Need new puppy help!!!!!

[DisneyJen0504]

DH and I were given the most adorable Maltese from my parents for Xmas. We wanted a dog, planned to get a dog soon...and maltese was my first choice. However-getting her as a gift for the holiday, though we appreciate it, left us no time to prepare and make decisions. I need help!
Chloe is 3 months old and doing really good with going potty on the pads. The breeder got her started on that. My parents got us a bed, food, toys, everything but a crate. We thought we could do without it (clearly we have never owned our own dog!) and now we have a precious puppy sleeping in our bed. Not good. Am I too late to start crate training her? If not-how do I go about this?
Next problem-I am home all day, going to grad school 2 nights a week. Dh works all day and will be home before I have class so she will rarely be alone. When I need to shower or go out for an errand or two, we put up a baby gate up in the kitchen which is small. This is where she eats and potties currently. She cries endlessly when alone. A friend suggested a crate being better as it is more like a den. The problem is that I am going to school for teaching so for now, once a week I will need to be in a school for about 7 hours for a few months each semester for the next year. How can I prepare her for when I am gone for more than a few hours?
Please help me! We want to be good parents! We havent had her long and we adore her!! Any suggestions from my DIS friends would be greatly appreciated!!!
Thanks!! aw:

 

[ziggystardust]

Crates are great am I highly recommend them. It might be hard for YOU at first, crating her, b/c she will cry. Don't give in. The crate will become her home and she will start going in there on her own. If she is jumpy though, I recommend taking her collar off before crating her. My sister worked with dogs and in the history of her company a dog strangled himself when his collar got caught.

She is still young and is trainable. Now is the time to do it. Dogs are not supposed to be crated for more than 7 hours. I'm sure 15 minutes give or take won't matter, but if you are going to be out more than 8, it might be worth it for a neighbor or friend to check in on her and take her for a walk or something.

Good Luck! Puppies are great! Take lots of pictures!

 

[goofy!]

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[Sandy V.]

If that's your new puppy in your signature, she is absolutely adorable.

I also agree about the crate training; it will disturb you far more than it will her.

 

[DisneyJen0504]

Thank you so much-your reassurance is very comforting for me!! Yes the pic in my signature is my new puppy Chloe! She is so adorable! But I think a crate in the long run will be better for us all!
Thank you so much for the tips ziggystardust, goofy and sandyv!!!
aw:

 

[doxdogy]

Chloe is adorable. Most definitely not to late for crate training. Our stay in the crate while we are at work. They know when it is time to go up in the morning and head into the crate room.

 

[kilee]

I have to say when we got our Shih Tzu last year- we didn't start crate trainning for almost 3 weeks. It turned out to be a lifesaver. He trained w/ everything much easier and faster once we had the crate. I no longer "have" to lock him up in his crate. Rather--- we leave the door open and he sleeps in their willing. So, in time you may not have to leave the dog in for long hours at a time.

I would recommend getting a book or 2 to make the transistion easier.

 

[Ronda93]

The crate will be great for house breaking, too. You mention the pads, but I don't think that's a good lifetime solution. Since someone is there most of the time, take advantage and get her housebroken pronto.

She's a cutie.

 

[Hygiene99]

We started our 2 in the Crates, each there own. Then at night they would Cry..

Because they were not together..

Crates went well, But now have there bed in the dining room & Kitchen Were they spend the nights restricted by the , home depot gates.
Yip Bought a couple sheets of the plastic Lattis, 2' tall stuff.. Cut To size
fits in the doorway openings and Keeps them to there area.. Good Luck with the new puppie..

 

[Hygiene99]

Now that we Can Trust them we allow, them to Roam part of the house during the Day.. This is them in there favorite chair...

 

[Aimeedyan]

I agree with the others, buy yourself a crate! You will be thankful later! It's harder on you then it is for her =)

As far as 7 hours, a pup can hold it for 1 hour for every month they are old plus 1. Meaning, 12 weeks old = 4 hours. She can't hold it for 7 hours until she is about 6 months old. Crating her longer than she can hold it is cruel, makes a huge mess, and causes huge housebreaking issues.

I would ditch the pads, personally. They are terrible for training if you ever have any intention on getting her to only go outside. We really really really regret attempting those iwth our Shih Tzu. Once a dog is taught to potty under a roof, they almost always still think it's okay and have a hard time learning that it was okay before but now it's not okay. Just a hard concept when you've been pottying indoors for so long. But you can make that call. If you need to be gone too long and she can't hold it, you could gate her in a safe room with pads to use. Not the ideal situation but may work =)

i DEF recommend getting some puppy training books from the library.

Good luck!

 

[brittsmum1998]

we have a 14 wk old bichon. She has been crated since day one. She roams living room dining room and kitchen freely when I am home. When I go out she goes into her crate. Its cozy and I have a blanket covering everything but the front door. She goes in about 9:00p and comes out at 6a when we get up. I never thought of it as cruel, I thought of it as safe for her moreso than us. She has never had an accident in her crate and nds to greet each of us as we wake b4 she goes outside for the first time in the am. Ihave to add, I brought her out ALL the time when she first came home (she has outdoor grass on our deck that I keep clean for her) she goes on a leash (so she won't fall over) and she trained within 1 week!! As I type, she is waiting to come up on my lap ( a habit she learned at a very early age) I highly recommend a bell at the door also, We found that she would just sit by the door and if noone noticed she wouldn't bark. the bell hangs and after a couple days she learned everytime she rang she was going out even if it had only been 10 mins. She knows now to only ring when she needs to go out. Congratulations on the new edition to your family!! Good luck with Chloe.

 

[golfgal]

We got a puppy for Christmas too, our choice, though . We didn't use the potty pads at all, we started her outside right away. She was 12 weeks old when we got her and until tonight had never gone in the house (the kids were "watching" here while I was gone and she had to go-not her fault). We use a crate at night and when we are gone. She does well in there. I put her in with a toy or two and some treats and she naps in there. She will occasionally go in there to nap on her own but she has a couple floor pillows she likes for that.

 

[DWDreams]

Ditto on getting rid of the pads, I don't think it's ever a good idea to train dogs to go in the house. We used a crate to train ours and it worked very well, it's not too late at all. We barely use it anymore to be honest, just during dinner when he won't stop hounding us for food (typical beagle!). You've gotten great advice here, good luck and the pup is adorable!

 

[DisneyJen0504]

Thank you so much everyone!! I appreciate the tips and advice! Thanks!!! aw: