# Our puppy is driving us crazy.



## becky101803 (Dec 1, 2011)

Have you tried putting him on a leash and attaching him to you wherever you are in the apartment? That way he gets to be by you and under your control and you can get things done. Also, when he is in the crate, try covering it with towels and turning on the radio. How often are you taking him outside? When you take him out of the crate do you immediately take him outside to potty? That should be the first thing he does upon exiting the crate - no playing, etc.


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## Phoebe's mom (Jan 17, 2012)

I remember begging my parents for a dog for 16 years and finally for my birthday they got me a little westie puppy, the first week was HELL. She had a playpen in the kitchen and we had the kitchen blocked off. When we were in the kitchen she was loose in the kitchen and when we had to step out she was in the playpen and she HOWLED when we left. Even upstairs it would drive me crazy I was like what have I gotten myself into!! Why have I begged for this for so long! After about 5-8 days it settled down, she got used to being alone in the playpen and her house training was coming along. 
We did live in a house though so letting her cry was an option. 
Good luck, give it time and things will get better.


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## BriGuy (Aug 31, 2010)

Also, make sure you clean the messes up with a good odor remover like Natures Miracle. If you have carpet, you need to let the cleaner soak in.

It will get better!


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## estesbubba (Sep 13, 2011)

As soon as he gets out of the crate he goes outside to go potty. At that age when he's out of his crate get him out every 20 mins and dont go inside until he pees. We did this with all our dogs and potty training was easy. Your chores and sleeping need to take a back burner with a puppy. This is what you signed up for getting a puppy. He needs attention and not thrown in his crate because he barks and it interferes with your TV! Puppies are a lot of work and need attention but it will pay off.


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## bowdense (Feb 22, 2011)

It's hard in the beginning. There is definitely not much free time. Our life revolved around the puppy. If you are consistent, potty training should come quickly. Some crate time is good but of course he would rather play and be with you, pups need lots of attention. We have a crate in our bedroom and in the kitchen, which we use when we are not home. Otherwise, we fenced off a small area and watched him like a hawk. If you can''t watch him super closely, you'll have to crate him. Ours was house trained in less than a week. Or we were. Good luck...it is worth it!


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

I was wondering how much excerise is he getting? A 3mo old pup needs alot of phyiscal as well as mental excerise. Start working on obedience with him. Take a few minutes 3-4 times a day to work on sitting, down, and stays. You can work on these while out for walks too. You dont have alot of room you can still hide treats for him to " find".


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## Kt9911 (Feb 28, 2012)

Hi, 
I do use nature miracle to clean off the odor. We also tried everything when it comes to crate training , he does not stop barking even if we cover the crate with blanket. I dont think he even sleeps or maybe I fall asleep before he does , but he barks for more than an hour. 

Regarding exercise, i read that until they get their fourth shot , then it would be okay to take him out for walks and such? I am not sure what kind of exercises we can do? We play fetch with him a bit in the apartment and take him out to potty a lot. 

We also aren't always home to do so much with him, we both work and we both come back home 5-6pm. 

I forgot to mention that he does not like his crate. We try to put treats in his crate and toys but he would try to get in without getting all his body in to get treats and toys.


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## kwhit (Apr 7, 2008)

General V said:


> I was wondering how much excerise is he getting?



Along with this, how much time does he spend a day in his crate? Also, you said you got him last Friday...as in 3 days ago or about a week ago? Wow, either way, give the little guy some time to get used to his new life. Puppies aren't easy. They're _a lot_ of work.

From your schedule, I would try to get someone to come in and play with him mid-day if you haven't already. Too late now, but it sounds as if an older dog would have fit your lifestyle better. ..


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## Pammie (Jan 22, 2011)

You do basically give up your life when a puppy comes into it. It is a sacrifice, but so worth it in the end. My pup did not house train in a week:no:, more like 2 months (it's all a blur now) of constantly running him in and out, sometimes with success and sometimes not! I kept a 'potty log' and 1 day we was taken out 13 times!! It was exhausting! Went thru a lot of Natures Miracle,too. Don't want further discourage you, but the reality is some puppies are really, really hard work.

I think separating him from you by putting him in the bedroom crate is not a great idea. I really do understand you wanting to just be able to take a breath, but your puppy wants to be with you! Have you considered getting an X-pen to have in the living room or kitchen so he can still be will you while you do chores/relax?


What is your puppies name? I think we all need to see a picture!!!!


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## Aislinn (Nov 13, 2010)

I would try to find a dog walker or someone to come in while you are at work to take him out and give him exercise. A puppy is a big commitment and takes alot of work. For a while you have to put what you like to do to the wayside and concentrate on the puppy. It's hard, but it's how you end up with a trained and well adjusted adult. Literally, having a puppy means your life has gone to the dogs, or puppy as it is now. Do post some pictures of him, we love to see them!


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

For me, having a puppy was hell. I hated it. Sure, she was cute, but... ugh. No thanks.

So it sounds like maybe you feel the way I felt about having a puppy. Good news is, it doesn't last forever. You'll have to remind yourself of that - repeatedly. Exercise and mental stimulation is key. He's like a child - go go go go and he needs constant attention. Potty training is going to take a while. I set a timer for 30 minutes and every 30 minutes I took Flora outside. If she peed, party time! If not, I brought her inside, and either crated her or tethered her to me, and set the timer for 15 minutes.

Look into puppy classes. I had Flora in a puppy class at 9 weeks, so you don't need to wait until he's 4 months old.

When you can't watch your puppy like a HAWK, crate him or tether him to your body.

It doesn't last forever. Golden puppies can be notoriously naughty and time consuming, but the result is so so SO worth it. An adult golden is just such a great dog.

Good luck!


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## marshallsmom (Dec 22, 2011)

The first 4 weeks with our puppy when we got him at 8 weeks was seriously AWFUL. But is was worth it. It look him about 3 weeks with is to finally sleep through the night. Within that time me and my husband took turns taking him out every couple hrs during the night (the first week) until it was just 2x a night (between 11-6am) until he slept through. Every time after he wakes up from a nap, eats, plays he will need to go outside. Even then he still would have accidents the first month maybe averages about 1-2x per day, the second month was about every other day, and he finally hasn't peed in the house in a month (he is 6 months old now!). there were days when I had to clean pee on the carpet like 5 times a day even though I take him out every 30-60mins. Just be patient...they are the cutest when they are that fluffy stage and that's how they get away with a LOT of things. The first week with is, his crate was literally next to our bed, with my husbands hands/finger in between the wire so he knows we are close by and would stop whining. Not much sleep then..again this is normal. We were one of those people who did not think that puppy thing through and seriously the day we got him home we realized that he pees so often and we thought about giving up sooo many times! Throw in a dirty shirt of yours in the crate--this worked wonders for us for at least the first 8 weeks!


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

If your pup has atleast 2sets of vaccinations and came from a kennel or home where the mother had her shots. Start taking that pup out for some walks. Do not go to dog parks. But you can walk your pup and have a long line and go to a city park or playground and let him run around abit. start tossing a ball for him. If you live where it is warm and can go to a lake take him out swimming. While you are doing all this work on obedience.


