He's home and it's day 1. Help!

[Ovi0717]

Hi it's me again.

I know I seem to post here a lot but that's because I'm not sure who else to call.
We got him home yesterday and all was calm until this morning. Where his separation anxiety has kicked in. I have him in the playpen in the living room right now where he's crying away calling out to me. Shall I go to him or leave him be? I don't want to make him an aggressive dog. I'm so new to this and not sure I'm doing the right thing?

[KeithMoonQuinlan]

Leave him. As soon as you start going to him he'll quickly learn that crying = your attention. It's difficult but he will settle down.


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[Ovi0717]

Thank you! He won't become an anxious dog, right? That's my fear... He's asleep now, in the pen. Once he wakes up, I take him out to do his business, have a little play and send him back in the pen?

[zeta1454]

The important thing with a new puppy is to establish a routine as soon as you can that will give him the reassurance that he knows what happens when as regards eating, sleeping, play etc. Young puppies need plenty of rest and to start with you are probably looking at 1 hour activity to 2 hours rest through the day. Give him time to explore indoors and out, spend time letting him get to know you and when you put him in the pen make sure he has safe chew toys to interact with if he needs to. Dogs can become anxious and fearful if they do not have a routine and if they are under socialised. There are a few links here that may help and do check out the Puppy Plan guide for new pet owners:

http://www.thepuppyplan.com/new-owner#.V2pPA5B4WK0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://m.youtube.com/user/Puppyplan" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qPGd7ElMCJ8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Good luck and do not worry. Give him plenty of love and care and a daily routine with lots of positive social experiences and he will be fine.


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[annie_a]

I recommend this book to so many people that I've started worrying that people may think I have shares in it. But it really was my bible during the early weeks. As I live alone I relied on this book, this forum and the schnauzer friends Facebook group. Gwen Bailey's 'The Perfect Puppy', get Amazon to deliver it to you asap or get your library to order it in for you. It's invaluable.


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[Kirsten]

Hi,

Try to catch your puppy at times when he is quiet in his pen (awake but quiet) and tell him what a wonderful puppy he is and give him attention. But keep your voice calm and low.

Just as you don't want to award him with attention when he is crying and acting up, you also do want to reward him with attention when he is being a peaceful puppy. But of course make sure he is getting plenty of sleep too.

Schnauzers are very smart and very quick learners. I think most of our guys crave love and attention more than anything and are eager to learn how to get it. Try to catch those moments of peace and reward them, then hopefully you will get more peaceful puppy moments.

[Ovi0717]

Thanks, annie. I will look into it.

Those are my favourite moments, Kristen. When he's peaceful and looking at me with his button eyes.

He's got really feisty now and I'm his favourite chew toy. We try replacing my fingers and toes with ice cubes, toys, carrots, etc. But he ignores all of it and goes right at my feet. If we tell him off, he looks sorry for a second but is back at it again! Help?

[Nina and Janet]

HI. A theatrical ouch, followed by 30 seconds of ignoring him (cross your arms like a mummy if he tries to engage you), each and every time he does it, and everyone doing and he will work it out. If he's licking faces a puff on air in his face works too.
Its early days yet but if you put these things in place from the start then he should start working it out. Jt

[Ovi0717]

Thanks for that, Jt!

[annie_a]

The biting will stop and the claws will become blunted once he's allowed out. It will pass, you just have to get through it for now.
I found a tub of sudocrem very helpful for bitten, dry & scratched up hands.


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[MiniSchnauzerNewby]

If the biting gets really bad, walking out of the room for a second really worked for me. Hope that helps.

[Ovi0717]

I put him back in his pen and leave him there. Wait, and take him out again. But then he forgets in a second and starts at it again. Considering bitter apple spray on my chewed up toes and fingers now!

[Clareew]

When Tizzy kept biting socks (her favourite), we put her out in the hall with the doors shut for 30 second or a minute. That worked because she wanted most to be with us.