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Why does the new
puppy bark after midnight?
Dr Sing Kong Yuen,
BVMS (Glasgow), MRCVS
First written:
Oct 28, 2009
Updated: Nov 21, 2009 (3rd
vaccination) |
Case study:
Couple: Working husband and home-maker wife in her late 20s.
Miniature Dachshund, Male, 2 months, bought from the pet shop 3 days
ago. I was consulted on blood appearing in the evening stools 3
evenings but not in the day stools. The puppy was fed 2 times a day
as advised by the pet shop.
This case has two common complaints amongst new puppy owners, viz.:
1. Blood in stools. For the
past 3 evenings, the puppy poops loose stools with blood seen but
was otherwise healthy and active.
2. Barking at around 2 am - 3 am and
then at 6 am.
"He is seeking attention," the young lady owner said. "We just
ignored him and he would stop barking. Then at 6 am, he would bark.
He wants to come out of his playpen to play.
Reality & Solutions
1. Blood in the stool. Usually due to stress (change of environment
and feeding).
2. Feeding 2x a day is common recommendation by pet shop puppy
sellers in Singapore. Less eating, less pooping as the puppy eats
all food usually and then poops 2x/day, after eating, instead of
many times. This puppy poops 2x/day.
3. "Seeking attention past midnight".
Few puppy books mention about this behaviour. Actually, the puppy
barks to ask the owner to change the soiled newspapers. In this
case, the puppy was now restricted to a one-page width of the
newspapers. He pees around every 2 hourly. He does not want to step
on soiled papers but being confined in the playpen, he could only
communicate with people by barking: "Please change soiled
newspapers."
Solutions: Understanding
canine behaviour --- All normal puppies want a clean area to
eliminate and to sleep.
I propose that the owner spread 75% of the playpen flooring with
newspapers at night, thus giving the puppy more clean papers and
therefore no barking at 2am to 3am. 25% of the floor space is his
bed towel space. The 2-month-old puppy has a weak bladder and pees
every 2 hourly approximately. Will this work in practice? She will
let me know when the puppy comes for his 3rd vaccination.
P.S
A pee pan with newspapers on top will be better as urine will
not soil the marble floor of the living room. The puppy was not
crated inside the kitchen as he barks for attention. So, the owner
puts him in the living room. Ideally, the kitchen's ceramic tiled
floor will be better for cleaning. Most Singapore condo kitchens
barely have space for the cook and her assistant, so the puppy is
housed in the living cum dining area.
UPDATE AT THE 3RD
VACCINATION.
 The
puppy has grown up a lot and has no more blood in the stools. The
young lady owner told me she had bought a grate + pee pan set which
is the correct idea as the puppy was brought up on a grate + pee pan
surface at the Singapore pet shop.
"Sometimes the puppy eliminates on the newspapers and sometimes in
the grate + pee pan placed in the balcony", the tall and slim lady
explained to me. I could see that the puppy was confused.
"Place the grate + pee pan inside the play pen (confined area). This
will create less confusion during the toilet training the puppy."
Of course, this puppy will not be paper-trained, but be grate
+ pee pan trained in this situation.
Puppy toilet training by various new puppy owners as a research
topic is a fascinating subject. I approach it like a mystery
thriller if you are a reader of this genre. There is a mystery which
puzzles the owner. However, the vet can't visit the scene of the
crime, for practical purposes. So, he has to figure out and solve
the mystery.
Toilet training solutions is an excellent means of of opening a
communication channel with your new client. The vet needs to have
some knowledge of puppy toilet training methods and most important,
time. It takes up much time to talk about evacuation in a puppy as
first-time owners are usually puzzled by the strange behaviour of
the young one. Pee and poop anywhere and at any time. It is enough
to pull one's hair out especially if there are two puppies. If a vet
has 80 clients a day, it is extremely difficult to talk about bowel
and bladder movements. His or her mind is just too tired and
mechanical. |
TOA
PAYOH VETS