Please Help! Me with my Puppy!?

Question

I have an 11 week old shih tzu, Who refuses to eat unless I hand feed him....The breeders who I bought him from informed me that they were giving him pedigree but I dont believe so because when I'm eating he wants to eat after me...Also I am trying to get him paper trained because I cannot take him outside in sub zero weather! I have been up with him all morning trying to get him to go in his spot and what does he do? PISS right on the floor away from were I tell him to go....I feel so bad for him that I make him stay in his crate but he wont eat and he wont go were I tell him...He knows to go on the paper because he does so often...Is he being mean to me? I am sooo frustrated....That I could cry....I know it may seem crazy but I dont want him to think Im a tyrant! What else can I do?

Answer 1

He's a puppy. Puppies attention spans are a few seconds--you must consistent with him. Give him pedigree canned food with a little bit of dry puupt food mixed in it. Do not hand feed him from the table--it is not good for him. Take him to your local veterinarian and get him checked out--there may be more to his eating disorder than you think.

Answer 2

Most any dog would prefer people food! However, when they get hungry they will eat their dog food. Any can be picky. First, is the food bite size for a shihtzu to chew? Should be on a puppy food.

Food/water must be area away from potty area! Housetraining is not a quick deal. Ask your mom how long you took to potty train! Seriously. Remember there should be bedding in crate to sleep. I started the young ones with the pad outside the crate to use as soon as come out. They learn quick not to mess in their bedding.

And you should start it pottying outside, even if cold. Don't start now you will develope a problem for later. There are doggie sweaters if concerned about cold. And you must be willing to go out with pup. When it goes you gotta do a big vocal praise thing, maybe even a "goodie treat". These are a small breed and can't hld long especially when young. Can't just stick it outside and expect pup to know what you want.

Do not use the crate as a bed/bathroom!! You say he does use paper so just keep it up. Praise when he does. When goes off paper/pad use it to blot up the accident and leave to use. They go to their scent!! Try to keep spots cleaned quickly. Keep a scent on a pad or paper so can find his "spot". Slowly move the pad to door area. We want him going to door to go out as gets able.

Food wise, you may need to try small bags of puppy food to see what he likes. Always blend old with some new to avoid nasty poops. Purina has been making puppy chow for decades and it is a good but not $$$ choice if you are limited. If won't eat the fancy stuff it doesn't help them. Used Purina/Pedigree for 1000s of pups. As a rescue we cannot afford designer brands.

Be patient, firm tone, no yelling, swatting, etc. Lots of praise works wonders! Dogs want to see us happy.

Answer 3

I had a hard time with my puppy at first. I would suggest for training him that you take him outside. If it is very cold there are coats that you can buy. Your puppy will be fine with a coat as long as he is not outside to long. I got my puppy in the winter and did this (every 1/2 to hour). He got the hang of it fairly quick and would then go to the door when he needed to go out. If he didn't get let out quick enough he would have an accident but atleast it was in the same spot in front of the door. The key is to be consistent. It takes alot of patience. My dog also would want to eat after us and still does and he was never given table food. It must be a dog thing. I would start feeding him in his bowl and keep him on a schedule. As long as he is drinking he will eat if he is hungry enough. Try putting his food down for a period of time and if he don't eat by then pick it up. Do same at next feeding and so on. He will learn that he will not be hand fed and will eat on his own. Hope this helps. Having a puppy is alot of work. Our puppy, Cody, is just like my kids. He rips all his toys out, and is just an average little brat. But, just like my kids, he's my brat and is so cute. I just love him to death. You just need to show your little pup that you are in charge right from the start. Otherwise, just like a child, he will walk all over you.

Answer 4

Calm down! Remember that this is a difficult process, you are not the only one, and your puppy is probably more confused than you are. That being said...here is what you need to do 1) understand that as a puppy you dog's inside are very small and therefore very subject to drinking and feeding times. If he drinks water, he will most likely need to eliminate shortly there after. The same thing is true with number 2. When I was training my pup (although a much larger dog) she needed to poop almost 15-20min after she ate (You could just about set your watch to it.) 2) If you are not already doing so you need to enact a "praise positive" training style. This means rewarding your pup with a small treat (I found "people crackers" great training treats because they are small) everytime he goes where you want him to. Also, give your pup verbal praise everytime he eliminates where you want him to. Say things like "good doggy or good boy/girl" repeatedly in a HIGH PITCHED VOICE while SMILING (you may look stupid to your neighbors but it works. 3) get puppy on a schedule. Walk him immediately after taking him from his cage and of course before you put him in. Aboiut the eating thing...keep his bowl accessable and full and quit hand feeding him! it may sound creul but his need to eat will outweigh his stubborness. 5)Never use his cage for punishment, it is supposed to be his sanctuary not a jail. If you have any more direct questions e-mail me at [e-mail].

Answer 5

Go to the library and get a book on training you puppy. You need to do things differently to get the puppy trained

*stop feeding by hand. when he is hungry he wukk eat
*put him in a box with paper and a towel. Dogs will not go where they sleep. When he gets the idea put paper out for him to use. But if he went somewhere in the house his scent is there and you have to get some stuff from the pets supply and was it off so he will not go there again./

Let him think you are a tyrant, he will love you if you train him right so later you do not get mad at him

Answer 6

You just have to be more stubborn. The dog will not starve himself. He just likes the attention. I am friends with someone that was in the exact same situation as you with the exact same kind of dog. She would be down on hands and knees trying to feed the dog. I made her stop and within 24 hours the pup was eating just fine on his own. Just stop and the dog will take care of himself. Just stick with it puppies are a handful.

Answer 7

Try to tie hom on a leash in the paper area. Try to change the dish u feed him on just in case it's the problem. Some breeders r puppy mills. Mills just make money & don't take good care of pups.

Answer 8

I have no info to give you on the feeding.

However, I litter box trained my toy mutt. I used the method on this site under "Crate Style Training"

http://www.kturby.com/litter/litter.htm

Answer 9

be patient!! puppies are hard to work with, but never feed him from the table.. it will estabolish a long term problem that is almost impossible to correct

Answer 10

Patience!!!!
When dogs are moved from a familiar place and taken somewhere they've never been before they have to readjust.
and at first they have no idea what has happed.
so just give it time and stick with what youre doing and have patience with him. :)