The crying NEVER stops!!

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Postby anissa » June 8th, 2006, 8:56 am

I am about to pull my hair out! This puppy NEVER stops whining and crying. The only time he seems content, is when he's teasing and p*ssing off Charlie, eatting or sleeping. He cries in the crate, he cries outside, he cries when Charlie hides and doesnt want to play, he cries when we take him for a walk, he cries when we try to cuddle.

I have tried being so patient with him. We lay next to the crate at night petting and talking to him until he falls asleep, my husband has even tried sitting next to him to play the guitar and calm him down. Nothing is working! I am not exagerating when I say he never stops! Ive started sleeping on the couch to let him out to go potty in the night, but as soon as he's awake, he cries for a good hour before wearing himself out and falling asleep. Ive been getting 3 hours of sleep each night. Mind you, I dont mind getting up to take him out to pee, but I DO mind not being able to go back to sleep for an hour afterwards, only to have him wake up and cry to go out again an hour later.

He cries if we stop him from jumping on and biting Charlie, and if it wasnt so unfair to Charlie, or we werent scared of Charlie turning on him one of these days, we'de let him pick on Charlie 24/7 just so we could get some peace and quiet!

This isnt normal! Not even for a puppy, not even for a puppy taken from its mother so young. I can promise you, that I dont hear whining MAYBE a total of an hour throughout the entire day. Even the most patient of people would be losing their mind. What do I do?

No offence, but I REALLY dont want to hear that I just need to be patient, he's just a puppy etc. I realize this, and I am being patient.. and I am doing everything I know how to do, to no avail. :(
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Postby a-bull » June 8th, 2006, 9:02 am

:shock: I'm certainly not going to say it's because he's a puppy, because that sounds extreme . . .

He was the one that was 6 weeks old when he was taken from his mom, right?

How many meals a day is he getting?

I've never potty trained a pup that young to do business outside, so is it possible he figured out whining to go out to pee also gets your attention?

Could he be hurt in some way and is trying to tell you? Maybe a trip to the vet is in order??

I've never heard of a puppy whining all day. That's sad . . . there must be a reason.
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Postby Maryellen » June 8th, 2006, 9:05 am

either he is one of those very very vocal pups, or there is something medically wrong with him... even taken at 6 weeks, he shouldnt be crying all the time... there should be times he is not crying.. when he is crying if you try to soothe him that might be signalling to him to keep doing it.. have you tried not coddling him when he cries, or singing to him or petting him when he cries?? he might be associating the attention with when he cries you both go to him....

try rewarding him when he is silent..
he should be eating at least 4 times a day too...
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Postby a-bull » June 8th, 2006, 9:12 am

I agree regarding eating. If he isn't getting enough chow, his belly will always be knawing, and he will instinctively whine around, basically in search of his mom to feed off of.

Full puppies have periods of sleepiness and playfullness. Hungry puppies whine contantly.
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Postby anissa » June 8th, 2006, 9:15 am

Yes.. he's the one we got at 6 weeks. We've only had him for a week. He was taken to the vet the day we got him (last Thursday) and was given pills and a wash for his infection, which has cleared right up. We've tried both coddling him, and leaving him alone when he cries. We started with the NO coddling or attention, so he wouldnt use it for an excuse to cry, but it didnt work, which is why we've been experimenting with the guitar and talking him to sleep. It would be an entirely different story if it were just when he was put in the crate for bedtime, but it's ALL day, everyday. Its not an 'Im hurting' type whine either.. he's just never content. We started feeding him 3x a day, but figured he might still be hungry so we started feeding more. He eats it, but it hasnt helped the whining.

Charlie is REALLY good and patient with him, and will allow Brock to bite him and tease him constantly. My fear is that either one will turn on each other one day, and although Brock is young, I dont want him to get used to being able to BITE his brother. He's got chew toys for that.

I am almost in tears myself over this.
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Postby a-bull » June 8th, 2006, 9:26 am

Definitely keep his belly full with 4 meals a day, 5 if he doesn't appear full or thriving.

