It is so sweet that he has taken to us so well, but it is getting beyond that now. Last night, OH and Thomas were in the living room with Jed, I popped upstairs to go to the toilet and he cried and screamed until I came back, which I think led to this...

Jed cried/yelped/howled/barked all night - I mean non stop!! He has been fine the 2 nights before, he would moan for a bit when we went up but he soon settled and we didn't hear anything out of him until he heard me get up to let him out in the night, but last night he just wouldn't stop. How many times I nearly came down to try and get him to be quiet, I don't know, but he wouldn't even stay quiet long enough for me to come down and let him out, so he was in a right sorry mess this morning, which I don't know if that was making him worse, I can now barely think straight! We had decided last night to put him straight onto raw, but I think until he is more settled we are going to stick to exactly what the breeder said, and only give him his kibble as treats for training purposes (I might still use the liver treats for when he has 'been busy' outside though because we seem to be cracking that!!!) and if he doesn't eat his kibble at lunch he can have it for tea etc. etc. That will at least put my mind at rest that he is eating enough (or as much as he is going to) until we do change him onto raw, but I don't know how to combat him not wanting me to go anywhere.

Thought I would add, obviously whilst OH is at work it is me doing all of the feeding and training etc. but when OH is home he does the training, and I do his food (normally) I don't know if that makes any difference?

Apart from the food and noise we are doing well though, he now knows his name (95% of the time) he does sit, down, rollover, paw, and nearly 'wait', we have had a couple of accidents inside, each time I was busy with Thomas and didn't see the warning signs! But he has now three times gave me a funny look and walked off into the kitchen, only for me to open the door and we are back inside in under a minute because he has been busy, so he is doing fairly well with that :D

Thank you :D

Wel come to the world of aussies!  (Sonja used to whine the day and night after I left if I had been sleeping over at my grandparents)  I thiknk you need to get out more before it's too late!  If you have a stair gate put this in a door way if possible (i'm sure it was one of the items on your shopping list!)  leave him one side of the gate with you the other just doing everyday things, working this up to then also going upstairs and also out of the house compleatly.

Do this when your OH or thomas (under your OH observation) is playing with Jed and keeping him busy not making a fuss when you return. :)

Good luck and have fun!

You are only going though what most aussie people have been though ;)

Thought of that Rox, but he can get through the bars on the gate!!

To be honest, we were expecting it, and tried not to let it be a problem, but as you know my OH works from 6-ish in the morning till 6-7 at night and for half of that he is doing motorway driving, and the other half he is messing with water and electricity, so he can't afford to be tired - at all!! Before you say ear plugs, we tried them with Thomas and he couldn't sleep with them in, so that is no good! It isn't a problem as such for me, but the neighbours must be going mad, and as I say Lee can't be loosing sleep, I don't know what else to do other than sleep down here with him?

I don't know how you feel about having his crate in the bedroom but it might help to settle him until he gains the confidence to be left alone. We did it with our pup (not crated but put her bed down at my side) and within a couple of weeks we were able to move her downstairs with no problem. It made toilet training easier too as I knew to take her out the minute she stirred. She's back sleeping in our room now but that's our choice as OH works away on occasions and I like to have the dogs close for company ;)

Failing that, then it might be a few nights on the sofa for you :)

Hello!

We had exactly this problem ... you know I was telling you about her being VERY clingy and used to cry ALL night non-stop? :)

We didn't want her coming upstairs at all (we've got wooden open plan stairs so it would be dangerous). To start with I slept downstairs on the sofa so she could hear me (we blocked the lounge/kitchen doorway with plywood). She was OK then ... and I got up when I heard her moving around in the night to let her out (BEFORE she started crying ... I'm a light sleeper). Then I slowly worked my way towards the stairs and then upstairs. I kept setting the alarm though to let her out a few times at night. At the same time during the day I did the whole leaving her for a few seconds and then coming straight back into the room.

