I feel like an awful Doodle mom!

[Lily]

Our little Doodle, Lily, came home last Friday night. She really is a doll. Full of energy and cuddly and affectionate. She does pretty well in her crate already and loves, loves, loves to be around people. She's soft and bouncy and intelligent and affectionate. The only thing is... boy, is she tiring!!

Lily is constantly barking, whining and yelping. She goes to the bathroom everywhere and then rolls in her poop so she needs at least a bath a day. Even if I take her outside, she'll pee out there and then take a poop on the carpet as soon as she's back in. She never stops moving and is constantly nipping and biting my hands. I took her to the vet for the first time on Monday and she's on 3 different medications for loose stools and worms (even though she was dewormed multiple times at the breeder).

I am so wiped out. Tonight after she pooped in her crate and jumped all through it, then pawed at my like crazy when I picked her up and she covered me in it and scratched me to bits during her bath I just felt like crying. Now I have a load of laundry in the washing machine, a wet and crying Dood, and a very angry neighbour who probably just wants to sleep! It's late now and I know I'll be up to do it all over again at sunrise tomorrow.

I'm just exhausted. I feel like I'm an awful Doodle mom for being frustrated by her. Please tell me someone else has gone through the same thing and that it gets better! It's been so long since I've had a puppy and I forgot how much work it can be. I can't wait until she's house trained and can go on walks and play with other dogs and settles in a bit. I know it'll be a while and I'm going to have to learn to deal with this puppy stuff in the meantime but I am feeling so guilty about it!

I love my Doodle, I really do. I feel terrible for feeling like this and it would be so wonderful to know that I'm not the only one who has been through the same puppy roller coaster!

[LuvMyAbby&Kaela]

Having a puppy is like having a baby. Seriously. But it gets easier. Like a baby. Hang in there.

Also I have never had a dog actually "duty" while in the crate. Make sure you take her outside every 20 minutes during the day. I know it sounds like torture but its the only way to successfully housebreak her. She will start to make the comection between "duty" outside and praise. And more importantly will learn that her crate is the den and to be kept clean. Me, personally, I never even crated during the day. Just kept her with me and was constantly bringing her outside. She slept in the crate at night beside my bed where I could stick my fingers through for her if she needed reassurance I was there.

It gets easier. Mine is 6 months now and almost a breeze. I never felt overwhelmed though because I expected it to be tough as I have been through it 3 times before...no illusions.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Oh boy oh boy does that bring back memories! It will get better -soon. Puppies are really tiring. One puppy I raised ( I was much younger but also had very young children) I got up every morning and scrubbed the laundry room ( using that instead of a cage) and him. He was just like yours. Peed outside, no problem, pooped every night during the night and plastered it everywhere. Seven straight months. I still remember the first morning there was no poop I cried. He never did it again - just stopped. I had tried everything anyone recommended. Guess he just he got old enough.

I am sure will not be seven months. I think you will see a big difference when all the medicines are done and his intestines feel better.

I did a three month stint this last winter with giardia that my doodles picked up somewhere. The little one had a hard time shaking it and gave it back to the older one and so on and so forth. It was three months of picking up liquid poop and cloroxing the whole dog run, thier feet and their tushes - I thought I would lose my mind. I had some choice comments in my head some mornings, let me tell you. I made it and so will you. Don't add guilt to the mess you are faced with - poop is enough. It will make a great story when it is over

On a practical note, ask your vet if it is okay to give your puppy the stuff that makes dogs not eat their poop. It might keep your pup from rolling in it.

[Holly St Pierre]

I too had forgotten how much work it is. For me, the first 2 months were the worst. The worm medicine does make them go to the bathroom. Gunner only ever had one accident in his crate & it was while he was on the worm medicine. He still has alot of energy, but it gets easier. You do forget what its like to have a puppy, I know I did. A week is not near enough time for her to get in to any type of routine or understand what she is even doing at this point. It takes a good 5-6 months for them to control their bladders/bowels. Be patient. I have went to bed crying before too, but wouldn't give up the joy that Gunner brings to me daily for ANYTHING!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

It gets better. The first few weeks I cried a few times and my husband had to remind me that she is only a puppy. Peri is almost 16 weeks and I would say we are starting to see the light. She is at least house trained! She does get quite nutty sometimes...like this morning, she got the zoomies for about 10 minutes! But that cracks me up :) And she nips and gnaws still....but she is teething!

Don't worry....it will get better. Is her crate small enough for her? They don't like to mess where they sleep. Peri pooped once in her crate and peed maybe 2 times, but stopped very quickly. We use a divider to make it smaller.

Oh and she sleeps for about 9 hours a night now. That is only after having her for 7 weeks.

[Tamara & Giada]

Yes, it sure is like having a baby!!! I remember feeling this way a bit too, and thought to myself what was I thinking!! Now I look back and think "that wasn't so bad, maybe I could go it again".

