My new puppy hates her crate and collar. Is she a Shih Tzu Pom mix?

You are at a crossroads with Mimi right now. You must decide who is going to run your home and your lives . . . you or her! By all means, do not let her get into the habit of sleeping in your bed with you. Dogs are creatures of habit, and if for some reason she has to sleep somewhere else (if you are in the hospital, for example), she will not understand the change and may start some undesirable behaviors. She needs to have her own bed crate) and she needs to sleep there. If she fusses at night, and you are sure that all of her physical needs have been met (potty trips), ignore the fussing completely. Do not try to scold or reasure her. She is whining for attention, and will only stop when she knows that it won't get her any. She may very well like the treats you bought, but remember that you have been planning for her for a while. All she knows is . . . yesterday I was THERE, and today I am HERE. What happened? Where is all that is familiar to me? She will have a period of adjustment before she deels secure and comfortable in her new home. Just do not fall into the trap of letting her run things because she is little or cute. You will be raising a monster! And bad habits are very hard to break. So don't carry her around either, or she may get to a point where she refuses to walk! (I've seen this in my training classes.) Good luck with your new Shih Tzu. If you have further questions, you can click on the prompt to start a consult, where we can discuss things at length.

Poor girl. It sounds like Dee is dealing with a bit of normal naughty puppy behavior as well as potential separation anxiety. I would recommend starting off with something mild such as an Adaptil diffuser and then highly considering getting her in some puppy training classes. She is a puppy and needs to be taught how to behave properly and also not be so nippy. This is all learned by socializing with other puppies and also consistent training at home. Giving her activities to do also can help tire her out so that she doesn't have a lot of built up energy. Puppies like to play and can get rough sometimes, so it is a matter of consistent training and building a good bond with your new pet. Here is more information on how to handle excessive puppy biting --> https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=8978091 Best of luck with your puppy Dee moving forward. Take care.

While I always think a trainer is a good idea, I think you might be able to get Piper used to the collar by putting it on her at meal time or when she is playing with a favorite toy. Use it for short periods of time multiple times a day and take it off is she seems very upset. She’ll figure it out with time.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Honestly, I think that her mom is either purebred or almost is. I would expect your pup to either be a purebred Shih Tzu or being very close to it so in terms of behavior and expectations, I would be expecting what I would expect for a Shih Tzu. She is adorable! Good luck and have a great day!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your puppy. I believe the puppy is a mixed breed. She may be a Pomeranian and Papillon mix. However, if you want to know for sure, there are DNA test kits available for at home use. You take a cheek swab from the kit and mail it to the company. Then you will receive the test results and breed information. I hope this information helps!

I'm sorry you are having these problems with Pepper. Firstly addressing her breed, sometimes the humane society gets a litter of pups with no information about the parents breed types - they use their best judgement to guess what breed the pups are, so they can get it wrong. From the picture, Pepper has the smooth coat of a miniature pincher or Italian greyhound, but she is larger than those breeds. There is a genetic DNA test that can be run which is developed by Mars Scientific. It is available at Banfield Pet Hospitals (and costs around $90 plus office visit fee). With regards to her behavior, this is more of a concern. I suspect you will be best to have a consultation with an experienced pet behaviorist, or vet that specializes in behavior, as I would hate for someone to get bitten badly by her. Try to determine the situations that seem to trigger her aggression, and attempt to prevent similar events occurring (eg. shouting or arguing, meal times, disciplining her). You could also try using a product called "Adaptil" which is a patented pheromone formula and can help lessen the severity of some behavioral problems. It comes in a collar or a plug in diffuser and is made by CEVA. I hope these suggestions can help.

Puppies learn to explore with their mouth. Luckily she is young and can be trained with patience and consistency. First, make sure you have lots of treats handy. Second, have lots of toys handy. When you are playing with Luna and she starts to bite you, make a high pitched squeal. When she stops biting, tell her good girl and give her a treat or toy. When she chews on the toy, tell her shes a good girl. She will get the hang of it. For the crate, you need to get her used to it slowly. When you are home, feed her in there without closing the door. Put treats and toys in there so she can come and go when she likes. Slowly build up to closing the door for short periods. Give treats when shes calm inside the crate. At night, put something in there that smells like you. Be tough, don't crack before she does. Basic training at PetCo is a great idea! Good luck and congrats on your new baby. Sending kisses!