# Urgent Help Needed: My puppy is out of control, please help!!!!



## cockapoo (Sep 24, 2007)

I have a 6-month old cockapoo male and he has serious issues (PLEASE DO NOT SAY IT IS THE OWNER'S FAULT!!!!!!) I crate-trained for about 2 weeks and I thought it was completely potty tained. He would pee and poo on command right away and he would whimper when he needed to go when indoor. I left him many chew toys, bones, pig ears, hooves, etc while I was at work and I think this led to drinking excessive water. When I would come back home, he already peed somewhere in the house. This went on for about 2-3 months. I stopped giving him toys and bones when left alone but I thought it would be too cruel for a puppy since I am the only person who takes care my puppy. I started brining my puppy to work in a crate for the last 2 months or so. Now he can't be left alone AT all. Even if I leave the office for a minute, he starts whimpering or barking. I tried to leave him inside the house without the crate and he started barking right away. I think he developed some sort of seperation anxiety. 

Besides that, I think because he had so many chew toys at a early age he is always looking for things to chew. I chews and rips almost everything in his sight. Things out of the garbage cans, tissues, paper towels, shoes, strings, even wooden parts of the furniture. 

I do have the patience to re-train him but it might be too much for a first-time dog owner like myself. Should I send him to a training school or is this something I could fix? I was thinking about buying a huge kennel and put food/water bowl inside along with his toys. By this way, he will know to control and hold his potty and not be bored when left alone with his chew toys. 

What do you guys suggest?


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## chul3l3ies1126 (Aug 13, 2007)

Obediance school really should have been done right away. Now since you are having these problems, I suggest go to obediance school NOW. Try it out, see how it goes... it would be really great if you can have a well balanced dog to take with you to work. Obediance school worked wonders for people I know, I'm sure it would go well for you as well. GOOD LUCK.
Nessa


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## Curbside Prophet (Apr 28, 2006)

cockapoo said:


> PLEASE DO NOT SAY IT IS THE OWNER'S FAULT!!!!!!


We certainly can't blame the dog, so what's you're neighbor's name? We'll blame him. 



> I do have the patience to re-train him but it might be too much for a first-time dog owner like myself.


Why are you already defeated? You just have a dog who hasn't learned your house rules. There's nothing wrong with remedial house training. Read the sticky, get back to a schedule that works, and give the dog a break. 



> Should I send him to a training school or is this something I could fix?


You both should attend an obedience class. Owning a dog also means building a relationship with the dog. If house training is so frustrating that you don't want to build that relationship, perhaps the dog would do better in someone else's hands. But if you admit that, don't expect too much sympathy. This is a dog lover's forum after all. 



> What do you guys suggest?


I suggest remedial house training, using a crate or an exercise pen. Put him on a schedule, and stick to it. I would keep him at home, and if lunch time breaks are out of the question, hire a dog walker or a neighborhood friend to let him out as often as he needs, without accidents. Practice NILIF religiously, and find activities that you enjoy with your dog...relearn why the frustration are on a small scale.


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## Pax (Dec 19, 2007)

In addition to agreeing with what has been said - you didn't mention how long you are at work? Would some sort of doggie daycare be an option for your situation? 



cockapoo said:


> Besides that, I think because he had so many chew toys at a early age he is always looking for things to chew. I chews and rips almost everything in his sight. Things out of the garbage cans, tissues, paper towels, shoes, strings, even wooden parts of the furniture.


I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure this part, at least, is fairly typical behaviour for a six-month-old puppy.


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## Ella'sMom (Jul 23, 2007)

My cockapoo is 6 months old too and she seems to be going through a little "stage" as I like to call it. I have had to be firmer with her and work with her a little more is all. Good luck to you - I know how trying this age can be.


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## briteday (Feb 10, 2007)

Your house should be dog proofed. They can't chew something that isn't left where they can get to it. Close doors and use baby gates.

The dog should be crated at night, when you are not home, and any time you cannot have your eyes on the dog.

If you are away on work days for more than 8 hours (and your dog is no longer a puppy) get someone to come in midday to walk/play with the dog. Or find yourself a good doggy daycare, at least a few days per week. 

*Be sure the dog is fed two regularly scheduled meals per day, minimize treats (a small breed should not be getting all that stuff to eat while you are gone, it is like leaving a kid with a full candy jar every day instead of a few healthy meals), 
*exercise the dog at least 30 minutes per day, EVERY DAY, outside the house and yard (dogs need mental and physical stimulation too)
*pick up the water bowl two hours before bedtime
*walk the dog at appropriate intervals...rule of thumb...
hours a dog can hold it = age in months...4 months = 4 hours...that means day and night 24/7, set an alarm. If the dog is over a year old and still leaving messes in the house after it has been taken out regularly then you need to revert to basic training...take them out every two hours, when they awaken, after rigorous play, after meals, and right before bedtime.

*clean up any indoor messes with an enzyme cleaner available at the pet store. Urine attracts bacteria which dogs can smell and then they will return to the spot repeatedly. Clean up without fanfare or scolding, other than to slap your hand and say "bad human" for not taking the dog outside or not watching the dog.


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## Annamarie (Oct 14, 2007)

dogs need to chew constantly, especially at that age when they're teething. get him some safe chew toys like a kong teething toy. however chewing has nothing to do with peeing, that only has to do with how much water the dog drinks. dogs at 6 months are usually JUST able to hold it for 8 hours, before that i don't blame him for peeing in the house. a) you left him to have free run of the house instead of leaving him in a crate and b) his bladder wasn't big enough to hold it.

leave your pup at home, even if he's barking. if you give in you just teach him that barking will get him what he wants. he needs to learn to be by himself and putting him a crate will make him feel safer than running around a house, plus there is no opportunity for him to pee anywhere. 

if you must, leave him in an excersize pen with a litter box and a crate to in and out as he pleases. we did this with my pup when he was younger and we had to leave him for long periods. it wasn't too long before he no longer needed the litter box.


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## Dorygirl (Mar 16, 2007)

From the tone of your post, you sound a little frazzled. Your pup is going to pick up on that...take a deep breath and stay calm. Sit down and think of what you want your day to be like with this dog, what behaviors you expect of him, how you want the schedule to be...If you are certain about what you want, he will sense that you mean business. Keep the rules consistent. Don't bring him to work. Obedience classes will help tremendously and they are a lot of fun. Good luck!


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## Canadian Dog (Nov 3, 2007)

Lots of good advice - _you_ will have the pet _you_ want because _you_ make it what it is.


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