[lauren425]

Hi everyone and thank you in advance for any responses. Three week ago I purchased a male Boston Terrier, named Dutch, from the local pet store. I knew it was wrong to get a puppy there, but I couldn't leave him there. Anyway, issue number one... housebreaking. Dutch will eliminate in the cage. Doesn't matter if he is in there for 15 minutes or 3 house I will come home to a wet cage, this includes night time. At night every 2-3 hours he cries/barks/whines, I get up right away so I can try take him out before he pees, but he has already peed in his cage. So currently he has been going 3-4 times a night. I do not know if he poops in the cage because I have discovered he will eat his feces. I know crate training a pet store puppy is difficult, but I have tried everything. The crate is covered with a sheet to give it more of a den feel and has enough room for him to turn around and lay down. The bottom is just plastic, I do not put any blankets in it. I take him out on the lawn with a leash give him his pee command and he goes right away, then he gets major praise. We do not play on the grass with him, he is only on it to do his business.

He is on a strict schedule, 5:00 he wakes me up, take him out for a pee, put back in cage until 6:00, then take him out again for a pee, come in and feed him, 6:15 take him out again for poop and pee, then on to the deck for play time, 7:00 in cage, 11:30 boyfriend comes home to take out for pee and stays until 12:30, then I come home take him out until 1:30, then back in cage, get home from work at 4:00, pee, food, pee and poop, 6:00 take on walk, I take water away at 7:00 then pee gain before bed at 10:00. He usually wakes up at 11:30, 1:30, 3:00 and then 5:00. I was starting to think he was suffering from anxiety, he will bark in the cage the entire time he is in it and when you take him out his heart is beating a mile a minuite also for a good 10 minutes after you take him out he just whines at you. I ignore it. So last night I decided to try sleeping on the couch with him, just so I could get some sleep sleep, well no crying I just woke up to a pee spot at the end of the couch at 5:30. Anyone have suggestions?? I need sleep...

Problem 2... I have another dog a 16 month old 90 lb boxer sheperd mix. He is a great dog, very docile. Well the puppy will not leave him alone. Comes at him sounding like a gremlin, snarling barking and growling all mixed into one sound. I can't tell is the puppy is just playing or is being aggressive. A lot of the times his ears go back, but he doesn't show his teeth. If anyone has experience with boston terrier play, please let me know is this is normal. I know this was a lot to read so thanks again in advance!

[JudyKayTee]

How old is the puppy? You have several issues - I don't know how long he was in the pet shop, pretty much ignored; he's a baby and acts like a baby; most puppies act like gremlins (I LOVE the phrase!) until the older dog knocks him down a peg or two; he's from a puppy mill and could have problems. And then there's the fact that he's a puppy - again.

Has a Vet checked him over?

[lauren425]

Let me also add, I have tried laying in front of his cage, this only seems to make the problem worse...

[lauren425]

He just thurned three months, he was at the pet store for two days. I think he was more from a bad breeder then puppy mill. I looked the person up that was listed on the pedigree. My older dog, more like older puppy, is not going to put him in his place, I don't even think the older dog unterstands the concept of dominace. The vet has looked him over and everything seems fine. He goes in on Tuesday for his final puppy shot, so I will discuss things with him. I don't think it is a UTI because it isn't frequent small pees and it seems like he can hold it when he wants to...

[JudyKayTee]

I would say the bad behavior is a cry for attention - the more you enforce by appearing when the puppy carries on the worse the carrying on will become. I'd "try" to ignore him.

I had an older dog like that - he was baffled when the puppy jumped in his face. Eventually he had enough, growled from his toes, the puppy fell over backwards, that was the end of that.

It's going to take patience and more patience and perhaps ear plugs.

[lauren425]

I have tried to ignore it during the night, the noise just gets gradually louder and louder, it serious sounds like someone is killing him, one night I let him go for two hours before I just couldn't take it anymore. It seems like he wakes up whimpers for 30 seconds, then I think he gets scared/anxious cause he is in the cage and will get louder and louder until you come. When I go to him all I do is pick him up take him out side, clean the cage and then put him right back in there. He will whimper for 30 more minutes then go to sleep again (I think). The process will repeat 2 hours later. I tried moving his cage into my room where the "pack" sleeps (me, boyfriend, cat and older dog) that made the problem worse.

Think I might just have to invest in some ear plugs...

[JudyKayTee]

I didn't have this problem with my GSD BUT she didn't like the kennel. I bought a puppy pen (like a child's playpen), a large one, put the kennel inside the pen, put her in the spare bedroom and closed the door. Not one peep out of her. She was a very "good," non destructive puppy, so I took the pen and kennel down in a very short period and gave her the run of the house.

I'd try a pen arrangement - and a distant room.

And earplugs.

[lauren425]

Thanks for your help! I will try that tonight!