Hi all, We just brought home our new little 12 week old black lab a few days ago. All in all he seems to be doing well but there are a couple of questions I thought you guys may be able to help us with. When we got him, he was very thin. He was the runt of the little but still seemed very malnourished so we immediately took him to the vet who said he had worms and gave us some medicine and some build up food. Despite this he is happy and full of energy! So much so that we are having a lot of trouble getting him to sleep at night. We are trying to keep him in the crate at night but he cries so much if we are not right next to him. We've tried to leave him in the crate for a few mins at a time during the day but he howls! Do we tough love him and let him cry? He also does not seem to have any interest in toys. We got him a small range of toys but he sniffs them and just leaves them. Is this normal? Sorry for the long post, we love him so much already and just want to make sure we are doing the right things! We have owned dogs before but never a puppy and they are worlds apart! Thank you.
Hi Susan, Welcome to the forum! The crate issue is really common, here is some information that could help you to resolve it: https://www.thelabradorsite.com/crate-training-your-labrador-puppy/ Some dogs just aren't that keen on toys, and as long as the vet is happy he is healthy I wouldn't worry that he isn't into them yet. That could well change. In the meantime you can try keeping just one or two out at a time and switching them over every few days to give them a bit of a novelty value? Let us know how you get along with the crate training!
Hi Susan, welcome to the forum and congratulations on your new puppy! It is normal for a puppy to cry when they are left alone for the first week or two. Not all puppies do this but many do. It is fine to put the puppy's crate next to your bed for the first few nights and will help him feel safe. It's a good idea to start teaching your puppy to be alone (for very short periods of time at first) during the day, right from the start as he'll find that easier now than later on. Have a look at this thread: How To Teach Your Dog To Be Alone for more information and do post up with any questions you may have.
Hello and welcome. Have you given him a cuddly toy? I usually put one in the crate with my pups about the same size as him, so he can cuddle up to it like his litter mates.
I don't know what sort of environment your puppy came from. I mention this as the formative weeks of a puppies life can have quite a bit of impact on how puppies interact with both humans, their surroundings and even other dogs and household pets. If your puppy was a little malnourished, combined with a few minor health problems such as worms, maybe not the best start in life. (making assumptions so I do apologise!) A puppy brought up with its siblings, other dogs, a busy home environment, and encouraged to experience different textures and sounds safely, will likely develop into a more confident pup. This brings us back to your puppy. Introduce toys slowly, add value by playing with them yourself and the puppy, reward with a small treat initially, to help with confidence. Crate training will be invaluable, as suggested, build this is up very gradually, seconds rather than minutes. Your pup has only been with you a few days, so I would hold on the tough love, instead work on building confidence in you and his immediate surroundings for now. As has been suggested, I would take the crate to your bedroom for a few nights then gradually transition to where you ultimately want the pup to sleep. Even so, be prepared for more disrupted sleep to come! Good luck with your new puppy, have a look here for a wealth of information. https://www.thelabradorsite.com/labrador-puppies/
