I am dog sitting for an acquaintance for a month and I know nothing about this kind of dog. I also haven't had a puppy in 30 years. I am living in Ukraine as a volunteer and have no access to training books in English. My acquaintance is out of the country and isn't answering her email so I don't know how she has been training this dog, or if she has been.

This dog appears to have no training whatsoever. It has been two weeks now and I've gotten him to the point of always using the paper or going outside. He seems resistant to giving up the paper and frankly at 3:00 in the morning I have no interest in leashing him up and walking down five flights of stairs to go outside. Should he be able to last the night at this age and do you have advice for moving him to this?

He is also constantly biting and chewing on things (me included!). I have purchased a couple rawhide bones, a stuffed cat (now shredded but he likes the pieces) and he came with a rubber ball. He will sometimes drop the ball on command now but pounces on my hand when I try to retrieve it to throw again. I give him a firm no, stop playing or move him to a different location and when it is at its worst lock him in the kitchen. When he bites me, I sometimes yell (IT HURTS) or say no firmly and try to move his attention to one of his chew toys. Is there a better approach?

I have purchased a crate but I don't think he is up for more than 4 hours at a time because he isn't housebroken yet. What is reasonable for a 5-month old? I've left the crate with an open door in the kitchen with him and locked him in the crate for 30-60 minutes a couple times to get him used to it. Is there a better plan for this?

He picks up everything he can possibly find on the ground (in Ukraine litter is common), a lot of things I can't visually see seem to attract him. Usually he gets it down before I can pull it out of his mouth. Nothing I do seems to disuade him from this behavior. What can I try next?

At a guess, I would say his hormones are starting to kick in, in a big way. He seems just totally out of control at times. Racing across furniture, running in circles, and more, etc.

I have always had labs in the past. They seemed much more eager to be trained than this puppy. Any advice you could send to get us through the next 2.5 weeks alive would be very welcome. I am regretting agreeing to watch this dog but would like him to go home a better pet then when he arrived. At the same time, I don't want to do anything that would inhibit further training if his owner decides to do something when she returns.

Since its not actually your dog I dont know if you should train it, cause if the owners want to train it using different commands and approach the dog may get confused. My suggestion..give it lots of excercise. Like chasing a ball and bringing it back to you, if it brings it back it may get a small treat then throw it again. Puppies chew, everything, your hand should not be allowed and saying ouch that hurts is a good way to show the dog that is wrong. Then ignore the dog if it continues. I was told that for every month a dog is old for its first few months is how many hours it can go without using the bathroom, that is supposed to be maximum. So if it is 5 months old, it should be able to go maximum 5 hours, but I remember my puppy at that could barely go 3 hours. It took a year for him to be completely safe in the house without having accidents. Just try to puppy proof the house having it not chew dangerous or unwanted things. If you find it chewing and unwanted thing offer it the chew toy instead so it learns that is the proper thing to chew.

Sounds like to me it would be easier and cheaper for you in the long run - to take this dog to a kennel. Puppies are trying - I have now a 4 month Belgium Malinois - haven't had a full nights sleep in the last 2 months - lots of naps.

Good Luck

I like Julia's advice. Even if if this is not your dog, you made a promise to care for it, so use this time to learn. Crate, play and redirect.(For all you know, this may become your next dog-train it like it may be!).
Earth dog-where are you dude? You can provide insights on this go to ground breed like the rest of us can not...

This sounds like a puppy most working folks would love to have. Julies ideas are fine. I would add that you try a game of two ball with the pup to keep it off of your hands. When it returns one of the balls, immideatly throw the other one. The house training should be apraoched like you would from the beginning. Others may dissagree with me when I say some breeds are harder to house train, but Daschs can be a pain in the a$$. As far as my earth dog insight, I've worked a number Mini-Daschs in the ground. As a rule, the don't like anyone other than their own handlers to retrieve them from the ground, and they can be nasty with other dogs on the hunt. Not many terrier people like to have them with a pack..