I just picked up my 6 week old GSD this past Friday. She is awesome and very smart. She is already doing really well with house training (the couple of accidents she has had were my fault for not keeping an eye on her but were at the door.) I see a lot of people really swear by crate training but I'm not sure that is an option for me. I am single and work 10 hours a day and there is no way I can come home for lunch. I have a 15' x 8' chain link kennel outside with a large dog house I built for her to stay in. I am keeping her inside at night since it is cool in the evenings but leaving her outside during the day. If she sleeps on the bed she sleeps through the night and doesn't have and accident. I feel that having her sleep in the bed with me is going to cause more harm in the long run than it is doing good right now. This morning was the first time she has needed to stay in the outside kennel and my neighbor text me telling me she has spilled her food bowl and water bowl so he but a larger pan in there hoping she could not spill it over. What kind of things can I do to keep her from being dependent on me? Any other advice would be helpful as well.
Advice for new puppy owner
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Is there any way you can take her to work with you?
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I am sorry but it really doesn't sound like you are even close to being ready for a puppy.
1st. You should not have a 6 week old puppy.Puppy should not be sleeping with you and a 6-10 week old puppy can not hold themselves all night.
2. Where do you live that a baby like that can be left outside on it's own? ANSWER.. NOWHERE.
3.This is a puppy that needs to be fed a minimum 3 times a day not left a bowl of food to wolf down and get sick.
You have to find someone to visit your puppy at least 1 time during the day she is only 8 weeks old
1st. You should not have a 6 week old puppy.Puppy should not be sleeping with you and a 6-10 week old puppy can not hold themselves all night.
2. Where do you live that a baby like that can be left outside on it's own? ANSWER.. NOWHERE.
3.This is a puppy that needs to be fed a minimum 3 times a day not left a bowl of food to wolf down and get sick.
You have to find someone to visit your puppy at least 1 time during the day she is only 8 weeks old
One, I live in Mississippi so currently the climate is mild during the day so she is not cold, she also has an insulated dog house to help keep her warm. Two, she is very good about eating when I feed her by not "wolfing" down her food at any time. I have been feeding her 3 times a day (1/2 cup at a time) and she eats what she wants and leaves the rest . When she is hungry she comes back for more.
Are you also saying that I should not be keeping her outside? She does fine right now with the weather and when it was cold this weekend actually preferred laying outside in the cold instead of coming inside. My main concern is her night time sleeping arrangements.
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I think IMO your night time sleeping arrangements should be her in a crate in your bedroom. You will need to work on the daytime arrangements as I wouldn't keep a dog outside all day long. Maybe you should have waited a bit to get a dog? When you had more time?
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Get a different breed? Honestly, right now, she is a baby and away from her mother and siblings too soon. It is like having a newborn at home and she is completely dependent on you.
She will likely always want to be with you. German Shepherds are pack driven and want to be with the "pack" at all times. They aren't very independent dogs. We call them velcro dogs for a reason. This is why we don't generally recommend keeping them outside alone.
She should be sleeping in a crate preferably in your bedroom right now but in the house at the very least. If you need to keep her outside during the day, make sure that the kennel is secure and she has access to water.
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Boy, this is a tough one. I also got my girl at 6 weeks, but she's been with me, hubby, or daughter 24/7 for the last 6 weeks (she'll be 12 weeks this Wednesday). If she's not tethered to me or actively being played with and watched, she's in her crate. She gets into SO much I can't imaging leaving her alone for even 1 minute. There is just no upside I can see to leaving a puppy that young on her own for 10 hours a day.
We knew she should have stayed with her mom and sibs until at least 8 weeks, but that was not an option. We enfolded her into our "pack" - she sleeps with us, goes with us everywhere, and as such she's completely and utterly bonded with us.
These are VERY dependent dogs - boy oh boy, am I learning that ! - and they want to be with you all the time - ALL the time. I work at home, so no problem for me, but others can tell you that 10 hours alone is just not good.
I wish I had some good advice for you, but unless you can change some of the factors, i.e., her being alone outside for 10 hours a day, then I have no idea how to "fix" that.
Good luck.
We knew she should have stayed with her mom and sibs until at least 8 weeks, but that was not an option. We enfolded her into our "pack" - she sleeps with us, goes with us everywhere, and as such she's completely and utterly bonded with us.
These are VERY dependent dogs - boy oh boy, am I learning that ! - and they want to be with you all the time - ALL the time. I work at home, so no problem for me, but others can tell you that 10 hours alone is just not good.
I wish I had some good advice for you, but unless you can change some of the factors, i.e., her being alone outside for 10 hours a day, then I have no idea how to "fix" that.
Good luck.
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10 hours alone is definitely not good for a pup so young ESPECIALLY being kept outside. pups are stolen all the time because they're left outside and being how young she is anyway, she wont know that she shouldnt go with someone. She shouldnt be sleeping in your bed at night either. THAT will cause problems later on. She needs to learn to be independent sometimes otherwise you can end up with a dog with seperation anxiety who will destroy your house. Not to mention considering your location, i wouldnt be leaving a puppy that young outside for more than a potty break anyway because of fleas and ticks year round regardless of what protection you have for her. I'm not going to say anything about she should be 8 weeks before you got her because well obviously not everyone goes with that rule. No use trying to change the fact now. it doesnt sound like you really have the time to dedicate to start working with her. the thing about crate training also makes overnight vet trips easier because they're used to a confined space. please change your methods or you could end up with a problematic dog. Look into doggie daycare so she's being socialized on top of watched. She's far too young to be trusted alone even for a couple minutes.
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I don't think you understand. People get a 6-10 week old pup and after 1 week they so oh she potties outside all the time we only had 2 accidents, and she doesn't wolf down her food she only eats when she wants to, and wow she even stays in her yard. WELL things are going to change and your puppy is going to become a puppy believe me. 6-8 weeks old all they do is sleep eat and potty. If you feel outside in an insulated dog house that your not even sure your puppy will stay in is ok for you then God bless but you I feel you should have done a little more thought on the subject before getting a dog period.
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