# Desperately Need Help Taking Care of my First Dog....



## Taehyun Kim (Jan 20, 2015)

I got German Shepherd Puppy on Sunday, 1/18/15, the breeder said she turned 6weeks on the 17th of January. On the way home, she threw up 3x. As soon as I got home, I fed her water and some dry food for puppies. I want to train her to pee and poo on the training pads but she keeps missing. So I did some research on how to potty train a pup. However, they all required me to have a treat for her. So i bought 3 different flavors of Puppy treats; chicken, beef, and bacon. She doesnt seem to eat any them. Plus she, has liquidy poo and solid at the end......  
Is that okay or no?

However,

***** Major Problem*****
Her claws/toes seem very sharp and it hurts a LOT. Im worried that my 1 1/2 year old brother would get scratched by her. 
what should i do?

I'll attach some pictures of her 
what can i do to potty train and teach her her name? I need help T.T


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi there, and welcome to the forum. Your puppy looks so sweet! Six months is too young to be away from the litter - in most States it is agains the law to sell a puppy before 8 months of age. Has she been to the vet yet? First thing to do is take her in to get her checked over, she could be very sick. 

Being away from the litter, having her first car ride, being in a new home, getting dog food she isn't used to, can all make her throw up, have runny poops, and not want to eat. Find out what the breeder was feeding the pups, and get the same food. Keep her on that until her poops get better, then you can gradually change her over to the food you want to feed her. 

Six weeks is pretty early for them to get housebroken - plan on a lot of accidents. Your pup should ALWAYS be supervised, and as soon as you see signs that she might pee or poop, pick her up and take her to the potty pads or better yet, take her outside to potty. Better to teach her right away that the potty area is outside, and not in the house. 

A German Shepherd Puppy should not be loose and unsupervised with a toddler. The pup may accidently hurt your brother, and your little brother may accidently hurt your pup. Keep them separated, and only have short, supervised play sessions where your brother can be guided and taught how to be soft and gentle with the pup. GSD pups are lovingly called "Landsharks" because they bite a lot! They do this in play, but it hurts! Guaranteed that your little brother (and you!) will get bit, but remember it is a baby puppy who doesn't know any better, and thinks this is how he is supposed to play. Don't get mad or upset, just always have soft puppy toys at hand that you can get him to bite and play with so he doesn't alway try to go for your hands and feet.

You can clip his claws and keep them short to prevent scratches - but even with the clipped nails, always supervise and control interactions between your pup and your baby brother.


----------



## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

Where are you located? In most places in the US, puppies cannot go home until they are 8 weeks old. Your puppy is very young. Have you had her to the vet yet? Puppies generally have parasites and need to be dewormed several times. Has she been treated at all?

For potty training, take her out frequently - after naps, after meals, after play. Praise, praise, praise. I would not give her treats, at this point. They may just upset her stomach. Be realistic and do not expect this baby to be housebroken any time soon. She is not old enough to hold it for long periods of time. Personally, I am not a fan of puppy pads. Teaching them to potty on a pad is not teaching them to go outside.

Use her name frequently. Call her name and come, "Hannah Come!" Praise her when she comes.

You can trim, just the very tips of your puppy's nails. Be careful to not cut them too short. If you do, you will cut the quick, which will hurt the puppy and cause bleeding. Cutting the tips will do no harm. Be gentle, so the puppy learns to accept nail trimming.


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Castlemaid said:


> Hi there, and welcome to the forum. Your puppy looks so sweet!* Six months* is too young to be away from the litter - in most States it is agains the law to sell a puppy before* 8 months* of age. Has she been to the vet yet? First thing to do is take her in to get her checked over, she could be very sick.


That would be weeks, not months.


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

Lucia == I thinkyou mean weeks instead of months.

The pup will be fine although 6 weeks is a week early. (seven weeks is considered fine by many). 

Training takes time - not just the time you put in to it but time for pup brain to absorb what you want of it. Because the pup is 6 weeks rather than the more typical 8 weeks, it will take even longer (two weeks longer). Most of my pups have toilet trained quickly and easily. The best was the one where my older dog peed outside repeatedly until the pup got it and performed. Then we went inside. All was good. My latest pup still had issues at 9 months!

