New to forum...first puppy EVER!!

Hello All!! I wanted to introduce myself, I'm Cameshia, but "Mesha" will suffice. I am a mother of four and on Sunday, I became the "grandma" of a new baby boy pup, cocker spaniel, named "Leo". This is a first for "ALL" in my home and I needed to find a forum where I can discuss this new beginning. For now, I'm trying to get Leo trained to the point where he doesn't do his business in the house but rather outside. He sleeps all night without waking which is a blessing. He can go up to approx. 4hrs during the day without a restroom break. He's 10wks old. He has had a few accidents in the house and I believe it was because my 12yr old, who is the mother of this fine pup, didn't follow my instructions on how often to take him out. He's not interested in eating his dog food. The breeder he was purchased from said Pedigree Puppy is what he was eating with her, but this puppy won't eat it. He nibbles but will not fully consume it. On top of that I purchase some puppy treats to reward him for doing his business outside and he's taken a good liking to those treats and will whine for more. When we are alone at home, he whines if I walk out the room and comes looking for me. I cant even take a restroom break without him whinning to follow me. Today I tried containing him to the kitchen and he whinned for 2 hours straight!!! I let him out only to take him outside for a "break" and contained him again. He whined even more! I have two questions:
1. Should I stop the treats until he starts to eat what is set before him? Or should I continue the treats as a reward for doing what is expected?
2. I am at home all day, but I want this pup to get used to being in his kettle when I do decide to leave the house. Furthermore, until he's house trained I certainly don't want him having free range of the house. During the day how long is enough time to start off with to keep him in the kettle? I don't want to overdo it.
Just a comment....This is truly like having another baby in the house. My youngest will be 9yrs old this year and this new pup is like dealing with a 18mo. baby all over again. I am used to my "me" time...you know, those hours when the kids are at school and hubby is at work and its just YOU....I am already missing those days but I love this pup, so I need to get him use to MY enviroment rather than me conforming to his....am I right? Please let me know, I want this experience to be both a pleasurable one for ALL!!

 

Hi and welcome You are in for a wild ride! I think its great you are incorporating the care with your kids too

I have no puppy advice as I have 8 and 9 year old dogs, but there are people here who have a tons of puppy knowledge that should be able to help with your questions

 

bumping up to see if anyone can help you

 

bumping up to see if anyone can help you

 

I think you should reserve treats for a reward for good behavior and training. Your pup seems to think the treats are his main food source. It's best to feed him at least twice a day maybe even three for a puppy but I would not leave any uneaten food available. After he learns the sit command you should always have him sit before receiving his meals. This establishes you as the authority figure and will make your life, and his training, much easier.
As for crating, the general rule is a puppy can "hold it" for one hour for each month in age therefore at 10 weeks your pup would be good in a crate for 2 1/2 hours.
I also recommend you sign up for a basic obedience class. It's never too early. A group class will also help to socialize your pup to other dogs and people.
Keep us posted.

 

Check your other thread for info on crate training. As far as the following you around and whining goes - it's an adjustment period for the little guy! He was taken from mom and littermates and now YOU are his family when you are the only one home. My dogs love my kids, but the second I walk through the door, I am the one that gets followed around the house (my dogs are almost 3 and almost 4 years old now).

For feeding, some allow free feeding, meaning you put the food down and leave it there and the pup can graze throughout the day. You can also have specific feeding times. For a pup that young, three times a day is good - pretty much the same as your breakfast, lunch and dinner times. Put down the food you want him to eat and pick it up again 20-30 minutes later. He will learn that if he wants to eat, he'd better eat it while it's down! You can ask your vet which method of feeding you should use.

That being said, if he DOESN'T eat after a day or two, contact your vet. You should have him checked out by a vet within 10 days of getting him anyway, or even sooner than that depending on the contract you signed with the breeder.

I am still giggling at the image of a puppy in a "kettle" - I am picturing one of those big, black witch cauldrons. I think the word you are looking for is "kennel" or crate.

