# 9 Week old w/soft stool & won't eat much



## reck0n3r (Jul 29, 2012)

Hi guys, I'm brand new here...and also a first time dog owner, so it's great to have a resource like this to get some experienced information.

I just picked up my 9 week old (Rusty - though he doesn't quite respond to his name yet) and it's my third day with him. I think him and I both are going through a bit of a learning curve. He's had a few accidents in the home already, but I didn't get him a crate until last night. Oddly enough, he was actually REALLY good about not pooping or peeing inside on day one, but it could be because I had him outdoors more. I've had him spending a little more time indoors, and he seems to have a favorite rug to do his business on, and this is even after I got the crate for him yesterday and taking him outside after letting him out of it.

Okay so my main concern is that since he's come to my place, he's only had very mushy and wet soft stool, and he also won't eat much. The breeder said to put him on Pro Plan - chicken and rice large breed (for puppies). 2 cups in the morning and 2 cups at night. It seems like he won't eat even 1 cups worth of it. Do pups just generally not like this stuff and you need to mix in other things with it? He also mentioned putting in boiled chicken and mix it in with the pro plan but I haven't bought any scrap chicken from a butcher just yet. Could that be what's doing it?

I've also been giving him treats for whenever he does something good (potty outside, basic obedience ) and for that I've been giving him Milk Bone Essentials Plus which he loves chowing down instantly. 

So I am concerned about the lack of appetite and the loose stool, because he did have an accident in the crate during the car ride back from the breeder and his stool was not mushy and wet at all and it was lighter colored. His stool is now on the darker side...I didn't see any blood or worms (how closely do you have to look at it to see worms?). Reading some things online have scared me a bit into thinking he may have swallowed something he shouldn't have, and that I should run to the vet.

I added carrots to his breakfast today too, in with his pro plan, but when I let him out in the yard after eating I didn't see him poop anywhere so I'm not sure what the consistency was like after adding the carrots.

He's got a ton of energy and has been pulling on his tug toys with enthusiasm (is it too early for him to be doing that?). He's also a chewer and chews up everything in sight, which is why I'm concerned that he might've eaten something in those few seconds I haven't had a hawks eye on him.

I would really appreciate some advice - I'm worried I screwed up somehow.

Thanks in advance!


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

That's a lot of food for a little guy. Not only that, but you are giving a lot of treats. No surprise that he's not eating all his food.

Try feeding three times a day, do not add water or anything else to it, cut way back on the treats and what treats you do give should be TINY! Put his food down, let him eat, and pick up the left over when he's done. If he walks away from his dish, he's done.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Has he recently had vaccinations/worming? I would limit the variety and amount of treats he is getting as well....he may be over fed with those and the milkbones. I fed my pups 3x's a day(raw, though) Take him to the vet w/ a stool sample. Most breeders recommend a vet check w/ in 48 hours to protect themselves(and it is in your best interest) 
I follow this vaccination protocol for pups:
Dr-Dodds-ChangingVaccProtocol
Your pup is adorable! You are crate training him, right? That will help keep him safe when you can't constantly supervise him.


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## reck0n3r (Jul 29, 2012)

Elaine said:


> That's a lot of food for a little guy. Not only that, but you are giving a lot of treats. No surprise that he's not eating all his food.
> 
> Try feeding three times a day, do not add water or anything else to it, cut way back on the treats and what treats you do give should be TINY! Put his food down, let him eat, and pick up the left over when he's done. If he walks away from his dish, he's done.


I should've mentioned how many treats I've given him so far per day, it's been pretty much 5 or less.

Alright, I just double checked the Pro Plan bag and the chart says 84g - 280g, where 1 actual cup (250ml's) gives 112g of actual food, so the range is 3/4 of a cup up to 2 and a half cups.....but this is all daily. So why would the breeder say 2 cups in the morning and 2 at night? 

I've been doing the putting it in front of him and letting him eat what he can within 20 minutes.