That's, right . . . he had an infection, right?? Well to me, it sounds like he has had a really bumpy start, and he's still so young.

Don't worry about him learning to bite Charlie. Adult dogs allow pups to bite at them---it's how the pups learn to be dogs. You can't sort of train him to not bite at Charlie as an adult by preventing him from biting Charlie as a pup---only time will tell how they will get along as adults.

Having said that, I did not let my dogs interact much at all when my male was a pup and my female was an adult. I allowed supervised/structured time together and always ended it before it became too much. I didn't allow the pup and the adult to be 'together' in the house, sort of free roaming when I was busy, until I knew their sizes were more compatible so there would be less chance of one getting hurt.

What breed is he??
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Postby Maryellen » June 8th, 2006, 9:28 am

he is playing with the older dog. pit pups play very rough, so he is not trying to hurt the older dog.. at night do you have a stuffed animal in his crate and a clock wrapped in a towel so he can hear muffled ticking like a heartbeat? or a warm water bottle/pad under a blanket?? he could have an underlying problem too, i would bring him back to the vet just to make sure.. try putting a bunch of stuffed animals in his crate for daytime napping and nighttime sleeping, and at night put a warm bottle in to keep him warm.. when you walk him he cries too?? maybe have the vet totally check out his entire body too.. is he pooping normal? peeing normal?? is he eating soft food or dry kibble? if he is eating dry kibble try moistening it with warm water so that its softer for him..
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Postby a-bull » June 8th, 2006, 9:34 am

I agree with M.E. regarding all of the above, and I agree with her that another trip to the vet may be in order.

He's very young and that is not typical puppy behavior.
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Postby anissa » June 8th, 2006, 9:44 am

Well.. we do allow the dogs to play together, but its never unsupervised. They are never together without one of us right there. The pup is usually in the crate, unless outside or playing. We allow Brock to jump and bote Charlie, as long as Charlie is looking like he's having fun too. We seperate them when we think its becoming too much or that Charlie has had enough.

He sleeps with stuffed toys, a blanket, a bed, chew toys, water (in the day) a toy that sounds like those clocks, and a 2L bottle filled with warm water. He sleeps GREAT once he allows himself to calm down and fall asleep.

When we walk him on a leash he cries. We've allowed him offleash a few times in the front yard and he's happier than a pig in sh*t. But as soon as that leash is on him, it starts again.. and he will not walk.


Ive considered that maybe it was the infection still bothering him, but like I said.. he'll jump and pounce on Charlie 24/7, he'll run and jump and play OFF leash, he'll do zoomies around the back yard IF Charlie is out there with him.. so that cant be bothering him.
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Postby a-bull » June 8th, 2006, 9:50 am

Maybe he was just plain too young when he was taken from his mom. It's a big adjustment for a pup to leave their mom and littermates even when they're the right age, so maybe you're just suffering the consequences of a pup too young. Sounds like maybe he's just dying to be with Charlie all the time, and who could blame him.

Zoomies in a little guy like that must be hysterical. :)
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Postby Maryellen » June 8th, 2006, 9:50 am

he might not be used to a leash, keep using it .. does he poop normal?? or does he strain to poop??? if he is having a problem pooping or peeing, go back to the vet..

he could just have also figured out if he cries he gets more attention too..
but i am leaning more toward theremight be something physical wrong, either that or he is a whiney pup.. did he do that with his littermates too??
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Postby msvette2u » June 8th, 2006, 9:50 am

Maryellen wrote:either he is one of those very very vocal pups, or there is something medically wrong with him... even taken at 6 weeks, he shouldnt be crying all the time... there should be times he is not crying.. when he is crying if you try to soothe him that might be signalling to him to keep doing it.. have you tried not coddling him when he cries, or singing to him or petting him when he cries?? he might be associating the attention with when he cries you both go to him....

try rewarding him when he is silent..
he should be eating at least 4 times a day too...