Enjoy all the good that a puppy offers, because before you know it, they are all grown up :(

[Deanna Marsh]

Mine also had been de-wormed by the breeder and checked at the vet, but still had two types of worms and had to have a special medicine for those types. I think because of that your pup is going more often. Sounds like the breeder didn't crate train her prior to being adopted, a lot of them do. I had two puppies for about 3 weeks until I my mother-in-law was able to take her puppy home. It was really hard, they cried first couple nights, but if I had them in my room they were a lot better and if they cried I said Go to sleep, and they were quiet. ( I think they wanted to know I was there) Also take your pup out as suggested every 20 min. they really do have to go potty a lot. You have to be more trained than they are at this stage. Stay with her so that she can't roll in her business and say No sharply if she starts. When she's a little older make a bell on a piece of ribbon and ring it when you take her out to do her business, she'll realize that's what you do and start to ring it when she wants out. Mine learned within hours to ring the bell. As far as nipping at you, when mine did it I yelped like she hurt me and she would stop and stare bu wouldn't bite again for awhile. Hang in there, they are smart, sweet dogs, she'll get over this stage soon, then you'll have something else to concentrate on, like chewing! But this also will stop.

[Linda,Yankee & Finn]

Hi Meg, I have had my puppy home for 3 weeks so I know what you are going through. Mine would not sleep in the crate without quite a racket. He cried, barked, whined and I was going crazy. He would pee on his blanket as soon as I put him in. He would be covered in drool when I took him out. I tried the bathroom but that wasn't much better. I am extremely sleep deprived. Last night was the first time he just went to sleep with NO fuss. I couldn't believe it. Don't feel guilty. I was starting to wonder if I could handle this little guy. He is still making messes everywhere but I have noticed a change in just 3 weeks. Hang in there!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I am picturing Finn "covered in drool". LOL, this sounds kind of funny! I am glad he is doing better!

[Sally Rollins]

I got my 2nd puppy at 11 wks and he was not trained at all. He now is 9 mos and we still occasionaly have an excited pee accident. His attention span was zero. BUT HE IS SO LOVABLE! He just won't get the hang off the bell or to bark when he wants out. My first one on the other hand was a PERFECT puppy. Learned the bell, now he also barks if we don't come fast enough and he stopped with accidents in one week here. I thought I made a mistake getting the 2nd one, but he is improving and he is so lovable and I can see he is going to be perfect one day. It is like having a baby. Hang in there. My thought is: terrible puppy stage, great dog, great puppy stage, a trying dog. Hang in there! Remember, they don't talk back!

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

I thought it would never end with Hannah at 12wks to about 18wks, every afternoon when I would have to go out somewhere she would poop in her crate. I would take her out every 15 to 20 mins. during the day, and walk her for 1/2 hour or more, before crating her. We did the Praise and treat's when she went outside. I still would come home to her covered in poop and her crate stunk to the high hills. I tried crating her for 5 minutes and going in the next room, I would talk to her and she still would poop and play in it in her crate...grrrrrrrrr.... It would be dinner time and there I would be scrubbing a crate and bathing a dog. NONE of my other dogs ever acted this way, I thought this dog hated me, I really considered finding her a new home. I did talk with my Vet concerning this and they were going to give me a collar that she could wear inside the crate to calm her down. They said it would remind her of her mom being there with her, and felt she was having seperation anxiety. It was 4 1/2 years from the last time I had to train a puppy (son's American Bulldog), and when your not use to doing it, it seems like forever to train them. There were also two things that changed Hannah..maybe three..lol. First was the crate, she was in a plastic crate Vari Kennel and I switched her over to the metal kind. Second, we also started training classes (obedience) and I also started training with her to be a Service Animal which meant she could travel more with me. This really seemed to help her alot, and she just outgrew it. No matter where we went, she never had an accident and if I told her to lie down on her blanket, she never moved off of it till you told her it was okay to. I am so glad I stuck it out with her, she is such a love and joy to have around everyday.

[Lynne B]

tether her to you, hook her leash to a belt loop on your clothing or something...where you go she goes. You will be able to start watching for the 'sign' of when she has to potty and you can snatch her up and take her out, use a word for going potty and reward her when she goes outside. Feed her at regular times and you will see that she will have to go at a certain amount of time after she eats. When you crate her, try to section the crate off so that if she goes she's going to have to go right where she is standing (dog's generally prefer to get as far away as they can from their waste and will learn to hold it more readily if they don't have alot of room in the crate)

And good luck, like my husband said about our puppy trials and tribulations- keep your chin up, this too will pass!

[Karol J.]

It will get better (((hugs))) We have all been through this. There will be good days and bad days. Hershey is 14weeks, and sometimes I think we're in the clear, then I wake up to a poop and tinkle soup in his kennel.

Make sure you make a big fuss when she potties outside. treats and praise!

Have you checked out the group "Puppy Madness"?

Hang in there, the reward will come soon, until then, wear a rain coat. ;-D