The other thing which helped was giving her some food just before bed ... she seemed to sleep better on a full tummy (just like me .. I like hot chocolate before bed! :) ). I know cows milk isn't supposed to be great for dogs ... but she loves a bit of milk mixed with a little kibble. It's part of her routine now ... and that's the other thing - we've got a bed time routine which we stick to (like having kids I bet!) :)

Our breeder really stressed it on us that she has to learn to be on her own ... we've got to a point now where I can go out for an hour or two while she has a nice frozen kong to chew on. It's made life much easier ... for the 1st few weeks I couldn't go anywhere!

Dunno if that helps ... like I've said before I was seriously sleep deprived for 2 weeks (getting up so much during the night destroyed me!) ... but we got there in the end ... :) :) :) :) :) ... just bear with it and you'll be fine :) :) :)

Sorry I haven't had time to reply to your PM, it did help though - thanks :D (Will find time later and make sure I reply!!!)

He is so good in every other way, but he just hates being alone, strangly enough he isn't so bothered if the cat is about!!!  When I go over to the nursery (just across the road) he is fine he doesn't make a sound even when I have just gone, but as soon as I come through the door and whilst he is still in the crate he goes berserk! I know he will be happy to us but it is more than that.

I just took him upstairs for a bath, I opened the living room door and went to the bottom of the stairs so I was ready to pick him up, and would he come out of the living room? Would he 'eck as like, he eventually after much goading crawled through on his belly, and then as soon as he was about a foot away from my feet he was all over me whimpering and jumping with excitment!

I know it is just typical Aussie charactor, and I don't want to surpress it, just make it livable with!!!

Oh look at the time, I've to go and get Thomas, can't believe I will be running again!!! :D

Hi Natalie,

Aussierock has it spot on with her advice and her routine.  Bear in mind this isn't simply breed specific (although having a similarly high maintenance and needy breed I can relate to it equally) but it is NEW PUPPY specific.   This little guy has never been on his own before - OK, he may have had time out from his littermates occasionally with the breeder and had time out from his breeder but with his litter mates still around.  What he's NEVER had before is a totally strange environment, a whole new family, alien routine all thrown at him at once and - worse still - with none of his previous soul mates around to help him through it.  He's coping with being lonely and that will be scary for him :(   Hence why he's possibly slightly more at ease if the kitten is around ;) and why he "goes berserk" in his crate as soon as he hears you coming home.

Best advice I can give on top of what you've already had is don't try and push too many of your plans on him too soon - personally, it sounds to me as though the training is already too much since he's been there but a couple of days.  He doesn't even "know" you all yet - concentrate on enjoying one another, helping to ease him GRADUALLY into short spells on his own and devote training to house training for the next week plus things that are fun for him like playing and throwing a toy for him etc., calling him back to be fussed, getting him used to his name.  Where's the fun at 9 weeks in doing sit / down/ stay

Personally I'd never leave a new puppy in isolation overnight - it's something which IMO should be worked up to, whether that means moving the puppy in with you or you moving downstairs with the puppy.  But I appreciate that's a personal choice.   HTH, Teri :)

Thanks Teri :D I did wonder if perhaps we were pushing him, but he absolutley loves the training, so I thought he was OK doing it. I think though I will take your advice and cut back a bit, he is doing really well with the toilet training, and I am going to stay on the sofa for a few nights, and obviously carry on easing him into being left alone in the day.

He is in his crate asleep now, so I know it isn't anything to do with being shut in there, it is literally when I leave the room, like I said it is quite cute that he doesn't want me to go, but obviously I can't be with him all of the time.

Anyway thanks everyone for the advice - again!! So much for all of the research I did, and it does just prove what I said all along, you can read everything and still not know what you are doing when it comes to the crunch!!! 

LOL @ Natalie :D

>but he absolutley loves the training

No, you love the training - he just loves the interaction ;) 

We all have images in our head or plans to follow with every new venture in life - but be flexible - these furry critters have a way of turning things on their heads :D

Teri
still having to be a contortionist in my plans :rolleyes: :P

I think it is the treat's he likes more actually ;) :P LOL The cat managed to get one yesterday so since then they have been fighting over them!! They are so funny together, the cat entices Jed to chase her, just so that when he get's her (which surprisingly he does quite often!!) she can turn around and punch him but he loves it and goes back for more everytime :rolleyes: :)

Hi Natalie,

Just wondered if you have a baby gate or a dog gate.  I have a Lindam dog gate from Argos and its fantastic - the spindles are only 2 inches apart although there is one place where they are 2 1 /2 inches apart and they are 42 inches high so that they are ideal when your dog gets bigger.  I wish we had had one when we had Sabre our GSD because he used to put his paws on the top of the baby gate and sometimes sent it crashing down to the floor.