You are going to have a LOT of questions, so come back and post as they occur!

 

I agree with Dukesdad pretty much, I would be feeding him 3 -4 times a day though for about another 2 weeks and then 3 times a day for another 4 weeks (approximately). If the puppy food is dry, a lot of younger pups have a tough time with dry food, what you can do, as I dont like sudden changes in the food eitehr as this can give them diarrhea but you could add some warm water and let it soak for about 10 minutes (make sure its not too hot), it'll be softer for him and the warm water will bring out the smells a bit more so that should attract him.

Again as Dukesdad says, keep the treats for his good behaviour...Ive never really been one for buying anything expensive for treats, I use things like chicken, bologne etc, and for example when you give him a treat for going potty outside, make sure you go with him (on a leash is better to begin with so you can control where he is going) then give him a command....like ...'go potty', keep saying it to him calmly, when he does go tell him 'good potty' (repeat it a couple of times) and then just as hes finished but before he is all the way standing give him lots of praise and give him the treat (the treat doesnt need to be any bigger than your small fingernail), take him out about 2 - 3 hours to go pee but also watch him after he's eaten, after he's been playing and when he wakes up, these are times where he could need to go again.

I know that you said your 12 year old is the pups mom but I wouldnt leave too much of the responsibility to her, could be a bit overwhelming especially being your first pup plus sometimes children can get a little sidetracked and forget when things like when the pup last went out (although if your not home for more than a couple of hours a chart put up on the wall, fridge or something could be useful as a reminder....put the times on there that the pup needs to go out for example....
4pm....pee yes/no
poop yes/no
6pm....pee yes/no
poop yes/no
eaten dinner yes/no

just something basic so she can check off the box or circle the yes/no thing, that way you will all be able to keep up with it.
If she does forget to take the pup out, it only takes one accident and for the scent to be in a carpet, grout between tiles etc and that can be enough for the pup to want to go back to that place again.

Dont ever punish/shout at the puppy for having an accident indoors, if you catch the pup actually in the act or circling or getting in the position to go inside then a stern NO and take the pup outside immediately, wait with him until hes done what he needs to do but keep in mind by the time youve taken him outside....there are so many distractions out there and he may have forgotton what hes out there for (it helps if you have one specific area of the yard that he can get used to as his bathroom), be patient, you know he needs to go, he just needs a little time to remember what he was doing before he was 'interupted'.

As for the crate (thats the 'kettle' yeah?) Hes still a baby and hes going to cry, make sure that he has a couple of toys (just one or two....dont overdo it) and I usually put a cuddly toy in so they can snuggle up to it, just make sure that its safe for him and he wont eat it, same with the toys, kong toys with some treats in them are good because they give him something to do, when you first put him in dont make a fuss, just do it casually, dont say anything to him other than 'go kennel' or something (he will get used to that and will gradually associate those words with the action....later on you should just be able to say go kennel from anywhere in the room and he will go in.) once hes in, close the door and leave straight away, go outside for 5 minutes, then come back in, if hes crying and trying to get out ignore him (I know...easier said than done) you will have a 'few seconds' where he has to 'come up for air', thats when you want to open the door and let him out....dont make a big deal out of it though, ignore him for a few minutes and then you can make a fuss of him.

The reason for doing this is if you go to him/talk to him etc while he is crying and trying to get out of the crate then you are teaching him that the way to get attention is by crying and trying to get out of the crate, if you make a fuss of him before he goes in the crate it will get him excited....and then hes shut in a crate...hes going to get frustrated....if you make a fuss of him when you let him out....it will make him more frustrated and more determined to get out.
Its best to start crate training with just about 5 minutes at a time gradually increasing the time but again at this age, puppies, just like babies need stimulation and entertainment and attention for short periods and often.

hes got about another month before his muscles are working properly for him to be able to control his bladder.