Help:(

jenclerm

Experienced Member
hey everyone... I just got back from the vet.... Luke is in tip top shape... but she told me stop sleeping with him!!! And to keep him in his crate at night... he absolutely hates his crate and his cries really are torture to me!!!

What can I do... I need to train him so he likes his crate... how to get him to stop crying!
man this is painful!!!
 

leema

New Member
Here are some good instructions regarding crate training:

But why did the vet say your dog has to stop sleeping on the bed?

Both my dogs do and he has not been problematic for them.
 

cppugs

New Member
I would want to know why he said for the dog not to sleep with you also. Are there behavior issues that need to be addressed? What was being discussed when the issue of him sleeping with you came up? I fully endorse crate training, but that is more for the safety of the dogs. My St Bernard gets in the chaise lounge and naps with me! All of my dogs will at times sleep with me, but it is not an every night thing for them, more a treat for me and for them. At the same time, when I say it is crate time, everyone knows that the crate is a good place. They will often go there with the doors open and just nap. Kind of their safe haven.

Charleen
 

jenclerm

Experienced Member
she told me dachshunds are more prone to separation anxiety and should learn to be on his own in the beginning....
:(

What does everyone think... I really enjoy sleeping with him... this really upsets me...
 

snooks

Experienced Member
if u don’t have a problem why change something u both like. u can ensure no separation anxiety a 1000 other different ways. i don’t sleep w my dogs by choice now, tooo big, but have in the past. there was never a difference in the tendency for sa. some small issues i had, i trained past during the day.

vets are not trainers, some of the worst ideas and fear of the vet i hear about started with vet suggestions and staff being hurried and treatment. u know ur dog waaaaaay better than the vet. r u having sa problems?? i've had vets suggest i alpha roll a scared dog and force submittal to exams, which i think is idiotic. sometimes u need to just find another vet or say no thanks for ur well intended opinion.
 

jenclerm

Experienced Member
:) No I am not having any issues right now... me and Luke sleep great.. and also having him sleep with me... I know when he needs to potty.. :) It really does work out... I do intend on crate train him.. but I don't see any reason to but him in there during the night..

He is 7 weeks old right now...still very young..

and thanks for the link Leema I am going to follow the tips on that site... :)

she also told me I would be best to have him trained using a litter box as it will be way to cold for him in the winter as he doesn't have much fur......

Dogs can use litter boxes??
 

jenclerm

Experienced Member
wow that is really weird...while I was eating dinner I had him locked in the crate and he was screaming the whole time... i did let him out when he quieted down... I left his bed in there as I was cleaning my room.. and just now he ran into the crate to play with one of his toys. i thought he would have hated it even more now... i am confused... LOL...
 

cppugs

New Member
If it is upsetting you, I would not worry about it right now. I would be more concerned with him trying to jump off the bed and hurting himself than anything else. Keep doing what you are doing now with the crate, small amounts of time, don't let him out while he is crying and make it a happy time. Never use the crate as punishment. Perhaps save his favorite treat or chewy treat to keep him busy while in in the crate. He will learn fast that the crate is a good thing.

As for the litter box, yes dogs can be trained to use the litter box. I have only heard about it working when the pups are started while still nesting with mom. I trained one litter of pugs to use the litter box, just to see if it would work and it did. However, anytime you are with your little guy, even in the winter when it is cold, is time well spent. I would get him sweaters instead of kitty litter... :msngiggle:

Charleen
 

snooks

Experienced Member
dogs can be trained to use litter pans and there are actually special dog pans and litter. why is this vet telling you all this stuff when there is no real problem is what I want to know. I would insist my dog potty outside unless the snow is snow is so deep and horrid that you can't stomp out a small area to go otuside the door. unless the conditions are so cold that human skin flash freezes i don't get that it would be to cold for a little doxie esp if he has a coat. You don't need to do a 30 minute walk, just a minute or two. doxies are tough little dogs bread to hunt and though you couldn't leave him out in cold weather a quick potty trip is not going to hurt him.

i would be more worried about teaching him to go inside and then expecting him not to generalize and think potty in the house anywhere is ok. esp for a smaller dog breed it is less confusing in the sometimes more difficult potty training to get reliable results. now if you had a garage where u could keep a litter box that might be different but I would train outside like any other dog and not go through all the extra weird stuff this vet is suggesting. it sounds like more levels of complexity for problems that don't exist now and may never exist.

now if you are gone all day and can't give him a break there does need to be some provision for potty. I would prefer to crate train, come home for 1-2 potty breaks a day, or go to doggie day care. what a journey here?? :)

litter for dogs is different than cat litter. most people use a pellet made from compressed wood fiber and recycled newspaper. these pellets should NOT be eaten because they do expand when wet and could cause intestinal blockage which can be fatal. cat litter is the same and a little more dangerous because it is designed to clump when wet and makes even more solid blockages. dog litter also has little smell inhibition so i wouldnt really want it in my house unless i wanted it to smell all the time. I built an outdoor potty box on our pation for the dogs to go in the winter/snow. I use shredded hardwood bark mulch but our puppy still chews on it. She was eating the pellets so I quit using them. We don't have a feced yard but have really large pation so it's a perfect spot and easy to clean.

I really wouldn't train the dog to go inside, if I did I would probably use a pee pad that is is either in/under a wood frame so it can't be eaten or taped really well to the floor. The litter will be everywhere and it turns to pee soaked sawdust when it is wet. .
 
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