8wk Old Constant Crying

RedLily

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Hey everyone, I need some guidance. I can honestly say I've never had a puppy this young. Most have been in the 12-15wk area and they cry for a couple days and then they are fine.

Sadie has been crying for almost a week. Only stopping if we are in direct contact with her or she is sleeping.

I refuse to pick her up and cuddle her and am trying convince my wife not to as well, until she has calmed down some. I do not want to teach her bad habits of crying for attention all the time.

Is this normal for the constant whining? Is there an end in sight?

Ps I'm not trying to be insensitive to a baby being yanked from all she has ever known, just wanna know for my sanity. Lol

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You might not like that I say this but she should have been with her litter another 2 weeks or so.
I have little experience here but can only hope the others here offer you guidance.
Personally I would try various toys and distractions.
 
How old was your puppy when you got her? Usually even an eight week old puppy settles down in a few days but maybe she is younger than that. I did get my Dobe at 11 weeks but all my little dogs I got at 8 weeks and they were fine.
 
8wks, she will be 9 Saturday

Guess I just need to suck it up for a couple more days hopefully
 
Don't worry Dobes are criers. Tasha was to young but she settled down. Get a small crate and put a cover over it and start right away putting her in to sleep and cover it, she will cry but leave her there until she settles down for at least 10 minutes, unless of course it is night time. Both my babies cried for attention but if you give into it, it will go on and on. Tasha didn't do well in the kennel until one of our staff here recommended that I cover it and after a few days it worked like a charm! Good luck
 
Have you tried anything like a bully stick or peanut butter frozen in a kong? Maybe she is bored. Can you try working with her on sit or down to keep her busy?

This is just me, but if she is going to whine any way....why not just put her in a crate with something to do and when she is quiet for 30 seconds to a minute, get her out and give her cuddles then, or play ball or something. If she starts the whining again, put her back in the crate. Not as a punishment, but to say "If you are going to have that attitude, then I'm removing you".

I also wanted to ask what her body language is like when she is whining....is her tail tucked, ears back, eyes darting all over like she is looking for something? If she is nervous you may not want to push her too far because it may make it worse. But if she is being pushy, pawing at you, biting at your pants legs when she is whining, it might be that she needs some discipline.

I have found with dobes, even babies, that even if they get pet 1 out of every 10 times for whining, it will make them do it more. Sometimes it isn't even a pet, but someone just looking at them or talking to them and acknowledging the whining. Make sure both you and your wife are on the same page about this.

one other thing I wanted to throw out there is that if she is nervous at all try some essential lavender oils or some of that anxiety spray. Some people have luck with the thunder shirts, some don't. Try a few different things, and I hope you guys get it figured out....whining can drive you crazy in no time! I had a foster that I had to give up because he whined for almost 5 months strait. It drove the whole family mad.....I love dogs, but I was so glad when he was gone.
 
Don't worry Dobes are criers. Tasha was to young but she settled down. Get a small crate and put a cover over it and start right away putting her in to sleep and cover it, she will cry but leave her there until she settles down for at least 10 minutes, unless of course it is night time. Both my babies cried for attention but if you give into it, it will go on and on. Tasha didn't do well in the kennel until one of our staff here recommended that I cover it and after a few days it worked like a charm! Good luck
Yup! Best advice we were given for a very baby Spock. We put him in one of those plastic cat carriers, put a towel over it, and put on low music at night or nap time. He'd cry for a few minutes but eventually settle down. Also, practice leaving her. After potty time put her in a small room with some toys and, without saying anything or touching her, just leave the room. She'll whine and cry for a few minutes but just ignore her completely. Don't say anything, look at her, or touch her until she is silent again. The moment she is silent walk back into the room and act like nothing ever happened. Don't give her extra affection or act like she did anything at all. Just start playing calmly. Repeat until you can leave for a minute, 5 min, 10 min, etc without her whining.
 
Thanks guys. Last night she was better. I let her whine it out for about 15min and she settled down then every time after.

Her whining does not seem to be nervous or scared but more like hey why are you leaving me, thought we were having fun type deal.

I just don't wanna create a SA nightmare dog. We left lily a lot and she has turned into a great dog. We leave she patiently waits for us to get back.


I will try some of the stuff mentioned. Thanks for the help
 
Oh are they allowed to have bully sticks at that age? Breeder suggested we didn't give her anything like that yet
 
I don't have much advice for you since my 8 week old puppy wasn't that vocal but I just have to say your baby is super cute! :love:
 
A good temperament that has been well socialized and training with the breeder should not be whining incessantly. You have a big challenge in dealing with it and I strongly recommend crate training and a good schedule to teach the puppy that there are times to be together and times to settle down and rest quietly. If you do not crate train you are headed for problems with serious separation anxiety.

No puppy should exhibit that much distress.
 
Thank you Mandy

She is being crate trained. Wouldn't dream of not crate training.

We were making progress until last night. Oh well. We will get pst it.
 
Hans was an absolute nightmare with crate training after I brought him home at 8 weeks, but he didn't cry outside the crate. Outside the crate, he was curious and getting into everything rather than constantly seeking attention and physical contact. I kinda wish I'd not followed the crate training rules as strictly as I did and had given him some time to mature a little before making him spend the night crying until he was hoarse, and maybe you can be a little flexible with your pup for a few weeks.
 
By day 2 my puppies will knock you down to get in the crate and take a nap or sleep for the night. I put peanut butter on a dog biscuit and THEY LOVE IT. I put it in the crate before I take the puppy to the crate. They never cry more than 5 minutes if that and by day two they LOVE THE CRATE.

The crate is in the main part of the house so I am walking through and in and out. I do not look at them or talk to them til time to get them up. Sometimes they lay and watch me but not a peep.

I do think it is important to have a set schedule. Up at 7 AM outside potty and poop - inside eat - back outside to play and romp til 9:30 - come in and take a nap in the crate. Up at 11 to 11:30 outside to potty etc. Play and take a walk to the back of the property. 2:00 down for nap til 4.

Eat a 5 pm and play til 7 then potty etc to bed til 10 to 10:30 back outside to potty last time and then back to bed. I never hear a peep unless someone has to potty. Peanut butter one a dog treat every single time they go into the crate. They also have a stuffed toy and blanket to snuggle with.
 
What a beautiful baby. We brought home our girl in December at 8 weeks. I bought a snuggle puppy and put it in the crate with her the first night. It comes with a plastic heart that sounds and vibrates like a real heart, and fits inside the snuggle puppy. Don't know if it will work for you, but our girl would lie on it and go right to sleep. We took shifts getting up every 3 hours to take her out to go potty, then put her back in the crate. She didn't even cry the first night. Wish I had it with my other puppies. My husband calls it the best invention in the world.
 
My vet only has a problem with raw hides and cooked bones, not bully sticks or raw bones. Although some dogs that have a sensitive system may have softer stool. I don't let mine eat theirs till they are gone. I do allow them to chew on the deer antlers all they want though, it really cleans their teeth.
 

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