# URGENT, got 8 week old purebred puppy, need advice.



## pancake

8 week old purebred german shepherd from breeder's line. i watched a bunch of youtube videos as well as read the entire book by Ian Dunbar on "Before you get a puppy" and had to choose from a litter of 4 female German Shepherds. 

It was tough cause they were all acting somewhat similar except 1 of the pup who was overly aggressive and dominant. I didn't choose her. She would come up and bite, jump and swarm all the others. The other 3 were all similar and there were no special markings so it was REALLY hard to tell which one was which. 
I settled on one that seemed to be very calm but could hold her own when her and her sibling were playing but she wasn't aggressive or getting too nippy. She also came when called and then all the other 3 pups would come swarm for attention so the entire litter was pretty good when called. They were playful. 
She also seemed like the only one that went pee and poo in the dirt/grass whereas the other 2 went on the cement. She was the smallest/skinniest but had the best coat as well. Very calm when we held her didn't struggle. 

The problem is when we left. Immediately after we met her premise and put her in the car, I had her in my arms and she would not stop crying. She was salivating like CRAZY my entire shirt was drenched. Petting her head wouldn't console her. She also threw up all her food that she ate right before we left, all over our car seat out of fear/stress. I picked her up and holding her made her calm and eventually she was dozing in and out of sleep. It was a long drive though. 
After the drive, we had to get out the door and I put her on a leash and placed her on the yard and she was shaking, crying and just laid there whimpering and would not move. It was over an hour long in the car ride and she did not go potty. 
So far it's been maybe 1.5-2 hours since we left her original place and she hasn't moved and cries unless someone holds her. She's asleep on someone's lap. 


Is this normal behavior or did I pick a pup that's more on the shy side which would require much much more socialization and separation anxiety training? Am I giving into a big problem by coddling her everytime she cries to be held? Or is she young enough for it to be okay? I want to start training her in appropriate behavior starting with potty training but right now she will not move. When she wakes up I need a gameplan. I tried to feed her from my hand and she would not eat, she drank some water, did not go potty or pee. One of these 3 things are going to happen eventually and I don't know how to take care of it if she won't even roam on the grass without freaking out. 

Help, advice?


----------



## msvette2u

Well she has no idea what a leash is I am sure.
I'd give her some time.
Fix her a warm bed, a nice warm towel, and give her time.

Feeding her before she left is a huge mistake. I'm surprised any breeder would do that.
So that was a bad start but either way, it is what it is.

Give her time. Don't overwhelm her and don't try to leash train today.
Or tomorrow 
Take a collar off if she has one on, for now anyway (unless she came with it and was used to it).
She is a new baby. Treat her like one


----------



## llombardo

pancake said:


> The problem is when we left. Immediately after we met her premise and put her in the car, I had her in my arms and she would not stop crying.


Mine screamed and cried all the way home...I was a mess by the time we got home:crazy: Mine was 12 weeks when I got her. I just took her in the car whenever I could, when she started to whimper I ignored her. Finally after about a month she was fine in the car. She just turned a year and she behaves better then any dog I have ever had in the car. There is hope


----------



## BlackthornGSD

It's a bit extreme/dramatic, but it's well within the "range of normal." Be patient with her, remember she's a _baby_, give her time, give her attention, don't leave her alone if you can avoid it--even at night--she's used to being surrounded by her family. And being carsick will make *ANYONE* miserable.


----------



## MaggieRoseLee

8 weeks old is a teeny baby, so don't expect too much except cuteness for a bit.

Take advantage of some of the sites we have, tons of great info to read and go thru

Welcome to the GSD/FAQ's for the first time owner - German Shepherd Dog Forums

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...-time-owner/165774-gsd-puppy-primer-tips.html

aw:


----------



## briantw

pancake said:


> 8 week old purebred german shepherd from breeder's line. i watched a bunch of youtube videos as well as read the entire book by Ian Dunbar on "Before you get a puppy" and had to choose from a litter of 4 female German Shepherds.
> 
> It was tough cause they were all acting somewhat similar except 1 of the pup who was overly aggressive and dominant. I didn't choose her. She would come up and bite, jump and swarm all the others. The other 3 were all similar and there were no special markings so it was REALLY hard to tell which one was which.
> I settled on one that seemed to be very calm but could hold her own when her and her sibling were playing but she wasn't aggressive or getting too nippy. She also came when called and then all the other 3 pups would come swarm for attention so the entire litter was pretty good when called. They were playful.
> She also seemed like the only one that went pee and poo in the dirt/grass whereas the other 2 went on the cement. She was the smallest/skinniest but had the best coat as well. Very calm when we held her didn't struggle.
> 
> The problem is when we left. Immediately after we met her premise and put her in the car, I had her in my arms and she would not stop crying. She was salivating like CRAZY my entire shirt was drenched. Petting her head wouldn't console her. She also threw up all her food that she ate right before we left, all over our car seat out of fear/stress. I picked her up and holding her made her calm and eventually she was dozing in and out of sleep. It was a long drive though.
> After the drive, we had to get out the door and I put her on a leash and placed her on the yard and she was shaking, crying and just laid there whimpering and would not move. It was over an hour long in the car ride and she did not go potty.
> So far it's been maybe 1.5-2 hours since we left her original place and she hasn't moved and cries unless someone holds her. She's asleep on someone's lap.
> 
> 
> Is this normal behavior or did I pick a pup that's more on the shy side which would require much much more socialization and separation anxiety training? Am I giving into a big problem by coddling her everytime she cries to be held? Or is she young enough for it to be okay? I want to start training her in appropriate behavior starting with potty training but right now she will not move. When she wakes up I need a gameplan. I tried to feed her from my hand and she would not eat, she drank some water, did not go potty or pee. One of these 3 things are going to happen eventually and I don't know how to take care of it if she won't even roam on the grass without freaking out.
> 
> Help, advice?


All of that sounds like pretty normal behavior. She threw up because she's probably never been on a car ride before (except maybe to the vet). Basically any time a dog salivates like crazy like that, they're probably about to spew, so keep that in mind as your puppy grows up. She will absolutely throw up again.

As far as the whining goes, welcome to the wonderful world of owning a German Shepherd puppy. Get used to the whining. You're going to be hearing a whole lot of it over the next few months. Mine is over a year now and he still whines a lot. They're just a whiny breed.

Just keep this in mind: she just left the only world she's ever known and is now with people she just met and doesn't trust yet. Expect her to be a nervous wreck for a few days while she adjusts. 

Socialization will come with time. She's still really young. Let her adjust to you and your family for a week or two, then focus on socializing her with strangers. And wait to socialize her with dogs until she has all of her shots. You're in no rush with the socialization, so take your time with it and don't rush it.

Finally, on to feeding/bathroom details. She will definitely do one of those things eventually. Your job is to give her as many opportunities to succeed as possible. Take her out constantly. If she goes to the bathroom, get excited and praise her. If she eats, take her out shortly after. 