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## Kaila (Feb 1, 2012)

I've always had a harder time potty training male dogs than girls. The girls seem to empty their bladder with one pee.. and if they "mark" something along the way on a walk it's only a drop or two (sometimes nothing is even in there to come out but they still squat). But the boys take 2-3 pees before they're empty.  It's annoying and confusing when you're trying to train them to go outside. Maybe try taking him on a longer walk and let him pee a few times before taking him inside?


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## Kt9911 (Feb 28, 2012)

Few pics of the little guy.


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## Kt9911 (Feb 28, 2012)

marshallsmom said:


> The first 4 weeks with our puppy when we got him at 8 weeks was seriously AWFUL. But is was worth it. It look him about 3 weeks with is to finally sleep through the night. Within that time me and my husband took turns taking him out every couple hrs during the night (the first week) until it was just 2x a night (between 11-6am) until he slept through. Every time after he wakes up from a nap, eats, plays he will need to go outside. Even then he still would have accidents the first month maybe averages about 1-2x per day, the second month was about every other day, and he finally hasn't peed in the house in a month (he is 6 months old now!). there were days when I had to clean pee on the carpet like 5 times a day even though I take him out every 30-60mins. Just be patient...they are the cutest when they are that fluffy stage and that's how they get away with a LOT of things. The first week with is, his crate was literally next to our bed, with my husbands hands/finger in between the wire so he knows we are close by and would stop whining. Not much sleep then..again this is normal. We were one of those people who did not think that puppy thing through and seriously the day we got him home we realized that he pees so often and we thought about giving up sooo many times! Throw in a dirty shirt of yours in the crate--this worked wonders for us for at least the first 8 weeks!


You are saying pretty much what we are going through! Its hard to figure out when he wants to pee. He sniffs around just to sniff and then all of a sudden he sniffs and pees on carpet. I am trying to figure out if we should take him out every 30 mins? He can hold it very long in crate , however , outside of crate is impossible.


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## kwhit (Apr 7, 2008)

I'll ask again...how much time does he spend in his crate a day?


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## Kt9911 (Feb 28, 2012)

Today he had to stay in it while we were at work which was from 10am until 5:30. He held it in all that time which I was surprised.


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

Since there are two of you, can you take turns caring for him and give each of you a bit of a break? I was fully in charge of Max till my husband got home, then I would go get a bath and let him play with puppy awhile! It gave me a break and gave them time together, too. I did the set the timer thing, too, took him out every 15 minutes and gradually extended the time.


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## Pammie (Jan 22, 2011)

Oh, so cute! Love the pics.
What is his name?

I am surprised he held it all day for such a little feller! Did he get an opportunity to have a drink before going in the crate this morning? Be careful he does not get dehydrated.


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## Maddie'sMom2011 (Apr 26, 2011)

What a doll!! Have you tried frozen kongs? I stuffed them with carrots, peanut butter & green beans...freeze it, then stuff a couple of ice cubes in it.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Kt9911 said:


> You are saying pretty much what we are going through! Its hard to figure out when he wants to pee. He sniffs around just to sniff and then all of a sudden he sniffs and pees on carpet. I am trying to figure out if we should take him out every 30 mins? He can hold it very long in crate , however , outside of crate is impossible.


Good night that is an adorable puppy!!!!! If you decide it's too much work just send him to me, I'd be happy to take him off our hands. 

What is his name?

If he is awake he needs to go out to potty every 20 minutes, if he is still having accidents, move it to every 15 minutes. I know that sounds extreme but what you are doing is catching him before he has an accident so that he learns he only goes potty outside. He will be able to go longer in between potty trips as he gets older, and as he learns outside is the place to go. 

take him out when you first take him out of the crate, every time you take him out of the crate
after he eats
after he drinks
after sleeps
after he plays a few minutes
if he is doing one activity and then stops and walks away
Every 15 to 20 minutes when he is awak

At his age his bladder is tiny, walnut sized, it gets full fast and when he needs to go he will go wherever he is. 

It is a lot of work for a couple of months, then it gets better.


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## kwhit (Apr 7, 2008)

Kt9911 said:


> Today he had to stay in it while we were at work which was from 10am until 5:30.


That's _way too long_ to be in the crate. I hope he won't have to do this every day. If so, you need to get someone in during the day to let him out to go potty, stretch his legs and have some play time.

And I agree with mylissyk...that if it gets to be too much work, I have room in sunny CA for him. :wave:


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## darbysdad (Dec 23, 2011)

I don't mean to be discouraging here. but that is an awful young age to expect any type of positive performance from. There is absolutely no way for a puppy that young to hold it's bladder all day. The puppy needs
10 times more potty time
10 times more play time
10 times more training
10 times more human contact
Without these you stand a good chance of setting the puppy up to fail. I can assure you that the crate crying is unspent energy. You may want to reconsider if a puppy is right for your lifestyle right now, in all fairness to you and the puppy.


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## estesbubba (Sep 13, 2011)

darbysdad said:


> I don't mean to be discouraging here. but that is an awful young age to expect any type of positive performance from. There is absolutely no way for a puppy that young to hold it's bladder all day. The puppy needs
> 10 times more potty time
> 10 times more play time
> 10 times more training
> ...


 I totally agree with this. Maybe even 15 times more since you live in an apartment. These dogs need to burn both physical and mental energy. It was 4-5 hours of non-stop attention when we got home from work. Once we put her down for the night we were exhausted. 

The other thing should search and prepare yourself is biting which can last for several months.


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## mooselips (Dec 4, 2011)

Our Bridget is 3 months old....she's one wild woman!

She's up at 7 a.m. to potty
then eat.
then potty....
little playtime in the kitchen......
chew a bone, or two.......
potty....
9 a.m. out for an exercise/training come sit fetch session X 20 minutes...

and 10 a.m. nap....
11 a.m. potty
11:30 kibble in the bottle puzzle
12 p.m. potty
1 p.m. out to exercise/train/play X 20 minutes.
2.p.m hopefully a nap.....
potty
potty
fetch in kitchen 
4:30...gentle playtime outside
dinner 5 p.m.
potty on and on.......

9:30 p.m. zoomies.......

and on and on, until 10:30 p.m. !!!!!

And I wonder why I'm tired!

Pups of 3 months old need LOTS of attention, you're little fellow has to expend all that puppy energy. He saves it up all day in the crate.

Maybe have someone come walk him/play with him/get him out...halfway through the day?

Right now we are likely on an hourly potty schedule!


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## Kaila (Feb 1, 2012)

mooselips said:


> Our Bridget is 3 months old....she's one wild woman!
> 
> She's up at 7 a.m. to potty
> then eat.
> ...


This sounds a lot like River!

Today.. 

8am - Outside for potty break.
8:10am - Breakfast, training sit/down/drop it for about 20 mins.
8:30am - Played tag with my Chihuahua, tried to mouth EVERYTHING in sight.
9am - Crashed for a nap.. hurray! 
9:40am - Woke up, outside for potty break.

Now it's 9:45 and she's having "quiet" playtime in the kitchen behind the baby gate. I say "quiet" because she's barking at my other dog right now! :doh: Silly puppy!