I'll try cutting back on the treats if around 5 a day is too many, what else can I do to reinforce positive behavior? Being profusely appreciative?


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

Some breeders are more knowledgeable than others. Just because they produced a litter of puppies doesn't mean they have a clue about what they are doing.

Praise, praise, and more praise! Toys are wonderful too. If you need to give treats, they should be tiny! Dogs are more interested in frequency of treats and not volume. Treats should be no bigger than a pea. If they have to chew them, they are way too big.

As your pup isn't a little piggy when it comes to dinner, I would just fill the dish and let him eat as much as he wants per meal and then pick up the left overs. Be sure to feed three times a day.


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## reck0n3r (Jul 29, 2012)

onyx'girl said:


> Has he recently had vaccinations/worming? I would limit the variety and amount of treats he is getting as well....he may be over fed with those and the milkbones. I fed my pups 3x's a day(raw, though) Take him to the vet w/ a stool sample. Most breeders recommend a vet check w/ in 48 hours to protect themselves(and it is in your best interest)
> I follow this vaccination protocol for pups:
> Dr-Dodds-ChangingVaccProtocol
> Your pup is adorable! You are crate training him, right? That will help keep him safe when you can't constantly supervise him.


He has had his first round of shots and deworming, the breeder suggested (after I brought up the mushy poop problem) that i should get his next round done, so I will do this tomorrow.

Yup crate training even though I'm in the same room with him most of the time, it's mainly to get him off the idea that it's okay for him to poop/pee inside. Or is this a bad idea? I'd rather him roam freely, but he's also becoming a bit destructive in chewing everything and pooping/peeing. Would it be better to just have a room specifically for him? I've tried to do the whole take him outside and let him pee/poop there after meals, but he hasn't been doing great with that and just ends up pooping and peeing when he comes back inside and dashes off to another room to do his business.

I don't like the crate idea myself, but...what else would be better?

He's been a handful since he started chewing everything in sight. Day 1 has definitely been the easiest, but he was probably just getting used to his surroundings. I've tried saying NO very firmly and sometimes he does stop, and also sometimes stops when I startle him by smacking a wall or the floor, but other times he continues and I have to go pull him away from whatever it is he's chewing.

Oh and thanks! He's been a sweetheart but I'm worried he's headed down a path of destructiveness. If things get checked out with the vet okay tomorrow I'll start him on proper training also.


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## reck0n3r (Jul 29, 2012)

Elaine said:


> Some breeders are more knowledgeable than others. Just because they produced a litter of puppies doesn't mean they have a clue about what they are doing.
> 
> Praise, praise, and more praise! Toys are wonderful too. If you need to give treats, they should be tiny! Dogs are more interested in frequency of treats and not volume. Treats should be no bigger than a pea. If they have to chew them, they are way too big.
> 
> As your pup isn't a little piggy when it comes to dinner, I would just fill the dish and let him eat as much as he wants per meal and then pick up the left overs. Be sure to feed three times a day.


Okay great I will try this. Thank you.

Any thoughts on the crate training thing? I will be around most of the time to supervise (I've recently left my job to go back to school and am taking online classes, so I've got all sorts of free time.)


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

reck0n3r;2542623
Yup crate training even though I'm in the same room with him most of the time said:


> He's a baby and babies put everything in their mouth. It's your job to provide him with toys to play with and to supervise him every second he's out and about. If he has something in his mouth he shouldn't chew on, grab an acceptable toy and make it look fun so he drops what he has for the toy.
> 
> I DO NOT like crating a pup just because it's easier than watching him. If you need to put up baby gates to keep him in the same room as you, then do it.
> 
> ...


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## zyppi (Jun 2, 2006)

Relax, he won't break or be ruined so easily. Enjoy your baby.

Good idea to take him to vet for a well puppy check . I do that with any puppy I bring into my home,

Treats are ok, but break them into small pieces so he doesn't make a meal of them.

