Hi, I adopted a 8 weeks old Goldendoodle 4 weeks ago, and am struggling with him. Rather than going into my frustrations, I was hoping someone could answer a few of my questions.

-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? He has also started to bark after I re-crate during the 2am bathroom break.
-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). Is there anything I can do to help him not get bored during those times?
-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?
-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.
-He scratches his face or eyes a lot with his paws, any ideas why?

Thanks,
Joe in KC

OK...

1. Your dog always being hyper is normal. He is a puppy and is probably always excited when he sees you. The only suggestion I would have is to take him for longer walks and make sure he gets enough exercise. Since he is a pup he needs a lot more exercise now. This may get him to calm down, therefore he will sleep better. Also, after he gets fixed he may calm down. This happened when my dog got fixed and when a lot of people I know got their dog fixed as well. My dog was so hyper and never slept until I wore her out with trips to the doggy park and running.

2. It may sound silly, but I personally think dogs love to hear different sounds. I know many people who leave certain radio stations on for their dog. I always leave animal planet on for mine! Also, try lots of chewing toys. Try buying the one that allows you to put a treat in the middle. It will take him some time to actually get the treat out while entertaining him at the same time. (sold at all most pet stores.. just ask about it)

3. When correcting him about the mulch try rewarding him when he listens. Dogs are best trained with rewards... NOT punishment. When you say NO make sure to point your finger at him. He will then associate you pointing your finger at him as bad. If he stops eating it give him a treat and praise him.

4. You may try the choke collar and be firm with him. Again, try the praising when he listens as you say no. Bring tiny treats in a baggy with you on your walks and every time you say NO and he stops give him one. You will eventually be able to eliminate the treats and he sill still listen.

5. The scratching could be some minor allergies or it could be that he has some gook in there! He is just doing this because he is irritated with it. I usually help my dogs out by wiping their eyes softly (with a kleenex) for them when they will not stop.

Most of all, take a deep breath and realize that this is a puppy. He will make mistakes and continue to do so for a little while. You may also try taking him to a weekly dog training class. They are fun and allows your dog to play with others while you learn how to train him properly. Don't worry... all of this will get better with time and patience. Just stick with it!

''-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.

Joe, please follow labman's advice. He is our dog expert here and has a proven track record. A choke collar is most definitely the wrong thing to use on a young puppy. Also, regarding the toys filled with peanut butter, make sure they are Kongs. You can find them at any pet store. A lot of the toys made today are very easy for a young dog to tear up and choke on. You need one that is made specifically for tough chewers that won't fall apart.

Regarding the mulch, puppies will eating anything and everything. It is their way of experimenting, just like human babies who put anything and everything into their mouths. You do need to discourage him from eating the mulch. He should not be dragging you around and getting to whatever he wants. I think the Halti or Gentle leader collar is something you most definitely should invest in. I also think that it would be wise to start checking into puppy training classes in your area and enroll you and your pup into one. I suggest you speak with your vet for trainer recommendations. When you take a class you are shown exactly what you need to do physically, rather than just read about it. Any other new problems you encounter, can be discussed with your trainer.

I agree, No choke chains they can be dangerous. I have never seen any that come with instructions. So how does the common consumer know how to properly and safely use them. Also many people use them as collars and leave them on the dogs all of the time. Which is a disaster waiting to happen.
Training will be much easier if you have your puppy/dog neutered. He will have a better attention span if he is not vying for the position of alpha dog or concerned about reproducing. My neighbor's vet told her that her unneutered pug can smell a female in heat up to 5 miles away. No wonder he is always making a run for it.

Thanks everyone for the quick advise. Labman, I have read through your other posts, it is great info. I had tried the gentle leader once, but my puppy went nuts trying to get it off his nose. The training book I have, "The Everything Dog Obedience Book" says that the gentle leader's type collars will work, but are management, rather than training devices. I tried the gentle leader tonight on our walk, and it went a little better. Giving him treats when he walked next to me correctly, definitely seemed to work.

One other question, he is 12 weeks, roughly 20 lbs. When would he be able to make it through the night without having to go to the bathroom? He crashes around 9-9:30pm, and is up at 6am.

He is a good dog, and I think a lot the issues relate to his high energy level. The vet told me not to take him to the dog park yet, as he has not received all his shots yet. The dog park will help I think, as he loves other dogs.

Joe

He really be making it over night soon. We are very pleased our 8 week old did for the last week. Try taking the water up about 7 PM.

To better understand the vet' wise advice, see, Canine Parvovirus, What you should know about

Having a chance to play with other dogs will make a difference. They do need time with other dogs. Try to find others that are careful about shots and where they take their dogs for him to play with. It is dogs of unknown care you must avoid.