I would keep the baby brother pretty much away from the puppy for now. Both of them need to grow a bit, mature a bit more. Follow Lucia's directions for re-direct on nipping. I'd ask the vet to clip the nails if I had never done it. (and ask them to show me how.) The nails grow fast so be prepared to need to do it often.

Changes in food = changes in defecation/feces texture. 

Treats - to find something your puppy likes can be challenging. Some of mine have been excited about anything offered (and plenty not offered!), others have been picky as goldilocks. One thing that has worked universally is little bits of chicken or steak. Really small bits. The rolled food, cut into 1/2 to 1/4 inch chunks (and refridgerated once opened/cut for preservation - dog doesn't need cold food) works pretty well too. Presentation also helps. Treats that are a bit of a challenge to get (ie need to nuzzle hand to get fist to open & treats won) seem to be more rewarding for the pups too.

Good luck. Welcome to the forum. Keep us up to date on your adventure.


----------



## kelliewilson (Jan 1, 2015)

probably just getting used to the changes.


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Sorry, yes, I meant weeks.


----------



## canada.k9 (Jan 7, 2015)

Hello there!
First of all, it probably wasn't wise to take the pup before 7-8 weeks.
My dad wanted to get my pup at that age but I said right off the bat, NO. At that age, they are not properly weaned from their mother, so you are going to have to be diligent, and make sure the pup is getting all that she needs.

The runny poops, is probably a result of the diet change. Like advised, it would be wise to call the breeder and see that food he/she was giving. If the food is a low quality, or wayyy to expensive, I would try buying the brand used by the breeder, and an alternate brand, and slowly, slowly converting over a period of 2-4 weeks.

Also advised above, it could be wiser to train your pup to go to the bathroom *outside. *Any mat or blanket could look like a pad to her. We trained my girl, to go to the back of our house to go to the bathroom, by walking her there, saying 'go to the bathroom' and waiting till she went, then praising. Female GSD pee is a grass killer, so this works really well for us. She will need to go out ever hour or 2 till she gets older.

I would advise, crate training. It really helps for when you have to go out of the house and cant take her, night times and car trips.
We did it with Phoenix and I do NOT regret a thing.
If you choose to do this, the first few nights, your pup will yelp and bark, so you may not get much sleep.

For your little brother, I would keep the pup away, besides teaching both child and dog to be gentle. Pup claws and teeth, are both sharp.
I have experience with this, as I have a year old nephew in the house a lot. Phoenix has scratched him mildly before, but now they are both doing great with each other.


----------



## Taehyun Kim (Jan 20, 2015)

Oh.... Maybe i should have waited a week or 2 longer.... Also, around how much are vet visits to get it examined? and why does my puppy sleep so much?


----------



## Jayfeather (Dec 28, 2014)

All puppies sleep a lot, she'll become more active as she gets older.


----------



## Bebe56 (Dec 8, 2014)

Taehyun Kim said:


> OAlso, around how much are vet visits to get it examined? and why does my puppy sleep so much?


that's what they do now .. a few months from now you'll wish they'll sleep more 
he/she must have 3 sets of "booster" shots... at 7 weeks, around 3 month and last at 4 moths or so... annual rabbi shot can be done with last vaccination, your vet will let you know.
These are not expensive, $100 or so, depends on your vet. With first vaccination do a stool exam too, make sure the pup doesn't have any worms from mother..


----------



## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

Vet costs depend a lot on where you live. I am in Maryland. My puppy was 8 weeks in Oct., when she had her first vet visit with me. She came from a shelter. The shelter vet examined her multiple times, gave the first vaccines, dewormed her and spayed her. She was also treated for ringworm, by the shelter. 

I do not know what, if any treatment/exam your puppy received prior to you getting her. Were you provided with any medical paperwork? At the first vet visit with me, my vet did a physical exam and tested for parasites. My puppy tested positive for coccidia and was given medication, which I continued to give at home. My cost was $103.40.