Personally, I would decide his food into 3 meals a day until he's closer to 12 weeks.

He's a cute little guy.


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## reck0n3r (Jul 29, 2012)

Got it.

Too early to put a leash on him? He's been becoming more brave outdoors and will not respond to my calls for him to come back.

He had no problem with the collar I put on today, but did tug quite a bit with the leash on. He's used to roaming wherever he pleases, so he didn't like the leash much, but I did praise him a lot when he stopped tugging and I think he started getting the idea.


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

I would have had a leash on him and had him out for a walk the day I got him.


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## reck0n3r (Jul 29, 2012)

zyppi said:


> Relax, he won't break or be ruined so easily. Enjoy your baby.
> 
> Good idea to take him to vet for a well puppy check . I do that with any puppy I bring into my home,
> 
> ...


Yeah I've been hearing 3 meals from most places as well, especially since he's not eating a ton to begin. I think I'll switch to that.

And yup, I think him being a cute furball does make all the accidents easier to deal with!


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## reck0n3r (Jul 29, 2012)

Elaine said:


> I would have had a leash on him and had him out for a walk the day I got him.


I avoid going for a real walk because he hasnt had all of his shots yet, so maybe after we visit the vet tomorrow.

I'll go out and walk around nearby with him and have him used to it.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

take your pup out often. i took my pup out every 15 minutes
and evry 15 minutes became every 25 minutes and so on.
over night he was out every 2 hours. my pup was in a puppy
class at 10 weeks old. we socialized everyday in some manner.
when he was 4 months old we started OB clsses.

did you take your pup to the vet for a check up? you have a pup
and it may take time to find a food that works for him. don't worry
your pup will settle in. you have to take the proper steps to secure
your dogs health, training and socializing. being a first time dog owner,
first time GSD owner doesn't matter. if you follow the proper steps
you're going to have a well trained highly socialized dog but you have
to do it right from the begining.


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## Shaina (Apr 2, 2011)

I wouldn't be taking him out without all of his vaccines yet, and if he's only had one set he's due for a few more. Lots of parvo and distemper going around right now..

Good luck and have fun! Also, I used the crate a lot when my girl was little. Don't feel bad.


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## WVGSD (Nov 28, 2006)

Hello and welcome! I have a 13 week old puppy and am going through much of the same challenges. However, I am a firm believer in crate training and my puppy is responding wonderfully to it. She has some time in her crate, time in her kennel (heated/airconditioned/indoor/outdoor), time in the kitchen and time in the backyard. Everything goes in her mouth at this point and it takes no time for her to pull the tablecloth off of the kitchen table or perform some other dastardly puppy act. 

Her crate has a few toys and a pizzle stick in it at all times. She now runs in to her crate for the pizzle stick and, more often than not, falls asleep for a nap. This allows me to have time to wash dishes, check on laundry, do e-mails, read my mail, etc. Be firm and the crate will save your sanity and could save her life by preventing her from an accident. 

If you are home with her a lot, you can also place the crate in the room where you both are and place toys and her bed in there. You may be surprised to see her walk in and settle down for some quiet time on her own.


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## reck0n3r (Jul 29, 2012)

I took him to the vet yesterday for a checkup and the doc said that he's got parasites. He just had his last shot on July 9th so he said the next shot isn't done until about 3-4 weeks after and he wants us to come in this saturday. He also gave 2 ointments to protect him from fleas (Revolution - selamectin topical solution). One was applied yesterday and the next one isnt to be applied until next month. I'll do some more reading on this to see if it's really helpful. These days I'm really skeptical of all sorts of medications and ointments that are supposed to be "good for you", and naturally I will have the same skepticism for my boy.

He was given another deworm pill yesterday so hopefully that will help. Oh and I'm happy to report that his poop has now firmed up. I've added carrots to his diet and took the advice given here to just give him pieces of a treat biscuit instead of the whole thing, and this seems to be helping. 

He's also great with his crate, I have a few toys in there and just put in a sock that I dampened with water and had in the freezer for a bit to help him with his teething. He's LOVING that. He slept in his crate last night without any noise from about 12ish until me waking up at 7 this morniing, which is also when he got up. When I went down to check on him (last night was my first night sleeping away from him) he let me know that he needed to head out for a tinkle...and a mighty tinkle it was!

I'm reading up on the pizzle sticks...sounds like a good idea, I'll see how much the frozen sock thing goes for now to help with his teething, I imagine the cool effect of it being in the freezer feels amazing!

...I just gotta make sure they're totally clean socks that haven't been worn, or else he might get the idea that when I've got socks on its okay for him to chew my feet. 

He got feisty this morning when I tried to get the leash on him, the nipping got him all worked up and I had to pin him down. I made the mistake of getting down to his level and saying NO very close to his face that he nipped me on the nose. Totally my fault. I'm reading up on the nipping issues and I see that it was my mistake. He was totally worked up and I should have known better. I did crate him for a few minutes to calm him down and he was fine after.

Oh also when I had him at the vet yesterday, he took a giant poop which he must've stored since the night before...which I found odd because I had been taking him out regularly to make sure he would eliminate (I assumed he did it while he was hiding under the bushes). But it seems I've reached a conclusion - he only likes to pee and poop on cool, usually hard, surface. He seems to refuse to eliminate when it's hot out, so before sunrise or early sunrise worked well this morning and I will continue to do that. How do I deal with the remainder? I don't want him to get used to being indoors to poop. Am I supposed to make him hold it as long as possible until he's got no choice BUT to go outside?

Sorry for all the questions.


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

I'm not a fan of any of those smoked and dried animal parsts for your dog and that includes pizzle sticks. Many dogs can eat them and never have a problem, others will have diarrhea problems from them due to contamination, smoke, and fat content. I just don't see any need to ever give them to my dogs.

So what if your pup is feisty? Enjoy it, he's a baby and lovin life. Laugh at him and play with him. Give him a toy while you put his leash on. Never, ever pin you pup down. This is one of the worst types of corrections you can do as it usually escalates the behavior and you can get really bitten as he gets older.

I hate putting pups in their crates for a time out. They aren't children and do not understand time outs and don't think about the error of their ways while in there. It's a punishment, pure and simple. The only time I put a pup in their crate for bad behavior, is when I'm about to kill them. It's a time out for me to calm down and not kill them.

Be careful giving your pup a sock to chew because you are teaching him it's ok to chew on your socks. Think about. How is he to know which of your clothes are ok to chew? Best not to teach chewing on clothing is a good thing from the beginning.

Carrots are a great chewy if given as is. If you want to feed a carrot for nutrition, it has to be emulisfied first as they can't digest them otherwise.

Keep taking him out to potty as often as possible. Potty him in the shade when possible, but if he doesn't potty, then he has to hold it until you take him out again. This is why you have to have him in sight at all times in the house so you can catch him in the act if he has an accident in the house and you can stop him and race him outside to finish. By having you go crazy when he potties in the house and then lots and lots of praise when he goes outside is how they figure it out. Plus, the more he goes out, the more chances he has of going outside, means fewer accidents in the house, and the more going outside becomes a habit.


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## reck0n3r (Jul 29, 2012)

The problem is that he MUCH prefers to potty inside. Several times I've taken him out, even to let him be on his own with no leash, and he will not produce stool or urine even if we've been out for an hour. The moment we come inside he takes it as his cue to pee or poo the second I'm not looking. I had him outside just now to eliminate, but it is raining so he wouldnt go. The second we got back inside he peed in 3 different places within a span of 5-10 minutes. It seems like the only time he'll go outside is if he REALLY has to go. I caught him in the urinating act just earlier and I raced over to pick him up and take him outside so he could finish. He didn't go again so I figured he was done...we came back inside and he peed right away the moment I turned my back to clean up the first mess.

