hi everyone,
i have just joined this site and am new to this. i have just bought a Pomeranian x cairns puppy and he is 10 weeks old on the 1st of November. he had his first vaccination on the 2nd and his next one is on the 16th. to be very honest i didn't realise it would be this difficult to train him. i slept with him since the 1st and tonight trying to leave him downstairs and i have come upstairs, but he has been constantly barking and i am worried because i don't want him upset. i want him to learn to sleep by himself and want to start now instead of later. he is already attached to me and wont leave me for a minute.
at the moment i cant take him out as i am waiting for his second jab and i am hoping after his second one he will be a little bit relaxed. i have bought him a crate, blanket a mat and toys to make him feel comfortable. i feed him once in the morning and once in the evening. i was told to not leave his water bowl available at all times, only during and after meal times.
i really want him to be happy with me so please help me if you can. any suggestions you have will be very helpful.
thank you
rena :)

Hi Rena, welcome to the forum! Have you had a puppy before? The reason I ask is that at 10 weeks of age he still needs to be having 4 meals a day, cutting down to three at aboout 12 weeks, and down to two at about 6 months; he could be so very clingy because he's hungry! The reason for feeding lots of smaller meals is that a puppy's stomach is physically too small to take in enough food for him to grow properly at the moment. And he needs access to fresh water at all times.

You can also take him out and about to socialise him as long as you carry him (luckily he's only a tiny puppy and not a great dane!) whch will also help him to settle because his brain's been busy.

hey Jeangenie
i have never had a puppy before, so now should i feed him morning afternoon and night??? i have kept fresh water out for him and will leave it there so he has access to it.
i was worried about taking him out even in my arms cause its too cold and dont want him to catch anything.
thank you for your advice...could you help me with what i should do about him sleeping???
thanks :)

Hi Rena

Did your breeder give you a sheet of information about feeding?  I'm not sure whether you've been given incorrect advice (re number of meals and water) or just no advice at all.

Either way though, don't worry, there is a lot of good and sensible advice available.  Here is one place you could start - the Kennel Club has some clear advice on getting started with your new puppy.  The Perfect Puppy by Gwen Bailey is a great book for new owners and should be available at your local library too.  This is a link to the new edition but previous edition are on Amazon for only £3 ish

Some simple advice on toilet training is available here

One suggestion for timings - 4 meals per day - 8am, 12 noon, 4pm, 8pm and a small nightime treat just before bed.  Although you can adjust a little if your pup can't last from 8pm to 8am.  Rummage about online for a similar sized breed and see what they suggest.

Re sleeping - if he gets too distressed being on his own then keep him with you a while longer or move your bed down to his.  There really is plenty of time to move him when he's grown up a bit. :)

I find that the timings of 8am, 12 noon, 4pm and 8pm are suitable for a young puppy's mealtimes, changing to 8am, 1pm and 6pm, with a biscuit at bedtime, at 12 weeks.

Puppies have a 'window of socialisation' which pretty much closes by 16 weeks, so he needs to see as many different things as possible before then to learn that new experiences aren't scary. The Puppy's Rule of 12 (click on the blue link) will help you in this. If the weather's chilly you can carry him in your coat and he'll be fine.

As for sleeping; many people have their puppy in a crate or playpen beside their own bed until pup's housetrained so that when pup wakes in the night needing to toilet, the owner wakes and takes him out. Just being able to reach down from your bed and touch the puppy can be enough security for him to relax and sleep. Also his bed will need to be warm and cosy - a safe hotwater-bottle and snuggly blankets will help, as well as having a play and and late-night toilet-break in the garden. A warm, tired, comfy puppy sleeps deeply!

hey thanks for all your advice guys i really appreciate it...i was thinking of having him stay downstairs again with the extension door open so he has more room to move around and play with...what do you guys think???

i might take him out for a bit as i may be going to see a few friends so it will make him a little restless..

i did take him into our garden for a few mins and he started to sniff the place and did get use to it but then came and sat back next to me....

if things do get hard tonight i will come downstairs so he feels comfy...

i know its early days but i just wanna do everything right from the beginning so he can get use to it..

thank you once again :) any more advice will be helpful, and i will let you'll know how he is getting on :-)

I wouldn't leave him unattended, free to roam aroud - there are far too many ways he could come to harm. Chewing an electric cable, for instance, could easily kill him, so he needs to be 100% safe.

