Baby Puppy Chewing

I think that there is a puppy section in training, but I could be wrong.  Has happened before.

What do you think the word NO means to an eight week old baby?  He probably has no clue what that word means, but figures that it's your fav for some reason.....heck, might even think it's his name.     Try telling him what you want him to do instead of what you don't want him to do.  When I have pups I literally wear a fanny pack full of toys and acceptable things for them to chew.  Just a simply and gentle, unh uh, that's not a toy and then give him the toy to chew on and praise him for chewing on the toy.

Maybe a little too much freedom too soon?  But if I remember don't you have an open floor plan?  That makes it harder to confine, but perhaps you could borrow a smaller crate, assuming his is upstairs, and use that on your lower level?

I feel for you Dyan......the best I can offer is to think of him like he's a human baby suddenly getting his mobility and watch him like a hawk.  don't give him a chance to fail....or chew.

Thanks Glenda.  He has a crate in the laundry room.  But I am only putting him in at night or when we go out. I have a bed in the kitchen with all of his toys...and I am not upstairs on the computer... and have a basket full of toys and a bed in the hallway.  Right now he is sound asleep on the bed. Last night he was soooo overtired he was trying to chew the bed.  LOL! 

We discussed keeping him in the cage until he gets older..but feel that if we keep him by us..we can get him outside when he gets up right away....and he is learning pretty good in that field.    I was reading in an article about crate training that a puppy under 9 weeks old should not be put in a crate at all because the can not hold their urine when they are that little...that the muscles are not connected to the brain.

When Shadow was a baby, I remember being amazed to see him go to the far end of his whelping box to potty.  He kept his sleeping area bone dry and clean, and always went to the other end of the box to pee or poop.  And that started as young as five weeks, so I'm guessing things connect sooner than nine weeks.  And with my fosters, they had the giant crate set up with the ex pen with a specific potty place and they all went to the potty place.  But, not crating is fine too.

He might be going through a major teething spell right now too.  They explore their world with their mouths the way a human infant does with their hands AND mouth, but if it's pretty much nonstop, I'd suggest freezing some older washclothes, wetted, so he has his own puppy chew ring.  With my guys I always put a knot in it.....same for socks...and I never have issues with them later thinking it's ok to chew on MY socks or washclothes.  If there isn't a knot, it must not be theirs.  You might want to pick up some marrow bones too for him, but at this point I'd take out all the marrow.

The chewing could be a bit of a stress reaction too.  He's young to be away from the litter.  I like to keep pups until ten weeks.  I'm guessing that you brought him home this past weekend?  He's still  pretty new in your home, so this might settle a bit as he gets more comfortable.  In the meantime, just keep redirecting to appropriate chew things, and do it gently and he'll get it in time.

Remember, the reason pups are so cute is so that we don't throtle them for all the naughty stuff they do.  LOL.  And of course, THEY don't think they're being naughty.

 The one thing you don't want to do is put him in YOUR bed when he is 9 weeks or under - that has been the only scientifically noted reason for dogs getting bossy later.  It seems to be a fallacy that if you sleep with your dog he will be unruly.  That has more to do with general training and relationship than with where the dog sleeps.  Not that you want a full grown Dane in bed, depending on the size of the bed LOL, although I once had my Dane mix hogging the end of mine.  I find it's easier to move a Dane than a hound, though...:-)))

I think it's so cool that we get to see Gibson grow up with his new mommy.  Please, dear Creator, let me stay safe from the puppy fever this way!

IMO, he has too much freedom for such a young boy. He shouldn't have access to things you don't want him to chew. That's the best way to prevent a problem from starting. He should be crated with the acceptable chew toys. And have one place to lay down. It may seem like it's too restrictive, but it's the foundation of structure that will allow him to be slowly exposed to more and more as he can deal with it.

It's also the best and easiest way to potty train. An 8 week old puppy CAN hold his bladder. Maybe for only for 2-3 hours, but he can do it. He should be taken out to potty every 2 hours and if he doesn't go, he should be put back into the crate and taken out after 20-30 minutes and repeated till he potties.

I agree completely with restricting freedom.  Its not cruel...its just setting boundaries.  The only time he should be out and about is when you can supervise completely.  He's a dane, right?  Even at 8 weeks he's tall (considering).  When he's out of his crate, keep him on a leash, and tether him to your waist.  Two great things will come of tethering:  you are able to redirect immediately; and he learns I must go where Mom goes...she must be the one who sets the rules.

I had a friend who had a puppy who was a chew-fiend.  She came up with what I thought was a clever idea.  She attached a toy to the collar of the puppy...so he always had one readily available right in front of him. Considering your pup is a Dane, that could work for you.  I would only do this when 100% supervised.