On days I work (4 days a week) I wake up 2 hours early to feed, train, and play with her. I try to get her as exhausted as possible knowing that she'll be in her crate for 4 hours before my boyfriend gets home from school to let her out. I feed her, let her have water, take her out to pee and poop. Then we play hard, then she goes out to pee again before I leave and all food/water is picked up. She's put in the crate with a few safe toys that don't require supervision, her collar is taken off for safety, and I leave for work. My boyfriend gets home (at 4pm) and immediately takes her out to pee, then feeds her lunch and trains her for half an hour in the kitchen, and it's back outside to pee. Then he lets her run around with my other dog for about an hour, out to pee again, then he lets her unwind with quiet playtime in her crate (or the kitchen) with a stuffed kong while he's on his computer. I get home at 6pm, immediately take her out again, and train her for the third time that day. Then we play, then we go out to potty, then she has quiet playtime with a bully stick or some other toy. I agree that we're on about an hourly potty schedule also. It seems like a lot but it sure cuts down on accidents. Also we have to make one trip outside in the middle of the night (around 3am).


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## solinvictus (Oct 23, 2008)

"We tried to take him out every time we play with him , but it feels like its impossible to watch tv,read or do any of the house chores even. "

You are right it is impossible to have the same life style you had prior to bringing a young puppy in your home. 

It takes time to get a good routine going. It takes time to to train the pup to know what is expected of him in your home. On top of that you have to run in and out for potty training making sure the pup is successful.

As soon as you can get the pup into a puppy kindergarden class so you have a trainer available to you.

Puppies are a major learning experience for their owners.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

The first month or two you are not going to have any spare time to read, watch tv, etc.

I found of all my dogs the goldens were the easiest to train, but it does take a lot of work.

I leashed mine to me, so if I was cooking dinner, doing laundry, etc. they were right there with me.

It takes about a week, give or take a couple days for a puppy not to bark through the night. When you do take him out in the middle of the night, no playing, or talking, strictly business. When the potty in the appropriate place, then "throw a party", give them all the lovies and sweet talk then, then bring the puppy back in, and back to business, no talking or playing - otherwise he will bark to play in the middle of the night.

The best advice I ever got was to take them outside after each change of activity: after playing, after drinking, after eating, after sleeping. If they don't go pottey, then in the house, and in the crate. Ten minutes later, back outside. There was a time when my house was pretty active between 7 and 8:30 at night, and I swear, I was outside every 5 - 10 minutes. EXHAUSTING, but so worth it.

My Brady stopped having accidents at about 10 - 12 weeks old, but he did not tell us when he had to go out until he was about 6 months old. To this day, he rarely tells us, we have to ask him if he has to go out - but he hasn't had an accident since he was a puppy. Mackenzie will use any oppurtunity possible to tell us she has to go outside, whether she needs to or not.


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## Kaila (Feb 1, 2012)

I also wanted to add that it's a good idea to take your puppy with you if you know you can accommodate him while running errands. Nothing where you need to leave him in the car, but.. if you're going to a drive-thru ATM, running to grab food, dropping someone off somewhere, etc. I took River last night when my boyfriend had a ceremony to attend at the law school, and I brought her to the restaurant where they had a law social afterwards. I just walked her around outside the restaurant and all of the hostesses loved on her, including lots of guests.  Then my boyfriend brought four of his classmates out to love on her. It was great socialization and she loved all of the attention! Plus it was about an hour that I didn't have to leave her cooped up at home. When she got home, she was so exhausted from all of the hustle and bustle that she ate dinner, pottied outside, and went right to bed.



Kt9911 said:


> We tried to take him out every time we play with him , but it feels like its impossible to watch tv,read or do any of the house chores even.


My family jokes that I'm a new mother because I'm tired all the time. I try to take naps when River is sleeping because it's the only way I can keep from being tired all of the time. I think we've watched a total of one hour of television since we got the puppy.. If she's awake then we're spending almost all of our time with her. It helps to get on the puppy's schedule too--eat when they eat, sleep when they sleep, give them a stuffed kong to play with while you watch TV, etc. Then when you're ready to play with each other it won't be such a chore.


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## Blondie (Oct 10, 2009)

Way too much time in the crate during the day. You didn't take any time off or vacation when bringing your new puppy home? Let's figure out what options you have available for your puppy during the day.....do you have a trusted family member, relative, friend or neighbor who can swing by the middle of the day and spend some time with your puppy? Take him out, let him walk(on the leash). Being in an apartment situation, you will be faced with challenges. What floor are you on? Getting your puppy on a schedule is important for this to come together. Can you gate off a play area for your puppy in your apartment to play, while you are doing laundry, fixing meals etc? You are going to have to be vigilant about his getting out soon and often enough to prevent those accidents and clean up as well. Best wishes.


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## Mosby's Mom (Oct 19, 2011)

You mentioned that he doesn't care for his crate, so I will tell you what our breeder told us to do:  keep his water and food in his crate. He is going to get hungry and want to eat his 3 meals a day, so put the filled bowl in there. He'll get thirsty and want a drink of water, so keep the filled water bowl in there. Every time you want him to be in the crate, put lots of treats in there (and since he already seems to not like the crate, I would use some pretty high value treats - Mo's favorite is cheese).

The problem, I wonder, is that if you're already leaving him in the crate from 10-6 or whatever, that is already a long time in the crate. If I were a little puppy, I sure wouldn't want to be put back in the crate after spending 8 hours there! 

Mosby is now 5 months, and only now are we having time to watch tv and read, etc. And even then, if there is something we want to watch or do, we give him a bully stick to kepe him entertained while we're busy.

Also, puppy class has done wonders. We've been taking Mo to class since he was 10 weeks old - Wednesday and Thursday evenings. When he was younger, that would wipe him out all night long, and the entire next day! I know you seem worried because of the lack of shots, but I think puppy classes do a world of good for everyone's sanity!


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## ozzy'smom (Jun 18, 2011)

With my first Golden she spent a lot of time in the crate while we worked and HATED it. With Ozzy I work from home so he's only crated when I leave during the day (or at night when he was younger) and he has no issues with his crate. I would follow the advice of others and do what you think might work to make his crate seem more positive. 

After being in the crate all day your little guy will probably NOT be happy about being put in while you are home. In fact, in my experience, Goldens are a breed that LOVE their people and want to be with them. Ozzy pretty much follows me from room to room and has always been that way. 

Those first few months are REALLY difficult. I'd talk to your vet about walks. I think your guy needs a good amount of exercise at this age, especially after being in a crate all day. Maybe one of you can walk him while the other does chores. Ozzy typically gets two mile long walks a day, and has for a long time, and he actually has a lower exercise need than many Goldens. 

I would plan on keeping your guy with you most of the time in the house. We gated Ozzy in our kitchen when he was younger and really someone was almost always with him. This time will pass and soon you'll be able to come home from work, take your guy for a walk, and then do whatever you want for the night. In the meanwhile, you will find that he will take over your life for awhile. 

Good luck!