If you catch her in the act of going to the bathroom inside, lightly scold her (don't scare her...you can more heavily scold her when she's bigger and knows you better), pick her up, and carry her outside. If she finishes her potty outside, praise her. If she goes but you don't catch her in the act, don't scold her. She won't know why you're mad. Just have someone take her in the other room to occupy her and clean it up while she's not around.

Ultimately, don't worry. None of what you're experiencing is abnormal, so don't panic and just use common sense.

Good luck and hope I was able to help!


----------



## Bear L

My puppy at 9 weeks when I brought her home also had to be held or she'd fuss and cry. Let her take her time to settle in. If she doesn't want to eat, don't stress it, it'll eventually happen. Like you said, all those things will eventually happen.


----------



## MaggieRoseLee

Best sites to give a visual on how we should be behaving with our pups are:

Engagement - Key to Training

Teaching a trick is the least important part of teaching tricks

Intro to Clicker Training (perfect for puppies!)

Why bother to 'socialize' and I want photos/videos of puppies/dogs..... 

aw:


----------



## pancake

Thanks everyone, helps a ton. She is now sitting and waking up/drifting off without someone by her side so I think she'll be fine. I put a Kong with some chicken inside and she smelled it and went back to sleep. She wakes up every now and then and makes some noise and stretches and goes back to sleep. 

But one thing Im worried about is she is breathing really fast. I dont know if this is normal for a dog or a puppy or if she's sick or something. It's easy to imagine the worst when you don't know what's normal. It LOOKS like labored breathing but she's on her side now more relaxed than before and just sleeping. I can feel her breathing bumping into my leg. Should I wake her up or something? Or are there signs I should look for to see if she's sick or something? 

Btw I think she threw up cause of the stress and also they were giving her purina hard food which didn't seem all that digestible. Ill try to get a video or picture to see get some visual.


----------



## briantw

Labored breathing while sleeping means she's probably having a dream. Labored breathing while she's awake (assuming she hasn't been playing or running) means she might have the runs.


----------



## Jag

Did the breeder take her to the vet before you got her? Do you have shot records and worming records? If these are all 'no' then you went to a bad breeder. She's being dramatic, BUT it could be nothing. If she's not been vaccinated (you don't have the records) then you can either return the pup or get it to a vet right away to get started. My guy had some jet lag, but otherwise was stellar when he came home. Do you know the lines of the pup you got? Anything about the pup's background at all?


----------



## pancake

briantw said:


> Labored breathing while sleeping means she's probably having a dream. Labored breathing while she's awake (assuming she hasn't been playing or running) means she might have the runs.


I thinkj you were dead on. She was twitching and stuff and it kind of freaked me out, never saw this before. She was just dreaming and she's now awake and we were outside. Now she's not so fearful, she was walking around exploring but she's very loyal to me and follows me everywhere I go even 4 feet away and hides between my legs. 
I also was able to introduce her to my current dog outside my house on "neutral" ground and I think it went well. The pup wasn't necessarily super friendly cause my other dog is huge (size of full grown german shepherd female) but they did sniff each other a little before the pup would run away behind my legs. 



Jag said:


> Did the breeder take her to the vet before you got her? Do you have shot records and worming records? If these are all 'no' then you went to a bad breeder. She's being dramatic, BUT it could be nothing. If she's not been vaccinated (you don't have the records) then you can either return the pup or get it to a vet right away to get started. My guy had some jet lag, but otherwise was stellar when he came home. Do you know the lines of the pup you got? Anything about the pup's background at all?


Yeah, actually I didn't get her from a breeder. Or maybe it was a breeder but not a full time breeder. I was originally looking on Craigslist and tried to get some help on "Choosing a puppy" section here but not much activity there. The person I bought it from had the pedigree and receipt, all the paperwork and registration as well and showed me the mom and dad. The mom and dad are both from cantargsd.com. The dad and mom come from showing winning champion lines with OFA so this pup's grandfather was a CH and I have to look up the mom but both are definitely from a line of good purebreeds that are also screened for H/E, Thyroid, Cardiac, etc. from what I've been told when I called cantargsd. 

He gave me the records for the 1st shots vaccinations and deworming. I think the pup was just super overwhelmed. She rebounded pretty quickly after getting some cuddling and affection. 


UPDATE:

Fed her and she ate quite a bit, also took to her chew toy pretty well so overall, she's doing quite well. Eating, drinking, playing, and went pee outside when I took her out and got praise. No poop though. 

Few more questions now: 
When is a puppy's attention span good enough for obedience training? She's still a baby and very much like a cat. No real focus or eye contact, etc. which is expected. I'm curious when puppies are able to focus and look at you for more direction, things like obedience training. I don't feed her from a bowl but instead feed from my hand directly and try to get her to come for food and now she is doing okay on recall. She'll come running excited and sniff my hand for food which shows it's working. 

When can I leave her in her pen or crate for longer periods of time? She's set up in a pen in our living room and when we left her in the pen she would scream and try to jump the barriers. She would go crazy and get stressed. I didn't want to give into her cries but she's still young so I stepped inside and within seconds she laid down and fell asleep. I'm getting a kennel this sunday so I can crate train her. If she's screaming bloody murder, do I come and console her for a little bit? Or is that counter productive to separation anxiety training? 


Do dogs at this age know the meaning of NO? How many people use negative re-enforcement for certain things and if so, what do you use? How many people use positive re-enforcement, and if so , what? What about a mix of both? 

What kind of exercise can I give my puppy? or is it even necessary aside from her playing with her chew toy and running around a little bit during potty walks. 


What do I do about biting? She sometimes bites pretty ferociously at her bed, towel, etc. and I try to divert that to chew toys. But she still bites and tears at things. She doesn't do that so much to me or people but sometimes she does. I was planning on just leaving the room whenever she does that and put her in a time out seeing as how she loves company. 

What do I do if she wakes up in the middle of the night and starts screaming and won't go back to sleep?


----------



## Jag

I waited a few days before introducing my dogs to the new pup. Too much stimulus when the pup doesn't know where it is. It would be good to remove beds, towels, and stuffed animals, etc. from the pen when you're not right there to watch. They will rip up and ingest the stuffing. Best place? In a crate with only hard things like nylabones, kongs, etc. that the pup can't choke on. You may find yourself sleeping next to the pen until you can get a kennel. I would only use positive things on a pup. They don't understand "no" at this age. They have to be taught. Depending on what kind of attitude you want to foster, you may want to save 'no' for dangerous things. This baby doesn't know where it is, what happened to mom and siblings, etc. Lots of reasons to just take things slow and make every encounter a good one. Next time your pup wants to hide between you legs or behind them, just move the pup to your side and praise. Keep leash tight enough so the pup can't hide. Carry on like there's nothing in the world wrong. For the first couple of weeks, just bond with the pup. That way, the pup feels safe and not so alone. You may see less 'hiding' just from that.


