My wife and I recently got a new puppy (5 weeks old yellow lab), now the puppy is 8 weeks old and has really become accustomed to her environment. My wife is really bearing the brunt of this dog. My wife only works 3 days a week, so she is home the rest of the time; just her and the puppy. The puppy is starting to jump up on the sofa, grab things off of the coffee table, bite my feet, still not house trained...etc, so she obviously has to be watched constantly!
I know all these things will get better with time, but how do I keep my wife from wanting to get rid of the puppy in the mean time? We are crate training the dog, but I don't know if its ok to leave the dog in the crate when my wife is home, only to come out play a little bit every hour, and then go back in until I get home, when there will be two of there to watch her. Also, until we move in a few months, we don't have much of a yard.
2007-09-18 05:23:57 · 18 answers · asked by The General 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
The crate training that you've described sounds good - it will also have the side effect of the pup not developing separation anxiety. If the dog were with your wife every single second that she was home, then it would be a horror for the pup to be left alone. This way, she can be rewarded by your wife for hanging out in her crate quietly. Dropping treats into the crate as rewards for this good, quiet behavior is a good habit to get in to.
Joining a puppy training group such as Start Puppy Training here on YAhoo will help with the many other questions and issues that you are going to have:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/spt/
There are a lot of great trainers posting to that list and it's an all-positive group. Hope you join and find some answers there!
I am dismayed that a breeder was selling 5 week old pups. This is inexcusable and illegal in many states. Please be certain to go to a puppy socialization class as soon as you possibly can - the window of opportunity that you have to socialize this dog is starting to close. This is very serious - an unsocialized dog will become fearful and aggressive, eemingly overnight. Please be a responsible dog owner!
2007-09-18 05:34:23 · answer #1 · answered by Misa M 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
So, your wife is home all day with a puppy and can't handle it? Well, maybe it's time to get rid of the puppy and discuss her career objective and the possibility of NOT having children if a puppy is too stressful ! However, leaving your wife home alone with an untrained puppy is NOT fun for either the puppy or your wife.. Have you thought about having your wife take the puppy to an obiedience class during the day? That would help getting the puppy used to her and begin the overdue training process... As far as, house breaking a puppy it's not that hard. You just have to first thing in the AM take the puppy from crate----to the outside wait for him to do #1/#2 give treat and go inside.. Also INSTEAD of leaving food out all the time for the puppy give food at "mealtime" After the puppy eats wait 10 min and take the puppy outside.. Soon the puppy will get the "hint" that #1/#2 occur outside ! Anytime the puppy's been crated go immediately outside to do "business". As for leaving the puppy in the crate all day when she's home.. That's really NOT fair for the puppy- it's NOT his fault that he's not trained and she doesn't know what to do>> Go to the library and get some training books.. Also, get a good spray bottle and fill it with water or a squirt gun.. When puppy does a "no, no" give him a squirt with the gun... When he stops call him and give him a treat... This will help puppy learn what NO really means instead of thinking his name is "no,no bad dog !".. It's going to take a lot of time/patience on your wife's part to handle the dog but, YOU should be doing these things as well... Since you got the puppy for you.... good luck
2007-09-18 05:35:01 · answer #2 · answered by pebblespro 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
the puppy should be crated, not all of the time, but anytime your wife or you cannot watch everything she is doing. To help with housebreaking, be sure to feed on a schedule, same time everyday, two or three times a day. Get the input on a schedule and the output will be more predictable. Be sure to use lots of positive reinforcement when she does her business outside. Be sure she has lots of her own toys to play with so she has no excuse to grab things off the table. Use a spray bottle with vinegar and water in it to get your point across about not jumping on the furniture, or stealing people stuff off the coffee table. Your wife may enjoy a puppy obedience class. You can check with your local kennel club or humane society for where these are available. The classes are excellent and work best now, while the puppy is young. Yellow labs are full of energy and this high level of activity will continue. If you haven't read it, pick up the book, MARLEY and ME, by John Grogan. It is about a couple who adopt a yellow lab and the highs and lows of their life together. Very funny and heartwarming. Best of luck.
2007-09-18 05:35:20 · answer #3 · answered by NinjenWV 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Has your wife never had a dog before? or you for that matter? A puppy ideally shouldn't leave its mother until its 8 weeks old so your pup is very young! It hasnt been taught any discipline from its mother or siblings as regards biting...puppies playing together will learn certain behaviours and their mother will let them know when they're being naughty with her! As for leaving a puppy in a crate...our beagle pup was crate trained and it has worked out ideally but she only is in the crate either at night or if no 1 else is in the house! your pup needs to be arounnd you and your wife until she builds enough confidence to enjoy her own company...its like having a baby you have to put in alot of hard work in the early stages! I was at home alone with our puppy in the beginning and i think it worked out well as i had the time to concentrate on toilet training and we cracked it really early on! let your wife know that it doesent matter if the housework slips a bit or dinner isnt ready when you get home that you understand she might be busy! I would suggest you take the time out to enjoy your pup and train it properly so that you and the dog will be happy together.
2007-09-18 05:50:11 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe your wife and the puppy should spend some of their free time at a puppy obedience class...that would solve a lot of both their problems.
These things will only "get better with time" if that time is used training the puppy how to behave properly. Crate training is part of it, but there is much more to be learned at a training class.
Why on earth did you get a Lab if you plan to move where you have no yard? Eek! At 12 months old, you will have an 80 lb. freight train charging through your house.
Start training NOW.
2007-09-18 05:35:22 · answer #5 · answered by Loki Wolfchild 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Ok first of all WHO sold/gave you a 5 week old puppy?????
WRONG. Did BOTH of you want the dog?????? This is a situation that is set up for failure. I have my fears that everything you are doing with this pup is wrong and not in his best interests. Puppyhood requires patience, love, patience and a sense of humor. Did I mention PATIENCE???? It doesn't last long, but this is when you are setting the stage for the rest of the dog's life. My advice would be to find a very responsible rescue group and let them find the dog a FOREVER HOME because I have some very bad vibes just reading your question...Please do not get another pet.
2007-09-18 07:40:35 · answer #6 · answered by Warren 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
for starters the pup was way too young to be given to an owner. your pup should just now be ready to leave the mother dog. being that it was too young to leave, it is going to take some extra patience and time for training. have your wife take the puppy on a couple long walk a day (by long i mean a few houses, 10 or so). a tired puppy is a better puppy. for both of their sakes
this link will help you with training and behavior issues with your pup now and in the future
http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pets_dogbehavior
2007-09-18 05:42:08 · answer #7 · answered by g g 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I learn what you're announcing and I am involved that your puppy will have parvo, an excessively critical and frequently lethal virus that's totally contagious. Shelters alas are popular for this lethal sickness considering the fact that of the contagious limitation. Please take your puppy to a vet ASAP. Just considering the fact that it got here from a safe haven doesn't suggest it's entirely healthful. The safe haven could no longer even realize they have got received the virus, till it's to past due. Parvo will strike the younger and historical. First you're going to detect melancholy, then loss of urge for food and thirst, then the runs so as to flip bloody, a few individuals can honestly scent the sickness, to me it smells of demise. I commend you on adopting you deserve a circular of applause ~ Kudos to you! The parvo isn't the shelters fault, even supposing a puppy is vaccinated it may possibly nonetheless get parvo is uncovered straight to it. Hopefully your puppy is simply lacking kennel buddies which might be my moment wager, however with parvo being so critical, please get your puppy to the vet, larger risk-free than sorry. Best of success to you ~ you're an Awesome man or woman.
2016-09-05 18:21:03 · answer #8 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your plan to crate the pup is fine as long as you let him out a little bit every hour or so. It's such a young dog, it probably misses its litter mates. It's really too young for puppy training, but there are lots of good books on how to care for and train a pup. Check out the Monks of New Skete, NY online. They train german shepherds and have several good books on the subject.
2007-09-18 05:40:00 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Our case is the opposite from you.
I am the one want to have dog. Whenever I am home, I am full time with my puppy except when she is sleeping.
I am away from home 3 days a week for work. When I am not at home, my husband and son help to play and entertain my puppy. They play with her when they are not busy, otherwise,
we confine the puppy in our big kitchen area with baby gate. Give her a lots of toys to play with. At the beginning, she will whine, but now, she is used to play by herself when we don't have time for her.
Your can do the same thing. Play with her a while, confine her in a area. Just make sure the area is safe for her.
2007-09-18 05:36:27 · answer #10 · answered by KiKi 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