a crate. While we don't plan on excessive periods of crating, it will be necessary for up to a few hours a couple days per week and also to facilitate potty training and to keep her safe from chewing on things when we can't watch her non-stop. She doesn't mind being in the crate...until the door closes. We have fed her in there with the door open and no problem. We lay her down once she's asleep and she'll stay in there with the door open. We started
trying short periods of time with the door closed and have worked up to 45 minutes with us sitting nearby...but it's not pretty. She tries biting the wire/cage, tries to get through the door and cries the entire time. Since we are trying not to reinforce the undesirable behavior, we eventually talk to her and get her to stop and lay down. Then we let her out and try to reinforce that behavior. Again, it's only been 4 days since we got her, but I don't remember this much of a challenge last time. Obviously, 1 & 2 can be related. Any tips for dealing with crate training? Do we just need to suck it up and leave her in until she wears herself out?

3. Eating - She is 9 weeks and we are feeding TOTW puppy food. We are having a hard time getting her to eat the recommended volume of 2 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups per day. I'd say we have topped out at 2 cups but a few days she was probably under 1 1/2 cups. We are feeding continuously since she will only nibble on the food and then leave. We are wetting it down to make it more of a mush at the breeders suggestion. However, I'm wondering if eating was more of a social activity where she came from. All the adult dogs and pups ate at the same time. Now that she is on her own, getting her to eat has been challenging. Again...maybe just first week issues?

She'll be getting necessary shots in two days at which point it will open up the dog park and doggie day care as options for exercise and extra stimulation. Maybe this will help ease some of the issues.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

She sounds normal to me. Every single one of mine wanted to be right with me, and threw fits while adjusting to the crate. Don't worry about whats recommended on the packaging. Go by how your pup looks. If she looks healthy, then she is getting enough. I have two that will eat just about anything, and one thats picky. I just put the picky ones food in her crate, and she goes in and out of the crate during the day. She normal eats it before the day is over.


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## nymeria (Jan 18, 2016)

What do you mean by separation anxiety? My V is 7 months old now. When we first brought her home, she did not like to be alone. I used a crate and pen system, and she whined frequently the first few weeks she was home. I'd sometimes wait in the next room, outside of her line of sight, for 15 minutes or more until there'd be a break in the whining, and then I'd go in and praise and treat her. I'd repeat that several times a session and multiple times a day, and I'd have to be quick about it or she'd start whining before I could praise her. Slowly but surely, the time that she'd whine got shorter and shorter until she wouldn't whine at all. When I crated her and left the house, I'd record her so I could see how she did. At first, she'd whine for awhile after I left, and sometimes even wake up before I got home and whine until I got home. But that, too, decreased slowly but surely. The key for us was consistency and never responding to the whining, and creating positive associations with her crate. I think it was also important not too expect too much from her, like staying alone for several hours when she was too young to manage that. 

Within a week, she was quiet in her crate at night. Within a few weeks, she would go quietly into her pen/crate without whining, and now she's an absolute angel when she's alone. 

I noticed that my V had an easier time adjusting to her "alone time" if I wasn't sitting nearby. It seemed to frustrate her that i was nearby but she couldn't interact. If I was doing chores around the house or in another room, she settled down more quickly. I'd put her in her pen with the crate door open and clean the kitchen, and she would watch me, but quietly, and she even started playing with her toys on her own. If I sat on the couch instead, she'd start whining right away. It's almost like she thought, hey, you're not busy so why aren't you with me? 

My V didn't bite her crate or try to get out, so I don't know if this will help you, but clicker training with the crate got my girl used to it quickly. I'd sit next to the crate and as soon as she put a paw in, she got a click and treat. Then it was both paws, then all four paws. Then I'd have her wait in the crate for a second to get the treat, then extend the time. After a few days of this, she was hopping in on her own for attention or a treat, and she loves to nap in there now. During that time, I'd still put her in the crate when I needed to, but I tried to spend a lot of time making it her choice to go in.


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

Time flies, I think you forgot what it was really like.

First, if she's getting her second round of shots next week, it is inadvisable to take her to a dog park or day care just yet, you need the third set for her to be fully immunized. Some believe that the extra socialization outweighs the risks (largely Parvo virus), but it's better to be safe, and you can still socialize her with known dogs in "Safe" areas where there's no unknown poop. Still, you can (and should) carry her everywhere so she gets the socialization from the safety of your arms.

Second, get yourself a plastic crate. It's safer, and more cave like. We like light and space, dogs like cave like and enclosed.

Third, if she's been pottyed and fed and watered, let her cry her little heart out in there. She needs to not only get used to not being with you all the time, she also importantly needs to learn how to self soothe. The caveat here is to make sure she's not legitimately crying b/c she needs to potty. Taking her out then is not reinforcing her "Bad" behavior, it reinforces her trust in you.

Fourth, I do not know TOTW, but regardless of what the label says, if she looks OK, then she's eating enough. Don't worry about it or get into a control struggle with her about it. Leave it out and let her eat it when she's hungry.

They're really precious at that age, relax and enjoy her.....remember your last one probably turned out just fine, too.


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