[toughnlcentral]

This may seem like an odd question but the problem is not our new puppy - Oscar - a German Wirehaired Pointer who will be 9 weeks tomorrow but it is me. He's a pretty easy going pup except for his occassional and sudden bursts of energy. He sleeps well, doesn't bark, etc.

I cannot relax and havent slept much in the in the 10 days we've had him. I'm nervous, anxious, jumpy whenever he's not sleeping in his crate or in our laundry room. If he is running around the house, while we both try to keep our eye on him, he still has accidents, etc.

I guess what I'm asking is how do I realx with a new puppy in the house. I don't want him to get negative feelings about me. He obviously loves me an I'm trying to love him. My wife has been spetacular with him. I'm just scared to death that I will do something wrong.

We have him scheduled for puppy classes, crate train and confine in laundry room. Take him out to potty regualrly, etc... I just cant relax and enjoy him.

 

[cookieface]

Hang in there; it gets easier. I could have written your message except that my puppy was a 5 1/2-month-old standard poodle. The first few nights (um, weeks) I didn't get much sleep because I was checking on puppy all night: She's moving, is something wrong? She's not moving, is something wrong? I worried about her all day while I was at work. Worried all evening when she and I were home alone. I had brief moments when I wondered if I could return her because my anxiety was through the roof.

She's 14 months old now and still crated during the day because I'm too nervous to give her more unsupervised freedom - she's generally perfectly behaved in the house. But I have relaxed a bit. She can sleep without my checking her breathing, sit in another room without my constantly watching her, and even stay outside alone very briefly. Like you, I was worried about doing the wrong thing. I found Paul Owens' approach to puppies very helpful. He's a little hokey (e.g., meditate before training), but his overall attitude is positive and supportive.

Puppy classes should help. You'll be able to ask questions, talk to other puppy owners, and learn that you're not alone. Read the stickies here and ask questions. This is a great place with many helpful people who can answer just about any question. It's also one of the most supportive internet communities I've found.

Can I ask why he's running around the house? It seems that he's far too young for so much freedom. He could be tethered to you or confined in the same room with you with an x-pen or baby gates. That might alleviate some of your worry and prevent any undesirable behavior.

Good luck!

 

[Amaryllis]

My last dog died suddenly, so when Kabota got sick for the first time, I sat up all night watching him, convinced that every twitch was the start of a seizure.

You'll calm down with time.

 

[hanksimon]

free knowledge may help: http://www.dogstardaily.com/free-downloads

 

[titiaamor]

I totally get this. When we had a really bad storm and our puppies were only about 4 months old, I got up to check on them (they slept right thru bone-cracking thunder!) It was a pretty big storm, and the third time I got up my husband said 'will you please cut it out. they're fine! go to sleep.'

Tee hee. So I understand. But as they've gotten older I've calmed down a lot.

I also feel like I can know what to expect from them, so my trust in them and in myself is much higher.

 

[toughnlcentral]

Thanks for the replies - as I sit here and type this I am watching him sleep in his crate. He's fine and I hope to be soon.

 

[cookieface]

free knowledge may help: http://www.dogstardaily.com/free-downloads

I love Dunbar; his books and web site have great information. However, I got about a quarter of the way through Before You Get Your Puppy and was hyperventilating. He made me feel as though if I looked at the puppy wrong, (s)he'd be ruined. Maybe it was just me, though.

Thanks for the replies - as I sit here and type this I am watching him sleep in his crate. He's fine and I hope to be soon.

You sound positive It gets easier.

 

[toughnlcentral]

OK another quick question regarding crating and confining to small room. We crate Oscar at night with little problem. However, I was just called back to work starting tomorrow and now we have to confine him somehow. Both our vet and breeder said that crating him through the night and then putting him in our small laundry room during the day when we are working is fine. Consistentcy is key. We have a neighbor coming over to let him out 3 times during the day from the laundry room until we get home. Also when we leave should we try to keep the room dark or is light ok?

Will this be confusing to Oscar? Everyone has an opinion and it is difficult to know what is correct.

 

[RonE]

Everyone has an opinion and it is difficult to know what is correct.

Certainly true on an Internet forum as well.

My opinion is that it sounds like you've got it covered. Making a living and owning a puppy is always going to involve some compromises and we all do the best we can.

Regarding leaving a light on for the dog: My own observation is that it doesn't make much difference to the dog. If I leave a small light on where the dogs are, it's mostly so I myself don't trip over them in the dark.

 

[winniec777]

I love Dunbar; his books and web site have great information. However, I got about a quarter of the way through Before You Get Your Puppy and was hyperventilating. He made me feel as though if I looked at the puppy wrong, (s)he'd be ruined. Maybe it was just me, though.

Ha - I felt the same way! He really is a bit dramatic. But I used his methods and would highly recommend them (just did about 5 minutes ago on this forum, in fact). The only quibble I have is his faith in plain kibble as a motivator. He needs to discuss other rewards (food & non-food, e.g. getting to shred a paper towel is a big training motivator for my dog).

To toughnlcentral - it sounds like you're doing really well. I don't think I relaxed for a couple of months after we got our puppy. I was the sole caregiver during the week since my husband traveled at the time. So the whole schedule and early training were on me. And I was working about 10-12 hours a day at the time, some at home, thank goodness, so it worked out. Days started at 5:30-6:00, included lunch walks/feeds, and ended about 11:00 pm with lots of walks, training, and play. It was exhausting, I'll admit. But our super hyper, naturally fearful demon dog turned into a lovely adult dog we adore, so it was worth it.

Hang in there - you will all be fine. And welcome to DF!

P.S. RE learning to relax with him - the more you interact with him, take part in walks, daily grooming, and training, the more you'll relax. My favorite times with our pup are still sitting on the floor and doing puzzle games with her or grooming her. The classes and more active pursuits are fun, but the quiet times are still the best.

 

[Hambonez]

OK another quick question regarding crating and confining to small room. We crate Oscar at night with little problem. However, I was just called back to work starting tomorrow and now we have to confine him somehow. Both our vet and breeder said that crating him through the night and then putting him in our small laundry room during the day when we are working is fine. Consistentcy is key. We have a neighbor coming over to let him out 3 times during the day from the laundry room until we get home. Also when we leave should we try to keep the room dark or is light ok?

Will this be confusing to Oscar? Everyone has an opinion and it is difficult to know what is correct.

What is correct is having the dog in a safe place, and being consistent. Ours is crated at night, and in an expen in the living room during the day (with toys, an open soft crate with a blanket, and a bowl of water). It's light in there because of the windows. I don't know that you'd need to leave all the lights on for the dog, but if it's especially dark, maybe you could install a nightlight somewhere he couldn't get at it?

 

[JulieK1967]

Sounds like you're doing well. I was also a nervous wreck, terrified that I'd ruin Molly. Try to calm down, know that you're doing it right, and enjoy your puppy. The folks here are awesome for answering questions, too. We're going to need to see some pics of your baby....