----------



## pancake

Jag said:


> I waited a few days before introducing my dogs to the new pup. Too much stimulus when the pup doesn't know where it is. It would be good to remove beds, towels, and stuffed animals, etc. from the pen when you're not right there to watch. They will rip up and ingest the stuffing. Best place? In a crate with only hard things like nylabones, kongs, etc. that the pup can't choke on. You may find yourself sleeping next to the pen until you can get a kennel. I would only use positive things on a pup. They don't understand "no" at this age. They have to be taught. Depending on what kind of attitude you want to foster, you may want to save 'no' for dangerous things. This baby doesn't know where it is, what happened to mom and siblings, etc. Lots of reasons to just take things slow and make every encounter a good one. Next time your pup wants to hide between you legs or behind them, just move the pup to your side and praise. Keep leash tight enough so the pup can't hide. Carry on like there's nothing in the world wrong. For the first couple of weeks, just bond with the pup. That way, the pup feels safe and not so alone. You may see less 'hiding' just from that.


Thanks, yeah I'm still taking into consideration that it's her first day here. Hasn't even been 24 hours but she's doing alright. But it is EXHAUSTING when she wakes up every 30 minutes and screams bloody murder because no one is RIGHT next to her. Even in the same pen, if I'm not next to her she tries to get out and cries. 

Crate training involves leaving her inside and not attending to her cries right? She cries so much and because it's her first day I'm attending to her cries but after a while, I might have to cut down. She also is able to get both her arms on the top of the homemade pen I made with plastic drawers stacked together. I'm afraid she'll jump out at like 4am when i'm asleep and can't attend to her and she does some damage. Hope a crate makes a difference.


----------



## Jag

Tending to her needs still... but letting her cry it out at times when you know she just pottied, doesn't need food or water, etc. I know there are links to crate training here somewhere... you have to start out with small amounts of time in the crate. Some people even feed meals in there to get them used to it and know that it's a safe place. Even though Grim flew a long time in his kennel, he still LOVED it! I totally lucked out there. He's always gone all night in there just fine, and only ever cries for a minute or less (if at all anymore) and only cries other times when he needs to potty. He really likes his crate. I've always given him high value treats when it's time to go to his crate. It's in a bedroom that isn't being used right now. I leave the light on during the day, but shut it off when it's time for bed. I always have to close the door because my Pug will bother him otherwise. Some put the crate next to their beds, but Grim just never needed that. (Which is a good thing, as it would have been hard to get his crate there!) He's so needy with his crate that I have yet to see him sleep anywhere else. This isn't a bad thing, though! I always used wire crates in the past, but he's using a kennel now, and I'll stick with that to give him that 'den like' feeling.


----------



## Jax08

Which one is yours? They are adorable!
Puppies & Adults for sale


----------



## Cassidy's Mom

Have you read Dunbar's After You Get Your Puppy? It's available as a digital download on the Dogstar Daily website, and it will answer most of your questions. 

Halo got carsick every time we took her anywhere, for months, no matter how short the trip. She grew out of it, and I'm sure your puppy will too.


----------



## readaboutdogs

we used "at,at" sound more with our puppies and at first mainly focused on the potty training! also hand feeding,putting our hands in food bowl, touching while they ate.


----------



## readaboutdogs

oh, and i know it was probably bad, but they usually would sleep with one of us! didnt have too much whinning with that! on the "at,at" sound, i had done that for years, even with my kids! i read later on that doing that is simliar to how animals "correct" with a growl,etc.


----------



## TrentL

This all sounds normal my wife and I wanted our puppy in the bedroom so I spent the first three days on the couch and my boy in his crate I left a hand right beside the crate and we slept that way.

I set an alarm to wake me up every three hours of potty time.

But of you cater to get crying toouch she will learn that crying = getting why thy want

So food water potty and then I invite whining and praise when he is quiet or playful outside

Pictures !!!


----------



## TrentL

Also I differ from everyone else we took our dog EVERYWHERE

but avoided heavy dog areas

We started socializing right away. As long as you keep your pup from other dogs you won't have problems(avoid other dog poop etc)

Our pup has seen everything goes with us everywhere I sit outside at Walmart people meet and pet him no dogs there pretty easy socializing


----------



## Sunflowers

Breathing fast when sleeping is normal. It freaked me out, too. 
Give her time. She has been traumatized-- taken away from her mom and litter mates, everything she has ever known. Eight weeks to be alive is not a very long time, and these guys pretty much are out of it for the first few weeks-- so this is a lot for her. 
Let her sleep. She is stressed and will wake up soon enough, and then you will be telling us she is biting


----------



## pancake

Thanks all. 

I'm worried she's going to have some problems and need extra work though. She is extremely sensitive to everything. I'm sitting 4 feet away in her view and when she's in her pen, she gets so crazy. She manages to escape everytime so I know she's smart though. not having a crate is a problem but im worried that with a crate she's just going to get so stressed she's going to soil herself. She hasnt taken to chewing or anything and all she does is sleep. She's more on the timid side. She is also EXTREMELY vocal and even walking around checking things out or if she wants inside she just starts shrieking on the top of her lungs. 

Is this indicative of a long hard road of training? Or is it because she's so young.

Are all german shepherd pups so vocal?


----------



## TrentL

My is vocal big time and at 10 weeks siting in an exercise pen he goes nuts

The crate he is better in he whines but settles down

Big thing is your going o have to let her cry in the crate and not give in (assuming you took her out to potty on a regular schedule)

Ahe sounds 100% like mine maybe a little louder but normal.

I'd start socializing right away all things like sitting outside and let her watch the cars. 

Introduce her to neighbors and children. When Draven was hesitant I gave the person some kibble (my treats) and had them great him.

Start taking he on car rides as well so she gets used to the motion and she'll stop getting sick


----------



## JakodaCD OA

I think other posters have posted some great links for you to read and research.

You have a puppy who has probably never been anywhere other than where you got her from, never been in a car, alot of "nevers". 

These dogs tend to be VERY bonded to their owners, it doesn't surprise me that you crate her/x pen her and sit there and she goes bonkers, she wants to be with you and the closer the better. I would start getting her used to a crate, short times, a few times a day, and LEAVE the house, if she knows/sees you, she is going to have a fit..

Leave a radio on, a chewie something in the crate with her, FEED her her meals IN the crate, she'll start associaiting it with good things.

Don't expect her to respond to commands right now , they have the attention span of a gnat...The first thing I start working on, as in all POSITIVE, is her name and having her come to you... If you have another person in the house..each of you sit some distance away, with treats, and call her back and forth,,make a BIG deal out of her coming to you and always treat/reward.

I also tend to take my puppies with me EVERYWHERE, that is DOG SAFE,, IN the car, maybe to my parents/friends house..NO Dog Parks, NO places where dogs have roamed that a puppy could pick up gosh knows what. 

