Thanks Meghan... last night was even worse. He whined and paced until my fiance yelled and told me to shut him up. Since there was no way for me to do that (or I wouldve the first night) we went to the living room and slept. I didnt have to but this way I could assure that hed get enough sleep for work this morning and the dog laid down in the kitchen fine. I wonder if hes wanting the coolness of the floor? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

And your right! Hes exactly what I said he wouldn't be... spoiled rotten! :rolleyes:

So Im going to take your advice and put the crate in the garage today and see how he does. Kane dosent like his crate. I put him in during the day just so that he knows he has to be in it sometimes and not always when we leave hoping he would get used to it. He cries for about15 minutes and then settles down. I wish he would go in there just to nap!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> I leave the door open and keep his pig ear in there but hell sneak in and take the ear and run out. I think Im going to crate him in the garage today a couple times durring the day to see how well he does and how long he cries so I know what to expect. Thanks for the reasurance that the garage doesnt make me a bad owner <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> .

Maybe you have some input on this... he had started scratching alot when we brought him home...fleas Im sure. So I bought some frontline for him and that was two days ago. Hes still scratching alot... do you know when it will start to work? Or have any knowledge of this? I need to bath him as well since he smells like dirty dog but I was told by the vet I have to wait three days before I can bathe him.

Also Ed feels that everytime the dog is allowed in the house he should be crated, (I think I read that Im not quoting though) does this apply to puppys that are very good in the house? I want him to be able to be good in the house and if he is only crated or not in that much, wont it make him hyper when we do let him in? Any good idea of a schedule that would be appropriate for him?

Sorry for all the questions but all of you have been such a big help to me. I probably wouldve never had my questions answered by anyone else. Thank you!

Glad I can help you out.

My vet has always told me not to let the dogs get real wet for 48 hours after applying the frontline...so 3 days isn't far off. Always better to be safe than sorry, especially with bugs...*shudders* I'm not sure how long the Frontline takes to actually take effect. Have you actually seen any fleas or flea dirt (looks like little brown speck) on the dog?

As long as the garage doesn't get extremely hot or cold, then it's fine to put the crate out there, don't feel like a bad mom.

If he's stinky, you can go to the pet store and pick up doggy "perfume" type sprays...my favorites are green apple and pina colada...much easier than bathing the dog! I don't know if they have them at smaller pet stores but I know they have them at Petsmart.

It might just take time for him to enjoy being in his crate...I don't think Djenga went in there by herself till she was about 4 months old. But it was the cutest thing to look around for her and find her in there!

I usually only put her in the crate if we go out, and at night. Or if she's really getting on my nerves! She's only ever chewed up a few things she shouldn't have...her collar fell off one day, and that was wrecked...and a really expensive pair of eyeglasses. If he's well behaved in the house, then it's fine to have him loose, as long as he's supervised. I wouldn't leave him unsupervised at this age.

I wouldn't worry about making him hyper...he'll probably be a little hyper when you first let him out but he'll settle down in a couple of minutes. Just ignore him till he settles down.

The best "schedule" I can tell you is to take him out about every 3 hours - that seemed to be the magic number when Djenga was the same age. As for crating and all that, I would just see what works for him - and most importantly for you!

Thanks Meghan... I bought some green apple spray... he smells better as he walks by but if you pet him eeew! But tomorrow will be the thrid day so I guess I can wait. Yes I have seen a flea on him. I killed it but he still scratches... maybe old bites? It might take 3 days to work... but I hope soon poor guy <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> . I put him in the garage today for just a short time to see how he did. He barked and cried off and on the whole time but maybe this will be ok after a few nights. How much exercise should my little guy get? I play with him outside and I walk him for about 20 minutes and he still seems fired up when we get home. I dont want to over do it though. And he peed on the livingroom floor today... but totally my fault. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> I know he has to potty after exercise and but I didnt get to him as fast as I should have. So I will crate him and post how well he done in the morning.
Also I dont have any doggy shampoo Can I use kitty shampoo for this time? It says for sensitive skin... its hard for me to get to the store unless I wait until Saturday (holding nose) My car is in the shope until then. But I dont want to damage his skin or fur. My kittys shampoo makes his fur shiney and soft and good smelling but I know that a cat and GSD has different needs when it comes to that. Let me know what you think... or would my pantene be better for him? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> Thanks again for all the advice.

