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Old June 28th, 2017, 08:18 PM
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hazelrunpack hazelrunpack is offline
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Ten week old puppies are a trial...just no way to get around it! The little buggers are chewy, mischievous, noisy, curious, and still missing their dams and littermates. So they're real handfuls at that age. It can be overwhelming, but you're not alone, and keep telling yourself that this, too, shall pass!

First off, yes, it's normal for her to still whining at night. At 10 weeks she's probably only able to easily hold her bladder for about 4 hours, so you may find that you have to let her out at least once at night. She won't want to mess her kennel, so she'll cry to go out. Letting her sleep in your room is a good idea, though, imo--you can hear if she needs to go out, and she'll bond more quickly with you, sleeping in your room.

As for the rest of the housetraining, I'm sure you've heard at least some of this, but I'll go through it anyway, in case there's something useful to you:

At that age they should be going on at regular times--after getting up in the morning or after a nap, before and after eating, before and after playtime. With consistency and patience, she'll catch on, and it likely won't take too long.

Watch for signals that she needs to relieve herself--signals can be very subtle, so watch her carefully. When you spot those signals, take her out right away and when she goes outside, praise her.

If you catch her in the act of relieving herself in the house, make a corrective noise, pick her up and take her right out. When she finishes outside, praise her.

If she messes inside and you missed the act, just clean it up. Don't scold, because she's already forgotten she did it and will have no idea what the scolding is for. Make sure you clean up puddles with a good enzymatic solution formulated to neutralize urine. If she can smell any urine at all, she's likely to go in that spot again.

As for the biting...I'm sorry to tell you that that issue is likely to get worse before it gets better. Puppies teethe between the ages of about 4 and 6 months and they need to chew. There are some things you can do to spare your hands and arms, though--and remember that mantra: "This, too, shall pass."

When she bites, yelp. Turn away and disengage. When she figures out that the play stops when she bites, she'll learn not to bite.

Get her some chew toys. Make sure they're sturdy and always supervise her with them--puppies are surprisingly good at chewing pieces off the most 'indestructible' of toys...

Before she begins to teethe in earnest, buy yourself a pair of cheap bicycle gloves--the kind that cover your palm and the back of your hand but leave your fingers free. It won't stop the chewing, but it protects your hands and makes it easier to keep your temper when she's trying your patience. Remember to correct her when she bites--a throat noise, or say 'no', or something to catch her attention, then disengage. Remember that when she starts getting tired, just like a little kid, she'll get wilder in her play--a little time out in her kennel might not be amiss at that point.

Once she starts to teethe, you can soothe her sore gums with frozen wash cloths. We always had a store of old wash cloths--we'd dampen them in tap water, then throw them in the freezer till they froze. Our puppies always loved to chew on them. Again, though, make sure you supervise her because she's likely to try to chew off bits of the wash cloth and eating them could be dangerous.

Puppies are just plain demonic! But you'll be amazed at how quickly you'll forget the stressful puppy time once she's all grown up. At some point, you'll suddenly realize she's all grown up and find yourself missing all the puppy shenanigans. I know that sounds impossible right now when you're in the midst of things, but it's true! Because, seriously, this, too, shall pass! Honest!!!

BTW, this is the ideal time to start training her on some of the basics. Playtime in the yard is great for teaching her come, to fetch, to stay...and it's the perfect place to get her used to grooming--combing/brushing, handling her feet, her ears, her mouth, examining her eyes, and teaching her to get her teeth brushed if you plan on doing that. And remember, plenty of play--a tired puppy is a better-behaved puppy (at least once she's sleeping! )

But take heart and try to give her a little more time. She's just a baby and has a lot of learning to do--and you're her teacher. She'll look up to you her whole life!

Good luck and keep us posted on how it's going! And, when things calm down some, we'd love to see pics of your little addition!
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