Hi Anna, :D

We used our old baby gate, maybe we should think about getting a dog gate. I am going to see how the next few days go, he has only eaten a weetabix and a pint of puppy milk, no water (on it's own), and none of his food, he has had a few of his liver treats when he has done his business outside, but maximum of 10 and they are tiny little things, and now he has just had a bit of a runny tum, I know he is still settling, and so he is going to be feeling out of sorts, but I wish there was something I could do to help him, I feel really guilty taking him from his family and everything he knows!

Bless him, :)

Nat

We have the Argos dog gate and Tara has never got through/over it :)

Sorry the little blighter is playing you up - but you'll get there in the end, just be consistent. Don't chop and change because you think it's not working :). A few more weeks and you'll have him well under control :D

Daisy

Hi Daisy :D

We have decided, like I said above, to stick to (for now) what the breeder suggested food wise, I will be sleeping down on the sofa for the next few nights, or how ever long it takes, I'm not sure how to go about getting him used to me not being there when I do go back upstairs though, any ideas? I am going to put a hot water bottle in with him tonight to see if that makes any difference, and hold back on training, other than house breaking and trying to get him used to me being gone for a little bit in the day, I still don't understand why he is fine when there is no one in the house though?

He ate his weetabix this morning over about 20 mins, then he wouldn't eat his kibble at lunch so I took it away and binned it after 15 minutes, and when I just put his tea down (kibble again) he ate a bit first, and then stopped then ate a bit more, and so on, so after 20 minutes (when he had eaten about half) I took it away, should I still take it if he is eating it, but not as quickly as I would like? Or should I leave it down if he does keep going back for more?

Sorry for all of the questions, and here I was thinking I had (at least) read it all - well nearly ;) :D

When you stay downstairs at night, I'd try to be very quiet and not talk to him at all. Where is his cage - is it the living room or the kitchen ? Perhaps you can move it gradually further from the sofa. What you have to try to get him used to is you moving around during the day and ignoring him, apart from the times that YOU decide to interact with him :) Just do a lot of going in and out of the room that he's in - even if it's just for a few seconds - then build it up slowly :)

Daisy

Sorry - I've missed this all day - been at work & no time to check Champdogs !

I think all the advice you've been given is excellent, and I would just add to what Daisy says - do you cover his crate with a blanket?  Something to make it dark?   I've done this with some success.

<<Sorry for all of the questions, and here I was thinking I had (at least) read it all - well nearly >>

You poor, wee innocent thing!!!  Welcome to the real world!!

He will settle in a couple of days, if you are just consistent!

Margot

Yes - I agree about the blanket :) Tara has hers covered with a quilt that my daughter rejected :D She loves it in there - particularly if there's thunder or fireworks :)

Daisy

Wow, you guys are fantastic!!!! :D :D :D I slept downstairs, I always read before I go to sleep, so I had the light on, when I had finished reading I turned the light out and he cried, but less than 30 seconds later he went to sleep, the only peep I heard out of him all night was when I moved, and then he woke up at 6.10, no mess in his crate, outside did his business, wolfed down his breakfast and has been good as gold since!!! I am so proud of him, and very pleased that I didn't wake up to the mess I have been greeted with the other mornings!

Today I will carry on sticking to the strict food rota and leaving the room and coming back etc. the only question I have is how, when the time is right, to go about getting him used to being on his own at night (I do already miss my bed - and my hubbie!!) will it just happen naturally as I see him getting better at being left in the day?

I might try the blanket, but I don't think he is very happy in darkness, he hates going out in the garden when it is dark, I have to literally pick him up over the threshold! And like I said he wimpered when I turned the light off last night, but that could have been because I moved, or because he now associates the turning the light off, with us going up to bed?

