Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Lotsa Questions, Some Answers

"Should I put the kennel in our room? He will cry and cry. I haven't gotten much sleep."

So you have a cage (aka kennel) for him? Smart. He needs to learn that's his territory -- all his, his "sanctuary." He will learn to love it because that's where he'll go when you've yelled at him. Yes, he'll cry for awhile, but you'll have to use ear plugs. Ya gotta get tough; otherwise, he's gonna run your household.

"Every time I pee he comes and bites it and jumps inside my shorts. Would he choke on it if I left it in there with him?"

No; he'll curl up in it, but he won't choke.

"He poops and pees ALL the time, and we had to take him out 3 times in the middle of the night last night. So should I let him poop and pee in that cage??"

You have to catch him at the act of pooping and peeing; otherwise, you can't correct him for it, because he won't know why he's being corrected. Use lots of newspaper in the bottom to absorb it all, then toss them out. Eventually he'll learn not to go there; they don't understand at that age to keep their beds clean, but as they get older, they want clean beds, and they won't pee where they sleep.

"I want him to LOVE his cage - not think of it as punishment, but sometimes I just want to throw him in there cuz he's driving me nuts with the chewing on everything!!!"

Get used to that chewing, Girlfriend. My puppy dog ruined so many things of ours. We came home from work one day, and the house was totally trashed. He didn't stop chewing until he was 5 years old! BUT, you can control it. It may have to wait 'till puppy class, though, because they'll teach you how to give him things to chew on that he will like better than the furniture.

"Today he got our neighbors arm (a little girl) and left scratches! So I want to teach him not to chew anything but his toys, but it seems IMPOSSIBLE."

It is impossible at this young age because he's not gonna "get it" until he's more mature. I'd keep him away from little children if you can help it, or at least warn the neighbor that he's a chewer, and the neighbor may solve the problem for you by keeping their child away.

"I don't know what to do with him tonight when we go to sleep!"

When I was born, I was a crier. My parents put me in the kitchen, closed all the doors between the kitchen and their bedroom, and let me just cry myself to sleep every night. It may sound cruel, but he's got to learn his own territory, and that ain't your bed (I don't think?). Did you find a ticking clock to put on top of the kennel? If not, a radio would work, something that would keep him company. A hot water bottle buried in a soft towel might help also (resembling his mother's warm body, which is what he misses right now).

"I'd LOVE to leave him in the kitchen permenantly, but there's no way to block off the kitchen - it's open on 2 sides about 14 feet wide. The only bathroom downstairs is TINY."

He'll learn in time that his territory is wherever you allow him to be in the house. When he gets older, he will want to please you, so when he does something that you like, be sure to praise him NUMEROUS TIMES. Remember, positive reinforcement! Having him kennel-trained is a step forward, and you're on your way. That was smart to get the kennel.

"He pooped on my new carpet today though! Poor guy has worms and we're trying to get rid of them."

Did he come from the breeder with worms? I'd let the breeder know if I were you. Get some worm medicine at the puppy store or pet supply store. Try to clean up the poop as soon as it occurs, because the puppy will eat it. (Sorry.)

It's a lot of work, and constant effort, but in time he'll catch on; he just needs to be a little more mature. Despite the disgusting worms and chewing the neighbor's children, he's still a little love, and in the end you'll be glad you got him.

I adore my little Westie; he's such a charmer. Wherever we go, he causes a commotion. But when he was a puppy -- OMG, what a lot of TROUBLE he was! The first thing he did was head for our older Westie's bed and peed all over it. (She never did warm up to him.)

Good luck with Rocco.

Bev

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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy

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