# Bruce the Brussels Griffon is home.. and I need some advice on a few things!



## Whittyb958 (Jul 24, 2011)

Well, Bruce is home! I went to pick him up this Saturday and overall its been a smooth ride.

He is responding to the clicker now.. and I have taught him to sit already! He is responding to his name (working on that with him and the clicker) and will make eye contact with me when I call him.

I have a list of things I want to work on with him.. but patience is a virtue!

The one thing I am struggling with is potty training. When he came to us- he went to the bathroom on the puppy pads without us even directing him. First two days there were 0 accidents. Now, he won't even think to GO to the potty pads. I have to catch him mid potty and run to the pad. Sometimes he makes it to the pad in time- other times we have pee pee trail on the carpet. Ha. 

I would say there have been one or two times where he has gone and we didn't notice him squatting. I have basically been keeping a hawk eyes on him- but one time he came by me and sat down.. loved.. and when he got up he had peed! 

What do you think the reasoning behind him not trying to go on the pad is? I am going to keep on keeping on.. trying to get him to realize he needs to go on the pad. Now that he understands the clicker- I am going to click him when he goes on the pad and then give him a treat. Hopefully this will work.

Another thing- eating out of the bowl.

He is NOT interested. We put his food in the bowl and he just looks at it and walks away. He'll take it from me when I feed him from my hand or one pellet at a time his on the floor. Even then, he loses interest and doesn't eat nearly as much as I honestly would like. 

Any suggestions with that? 

Now whining during the day. He is gated off in the kitchen with his bed, toys.. puppy pads.. food bowl and dish. We put the camera in the kitchen yesterday to see how he behaved. He literally cried.. the.. entire... time. 

I tried giving him a kong with peanut butter to get him distracted- he didn't care. This morning I sprinkled some freezed dried chicken around the kitchen.. and that actually worked for about 5 minutes. I grabbed my keys.. purse.. went to the door- he was quiet. Then.. he realized SHOOT! MOM IS GONE AND IM LOCKED IN HERE! AHHH!! and freaked out.

My concern is that we live in an apartment complex. I don't want my neighbors hating us! What do I do to help curb that?! 

The vet suggested an herbal remedy to help calm his anxiety. 

Any other suggestions? I know a lot of this is just puppy behavior, as well as first time away from his family + getting used to us.. but I am just an overly concerned mommy.  I also feel beyond guilty about leaving him during the day. Ahh! 

Here is a picture of Bruce as an ewok..


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## luv2byte (Oct 21, 2009)

We use 'composure' chews w great success in stress levels.


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## Ginagbaby1 (Jul 26, 2011)

Maybe he's getting the feeling (under his paws) of the puppy pads mixed up with the feeling of the carpet sine they are both a soft surface? Will he always be pottying indoors or will you be making the transition to having him potty outdoors? (I know you live in an apt). With the whining, I know it's hard but he's a puppy and is probably stilll getting used to his new home. How old is he? Have you tried maybe having him in a crate inside the kitchen? We sectioned off Casper's crate pretty small. I also try to tire him out before we leave the house. Since he's a mini poodle and is still young, he gets tired running around the living room and kitchen a few times.


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## Fuzzy Pants (Jul 31, 2010)

As far as the whining problem, I can only tell you what worked with my pup. When I first got her and would put her in her playpen so I could do laundry, etc she wouldn't whine so much as SCREAM! I live in an apartment too so I immediately started teaching her that whining gets you nothing. When she whined I would cross my arms over my chest and turn my head to the side until she quieted down. If she still didn't quiet down I would take a step back. If she quieted down I would let her out of her pen. If she still whined I would keep on turning my head to the side and back away from her until I'd backed myself out of the room and out of her sight. I stayed in the other room until she quieted down and then I would go let her out of her pen. I had to do this for about 3 hours the first day. Each day she caught on quicker, calming down and being quiet quicker until finally she could be left in her pen and she'd be quiet until I let her out. I had to do that each day for about 4 or 5 days before I could put her in her pen without her whining. It is like a battle of wills and you can't give in no matter how bad you want to.


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## Whittyb958 (Jul 24, 2011)

Thank you guys for all the advice!

To answer a few questions- he is almost 10 weeks old. We WILL be taking him outside to be potty trained once he gets all his vaccinations. For now, the puppy pads are what we are using to help keep the accidents to a minimum. It didn't occur to me that maybe the carpet and the pads feel the same. I am patient, I know hes only been here for a few days- so I am not stressing it. I just didn't know why he went from religiously going on the pads the first few days to not even thinking of going over to them. 

When he reaches 4 months, he will have the pads during the day and then when we get home he will be scooped when we see him peeing and QUICKLY run him downstairs. The pads will eventually be taken away when he is old enough to control his bladder. 

Regarding him "whining" while we are gone. Yes. It isn't so much a whine as a screech... followed by this really deep whale noise. We recorded him in the area the first day because we wanted to see what he did/ how he behaved/ etc. 

I couldn't help but laugh because- really? Where the heck did that wookie deep noise come from? 

I went to the store to try to find the calming bones. They were out of stock at Wylie Wag, but they gave me a sample bone from the same company to see if he would like it. He chewed it all evening- so that seems to be a winner.

The vet also suggested Rescue Remedy. It says to give him 4-6 drops but because hes a little puppy... I gave him 2 drops on a treat today. 

When I came home after work yesterday he had smeared poo ALL OVER his space. It was like he pooped then freaked out and rolled in it- got it on the wall, etc. 

I cleaned it though- and am hoping to not come home to the same thing. On the plus side though, it WAS on the pad.. just trailed everywhere else. 

HE WAS quiet when I got home from work though. I am not sure how long it takes for him to calm down, but eventually he obviously does.

My soon to be mother in law (who is a dog training/ agility nut) suggested getting him a larger stuffed animal so he could cuddle with it? Has anyone done this before? 

Thanks for the advice all. I get not giving him any attention for whining. It makes sense to cross your arms and look the other way. Thats what I do when he play bites. I yelp and pull my hand away and avoid his eye contact. I will try that.

I am TRYING to do some clicker training with him when he learns the kitchen is a cool place. I've been clicking for him staying in the kitchen with me, then I leave and when he runs back into the kitchen I click. He then just stays in without the gate up and I click.

I haven't tried putting the gate up yet and clicking for him being calm and not jumping. I don't want to push it too quickly.


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## Fuzzy Pants (Jul 31, 2010)

It wouldn't hurt to get him a large stuffed toy. I picked up a large, stuffed, squeaky bunny at Target for my pup when I first got her and that is still her favorite toy. When I got her she was all of 3 lbs and half the length of the bunny. She would play bow at it to try and get it to play with her and then would spend hours wrestling with it until by the end the bunny was on top of her winning the wrestling match. Now she loves to grab its head and smoosh it on the floor or my leg to make it squeak. She also sleeps and snuggles with it in her crate every night. The first thing she does every morning, well, after eating and pottying is run back to her crate to drag her snuggle bunny out even though she has a toy basket with about 10 other stuffies to play with.


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## Whittyb958 (Jul 24, 2011)

Alright, sounds like I need to purchase a larger stuffed animal. It will have to be an elephant because, well- that's my favorite .

Thanks for the advice. I'll keep you updated on how hes doing as days go by


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