Contradictory info, please help

[Cary]

hi,
we may be getting a 5 week (plus 3 days) old boxer boy tomorrow. The reason is that the litter isn't being cared for properly. I have two main questions, and everywhere I look for info on crate training, I seem to find contradictory info.
The first question is this:
A woman (see details in my post on the "raising puppies" forum) whose dog is great grandmother to these puppies is going to go get all of the puppies later today and bring them back to her house. Just the puppies - not the mom. There are four dogs in the litter. She has adult dogs at her house, and she is home all day. Then we could get the puppy from her next Friday as planned, at six weeks old. OR, the other choice is that we could get our puppy tomorrow, after the first vet visit. We have a 3 year old female boxer at our house, and I am home all day. (Neither home has children). Is it better for the little guy to remain with his littermates this week, or is it better for him to just come to our house and start bonding with us and our boxer? We want to do whatever is best for the puppy.
The second question is this:
If we get him at 5 weeks, or if we get him at 6 weeks, do we start crating him at night starting on the first night, or do we wait a little bit? I have looked at the crate training articles and they all seem to talk about starting at 8 weeks or so, because they can't control their bladders before that. I seem to find different info in each place. If we start at 5 and a half weeks, are we just training him to pee in his crate? Or, is it good to get a jump on things? Or, he could sleep with our dog on a dog bed in our bedroom the first couple of nights, and then switch to the crate.
So, those are my two most pressing questions, and I would be thrilled to get a few answers.
Thanks!
Cary

 

[Ingrid Kotzen]

I'm no pro - but here goes ....

Hi Cary

I'm no pro - but here's my story if it will be of any help.

My previous pup I got, was also 51/2 weeks old at the time, and I got him under the same circumstances as you. I also felt sorry for him and thought it was the right thing to do. He slept on his mattress and blankets next to our bed, but cried every night for the first 4 days !!!!! I spent many a night on the floor next to the bed trying to console him, and gained a few more wrinkles in the process.

Anyway, he turned out to be most wonderful dog, but tends to be a bit insecure at times. I am sure this is due to the fact that he was taken away from his siblings so early, and never had time to bond with them. I think he does not always know where he fits in :confused: , except for his place in my heart

My latest pup was 8 weeks when I got him, never cried once, and is a well-adjusted, miscievious, clumsy, floppy-eared little miracle !

Thus, in my opinion, I think that it might be better to leave him with his siblings for a while. He probably will be very traumatised already being away from his mommy so soon, so taking him away from his siblings might just add more trauma to his little heart. Maybe you can go visit him in the interim, and he'll be used to you by the time you bring him home !lovicon

I'll be happy if someone thinks that I'm wrong. As I said - I'm no pro - not a breeder or behaviourist - just my personal experience...

Good luck and give his lots of cuddles when he comes home !!!!!

 

[loulou12571]

Hi!
Puppies learn so much from their mother and their littermates when they are all together, not to mention they get a lot of nutrition and antibodies from their mothers milk! But, if mom isn't caring for them and they MUST go, try and at least keep the puppies together...til 8 weeks if at all possible!!!! 8 weeks is a magic # for puppies...that's probably why it says in the books to start crate training then!! They shouldn't even be taken from their mother until then!! (As a matter of fact, and don't quote me, I think I once heard it was against the law in Florida to sell them before they were 8 weeks old!!!)
Whenever you do get the pup you could start crate training but make it more like you're trying to help him get used to his new "den". Don't let him have a ton of room or he'll be able to mess at one end and sleep at the other! However, understand that he'll likely have accidents and he shouldn't be punished for it! He'll need to go out very frequently until he's about 3-4 months old. 4 months is about when they can start to really hold their bowel and bladder.
My pup is 5 months now...until about 3.5 months if he so much as stood up and stretched or looked at me I brought him outside to potty. And what a joyous occasion I made of it when he went!!! I always said "outside" and "potty" and now he knows what they mean. I never let him out of my sight when in the house either...that way I caught him in the act a couple times and could say "NO" and bring him out. If you don't see them do it, don't punish them for it! Now Jake tells me when he needs to go out and there's been no accidents in almost 2 months!!!
It's too bad they need to be taken from their mom so young...is there no way they could stay even another week? It could make all the difference in the world!!! Hope the advice is helpful and good luck with your new pup!!! You will love having him/her as part of your family!!
Lisa
ps. There are some great Boxer books at the bookstore!!! They helped me TONS with Jake!!! He was my first Boxer and he's rather well behaved thanks to a lot of what I read!!!!

 

[gidget1]

Hi!,
I can't give much advise on the age issue other than what I've experienced with Gidget and what I've learned here.
I got Gidget at 9 weeks of age and I believe she was more well adjusted and ready for our home because of the extra time spent with her mother. She even had a week alone with her mom as the others had all gone the previous week. There are of course circumstances which don't always allow that time.

As for the crate issue, I am a great advocate of starting crate training as soon as you bring your puppy home. The earlier they learn thr crate is a special place the easier it will be for all of you. The crate is not for punishment but a safe place all their own to rest,and be away from anything potentially harmful until you feel they can be trusted alone. Gidget is 14 months old and is still crated when we leave. She is still a pup in my eyes and cannot be trusted not to destroy something or harm herself in the process.
Even though you will be home all day the crate is their place to get away from everyday stress and general mayhem.:D
Good luck.

 

[trudy]

Okay here's my opinion....

First I would leave him with his littermates for as long as possible. They learn from each other and they still depend on each other for luv and comfort....I think bringing him home at 5 weeks is a bit too traumatic..

Second when you DO bring him home wether it be at five or six weeks he is still going to be very much a puppy infant so to speak. It is going to be a major adjustment for him, I wouldn't put him in the crate right away maybe he can sleep with you for the first few nights, only because I beleive he is too young to start training...Around 8 weeks is when all your training can begin, but i would say until he hits that age, just cuddle him and love him, let him know he's okay and let him adjust, sounds like he's had a bit of a rough start and I think some one on one loving is what he needs..

But the best advice I can give you is follow your heart and your instincts you'll know what is right.....for the first couple of days forget what the book says and what everyone tells you about "training" and get to know the little guy and help him feel safe and secure...

Good luck!!

 

[Ram&LexisMom]

I got Sayde Lynn at 5 weeks old under almost the same circumstances. She turned out great, except she had the same problem as Ingrid's dog, she was shy. She would go around NO ONE but Mommy or Daddy, not even my own parents or people that came over all the time. She would let NO ONE touch her. I tried and tried with PLENTY of training to get her to go to someone. This is why we had to quite obedience and move on to agility because she wouldnt let the judge come up to her and touch her on the back in a "stand, stay." It was sad. Sayde Lynn was never beaten, spanked, scared, yelled at....nothing. When she did something bad (we are such bad parents) We usually overlooked it...which in the long run left us with 2 brand new couches and numerous chewed up right shoes...
I'm not sure if her extream shyness was due to being taken away from her littermates so soon, but I'm going to guess it was. If I were you, I would wait, the pup will be fine there with it's littermates for another couple of weeks. :p