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lindseyp
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lindseyp is offline  
Location: Surrey, England
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 15
Female 
 
12-01-2012, 06:57 PM

Puppy issues - whining, social anxiety & toilet!

Hey guys, I recently got a 3 month old german shepherd x alaskan malamute.
By recently I mean on tuesday. So, I know this it hasn't been long at all - but I really want to nip everything in the bud, rather than struggling on and realising I'm making mistakes, y'know? She's really come out of her shell now and settling in. I absolutely love her to bits already, however I would really appreciate some hints from you guys.

First issue is the whining. It's driving us mad! Of course she'll do it when expected - wanting something she can't have, or when you're leaving, but she'll also do it for no apparent reason. Ie, when she's pottering about, or even when she's having a chew on a toy, and so on. At the moment I've been ignoring it, trying to prevent any reinforcement of it, and then making sure she gets good things when she's not, or when she has stopped a minute ago, and so on...
figured i should also note, on the possibility of it being energy/boredom...she'll still do it even just after a long play session, or if i give her the fun toys, etc. obviously she's not whining 100% of the time, but equally i can't lavish attention on her 100% of the time.

Second thing is toilet training. I know this is such a common thing but I'd appreciate any pointers if you guys have one!
I've been taking her after waking, after eating, and approx 40 mins after eating...nothing. (I've started making notes of when she's fed & goes, so I can try and see a timing pattern)
As soon as you least expect it, she goes. So I make a sharp noise, go outside (she sticks to me like glue, so she comes).
Nothing. I've spent at least 10-15 minutes out there standing and sitting. Last time, I even gently squeezed her bladder as a test, LOL. Nothing. Give up...later, whether it's 5 minutes or 50, she goes.
I'm reluctant to lock her out there (like my dad's been telling me too) because she's very clingy at the moment, so she whines and yelps and whines some more. I'm obviously trying to work on shutting her in other rooms/outside for just a few minutes at a time and letting her in when she's quiet (see below same issue), but it still needs a lot more work.
So by locking her out there after beginning to toilet inside, I'd have to either trick or force her to stay out, and I feel like the only good that would do, is result on her being MORE clingy (ie, i leave her side and she disappears indoors), create fustration or destroy any trust, etc? Or am I worrying over nothing?

Thirdly - I'm not saying this actually is seperation anxiety, it's just the easiest way to put in a title!
She is a lot more clingy to me than my dad, I guess because she gets the most attention from me. But I leave her for one minute in the other room, even with toys & my dad available, and she's crying and crying and crying. This ties in with my worry above about putting her in the garden alone. I've been trying to do little and often for very short amount of time, and not giving her fuss when she finds me. Am I on the right track?

So yeah! Sorry any of this sounds really dumb. But I'd really appreciate any tips. And like I said, I'm aware it's early days. But so far neither are improving even slightly, so I just wanted to make sure I wasn't making any mistakes. Thank you!
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Lezley
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Location: Midlands, UK
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12-01-2012, 08:07 PM
Hi,

Do you have a doggie crate for her? I really did not agree with being a bit old school at first, but my two really adapted to them and settled for the night, or during the day for very short periods.
Toilet training I used puppy mats at first and picked them up when I spotted them twirling around.
Don't despair the majority of puppies are like infants they all toilet train, just at different ages. But be prepared for a few accidents.
Both of mine are exceptionally clean now and have been since 5 months..
Lezley
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smokeybear
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Location: Wiltshire UK
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12-01-2012, 08:46 PM
1 GSD are famously vocal
2 locking a dog outside will not TEACH the dog anything, it will only focus on what it CANNOT have, ie your company
3 Alone training will be easier if you use a crate.

If you want your dog to eliminate you must take the pup out on a lead, only for a few minutes, no success just put in crate.

This way you can clearly teach a dog that it is a toilet break not play time.

Have a look here.

http://www.deesdogs.com/documents/te...yhomealone.pdf

http://www.deesdogs.com/documents/separationanxiety.pdf
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lindseyp
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Location: Surrey, England
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12-01-2012, 09:13 PM
Thank you, that makes sense about being put outside. It felt wrong to me, I just couldn't think why in words. I have actually just ordered a crate, due in a few days. However, when you say just put in crate, is that not the same as locking outside (ie, no direct contact) or is this different purely because the crate will be trained as a positive place?
When I take her out for the loo I stand like a statue, however she still clings like glue and potters about...and doesn't go. Haha.

Thank you so much!
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Aviator
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Location: Hampshire, UK
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12-01-2012, 10:52 PM
Crate training might actually be very difficult given what you have described about the clingy behavior and getting her to see it as a positive thing when it means separation from you sounds like an up-hill battle.

The key to toilet training in my opinion is consistency. The following pointers if obeyed will work with a bit of patience:

1. Take her out straight after she drinks.
2. Ensure meals are at set times every day.
3. Take her out every 20 minutes after eating and during playtime.
4. The moment she starts circling, scoop her up and take her outside.
5. If she starts to go, scoop her up and take her out, she will stop.
6. Praise her and treat her everytime she goes outside.
7. When she has accidents, tell yourself it was your fault for not spotting the signs or not timing it correctly. Ignore her and calmly clean up the mess.
8. Thoroughly clean any accidents with biological washing detergent to break down the enzymes. This will remove the smell to the dog.

If your consistent with this, you will have potty training cracked in no time.

The whining is very probably her way of adjusting to the new situation of your house. I would continue to do as you are, ignore it for the moment. My guess is it will soon stop once it does not get the desired result (which is your attention).

Separation anxiety I am afraid is a case of toughening yourself against responding to every whim. Remember, try to set her up for success by leaving her when she is occupied.. either half-asleep.. chewing a toy or even eating. Return a couple of mins later and praise her if she did not whine. Leaving her when she is so new to her environment will get this response, she does not yet feel secure. It will get easier and easier.

Also and finally, don't worry about making mistakes, the single most important thing is getting that bond of trust in place, that usually means spending a great deal of time with her. The rest will follow. Don't try to be perfect in those first weeks, you will just get frustrated which will communicate itself to your dog.
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ClaireandDaisy
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Location: Essex, UK
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13-01-2012, 09:54 AM
If you want a quiet, independent breed...... you shouldn`t have chosen a GSD X.
Shepherds are vocal and needy. They want to be with their owners all the time, and bond strongly to one person, merely tolerating others.
If you accept that it`s easier.
They are also sensitive souls, which means they can become reactive through anxiousness. Work on your (positive) basic training and maintain your calm. A patient owner makes a calm dog.
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lindseyp
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lindseyp is offline  
Location: Surrey, England
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13-01-2012, 03:35 PM
Thanks very much for the advice, guys!
Aviator, about the circling - that's one of my problems, I'm still trying to find her precursors. She'll sniff, but lets face it...she's always sniffing :P otherwise she'll just spread her legs and she's going before you've noticed any warnings. But, it all helps, and she's at least better in the sense that when she has an accident, she's going in a specific place now, rather than everywhere.

You make a very good point about not being afraid to make mistakes. I think this stems from my dad - he would never punish the dog, yet berates me for any accidents, which after a while, does get at me, you know?

Claireanddaisy,
don't get me wrong, I love those traits - it's just when she appears anxious that I worry I'll allow a deeper problem if I don't nip it in the bud. (By nipping it, I mean the anxiety, not the nature of being vocal, etc).

Thanks very much guys, for all the pointers! I think I am far more worried about being perfect, like Aviator pointed out, then the actual realistic side of it.
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