# Patterdale terrier issues!



## Cranwelli (Mar 24, 2009)

Got my first dog a couple of days ago, a 2 year old female patterdale terrier cross. She's lovely bar a couple of things I need to sort out. I'm not 100% on how to solve the problems as advice online varies and I don't want to confuse the situation.

Basically the previous owners had another dog so she always had company when they went to bed or work. I currently live on my own and 2 days a week I have to go to univeristy and/or work for a few hours. I don't think she'll cope too well with this as both nights that I've gone to bed she has whined downstairs for hours (behind a gate) until I have to eventually come downstairs and let her up and sleep on the bed with me so the neighbours don't complain about the noise. I know you're not supposed to give in but it was verrrry loud and it's only been her first couple of nights. 

She also follows me around ALL THE TIME and sweet as it is, it gets a little annoying. :lol2:

So how should I deal with it? I am off this whole week from uni and work so would be a good time to practice. All I've done all the moment is stepped outside the door and waited a few minutes then come back in, so she knows I'm coming back! I'll increase the period I wait outside each time, maybe double it. 

And those kong things... you're supposed to have it around all the time right? Otherwise they'll associate it with you leaving?

Thanks


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## bampoisongirl (Mar 28, 2008)

As loud as it may be, you CANNOT let her upstairs when she's whining! Just go around to the neighbours and explain the situation, and leave her downstairs, otherwise you are just rewarding her whining/barking behaviour and you will never get her to sleep downstairs on her own. Give her lots of toys, knacker her out before you go to bed etc.

It's going to take longer than it would for a puppy because she's older, but you have to persevere and don't let her upstairs! Good luck x


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## ditzychick (Aug 21, 2009)

bampoisongirl said:


> As loud as it may be, you CANNOT let her upstairs when she's whining! Just go around to the neighbours and explain the situation, and leave her downstairs, otherwise you are just rewarding her whining/barking behaviour and you will never get her to sleep downstairs on her own. Give her lots of toys, knacker her out before you go to bed etc.
> 
> It's going to take longer than it would for a puppy because she's older, but you have to persevere and don't let her upstairs! Good luck x


 
I agree, two days is not long enough for her to feel comfortable about being in a strange house, i rescued a little guy 3 weeks ago though he is 5 months old. As above take her out for a long walk, give her toys, chews, make sure she goes out right before you go to bed and that shes not hungry, maybe give her something that smells of you. Totally ignore her of a night when she whines, any attention is good in her eyes. She may take weeks to settle.
Good luck


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## Cranwelli (Mar 24, 2009)

Fair enough. Looks like I'll be investing into some earplugs!


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## Pinkchi (Nov 23, 2009)

I agree with the above, you have to stay firm and stick to it. Otherwise she will never settle and just be condused.

Maybe leave a radio on quietly for her downstairs so she doesn't feel so alone. 

Yes earplugs might be a good idea!

Maybe you could invest in a dog crate for her and crate train her? That way she will have a safe place where she feels comfortable when you are not around


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## Shadowz (Aug 6, 2008)

Well I will be the odd one out who disagree. 

I dont believe in all this let them cry and cry.
I think positive training is so much better
All this letting them cry and be "alpha human" is thankfully getting discredited and is very out dated

She is confused and sad - she has lost her owners - moved to a new house and everything is strange.

I would start with her in your room and then slowly move her to where you want her to sleep ( eg every few days move her bed a little bit towards the door way and then out into the hall etc ) 

its gonna take a lot longer then a couple of days for her to settle down. 

Its normal for her to follow you around at this stage - im sure that will settle down as she settle down and get used to you.
Just remember its all very strange for her and she has lost the family she had.


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## ditzychick (Aug 21, 2009)

Shadowz said:


> Well I will be the odd one out who disagree.
> 
> I dont believe in all this let them cry and cry.
> I think positive training is so much better
> ...


 

I tried this with my previous dog, it didn't work. Not always the case i know but that time it was. Sometimes a good routine can be best. I know its difficult to hear them cry buy why get her used to sleeping in the ops room then stop. This may be more unsettling. Im only going by my years of being owned by dogs. The one dog i did let sleep in my room to start with because of the crying, although a very loving dog, turned out to be the most difficult to leave for short periods. It did however help a little when i crate trained her. That was her sanctuary, her safe haven. 

Hopefully after a few days or so your little dog will calm down of a night and realise you are going to be there for her.


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## TIMOTHY AND MATILDA (Oct 31, 2008)

when I got my lab he had the dining room with a baby gate on the door,a big cardboard box,loads of blankets,a snugglesafe heat pad,2 teddies,ticking clock,radio on everything.
He is 5 now and he still follows me around
She is probably unsettled and wants to know what she has done wrong to lose her home and is probably missing the bond she had with the other dog
I know people will disagree but I would let her sleep near you for the first few weeks :flrt:


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## Kare (Mar 9, 2010)

My dogs sleep in the room with us, we are a family, we sleep together, I actually agree with the idea to slowly move them away, yes best to start as you mean to go on, but really would it harm to start with your door open and a dog gate so the dog can at least hear you in there? 

This can also be applied during the day, have your dog behind a dog gate or something or even in a crate, with a pillow and a blanket that smells of you etc building up periods away in practise to when you need to go out.

However dogs on the whole will follow you, thats what makes me laugh when people say they don't have room for their dog and have to rehome it!! In my experience it doesnt matter if you have a two up two down terraced house or a mansion, the dogs with still take up the same space, ie the 2 foot of space in front of you, behind you or right beside you!!


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## bampoisongirl (Mar 28, 2008)

That is a point i forgot actually, both of mine because they were pups started out in my room in their crate next to the bed. Then I moved the brate further n further away from the bed, and then downstairs. N they screamed. For a few weeks. but now they are fine downstairs in their own crates. It takes a while!


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## Cranwelli (Mar 24, 2009)

Thanks everyone. 

I like the idea of the crate being moved slightly further away every few days. At the moment I've sectioned off an area of the house (near the doorway) using the gate as that's where she is eventually going to be during the night, so every evening I leave her in there for 5-10 minutes with her toys and me in sight, but let her sleep in the bedroom for now until I introduce the crate into the bedroom. Is that a good idea?

Yeah I know it won't take just a few days for her to settle. She goes out on an hour walk twice a day at the moment. She's already designated a seat for herself....  actually I mean to ask this - if you have a 2 seat sofa and a normal seat that look similar, would she get confused if she is allowed on the seat but not the 2 seat sofa? Her stuff is on the seat, including a blanket with her smell on it from previous house. A firm 'off' is said when she jumps on the 2 seat sofa but saying 'good girl' when she goes on the seat is enough right?


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