Puppies have to return to the vet frequently to finish shots. My puppy returned:

Nov. 6th - brief exam, additional vaccines $77.00
Dec. 1st - Fecal exam, physical exam, additional vaccines $151.90
Dec. 23rd - Exam, vaccines, Heartgard Plus $155.96


----------



## DutchKarin (Nov 23, 2013)

Perhaps you should get a few books and read about raising a puppy?


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

The cost of a pup wellness exam will depend on where you are. I haven't figured out what the cost of an exam is at the vet's here. It was around $40 in Arkansas.


----------



## Debanneball (Aug 28, 2014)

Taehyun Kim said:


> Oh.... and why does my puppy sleep so much?


. So funny. Wait! Give it time, I bet you soon will be wishing your puppy slept more! Those teeth, OUCH.. I used to say "shhh, the puppy is sleeping" a lot!


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

If your brother is 1 1/2 years old, how old are you? Taking care of a baby like this is a huge responsibility and your parents ought to be on board with this, and answering these questions, or looking for answers. 

The pup is a baby. Should still be with his litter. Why do breeders give them up so young? But they do. And it can cause some issues with bite inhibition, and it can make it more interesting to house train, as they really cannot hold it as long, and they may not be as ready to be house trained as a dog a few weeks older. Weeks are really significant in the development of young puppies. 

Usually we would suggest skipping the pee-pads, and taking the puppy out, so you are not ever teaching the puppy that it is ok to potty in the house. Six week old puppies will need to be taken out more often, and they are not as protected from illness -- their immune systems are even more immature than a pup at 8 weeks or older. 

If you have the puppy in the house alone for a number of hours when you are at work or at school, the puppy cannot hold it, so the answer for a youngster like this, is to use news paper and provide an area, maybe in a basement or utility room where you can set up an area that will be puppy proofed and easy to clean. I would not use pee pads. Sorry. Puppies will ingest anything, and I think if they decide to tear up one of those and eat parts of it, it will be more of an issue that trusty newspaper, which many pups are raised on anyway.

As for the nails. Buy a set of toenail clippers, not too large, and take them to the vet with you when you have your puppy examined. Have them show you how to cut the nails yourself. They should show you how to determine where the quick is, and how to cut the nails so that you are not likely to nick a quick. 

The cost of vet visits depends on your location. Call around to your local vet offices and ask. "I got a new puppy, and I want to bring it in for an exam, what are the basic costs for him to be examined and vaccinated?" Also ask, "what is your vaccination schedule?"

The puppy may sleep a lot because it is a baby, and they mostly eat and sleep. And it could be lethargic, and have a serious illness. First take the pup to the vet and have them examine the puppy, take a stool sample with you, and have them check for worms and parasites.


----------



## Taehyun Kim (Jan 20, 2015)

i am 20years old... my parents had a kid really late.... haha awkward....


how much is it to get a puppy spayed?

She finally pooped solid!!!! thanks everyone


----------



## Taehyun Kim (Jan 20, 2015)

here are the pictures of my little brother and the young pup

after i get used to it, do you guys recommend for me to get a friend(another pup) for her?


----------



## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

No, I don't think you ever get a dog, for a dog.


----------



## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

> Her claws/toes seem very sharp and it hurts a LOT. Im worried that my 1 1/2 year old brother would get scratched by her.
> what should i do?


Use the same nail clippers you use for your little brother. Just clip that little sharp end to blunt them. That 16th of an inch off the end.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

The cost of the spay is dependent on how large the pup is, and where you get it done. You will have to call around in your neighborhood and ask what it costs.


----------



## Jake and Elwood (Feb 1, 2014)

Taehyun Kim said:


> here are the pictures of my little brother and the young pup
> 
> after i get used to it, do you guys recommend for me to get a friend(another pup) for her?


