Just got a puppy...advice please

Scruff101

Hi! We just got a puppy, a pug and he spent from 5am this morning crying. We were advised to put him to bed at night in a cage (the type used for transporting him) We put him in at 11.30pm but he was crying by 5am. Just wondering what is the best thing to do for puppies going to bed at night. Another thing is house training. We bought those training pads but he refuses to use them. In fact he wants to go outside the whole time to go to the toilet as if he has already been trained. But what happens then when we are in work. should we stop letting him outside and try to get him to use the pads?!??! One other thing.....how old does a dog have to be to live outside. THis little guy loves roaming around the garden so wondering if would be better to get him a nice big kennel in the back garden or should we keep him inside!!?
Please answer asap...I need help!

bernard0368

Dogs dont like fouling where they live eat etc, Let him out in the garden. The crying is normal ignore it and he will stop. Our lad done it for a week, we dont hear a whimper from him now. Do you really want to keep the dog in the house all the time, I would get a kennel and leave him out. There is more to keep him occupied in the garden.

the dee

I agree, sounds like he wants to be outside. And all puppies cry at night for a little while.

shinners007

why try train him to pads when the whole ethos behind them is gradually moving the pad near a door then outside!!! if he likes going outside then leave him, your little guy if every puppy owners dream when it comes to toilet training!!!

if he slept at 11.30 hey may want to pee at 5am!!! puppies bladders take time to regulate. its normal for him to be crying all puppies do it for a sort time.

if he likes being outside and ye'r at work all day get him a kennel & ensure the garden is safe & secure. Bring him in in the evening/night if you wish.

Puppies need excercis and stimulation also both indoors and outdoors.

fits

I think you should get up at 5am and let him out to go to the loo... He's still only a little fellow. He's just telling you that he needs to pee, and doesnt want to go in his bed.
Anyone who gets a new pup should expect to be getting up at least once to let the pup out.

I'd ignore the crying once he comes in and is back in his crate.

glineli

Was very lucky with our little westie, he never cried, not once.
On night 4 he was outside in his kennel and happy as larry. He is outside all day, loves it.

I would try to get a kennel, get him outside, sleeping and spending the day out there. Why not, as the other posters say, it will keep him more occupied and the worst that can happen is dig up the garden a bit!!!

fits

glineli wrote: »

Was very lucky with our little westie, he never cried, not once.
On night 4 he was outside in his kennel and happy as larry. He is outside all day, loves it.

I would try to get a kennel, get him outside, sleeping and spending the day out there. Why not, as the other posters say, it will keep him more occupied and the worst that can happen is dig up the garden a bit!!!

Some people do not leave their dogs sleep outside.
Some dogs are not hardy enough to sleep outside.

Personally I would never let a pup sleep outside on its own in winter.

hadook

I wouldn't personally put a puppy outside for the first time in November. Pugs are short coated and there's no way he'll be able for Irish weather right now.

If you are going to keep him outside while you work (I assume you've considered the boredom aspect of it and have toys/a dog walker/someone to drop in and break up the day etc) then it's probably best if you acclimatise him when the weather isn't so harsh.

the dee

We followed that logic with our dog and he now sleeps indoors all year round. Start as you mean to go on I'd say. Don't let him get used to being inside if you want him to be an outdoor dog and vice versa.

fits

I dont expect my dogs to live outside as they are a part of the family. I do not think they would get enough interaction with their 'pack' if they were kept outside.

I actually dont really understand why people keep dogs if they intend to keep them in the back garden (working dogs excluded).

Its no life for a dog to be stuck outside on his own with no interaction for 23 hours a day...

glineli

fits wrote: »

I dont expect my dogs to live outside as they are a part of the family. I do not think they would get enough interaction with their 'pack' if they were kept outside.

I actually dont really understand why people keep dogs if they intend to keep them in the back garden (working dogs excluded).

Its no life for a dog to be stuck outside on his own with no interaction for 23 hours a day...

Sorry I disagree. A dog is an animal, the natural environment for a dog is outisde, but thats just my opinion.
I dont know why you would assume 23 hours of no interaction though.

Our dog loves being outside, whether it being brought for a walk or playing etc

fits

glineli wrote: »

. A dog is an animal,

gee.. I never would have figured that one out if you hadnt told me. :rolleyes:

the natural environment for a dog is outisde,

says who? And dont start on the 'dogs in the wild' argument. Our domestic dogs are far removed from their relatives in the wild.

glineli

fits wrote: »

gee.. I never would have figured that one out if you hadnt told me. :rolleyes:

says who? And dont start on the 'dogs in the wild' argument. Our domestic dogs are far removed from their relatives in the wild.

