New whippet puppy owner!

[Huttondenko]

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Hello! I have recently got a gorgeous little whippet puppy called Willow
She is now 11 weeks old (was 8 weeks when we brought her home) and we are having lots of fun, although house training seems to be going very slowly... And I've been sleeping on the sofa with her every night which has to change! So I would appreciate any advice. So far any attempts at crating her have gone badly. She cries straight away then poos then walks in it and gets it everywhere

 

[Finsky]

Hello! I have recently got a gorgeous little whippet puppy called Willow
She is now 11 weeks old (was 8 weeks when we brought her home) and we are having lots of fun, although house training seems to be going very slowly... And I've been sleeping on the sofa with her every night which has to change! So I would appreciate any advice. So far any attempts at crating her have gone badly. She cries straight away then poos then walks in it and gets it everywhere

3 weeks in new home is very short time. House training does not happen that quicky. Some dogs learn quicker than others but it can take months and it would not be unusual. It is not all about getting them to learn new habits but to able hold their bladder contents and no.2's won't happen until the puppy's 'innards' physically grow bigger too. So it takes brain training and physical development before it comes together.
Crate training is another matter....some take to it and other don't. You will have to make the association with crate positive...so keep the door open all the time....put toys and treats inside and play with her around the crate and when she goes inside....carry on playing like it is just part of the game, but never close the door on her when you are playing. It is slow progress to get to the point before you should attempt include the shutting of the door. It all has to happen in her pace for her to accept the crate.
To work towards her independent sleeping arrangement, I would suggest making her a bed or have basket next to the settee so she is only a arm's length away and try to get her to settle on that. If she does, even if it is short moments..give her every so often reassuring little touches so she knows she is safe and you are close by. As she gets little braver those moments sleeping close to you but not physically next to you will extend too.
Try think a puppy in terms of a human baby. Although puppies grow and develop quicker, those baby's first few years are equal of months with puppy. Lot of things can happen in first few weeks in puppy's life but the growing up will take time.

 

[Huttondenko]

Thank you for your reply

I was wondering if anyone had not gone down the crate route, and what they did instead?

 

[JudyN]

I didn't use a crate. I got one, but as enticing as I made it, my dog would only stay in there for moments, then he'd come out and sprawl on the carpet instead. And given that he's a sprawler, and that he's a good 6' end to end when sprawled... the crate would have taken up half the room!

He was easy to housetrain, just from taking him out a lot and rewarding him when he performed, and scooping him up and taking him out when he looked like he was thinking of toileting - I was lucky there. (At night I put lots of newspaper down, which isn't the best approach, but it worked for us.)

The rest of the time, we just had to watch him carefully to stop him chewing/eating stuff he shouldn't, and be very tidy. We used stairgates a lot too, so he could be close to us and see us but be out of harm's way when needed.

There's some toileting advice in this thread that might help: 4 Month old Puppy housetraining HELP!

And an excellent article on crate training here: https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx...935&ithint=file,docx&authkey=!ANNi2t7pvCamCpY

 

[Whippylove]

hi i keep whippets and tried crate training with my oldest he hated it cried and did the toilet in it , I couldn't leave him and put him in bed with me, all my boy's sleep with me and have since babies. Crates are something I don't like but everyone has their own choice. Beautiful whippet you have!

 

[Hemlock]

I'm all for crate training but have never used one myself - houses have been too small. Puppies have house-trained really quickly, but that's probably because I bred most of them and started them off really early. I have used newspaper as part of this because puppies naturally want to keep their nest clean, and will toddle off their vetbed to use the paper as soon as they can empty on their own. Then it's just a case of moving newspaper outside by degrees until it's just a token presence. It takes a little longer with a pup you've brought home at the usual age, but again it's a matter of taking puppy out before it realises it needs to empty itself, then being patient while it potters about, then rewarding at once when the deed is done. Also be aware of the 'double barrel' effect where a pup empties outside, then goes indoors and empties again. It's most important to take pup out before it realises it needs to void itself because as others have said, they have minimal control or awareness to begin with.

 

[Huttondenko]

Thank you for all your advice I'm glad there are more options to try!

 

[Flobo]

Hi and welcome, I am glad to hear you're happy to think outside the crate, I mean box!! Your pup looks very cute, crates weren't a thing when I had pups in the past and we managed just fine as said above..

 

[Huttondenko]

Hi and welcome, I am glad to hear you're happy to think outside the crate, I mean box!! Your pup looks very cute, crates weren't a thing when I had pups in the past and we managed just fine as said above..

Yeah same here! I haven't had a puppy since I was a kid (always had adult rescues) but back then we just put paper down in the kitchen and left him to it at night! Which sounds a bit cruel now, so I was hoping for a happy medium