# Toilet training and entertaining unvaccinated puppy in apartment



## Dee2727 (Aug 22, 2014)

I am a first time owner and I have had my puppy for a week now, and though she is a sweetheart, she is much more energetic than anticipated at this stage. She is a nine week old Keeshond and constantly wanting attention, or to play, though she has the attention span of a gnat. 

The problem is, I live in an apartment. I have no outdoor space safe for her before her vaccinations are complete.

She is currently restricted to my kitchen due to toilet training. The breeder trained her to pee on paper and outdoors, and poop outdoors. However, as great as she is with this, as soon as she is on carpet she squats and I must whisk her back to the kitchen. She seems to prefer the surface, weirdly. I was wondering if the texture reminds her of outdoors. She is pooping on paper now, though doesn't seem happy about it as she whines for my attention every time she has done it, and then goes mad when I try to clear it away for her!

Anyway, I am unable to start crate training her until she is able to go outside, which means she cannot yet have the run of the apartment. My kitchen is quite large, plenty of space for her to run around, but the floor is slippery and I am worried she'll hurt herself slipping and sliding into things. Getting carpeted flooring for it is out of the question, for obvious reasons.

I don't know how to help her burn off her energy. I try playing with her with toys, but her attention is gone after a minute and she just lies down and stares at me. At that point I think she is done playing, so I pet her for a bit then go to leave her to rest, but then she chases after me or starts running around like crazy again. I have been training her to try and use up her energy that way. She knows "sit", "to me", "shake", and "in your bed" already. But it's not enough. She picks things up too quick, there's no challenge for her so she gets bored quickly.

She has no real interest in toys, even though I rotate them as advised, and she doesn't give a hoot about her kong, even if I put cream cheese (which she LOVES) in there. She doesn't want to work for it. She would be happiest if I just hand fed her treats all day, I think.

I took her to someone else's house for the first time the other day, and she went mad there too, running around, and even though there was paper right there for her, she kept going to squat on the carpet. I watched her like a hawk, distracting her every time she did this, and no accidents were had, but she did NOT want to go to the paper no matter how desperate she was.

I have signed up for puppy training classes for when her vaccinations are done and dusted, and I long for the day when I can take her out walking and exploring, there are lots of beaches and forests and parks where I live, plenty for her to get excited about. It was one of the reasons I wanted a dog, but until then I am at a complete loss as to how I can settle her down and make her happy and help her expel that energy.

Any advice would be much appreciated. Please help!


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## Godwit (Apr 7, 2014)

My dog LOVES to play tug and fetch. I don't get to walk him some days but every evening we spend a lot of time tossing toys and tugging in the living room, so maybe she likes those games too. You can take her places where you KNOW unvaccinated dogs haven't been. If you have friends who have dogs up to date on their vaccines you can take her there and let her play with them! Keeshonds have BOUNDLESS energy, my dog can walk miles and play all day. The training and puppy classes should really help, but you might need to get creative with the exercise routines though to find something that works for both of you.


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## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

Do you have a balcony? You could also get one of those "potty patch" things that was advertised on tv a while back (I think they still sell them) so your puppy could have a place to go that kind of resembled grass til she is done with her shots?


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

You can also take her for rides in the car (she may get car sick, but they grow out of that), and you can go in some hardware stores, as well as most petstores, as long as she doesn't walk on the floor. You can carry her or keep her in a shopping cart. You might also visit Vet waiting rooms, but ask the Vet's advice first.

As far as training... keep it up! I believe that the more training that you provide early, the easier it is to continue and to add to training as the dog matures. Right now, do multiple, 10-min. training sessions throughout the day, (Stop at 10 minutes, even if she wants more).


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## Viantha (Aug 12, 2014)

Our little Sammy is in the same situation. In our apartment we have a passageway which we use to run up and down, usually at 30 minute spurts 2 or sometimes 3 times a day. I usually throw one of his toys from one end to the other and he sprints to go get it and bring it back, or we play tug of war. Sometimes I just run up and down with his toy in my hand enticing him and he chases me, and sometimes my husband and I will stand on opposite ends and throw one of his toys to each and he plays monkey in the middle. He has now also learnt that catches works both ways, so sometimes he fetches his toy, brings it back to me, but when I go for it, he turns around and runs, and I must then run after him!

I also try to take him to different friends houses who don't have pets and don't mind having him around - just to help socialise him more. I also try to invite lots of people over from time to time, so he doesn't spend his first 16 weeks in isolation (4 weeks to go before I can take him out!) I know how you feel about not taking your little one out - I literally count don the days till we can take Sammy out and let him be a puppy!


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## Girl52 (Sep 26, 2014)

I am also feeling challenged with my cute little monster! Desi is an 8 1/2-week old standard poodle puppy who doesn't get his second round of shots until a week from today. We've had him for a week, and are also confining him to kitchen and not able to go walk around the neighborhood yet. He is sometimes occupied with his toys, but also jumps up on the cupboards and trys to chew the pulls; tries to eat the jackets of cookbooks on the low shelf; eyes and jumps up for the hanging cords of window blinds, etc. Whew! I knew about puppy-proofing, but this is really something.

Discharging that puppy energy is tough, too, because tossing the ball in any way gets him so riled up that he nips/play bites my ankles and calves and yesterday almost tore my jeans. I'm trying "be a tree;" withdrawing attention/leaving the room; and doing time outs in crate. I understand it can take a while for this learning to kick in. So I'm in for another LONG day today with fang (I mean sweet little thing)! LOL.


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