It's a little frustrating but I'm confident we'll both get it eventually.

And you're right, pinning him down is a bad idea, I'll try to keep a toy with me at all times to distract him if he gets amped up.


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

You turned your back on him and he had time to pee in three different places. However hard it is to watch him, you have to do it. If you just brought him in and he didn't pee or poo, then you have to have your eyes glued to him for just this reason. You can take a brief break of direct eye contact only when you know he's just peed and pood outside.


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## reck0n3r (Jul 29, 2012)

Elaine said:


> You turned your back on him and he had time to pee in three different places. However hard it is to watch him, you have to do it. If you just brought him in and he didn't pee or poo, then you have to have your eyes glued to him for just this reason. You can take a brief break of direct eye contact only when you know he's just peed and pood outside.


It happened while I was busy cleaning up his previous mess(es) he made moments before. :crazy: (this is where the crate comes in handy - I just can't accept letting him get used to urinating/defecating in the house.)

Maybe I'll turn him into a night puppy since he hates the sun and the heat.

Counting down the days til Fall...


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## kateydog (Aug 1, 2012)

Don't know if this will help, but it helped for our puppy (now 12 weeks). It has been an extremely hot summer (Michigan), so we got a kiddie pool and the first thing she does is run to it, get her paws wet, splash around a bit and then is ok to walk on the hot grass. We clean it out every few hours and just add another inch or two from the hose. She likes to drink out of it as well.

Walks/exercise we try to do later at night or in the morning. GSD's have a double coat, so yes they LOVE the fall/winter. 

Also a grain free food usually involves less waste (number 2's). I posted a very affordable one from costco in another post. 

Anyways hope this helps, and expect a much more active puppy when it cools down a bit.


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## reck0n3r (Jul 29, 2012)

kateydog said:


> Don't know if this will help, but it helped for our puppy (now 12 weeks). It has been an extremely hot summer (Michigan), so we got a kiddie pool and the first thing she does is run to it, get her paws wet, splash around a bit and then is ok to walk on the hot grass. We clean it out every few hours and just add another inch or two from the hose. She likes to drink out of it as well.
> 
> Walks/exercise we try to do later at night or in the morning. GSD's have a double coat, so yes they LOVE the fall/winter.
> 
> ...


I might give it a shot...he didnt much like being out in the rain yesterday though, it was coming down pretty heavy. Is that because he doesn`t understand where its coming from? It would suck to get a pool and then have him avoid it. Im glad its working out for your pup though!


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

Some dogs that don't like rain, love pools. Some dogs hate both of the above and some love both. No way to know until you try it.


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## kateydog (Aug 1, 2012)

reck0n3r said:


> I might give it a shot...he didnt much like being out in the rain yesterday though, it was coming down pretty heavy. Is that because he doesn`t understand where its coming from? It would suck to get a pool and then have him avoid it. Im glad its working out for your pup though!


My dog also hates the rain. She walks under the overhangs and goes to bathroom in the flower bed when it is raining lol.

She LOVES the pool however. It is like the cheapest, smallest pool I could find. Put a inch or so of water in it. If the puppy is afraid of the hose, maybe put the water in when they aren't looking.

In addition when it is really hot out in the evening I have one of these balls.

JW Pet Hol-ee Roller Dog Toy - Dog - Sale - PetSmart

I throw it in the pool and she jumps in and chases it now. Then will chase it around while it is wet. I have made it her outside ball and she loves going out now. 

Puppies also have "fear periods" when they are young. One day, something will bother them a lot, and the next week they are fine. Just try to be as positive as possible about everything till about 16 weeks, which seem to be the most important. Positive socialization with other dogs, convincing them that the world is a fun place etc. Sometimes it takes a ton of treats and praising to get them to accept something.


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

Puppies do not go through fear periods. This is a myth to cover for poor socialization, poor training, and/or poor nerves.


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