Frustrated...just a tad.

[Lindsey]

Well, my father seems to be bonding very nicely with Cubby (the sheepadoodle I got him last wednesday and he took home this past Sunday).
I've talked to dad every day since and he sounds tired, lol. He sounds happy and tired...does that make sense?
Mom said she woke up Monday morning and couldn't find dad. She wondered downstairs and there he was, sound asleep in the recliner. Mom woke him and asked why he was downstairs, he said he had gotten up with Cubby at 4am and didn't want to wake mom when he got back in bed, so he just stayed downstairs.
Mom swears dad is better with the baby puppy than he was with my brother and I as babies, haha!
So...it's going well. He is getting tired and frustrated with how horrible she is doing with crate training! She HATES the crate. She cries whenever dad is out of her site...so as soon as shes in the crate, she starts to cry. He has been very good at just letting her cry it out and not going to get her the second she whines. She just won't give up the crying act while she's in the crate, she literally cries herself to sleep.
Poor babyyy!! I know she was taken away from her siblings and mother entirely too young!! She will only be 8 weeks THIS week, we got her last week...WAY TOO YOUNG!! but I couldn't argue with the breeder, she was either going to let me buy her a 7 weeks or let someone else buy her at 7 weeks. SO FRUSTRATING!!

Anyhow, beyond crate training, I switched Cubby over cold turkey to Wellness dog food the day I picked her up. I didn't want to do it that way, but I couldnt' find the food the breeder had her on...and the breeder said she didn't have enough to let me have any of hers (she wasn't technically a "breeder" she was a girl that thought having her AKC OES and her friends AKC Std. poodle would make them a quick buck- I don't usually support those kinds of breeders, but I wanted the pup to have a good home and I knew it was likely that she would end up in the wrong hands if I didn't take her- I ended up getting her for 200 after the "breeder" tried to sell the pups for 1000 a piece and noone would buy them).
SO...I switched Cubby over cold turkey....and of course, I expected, her tummy got a little upset. Nothing HORRIBLE...but just a runny stool. I explained to mom and dad how it would take a little while for her belly to adjust...no biggy....right!? WELL...mom took Cubby to their vet to get her first check up and the vet went on and on and ON about R/X science diet food...gave mom a free bag, yadda yadda yadda. She also told mom that Cubby needed to be on "large breed" dog food because "shes going to be a big girl!!"...okay, let me explain...Cubby's mom was the OES and she was SMALL for an OES, weighing in at around 50lbs (prob. a little less) the dad was a SMALL Std. Poodle and only weighed 40lbs....sooooo by genetics alone...little Cubby shouldn't get much bigger, if any, than 50lbs...NOW I realize she could out grow her parents..but it's usually pretty unlikely. ANYWAYS...as I understand it, large breed puppy food is for a LARGE dog...like a great dane size. I asked mom "really? she suggested that? Did you tell her or did she ask what size cubbys parents are?" ...well nope...the vet never asked and mom didn't tell her...the vet just ASSUMED that cubby was going to be "large"...I'm fairly ticked.
I tried to explain to mom that she def. did NOT need to feed Cubby the R/X food and that she also really didn't need large breed! I told mom to keep her on the puppy wellness and let her belly get adjusted. I've explained all of the research I've done and the amount of info. I've read here...but mom wanted to take the vets suggestion...I could hear it in moms tone. UGH! So I'm here to vent and then to print...I'm printing out every bit of food advice I've ever read on here! haha!

**end vent-stepping off of soap box now**

So, beyond allllll of that, Cubby is doing great and seems to be fitting in with my family. They adore her and I can tell my dad really likes her. Once she gets adjusted to the food and her crate, I don't think I could have picked a better dog for dad :-)

Thanks for reading, I feel better already!

[Jane Smith]

My girls are on large dog food too.  They weigh 49 and 54 lbs.  Vet had me take them off puppy food at 6 months.  Said large dogs grow too fast, and they don't need all that extra stuff in the puppy food.

 

As far as the crate training goes.  Your dad should keep it in the room that they spend the most time, and keep the door open.  Put some toys in there and an occasional treat.  Cubby needs to get used to just seeing the crate and knowing it isn't scary.  I started mine off that way, and everytime I had to put them in it I would say "crate" and put them in.  They would usually run away and i would have to chase them, but they never cried like you say Cubby does. 

 

Now that they are 1 and 2 years old, I just say crate and they are in them waiting for me to lock the door.  Tell you dad not to give up.  Puppies can be stubborn, so he just has to stick with it. 

 

 

[Tina, Clover, Plus 5 More]

Lindsey, I have a Yorkie that had crate anxiety and would whine forever.  I started feeding Simon in his crate.  Within a few days Simon actually started going into his crate on his own.  One day I couldn't find him and looked everywhere except his crate.  He was sound asleep in it.  Cubby is young, but maybe feeding her in there may help.

[Bonnie and Kona]

I'm just tickled that things are going so well for Cubby and your dad! Sounds like he is smitten. I can completely empathize with parents unwilling to listen to well intentioned and researched advice. So frustrating! Love the idea of feeding Cubby in his crate to associate good things with being in there.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

I'm really happy for your Dad and for Cubby. I agree, if you aren't already feeding in her crate start now, and give her lots of treats and praise when she is in her crate. Keep a special toy that she really likes and only give it to her when she goes in her crate. When she comes out of her crate don't make a fuss. Just give her lots of love, praise, pets, treats, etc when she is in there. I'm sure she will grow to accept it. Sophie Bear never learned to love her crate but she accepted it. Recently I tried leaving her alone outside of the crate and she cried and cried. I put her in the crate when I leave and she just lays down and drifts off to sleep. She has learned the crate, although not the best place in the world, is safe and comfortable when I'm away. I hope Cubby adapts soon, I'm sure she will. Good Luck!

[Lindsey]

DUH!!! I didn't even THINK to have them feed her in the crate!!!! Geeeesh!!!
THATS why I love DK, lol!!!
.....Off to call dad and tell him Cubby needs to be fed in her crate from now on, ha!
THANK YOU!!!

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Lindsay, you are a wonderful daughter and it looks like cubby has a great home.

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

id say she is borderline for large breed - 50lb and above is often classed as large breed. I think she should be ok on either food (if she seems to be growing too fast then switch to the large breed as it contains less phosphorous and calcium so bones dont grow too fast). We expected Cooper to be around 50lbs and fed her large breed - she now weighs 60lbs (most of her litter grew larger than expected). Definately NOT feeding the RX is the way to go for sure!

Glad everyone is happy, puppyhood is tough but very worth while!

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Don't let them feed the RX our dogs pooped like 6 times a day!!

Excellent advice for feeding in the crate, I have no idea about the large breed. It takes awhile for them to adjust so if they did a fecal test and it's fine then I would just give it the time it needs.

So sweet that your dad stayed up after checking on his new baby. Congrats for making the connection.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

since she is so young, maybe a snuggle puppy for when she is in her crate might help also.

[Elizabeth & Cosmo]

Lindsey, I would recommend looking up the Rx food on dogfoodanalysis.com and printing out the ingredient list. Then, visit the dogfoodproject.com to find out what terms like "chicken byproduct meal" really mean. I think that could persuade anybody about the value of the foods like Wellness, Orijen, etc.! Good luck!