mikealicious Posted October 10, 2013 Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 Well I just got MY first puppy. Had a couple dogs growing up, but I was a pre-teen when they were puppies. This is my first dog/puppy that I'll be responsible for training and such. Two nights ago my girlfriend and I picked up Teiko. He's a "Gerberian Shepsky". German Shepherd/Siberian Husky mix. He turned 8 weeks old today. I did some reading on the breed before getting him, and lots of places said crate training him right off the bat would be one of the best things I could do for him. Would help him when traveling, being potty trainied, trips to the vet where he'd have to be in a kennel, etc. We bought an XL crate for him (travel style, not wire style). He obviously has plenty of space to move around in there. But he absolutely hates it. Started crying and wimpering immediately the after the first time we placed him in there. We tried covering it with a blanket, putting some of his chew toys in there, kong with puppy flavored stuffing, had suggestions from friends of putting a "ticking" clock next to the crate (supposed to remind the pup of their mom's heartbeat), etc. Nothing seems to work. We have a clean puppy pad and some blankets in there. The first two nights so far have been rough. He would cry, wimper, chew on the wire door, and bark pretty severly for over an hour before my girlfriend decided she'd had enough, and on the bed he came. I know this is breaking the golden rule with crate training, and is most likely a battle of the wills. Couple questions I have are, 1. What are the signs of a puppy being non-crate trainable? 2. Is there a risk of the puppy breaking/losing a tooth from chewing on the wire door? 3. What kinds of toys/chew toys are good to leave him with at night? Any help with the crate training would be greatly appreciated. Other than crying when he's in the crate, he's a pretty good puppy. Wimpers here and there, but playful, and gets along with the other dogs in the house. Has already learned to go potty (#2) on the puppy pads which is nice. Still working on the peeing though. Questions not related to crate training are: 4. Besides the obvious chocolate, grapes, and raisins, what are some foods I should be avoiding with this breed? We currently have him on nutro max puppy food which is supposed to be high in protein, omegas, and fatty acids. 5. Any tips for the breed in general? training, interacting with other dogs, health, etc? and now for the pictures! this was a week and a half ago when we picked him out of the litter. and this was the day we got him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted October 10, 2013 Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 Welcome All pups can be crate trained. YOU simply have to put up with a few days of "crying" until they get used to it. Never use the crate for punishment it's their "safe" place. As for interacting with other dogs, the more the merrier the better. There is no such thing as too much socialisation however there is too little. and. . . Oh, yeah PuuuuuuuuPPPPPPPPPyyyyyyyyyyyy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted October 10, 2013 Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 What an adorable puppy!!!! Agree with what Andy said, you might have to put up with a few days of crying before he gets used to it. What you won't want to do is let him out when he is crying, wait until he calms down (hopefully!) Other than what you listed, also be careful with apples (cut up are fine, just not the core with the seeds), and avacados, garlic, onions. Thats all I can think of off hand. For treats I use boiled chicken and baby carrots. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elyse Posted October 10, 2013 Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 Oh wow, he's adorable! I don't have all the answers to your questions, but I can answer some: All dogs can be crate trained - it depends on consistency, your willingness and determination to put up with his crying and complaining. I would not encourage the use of puppy pads - it will confuse the dog and they will make potty training (going outside) a LOT harder and longer to achieve. For a puppy of that age, they should be let out every 20 or 30 minutes during the day. Not sure at night, but you shouldn't water or feed them before bed. Watch out for medications and pain relievers...swallowing a pill can be lethal, so make sure pills aren't taken out when he's in the room. Some huskies don't do well on kibble with grains in it. How much are you feeding him and how often? Huskies have a highly efficient metabolism and don't need nearly as much what it says on the bag - if you feed them too much they will get the runs. Don't feed him cooked bones, ever, as they may splinter and require surgery to remove. For training...its highly recommended to start training the basics early on. Sit, stay, bite inhibition and recall are the most important safety related ones. Potty training is important too, for obvious reasons. You should also get him used to being led around with a leash and collar. Socialization with everything, everyone, and all dogs as possible should be done. However, special caution should be taken during fear periods which can cause a dog to fear a certain thing for the rest of its life. Read this website for more information on socialization (and how much is ideal), and more information on fear periods: http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/developmentalstages.html Puppy classes are highly recommended to help with the socialization process. I am not sure if you are aware of this, but they should not be introduced to random dogs (who may not have gotten their shots) before they've gotten their puppy shots. Also, they should not be overexercised: it will result in joint problems early in life (mine developed arthritis at only 5 years old...the average age of onset is 8-10 years old). The general rule of thumb is add 5 minutes to every walk per month of age, but seeing as he is only 8 weeks old he should not be allowed out of the house yet except to go to the washroom. Also, avoid stairs whenever possible until they are old enough...as I heard stair climbing contributes to early joint problems. I hope I helped - if you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to ask! Oh, and...welcome to the forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmscott Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 · Hidden Hidden Unfortunately there aren't really any real "breed" tips since the puppy is a mix. The best thing you can do is talk to the owner of the parents and find out what the two dogs are like. Socialization will be important. http://www.suzanneclothier.com/the-articles/it-takes-pack-raise-puppy http://www.suzanneclothier.com/the-articles/darned-dominance-debate Link to comment
Andy Posted October 10, 2013 Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 Great advice elyse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted October 10, 2013 Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 Welcome to the pack , he's lovely Try putting something in there that smells of you , a t-shirt or pillow case or something, which will help settle him down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leyka&Diva Posted October 10, 2013 Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 Awww so cute Hi and welcome. Nothing to add really but keep at it and it will all come good xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.