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## Cora the golden (Jan 2, 2012)

Our puppy is 6 months old and she doesn't spend that much time in her crate a day and both my wife and I work 8hrs a day. Your going to have to make a schedule where you come home for lunch to let the dog out and play a bit or try doggie day care that is just to long for a young puppy to be in a crate. The rule is a puppy can hold its bladder about as many hours as it is old in months for example 3 month old puppy can hold it's bladder for 3 hours tops. It will get better but puppies are a huge commitment


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## Kaila (Feb 1, 2012)

Mosby's Mom said:


> You mentioned that he doesn't care for his crate, so I will tell you what our breeder told us to do: keep his water and food in his crate. He is going to get hungry and want to eat his 3 meals a day, so put the filled bowl in there. He'll get thirsty and want a drink of water, so keep the filled water bowl in there. Every time you want him to be in the crate, put lots of treats in there (and since he already seems to not like the crate, I would use some pretty high value treats - Mo's favorite is cheese).


I agree that this can be useful for building a positive association with the crate, but I wouldn't leave food and water in there while you're gone. I can almost guarantee you'll come home to a mess. Also, puppies have been known to choke on kibble. It doesn't happen very often, but it can happen. And lastly, more food and water means more pee and poop. You don't want that to happen while you're gone. I would opt for a Kong toy stuffed with canned food and frozen instead. That way it will give him food AND water.. but slowly.


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## Kt9911 (Feb 28, 2012)

Blondie said:


> Way too much time in the crate during the day. You didn't take any time off or vacation when bringing your new puppy home? Let's figure out what options you have available for your puppy during the day.....do you have a trusted family member, relative, friend or neighbor who can swing by the middle of the day and spend some time with your puppy? Take him out, let him walk(on the leash). Being in an apartment situation, you will be faced with challenges. What floor are you on? Getting your puppy on a schedule is important for this to come together. Can you gate off a play area for your puppy in your apartment to play, while you are doing laundry, fixing meals etc? You are going to have to be vigilant about his getting out soon and often enough to prevent those accidents and clean up as well. Best wishes.


That's the problem, we both work so we can't have all the time to spend with him during the day like others are posting. I cant play with him or take him 15 times outside because I leave early morning for work and so does my husband. 

We don't have any trusted relatives that are free to help out with the dog, everyone works and they live about 20 mins away. My father in law would be an option but he is in FL now and not sure when he will be back. 

We usually take him out right away after him being in the crate all night then feed him around 7:30 am , then I take him out again after an hour or so, then he stays in crate until we get back home which is 5:30 pm. We feed him again and play with him and take turns to take him out as much as we can.

I can't take a vacation because I started a new job a month ago.

What can we do with our schedule and also how many times we should give him water and how much food? Our breeder who we adopted from, she only told us to give him food and water twice a day..but we have been giving him water after playing.


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## Kaila (Feb 1, 2012)

Kt9911 said:


> You are saying pretty much what we are going through! Its hard to figure out when he wants to pee. He sniffs around just to sniff and then all of a sudden he sniffs and pees on carpet. I am trying to figure out if we should take him out every 30 mins? He can hold it very long in crate , however , outside of crate is impossible.


Don't think about it like "Oh, he has to go out every 30 minutes" because then you're not paying attention to what is actually making him have to pee. If he runs around playing, is alert and walks around a lot, eats anything, drinks anything, is upset and barks/cries a lot.. take him out.

For example.. River just played tag with my other dog for a good 10 minutes. They ran around hard and she was panting and exhausted. Before they were done playing, I anticipated that she would have to go out. She peed right away.

Earlier she took a long drink of water. I kept her gated in the kitchen for ten minutes, then took her out.

She ate breakfast before that. I waited ten minutes after picking up the bowl (it was not empty, but I decided was done eating) and then took her out.

You'll get the hang of it. But for the first two days when I said "She has to go out every hour" and that's all we did, we had the most accidents. Now she sometimes goes out every 10-15 minutes, sometimes every 30-45 minutes, and at most she goes out every hour if we're home. She can hold it for four hours in her crate while we're gone, max.


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## Kaila (Feb 1, 2012)

Kt9911 said:


> What can we do with our schedule and also how many times we should give him water and how much food? Our breeder who we adopted from, she only told us to give him food and water twice a day..but we have been giving him water after playing.


I only give River water with her meals. She takes three big long drinks each day (and drinks about 1/3 to 1/2 the bowl each time), but I keep the bowl up on the counter the rest of the time. More water = more pee. On days that I work I take her out to pee/poop in the morning, then feed her breakfast and give her water, then pick up the food/water and take her out to pee one more time before putting her in her crate. I wouldn't give any food or water in the crate, but get a Kong toy (or 2 or 3) and stuff it full of canned food mixed with kibble. Then freeze it overnight so it's ready in the morning. The cold feels good when they are teething and it takes them longer to work through. The canned food delivers food and water.. but slowly, so they don't have to pee as suddenly. When you get home, have the leash in hand before you even open the crate, and carry him outside to pee. When you get home, make sure you devote at least an hour to two hours to rough play. He's a boy, so he's probably going to be pretty rambunctious, especially after eight hours in a crate. Denying him that playtime and social contact would be cruel to him. If you can't do at least that much, then I don't know what to tell you.

As far as your schedule goes, I would try waking up earlier. I spend at least two hours with River every day before I go to work even though she's only alone for for hours.


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## Cora the golden (Jan 2, 2012)

Water should always be available to the dog while out of the crate accept for a hour or two before bedtime. As for food he should be getting around 3 cups a day. I would really look into gating off a area for him while you are gone or place him in doggy daycare it is just to long for a dog of that age to be in a crate all day


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## Sonali (Feb 28, 2012)

i got my golden on 27 of this month.She pees and poops all over the place if left unattended,but if i keep a strict watch on her and when she starts circling a spot,i pick her up and put her in our spare bathroom and she does her job there.We don't take her out coz she has not yet got her shots.she is 6 weeks old.
She was good on the day we brought her home but today she is so naughty and she mouthed me on my arm and it cut through the skin.
I have a 8 year old and a 4 year old,really worried about them.She sleeps with us in our bedroom in her corner she chose for herself.She likes her mattress and blanket too.But last night she went to sleep at 11.00 and woke up at 4.00am and wouldn't allow me to sleep.She actually nibbled at my shoulder.
She is so cute,I just want her to be loving too.
So i guess my pup is driving me crazy too.


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## Kaila (Feb 1, 2012)

Sonali said:


> i got my golden on 27 of this month.She pees and poops all over the place if left unattended,but if i keep a strict watch on her and when she starts circling a spot,i pick her up and put her in our spare bathroom and she does her job there.We don't take her out coz she has not yet got her shots.she is 6 weeks old.


There's nowhere you can take her that isn't frequented by dogs? Maybe you would consider getting a patch of fake grass for your bathroom that she can practice on. I trained my Chi to go on pee pads in our bathroom.. but now he has trouble distinguishing between indoor and outdoor potty area. Luckily I've transferred him to a litter box and he now only does his business there, but it took a lot of accidents to make that happen. I'll never do it like that again--straight outside is the way to go, imo.


