[surfer_girl]

Hi,

I was wondering if anybody with puppy experience could help me with some questions that I have.

We picked up our puppy 2 1/2 weeks ago. She's a x-breed (her mum has some terrier but was in the pound so history unknown - her dad?? / who knows). She's now 9 1/2 weeks old. We got her from a rescue home, where the mother had her pups & they were raised until 7 weeks old.

She was fine for the first first few days, but both me & hubbie were home for 4 days over the bank holiday. We also had a few visitors over that time & she was fine with them. We did notice that she was rather clingy (always sitting under our legs & following us from room to room, but thought this to be normal)

Btw, this is our 1st puppy & we have 2 cats and I work from home for most of the week.

The main problems we are experiencing are:

* If we have to leave her alone we put her in the kitchen (we have now put a crate in the kitchen this week as a safe place for her which she seems to like to use from time to time & I take her to the kitchen to sleep once or twice a day so she is used to being in that room). When we levae her in there we tend to leave her a few toys, water & some biscuits in a plastic bottle that she can eat when she works out how to get them out (she hasn't mastered this yet so isn't bored of this game). As soon as we leave her in the room she barks & she barely stops until our return (we know this as on days when I haven't had to go out I have still left her in the kitchen to try & get her used to being left alone). She also wees & poos almost every time (despite being taken outside beforehand & no matter if she is left 10 minutes or 2 hours). I have tried playing with her beforehand, but she doesn't play very well at the moment (I'll come to that later). Admittedly she does seem a little better these last few days but it's still very bad & the neighbours have made comment. On our return she is very very exciteable jumping up, tail wagging, ears back a little & she then follows us wherever we go until she falls to sleep (which she often does as she runs around the kitchen very frantic). Also if I leave the room & leave her in it, or if I pop upstairs, she will bark & bark & bark (& often has an accident - even after only a minute! ). I read you shouldn't return whilst she's still barking, but I can't stay upstairs forever, I find myslef waiting for that 2 sec gap sometimes as I fear I will never get down otherwise.

* We have 2 cats & in order to give them a safe haven we have put a stairgate across the bottom of the stairs so that the cats can get up & down to the spare room but the pup can't. The problem here is that the pup will, at various times throughout the day, go to the bottom of the stairs & bark & scratch at the stair gate trying to get up. Whether this is because she knows they are up there & so are their food I don't know (when we take her up to bed that's where she aims straight for every time despite having a stern no every time). Her barking is so shrill that the cats are now petrified to come & go they are not eating their food (although we just found out that our neighbour (who feeds the local stray cat is now putting down 2 saucers of food - 1 for our cats!! - of course we have asked her not to but she says it's no problem - it is to us! )). Does anybody have any suggestions about what we can do re our cats? We never see them anymore as they are too scared to join us downstairs & when I do go up to see them I have to contend with the permanent barking of the dog upstairs, which is not enjoyable for the cats, me or the pup.

* I work from home, but at the moment I would say that I work from home rather unsuccessfully. I am struggling to get 1/2 a days work done unless I work right into the evening, which is not feasible long term (plus I don't have it authorised to do so). I am finding that I can work when pup sleeps (which isn't always for that long), but whilst she's awake it is almost impossible. I am up & down like a yo-yo. Constantly saying NO! To whatever naughtiness she is up to & giving her a toy that she is allowed to play with. I have tried to play games with her when she gets lively, but she just attacks me (starts with biting at foot or leg & when I say NO she then growls, goes on her back legs & jumps up biting). Sometimes isolating works, sometimes it makes her worse. Her games can go on for a good couple of hours. I think she is quite clever as when you say NO she will sometimes have this look in her eye & go off & do something that she knows is naughty, like jumping in the flower borders or onto the couch. I really don't know what to do re my work, I have deadlines to make & I am felling behind. I really didn't realise that looking after a pup would be so time intensive (maybe that was my own naivety or maybe we have a difficult pup that needs more attention & time than we can give?)

We have spoken to the rescue home & told them that we're not sure if this is going to work, we are really concerned about our cats, my work & also her distress when being left alone. We need to work out what is best to do for all parties involved.

Any help that anybody can give would be appreciated.

Many thanks

[shazamataz]

Sounds like she has a bit of sparation anxiety, remember that until you took her she was with all of her brothers, sisters and mother.
Try leaving a radio on when you go out or television.
Leave the room and the minute she starts barking just pop your head around the door and giver her a firm "NO"
Continue this for longer and longer periods at a time. It will take time to correct being so young but it can be fixed :)You can alos try this with the pup scratching at the gate.

As for the cats, I would explain to your neighbour again that you barely see your cats anymore and you would like her to stop feeding them as you really miss them. Hopefully she will understand if you explain the situation to her a little more :)

As for not getting your work done, unfortunately puppies are naughty and until she is a bit older and you train her she will continue to be naughty :)

[charlies_mom]

I feel your pain! I am going through the same thing with my 10 week old golden retriever puppy. Same situation, he came from liter of 10 pups and I also work from home. We also have a cat who just had 3 kittens. I found some things that have helped me are keeping him on a tight schedule. First thing in the morning out of the crate he goes potty, then we go for a long walk so he get's tired out. Then he has breakfast then after another 20 minutes he gets another potty break. By this time he's ready for a nap or quiet time to play with some toys. If he plays quietly he can stay in my office with me, if not he goes in utility room with door closed and if he barks in there he goes outside, if he barks outside (we have fenced in yard), he goes on the tie out. After staying consistent for about 3 weeks now he's starting to get the hang of it. I was beginning to wonder how I was going to get work done also, but it will work. I also take him for walk during my lunch break, that helps too.