SIL's GS got run over a few weeks ago so she buys a new GS pup last week. She brought him to my other SIL's for Christmas. The 3 daschunds did not appreciate the intruder that was given one of their beds and access to their toys. All day spent keeping the puppy protected and listening to the others bark.

What a disaster! I could see not leaving the puppy at home in a crate all day. My solution would have been to bring a portable crate to put the puppy in, in another room and just take him out for a few potty and play sessions. I would not have let my puppy have the other dogs posessions for sure.

I have been screened as a potential sitter in the near future for this puppy. When asked if I would let him in my house, I replied of course, I will bring a crate in for him. She pressed me to see if I would let him stay in the house. I said sure, I will bring a crate in for him. I will take him out to play and potty but he will not be free to roam in an unfamiliar environment. I don't leave my dogs loose in the house.

I am wondering how many people would expect you to just turn everything over to their 8 week old puppy without regard to your pets and furnishings? Am I crazy?

You're not crazy. Infant puppies that aren't being directly supervised (as in tethered to you) belong in a crate for their own safety.

It's nearly impossible to housebreak a puppy without a crate. Every accident in the house sets the whole thing back exponentially. Not to mention the chewing on everything inappropriate.

Explain to these people the right way to raise a puppy, using your own success as the example. Puppies don't need or want that much freedom. What they want and need is structure and security. And that's exactly what they get with a crate and a hyper-vigilant and engaged owner.

Also, it's wrong and dangerous to have a strange dog of any age "given" the resident dog's bed or toys, wrong and dangerous even to have toys out among a pack-plus-a-stranger. Insane to just let them all run free with access to each other.

An eight-week pup brought into a multiple-dog household like that and let loose?

"I am wondering how many people would expect you to just turn everything over to their 8 week old puppy without regard to your pets and furnishings? "

AND without regard for the safety and peace of a baby puppy! A baby puppy brought into the midst of a strange pack .... pretty much bait for any resource-guarding tendencies of the pack members as well as the very possible ganging-up on an intruder of a long-time pack.

Major irresponsibility of the owner of the puppy.

The homeowner should have stepped up, but the ultimate responsibility for the safety and peace of mind of this baby puppy is its owner.

And as Tracy said, how is a baby puppy potty-trained in such a situation? Big setback .....



Edit to add:
I was so angry reading this that I wrote some anger-triggered counterproductive observations.

MUCH better to help this puppy as Tracy suggests, explaining how quickly one bad experience with another dog can change forever the puppy's entire personality and confidence.

"Explain to these people the right way to raise a puppy, using your own success as the example. Puppies don't need or want that much freedom. What they want and need is structure and security. And that's exactly what they get with a crate and a hyper-vigilant and engaged owner. "

Invite the puppy owner to join this forum. Sounds like she has a lot to learn. (we'll be nice, I promise.)

A couple of clues here tell me that she really does want to do right by this pup (she brought him along to the Christmas visit, and she's grilling you about how you'd take care of him when puppy-sitting). She just doesn't have any idea what she's doing.

Criticizing anybody's puppy-rearing abilities is always counter-productive. But you can probably play on her protective emotions toward the pup. You just need to steer her towards "the best way" to do it so that her pup grows up to be the best behaved and most well adjusted dog he can be.

Books, web links, or this forum will help deflect you from being the critic--you can assign "crazy talk" about crates to "experts."

"A couple of clues here tell me that she really does want to do right by this pup (she brought him along to the Christmas visit, and she's grilling you about how you'd take care of him when puppy-sitting). She just doesn't have any idea what she's doing. "



Exactly right.

I'm really glad you posted, Tracy.

"Ignorant" does not mean stupid, and those are some great suggestions for softening the advice.



"Books, web links, or this forum will help deflect you from being the critic--you can assign "crazy talk" about crates to "experts." "

I try also to remember to say that I made the mistakes too, like everyone (and of course I still do make plenty of mistakes!) by saying such things as "I remember that I thought that for ages, and I was so glad to learn such-and-such" ......

My son got a boxer puppy four months ago. He loves training the little guy, but like a lot of youngsters, is more enamored with parlor tricks and OB than with housebreaking and enforcing the rules. He lives with his in-laws, and they pulled me aside because they didn't know how to get my son to take the serious business seriously. I said I would talk to him and they panicked, not wanting him to feel like they were going behind his back.
I did not betray their trust, but it took me less than 15 minutes to ask my son how Deuce's housebreaking was going. I then proceeded to ask about accomodations and suggested that a crate would solve a lot of problems. Now, every time I see my son, I ask about the progress, as sort of a reminder to keep him on his toes.

Duane, I like your style.

It always saddens me to realize that so many young dogs are turned in at shelters (or worse) because of housebreaking issues. I've heard it's one of the #1 reasons that dogs are given up. When the solution is so freaking simple: put the dog in a crate and on a schedule. A month of diligence at the start is repaid in a lifetime of not having to resent a dog that soils your house. I simply don't understand people who think a dog will just magically "become" housebroken as they get older--and that peeing and pooping on the rug are "expected" from a puppy.

In 20 plus years I have never had a puppy or dog go potty in the house more than twice before they understood to go outside. I have chunked on a robe, grabbed puppy out of crate and dashed outside in all kinds of weather. That was before I got to go! Takes a little effort for big rewards.

I followed up with a call this afternoon to ask how Turbo was after yesterday. A few guiding comments about crates and routine making him feel safe and easier to train seem to have been well received. She even admitted that she was nervous yesterday. I heaped praise on her because he really did do well and she did take him out frequently. I hope she learned from this and will move forward with a little more focus.

I will go visit tomorrow and share my Leerburg puppy video with her. Keeping my fingers crossed!

I was a nervous wreck bringing my almost 6 month old and almost house trained puppy to my in-laws over Thanksgiving. She crapped and peed once each in their house and I was absolutely mortified. I can't imagine allowing my dog, even if it's house trained, to have free rein of someone else's house. Over that long weekend, River learned that whenever I leave a room she needed to be right next to me. Now she still follows me from room to room and it's cute and charming, but helpful!