# Westie puppy help



## jennibee (Dec 16, 2010)

Hi everyone, 

I am looking for some help with my westie puppy, who is 7 weeks old on Sunday.

I collected him last Friday, I know 6 weeks was young to take him but the breeder wouldn't allow me to leave him any longer - she wanted them gone by Christmas. I was quite happy with the environment he was in - both his parents were there and they all seemed well looked after. 

He is a lovely little puppy but VERY stubborn and showing signs of very dominant behaviour already. He was the biggest in the litter so I know this can be an indication of a dominant puppy.

I was expecting raising a puppy to be hard work and I read loads of books and thought I was well-prepared, but since I have brought him home I just feel very overwhelmed and to be honest a bit discouraged about how the training is going. I will admit I was probably naive in thinking it would be easier! Some examples of the unwanted behaviour he is showing is biting me and growling when I correct him and tell him 'no' or take him away from something. The breeders didn't give them first injections so he doesn't get them until next week. Keeping him inside is not ideal for me as I know he has a lot of energy to release but I feel there is only so much I can do with him in the house. We bought him a toilet training matt and some days he goes to it continuously, other days he doesn't at all. I am trying my best not to get frustrated but it's so difficult. I live at home and we have a 15 year old labrador and cat - no problems with them at all. 

I guess I am just looking for any tips, ideas or any others' experience. I am just worried the bad behaviour is never going to stop no matter what I do. I have started to crate train him - yesterday was the first day I had left him alone and that was for about 1 and a half hours, today I left him for 3. He seemed fine and was asleep when I got back home. I have been depriving myself of sleep by letting him sleep in my bedroom with me but I have been advised to start making him sleep in the crate at night - is this a good idea?

Thanks for any help.

Jenni 

ETA - It's not actually a 'crate' I have been using - it's a small animal playpen.


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## kimdelyse (Sep 6, 2010)

Hi Jenni,

You're not alone, I too expected it to be hard to raise a puppy, but clearly had no idea *how* hard. There were times when I just cried in desperation because I didn't know what to do with Flo! It's funny now but it was anything but at the time.

He nipped, pulled and barked through the night unless I was in sight. I felt like a failure and poured out to the vetinary nurse, and boy do I owe her! She told me in no uncertain terms I wasn't doing anyone any favours by sleeping down with him. Unless I wanted him in the bedroom for good I should get him the correct sized crate (ie, small!) and leave him to bark. So I got some ear plugs and appologised in advance to the neighbours (one side has a dog so they were fine, the other understands as they have to sometimes leave their child to cry it out). It didn't take long at all before he got the idea. He'll occasionally pee his bed but that's getting to be very infrequent.

As for the other naughtiness, hopefully once your pup can go for walks this will also become less infrequent. Flo only starts to act up now when walk time approaches as he's getting restless. Excercise and training (teaching sit, lay down etc) seems to cure most disobedience! We opted not to go to training classes, I don't agree with our local classes methods and I don't think we've suffered one bit for it - we have put in lots of time though and are fortunate enough to have plenty of different dogs for him to meet and play with.

You will be amazed at how quickly things start to improve, before long you'll be taking them for granted! What I've said here is just my experience, you'll figure out what works best for you guys. Just be sure whatever you decide on you stick with it. Even if it seems like it's not working at first. I wasted time by leaving Flo to sleep alone, then going to him when he barked and cried...rooky mistake 

ooh, just want to add, i too used a play pen. thought it would be nicer for him cos it was bigger and looked "friendlier"...that lasted about a week as it was big enough for him to poop on one side and sleep on the other! Then he'd panic cos he pooped and would trample it all around the pen! doh!


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## kaisa624 (Mar 5, 2010)

To be honest, I think Holly was easy, she didn't really mouth or chew, and when she did nip we just said "NO!" and she would back away and stop doing it. We let her nibble our toes now though, as she's learnt how hard she can nibble, it tickles. She did however bark and cry through the night, so she was kept in the kitchen after the first night, as I couldn't deal with it.

We also didn't take Holly to puppy classes, as we went to see a few in the local area, but they didn't use positive reinforcement, so we opted out. She isn't the most outgoing of dogs, but she will still say hello to people with food etc, and is shown, and prefers other dogs in the ring, than outside.

I wouldn't use the pee pads, as it lengthens the toilet training. I remember when we were toilet training Holly. Basically, as soon as she woke up, we let her out of her crate, toilet in garden, then in for a little playtime (about 30 mins), then breakkie where she had to sit and wait for her food, then back in crate for chill time (15 mins at 7 weeks), then straight to toilet, then back in, more playtime/training/sleep etc, then lunch (sit/wait/chill/toilet), more play/training/sleep, then tea (sit/wait/chill/toilet) etc 

Also, a lot of praise when toiletting outside (we used "wee wees" to mean both wees and poos, although she still doesn't go on command at 14 months 

Definately leave him to bark/cry it out, but get a small crate (my friends westie is a little bigger than my dog but they both fit in a 24" crate), and warn your neighbours over a few noisy nights. However, make sure you get him used to the crate, before you start shutting the door, we were told to feed Holly in there, but we didn't, however she always got her frozen kong at nighttime.

Does he get on with your lab?? Does he chill out more with your lab? They could sleep "next" to each other, with the pup in crate.


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## jennibee (Dec 16, 2010)

Thanks for the replies 

I have definitely had the crying moments - when my Mum asked me how it was going the other day I just broke down. I think it was also because the toilet training was going so well the first couple of days and I just feel like he took two steps back.

I desperately want to get him used to peeing outside but my vet and the breeder said I am not to allow him outside until he has had his second injection at 10 weeks. So at the moment I need to use the matt with him. 

Yeah, the lab definitely has a positive influence on him, I was worried he want to play rough with him but as he's about 10 times the size of him, (lol) I think he knows not to mess with him! My lab is the most laid-back, friendly dog you could ever meet but is very old now and doesn't have the energy to play with Bobby.

Cat is a little frightened of him but he was like that with our lab and now they are best friends.


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## kimdelyse (Sep 6, 2010)

Check with your vet, but I understood that Flo could go in the garden before the final vac kicked in as we were confident no unvaccinated animals had been in there. But please do check with your vet.


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

Do you have a garden? If you do, he can go in your own garden whether he has had his injections or not. It is outside in the big wide world where he could pick up a disease from an unvaccinated dog. It is much easier to toilet train a puppy if you start off by using the garden, otherwise they can get confused. He is still very young, anyway, so you cannot expect him to go in the right place all the time.

Just want to mention though, that the idea of a puppy being dominant is extremely outdated and flawed. Puppies are not dominant, they are not trying to take over, they are just being dogs. They have to be taught to do what you wish and they do not speak your language, so you have to learn to speak theirs.

If he bites, give him something else to bite on and if that doesn't work put him in another room for a couple of minutes. Also if he bites, try to keep your hand still. If you wave it about or yank it away quickly, it is all part of the game. If you take him away from something, use a distraction to do it. Offer him something else in return; same thing if you want him to leave something - give him a swap. Once he has let go of the original thing that he was not supposed to have, say leave or drop it, or whatever word you like but it must be the same word every time.

Is he really growling or simply play growling? If he is playing a game which is fun, like nipping at your fingers, then growling can be part of the game. I would not take growling from a pup that young as being particularly serious unless he starts snarling as well.

My dogs play fight and they growl, but it is a different sort of growl to one they might use if a bone is involved. It takes time to recognise the difference.

Above all, please stop thinking of him as dominant. Just because he is the biggest, means absolutely nothing.


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## Rolosmum (Oct 29, 2010)

same here we took rolo straight outside into our garden for toileting, as advised by the vet as long as no unvaccinated animals are using it, and i would be wary if it was open to foxes etc,


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

At 6 weeks he is very young to be leaving mum and litter mates. The problem you are having is probably lack of bite inhibition. pups learn this from mum and siblings. They bite in play, one bites too hard, the pup that been bitten yelps and with learned bite inhibition the offending pup should let go. If he doesnt then mum usually steps in and tells him his gone to far. So its got nothing to do with him being a dominant dog at this stage its just lack of vital lessons.

Puppies also go through a stage called attraction at 5/7 weeks At this age they notice things and begin to form attractions to people. Threatening sounds, gestures, scoldings, punishment physical force can affect this attraction. This is the age breeders should be introducing new people to the pups while they have the security and confidence of the litter behind them to ease them into it gently. So they can adjust easier into their new homes.

The next stage 7 to 12 weeks is Human socialisation. At this age the pup has the brain waves of an adult dog and the capacity to process his experiences.

There is also fear impact 8/11 weeks at this age the pup has an inbuilt instinct to protect it as a pup this young does not have much in the way of self defence. So to counter the drive to explore and get himself in to trouble nature has given him a pre programmed fearfulness. bad experiences in this stage can become fixed in the dogs memory.

I hope this will help you understand that your pup is not displaying dominant behaviour as you thought and how important those two weeks and the coming weeks are to a pups developement. After this there are still more stages to come. These are some of the reasons that most pups do not leave earlier than 8 weeks and some breeds the breeders can keep for 10/12 weeks.


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## jennibee (Dec 16, 2010)

I can't be sure there haven't been any unvaccinated dogs in the garden as we share it with a neighbour who has a dog. It isn't properly fenced in and possibly other dogs we don't know have gone into it.

OK, that was my mistake then, think I have been watching too much Cesar Millan!

I understand about the six week thing, but as I said the breeders would not keep them longer. It was either get him now or don't, there were other people desperate for one.

ETA: The growling...I am not sure, sometimes he will do it during play but other times he will just randomly start growling. I will just keep an eye on it for now as it's not a frequent thing.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

jennibee said:


> I can't be sure there haven't been any unvaccinated dogs in the garden as we share it with a neighbour who has a dog. It isn't properly fenced in and possibly other dogs we don't know have gone into it.
> 
> OK, that was my mistake then, think I have been watching too much Cesar Millan!
> 
> ...


know its not your fault if the breeder wouldnt keep him, I was just explaining his developement to help you understand his behaviour to try and avoid any problems. The growling and rough play Is probably just part of the canine socialisation. 3/7 weeks. The pups in the litter would be barking,biting, chasing and playing rough games. Any behaviour like this where he bites or puts teeth on you you can try a high pitched yelp, it is what another pup would do when he bit too hard to see if that works. If it doesnt then just cease play and turn your back on him and walk away and call a halt to the game, when hes calm and good and doesnt bark and mouth then praise him and give him attention.


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## Ridgielover (Apr 16, 2008)

jennibee said:


> I can't be sure there haven't been any unvaccinated dogs in the garden as we share it with a neighbour who has a dog. It isn't properly fenced in and possibly other dogs we don't know have gone into it.
> 
> OK, that was my mistake then, think I have been watching too much Cesar Millan!
> 
> ...


For anyone else reading this - please don't buy a puppy from a "breeder" like this one! This puppy has left its mother and litter mates too early and a decent breeder would be available to answer the sort of questions that the poster has written.


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