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## darbysdad (Dec 23, 2011)

I really believe that this time in your life may not be a good time to raise a puppy. I'm sure your intentions are good, but the commitment is huge and may not be a fit at this time in your life. I'm sure you know the old saying of "dog years". If it was applicable to your situation, your puppy is an infant. You couldn't leave an infant in a crib with a bottle and go to work for eight hours without the infant crying, peeing, pooping, and craving affection and attention. It's the same for the puppy. It is EXACTLY like raising a child. I am not trying to be hard on you and please dont take it that way, but I'm only trying to make you aware of what will probably compound itself into a huge problem. I can assure you that you would have future posts about biting, tearing up things, resource guarding etc. These are all things that will manifest themselves from the current state of the puppy. If I win a million dollars I will share it with you and then you could hire a puppysitter I want nothing more than for you to succeed at this, and I and others will help in any way possible. :wave:


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## Kaila (Feb 1, 2012)

darbysdad said:


> I really believe that this time in your life may not be a good time to raise a puppy. I'm sure your intentions are good, but the commitment is huge and may not be a fit at this time in your life. I'm sure you know the old saying of "dog years". If it was applicable to your situation, your puppy is an infant. You couldn't leave an infant in a crib with a bottle and go to work for eight hours without the infant crying, peeing, pooping, and craving affection and attention. It's the same for the puppy. It is EXACTLY like raising a child.


:hide:
Unfortunately I have to agree with darbysdad.. I'm lucky that I have Teddy to help me tire River out, and Matt whose schedule alternates with mine, and enough energy to go on four hours of sleep so that I can train, play, and take River out constantly. It's really hard work and it does feel remarkably similar to raising a baby (I would think--haven't been there yet, but my mom jokes that that's my life right now). I also have a ton of resources in our community to socialize her. Two trainer friends whose classes I'm enrolling in, a community organizer for Paws on Parole and the Alachua County Animal Services who is taking me places to socialize River with kids, my workplace which allows dogs.. I would be in no position to raise a puppy if the stars hadn't aligned like they have.

That doesn't mean you're not capable of turning this situation around though. But if your response is, "What can I do? I work all the time," then.. that's not good enough for the puppy. Every day you go on with this routine he becomes more frustrated, more bored, more unsocialized.. and BIGGER! He will become more reactive to people and dogs (because he's excited or easily aroused after never getting to see them), he will become more mouthy (because no one is home to teach him bite inhibition), he will jump more (because it's exciting and no one is home to help him practice sitting nicely for petting).. It's a bad scenario.

I don't mean to attack you. Let's brainstorm here on some ways to help your situation. You obviously love your pup a lot or you wouldn't be trying to do what's best for him. You wouldn't be here on this forum asking for advice. 

Do you have any kids? What kind of job do you have (desk job, active duty, etc.)? Could you wake up any earlier in the morning? Could you afford an automatic dog feeder that can feed scheduled meals? Can you afford a dog walker? Do you have time on the weekends for a puppy kindergarten class once or twice a week?


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## boomers_dawn (Sep 20, 2009)

Your puppy is adorable! 
Raising a puppy is hard but it's worth it in the end.

Some things that got me with Gladys: put the puppy on a potty schedule. (I think the formula is age in months + 1 - so - 3 month old + 1 = expect he can hold for 4 hours).
So potty him every 4 hours BUT keep in mind, the potty schedule is NOT all about the clock.
It's also about what he's doing and what's going on.
Any change in activity, after vigorous play, when he comes out of the crate -> potty. After eating -> potty. He drinks a ton of water -> potty 15 minutes after.

Also keep him on a schedule of crate time - what worked for me and Gladys was 1 hour out, 1 hour in. When it's puppy in the crate time is when you get to do things like empty the dishwasher and start a load of laundry etc.. and when the puppy is out give your attention to the puppy - give chew toys, training, etc.

Hope this helps, good luck.

Addendum: RE: having to work all day - when I brought Gladys home I worked out a deal with my boss in advance to use my time off in 1 or 2 hour chunks daily for the first couple/few months so that I would go home at lunchtime every day, potty, walk, and play with the dogs, then come back to work. I was very lucky I was allowed this flexibility.

Managing a puppy with a work schedule should be planned in advance; I agree it's like leaving an infant home alone in a crib all day. 
Hopefully there can be some problem solving options like pet sitters, friends/family/neighbors, doggie daycare, kenneling part time, work schedule flexibility, vaction time, etc


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

People do have full time jobs and successfully raise happy puppies. I know, I have, although it is not ideal but you can do it. You just really have to commit all your spare time with him. 

I am a night owl, so my puppies have always had all that extra time that I am up at night. 

Is there a high school student in your building that might want to help you out when they get home from school? Everybody loves a golden puppy.


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## darbysdad (Dec 23, 2011)

Kaila said:


> :hide:
> Unfortunately I have to agree with darbysdad.. I'm lucky that I have Teddy to help me tire River out, and Matt whose schedule alternates with mine, and enough energy to go on four hours of sleep so that I can train, play, and take River out constantly. It's really hard work and it does feel remarkably similar to raising a baby (I would think--haven't been there yet, but my mom jokes that that's my life right now). I also have a ton of resources in our community to socialize her. Two trainer friends whose classes I'm enrolling in, a community organizer for Paws on Parole and the Alachua County Animal Services who is taking me places to socialize River with kids, my workplace which allows dogs.. I would be in no position to raise a puppy if the stars hadn't aligned like they have.
> 
> That doesn't mean you're not capable of turning this situation around though. But if your response is, "What can I do? I work all the time," then.. that's not good enough for the puppy. Every day you go on with this routine he becomes more frustrated, more bored, more unsocialized.. and BIGGER! He will become more reactive to people and dogs (because he's excited or easily aroused after never getting to see them), he will become more mouthy (because no one is home to teach him bite inhibition), he will jump more (because it's exciting and no one is home to help him practice sitting nicely for petting).. It's a bad scenario.
> ...


All good points Kaila. If I lived closer I would go help out. I would love to see a solution to this too.


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## Kaila (Feb 1, 2012)

Humorous off-topic note..

My "tugging arm" is sore from playing tug with River. LOL!


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## mooselips (Dec 4, 2011)

I sure would be happy to help out too, if I lived near you.


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## alliruiz (Feb 2, 2012)

I didn't read all the replies so, please forgive me if this is info someone has already added but one thing that REALLY helped in potty training our little girl was that every time we took her out, while she was going potty, we would say the word “potty” over and over and say “good potty, good girl” within a couple days, we could say “go potty potty potty” and she would look for a spot and go. She still has the occasional accident (she’s 11 weeks tomorrow – and I’m talking every 2-3 days) but most of the time, when that nose hits the floor or when she whimpers at the back door, I let her out and tell her to go potty. When I catch her starting to pee on the carpet, I pick her up and take her out and tell her to go potty out there. “Potty” is one of the only commands she understands but it was the most important to me. I also take her out right away after every nap in her crate. It’s our first stop. I hope that helps!


