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6 week old dane - help!

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  • 6 week old dane - help!

    Hi Everyone,
    So glad I found this website, lots of useful information posted here that has helped us already. Over the weekend, my fiance and I got our newest addition to our family, a 6 week old black dane we named Zoe. We really would have preferred her to stay with her mother for another 2 weeks or even just one but it unfortunately just wasn't possible.

    Now, a bit of a background to our little girl, she was born on March 17, and to everyone's surprise - she was the only puppy in the litter! The breeders had decided before she was born that this would be their last litter, as they decided to retire from breeding to move back into town since they started a family and just didn't have the time anymore. This, is mostly the reason we wish she could have stayed with them longer.

    Since we got her, she really is super great, very smart and very playful. But very much a baby. We are trying to crate train her, but she goes pee and poop in the crate (being that young, her bladder is out of control and its hard to catch before she does it) and makes a complete mess. On top of that, she HOWLS ALL night long and we just don't get any sleep at all. Last night, we decided to baby gate the kitchen off, and leave the crate door open for her so she could go in and out of it (she went in a few times willingly yesterday, and even took a nap during the day in it) but so that she could go to the washroom. We are afraid of getting up in the night to let her out, because I tried that last night and once I left, her whimpering got REALLY bad - so we are wondering if just letting her go in the kitchen at night is okay?? At least until she can hold it a little longer??

    Also, how long does the whimpering and howling generally last? We are really afraid that she has / will develop separation anxiety, because of her young age and having been the only pup in the litter.

    One last question - any suggestions on how to train the puppy to not bite? We understand she is teething, but she can be quite aggressive with it and we'd like it to stop now while she's young and little.

    Any advice would be very much appreciated!

  • #2
    RE: 6 week old dane - help!

    We too have a new puppy with similar issues (mostly resolved now). Here's what we've done...Ella is now 3 months old, we got her at 10 weeks. Her first few nights in the crate were very long! Since we cannot fit the colossal crate in our bedroom, we have it in the office. We would sit with her until she fell asleep. That helped (they are just babies, and are afraid of being alone). Also, be sure that there isn't much "extra" space in the crate. Ours has a divider, which we'll move as she grows. They don't like to relieve themselves where they sleep. I wouldn't leave the crate door open, I think it's better to make it more appealing (toy, treat, soft blanket...etc.), so she'll eventually see it as a good place. I'm sure others will also have helpful puppy hints. Good luck!

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    • #3
      RE: 6 week old dane - help!

      You really have to get up with her and take her outside during the night for the first couple of months. She can't hold it that long, and the more you allow her to go indoors, the longer it'll take for you to train her. You need to keep the crate in your room or right outside so she can see hear and smell you at night. It'll make her feel safe and calm sooner. Also so you can hear when she needs to go out.

      Its not easy ot first but necessary and before you know it, it'll be much easier.

      Comment


      • #4
        RE: 6 week old dane - help!

        All my babies slept on my tummy for the first week or so after coming home. I put a few folded towels between us for accidents and if the puppy started to mooch around, it would wake me in time for poops. I didn't get much sleep, but they didn't cry all night either. After a week or so, they would have their own bed, right next to mine and I would hang my arm over the side and pet them when they started whimpering. Too much whimpering and they got back in bed with me.

        They grow out of it when they become acclimated to their new family, but as long as they were whimpering and frightened, they were cuddled with me. After all, they were babies.

        Comment


        • #5
          RE: 6 week old dane - help!

          Letting her go in the litchen is a bad habit that will be hard to break as she will learn/think its OK to do it.Take her out during the night and dont let her out of the crate why fussing wait until they are quite.It takes a few nights or so then they are used to the routine.

          http://www.xceldanes.com/naptime_2.JPG
          Lisa
          www.xceldanes.com
          sigpicLisa
          www.xceldanes.com

          Comment


          • #6
            RE: 6 week old dane - help!

            You have to take them out during the night, and you will have sleep deprivation and lots of puddles, especially with one as young as this.

            She is whining because she is such a baby. It would be better for her, I believe, if she was closer to her family at night.

            As a singleton taken from her mother at six weeks, she never had the opportunity to learn bite inhibition. It's something you are going to have to teach her. Many people find screaming in pain when bitten by those sharp little puppy teeth an effective way to teach bite inhibition. To be effective, though, your yelps of pain have to be done realistically.