How often are you taking him out into your garden for toileting? The usual advice is; after every meal (that's four! ;-)), every time he wakes up, after every play session, and after every excitement (such as a visitor). At least once every hour. You must take him out and stay with him until he wees and/or poos, at which stage you can say the cue-word ("busy", or "Go wee-wees" or whatever - make sure it's something you'll be able to say in the park!) and then praise him when he's finished.

i took him into the garden today for the first time and have got the training mat near his crate so he can go when he needs to. last night he went on it but he poo's all over the place....and i did praise him this morning when i saw he had gone on the mat..

can i give him treats now?? my brother went and sat with him till he went to sleep but as soon as the extension door was shut he got up...

tonight if he barks i may leave him another night to see how it goes and then take it from there...

he sleeps more during the day and is awake during the night...and because he cant get out till his second vaccination he feels bored during the day...

i have bought him lotsa toys he can play with...

do u think i should leave music on at night for him?? would that help him???

thanks once again :)

> i have bought him lotsa toys he can play with...
>

You need to be playing with him.  Using the toys obviously, but you can't just leave toys and expect him to get on with it.  He needs your interaction.  Remember that he has had his siblings to play with - you now take their place.  Puppies are time consuming.

Are you staying with him outside and waiting for him to go to the toilet so that you can give him loads and loads of praise?   Leaving a training mat by a crate won't answer all your concerns - he doesn't know what it's for.

Wouldn't it be possible for you to have a box by the side of your bed, so he has the comfort of your hand when he needs reassurance?  He's a baby and he is going to be lonely, he's been used to brothers and sisters to cuddle up with for comfort.

Take him out with you as much as possible carrying him in your arms. He will be warm enough and needs to meet lots of people and new situations. Take him around the shops with you , outside school gates when the kids are coming out and get him used to things in the safety of your arms or in a baby sling whatever is comfortable for both of you. Just make sure these experences are nice ones.
  the rule of 12 is very good advice

i took him into the garden today for the first time and have got the training mat near his crate so he can go when he needs to.

You're far better off not using a training pad/mat -it only teaches him to toilet indoors and then you have to train him all over again to go outside. :) Take him out into the garden as Jeangenie has suggested -at least every hour. He will be 4 months or more before he is physically able to hold it so don't expect much until then. 

Just want to reiterate what has already been said.
Everyone had thier first puppy once. It is vital however that you expose him to as many sights sounds and people as possible. You are bound to be anxious about doing whats right but everyone makes mistakes.
I have never had puppy in bedroom with me, but whatever works for you and you dog.
Can only agree whole heartedly about taking him outside regularly, and that just being with him is not enough. Playing with him and showing him new things are far more important that mothering him.

hey guys thanks once again

i just took him out and made him meet a few friends but we were all sat in a car cause of the weather it was pouring down...i stayed with him till he went to sleep downstairs but if he barks i'll go and sleep on d sofa next to him...

i dont want to make a habit of him sleeping in my room so i rather go downstairs...

the only reason i feel he is sleeping now is cause when i came back from work i was playing with him alot and also before i was home my brother was playing with him...

i am planning to take him out tomorrow when i am back from work to a friends place so hopefully that should be good.

thank you for your support :-)

hi Rena, i would agree with all the other posts you definately need to expose your little pup to everything you can possibly,as he is your first try to keep a diary as to what he has seen and his reactions so if certain things cause him upset you can then concentrate on these things such as cars push chairs etc i know he will be carried but you will get some idea of his reactions also this will help when he goes to puppy training classes (please put his name down for one as they invaluable to new owners)you can discuss any problems that you have had with the trainers.I would leave a talk channel on the radio for him rather than music also with his toys have you tried a Buster Ball/Cube  put some of his dried food in it (about 5 pellets) in it and let him roll it about, one of these wears our boxer pup out,it might encourage him to amuse himself when you need 5 mins.There are some posts on here about crying pups and dogs use the search above these might have some helpfull pointers good luck with him debby

> have bought him lotsa toys he can play with

The trouble is dogs need someone to make the toys interactive - to shake the tugger, to roll the ball, etc. A toy just lying on the floor is pretty meaningless.