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## sameli102 (Aug 23, 2009)

I feel so sad for this adorable little guy. Have you considered doggie day care? Goldens are a breed that love to be with their people, and puppies need lots of exercise. He should still be getting lunch and plenty of water throughout the day. Locked in a crate all day every day is liable to cause 
behavioral issues in the near future. If not socialized properly he will become fearful of just about everything and it may become impossible to undo.
Please, if you can't have someone tend to him mid day find him a home where he can get outside and smell the world and run and romp. I don't mean this to be harsh or mean, maybe you just took on something you didn't realize would be so time consuming. 
At the very least maybe you can get up much earlier and take him somewhere safe for some very tiring exercise then make him a pen in the kitchen with toys and such. Just avoid places where lots of dogs visit like dog parks, petsmart, etc.
Could you hire a friend or dog walker to come over 1/2 way through the day to take him out and play with him a little? Maybe the breeder would take him back if he is driving you crazy?


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Kt9911 said:


> That's the problem, we both work so we can't have all the time to spend with him during the day like others are posting. I cant play with him or take him 15 times outside because I leave early morning for work and so does my husband.
> 
> We don't have any trusted relatives that are free to help out with the dog, everyone works and they live about 20 mins away. My father in law would be an option but he is in FL now and not sure when he will be back.
> 
> ...


Where in Illinois do you live? If I live close to you I'd happily help out during the day while you guys are at work. Illinois is a big state though, so chances of us being within reasonable driving distance are slim!

Another option is to call your vet and ask for a list of recommended dog walkers. Having a dog walker come in even just once a day would be awesome for your pup.

I think it's totally doable to raise a puppy when you work full time. You just might need to make some extra sacrifices the first few months while the little guy is still learning and acclimating.


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## ashleylp (Jul 23, 2011)

I know you've already heard a lot of great advice from other members but I am also an apartment dweller and I understand your backyard-less situation well. We are on the third floor (UGH, whyyyy?!) and we got our exercise going up and down those stairs the first few weeks... er... months we had Remy. I mean, our legs were literally sore. We took him down every time he woke up from a nap, ate, 15 min after he drank a lot of water, after a big play session, etc. Luckily our schedules worked out pretty well... I was off the first month that he was home and then once I started going back to classes and was gone all day my boyfriend had lunches off to come home, check on him, burn some energy with him, and then go back to work. Remy stayed alone only 3-4 hours MAX. Luckily we also have some neighbors with a new puppy so we traded letting dogs out if for some reason we had to be gone longer.

Remy was a big baby about his crate from day one. He cried through the first few nights. We made our neighbors cookies and told them to please forgive the noise, it'll be over soon enough. Oddly enough they told us that they really didn't hear him cry unless they walked right by our bedroom window! That reassurance alone made things easier.

To deal with the crying in the crate we used a method we saw on -gasp- The Dog Whisperer. I don't normally reccomend his methods, but this one worked when all else failed. We took a day to do this... ALL DAY. We put Remy in his kennel, covered it, and said "bye!" and left the room. He cried and cried. As soon as he calmed down and hadn't cried for 1-2 minutes we went back in the room and said "we're home!" and let him out, praising him. We did this over and over again until the time it took for him to settle down got less and less. We then started literally leaving the apartment and standing outside our bedroom window to listen for when he stopped crying. As soon as he had settled for 1-2 minutes we again went in, said 'we're home!" got him out of the kennel and praised him for being calm. YES, it took ALL DAY. but after ONE DAY it was better... he never cried again. I think puppies just need that reassurance that their people are coming back... it's like if you were a young kid and all of your friends and you went to a park, and suddenly they disappeared.

I hope that this all gets better for you, I know we were exhausted... but it had paid off BIG TIME!


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## marshallsmom (Dec 22, 2011)

I have to agree with a lot of what other said. The puppy is a commitment and is A LOT of work. The first couple months we had him, our laundry piled up, our sink filled, we go grocery shopping when there is absolutely no food left (we just did not have the time). I bought frozen dinner because between work and the puppy I rarely ever had time to cook. Honestly, I felt like the worst wife ever (my husband did the laundry and most of the cooking and cleaning the house since my work surprisingly got too demanding a few days after we got the puppy).

TV? I barely ever finish a show without interruption even now that he is 6 months old I am not sure what 4 months ago was like...maybe almost no TV at all. We were both exhausted from lack of sleep. I started waking up 45 mins to 1 hr early so I can plat with him and walk him so he is tired and happy those 4 hrs he has to stay in the crate while my husband catches up on sleep, then and go to bed later. 

Thankfully my husband works late afternoon and night so the puppy is never in the crate for longer than 4 hrs. When he was old enough and had all his shots, we started taking him to daycare. I honestly this that the crate time your puppy is getting for being that young is just too long  He must be so bored  and yes he may be holding his pee but it does not mean that he wants it that way. If he is 3 months old=he can hold it for 3-4 hrs. Over that is just not good for him. 

I really suggest a sitter, a walker that comes during the day or daycare. Some daycare around where I live have puppy rooms and take puppies as young as 12 weeks old.


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## bowdense (Feb 22, 2011)

You do basically give up your life when a puppy comes into it. It is a sacrifice, but so worth it in the end. My pup did not house train in a week:no:, more like 2 months (it's all a blur now) of constantly running him in and out, sometimes with success and sometimes not! I kept a 'potty log' and 1 day we was taken out 13 times!! It was exhausting! Went thru a lot of Natures Miracle,too. Don't want further discourage you, but the reality is some puppies are really, really hard work.

I should have said that Remington was easy. Our other pup took so long...even with consistent training. Puppies are hard! 

I think separating him from you by putting him in the bedroom crate is not a great idea. I really do understand you wanting to just be able to take a breath, but your puppy wants to be with you! Have you considered getting an X-pen to have in the living room or kitchen so he can still be will you while you do chores/relax?

I so agree. He needs to be with you when you are home. Also, at night, my puppy cried in the crate, too. I slept many nights with my hand in the crate because it comforted him.


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## ashleylp (Jul 23, 2011)

I too have slept with an arm in the crate. Sometimes they just need to know you're there. They just left their mom and their siblings to sleep alone in a smallish wire/plastic THING.. I'd be scared/nervous/confused too.

When I got frustrated I looked at it from my pup's point of view... I still do this from time to time. When he acts up I think, if I were a dog, would I have done that? Normally the answer is yes... and normally it's my fault when he isn't "behaving". I know it seems annoying now but instead of watching TV try working with him on basic obedience. They are such a sponge at that age... I often wish I would have worked with him on more when he was that young! It seems like he picked things up a bit quicker! The more time you spend WITH HIM and working on obedience, etc, the less time it will take the have the dog you dreamed of having.


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## kwhit (Apr 7, 2008)

Cora the golden said:


> Water should always be available to the dog while out of the crate accept for a hour or two before bedtime.


I agree 100% with this, unless they're in the crate during the day for hours. I have never and will never understand withholding water. I can't imagine being thirsty and not having water accessible at _all_ times. I have never done this with any puppy I've raised and I've never had _any_ housebreaking issues. And yes, I've worked full time while raising a puppy. Have you ever heard of an ex-pen? 

I can _maybe_ see taking water away before they go to bed, (which I've never done that either), but during the day? I would never do that. 



Kaila said:


> but I wouldn't leave food and water in there while you're gone...And lastly, more food and water means more pee and poop.


