''-Why doesn't my dog ever seem to sleep? I put him into his crate around 9:30pm, get up a 2am to let him out to eliminate, and get up at 6am. He is always up and wired every time, how is that possible?''
Dogs vary. Most young puppies will be up for about an hour and then crash and sleep for at least a half hour. A few are Energizer Bunnies. That certainly isn't common, but a few are that way.
'' He has also started to bark after I re-crate during the 2am bathroom break.''
My laying down in front of the crate that I describe in the sticky at
https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/i...tml#post251802 should help.
''-Do dogs like music or sounds from a TV? I feel bad that I have to crate him 4-5 hours in the morning and afternoon (work in a corporate job).''
None of them have ever said. Many people suggest it. On the grounds that it might help, I always do it with a new puppy. Frankly none of the conventional advice seems to work.
''Is there anything I can do to help him not get bored during those times?''
Try the Kong with peanut butter in it trick. It lasts even longer if you freeze it.
''-I have corrected him probably 50 times when he eats the mulch around the trees in the yard. But every time we go out, he runs straight to the mulch again. I'm worried he may choke on it. Any suggestions?''
Unless it is cocoa shells, some things aren't worth fighting.
''-Walks. No matter how many times I correct him, he still pulls ahead on the leach when we walk. People have told me not to use a choke collar, but once he is full grown (will probably be 75 lbs) it will be hard to physically control him.''
You have been told not to use a choke collar because it is too easy to injure a 12 week old's trachea. It is unfortunate that somebody that doesn't know that, is giving out bad advice. Actually, I think if you are abusive enough, you can injure a dog with almost any kind of a collar. In the past, I have laid some powerful corrections on dogs using a choke collar. Along with much of the dog world, I have moved on from that. All but the most recalcitrant young puppies can be controlled before they are 4 months old with the flat collar and patience. If you must have something more with a younger puppy, use a fabric restricted slip collar. These are sort of a cross between the conventional flat collar and the slip collar. Some of them are adjustable, Good for a growing puppy. They have a fabric loop at one end with a metal ring holding the other end in the loop, allowing it to slid back a forth. Find one, or adjust one to where it will go on over the puppies head, but will not tighten up past a snug fit around the neck. Put it on the same way as the metal slip collar. The service dog school my Pepper and Holly belongs to uses them on all their dogs, puppies and working dogs, except where they must use a head collar. The puppy I had last fall was one of the worst ones I have ever seen about pulling. I put her in a head collar at 11 weeks.
The leading brands are Promise, Haltie, and Gentle Leader. They have a strap going around the dogs nose looking something like a muzzle. They work by pulling the dogs head around. No other way gives you such great control with so little force. The prong collar is now a dangerous relic of value only for its macho looks. Do not consider using one without hands on instruction from somebody with plenty of experience with them.
Technique is very important too. Mostly it is about not going forward when the leash is tight. One gentle technique I like is to just stop when he pulls. He wants to go. If you move forward when the leash is slack, and stop when he pulls, he should quickly figure out the only way to get to go, is not to pull. This is about teaching him not to pull, not getting somewhere. The man that taught it to me said "If in a half hour you haven't made it out to the front walk, fine, you have taught him a lesson. Pulling the dog backwards is a good technique too. I saw a very effective demonstration of it a year ago at a training seminar I attended. That technique, along with the head collar was quite effective with my problem puppy.
''-He scratches his face or eyes a lot with his paws, any ideas why?''
Something may be irritating his eyes, one for the vet.
As I mentioned, read through the sticky. Teaching him to accept your leadership will help with all of the above. I list obedience training in the sticky. Here are some more things that work well with a young puppy:
''Elevation for small puppies: Sit on the floor and gently put your hands around your pup's middle, below his front legs, and lift him up. He is facing you. Hold him for 15 seconds. Repeat until he no longer struggles. If he is past 10-12 weeks, lift his front feet off the ground, but don't pick him up.
Cradling for small puppies: Hold your puppy gently on his back, as you would cradle a small baby. If he struggles, hold him firmly until he quiets for 10-15 seconds. With larger pups, you can do this as your sit on the floor, with your pup between your legs.
Quiet lying down: Place your pup on the floor on his side, with all 4 legs pointing away from you. Use your hands on his neck/shoulder area and middle, to hold him in this position. When he is quiet, praise him. Lengthen the time that you keep him quietly in this position. When he accepts this position well, handle his paws and muzzle, while keeping him quiet.''
The quotes mean this isn't my original work. It is copied from my Puppy Raising Manual. I have long used these or minor variations of them, and they are very effective. You may want to give him a belly rub while he is on his back too. Helps bonding. There is a big difference between him rolling over and demanding a belly rub, and you choosing a time to roll him over and rub his belly. The latter cements your place as pack leader.
This is long. You have many issues. There are books written on training dogs. In fact, I have a list of them in the sticky too.