smoores don't give up! ! ! !
Having a dog is a WONDERFUL thing, I promise.
Sorry this is long. . .
That said. . .some tips. Puppies are HARD WORK. If you aren't willing to put the work in, know that the rest of this dogs life you are going to feel the SAME way you do now. Put some work into this, and she'll be a JOY to have
around!
a. Change your attitude towards the dog - she is restless partially because she can probably sense that she's not welcome in your eyes. Sounds crazy I know, but at least *try*.
b. She is young - right now she needs to go outside every 1-2 hours. So that DH doesn't have to drive home, can the puppy go to work with him or you? What about hiring a neighbor to come over every couple
hours? (heck I'd do it for free!). Think of this puppy like a baby, because right now that's what she is!
This facilitates the potty training:
Every 2 hours or so take her out on a leash, and give the command 'go potty' or 'park it' or whatever. When she goes, PRAISE PRAISE PRAISE! If she does nothing for 15 minutes, go back in the house, and she goes IN THE
KENNEL.
Give her 20 minutes, and try again. Basic point here, don't give her the CHANCE to potty in her kennel or the house - you HAVE to be consistent. You MUST do this through the night as well
until she gets older! ! ! !
As she gets older, increase the time between potty to 3-4 hours, then 5-6 during the day and 8 at night. IF she pees/poops in the house, put her somewhere else so she doesn't see you fuss, and clean the heck out of where she went.
Scolding her will ONLY make the problem worse.
c. Ok, let's address the whining. I'm willing to bet that she is BORED! Make sure she gets at least 2 - 20 minute walks per day, if not longer. . .tucker her OUT. Throw her toy in the yard or house,
wrestle with her, etc. and that will help some of the whining. Make sure she has toys to play with - I HIGHLY recommend getting her a kong - fill it with treats and it takes a while for her to empty. That's good exersize.
Make sure she has high-quality food. Not only will she EAT and POOP less, but her tummy won't hurt, which could be another cause of the whining.
GET her spayed! That will help.
When she is NOT whining, praise and give attention. If she is whining, put her in her kennel and cover it with a blanket. The dark space should calm her down.
d. Her kennel should be a warm, inviting place. Never ever use it for punishment - use the laundry or something like that instead. Do not let her sleep with you guys! She should sleep in her kennel at
night, in a different room. AND if she's pooping in her kennel then it's too big right now - you need to put a spacer in it so it's a bit smaller until she grows.
Hope that helps - you can do this! It's good practice for kiddos :)