I would make a vet appt, and have her checked over thoroughly NOW,,don't let her/feet hit the ground in a vets office, again germs/diseases.

Don't overfeed her, or you'll see alotta poop  

Just let her hang out in your home for a few days, getting to know your home and YOU. No pressure, let her be a puppy


----------



## pancake

TrentL said:


> My is vocal big time and at 10 weeks siting in an exercise pen he goes nuts
> 
> The crate he is better in he whines but settles down
> 
> Big thing is your going o have to let her cry in the crate and not give in (assuming you took her out to potty on a regular schedule)
> 
> Ahe sounds 100% like mine maybe a little louder but normal.
> 
> I'd start socializing right away all things like sitting outside and let her watch the cars.
> 
> Introduce her to neighbors and children. When Draven was hesitant I gave the person some kibble (my treats) and had them great him.
> 
> Start taking he on car rides as well so she gets used to the motion and she'll stop getting sick


TrentL, what did your puppy act like when he was put into an x-pen? Were you in plain sight near him? Did he howl, bark, cry, yelp, dig and bite at the cage and eventually climb it and get out? Cause my parents who are here helping got up at 4am because she was absolutely going insane. I can count to MAYBE 5-10 seconds with her in the xpen and with me outside of it and walking away before she starts whining and then escalating to a full blown panic attack. Other people have told me that the worst thing I can do is leave her and some others have told that I should not "give in" which both seems right. 

She is doing "fine" when she has free access everywhere around the house because I think she feels less claustrophobic and safe. She'll nap away from us or under a table whereas in the x-pen she will go insane. Basically she's really needy but I do not know if it is indicative of a dog that will have some major issues down the line. 

We also tried to keep her outside because when I went to pick her up, her and her sibling (5 of them) and her mom and dad were kept in the backyard with full roam. They would just lounge around, play, eat, in a big yard. Perhaps being indoors or being "caged" is causing her to be claustrophobic, I dont know. She seems to be more calm when she's outside than inside of an x-pen though. Maybe its because my other dog is out there or maybe it's because of the non-enclosed environment, but she is maybe 75% nuts instead of 100%. She still wants inside and scratches and howls, shrieks at the screen door for us to let her in but she gives up faster. 

I'm just worried about what I need to do tonight. Last 2 nights were **** and if she's okay outside, we're wondering how she iwll do sleeping out there tonight. Could be okay or could be some neighbors calling the cops. 

I also contacted the breeder to see if I can return the pup cause this behavior doesn't sound normal?? I was told by a behavior consultant that she's having panic attacks and she might need to be medicated and it's already taken a pretty big toll on our lives and it's only been 2 days.



I did follow Ian Dunbar's stuff on house breaking, etc. but she will be an outdoor backyard dog so maybe all of this is useless to begin with. I only did that because I wanted her to be socialized and have a life close to people early on before I move her outside.


----------



## JakodaCD OA

this pup is perfectly normal, however, it sounds like you don't think it is, so maybe this breed isn't quite for you. 

Don't leave a puppy THIS YOUNG OUTSIDE alone! 

Did you READ MY POST above? Puppies are sometimes not easy to deal with , I'm sorry it sounds like you may have had a total misconception of what you were getting?

Honestly, from this last post, it sounds like you should return the puppy . The behavior consultant sounds like an idiot who's never had a german shepherd puppy..

with that.
1. Do not leave the puppy outside alone, it is TO YOUNG
2. Do not medicate a NORMAL puppy
3. This is NORMAL behavior for some puppies
and 4. If it's something you can't deal with, please return the puppy to the breeder pronto..


----------



## msvette2u

It is normal for puppies to want to be with their owners.
Why would you want her to sleep outside alone at just 8 weeks??

It is normal for them to not like containment, when they've been free to wander wherever they want.

If I were your breeder, I'd never give your money back for normal puppy behavior, but I would definitely take the puppy back as it sounds like you are ill prepared to have her.



> The behavior consultant sounds like an idiot who's never had a german shepherd puppy..


THIS!
I might add...the way you build independence in a puppy is to ensure it you'll always be there for it, just like you do not make a human infant "independent" by leaving them to "cry it out". 

I sense impending disaster for this puppy


----------



## Jag

I think you should return the puppy. Some of this sounds perfectly normal BUT some of it sounds like a very anxious and insecure puppy. Maybe a poorly bred pup... maybe it was not interacted with enough at the breeder's house. At some point, the pup should have been inside. Did you go to a reputable breeder or just someone who had puppies? There's a HUGE difference. This is my fourth puppy, and I never had one that was that full of anxiety where it was flipping out from not having free roam. Having free roam all the time is going to make house breaking more difficult also.... as well as put the puppy in danger of getting hurt when it gets into things. Whether this pup is totally normal or not I can't say for sure because it's only a description of events and not being witnessed in person. However, either way I think the pup should be returned. I think you need to have a better plan before getting another. You need a safe and secure environment to keep the pup in (like an X-pen, not an area that you've just used 'stuff' to block the pup off), and a crate before you bring the pup home. Crate training is VERY beneficial. It fosters a sense of security and space that is a safe, quiet area for the pup to have 'downtime'. It just sounds like you aren't prepared for a pup, and this pup is stressing itself into an unhealthy state. 

EDIT- I just caught that you were planning on moving the dog outside later. PLEASE return the pup. GSD's are pack dogs. They want and need to be inside with their owners. Please do NOT get another shepherd if your plan is to keep it outdoors. Shepherds left outdoors all the time tend to end up having behavioral problems due to lack of stimulation and lack of exercise. This isn't a good life for a GSD. Those that do keep them outside make a commitment to exercise them, stimulate them, take them to classes, etc. and are usually experienced GSD people. What was the purpose of getting this pup I wonder? I doubt she has the temperament (from what you've said) to be an 'outdoor dog'.


----------



## pancake

TrentL said:


> My is vocal big time and at 10 weeks siting in an exercise pen he goes nuts
> 
> The crate he is better in he whines but settles down
> 
> Big thing is your going o have to let her cry in the crate and not give in (assuming you took her out to potty on a regular schedule)
> 
> Ahe sounds 100% like mine maybe a little louder but normal.
> 
> I'd start socializing right away all things like sitting outside and let her watch the cars.
> 
> Introduce her to neighbors and children. When Draven was hesitant I gave the person some kibble (my treats) and had them great him.
> 
> Start taking he on car rides as well so she gets used to the motion and she'll stop getting sick





JakodaCD OA said:


> this pup is perfectly normal, however, it sounds like you don't think it is, so maybe this breed isn't quite for you.
> 
> Don't leave a puppy THIS YOUNG OUTSIDE alone!
> 
> Did you READ MY POST above? Puppies are sometimes not easy to deal with , I'm sorry it sounds like you may have had a total misconception of what you were getting?
> 
> Honestly, from this last post, it sounds like you should return the puppy . The behavior consultant sounds like an idiot who's never had a german shepherd puppy..
> 
> with that.
> 1. Do not leave the puppy outside alone, it is TO YOUNG
> 2. Do not medicate a NORMAL puppy
> 3. This is NORMAL behavior for some puppies
> and 4. If it's something you can't deal with, please return the puppy to the breeder pronto..





