Hello, I'm writing because I'm being driven crazy by my new puppy. I got a 8 week old Cocker Spaniel about a week ago. I've been reading soooo much information on what I need to do so I thought I was well prepared when I got my puppy, but I don't how to let it not drive me insane, because I dont want to make any mistakes but I feel that I really am. I don't subscribe to the belief to punish a dog by pushing its face into its mess, or anything like that, and Im really open to your advice. I'm living in South Korea now, and I have a job where I'm out of my house from 3:30pm to 8:30 or 9pm.
I've been using crate training and taking him outside to eliminate when I first got him, but I learned that because my puppy only has his 1st shot, I can't take him outside (especially here, it can be of questionable cleanliness and I don't want him to get sick). I bought a pad for him and I've been trying clicker training to get him to use it. I can get him to sit on the mat (during trainging), and occaisionally he will use it but when he pees off of the mat its over before I can do anything. He shows very little sign that he's going to pee and frankly I can't move fast enough.
How do I deal with him, if I can't catch him peeing? When I see him peeing and pick him up or say something to startle him, he still pees and if I bring him to the pad, I have a pee trail following me. I think that he has been making far more mistakes now that I've been encouraging him to use the pad. If I were to reprimand him how exactly do I do it effectivley?
Also I've been trying to figure out a good feeding schedule where he won't need to eliminate while I'm gone for 5-6hours. I've read that although its not recommended a puppy can hold its waste for 7-8 hours and he was doing great with not eliminating in his crate until last night when he drank too much water (my mistake, I know), and I thought that I had a great schedule figured out for him for today, but he eliminated again in his crate! I'm worried that I may be damaging him as I heard that it can lead to behavioural problems later. Am I over-reacting and should I stick to the schedule I made? (1st feeding and watering is at 6:30am, second at 1:30am and third is at 8:30) I provide a little water for him about every hour or two. I planned it so that he would eliminate before I go to work at 3:30 and that he can eat when I come back at 8:30. I haven't been going to sleep until around 2-3am.
Really I want someone to give me exactly what I should be doing, I've read so much, but I dont know what I should do from here.
I've been using crate training and taking him outside to eliminate when I first got him, but I learned that because my puppy only has his 1st shot, I can't take him outside (especially here, it can be of questionable cleanliness and I don't want him to get sick). I bought a pad for him and I've been trying clicker training to get him to use it. I can get him to sit on the mat (during trainging), and occaisionally he will use it but when he pees off of the mat its over before I can do anything. He shows very little sign that he's going to pee and frankly I can't move fast enough.
How do I deal with him, if I can't catch him peeing? When I see him peeing and pick him up or say something to startle him, he still pees and if I bring him to the pad, I have a pee trail following me. I think that he has been making far more mistakes now that I've been encouraging him to use the pad. If I were to reprimand him how exactly do I do it effectivley?
Also I've been trying to figure out a good feeding schedule where he won't need to eliminate while I'm gone for 5-6hours. I've read that although its not recommended a puppy can hold its waste for 7-8 hours and he was doing great with not eliminating in his crate until last night when he drank too much water (my mistake, I know), and I thought that I had a great schedule figured out for him for today, but he eliminated again in his crate! I'm worried that I may be damaging him as I heard that it can lead to behavioural problems later. Am I over-reacting and should I stick to the schedule I made? (1st feeding and watering is at 6:30am, second at 1:30am and third is at 8:30) I provide a little water for him about every hour or two. I planned it so that he would eliminate before I go to work at 3:30 and that he can eat when I come back at 8:30. I haven't been going to sleep until around 2-3am.
Really I want someone to give me exactly what I should be doing, I've read so much, but I dont know what I should do from here.