Gun Dog Forum

I brought a nine week old GSP pup home last night and am trying to make him less apprehensive. Saturday night he slept with his eight brothers and sisters and last night he was by himself and howling. I know this is a transition he has to make but is there anything I could be doing to make it easier?
David

as hard as it will be do not coddle him telling him it will be OK ..this will only be rewarding the howling and insecure behavior

ignore the insecure stuff

get him some toys to play with
and crating again it is hard but it is best to ignore the scratching screaming and howling as if you let him out in that state of mind it will only get worse not better

play and let him explore...give attention when he is happy and or quiet reward the calm good secure states of mind

Thanks for the help, it ain't easy.
David

no it isn't

but as long as you help the confident stuff and encourage the good he should slowly come around

Put the crate out of earshot and do like Knine says. Try to take him out very 4 hours if he is awake. You will be surprised how fast it will change.

Ezzy

Ear plugs! Mandatory equipment!

While by no means an expert, I followed the "a tired pup is a happy pup" mantra and just wore my puppy out each evening for the first few nights we had her home. Seemed to help. That said, I also slept on the couch (she was in the kitchen in the crate ~20 feet away) for a few nights which probably also helped as she could hear breathing (read snoring), etc.

We have had our GSP pup home for about 3 weeks now and I can tell you he will still cry and paw to get out. This goes on for the first few minutes (10-15) and then will settle down until he heres one of us get up or he has to go out. The going out part is another important part as he will need to go out every few hours for the first couple of months. Just make it a happy place for him and in no time he will go in on his own or if you say "Crate" (what ever you call it to him). Good luck and congrats on the pup, they are fun!!!

Sunday night lil Pete wailed at me in obvious pain from being put in a kennel. Last night I put three toys in with him and he did great until he heard me putzing around the yard. I think the worst is over. What a great pup!
David

one other thing yoou can do is get a clock that ticks put it in the creat under something so he/she cant chew it up the ticking sound seems to calm them down but as stated before just dont interact with the pup when its crying

I had about 3 sleepless nights when I got my GSP, she just wouldn't give it up. No coddling, I didn't acknowledge her behavior at all and completely ignored her. The only thing that eventually silenced her was sticking a shirt in the kennel with her that I had been wearing earlier in the day. After that, not a peep. I kept doing it for a few weeks and eventually didn't need it once she was completely comfortable. Now she's fine, but those first nights were horrible...

I'm no expert but with my current and previous pups...... I have always had them sleep on a dog bed on the floor next to me at the head of the bed leashed so that they could not stray off the dog bed...I also have had them sleep with a t-shirt that I've worn without washing......You are the pups new family/pack and with them sleeping in the same room they are smelling you for 7plus hours a night and associating that smell with their new "pack"....after 1st or second night I have never had an issue....when crating the dog for the day while at work we've also put in a t-shirt or blanket we (humans) have slept on....

I think with our first dog and then the ones after we've read and followed/adapted some of the "Art of Raising a Puppy" by the Monks of New Skete (sp?)....Found it very helpful.....

Good luck with your new addition!!

a radio works good also

I slept in the spare bedroom with the crate on the end of the bed. After the 3rd night I put the crate on the floor in the bedroom. Seemed to work OK for me.

Phil

I think the advice you have been given is correct. On that note, I let my last pups sleep with me on the first night, and they never soiled in my bed. They were/are perfect citizens.