msvette2u said:


> It is normal for puppies to want to be with their owners.
> Why would you want her to sleep outside alone at just 8 weeks??
> 
> It is normal for them to not like containment, when they've been free to wander wherever they want.
> 
> If I were your breeder, I'd never give your money back for normal puppy behavior, but I would definitely take the puppy back as it sounds like you are ill prepared to have her.
> 
> 
> 
> THIS!
> I might add...the way you build independence in a puppy is to ensure it you'll always be there for it, just like you do not make a human infant "independent" by leaving them to "cry it out".
> 
> I sense impending disaster for this puppy





Jag said:


> I think you should return the puppy. Some of this sounds perfectly normal BUT some of it sounds like a very anxious and insecure puppy. Maybe a poorly bred pup... maybe it was not interacted with enough at the breeder's house. At some point, the pup should have been inside. Did you go to a reputable breeder or just someone who had puppies? There's a HUGE difference. This is my fourth puppy, and I never had one that was that full of anxiety where it was flipping out from not having free roam. Having free roam all the time is going to make house breaking more difficult also.... as well as put the puppy in danger of getting hurt when it gets into things. Whether this pup is totally normal or not I can't say for sure because it's only a description of events and not being witnessed in person. However, either way I think the pup should be returned. I think you need to have a better plan before getting another. You need a safe and secure environment to keep the pup in (like an X-pen, not an area that you've just used 'stuff' to block the pup off), and a crate before you bring the pup home. Crate training is VERY beneficial. It fosters a sense of security and space that is a safe, quiet area for the pup to have 'downtime'. It just sounds like you aren't prepared for a pup, and this pup is stressing itself into an unhealthy state.
> 
> EDIT- I just caught that you were planning on moving the dog outside later. PLEASE return the pup. GSD's are pack dogs. They want and need to be inside with their owners. Please do NOT get another shepherd if your plan is to keep it outdoors. Shepherds left outdoors all the time tend to end up having behavioral problems due to lack of stimulation and lack of exercise. This isn't a good life for a GSD. Those that do keep them outside make a commitment to exercise them, stimulate them, take them to classes, etc. and are usually experienced GSD people. What was the purpose of getting this pup I wonder? I doubt she has the temperament (from what you've said) to be an 'outdoor dog'.




Hm okay. Well, I have people telling me this is not normal and others telling me it is. Dont know what to think. The breeder is supposed to call me after he gets off of work and if he'll allow me to return her, I will for everyone's sake. My other dog is half GSD probaly more and she's completely fine outside. It's a big backyard and we hang out there quite often and its connected to the house via patio. But we'll see if he'll take her back. 

Regarding calling her with treats and stuff, yes that's fine. It's just the extreme panic she goes into when left in an x-pen. What the behavior consultant told me about her being extremely fearful made me worry about her future. If this is truly normal for GSD then I have nothing to worry about for the future. It's only a problem because if she can't stay in an xpen by herself with me standing right next to her, how am I ever supposed to crate train her? I guarantee you she will lose teeth trying to bite her way out of the crate even if i put the crate right next to me, facing me on the couch. I'll try it and post back as I'm going to buy a crate right now but if xpen with ample space doesn't work, crate will not. 

And she seems to whimper a lot even just laying there and moving around. And that was also a factor that worried me.

I hope it's made clear that a lot of this is a problem IF this isn't normal behavior as its indicative of a problematic dog in the future and lots of training and classes, medication or whatever else comes to mind. And being that she's going to get HUGE and GSD's already are on the skittish side unless properly socialized and exposed, I am worried she is not normal. Either this is normal for GSDs and she is like this BECAUSE she's more of the loyal, pack like dog or she will like this BECAUSE she's not normal and may develop into a very skittish adult GSD? I don tknow.


----------



## Jag

Just to clarify something you said, GSD's that are well bred are NOT normally skittish. This isn't the reason for socializing them so well. In fact, well bred dogs can do well even if they aren't in the most skilled hands and aren't socialized to death. (Or so I've heard) My first puppy I didn't socialize, and he was fine with people walking in the house, strangers, and other dogs. His issues came later, from other things. They do go through 'fear stages' and the best way to help them through this is socializing, but they are not supposed to be 'fearful' dogs. Was this pup acting fearful before you took it home? If you get a wire crate, try covering it. That will make it more den like. It's just not possible to say one way or another without actually seeing the pup. I've never had a pup act this way, but maybe I just kept lucking out. Can't go by too much, as what may be 'over the top' to you is normal for others... you know?


----------



## katdog5911

Don't know what is and isn't normal...just know my own experience. My son had Stella from 8 weeks to 11 weeks. She slept in bed with him and was in a crate for a lot of the day, as he was working. His room mates let her out and played with her during that time. I inherited her at 11 weeks as he moved into an apt that did not allow dogs. I made a pen for her next to my bed where she slept at night. I used to cover it with a blanket. I woke up every few hours to let her potty. I always fed her in her crate. I work in the evening so when I left for work at 4, I would feed her and give her a kong to keep her busy. My dh said she would sometimes bark or cry in the crate but he ignored her. So I never had any night time crying really or craziness in her crate. I was with her all day long so she was rarely alone. She is 15 months now and will happily go into her crate, does not cry when left alone in there or in the car, and sleeps in the bedroom loose. I guess she was an easy puppy.


----------



## TrentL

I'm Right beside Draven in his ex-pen and he gets stupid jumping crying whining pacing howling. He doesn't like it all.

But he doesn't sleep there he sleeps in his crate beside me and he is content in that.

The puppies may have slept outside at the breeder but so did her pack and she felt safe. You are her pack now ... My suggestion? Get her in a crate get some pillows and blankets and spend a night or two on the floor while she sleeps in the crate. 

You can move yourself away a little at a time, but leaving her alone outside will be really scare her. She needs pack and safety she is in a fear period where all these new sensations and experiences should be good, lots of love... It's hard I feel for you and I'm going through it too.

Be tough sont give in take regular potty breaks and then right back into the ceate(for night time) she will get used to it.


----------



## pancake

Jag said:


> Just to clarify something you said, GSD's that are well bred are NOT normally skittish. This isn't the reason for socializing them so well. In fact, well bred dogs can do well even if they aren't in the most skilled hands and aren't socialized to death. (Or so I've heard) My first puppy I didn't socialize, and he was fine with people walking in the house, strangers, and other dogs. His issues came later, from other things. They do go through 'fear stages' and the best way to help them through this is socializing, but they are not supposed to be 'fearful' dogs. Was this pup acting fearful before you took it home? If you get a wire crate, try covering it. That will make it more den like. It's just not possible to say one way or another without actually seeing the pup. I've never had a pup act this way, but maybe I just kept lucking out. Can't go by too much, as what may be 'over the top' to you is normal for others... you know?