When Heidi was little bitty all the way past teething age, she used to love anything frozen.  I would freeze cloth diapers and that would keep her busy for minutes.  Yes, minutes.    Frozen wash cloths, frozen knotted socks...all that is great for a pup. 

But, the most important thing is much less freedom.  Pups that age sleep so much anyway...best thing to do is keep him crated, bring him out every 2 hours for potty and love breaks then back in he goes. 

Can't wait to see pics.

I don't totally agree with keeping a new family member crated all the time.  I crate pups for potty training purposes, but I don't think that they need to LIVE in a crate for the first few months in their new home.  I do crate overnight and I do crate when I'm not home or when I can't give a pup my full attention, but Dyan's DH is home full time and there isn't really a reason to leave this little guy in a crate so much.

Puppies chew.  That's part of being a puppy.  Our job is simply to keep a close enough eye on them that their chewing is redirected to stuff it's ok to chew on.  But I don't think we need to keep them in a crate full time, aside from little breaks every two hours, to accomplish that goal.  Puppy proofing, watchfulness and a teether will do the same job.

All the thoughts and ideas are being considered and I thank you all. A few things. About a Dane,,, you really dont have to tether him to you...he doesn't have to learn that he has to be with Mom...that is what he wants to do...always.   Bubby was like that as an older girl too...but my Cindy ( dane/shepherd ) also did that.  You would'nt want to tie him to you at this young age...you will probably step on him and squish him,,,puppies don't walk straight lines.    But I sure understand that concept and its a great idea when he gets a little older.

Here is the paragraph on the crate training link....actually I will go back and get the link and post it if anyone is interested.

Note About Crating Puppies

Puppies under 4 months of age have little bladder or sphincter control. Puppies under 3 months have even less. Very young puppies under 9 weeks should not be crated, as they need to eliminate very frequently (usually 8-12 times or more daily).

Dyan Bugsy was a monster chewer (still loves a good chew at over 2.5!).  When we got him he was about 12 weeks old and as not a full dane probably not much bigger than Gibson.  As others have said it is important to constantly give him the right things to chew - not just have them around but physically GIVE them to him when he chews something inappropriate.  Get some rubbery things like the puppy kong stuff or even the red kong or some orbee stuff.  wipe a little peanut butter on it or in it and he should enjoy it.

As for the potty training honestly I understand that a small pup can't hold their urine/bowels for very long but he's young not small.  Bugsy when we got him used to go from 10 or 11 at night until 5 or 6 in the morning - easily. A friend who has raised, shows and bred labs has always from 8 wks old taken the water up at about 7 or 8 at night and taken them out late and out early in the am with NO problems.  We too were home with him during the day and 3-4 hrs was a non-issue for him, right from 12 weeks or so.

Lastly I swear that using the crate judiciously helped train Bugsy to not chew inappropriate things AND kept him from getting into something harmful.  We crated him at several points during the day for 2-3 hrs so he would rest.  He did not come with a 'rest' key so teaching him to rest was essential.  He still to this day will go until he is the classic 'overtired' I feel that it is my job to determine when enough is enough.  He never pottied in his crate - we had the one with the divider so he had enough room to sleep but not potty and sleep.  But he wouldn't have even if he did.  I used to take him out after he ate or after he had a drink to a designated spot in the yard where he was to do his business.  Sometimes it took a while but he would 

One of our favorite memories is that after he ate dinner (across from his crate opening) he would go straight into his crate and drop into a heavy slumber, instantly.  He was so insanely active ALL day into everything and constantly exploring and then bam.  out cold.  we use to have to pick him up at about 10 or so to take him out for his last of the night and the look he gave us was always like, man I am having a good sleep leave me alone I'll be fine until morning.   Gives me the warm puppy fuzzies whenever I recall that.

Grown up he isn't very different.  Last night he went out at 7:15 and refused to go out again.  This morning at 6:30 we went out for the paper and he didn't go.  He brought the paper in, ate his breakfast THEN went out. 

Anyway keep up the good work and honest he will be fine crated a little during the day as designated 'rest' time.  Keep providing the right things to chew and take him out to potty and then leave it for a bit. Unless he indicates he needs to go.  We used the ring the bell thing because Mr Silent would go stand by the back door while we were upstairs or couldn't see the door or him.  Good luck and keep posting pics please I am horribly jealous  

 He did not come with a 'rest' key so teaching him to rest was essential.  He still to this day will go until he is the classic 'overtired' I feel that it is my job to determine when enough is enough. 

Boy I  hear ya on that one!!!   Gibson is just like you said.... playing frantically one second and out cold the next. The more tired he gets... the more frantically he plays....and starts biting everything, like a mad man!  THEN you know to make him rest for sure! 

Oh,,,and he is also the same about eating. Feed him and he is sleeping within 5 minutes.

Wish I could do that!