>the only reason i feel he is sleeping now is cause when i came back from work i was playing with him alot and also before i was home my brother was playing with him...

Yes, that's the sort of interaction he needs during the day; who's with him during the day?

A typical puppy's day would be:

7am. Wake. Be taken out into the garden to wee and poo, then play (and get underfoot!) while owner's preparing breakfast.
8am. Breakfast, then into the garden again, then play with owner for half an hour or so.
9am. Into the garden again, then a nap.
10am-ish. On waking, into the garden, then a puppy can be taken out in your arms for a walk around the streets to see the traffic and get used to the noise, and be stroked by strangers, etc.
11 am. Home, and into the garden for a wee/poo, then play (including basic training such as 'sit' and 'come', giving lots and lots of praise - this should be a fun game!).
12 noon. Lunch, then into the garden again for wee and poo, followed by a nap.
1 pm ish. Wake, then into the garden again.

And so on. You can get on with housework whilst the puppy has his naps. By keeping him active during the day (as he would be naturally) with plenty of naps so that he doesn't get over-tired and hyper you'll find he sleeps well at night.

Hi Rena

How long do you leave him on his own, he may be struggling with that and it's making him insecure at night too.  I'm not an expert but poms don't do well being left alone for very long.  If you're leaving him for more than an hour at a time i would try and sort it for someone to come in and sit/play with him...not to mention let him out to go to the loo.  Added with the feisty terrier i think you have a whole bundle of fun and mischief on your hands there!  Good luck x

hey
sorry for replying late..i have been really busy all day and just sat down...i only work on thur n fri and my dad is home so he looks after snuggles...today has been pretty hard i got up in the morning to give him something to eat and he just wouldn't, he didnt eat all day my mum tried and so did my brother, he slept all day...when i got back i called the vet to ask her what i should do....so my next step was to go and get him different food and thank god he ate it and enjoyed it too...i also took him in the garden and ran around with him...played with him got him all tired and now he is playing with his chewy...i even bought him treats which i gave him when he did a wee in the garden...i was worried in the morning and now i feel alot relaxed...and i will be sleeping next to him tonight so it will help him to relax further...

have i so far done things right today?!?!!?!?

:)

Don't worry, it sounds like you are doing just fine :-). Don't change his food too often though or he might get an upset tummy. sounds like a very normal puppy to me and he will benefit from being near you until he is just a wee bit bigger. My girlies have always slept in the bedroom with us for the first few weeks then they have moved to the kitchen with no problems when they are about 3-4 months.

have fun with him this weekend :-),  and enjoy it, they aren't puppies for long :-D

hey dakkobear,
thanks i am trying my best to keep him happy...i love dogs sooo much so i just got worried when he didnt eat...we r out n d garden again to make him wee as he got up...another friend of mine has come over and snuggles has got all excited n is jumping around....i will be spending this weekend at home with him so he knows we r here..i bought him jelly tinned food...chiken rabit n beef...i  gave him some chicken today and he enjoyed it and ate it pretty quite so i guess he must have been really hungry...the vet gave me science plan which he does not like much can i mix that with something???
thanks once again fir all ur help :)

RESULT....we were in the garden and he did a wee and pooped...am soo happpyyy :)

Hi Rena,
My dogs have slept in my bedroom since day 1. They have their own cosy bed on the floor next to mine. My dogs would freak if i made them sleep elsewhere,they are my constant shadows at home.
Can i ask why you don't want your little one sleeping in your room? Personally i don't see the harm,especially when you've only got 1 wee dog. I don't think any singleton dog likes to be on their own when their owner is home.