I am so pleased with him, but I do feel sorry for him when he feels he has to follow me around when he is asleep, even if I take one step he has to get up and come a bit closer, I feel like telling him to stay where he is - not that he would!! He must get so fed up of me moving around when he is trying to catch some zzzz's!! Bless him, he is so good, and just getting better all of the time!! :D

Really good news to read your post this morning :)

I'd suggest you will start to get to know his ways and over time will know almost instinctively what's best.
It may not be a bad idea to go out with him just now, as the "silly season" with fireworks has started, and many dogs can get edgy about going outside at this time.

You will find he will get more independence, but you must do one thing - gently separate him from you whilst you are in the house, just a couple of times a day for a short time... I use a childgate for this as it is kinder than shutting  a door i feel. Get a kong and stuff it, and put him behind the gate for a few moments, ignore any whining but don't let him get stressed...when he is quiet, even for a few seconds, tell him he's clever and a good boy and then go back in with him.

Basically, it's just building him up for not feeling too alone when you are not there, and if you are able to build it up gradually, and even make it rewarding for being on his own, he will not get any anxiety (and this will help for night time too).

Lindsay
x

Hi Lindsay :D

I, or my OH, always go out with him into the garden, but he still needs to be carried out when it is dark, he isn't too bad when he is out there, especially if the cat comes for a play because they just chase each other round, it is just getting him to take the step out!

I have been trying to build up the time I leave him alone, but at times I do need to leave him in his crate, e.g. like this morning having a shower, but I put him in there with his teddy (which although he bites and chews is still, remarkably, in one piece!!!) and for the whole, 1/2 an hour - 40 minutes I was getting ready I didn't hear a squeak out of him, so I think he is getting the idea.

Once he is back on track completely with his food, I will give him things like a filled kong, but for now I am not doing anything that will stop him eating his dinner, like I said he ate his breakfast this morning (nearly in one gulp!!) so I am hoping he will do the same with lunch!

I did also put a hot water bottle in with him last night, I couldn't see him in his crate, and I didn't want to look incase I started him off, but I am hoping this helped him as well.

I know I keep saying it, but I am so proud of him, we have had a couple of hiccups but he is doing so well overall! Couldn't have hoped for him to be any better!! :D :D :D

Thanks for you advice :D

Nat xxx

Some more pictures if anyone wants to see my baby boy :D

http://photobucket.com/albums/b219/Nat_Aussies/

Ooooooo, he is SOOOOOO cute and fluffy!!!! Give him a kiss from me!! :D :D

He is getting plenty of kisses, but his breath really smells bad, so not so many coming back to us!!! ;) :P He is rather gorgeous though!!!!! :D :D :D :D

Awww he's absolutely gorgeous Nat - what a little cutie :-) :-)

He is lovely, and by the sounds of it, the training is actually coming along really well!

He's going to make you very proud :)

Lindsay
x

He actually put himself into his crate earlier and went to sleep, and right now he is asleep in the kitchen, I was in there when he fell asleep about 1/2 hour ago, and normally he would follow me back in to the living room but he has stayed there, so I think it is sinking in!

Ooops I lied, he has just wondered in!!

Earlier I took him out to the toilet, he did a big wee, and looked like he had finished so I turned to come inside and he didn't follow, so I called him, he looked at me and ran off, I was starting to think 'here we go' but he actually went and had a poo, I know that is too much information, but I was so pleased he chose to stay out so he could finish!! :D He is a clever boy :D :D :D

So pleased everything is going well for you and Jed. He is gorgeous!

Thanks Rach :D I just hope we're not counting our chickens too early!!! ;) :P

It's amazing the things we get excited about once we become puppy owners, isn't it? :D Suddenly every conversation is dominated by wee and poo! :D

I have just been speaking to my mum on the phone, we were talking about wee and poo!!! :D :D :D Even my nextdoor neighbour had something to say on the subject (along the lines of sprinkling pepper and rubbing noses in the mess, it worked for their old dog - poor thing, mind we are talking about nearly 30 years ago!!)