It sounds harsh but I'd never sit with a puppy when it cried either. I'd get out my squirt bottle pretty soon though, if it didn't quit. Puppies aren't babies and if you baby them all the time they will act like that.
Feed him smaller amt. more often, and just tough out the crying, but now he'll be used to your sitting by him and petting him so, well it will be rough. Get cotton balls if you must (for you, not him).
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Postby a-bull » June 8th, 2006, 9:52 am

Please don't use a squirt bottle on a 7 week old puppy or you will make it neurotic.
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Postby msvette2u » June 8th, 2006, 9:53 am

When we walk him on a leash he cries. We've allowed him offleash a few times in the front yard and he's happier than a pig in sh*t. But as soon as that leash is on him, it starts again.. and he will not walk.


If he was "too young" or "sick" he'd not quit when playing, sleeping or eating. Or OFF leash. This puppy has you wrapped around his little paw.
Feeling sorry for him is only going to extend his behavior.
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Postby msvette2u » June 8th, 2006, 9:54 am

a-bull wrote:Please don't use a squirt bottle on a 7 week old puppy or you will make it neurotic.

Oh yeah I thought he was older! Well then no squirt bottle but no sitting and petting until he falls asleep either.
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Postby Maryellen » June 8th, 2006, 9:57 am

no squirt bottle.. he is too young..

make him TIRED.. work with him on sit, come, he is not to young for that.. play with him, run with him.. the more tired he is the more he wont cry..
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Postby msvette2u » June 8th, 2006, 10:00 am

Maryellen wrote:no squirt bottle.. he is too young..

make him TIRED.. work with him on sit, come, he is not to young for that.. play with him, run with him.. the more tired he is the more he wont cry..

I agree - for some reason I thought he was a bit older. When Lambie arrived she was around 3mos. and we used it on her, but only after about a WEEK of listening to her howl/yell/scream/cry and losing most our nights sleep. If it's going to work, you'll know immediately but if not then don't use it - and yes only on older pups.
Does he chew on things yet? Get him a puppy kong and fill it with puppy stuffing (peanut butter might be too rich right now) and see if you can get him interested in that. :)
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Postby anissa » June 8th, 2006, 10:13 am

I agree that sitting and coddling him will only make him expect it. BUT it was a last resort to getting some peace and quiet. Last night, we were desperate for him to shut up, so we tried it all. It didnt work, he still whined until he wore himself out.

His bedtime has been 10pm each night, and we make sure to play with him and tire him out. Last night he woke at 12am and we were still awake so we let him out to play again to tire him out more.

He poops normal and after each meal, without struggle.

Trust me.. I am past the feeling sorry for him stage. Im ready to strangle the little bugger. lol

Puppy kong - check. Other chew toys - check.


You all are offering GREAT advice, unfortunately Ive tried all of these solutions, which is why Im feeling overwhelmed. I really dont feel anything is physically wrong, to warrant taking him to the vet again after a week. I sure hope this gets better!



BTW: As I post this, he is actually awake in the crate, playing AND quiet! I cant believe it. :clap:
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Postby Maryellen » June 8th, 2006, 10:15 am

REWARD him for being quiet NOW... every time he is quiet and not whining reward him immediately!!!
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Postby msvette2u » June 8th, 2006, 10:18 am

It is a huge adjustment for them. IMO, 6 weeks isn't too young to be taken from their MOM but it is to be away from siblings at that age. Puppies do better to at least remain w/siblings for a period of time.
NOW - all that harshness is said, we often "cheat" and put puppies that young in with Yaeger who is amazingly gentle with even the smallest of babies. He's our built in puppysitter. :) When we had Hero, the baby dog with Cleft Palate and hydrocephalus, he used to actually sit and CLEAN it like a Mom dog would...
I can definately empathize, but it is better in the long run actually for the puppy to learn to self-soothe, unless you do have a babysitter type dog that the puppy can be with.
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