Shame cone recommendations and keeping a puppy calm?

[Binny P]

Hi all, 

Our pup is back home after his surgery. He is has a pretty long belly incision (similar to a spay, but with a more invasive surgery because it was an abdominal exploration, from what the vet told us). He is suppose to be on restricted activity for 10-14 days, with no running, jumping, or rough playing. They recommended that he be crated for the first 4 days at least, ideally longer, with only brief leashed trips outside to pee.

Well. We have been home for an hour and I have already called the vet's office in tears. Like big, ugly, losing-my-freaking s*** tears. How does anyone do this?

He has some exposure to being crated prior to this, but mostly only at night. He has been great in the crate at night prior to all of this. He was occasionally crated during the day for naps, but because he comes to the office with me, we haven't really used it much. He will go in and lay down in it on his own in the office sometimes. On the occasions when we have left him alone, he has been fine -- we pop him in, quietly leave, and he seems to just settle right down and sleep. 

I don't know what to do. He is losing his s*** in the crate, but when I let him out, of course he wants to wander around, jump, play, etc. Plus, the e-collar they put him in is floppy and too big so he trips over it. So not only am I worried about his incision, I am worried he will trip and hurt himself on the cone of shame. 

I don't know what to do or how we will manage 14 days like this. Any tricks or tips? Or do we just have to ride it out?

Also, related question, I am worried about potty breaks. He peed right before we came in the house, but then in the brief amount of time I tried to let him out of the crate to see if he would just lay down and nap, he immediately peed on the kitchen rug. Really unusual for him. Not that we haven't had potty accidents before, but they have been rare -- maybe 3-4 in the time we have had him -- and totally human error. 

Basically, I am just totally stressed. I am worried he is going to hurt himself, worried I am scarring him by trapping him in his crate and just letting him cry it out, worried that all his potty training (and training in general) has been undone and won't be re-doable because the next 14 days will introduce bad habits. I'm worried that he won't bond with us because now we are his evil captors who took him to a place where they cut into him and then we took him home and sucked all the joy out of life. And I am worried about his incision, because I haven't been able to even look at it since we got home because he has been such a worked up mess that trying to get him to lay still for a minute belly up is impossible. What if it is red and inflamed and I don't notice because I can't see him or if he has ripped all of it open? 

I'm a hot freaking mess and don't know what to do with myself or this sad/mad/hurting little guy. 

[Binny P]

Thank you all for all of the great advice!

We have tried to do a bit of tethering, but he is just so excitable that unless only one of us is home, it doesn't really work -- he just ends up flinging himself wildly around. But, the upshot is, he is doing pretty well with the crate. Still making himself/us crazy at least some of the time, but generally not throwing a total fit. I am a particular softy and have difficulty listening to him cry, so my parter has taken to popping the noise blocking safety headphones he uses to mow the lawn around for occasional "puppy crying is making me cry" moments. He also is way worse when I am around -- if I go upstairs and my partner is downstairs, he is totally fine and quiet in the crate unless/until he hears me. So that is extra special fun. 

You all were right that all is not lost re potty training. We had one initial accident but things have been fine since then. We take him out every few hours and haven't had another incident. And we are working on learning the names of toys and other quiet training activities. 

Mr. Persistent Pants destroyed an inflatable cone and so is stuck in a giant floppy flower -- it is the only thing he hasn't seemed to conquer! We are hoping to move to a medical suit soon (as soon as we can get one that fits!). But for now, he looks like a kid waiting  to have his hair cut and/or dental x-rays. It is both pathetic and adorable. 

His surgery was on Thursday and I am suppose to go back to work on Wednesday -- with him in tow. Not sure if that will pan out or not. We are all anxiously counting the days until he have a (relatively) free-range puppy again This has been the most exhausting 4 days of doing nothing for all of us. Even as I am writing this, he is discovery that he can attempt to *dig* out of his crate. Le sigh. Back to the mines. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Thank you so much for the update.  What you have learned will be invaluable to advise another dk member who ends up in your situation.  I am glad that he is progressing nicely.