So you would leave a young puppy 7-8 hours without water? IMO, that's crazy. And yes more water equals more pee, that's how it's supposed to work.


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## quilter (Sep 12, 2011)

We don't get anything done in the evenings, either, unless we trade-off taking care of the puppy, who will be 7 months next week. And our puppy doesn't have any daytime crate time. The evening is some of his busiest time, like the last gasp before bedtime.

The doggie daycare is a terrrific suggestion if it's available to you.

And I'm another one that feels sorry for a puppy spending that much time in a crate. Can you puppy-proof a room? (We use the kitchen, no carpet.) I suppose you could use those puppy pad things, though not optimal for a dog that's going to be 50+ pounds. 

Or can you afford a bigger crate? You can get them up to around 3 feet by 5 feet. Or maybe an xpen, though he might just go over that.

I see that you have half of the crate blocked off. Perhaps you could at least give him the rest of that space. I gave my puppy the entire crate (24x36) from the beginning and he's never had an accident in there. But, yes, I'm lucky.


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## darbysdad (Dec 23, 2011)

To Kt......Now that you are overwhelmed, and may see no light at the end of the tunnel, let me give you the flipside of all this.....

To begin with, you will never find a more devoted, gentle, and loving dog as a Golden Retriever. There is a reason they are chosen as assistance dogs, and are trusted in nursing homes and schools.
Never will you find an animal more "in tune" to your feelings and moods, and come to your side to be part of your emotions.
Never will you find a dog more trusted around children and infants due to their gentle personality.
Your puppy is a blank slate, and you are now the artist. Spend as much time and passion as you can painting this picture, and it will rival the Mona Lisa. Darby can be a real pain in the butt. Since she learned to ring the bell on the door, she rings it every 10 minutes. She rings it for.....
A leaf blowing across the yard
A stick falling off the tree
A neighbors dog barked
She remembered there is a rock she hasn't chewed
She missed chewing the back 40 acres of mulch.
Maybe I'll poop

That is who they are though

I hope you find viable solutions for all your situations, and wind up with what is truly a "Best Friend":crossfing


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## marshallsmom (Dec 22, 2011)

Thank you Darbysdad! Very well said. I was in Kt shoes just 4 months ago, and there were nights where I would cry from frustration  I had thought about giving him up at least a couple times (but change my mind within minutes!). My husband on the other hand, has seriously contemplated giving him up. But I was the only reason that kept him from giving the puppy up. And ofcourse now he LOVES him!!! We forget all those awful times...It WILL get better. You got him at 3 months, we got him at 8 weeks and within those 4 weeks, A LOT of improvements have happened so don't worry. Also his first few days at home, he is still stressed being at a new place, exploring and of course peeing every where. Give him time to realize that this IS his forever home.


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## darbysdad (Dec 23, 2011)

marshallsmom said:


> Thank you Darbysdad! Very well said. I was in Kt shoes just 4 months ago, and there were nights where I would cry from frustration  I had thought about giving him up at least a couple times (but change my mind within minutes!). My husband on the other hand, has seriously contemplated giving him up. But I was the only reason that kept him from giving the puppy up. And ofcourse now he LOVES him!!! We forget all those awful times...It WILL get better. You got him at 3 months, we got him at 8 weeks and within those 4 weeks, A LOT of improvements have happened so don't worry. Also his first few days at home, he is still stressed being at a new place, exploring and of course peeing every where. Give him time to realize that this IS his forever home.


How very true. I think back about Sierra our other Golden who went to the bridge at Christmas. I almost feel guilty for not investing more time and taking her more places. Since she had a food guarding issue, I kind of considered her a PITA and found it easier to let her stay home a lot of times. She would have never hurt anyone with the guarding, but would stand over or lay by the bowl all day which I use to view as pathetic. Working long hours we never completely corrected the problem. Looking back now, even with the arthritis, I wish we would have taken her on the boat, or maybe just a few more car rides. I miss her terribly, and only now do I realize what a beutiful gentle lady she was. In 14 years, she never snapped or bit anyone, and loved everybody. Darby looks at me with those big amber eyes and sometimes I'll catch her staring at me. I told my wife it's her way of telling me "don't even think about it..I want it all"


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## Denlie (Nov 3, 2011)

mooselips said:


> Our Bridget is 3 months old....she's one wild woman!
> 
> She's up at 7 a.m. to potty
> then eat.
> ...



You are so living my life right now! It's busy and time consuming but it will be so rewarding when our puppies get older.


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## Kt9911 (Feb 28, 2012)

Thanks everyone for offering your advice and opinions. I had a day off today and spent it all with him except two hours to go run some errands. I took him many times outside and let him play in snow which he loves.

However, I work part time at a bank and my husband works full time. My hours this week changed because someone taking vacation so I got more hours. However, next week I should go back to my old hours which is from 1 to 6pm and I think that would be way much better , he wont be in crate for long. My husband will be home around 5:30. 

I was just wondering , my puppy was able to hold it for 8 hours yesterday which was shocking. However, does that effect his bladder or health badly? Or is it because he is in a tight place for long time? 

Thanks everyone. I am trying my best to get used to having him in our lives. Like I said we got him last Friday night , so its a big adjustment for both of us.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Puppies and dogs don't generally want to soil their den/ where they sleep that is why he held it in the crate plus he did not have access to water to make pee with.

That being said I don't even leave my adult dogs for greater than 6 hrs. It is not far to them to make them hold it longer than that.


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## Kt9911 (Feb 28, 2012)

Regarding food , I will start feeding him 3 times a day and water should be available all the time until 3 hours before bedtime?

Also , training classes..when should I start taking him?


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## Kt9911 (Feb 28, 2012)

kdmarsh said:


> Where in Illinois do you live? If I live close to you I'd happily help out during the day while you guys are at work. Illinois is a big state though, so chances of us being within reasonable driving distance are slim!
> 
> Another option is to call your vet and ask for a list of recommended dog walkers. Having a dog walker come in even just once a day would be awesome for your pup.
> 
> I think it's totally doable to raise a puppy when you work full time. You just might need to make some extra sacrifices the first few months while the little guy is still learning and acclimating.


I live in northern of IL, Gurnee.


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## kwhit (Apr 7, 2008)

Kt9911 said:


> However, next week I should go back to my old hours which is from 1 to 6pm and I think that would be way much better , he wont be in crate for long. My husband will be home around 5:30.


That will work much better for him.


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## sameli102 (Aug 23, 2009)

1-5:30 is much more reasonable, especially since you will have all morning to let him play, take him for walks and wear him out and get him socialized, then he is liable to want to take a nice long nap. You can take him for car rides and visit friends. We have a Lowe's store that allows dogs and is much less likely to have too many germs. Out door shopping centers can be a good place too.

A warning about withholding water, I know someone that limited their dogs water intake, it has created a horrible vice in him to where he cannot pass a bowl of water without gorging on it, and even at 3 years old he will drink so much that he can't hold it, though he tries, he walks around whining to go out as he dribbles because he drank so much he just can't hold it in. It started with not letting him drink too much before being crated all day while they worked, when they got home they let him drink all he wanted and he'd gorge and have accidents or need to go out all night so they limited it.

