first-time doxie owner - need some tips!


starnaito

New Member
Hi all!

I adopted a dachshund puppy from a rescue a few days ago (he is actually 3 parts doxie and one part terrier mix, but he definitely has the doxie look). He's 14 weeks old now, and I have fortunately been able to work from home a bit until he adjusts. This is my first experience raising a pup on my own. I have a 5-year-old AmStaff already, and they've gotten along surprisingly well. The first day I let him be near me and on my lap to help him cope with the sudden separation from his foster home and brother. Now we are working on building his comfort level being alone. He is sleeping through the night in his crate. If he whines in the middle of the night, I take him outside to pee and put him back. (He's doing excellent on potty training, thanks to his foster home.) His crate stays near my bed for now, and he's been sleeping through most of the night without too much noise.

What am worried about is leaving the house for the first time. He whines when I leave the room, and it escalates to heart-wrenching crying. My other dog is usually visible in the same room, but that doesn't comfort him. If I can sneak out of the room while he's sleeping, that buys some time before he realizes I'm gone. I have a playpen for him, and I think that is where I will end up leaving him while I'm away. I'm prepared with a Kong toy, his bed and blanket from the foster home, and a pee pad. He plays well alone and with my other dog.

I'm hoping for some tips to help with the whining, since I live in an apartment, and I can't afford to disturb my neighbors too much. My other dog has always been extremely quiet with no separation issues, so this is the first time I've encountered this.
 

Teri

New Member
I also just got a puppy dachshund, he's 9 weeks. But we had a dachshund for years before she passed away, so with my 1st doxie, Lucy, she would whine when she knew I was around, if I was in another room etc. When I left she would whine for about 2 min until she realized I wasn't coming back in yet. I knew this because I had a baby monitor and would go out into the garage and keep an ear out. Yesterday I had to leave the puppy home alone for the 1st time. He was in the kitchen, we have glass sliding doors to the deck so I left and waited to listen, he whined for about a minute, then went to sleep. I peeked inside, he was snoozing.
In the future I plan to try to wear him out before I leave, get him running around and playing so that he will sleep.
 

Teri

New Member
I also plan to keep my two dogs seperated when I'm not home, my other dog is 1.5yr old pug and they play great, but he's only 2.7lbs and she's 18 lbs so when they play I watch to make sure she doesn't get rough
 

starnaito

New Member
Thanks! I left Charlie (the new puppy) home alone for the first time yesterday. I put some classical music on and he was chewing away at his Kong when I left. He didn't make a peep!
I have to keep my two separated in my absence as well, either in separate rooms or divided by a baby gate. They play well despite the size difference, but since the puppy's entire head can fit in my other dog's mouth, I don't plan to ever leave them together unsupervised!
 
Top