purchased timid 6 month old puppy

Question
Hi Kristen,

I purchased a 5lb, 6 month old, bischon/chinese crested, female puppy from a breeder. I went into this knowing that it would require patience to aquire her trust.  Since she is not housebroken I am reluctant to let her roam freely to follow us (or not) and yet I how will she adjust if she is crated?  Is it okay to risk the occasional accident on the carpet until she adjusts to her new home?  She has not been socialized with people at all and was the most submissive pup in her pen at the breeder.  I am reading mixed opinions online from various pet pages as to how to deal with her.  Some say ignore her, some say keep her with you and socialize as much as possible.  She is also not eating, drinking or eliminating.  I want this to work out but I'm confused and discouraged HELP!
Donna

Answer
You want to interact with her as much as possible, Donna. What a shame that her breeder kept her in a pen and did not do any socialization with her. It's another shame that the breeder is breeding and selling mixed breed dogs, but that's a completely different topic.

Have you read my page about house training yet? If not, here is the link: http://housetraining.angelfire.com I would encourage you to take a few minutes to read the information I have put there, as it is a combination of many different ways of house training your new dog.


Yes, she is going to have >>some<< accidents, no matter how diligent you are. I would put the puppy on a leash whenever you are home, and keep that leash attached to you, so that if she starts to go potty on the floor, you can quickly get her outside. This method is detailed on my house training page.

Crate her at night, when you are not home, and when you are too busy to supervise her (ie: when you're cooking dinner or taking a shower). However bear in mind that she is still a baby, so you should not expect her to be able to 'hold it' for more than about 5 hours at this point. Again, this is detailed further on my house training page.


I would also recommend that you go ahead and make an appointment to have her spayed. Not only is she a mixed breed (which, in and of itself should eliminate her from being breed-worthy), but her temperament is not one that you want passed on to offspring. Neither Bichons nor Chinese Cresteds should be so withdrawn and timid. On top of that, having her spayed will prevent certain types of cancers and reproductive system diseases, as well as the mess and hassle of having to deal with a heat cycle for 4-6 weeks at a time, 2-3 times a year.






How long have you had her? Sometimes dogs will go through a period of not wanting to eat whenever they change homes. However, it's very important that she drink, or she could become dehydrated and require a trip to the vet. For right now, she should be offered the same food she was fed at the breeder's; you can transition her onto something better once she's comfortable in her new home. For more information on nutrition, see http://dogfoods.angelfire.com

Good luck with her!

Kristen