>the vet gave me science plan which he does not like much

Most vets do push science plan :( And most dogs don't like it, I would look into getting him on a better food.

hey eden,
my main reason for not taking him upstairs is cause of my parents, that was one of the rules i had said i wouldnt break...silly i know..but he slept really well yesterday downstairs as we have a sofa bed near his crate...but he still slept on the bed with me...today again he is not eating properly especially his food...he eats the treats i give him, i gave him a beef string, and he ate that in no time, and now he has had 3 biscuits...i took him outside and waited for an hour for him to wee but he didnt and then i took him back an hour later and he pooped but he still wants to pee inside...i gave him a treat when he pooped outside and praised him alot..i am thinking of going to the pub later you guys think i should take him with me?!?!?!??!

thank you :)

I would buy a really good book 'The perfect Puppy' by Gwen Bailey. Its very informative.  We all had our 1st dog once upon a time and it can be daunting.  You are now shaping your dog into adulthood so what you do now is important.  I would snuggled him down one evening and read this book, I think it would help you, try ebay for a second hand copy to save a few pennies.  Good luck

hey guys i have ordered the book so hopefully it should be here soon....but apart from potty training him, i had another problem on my hands...as i was letting him out in the garden and playing around with him, a few days ago snuggles started scratching all over, i just thought he was cleaning himself, but after a few days of him continuously doing so i took him to the vet today and thank god there were no fleas but the vet did give him antibiotics and a gel which she applied, but the thing is there is a strange strong smell all over his fur and from him....do u guys think its the gel thats causing that smell??? i will call the vet first thing tomorrow to ask them aswell...

Also he still is not sleeping by himself nor is his sleeping in his crate...he wants to sleep on the sofa with me...so when my brother comes from uni on thur he takes over on the weekend when he is not working which is good so i get a few nights rest tooo...

to be very honest with you guys, i am finding it very difficult trying to make him sleep, but i love him sooooooo much that i cant bare to see him upset..

once again thank you for all ur support and advice..

:)

Hi, sounds like its not going to well for you.  One thing I would say, you must remember he is a dog a baby but still a dog.  You must treat him like one and although our love for our dogs is amazingly strong, a big mistake to make is to try to humanise them. He may cry and whimper but how and if you respond is the key.  The smell, could be food related.

Good luck and remember, there is lots of advise from people on here so stay strong. :-)

hey yh i am having a tough time...i am gonna see how he sleeps by himself tonight...but i did not pick him up n put him on the sofa at night....he even ate properly this morning...and did a wee on the mat at night so thats a good sign..

He needs to be secure at spending time on his own, its impossible to assume that you or someone else will always be able to be with him 24/7.  Start now or it will more and more difficult later on.  Just because he may cry or whimper does not mean he is 'crying' in a sad way, he is calling you and if you go to him everytime he will learn that you will always come. It may seem tough but you must be his guide not his 'bitch'.  I mean that in a dog's world type way not offensively. :-) Start with him in his crate by the side of you in your bedroom, insist that this is temp to your parents just to settle him, don't pander to his crying, if he needs a wee then obviously go down and let him out for a wee then straight back to bed.  He will hear your movements and your breathing which should be enough to settle him and know you are close.  You can always move him gradually downstairs when he has settled at night - my 2nd dog took 2 weeks before I moved her downstairs, she just needed to know I was close by so she came upstairs in her crate at night.  Cover his crate with a blanket to make it snuggly and den like.

A hot bag ( one of these wheat ones you put in the microwave) under his blanket might help him settle. I've heard of people putting a clock in too as the ticking resembles mum's heartbeat but I can't say I've tried it. You do need to get him used to being on his own for short periods though, start slowly and work up to longer periods. I'm sure once your book arrives you will get lots of ideas from it :-)

hey guys
snuggles has been sleeping well by himself every night, even though he barks for about 30mins he then settles...i haven't taken him out yet but am planning to do so soon...he is getting better by weeing on the mat..i feel like he is settling down in his own time...he is eating better than he was but i still need to sit with him when he eats...he has been on antibiotics and his itching has become much better...i bought him a collar today but he did not like it at all...he ripped it off so am gonna try getting him another one tomorrow and i can start taking him for walks...
once again thank you for all your support :)

hey guys...
i tried taking snuggles out today on his lead and it was unbelievable he did not like it at all and started screaming and barking, so we didn't even go half way down the road....so now at home i've just left the lead on him but he woke even walk around the house he's just sitting in his crate..i know he is scared..i am hoping to start him with a training class so hopefully that will help...
:)