            She also will need a playmate just as soon as she gets her shots. The fastest way to learn bite inhibition is biting another puppy to hard! It's very, very important that she learn this as soon as possible for you cannot have a 100-pound dog that can't control its teeth.


            mp

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            • #7
              RE: 6 week old dane - help!

              >We are trying to crate
              >train her, but she goes pee and poop in the crate (being that
              >young, her bladder is out of control and its hard to catch
              >before she does it) and makes a complete mess.

              OK, a couple of things about a crate. They are great tools for teaching a puppy housetraining and to confine him when she can't be watched. If you are home and awake, puppy should be out of the crate. She can't learn anything cooped up in the crate.

              At this age she should be taken out AT LEAST every 2 hours. Her crate should be small enough that she can't pee or poop except where she lays. The crate should be just large enough to turn around and stretch out. You may need to get some partitions for the crate you have now. With a small enough crate, she won't pee or poop in there unless she just can not possibly hold it any longer. It's your responsibility to see she is taken outside before that occurs.

              >On top of that,
              >she HOWLS ALL night long and we just don't get any sleep at
              >all.

              Well, shes going to. I can tell you don't have children. Newborn children do exactly the same thing. Another point, she is a wolf ... wolves have a need to be with the pack hardwired in their little brains. The puppy knows deep down inside that there are all kinds of animals out there that will kill it and eat it if giving half a chance. Wolf pups are never alone for even a couple of minutes. There is always mom or a babysitter with them at all times. Being alone is not natural to a young wolf/dog.

              She should sleep in your bedroom at night. That way she can smell you and hear you breathe. She knows there is someone there to protect her. If you use your head, you can think of a way for puppy to sleep in your room for a month or two. Maybe a large box, maybe an x-pen, possibly another crate. What ever solution you come up with, it will diminish her crying a lot sooner.

              >Last night, we decided to baby gate the kitchen off, and
              >leave the crate door open for her so she could go in and out
              >of it (she went in a few times willingly yesterday, and even
              >took a nap during the day in it) but so that she could go to
              >the washroom.

              Encouraging her to potty in the kitchen will cause lots of problems in a few months. WE adopted our Thor at 13 weeks and at his rescue, the lady was tickled to death when the pups pottied in the kitchen off the carpet. It made it MUCH more difficult to potty train because he had already been taught it was ok to potty in the kitchen.

              >We are afraid of getting up in the night to let
              >her out, because I tried that last night and once I left, her
              >whimpering got REALLY bad - so we are wondering if just
              >letting her go in the kitchen at night is okay??

              You know about the kitchen. If she is sleeping in the room with you, it will also minimize the crying. She NEEDS to be taken out. Every time she relieves herself in the house, it is rewarding to her and you don't want her to be rewarded for bad behavior.

              >At least
              >until she can hold it a little longer??

              Nope. Definately not.

              >Also, how long does the whimpering and howling generally last?

              It varies with each puppy and a lot depends on how the parents react to it.

              >We are really afraid that she has / will develop separation
              >anxiety, because of her young age and having been the only pup
              >in the litter.

              Another reason for her to sleep in your room.

              >One last question - any suggestions on how to train the puppy
              >to not bite?

              Understand that puppies NEED to bite. It's part of their growing up exercise. They HAVE to build jaw muscles and teeth. It's also the way they play. Depriving a puppy from mouthing is like putting a toddler in the floor with his arms and legs tied and saying "Ok, have a good time down there."

              When he bites too hard, don't fuss, yell or scream. Just get up and walk away. Ignore the puppy for about 2 minutes then resume play in a calm manner. Keep repeating the process EVERYTIME the biting gets too exuberant. He will soon learn when he bites too hard, playtime will end.

              >We understand she is teething, but she can be
              >quite aggressive with it and we'd like it to stop now while
              >she's young and little.

              She is not teething yet. Things get worse when she starts teething. She is just playing very exuberantly. She is hungry for play. Probably not getting enough. Just play with her and use the method I listed above for teaching bite inhibition.

              These will be fun months. Enjoy them. Some day when she gets old and feeble you will long for these days again. Take zillions of pictures.

              Bill Carnes
              www.skylarzack.com/rawfeeding.htm

              "Unnatural diets predispose animals to unnatural outcomes"
              Dr. Tom Lonsdale

              "If you won't eat what you are feeding your dog, its not good enough to feed him either."
              Bill Carnes

              "Causing pain, either physical, mental, or emotional to an animal to force him to act as you think he should is wrong. Doing so only reflects the ignorance of the trainer. There IS a better way."
              Bill Carnes

              Comment


              • #8
                RE: 6 week old dane - help!