Thats interesting. She's very friendly doesn't nip or run away from people, so far with everyone in my family and people she meets she's just normal. The xpen clearly didnt work and last night one of my family members were up inside the xpen with her and said she would whine, bark, make noises and stuff. Multiple times we took her outside for potty. And finally at 4am she wanted to go out to the backyard so we did and she, my father, and my other dog all relaxed and finally fell asleep. 







katdog5911 said:


> Don't know what is and isn't normal...just know my own experience. My son had Stella from 8 weeks to 11 weeks. She slept in bed with him and was in a crate for a lot of the day, as he was working. His room mates let her out and played with her during that time. I inherited her at 11 weeks as he moved into an apt that did not allow dogs. I made a pen for her next to my bed where she slept at night. I used to cover it with a blanket. I woke up every few hours to let her potty. I always fed her in her crate. I work in the evening so when I left for work at 4, I would feed her and give her a kong to keep her busy. My dh said she would sometimes bark or cry in the crate but he ignored her. So I never had any night time crying really or craziness in her crate. I was with her all day long so she was rarely alone. She is 15 months now and will happily go into her crate, does not cry when left alone in there or in the car, and sleeps in the bedroom loose. I guess she was an easy puppy.


Thanks, this is good to know. Maybe the crate has a different effect than the xpen as the xpen was open top and gave the illusion that she was trapped in a hole. A crate feels more like a den. So tonight I will try sleeping with her in the crate and next to me on my bed and if it works, I will be pretty stoked. Then we can work on moving her down to the floor, a different room, etc. But seems like a big wish..


----------



## pancake

TrentL said:


> I'm Right beside Draven in his ex-pen and he gets stupid jumping crying whining pacing howling. He doesn't like it all.
> 
> But he doesn't sleep there he sleeps in his crate beside me and he is content in that.
> 
> The puppies may have slept outside at the breeder but so did her pack and she felt safe. You are her pack now ... My suggestion? Get her in a crate get some pillows and blankets and spend a night or two on the floor while she sleeps in the crate.
> 
> You can move yourself away a little at a time, but leaving her alone outside will be really scare her. She needs pack and safety she is in a fear period where all these new sensations and experiences should be good, lots of love... It's hard I feel for you and I'm going through it too.
> 
> Be tough sont give in take regular potty breaks and then right back into the ceate(for night time) she will get used to it.


Thanks, this is reassuring. I am getting a crate tonight and will try this. The breeder was supposed to call but hasn't returned my call yet. But it's understandable she's in a fear phase so will try that crate "next to me" method. Thanks for the input. 


It is hard and I can only imagine how many mistakes one can make raising a human baby haha


----------



## BowWowMeow

Does your other dog live outside? Will this puppy also be living outside?


----------



## pancake

BowWowMeow said:


> Does your other dog live outside? Will this puppy also be living outside?


My other dog does live outside. She was adopted at the age of 8 and its always how it's been. She is getting older and I love her so i want to bring her inside but now her hip dysplasia has caused a lot of atrophy that she can't walk on our hardwood floors. She gets extremely stressed as I have tried to bring her inside. The puppy is inside right now and won't be living alone outside.


----------



## Jax08

pancake said:


> The puppy is inside right now and won't be living alone outside.


oh....so you are going to live outside with the puppy? That's fantastic!!!


----------



## TrentL

She will probably whine and cry in the care but don give in. Regular potty breaks then back into the crate and sleep beside her.

Your breathing and smell should slowly calm her. And remain calm yourself while I don't like everything Cesar says one thing I have noticed is my puppy picks up on my body language really quick!!


----------



## Jag

Jax08 said:


> oh....so you are going to live outside with the puppy? That's fantastic!!!


:hammer: :brrrwinter:


----------



## pancake

TrentL said:


> I'm Right beside Draven in his ex-pen and he gets stupid jumping crying whining pacing howling. He doesn't like it all.
> 
> But he doesn't sleep there he sleeps in his crate beside me and he is content in that.
> 
> The puppies may have slept outside at the breeder but so did her pack and she felt safe. You are her pack now ... My suggestion? Get her in a crate get some pillows and blankets and spend a night or two on the floor while she sleeps in the crate.
> 
> You can move yourself away a little at a time, but leaving her alone outside will be really scare her. She needs pack and safety she is in a fear period where all these new sensations and experiences should be good, lots of love... It's hard I feel for you and I'm going through it too.
> 
> Be tough sont give in take regular potty breaks and then right back into the ceate(for night time) she will get used to it.





TrentL said:


> She will probably whine and cry in the care but don give in. Regular potty breaks then back into the crate and sleep beside her.
> 
> Your breathing and smell should slowly calm her. And remain calm yourself while I don't like everything Cesar says one thing I have noticed is my puppy picks up on my body language really quick!!


I got a crate yesterday and put her inside and she was okay with the door open. But during the night was **** of course, poop and pee everywhere, we were all up attending to her cries and what not. It's getting ridiculous, maybe I'm being too soft by letting her cry and then giving up within 30 minutes of her yelping. It does look like she's panicking but perhaps she needs to learn to deal with it? I read about puppies that have this behavior and then after a few days they just knock out in their crate but other peoiple were advising me that it's mean to leave her inside, etc. etc. 

Anyway tomorrow is Monday and it is inevitable that she will be separated from us. This weekend she was with us 24/7 and probably for the best, no one left the house much but when work comes, she will have to be alone. I'm the only one that will have the day off tomorrow so it will be just me and her. 

I tried to put her in the crate today, covered with a blanket, lots of treats, etc. and with the door open and me RIGHT next to her but she wants out so bad. She constantly comes out and I push her back in. comes out, push her back in and say no, kennel. Repeat X100. Then I shut the door, she hollers, screams, shrieks, tries, pushes her head up the top of the crate and goes into a frenzy. Not being sure when she has to potty makes this hard to know when to let her out but I may have to leave her in the crate 1 hour at a time and tonight just check on her every few hours for potty breaks and see if her whining and frenzy comes to a stop after a while.

I'd like to emphasize that i am RIGHT NEXT TO HER like inches away when she is in her crate and she will absolutely go crazy. Biting the cage, pulling the covers of the blanket and trying to do whatever to get out. Basically she does NOT like being confined. She immediately gets relaxed when she is let out. The action that ensues if I were to just let her out and give into her cries, is she jumps out, wanders around and possibly poos/pees on our floor (which I try to time to avoid) or she gets settled somewhere and sleeps. 

She does NOT like confined whatsoever. Probably because her and her litter mates were all kept outside in an enclosed (But clean and secure) backyard with the mother and father.


