New Puppy Advice Needed!!!

[MeganWUlery]

Hi all,
As I am typing, this my sweet Cocoa is cuddled at my side, I couldn't imagine a sweeter dog to have! Cocoa is now 7 weeks old. The first night we brought him home he slept in the crate all night without crying at all. After that he cries himself to sleep. My husband ends up putting him in the bed with us, which is fine because he isn't dirty! With that being said, he hates the crate! The fact is that we do have to leave him at home. I have not had to leave him for more than a couple hours yet but when I go back to school(Elem Ed Major!) in two weeks, I will be gone for hours. I do not want to leave him in the crate for that long and I do not want to put him outside so we have decided to leave him in the kitchen with food and water and also a puppy pad(he uses the bathroom outside when we are here but we are training him to go on the puppy pad if he is here alone---any advice on this would be appreciated as well). Anyway, for the kitchen area to be enclosed we need a puppy fence. any suggestions on this?? Also, I am so worried that he will chew or scratch up my cabinets! I know that is a lot of typing but I am up for any and all suggestions! Thanks everyone!!!

Megan

Cocoa pictures by MeganWUlery - Photobucket

[Sophiesmama]

Hi! I have a chocolate that will be 4 months on Saturday. We got her when she was 7 1/2 weeks. We have had her sleeping with us since the first night. We have been amazed that she holds her need to potty all night! We take her out before bed, and again in the morning. We are lucky I guess, but she snuggles between us and snoozes all night! Now she is 35lbs and is taking up more and more of the bed! LOL! It is a tough decision to know what to do with your puppy when you are gone. Luckily, we are retired and someone is pretty much home all the time. On a couple of occasions, we got a sitter to come over. Is there a doggy daycare where you live? That is an option once all the vaccines are completed. Have you thought about putting him in a bathroom or laundry room instead of the kitchen? Also, puppy pads didn't work for us, Sophie just chewed and destroyed them, and scattered the stuffing all over the house! We bought a baby gate and it works so well. We can put Sophie in the laundry room and since we don't have to shut the door, she doesn't feel isolated. It also really helps on our front door. We keep on outside the door lip, so we can still shut the door, and if we open the door, there is no chance she can dart out into the street. You can always choose to crate him. There are many forum members that have successfully used them. They will be happy to give you advice on the best way to incorporate a crate into your lifestyle. I can't help you there, we have never crated Sophie. Anyway, if I can help you through puppydom, give me a holler!
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[BigBrownDog]

An ex pen with a crate inside it might work. I would also look into having someone (neighbor/relative) come over daily to let him out and feed him a mid-day meal. He should be eating 3 times a day at that age.

Personally, I would use a crate and arrange for someone to come and let him out twice a day while you are gone.

[dek]

Sophie's mom is right about the puppy pads - eventually they just become too much fun to play with and rip up. When Koivu was a pup, he would alternate between using them for peeing and for chew toys, eventually he decided it was more fun to chew them up and THEN try to pee on them

I wouldn't leave food for the pup while you're gone - you're pretty much guaranteeing yourself a mess there.
As for the kitchen cabinets.....it kind of depends on the dog. I leave Koivu in a room rather than a crate with no problem, but there are dogs that will chew anything - drywall, cabinets, etc. - as well as dogs who learn how to open drawers and cabinets to get to the good stuff. Make sure your counters are clear! It won't be long before the pup is big enough to reach up there.

How many hours will the dog be alone? If it's long do you have someone who could stop in to let the dog out?

[HersheyK's Dad]

IMHO, you need to crate train this dog. The real reason for this statement is for the dog's sake and not yours. If you leave a dog, a Lab, that young alone in the kitchen, the odds are that significant damage will get done. That will change the relationship between you and the dog, and it won't be the dog's fault. Or you will decide that you have to get rid of the dog, and that will be bad. The dog will learn to like the crate and his/her den.

I don't like the puppy pads. It teaches the dog that it is okay to go in the house. You need to find a neighbor, or dog walker, that will take the dog out for you mid day, and feed.

If your dog is holding it overnight at this young age, you are really lucky. Not many will do that. Of course, if one of you stays up till 2 am and let the dog out before going to bed, and the other gets up at 6 am. Well, that is kind of a short overnight.<g>

[Tanya]

crate training is very important and will very likely be necessary in teh future. it is an essential part of owning a dog. in teh future when you travel it can be eesential/required, if your dog needs to go to the vet (as they likely will for spay/neuter) they will be in crates/kennels, if you need some alone time as a couple (and have a dog that likes to bark at the door), if an emergency happens and you need to send your dog to a sitter (I hate dog sitting dogs that are not crate trained), etc, etc, etc.

Start by making teh crate a good place, feed puppy in their crate, randomly throw great treats in their for them, etc.

try finding someone to let the puppy out mid-day (no matter your set up) and avoid using puppy pads (they delay house training and require training X2) and feed the puppy. if you have no neighbours/friends/family look at dog walkers (they usually have puppy programs) - it isn't for all that long so worth teh investment).

DO NOT let the puppy in your bed now unless you want him sleeping in there when he is full grown - it simply isn't fair to allow it NOW and then take it away (and it will be much harder).

Remember chewing stuff isn't just about the damange to yoru STUFF but dogs can seriously injure themselves when they do thsi, either choking on something, blockage, eating somethign they shouldh't, etc. So make sure you HIGHLY puppy proof an area if that is the route you are going (all the way to locking those cupboard doors with child proof locks)

Lastly - remember dogs need training and boundaries - you need to start setting them now or you will have a hellion on your hands in a few months.