[Cooper'sWorld]

I have a 3 month old maltese/yorkie we got 1 week ago and named Cooper. He's a sweetheart that is really calm and basically loves to curl up at our feet all day.
HOWEVER, he is the stinkiest dog I have ever been around! The day after we got him I gave him a good bath and he smelled desent then, but of course he isn't fully potty trained(ok, not at all) and has frequent accidents. Basically, everytime he poops I have to put him into the bathtub and wash the poop off his paws and behind, but I only use water since I've learned not to over-wash them. Even still with his baths, he seems to stink all the time anyways. The room with his crate just reeks to be in. I scrub the floors where he messes with cleaners so I know its not from that. I don't expect him to be completely odorless, but it's somewhat unbearable. He has that wet dog smell. How do I get rid of it between baths?

I am new to the dog-owning world. I never had one growing up, and this is my first one as an adult. I am a stay-at-home mom, so I have a lot of time to devote to this puppy, but I have to admit that the 4 baths I gave to him were really time consuming, even if they weren't really full baths. That didn't include the poop & pee clean-ups and puppy time. Not too mention the fact that we are sleep deprived because he cries and barks ALL night long. I have read all over the internet about potty training, but we are just not having any luck with it. He is just not interested. We've taken him outside 100+ times and he will JUST NOT GO. And he's also not interested in doggy treats. He couldn't care less about them. Same with doggy toys. All he wants to do is sit at our feet. The only time he will run outside is to chase after us if we've left him. He wants to be at our feet at all times.

We are exhausted, and don't know where to turn. Please someone out there help me! We love this puppy and don't want to fail at this!

[Debbie P]

I did not see any mention of your taking him to the vet. I am tired, so perhaps I missed it.

In my opinion, it is unusual for a 3-month-old puppy to not play, want treats, and just want to sit at your feet. He may be ill. He may need medical attention. Maybe just soooo unsocialized, as a result of the breeder, and your lack of knowledge.

Where did you get your little come from? A little more information would be of help. For instance, if your puppy came from a reputable breeder, my advice would most certainly be, contact the breeder. If your puppy came from a puppy-mill /backyard breeder, then you will receive different advice.

Please don't get me wrong. But your little one seems to have more problems than "potty" issues.

Please give detailed information, so we can give you some "educated' advice.

Most importantly, if you have not taken him for a vet check, then do that ASAP.

[Cooper'sWorld]

Thanks for responding!

We got him from a breeder, but I couldn't tell you if it's from a puppy mill breeder or not. We live in a smallish town and she had an ad online and we were looking for a puppy. Like I said before, we're pretty new to this. We did know someone who did get a puppy previously from this person and had good luck from her so we felt confident in that.

We haven't taken him to a vet yet, but I haven't found a reason to as of yet. Do you think this is a reason to? If so, I will call after the holiday and do so. I hadn't read anywhere that this needed to be done as soon as you got a puppy.

We've had him to Petsmart and spoken to several employees there about his issues with not liking the treats and they've tried several different types out on him and they didn't seem concerned that he wasn't interested. I guess since they weren't concerened I wasn't either. And I thought some dogs just liked to be held and be lap dogs. If he should be playing more, I will try to have this looked into.

Do you think the smell could be due to a health problem, and if so, what kind of health problems could cause this?

And I just wanted to clarify to my first post that when I said the 4 baths was wearing me out I meant that giving me 4 baths a day(to wash off the feces) was wearing me out. Not 4 baths total.

[CrzyBritNAmerica]

Originally Posted by Cooper'sWorld

Do you think the smell could be due to a health problem, and if so, what kind of health problems could cause this?

It could be. Has the puppy been vaccinated? Parvo can cause a nasty smell in dogs...and can be potentially deadly. Is the puppy having diarrhea or vomiting at all? Those are usually signs, but not always. A puppy being sleepy (lethargic) could also be a sign of this. If the puppy has not had all of its shots then I would certainly get him to a vet asap.

I really don't mean to freak you out, but it is a big concern we have with puppies that come into the vet office I work at and if the smell is that bad I'd have it checked out regardless of if he's had shots or not...

[Debbie P]

Originally Posted by Cooper'sWorld

Thanks for responding!

We got him from a breeder, but I couldn't tell you if it's from a puppy mill breeder or not. We live in a smallish town and she had an ad online and we were looking for a puppy. Like I said before, we're pretty new to this. We did know someone who did get a puppy previously from this person and had good luck from her so we felt confident in that.

We haven't taken him to a vet yet, but I haven't found a reason to as of yet. Do you think this is a reason to? If so, I will call after the holiday and do so. I hadn't read anywhere that this needed to be done as soon as you got a puppy.

We've had him to Petsmart and spoken to several employees there about his issues with not liking the treats and they've tried several different types out on him and they didn't seem concerned that he wasn't interested. I guess since they weren't concerened I wasn't either. And I thought some dogs just liked to be held and be lap dogs. If he should be playing more, I will try to have this looked into.

Do you think the smell could be due to a health problem, and if so, what kind of health problems could cause this?

And I just wanted to clarify to my first post that when I said the 4 baths was wearing me out I meant that giving me 4 baths a day(to wash off the feces) was wearing me out. Not 4 baths total.

At this point, the only advise I have, is keep him "confined" from the outside world, until 2-weeks AFTER his final vaccinations. Maybe too late for that though.

Talk to your vet, if you have one, ASAP.

Good luck to the puppy.

[briteday]

Any new pet needs to be seen by your own vet within 48 hours of bringing them home. And until they are cleared by a vet they should be confined to one room, away from other animals and children.

Any breeder who advertises online is not considered reputable by most. A good breeder has waiting lists for litters. And they provide lots of information and support throughout the life of your dog.

New pup need to have a full exam, bring a stool specimen (preferably fresh or collect in a disposable container and refrigerate), and get started on shots. It is very common for pups to acquire worms, often more than once. And your vet needs to give you a rundown of what shots are commonly given in your area (beyond the usual rabies and core viral vaccines, may need heartworm meds as well, etc) And remember to crate the dog when you are going to and from the vet. A loose dog in a vehicle is like a pinball if you have an accident.

Until then I would keep the dog confined to the crate except to feed 3 times per day and potty every 3 hours (in addition to first thing in the morning, after meals, and just before bed). And I wouldn't hesitate to put the crate in the farthest end of the house from the bedrooms at night if he can't reasonably settle down. Stop access to water 2 hours before bedtime.

After your vet check is cleared, then you really need to provide lots of stimulation for this puppy. It needs to be stimulated both mentally and physically. Play with it, take it outside to play hard with a ball or toy, run around, etc. Do not take the pup outside your yard until the series of puppy shots are complete. Until then it doesn't have enough protection from viruses that are all around everywhere. You can begin leash training him by starting with a collar. If he tolerates that you can put a leash on. Some dogs need to have a leash put on in the house and be allowed to wear it for 20 minutes at a time or so until they get used to it before they will actually walk on a leash.