Congratulations on your new puppy. She is absolutely adorable. I hope you will NOT consider getting a second puppy. As someone who brought two puppies into my home recently, I'm telling you it is one of the toughest things I've ever done in my life. A german shepherd dog needs every spare moment you can give it…..and then some. It's hard enough with one. When you have two, everything is much harder. You should be taking your pup outside to potty every 1-2 hrs right now…….and for quite a while…….if you had two puppies, you would be taking out two puppies every 1-2 hrs….and not necessarily on the same schedule! And training requires a lot of time. You can't train them together…you have to work with them separately. But you also have to do lots of work with them together…so 3X the work of one pup. It is an exhausting experience…..so much so that you can't really take the time to enjoy your pup. 
Please put ALL of your energy into your new baby girl…she is just a baby…slow down and don't try to train her right now (except potty training). The main focus right now is to work on a strong bond with her…..love on her and make sure all of her needs are met…protect her with your life…make sure she feels safe and secure. Good luck!


----------



## Taehyun Kim (Jan 20, 2015)

when she nips/bites me, she wont stop nipping/bitting me when i say OUCH!.... it seriously hurts a LOT


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Taehyun Kim said:


> when she nips/bites me, she wont stop nipping/bitting me when i say OUCH!.... it seriously hurts a LOT


Take her back and give her back to her breeder. 

She is six weeks old. If it hurts a lot, then you are over-matched in the breed you have picked. You picked her up too soon, and bite-inhibition is likely to be a huge problem. And if it is a problem at six weeks, what are you going to do at 12 or 16 weeks?


----------



## Chai (Dec 11, 2014)

She is gorgeous.

Puppies are a lot of work, and then you have German Shepherd puppies! For a first time dog owner, raising a GSD is going to be especially challenging, so make sure you do plenty of research and stay diligent with her training and socialisation. I agree with J&E, this pup really needs your undivided attention right now, bringing in another puppy would be really tough.

I highly recommend joining a puppy class and dog training club as soon as she is old enough


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

Oh right. Housebreaking is so easy! sure. It had been for me until the latest pup came along. It took a year. It is not always easy. Depends on the pup, depends on your situation.


----------



## BARBIElovesSAILOR (Aug 11, 2014)

You probablye should have not gotten this dog in the first place. You seem like you are not prepared or did not do the research and therefore are on this forum to get answers now that you already have a dog. Either way, we can't go back in time. You already got the dog. You know now it is a mistake to get a dog as early as you did. Definitely do not get another dog, you already have your hands full with this one and your hanging on by the skin of your teeth. Do not allow the baby around the dog unsupervised. All posters who want to quote me and talk junk about how I shouldnt be telling him this you can save it for someone who cares. He needs to know this, and I don't believe in sugar coating when someone clearly made a mistake. Especially if it keeps him from making the same mistake agAin and possibly putting another innocent dog in jeopardy. My opinion.

Do: research. Google german shepherds, find out about what they are like, temperament etc... Research about raising and training puppies. Have a veterinarian and go to them and ask any questions you have. Do regular check ups at the vet. Immerse yourself in all things German Shepherd by being an active member in this forum or some other GSD website (that means german shepherd dog). Make sure you give the dog the adequate attention, training, and care he or she needs. This will be a lot of work and should take a lot of energy and time. If done right, you will have a great adult dog one day.


----------



## BARBIElovesSAILOR (Aug 11, 2014)

*Yep*



selzer said:


> Take her back and give her back to her breeder.
> 
> She is six weeks old. If it hurts a lot, then you are over-matched in the breed you have picked. You picked her up too soon, and bite-inhibition is likely to be a huge problem. And if it is a problem at six weeks, what are you going to do at 12 or 16 weeks?


I'm kind of leaning in this direction too...


----------



## Samuel24 (Jan 23, 2015)

Your puppy is an infant, when you were an infant you just layed around and had a diaper . Potty training takes time, my dog was 4 months old beforehand compleatly potty trained. Owning a puppy is tough work full of long nights. Be patient and do a lot of research. I read 3 or 4 books and met with my breeder for month before I bought a gsd. They are big smart powerful dogs. For te dogs safety for your safety and for the safety of others, research, exercise and take the dog to training as well as invest in good grain free food. Taist of the wild and Fromm are good brands. Good luck I hope you take this seriously.


----------

