I Need Some Puppy Help...

[Eggsnham]

My mom adopted a puppy as a birthday surprise after I jokingly said I wanted a puppy for my birthday. Not expected.

That's awesome and all, but like all puppies, she's a ton of work and needs almost constant attention.

Which, again, is fine. I usually have the time to watch her and take care of her etc., but today I'm sick.

Maybe it's a sugar-hangover from eating two weeks worth of Laffy Taffy and Sweet Tarts in two days, or maybe it's a cold, but I feel like general shit and would love nothing more than to just sleep and/or lounge around without having to make sure that the puppy doesn't get into trouble.

Anybody have any tips on how I could possibly get some rest and make sure my dog doesn't poop on the carpet and proceed to get into a fight with the cats?

Besides sticking her in her crate, I mean. I hate forcing her in there when she doesn't need to be in it.

I figured I should ask the Escapist because I felt like it, and because you're usually a knowledgeable bunch.

For those who may be curious, she's a Lab/German Shepherd/Beagle mix named Daisy.

 

[mikey7339]

Go out and buy, or build a makeshift baby-gate and keep her in an area of the house covered in newspaper. There really isn't much else you can do, puppies are going to be puppies and unless you watch them, they will get into trouble and mess stuff up.

I've been worried about what I'm going to do if something similar happens to me. I got a german shepherd a few months ago and he needs walked 3-5 miles a day because he won't use the restroom in my yard, and I can't leave him out there unsupervised because he proved me wrong really quick about being able to jump the fence...This winter is going to be exhausting.

 

[Bobic]

Create a backyard (this is assuming you have a backyard and you aren't in a flat or something) playpen. I know you're ill so won't be up for a proper construction. But creating a square out of lots of heavy puppy proof boxes (this is assuming you have those) should give her somewhere to roam that's slightly larger than a crate.

 

[Eggsnham]

Create a backyard (this is assuming you have a backyard and you aren't in a flat or something) playpen. I know you're ill so won't be up for a proper construction. But creating a square out of lots of heavy puppy proof boxes (this is assuming you have those) should give her somewhere to roam that's slightly larger than a crate.

Actually, what are puppy proof boxes? Are they actual special products, or do you mean anything that's not cardboard?

In any case, she's sleeping now, so hopefully she'll stay that way until my mom comes home in a few hours.

 

[Bobic]

Create a backyard (this is assuming you have a backyard and you aren't in a flat or something) playpen. I know you're ill so won't be up for a proper construction. But creating a square out of lots of heavy puppy proof boxes (this is assuming you have those) should give her somewhere to roam that's slightly larger than a crate.

Actually, what are puppy proof boxes? Are they actual special products, or do you mean anything that's not cardboard?

In any case, she's sleeping now, so hopefully she'll stay that way until my mom comes home in a few hours.

I don't think there are any special products named that, but who knows? Anyway, yeah, I meant anything that's not cardboard.

 

[SilentCom]

I have a german sherpherd named daisy, what a coincidence. Taking care of a puppy is hardwork, it's kind of like raising a child (I have heard) because you really do need to give it a lot of attention and training. One of the first things you need to do is potty train it. Whenever it makes a mess on the floor, make sure it knows what it did was wrong. This means scolding it and dragging it to the yard if you have to. It may take some time and it'll test your patience, but stick with it and it'll all be worth it.

 

[Firefighting Bear]

^The thing about animals is that they need to be told when they're being well behaved or not immeadiately after they've been good/bad. A dog doesn't connect 2 events, such as eating the neighbours cat and being told off, if there's moe than a few seconds in between them. This means that you will definitely have to spend more time with them in the early months. Also a fairly decent rule of thumb is that for every month a dog is in age (up to a year), is the maximum amount of time it can hold its bladder.