Calling All Puppy People!!!

[sandra5]

When I first quit smoking my husband was travelling and I walked my husband's dog alot -- the exercise was great!! So... my husband was really keen on a Westie and I adopted a nine week old Westie puppy who arrived this past Saturday! Like the naive persian cat person I am, I pictured posting photos of my new baby and we lived happily "not smoking" ever after!! Anyone laughing yet?!? Well --- night time he has been pretty good but this evening when I put him in his play pen (in the kitchen) and try to do anything else he howls like crazy -- some whimpering and some full force barking!! I've been told to ignore this and he will stop -- which actually he has at the moment... Well I look forward to puppy advice -- I'm off to get an Advil! Note to self - no interest at all in smoking which is wonderful. Yahoo on Day 42!!! Have a great night everyone!!!

[cindywilson]

I am a huge dog lover! Are you crate training him? That is what I recommend when I do fosters or adoptions for dogs. This helps him feel secure and know a place of safety, also cuts down on the whining and barking. Have fun! He will love the exercise too and it will help build stronger bonds between you....

[Robin-K]

Hi Sandra,
First of all congrats on your new puppy. Next thing I will say is any terrier is going to be a barker. I would suggest putting a small crate inside the play pen so he can use that as a bed. With a towel or blanket for him to sleep on. Not to small he needs to be able to turn around in it. This is nice for evening when you sleep. Then he can go in his bed when you do. Then the potty training goes better also. I would wait for a few weeks though before you actually close the door on the crate at night. During the day it's nice to have the play pen with the bed in there for him to sleep in and then potty if you are not home outside of the crate on paper. This is normal for a puppy to cry for the first week at a new home. You may try to leave a radio on with some nice music playing or even a small TV?
Let me know if you have any other questions. Westie's are darling dogs! I have 3 dogs and show them. I'm also a Vet Tech. So feel free to ask away... Getting a puppy is like having a child patience is a virtue. lolol. I give you credit I couldn't do it if I had just quit. This past week my dog was sick and I almost smoked! My dogs are just like my kids! They mean the world to me. When one is sick I'm a wreck. Anyway good luck and congrats on your quit!

Robin

[sue2]

Hi Sandra, As you can from my profile pics, my dogs are bit bigger! lol But we got Beau when he was only 8 weeks old and he is now 15 months, so I did the puppy thing. Even did it with a cat in the house...what fun that was. I've got some tricks on that if you are interested. But I agree that the crate training is the way to go. One thing that I did wrong?? (not sure) was that I was so concerned about him chewing up stuff if unattended, that I made him come to the room I was in and sit. WELL....the problem with that is that he now follows me EVERYWHERE, no matter what. And when I go to the bathroom, he sits outside the door till I come out. Part of this might be the German Shepherd loyalty thing, but I wish I would have taught him a little more independence. I have a shadow round the clock. Good luck though and you will have a blast!

[esther2]

Congratulations on your new puppy. I'm a rookie owner myself, however I have a much bigger dog - a black lab. The first two weeks are definitely the hardest. Sheba barked a lot at first, but after a while, she realized I wasn't going to leave her. She also jumped over the doggie gate to be next to me when I first got her. Scared me half to death! But she's really comfortable now, 8 months later. Terriers are definitely barkers. Don't know if she'll ever grow out of that. But you have a loyal friend for life!

[mmerose]

Sometimes a clock that ticks can calm a puppy at night. Sounds like a heartbeat is what I've been told, although my ears say different. It worked for some of my puppies (and not for others).

[teresa15]

LOL!!! I just got a kitten. She is just 8 weeks old and cute as can be. I really, really wanted a puppy but after watching my brothers puppy this past Christmas I changed my mind. Yikes! To much work. I had a dog for years and she was great, and trained. If I get another it will have to be trained too. Good luck! Try watching the dog whisperer on TV if you get the animal planet channel.

[Charmed]

when my little one was a puppy and I tried to put her to bed in her crate in our bedroom, she barked and barked, and cried....then she would sleep till 4am, then she would bark and cry some more. Everyone said it would stop and to just ignore her....well after a week of this I gave in and ever since that day she has slept in the bed btwn my husband and I.....we are all very happy this way. She is just a little dog so in the beginning she did have a little accident in the bed, on my husbands side, opps, so we got those puppy steps so she could get down at night and go potty on her pee pee pad (pee pee pads are a bad idea!!!!) she is going to be 4 in october, and just last winter we finally got her trained to go potty outside only....she's a handful. Good luck I hope you can hold out until she gets used to being in her pen at night!!

[sandra5]

Thank you Everyone!!! I could hug all of you tonight with the wonderful suggestions!! Gave my pup LOTS of exercise - a big play session - after work today and we are having a much better (quieter) evening!!! Thanks again, Sandra