528. House-training a 6-week-old puppy in a Singapore apartment

Thank you for your email. Pl see reply in CAPITAL LETTERS below.

On Mon, Aug 1, 2011 at 10:24 AM, ...@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Dr. Sing,

I have a 6 week old Japanese spitz puppy since 27th July, and have her for 5 days. I understand that 6 weeks is still to young for us to bring her back, but the Breeder, Uncle ...., allowed us to bring her back saying it's ok (Now i'm feel regretful for bring her back so early in her development.

I've attach a photo of the method you have been teaching for housebreaking in the apartment.

Her schedule is as follows: 7.30am - First Meal, 1pm - Second Meal, 7.30pm - Last Meal (All on eagle pro puppy kibble and mix a teaspoon of jerhigh can meat)
Playing time is 7 - 7.30pm

She has access to water for the whole day except after 7pm.

Her schedule is as follows: 7.30am - First Meal, 1pm - Second Meal, 7.30pm - Last Meal (All on eagle pro puppy kibble and mix a teaspoon of jerhigh can meat)
She has access to water for the whole morning except after 7pm.

Whenever she has an accident (Poo/Pee) outside of the pee tray, we clean the entire grate with vinegar and water (1:3)

Questions
1. She can pee and poo on the pee tray 50% of the time, and sleep on the right side of the cage. Is this the correct procedure?
YES. IT IS ONLY 5 DAYS. THE PUPPY WILL NEED TIME TO ADJUST TO THE PEE TRAY WHICH "FEELS" DIFFERENT FROM HER PREVIOUS GRATE (ASSUMING THE BREEDER USES METALLIC FLOOR GRATE WHILE YOURS IS PLASTIC HOLES).
MOST SINGAPORE BREEDERS AND PET SHOPS USE THE METALLIC FLOOR GRATE WITH A PEE PAN BELOW. WHEN THEY SELL YOU THE PUPPY, YOU SWITCH TO THE BETTER LOOKING PLASTIC PEE PAN. THE PUPPY NEEDS TO GET USED TO THE NEW FLOORING.


2. Can we still praise her for being calm and quiet while she's in the grate?
GRATE REFERS TO THE PEE PAN. CRATE REFERS TO CAGE. IF SHE IS CALM AND QUIET IN THE CRATE, SHE MAY MISTAKE YOUR PRAISE FOR WANTING SOME ACTION FROM HER.

3. Her pooping and pee-ing timing has been very irregular, and it is very hard for us to catch her in the act in order for us to praise her. What ca we do about it?
TOO MUCH ATTENTION FROM FAMILY MEMBERS AND THE ADULTS TO THE PUPPY DURING FEEDING AND ONE HOUR AFTER FEEDING. THIS DISTRACTION CAUSES IRREGULAR POOPING. PEEING WILL BE HARDER TO CONTROL AS THE PUPPY AT THIS AGE PEES A LOT OF TIMES.

IF YOU DON'T DISTRACT THE PUPPY WITHIN ONE HOUR AFTER FEEDING, IT WILL POOP WITHIN 15 MINUTES GENERALLY. THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS. DISTRACTIONS INCLUDE CHILDREN, PARENTS AND YOU WANTING TO PLAY WITH THE PUPPY AFTER HIS MEAL INSTEAD OF LEAVING HER ALONE. SO SHE DOES NOT POOP ALL AT ONE TIME AND YOU SEE "ACCIDENTS" INSIDE THE CRATE.

CATCHING HER IN THE ACT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE IF THERE ARE TOO MANY DISTRACTIONS. THIS WILL TAKE PATIENCE AND TIME.


4. She has been constantly nipping our hands and wanting to chew on our hands, and we're still trying to correct it, are there any advice for this behaviour?
GIVE COMMAND 'NO BITING' IN A FIRM TONE JUST AS SHE NIPS OR CHEW. SOME WRITERS ADVISE 'GRIPPING THE MUZZLE' WHILE SAYING 'NO BITING' AS AN EFFECTIVE METHOD. OTHERS SAY NOT TO SCREAM WHEN NIPPED TO DISCOURAGE ATTENTION-SEEKING. MUCH DEPENDS ON YOU.

REWARD WITH TREATS AND PRAISE FOR OBEDIENCE. THIS TAKES PATIENCE AND TIME AND CERTAINLY NOT WITHIN 7 DAYS OF PURCHASE.


5. For Play time, i only allow her to have supervised play in the kitchen with the door close, is this ok?
A BABY GATE OR FENCING FROM THE PLAYPEN TYPE AT THE KITCHEN DOOR WILL BE BEST AS THE PUPPY NEEDS TO BE SOCIALISED.

IT TAKES BETWEEN 2 - 12 WEEKS TO GRATE-TRAIN A PUPPY, DEPENDING ON THE OWNERS' METHODS AND PATIENCE. AND PROBABLY THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE PUPPY.


Thank you so much, and i hope i could get a reply.

Best regards,




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