----------



## msvette2u

> She constantly comes out and I push her back in. comes out, push her back in and say no, kennel. Repeat X100.




Why are you doing this??

Once a puppy is put in a crate (after having pottied outside, etc.) the door is not opened.

Of course you're distressing her by doing this!

Try this --
American Dog Trainers Network -- How To Successfully Crate Train Your Puppy


----------



## carmspack

Some of this sounds perfectly normal BUT some of it sounds like a very anxious and insecure puppy. Maybe a poorly bred pup

I tend to agree with this thought. This is absolutely not my experience .


----------



## Bear L

I'll tell you what I tried before, not sure if it helped my dog at all though. I went in the crate with her and sat for a bit. I feed her in the crate only (and still do), so she runs into her crate. When she's busy eating, I close the crate and sit there. 

Have you tried playing some crate games? You can google it and there are a couple on youtube based on Susan Garrett that I've seen. I do have to disclose that I've never had to do crate games. 

At the beginning, my dog would cry too when I put her up for the night. What helped was that I'd drain her energy before sleep by taking her for a long walk. I also tried to keep her up and doing something when the afternoon rolls around so she doesn't have much time to nap until it's bed time. I was pretty obsessed with trying to make sure she sleeps because I was really obsessed with trying to sleep myself.


----------



## mypuppy.czar

Hey i also got my puppy at 8 weeks and had a tough time with him the first week. From the beginning he was kept outside at the breeders and wealso planned on him staying outside. First day we got him we had him in his crate and he hated it. I was up all night with running him outside to do his thing and him crying and trying to escape the crate. After hours and hours of tourture for both him and me, i took him out to the dog house we built him and put him in it with a few pieces of clothing with pur scent. He cried for maybe 5 minutes then fell asleep he woke up about 4-5 hours later crying. So i fed him and he went back to sleep. The key is not to keeping going back at every whimper. She is learning that by crying ypu come to her, so its reinforcing the behaviour. I had to wear earplugs all day. It would stress me out hearing the whimpering. The second night was bad aswell hours of crying outside then finally quite. And the thrid night no crying at all. Nows hes a big 6 month old loves his freedom and space. And were outside all the time. I think its wrong to crate or contain an animal, just like others think having him outside is wrong. Everyone is entitled to there opinion. Hopefully everything works out because i was recently in your shoes and it takes a toll. Also try vigrous exercise before bedtime wprks like a charm.


----------



## JakodaCD OA

I don't think the crate is 'wrong', however, if she is pooping/peeing all over her crate and going bonkers it sounds like she is WAY overstressed.

It sounds like your about at the end of your frustration level as well, you have tomorrow off, but what happens on tues when no one is there? Is she going to really hurt herself in the crate? Break out of it and destroy the house?? 

Honestly, if you don't think you can deal with it after tonite, I would be taking her back to the breeders tomorrow, BEFORE, you have to leave her alone on Tues.

While puppies can tend to have a fit in an xpen/crate, the way you describe this puppy is to me anyway, way over the top , now whether it's the puppy or not, it just doesn't sound like your equipped to deal with it (and that's really not meant to be an insult).

Did the breeder ever call you?


----------



## pancake

msvette2u said:


> Why are you doing this??
> 
> Once a puppy is put in a crate (after having pottied outside, etc.) the door is not opened.
> 
> Of course you're distressing her by doing this!
> 
> Try this --
> American Dog Trainers Network -- How To Successfully Crate Train Your Puppy


Thanks but I was experimenting and I did all the textbook stuff. She actually was doing better with my being a stronger authority and saying no and gently pushing her back. To which she actually stopped whining a little and put her head down. It's when the door shuts that she has a massive frenzy. 



mypuppy.czar said:


> Hey i also got my puppy at 8 weeks and had a tough time with him the first week. From the beginning he was kept outside at the breeders and wealso planned on him staying outside. First day we got him we had him in his crate and he hated it. I was up all night with running him outside to do his thing and him crying and trying to escape the crate. After hours and hours of tourture for both him and me, i took him out to the dog house we built him and put him in it with a few pieces of clothing with pur scent. He cried for maybe 5 minutes then fell asleep he woke up about 4-5 hours later crying. So i fed him and he went back to sleep. The key is not to keeping going back at every whimper. She is learning that by crying ypu come to her, so its reinforcing the behaviour. I had to wear earplugs all day. It would stress me out hearing the whimpering. The second night was bad aswell hours of crying outside then finally quite. And the thrid night no crying at all. Nows hes a big 6 month old loves his freedom and space. And were outside all the time. I think its wrong to crate or contain an animal, just like others think having him outside is wrong. Everyone is entitled to there opinion. Hopefully everything works out because i was recently in your shoes and it takes a toll. Also try vigrous exercise before bedtime wprks like a charm.


I think your case is the closest to my case. She also grew up outdoors and after much experimenting, testing, etc. She has separation anxiety sure but it's the confined spaces thing that REALLY bothers her. I could be next to her crate with my face against the rails and she will FREAK out. Same with an open xpen. I know this because when she's allowed out, she will just wander around and play or sleep and it doesnt' have to be RIGHT next to me. So her issue is a little bit of both but more the confined spaces thing and I believe it's a result of being kept outdoors in a very roomy and clear backyard with all of her litter mates. So being indoors and surround by walls is actually new to her, which is the very opposite of what most books write about so it was a little confusing figuring that out. 

When she outside, she is much much more relaxed and happier and I put her outside and went back inside and watched her from the screen door. She would whine and holler for me to come back but gave up much sooner and started to sleep, which means she is capable of relaxation under those conditions. So when she is outdoors, she only has separation anxiety. When she is crated, she has both separation anxiety AND claustrophobia so I believe that's why she went into full blown panic. 




JakodaCD OA said:


> I don't think the crate is 'wrong', however, if she is pooping/peeing all over her crate and going bonkers it sounds like she is WAY overstressed.
> 
> It sounds like your about at the end of your frustration level as well, you have tomorrow off, but what happens on tues when no one is there? Is she going to really hurt herself in the crate? Break out of it and destroy the house??
> 
> Honestly, if you don't think you can deal with it after tonite, I would be taking her back to the breeders tomorrow, BEFORE, you have to leave her alone on Tues.
> 
> While puppies can tend to have a fit in an xpen/crate, the way you describe this puppy is to me anyway, way over the top , now whether it's the puppy or not, it just doesn't sound like your equipped to deal with it (and that's really not meant to be an insult).
> 
> Did the breeder ever call you?


The breeder said that he has never had a problem with this with any of the litter over the past 5 years but he said he'll call me back. To which he did not. And we communicated over text. And then he said he'll call me this morning (yesterday) and I sent him a text but no response. 


