First night/Day with Stew!

[Jess & Stewart]

The first night went really great for Stew at least, I was up every 2 hours because I could hear everytime he moved. I really tired him out & throughout the day I led him to the crate, put treats outside & inside so he always walked in himself. He cried for about 8-10 minutes (it felt much longer!) then went to sleep with his snuggle puppy with litter mates scent on it. Amazingly, he slept from 10:30 pm to 5 am. He wimpered, then I took him out during a quiet lull & he peed/pooped outside in his spot!! I put him back in and 8 minutes later he was asleep. He slept until 6. I got him up, he went out & peed/pooped again!

He ate (this was my mistake, he ate all his food the night we brought him home, but wasn't interested in the morning meal. Instead of taking it up, I put it in a KONG & he ate it slowly over the next 40 minutes, but didn't eat all of it, so I put that back in the bag. Should I have just taken it up after he didn't want it, instead of putting it in the KONG?) then we played, he took a nap, played some more, he went to his vet appt & did great there. He doesn't like the car carrier though, but calmed down.

He met a few relatives of mine & their small pug, was totally fine with them! We came home, played, he peed, right now he's in his crate. It took 8 minutes for him to calm down, he was calm for 10, then barked again for another 15. He's been quiet now for a half hour. I need some time to nap, so I thought this was a good time. He hasn't pooped yet from breakfast though. I'm sure he'll poop from lunch & dinner at 6 though.

So far he's peed in the house 4 times, he barely squats too! But all the other times, he's peed on the grass patch on my deck. One of the only reasons I got the patch was due to safety since it's the holiday season coming up, I didn't want to be outside my apartment, with a cute dog, trying to get him to go then get us back into my apartment. And it's basically pitch black by 5 pm. That awful knockout game has been going around too. I'm sure I'd be a target, being only 4'9 outside late with a dog. I figure once he's had vaccines & is clear to go outside, I'll bring him outside for potty breaks only & use the grass patch for anything overnight.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Stew is just adorable Jess.  Congratulation, now that he's finally here :) He'll catch on quickly but you may have to take him out quite frequently as a pup.  The grass patch sounds like a lifesaver!

[F, Calla & Luca]

I wouldn't entice him to eat. He'll eat when he's hungry. Lots of people take up food after 20 minutes. I let Luca graze until Calla came home. She never needs encouragement and she will eat Luca's food unless it's locked up. Stew sounds like a gem. Try to catch him before he pees in the house by taking him out more frequently if need be.