Most cat and dog shampoos are very similar. Much better than pantene! I buy Kenic brand shampoos that can be used for both.

Another thing I have heard of is filling a sock with oatmeal, wetting the dog and sock, then scrubbing the dog with the sock (still filled with oatmeal). Haven't tried it yet since Auster gets really stinky before I bathe her and I have almost a gallon of allergroom from when I worked for a vet.

Well I will use theI have hard that oatmeal is great for the coat but the question is does it clean?? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> Well I will use the cat shampoo for tomorrow and then get him some good doggy shampoo! Thanks for the info!

I have also heard of using oatmeal...I'm not sure where, but I remember being told to actually rub lots of loose oatmeal into the coat and then brush it out. I'm not sure what it would do about the smell though.

I wouldn't worry too much about over excercising him, he'll tell you when he's tired. It might be subtle, but you'll start to notice. With Djenga, I'd take her outside and let her run around and chase a ball around. She's so ball crazy that she'd go all day, and go overboard with excercise. But I figured out how to tell when she'd had enough excercise to keep her settled in the house. I'd throw the ball, and instead of running to get it and bringing it back, or running around with it, she'd lay down with it and start to gnaw on it. I could've thrown that ball for hours and she'd still go after it like a madwoman, but that subtle sign is enough to know. You'll start to learn Kane's language if you watch carefully enough. Every dog is different.

Well last night Kane spent the night in the garage. A friend of mine told me to put a large stufed animal in his caret with him. I didnt understand why since I always put a toy in there and it didnt help, but she told me that he would have something to snugle up to like his mother. So I did I found a big soft teddybear and he still protested when he went in his crate and hes barked last night but not that much. And even if he whined a little we didnt hear him, I finally got some sleep! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> He was a little hyper this morning when I let him out and instead of going straingt out to pee he went cray whining to go in the house but I stood out there in the grass until he went.

Also he has done better with eating. Now when I feed him he scarfs up most of his food, and I still pick it up. Alot better than he was doing.

Today is bath day!!!! Better get my wet suit on! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Be real careful with that whole soft toy thing...


Last time I put a soft toy in with one of my dogs it resulted in... a week in the animal hospital.. lots of vomiting and bloody stools.. a TON of heartache... and an even ton more money!

Glad to hear he's doing better...you're on the right track to having a well adjusted puppy!

Definately be careful if the soft toy has plastic eyes, I've heard of dogs pulling them off and eating them...or eating the stuffng in any stuffed toy.

I usually buy a bag of rawhide chips, they are flat pieces of rawhide, to leave with the dogs on occasion when I'm gone. I see little to no risk of them choking on these, although I guess anything's possible.

btw, check your PM's if you haven't already!

You know your right I didnt think of him eating the stuffing... maybe I should cut out the eyes and sew them up... but it still doesnt help with him tearing it open... well when I observe him with his smaller stuffed toys he chews but doesnt seem to chew them that heard, unlik my Doberman I had, he would demolish anything I gave him, even the big booda toys! So Ill watch him maybe he wont need it at all after a few days of getting used to his sleeping situation. He has a rawhide in there also... he doesnt seem to chew on the animal just bury his head in there and cozy up, but thanks for the reminder it can be a problem, I'll watch him.

Oh one more question... I havent bought him a brush yet (shame on me) but Im not sure what kind to get. I have seen the sheding tool that looks like a metal loop with teeth but what about an everyday brush? A soft bristle or regular?