                Bill's advice is pretty accurate, so listen to him. The only part I have to disagree with is this:

                She is not teething yet. Things get worse when she starts teething. She is just playing very exuberantly.

                With most puppies, the deciduous teeth start cutting in at around one month old. From this point on until the time the adult molars cut in and all the teeth settle in to place (between 9-11 months usually), the puppy is teething.

                I definitely agree that compared to what most pups go through in that 9-11mos period, the young puppy mouthing stage that she's in now isn't much. But it is teething and should be treated like it - redirecting to appropriate chew toys, and working on teaching bite inhibition.

                This last is especially important since the puppy was taken from her mother so early. Pups re-homed at such a young age almost invariably end up with mouthing/nipping/bite inhibition problems because the typical dog owner don't really know how to teach it properly.


                Regards,
                Heather, Loki & Donnar
                [link:www.bestpaw.com|Best Paw Forward, Inc. Family Dog Training Center]
                [link:www.apdt.com|Association of Pet Dog Trainers]
                "Positive does not equal permissive."

                Comment


                • #9
                  RE: 6 week old dane - help!

                  Thanks everyone for your helpful advice. Last night was a MUCH better night with our baby. We brought her into our room in a smaller crate and she only woke us up when she needed to go outside, and lastly at 5:30am when she was just too antsy to wait any longer for us to wake up (which was fine I just got up and played and cuddled with her) << that was better than that half hour of sleep anyways

                  As for the biting issue, its not the fact that she's chewing everything, because of course she needs to do so to build muscle in her jaws, and we have lots of toys and teething bones and things for her. I was more seeking any advice on what i could do to lessen the chance that she will grow up with a nipping problem - and although we currently do not have children, we do have one on the way. its more her aggressively jumping at you, biting at your face or ankles with her mouth open growling that was a concern - and moreso for the future, because I want to make sure we do everything we can to prevent her from potentially harming a child or anyone else. I have taken on yelping like a dog when she bites and that has seemed to help her understand. So overall, last night and today have been so much better and as per Bill's last bit of advice - to take a zillion pictures...well we are absolutely on the way to doing just that! Thanks again

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    RE: 6 week old dane - help!

                    What follows is a description of what we teach in our puppy classes to work on bite inhibition. It may not be as effective now as it will in a few weeks because some young pups aren't really interested in treats. The chow-chow mix we just raised came to us at 6wks and he didn't care about treats. We practiced and offered treats anyway, and over the course of a few weeks he began to take more interest.

                    Get some really smelly, yummy treats like cheese or hot dog bits and sit down with the puppy when she's calm and a little tired (so she's not mouthy and excited). She can sit either in your lap or in the floor right in front of you between your legs. Slide a finger into her mouth towards the back where no teeth are cutting in yet.

                    Her natural response will probably be to bite down. When she does, say "OW!" in a high pitched voice (yelp like a sibling would do if she got to rough). If you feel any lessening of pressure at all, praise and offer her a treat. If she takes it, good. If not, just put it back in the bowl. Repeat this process for a minute or so, then let her go be a puppy. You want to keep the sessions short so she doesn't lose interest and retains what you're teaching her better.

                    Repeat this exercise several times a day. Over the course of a few weeks, start requiring less and less pressure in order for her to get the reward. Eventually, you want her not to apply any pressure with her mouth when your fingers are in there. You may find that she begins to actually spit your finger back out rather than biting down, which is good.

                    You will need to continue this practice with her daily until she's around 6mos old, and then do it every few days to keep her in practice. As she gets older, you can do it less frequently, but I find its still a good idea to practice with older dogs once every week or so to give them a refresher. Getting a treat for something they know well helps keep them willing to continue being gentle with their mouth.


                    Our chow-chow puppy went from being nippy to having such a soft mouth that he didn't even want to play tug with anything. He would take the toy, but wouldn't bite down.

                    Regards,
                    Heather, Loki & Donnar
                    [link:www.bestpaw.com|Best Paw Forward, Inc. Family Dog Training Center]
                    [link:www.apdt.com|Association of Pet Dog Trainers]
                    "Positive does not equal permissive."

                    Comment

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