Lets just agree to disagree. hows about that??

I guess people just have different opinions etc which they are perfectly entitled to.

Scruff101

Thanks for all the responses. As for leaving him home during the day while we work I work close by so I will be able to drop in once or twice during the day.Just wondering whether or not to leave him in house or in garden....he does seem happier in garden and we would get a kennel...etc for him. Then we could take him inside in the evenings....etc. Also any ideas on whether they should sleep in crate on on a dog bed in kitchen during night!/ Cheers!!

fits

Scruff101 wrote: »

Also any ideas on whether they should sleep in crate on on a dog bed in kitchen during night!/ Cheers!!

Crates are great for the house training phase. Its up to you after that.

echosound

Would agree with hadook. Pugs feel the cold a lot more than other breeds (we have a pug cross and she really feels the cold, and shivers even indoors on a cold day unless there's heating on).

I'd advise on having the pup either sleep indoors at night, or make sure you have a warm shed for sleeping in, just a kennel outdoors would be too cold IMO.

I would personally wait til the new year when the weather isn't as harsh to be leaving the pup outdoors all day during the day too, especially if your garden is shaded - again, from personal experience with our pug, she will do anything to get into whatever little patch of sunlight is going, to try to warm up if outdoors, whereas our other dog doesn't feel the cold as much or even at all, nor did any other breed I have had over the years. Pugs just seem to be especially susceptible to the cold.

fits

echosound wrote: »

Pugs just seem to be especially susceptible to the cold.

You should try a whippet...:eek:

Biggest Wimps Ever

echosound

fits wrote: »

You should try a whippet...:eek:

Biggest Wimps Ever

Ha ha ha true!

Scruff101

For the person who has the pug cross...how are they as they get older. This guy is such a handful....bundles of energy...but so much fun! I feel so bad hearing him crying during the night in that crate...and we aren't really using the crate for toilet training him either as he is fairly keen on going outside...would it be better leaving him in kitchen over night...maybe he will still bark and whine though!?

echosound

Scruff101 wrote: »

For the person who has the pug cross...how are they as they get older. This guy is such a handful....bundles of energy...but so much fun! I feel so bad hearing him crying during the night in that crate...and we aren't really using the crate for toilet training him either as he is fairly keen on going outside...would it be better leaving him in kitchen over night...maybe he will still bark and whine though!?

Right - we didn't have this pug cross from a pup, she came to us as an older dog needing to be rehomed, so I don't know how bad she was as a pup!

But, I can say, over the years as she's gotten older, she's naturally gotten a lot lazier due to age, she's content to snooze in the warmth, and can tend to be a bit stubborn (eg when being shooed off the couch and out to her bed at night, again it's the warmth issue, she's grand going out to bed if she knows her bedding will be warm - I am a big softie and chuck her blanket into the tumble dryer for 2 mins to give it a little heat) but is generally very good natured and loves lots of attention (she gets in a huff if she wants to jump up on my lap for a snooze and I shoo her down) and is a very loyal and obedient dog.
She's not overly noisy, doesn't bark much at all apart from a little wuff if there's a knock on the door, so your lad might get quieter as he gets older and less energetic too. One thing I will say about pugs - they can have the funniest personalities as the grow "up" - the teeth especially do it for me, she has a protruding bottom jaw and will actually "smile" when she's happy which always cracks me up.

Something I have noticed with pugs, although perhaps just the ones I know, rather than across the breed - they have very sweet tooths, so make sure for xmas you put any chocolate etc out of their reach - I came home one year to find she had managed somehow to get into a cupboard and pull out a tin of roses, pull the lid off, and work her way through a number of sweets - very dangerous for dogs of course. Also - watch your fella's weight, as they are already prone to breathing problems due to the short snout, so any extra weight will make them huff and puff.

As for your fellow with the crying, most pups will cry for a few nights, it's tough to listen to, but try to avoid going to check on them when they cry as they will learn this crying makes you appear, even if you are angry and telling them to shush. Perservere with the crate if you prefer this method, after a while they get used to it and will even go into it voluntarily as it's "their" space and their bed, IYKWIM. However if you want to leave him have the run of the kitchen at night, I find pugs don't tend to be as destructive as other breeds of pups WRT chewing stuff (possibly due to smaller mouth? not sure on that front really), so see how you fare with it.

lightening

fits wrote: »

I dont expect my dogs to live outside as they are a part of the family.

My dog sleeps outside. He gets very restless and whiney if he is left in when we are in bed. He loves to gard the house from outside.

Scruff101

Another puppy question....he barks like mad when we leave him in the kitchen on his own.....please tell me he will grow out of this too!?