bootcutboy

Hi All from the UK.

Well our Basset pup is 5 months old today, and to celebrate the occasion he gave us our first totally sleepless night last night, argh, so we are looking for some friendly advice with where to go next, but first I should let you know how we are getting on with him.

He was at the vets for a full check up on Saturday morning and he got a clean bill of health, the vet loves him and if anything he is thriving. He is absolutely fine this morning and as I said he was fine at 1:30am when we checked on him.

I am off work due to illness so he has a lot of loving company through the day but also gets put in the kitchen for a couple of long sleeps and alone time during the day (2 hours and 3 hour durations) so he learns to be on his own. He gets walked twice a day and he is loved, cherished, played with and trained to the best of our ability so I just don't know where we are going wrong with the little fella.

His behaviour has changed for the worse a bit recently, over the last couple of weeks I would say, he is quite grumpy, he has started to turn and bite us when out on walks and refuse to go any further when out walking, he is biting a lot of the things in the house we have really told him not to, also he has started to get a little frisky with his bed over the last couple of weeks. One major problem is getting him to settle down, he is a bundle of energy, but I guess this is a pup thing.

He has never really been allowed upstairs but in the last week or so we have made a couple of errors with the baby gate and he has shot up the stairs to nose around upstairs, he got his first ever bath on Friday night after rolling in fox poo and subsequently needed to come upstairs to the bathroom so I am wondering whether this new found playground (upstairs) is the reason for his not sleeping last night. He sleeps in a nice crate with a very posh bed where he has slept soundly every night since we got him at 7 weeks, but last night from 10:30pm until 5:30am he cried solidly, we did go down once to let him out to do his business at 1:30am (I know this was probably very silly) and he was full of life so there is nothing wrong physically but we were tearing our hair out by 4am, and it seemed that everytime we moved in our bed he would start up again, I felt very sorry for him but at the same time angry, exhausted and almost like a prisoner in my own home which is just not right.

Could this crying be because he now knows we are upstairs? Could it be his hormones as he is reaching teenage years? Sexual frustration? Are we doing something terribly wrong? HELP!!!

If anyone can offer any advice, or need more info then please get back to me as we want him to be a happy pup, we don't want to upset the neighbours and my girlfriend drives long distances for work and she HAS to have good sleep.

Thanks in advance, if I can think of any other factors I shall post again.

CatherineM

The biting might be teething issues, which can make them run a little fever and be grumpy. Mine always liked ice cubes to chew on when that was happening.

As to the sleeplessness, it could be that he now knows there is a whole other part of the house he hasn't been able to properly smell. They can have long memories when they want to.

mhvonalmen8908

Agree with CatherineM. We've found that some durable rubber toys are the best for our two when they're teething. Nylabone has some of the hard rubber chew bones that mine like.

Is he neutered or are you planning on neutering him? That might also be contributing to his attitude. It might make him settle down a little bit.

__________________
Megan & Chris
-Mom & Dad to Doppler (2 year old Basset/Redbone/Golden mix) and Virga (1 year old Basset)

Mikey T

Puppy Adolscence - or Demon Spawn

DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES & SOCIALIZATION
What happens when - how your puppy changes and develops

Quote:

Could this crying be because he now knows we are upstairs? Could it be his hormones as he is reaching teenage years? Sexual frustration? Are we doing something terribly wrong? HELP!!!

Yes dog especial basset are very social the tend to do poorly when alone. Even if he is in a crate a seconded one if easier in your bedroom he is likely to be much happier and have less nedd to cry etc to get your atttention,


the second part is part of the reason for the other behaviors. getting "frisky" challenging you etc. Keep in mind reaction to it physical ie dog refuse to walk by pulling on the lead does not work well with basset. There reaction is to become stress and when they become stressed they shut dowm do nothing. ie flat basset. The thing is to make it in the dogs best interest to comply with what you ask because there is a reward in it amd also are thing the dog. For a dog that quites walk shorten the walk make walks as short as out to the side walk and back. only length the walk when he is cooperative and does so slow.


Often times such refusual are the oppiste of what owner thing If he stop walking Is it when you are head away from the house or when you are returning. Often times they are a means to extend the walk time which it does quite well effcient. In such cases changing the route. so the dog does not know when you are on the return leg, change the route so you pass by the house many time that way the dog lern just because you are headed back toward the house does not mean the walk is over.

I think you may find the following articles helpful in understand the basset mind set and how to work with it. Keep in mind they don't give a wit about pleasing you the are about whats in it for them you just need to be smart about aligning your goall with that of the dogs.

Hard to Train?

Relationship based Approach to Training

How Much Does Your Dog's Cooperation Weigh?

WHY NOT TAKE CANDY FROM A BABY? (If he lets you!)
Examines manipulation as part of social life, and the dog's need for clear boundaries & leadership

Leadership Basics
A simple guide to regaining your dog's respect in pleasant, non-confrontational ways.

Say Please

Teach Your Dog to Get What She Wants by Giving You What You Want