Well, it was a heartbreaking and valuable lesson learned and 3 days of bootcamp on puppy do's and don'ts first hand. I was able to re-sell her to a young couple who has another dog and have gone thru the process not long ago and wanted another puppy as companion. Learned a lot from the experience and I was a lot sadder than I had thought I'd be when she was taken but it is for the best. I may do more research into a more adult dog or rescue as I have experience with that and they are more stable in terms of development and temperament. THe hardest part was getting up every 30 m to 1hr to see if she had to use the potty. When you have a frenzy dog that makes noise and whines, it's really hard to know when they need to go so you just go out always. Not being able to crate train properly was pretty rough cause you need to be there 24/7.


----------



## Jag

Did you have a contract with the breeder to return her to him if you didn't keep her? Sounds like a cruddy breeder since he didn't return your messages and had NO input on the situation. Honestly, I bet he's lying through his teeth about not having another pup like this. Sounds like your typical BYB dog. I had bad visions of how this pup was going to turn out as an adult. 

MY pup was kept inside for many weeks. The last couple of weeks, the pups were moved outside in a kennel. Still had plenty of human interaction (my breeder is great about this... even sat with Grim every meal) and play with humans. His first introduction to a crate was flying in his kennel to me. He did great, and never, ever had issues with it since. I can't say that a stable dog being outside as a pup has anything to do with the level of issues you were having. When you buy a shepherd pup, you REALLY have to be careful where you get it. A lot of breeders breed dogs that should NEVER be bred, and others breed dogs but don't know how to breed so that pedigrees compliment each other. Unfortunately, there are so many of these breeders out there... it's hard to find a really good breeder on your own. When you get a BYB dog, you can end up with some serious issues. I got lucky on my previous male... he did have some good dogs back in his pedigree. My female was bred by someone who (obviously) didn't know anything about matching pedigrees and she had a screw loose. There is SUCH a difference with Grim and the other shepherds I've had... it's like this light finally goes on and you say "THIS is what a German Shepherd Dog is!!!" 
If you end up getting a puppy down the road, do your homework on the breeders. I don't think this is anything you did. This pup sounded like it had some serious issues. The breeder should've kept in contact with you and taken the dog back and replaced it (although who knows what the replacment would be like). So sorry you had to rehome her, but this did NOT sound like a normal GSD pup, and I agree..she would have ended up hurting herself left alone.


----------



## BowWowMeow

Did you tell the breeder you were selling her to someone else????? I hope you went to these people's home and checked personal and vet references. And I hope the new home will not give up on her. 

Expecting a tiny puppy to get with your program in 3 days is ridiculous. Please don't get another german shepherd...or any other dog, for that matter.


----------



## pancake

BowWowMeow said:


> Did you tell the breeder you were selling her to someone else????? I hope you went to these people's home and checked personal and vet references. And I hope the new home will not give up on her.
> 
> Expecting a tiny puppy to get with your program in 3 days is ridiculous. Please don't get another german shepherd...or any other dog, for that matter.


Since when did I say I expected her to get with my program in 3 days? _[***Removed by Admin***]_ Everything I posted were different things we tried because nothing would work for her. It's not like I came here to bitch and complained the dog was a terrible dog. Based on what most of you guys as well as other forum members have written, this particular behavior with the confined spaces is not normal and on the side of anxious and that's not my fault. If you're for some reason angry at me for not trying longer than 3 days, then that's your very limited and ignorant opinion of the kind of person I am. I sacrificed my own sleep and well being and spent 3 days straight attending to the puppy like my own child.

And by the way, if you bothered to read my most updated post, you would see that I learned that a young puppy probably isn't for me at this point which is why I am looking into a rescue or an older, more mature dog. 
And again, if you read I did contact the breeder but it is he who did not contact me back. 

You speak like you're a puppy god but it's funny how people forget where they come from. At some point in your life you had a first puppy and you screwed up or didn't do something here or there. And this was my first so I don't see how you suggesting I don't get a dog is doing anyone any good. My dogs are perfectly fine thank you. And if you can't see this was a learning experience for someone that ended in a better life for the puppy and for the human then I don't know what to tell you.


----------



## JakodaCD OA

Hopefully the new home will be better equipped to deal with the issues. 

I know breeders are busy, have lives of their own, but I have little respect for one who says they will return your call, call you and doesn't. It tells me he/she didn't much care what went on after the money was in his hands. The second you were having an issue and doubts, I would have insisted on that puppy back.

I hope you thoroughly checked out the person you sold the puppy to and it works out for them..


----------



## Linda1270

I'm not an authority on GSD puppies by any means, I have just acquired a 7 week old female GSD puppy, and this puppy is just one huge bundle of energy. However, the thought of bringing home a puppy that you will eventually leave outside is perplexing to me. Why wouldn't you want to keep the dog in the house as part of the family?


----------



## middleofnowhere

I'm happy this pup has a different home. I hope that works out for her. I've read the full thread. It was a hard one to get through. To me, the OP was frustrated when she first posted. This pup was not a good match for her. The pup could be a mess of nerves or it could be a high energy, pushy pup that demands a lot of attention and is willful. I'm hoping for the latter. The thread made me very sad.


----------



## PatchonGSD

wow.


----------



## msvette2u

> I was able to re-sell her to a young couple


After 72hrs!? 

And folks wonder why we take applications and screen _adopter_ homes when they want one of our puppies or dogs...


----------



## TrentL

pancake said:


> but it's funny how people forget where they come from. At some point in your life you had a first puppy and you screwed up or didn't do something here or there.


I find this to be true a lot, a lot of good advice but at the same time a lot of high opinion "my poop dont stink" opinions as well.

If you stick around you'll figure which posters want to help and which just seem to crap on anything you do.

That being said my limited time here has also shown me alot of new owners or people with questions who don't seem to take advice well. 

Not saying this happened here (either example) just general observations.


----------



## Muneraven

Good heavens.

My pup is just a bit past twelve weeks now. He threw up in the car, whined, shrieked like a banshee when left in the crate, and all that. We switched to using the crate in short bursts during the day and letting him sleep in bed with us at night. That has worked wonderfully. I don't think he's ever going to LOVE being crated, but the hysteria has dimmed down to what is clearly just complaining about it.

It is too bad you didn't have what it takes to raise a puppy. And that's what it is: You, not the dog. Babies inconvenience you, make a lot of noise, make messes, and require a lot of attention, be they human or canine. If you can't handle raising a baby, don't get one. 

Every tough moment with Jaeger has already been paid back to us ten times over. When he comes over and flops down with his head on my foot, when he gives me an utterly sorrowful look when I tell him kleenex is NOT a chew toy, when he is affectionate and respectful to my old dog and waits on the porch to make sure she gets in the house okay . . .my heart turns to mush. We adore him. 

I sure hope the new owners of this pup give him the attention and patience puppies need. Sometimes second homes turn out to be the right home. Two people gave up on my old dog before I got her as a puppy! She's been with me 12 years now, and every day I am glad those other people gave up on her!


----------



## Castlemaid

Since the pup has found a new home, really no need to continue on in this vein.


----------