If he has to be penned or crated more than 3 or 4 hours please give him water and a place with newspaper in case he has to go. I hope things work out for you.


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## kwhit (Apr 7, 2008)

sameli102 said:


> A warning about withholding water, I know someone that limited their dogs water intake, it has created a horrible vice in him to where he cannot pass a bowl of water without gorging on it, and even at 3 years old he will drink so much that he can't hold it, though he tries, he walks around whining to go out as he dribbles because he drank so much he just can't hold it in. It started with not letting him drink too much before being crated all day while they worked, when they got home they let him drink all he wanted and he'd gorge and have accidents or need to go out all night so they limited it.


I hope that everyone that withholds water reads this and really thinks about all the adverse effects it can have on their puppy/dog. I am so glad you brought this to everyone's attention as a very real possibility.


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## Kaila (Feb 1, 2012)

I didn't realize limiting water was so horrible! I thought I remembered reading it in an Ian Dunbar article. I guess I'll let her have free water all day until 7pm then. Thanks for the advice.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

sameli102 said:


> 1-5:30 is much more reasonable, especially since you will have all morning to let him play, take him for walks and wear him out and get him socialized, then he is liable to want to take a nice long nap. You can take him for car rides and visit friends. We have a Lowe's store that allows dogs and is much less likely to have too many germs. Out door shopping centers can be a good place too.
> 
> A warning about withholding water, I know someone that limited their dogs water intake, it has created a horrible vice in him to where he cannot pass a bowl of water without gorging on it, and even at 3 years old he will drink so much that he can't hold it, though he tries, he walks around whining to go out as he dribbles because he drank so much he just can't hold it in. It started with not letting him drink too much before being crated all day while they worked, when they got home they let him drink all he wanted and he'd gorge and have accidents or need to go out all night so they limited it.
> 
> If he has to be penned or crated more than 3 or 4 hours please give him water and a place with newspaper in case he has to go. I hope things work out for you.


Buddy was previously only give food and water once daily by my jerk uncle. When I got him he would drain the water bowl every time he saw it. He would drink til he vomited. My yorkies were used to open water access so they were not happy when they found the water bowl empty. He is much better now at home. He only drains the bowl after vigorous excercise but when out in public he is still a water bowl til he vomits guy. Still a work in progress.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Kt9911 said:


> I live in northern of IL, Gurnee.


Rats. That's about an hour or so north of me. As much as I hated puppyhood, I loooooove puppies! I was kind of hoping I'd get the chance to watch someone else's puppy. 

Good luck with your boy. From your other posts it sounds like you're going to work things out just fine.


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## momof2boys and one dog (Jan 20, 2012)

Oh, I know EXACTLY how you feel...We got our first puppy about 4 months ago. I dont know exactly what I was thinking it would be like but it was NOTHING like I expected, lol...it was WORK, it still is work. I have two boys and I homeschool so bringing a puppy into the mix was like complete chaos and madness for the first few weeks. It takes awhile to house train a puppy. I took Fred out every single hour and continually said "go potty" and when he did go potty I would praise him. Accidents do and will happen, that is unavoidable. Get a good cleaner and deodarizer. Our steam vac has been a life saver, ...After he eats or drinks alot, take him out about 20 min. later as well. All I have to say now is "Do you need to go potty?" and Fred will run to the back door. He still has accidents every now and then but its always our fault for not taking him out.
As for the barking...Fred is not much of a barker so I dont really have an answer for you. He DID whine for about a week at night but I know its because he was in a new place, away from his litter mates. It should get better! Hang in there!! I dont think alot of people (myself included) have any idea how much work goes into having a puppy! Its been 4 months since we brought Fred home and its been 4 months of training, pottying, playing,chasing, watching over him and my 3 year old like a hawk AND homeschooling and other duties...you get the picture, Im TIRED LOL  
BUT, Im in it for the long haul because we chose to get a puppy and we are going to see it through because we know that he is a loving, wonderful addition to our family (and our boys are in LOVE with him!)
exercise might help alot with the barking at night and not sleeping. I know you mentioned waiting until his last set of shots, which is what our vet recommended too. Before Fred was old enough to go on walks/runs, my boys gave him a good work out, lol...they would chase each other around and around and play fetch, run and hide from him, ect. It really helped tire him out alot and he slept great. Things get better, they really do. You just have to overcome and endure this little period of "newness"...its so worth it all in the end!


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## SWGoldenmom (Oct 25, 2011)

Have you ever tried leaving a radio on while you're gone during the day? Our last golden, Tess, loved it, and now Sierra, relaxes when music is playing in the background. Probably not a hard rock station (LOL), but some easy listening, new age music will at least let him know there is something else going on besides him just stuck in his crate. Might be worth a try.


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## Amberbark (Oct 5, 2011)

*Dog Sitter*

We hired a dog sitter to come in when I had my Papillon puppy and then when we got Amber, our now 8 mos. old GR pup. When they were younger, we fed 3x a day. Little Piper, now 7 lbs., was in a covered playpen and the dog sitter would come in to take to potty, feed and play, at least once a day, sometimes twice. The same routine for when we got Amber. My husband built a 10 x 20 ft. kennel in our basement that is temperature controlled. We are building a kennel/kennel house this summer so that Amber can be outside during the day. 
The dog sitter still comes in once or twice a day, depending on our schedule. We work and we want happy, well-adjusted dogs. IMHO, the only fair way to be a pet owner in our circumstance, is to have someone come in and help care for them. It is a responsibility that we pay well for and have to give up other things for, but I would not have it any other way.


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## attilthehunm (Mar 1, 2012)

The puppy should be attached to you with a leash so you can watch him and take him outside every 45 minutes or so. Reward the puppy after he does it outside with a special treat. Don't forget to use commands like go peepee or do it when you take the dog outside. They will start to make the connection. Be vigilant. It's not easy and totally dominates your day. Like a baby. If you can't watch him or you've had enough walking around with him attached to you take a break and put him in the crate.
Good luck


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## Swede (Oct 31, 2011)

SWGoldenmom said:


> Have you ever tried leaving a radio on while you're gone during the day? Our last golden, Tess, loved it, and now Sierra, relaxes when music is playing in the background. Probably not a hard rock station (LOL), but some easy listening, new age music will at least let him know there is something else going on besides him just stuck in his crate. Might be worth a try.


We tune in to the public radio classical station. When we're home and have it on, life gets put on hold for our Annabelle (4 mo. old). It's nap time.

Oddly enough, it almost seems at times she has a preference for certain types of music. Symphonies, yes. Opera and other vocals, with the exception of Brahms' _Deutsches Requiem_, not so much.


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## SWGoldenmom (Oct 25, 2011)

Swede said:


> We tune in to the public radio classical station. When we're home and have it on, life gets put on hold for our Annabelle (4 mo. old). It's nap time.
> 
> Oddly enough, it almost seems at times she has a preference for certain types of music. Symphonies, yes. Opera and other vocals, with the exception of Brahms' _Deutsches Requiem_, not so much.


 
Our Tess loved classical music! On the drive home from training classes (35 miles), she'd be all fired up, and I'd put the Public Radio classical station on, and she'd settle right down and sleep all the way home.


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