Surviving the Pupocalypse

How to Survive Dog Depression

And the Pupocalypse

I love my pets. Its a well known fact that if you call me and tell me there is a hurt dog on your street I will go see if I can help, post flyers, and even try to find a happy new home for it. Which means when my 120 pound Rottweiler lapdog starts acting out and feels depressed I will do a lot to make her happy. We weren't even planning on getting a dog when she showed up in our lives but she is such a sweet spoiled dog.

Puppy Picture! Wasn't Roxie cute?

When she came home we had another dog named Ally who was a lot older. After about a year Ally passed away and Roxie was the picture of a depressed dog! So we had to figure out what to do.

1. More Exercise- This would be a great idea! But we already play with her almost every day and she gets walks at least 3 times a week!

2. Doggy Day Care- For some people this is another wonderful plan but for us not so much. We couldn't really cut the time out of our day to drop her off before work or school. The closest day care near us was a 20 minute drive in the opposite direction! And they don't always have the best operating times.

3. A Playmate- This was the last option. Not everyone can afford dog but we are lucky enough to have the space, love, time, and money for bones needed for another dog.

Roxie is about 2 years old and very much a wild dog so getting an older dog as a companion wasn't an option. We have cats so any new animal we bring into the house has to get along with them. The problem with some recues is that sometimes they don't tell you the whole truth about their animals. So an adult dog made us a little leery. So we were left with puppies or young dogs. Young dogs can be very wild and sometimes aren't always aware of how big they are. After talking about it for a while we decided we would like a puppy. The puppy would be raised around the cats and we could start training it as soon as possible. And that is how we ended up with this little one!

River has been a joy for the most part. And I say the most part because she is a puppy. This means chewing things she shouldn't, messing on the floors, chasing the cats, and crying in her crate at night. These are things that can be easily changed if you put some effort into it.

Chewing- If your new pet is chewing on things it shouldn't then go buy some things it can chew on! Any dog can be easily distracted from the 'bad chew' with something it can chew on. If River grabs a shoe I grab a squeaker toy and give it a few squeezes. The noise stops her from chewing the shoe and she wants that new toy! Remember it is not your puppy's fault for chewing on shoes! You yelling at your pet will not help either of you. Remain calm and give a firm "No. Not yours." If you have a dog toy on hand you can even add a "That is not yours. This is yours." and give your dog the other toy. You might like to blame it on the dog but by simply putting your shoes away will keep them free from gnawing jaws! Toys that my two mutts love are hard bones (such as rib, knuckles, femurs, or antlers), Kongs, Nylabones, and anything that squeaks honks or moos. If you have a problem with your dog chewing on tables or chairs (or in our case bookcases) invest in some Bitter Apple spray. Just spray the area your dog is chewing on and let it dry.

Chasing- If I had an answer for this I would give you one. In our house the cats rule. The puppy is learning, albet a bit slowly, that chasing the cats is a no-no and they will swat at her. In fact Dawn enjoys being chased and Kaillie likes to do the chasing so it works out okay with the puppy in the middle of them.

Crying at Night- I know it is one of the most painful thing to deal with! Crying at night is normal. When you put a young child in a room by itself and they cry and want toys, water, or the world on a silver platter you deal with it by ignoring it until they fall asleep. Your new dog is your new child! You might lack some shut eye but if you baby them that first night they will expect it the next time. Putting your dog is a crate at night isn't a bad thing. Roxie loves her crate and when the house is in an uproar because of company coming she hides out in there to stay out of the way. In the beginning keeping your dog in there is safer for everyone. And later in life when your dog is done with the chewing and peeing you don't have to keep them in the crate. But please keep in mind a crate is NOT punishment! If you use it for punishment they will not want to go in there anymore. Make sure the crate you use is big enough for when your puppy is full grown or you will have to buy a new crate.

Accidents- They happen. It's a fact of life. Yelling at your new dog may make them afraid to pee ever again! When you take your new family member outside to 'do the doo' it might take time. When the magical moment happens say something like "Good potty! Good River. Good potty." Praise for going to the bathroom outside is a good thing! Buy some deep cleaner for those messes that happen in the house. A dog's nose can smell a lot more than you can so even if you can't smell it Fido can!

These are some of the most common things you will run across when bringing a new puppy into the house. All of them can be fixed pretty easily and make you, your dog, and your home happier. For those who want to start crate training here are some tips and tricks.

Make the crate homey. Add a bed or towel that can be washed easily. Puppies won't want to make a mess where they sleep but it does happen once in a while. Adding a toy or chew will give your dog something to do while they are waiting for you to get home.
Don't push them in there. I know this sounds silly but it helps. Grab a yummy treat or bully stick and show it to your dog before tossing it in the crate while saying whatever command you want to give them for getting in their crate. We use "in your crate" but another I have heard is just plain "kennel". After a while when you say the command you choose your dog will run to the crate because Fido knows that he will get a treat for going in there.
The crying will stop. It might not seem like it but I can promise you it will. Keeping your dog in there while you are sleeping or at work is best for everyone including your wallet if you are replacing everything your new friend chews. Even now River will cry every now and then but mostly its to go outside or if there is a stray cat in the yard.

And now since it is such a beautiful day outside I'm going to go play with my River Rox team and wear them out! Enjoy your new puppy and long term friend!