# What to do?



## Bev (Jan 19, 2009)

OM! I know I did all the wrong things...looking for a cheap Hav, bad feelings about breeder, puppy afraid of EVERYTHING, etc. Well, I wanted a HAV and I left with her anyway. I have her now and love her like no other, but any and everything that goes wrong I panic. Obviously this is my first hav, first small dog of any kind. This past weekend we went to visit my mom (a 3 hour drive). She did great in the car and seemed fine but would not go to the bathroom at all. Well, she finally went in her crate during the night, then when I opened the crate she ran out and soiled my mom's beige carpet ( in her new house no less.) Mom was sweet about the whole thing but I am a wreck worrying about the foods. She has been on Wellness and today I picked up some Nutro for sensitive stomachs, but don't really know what to do about switching. Now I get on here and see all this great info about other foods and I am overwhelmed! WHAT TO DO???


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

The food thing can drive you crazy. If your dog is doing well on its current food, why do you want to switch? If it's just because you think you found a better food, you should introduce the new food gradually. Just add it a little at a time to the old food.


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## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

Bev said:


> WHAT TO DO???


First calm down before you drive your new little one nuts  Take a deep breath and tell us a little more :ear:


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## Pixiesmom (Jul 31, 2008)

Hi Bev!
How old is she? What did you name her? 
I'm assuming she's young-8 to 10 weeks?? Let the potty training begin. Did you JUST get her, then take her on the trip? I'm sure she needs to get familiarized with you and her surroundings, which is most likely why she didn't potty at your mom's. Do you have a routine established yet for that? Remember they are babies and it takes lots of patience and positive reinforcement. I can say that she doesn't get car sick like some puppies do. What made you dislike the breeder?
Take it easy on switching foods too soon. Wellness is a decent food for her to be on and I know you should, for the most part, transition slowly to avoid tummy upset-lots of good info on that here. Pics of your puppy please!!

Beth and Pixie Puff


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## Bev (Jan 19, 2009)

Yes, I need to calm down. Thank you. OK, here's the full story. *Marnie* is 9 months old. We have had her for a month. She checked out fine at vet and has had all shots and vaccinations. However, this is her second bout with diarrehea. (I handled this much better when I was raising my children.) I guess for this time I need to attribute it to the travel and new surroundings. She has done fabulously with potty training at home, especially urinating. She has pooed inside a couple of times. Because I suspect that she was crated most of her early life I think every little thing is related to that and may spiral. She is adorable and very sweet, but still has not really come out of her shell much. I am planning on working with a trainer and hope this will all help. I really feel like I could train her myself but I need the reassurance that I am doing the right thing, so I want an expert with me. We will be working here at my house and will start in a couple of weeks. This is such a different experience for me. I can't believe how concerned I am about all of this as I have had other dogs and just assumed all would be fine.


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

Bev, I know from experience that dogs can get diarrhea for a lot of reasons...stress, anxiety, not sure of their surroundings, a stomach bug, bad food they ate, bacterial causes...on and on. One little bit of advice I can give, (also from experience,) if she's had a accident in her crate don't let her out of it until you have it in an easy to clean area. 

Others will be on that are more experienced with these wonderful little dogs. Hang in there, you'll get good advice here.

Can you post pictures?


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## Cheryl (Mar 17, 2007)

Bev--welcome to you and Marnie to the forum. We would love to see pictures!

Training will help you both gain confidence. 

Wellness is a good food. You do not need to switch unless you think there is a better food for her. Do so gradually, mixing the new food with the old food--gradually increasing the new food. 

Stick around--there is a bunch of knowledge on this forum.


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## mellowbo (Aug 12, 2007)

Bev, it will all be fine! Welcome to the forum and enjoy your baby!
Carole


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## rdanielle (Sep 2, 2008)

Welcome to the forum. Doggy diarrhea is the worst, I know all about it as I have a dog with reoccuring bouts ahh the joy! I've found that canned pumpkin & doggy diarrhea medicine works wonders. Canned pumpkin also works for constipation which I find amazing that it works both ways. Hope this helps!


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## Bev (Jan 19, 2009)

Thanks for the help and encouragement. I'll get pictures posted soon.


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## Beamer (Jan 29, 2007)

Welcome to the forum! Pictures would help! lol

Ryan


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## micki2much (Feb 8, 2007)

:welcome: Both of you...I know it is stressful (believe me, I know), just calm a little and ENJOY your new baby!!!!! and yes, we love pictures


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## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

Bev said:


> I can't believe how concerned I am about all of this as I have had other dogs and just assumed all would be fine.


Why is this dog different? Answering that might get to the root of your problem. Sounds like a trainer will help you both.


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

Bev-Welcome to you and your puppy! You'll get tons of great advice on this forum, do a search for anything you're concerned about and I'm sure you'll get some help.

I'm a new doggie mom and worry myself sick sometimes! The wonderful breeders and owners here will help you through anything! The only payment asked for is photos!!! LOL


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

Bev, welcome to the forum! and I agree - "take a deep breath & count to 10"
It will work out, just take some patience.
Having young fosters coming in, I can say that stress def. causes bowel issues, and they may be too afraid to whine or cry, so they just sit there! 
It has taken my recent foster 2 weeks to be ok with my husband, it takes a lot of time for pups like that to warm up and really "trust" people. I suspect from what you eluded to that the pup possibly was abused whether verbally or physically. Let her come to you!! That is the best advise I can give about her shyness! 
If she goes in her crate, you may be correct that she lived in a crate & had no where else to go. I would give her a pen, with a bed in it, so she can learn what a warm soft bed is, that you dont have to also use as a potty. 
Dogs can sense your frustrations! Keep us all updated and I am sure we can help you through this!


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## Jill in Mich (Feb 24, 2008)

Welcome Bev!

RELAX! Keep telling yourself that. Just relax. and like Laurie said - BREATHE! You'll do just fine. If this pup has been neglected or abused just means you're going to need a little more patience. It may just take her a little longer to adjust but you'll get there. Don't concentrate on what might have happened to her in the past - she isn't - and you'll just drive yourself nuts. Giving her stability, a balanced, structured live and lots of love will help her move beyond any "issues" she may have. And don't expect yourself to be perfect - you're going to make mistakes - and you'll both make it through just fine. All of us can attest to that.


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## Pixiesmom (Jul 31, 2008)

Jill in Mich said:


> Welcome Bev!
> 
> Don't concentrate on what might have happened to her in the past - she isn't - and you'll just drive yourself nuts.


Very well said Jill.

Beth and Pixie Puff


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Great advice Laurie!  Welcome Bev and Marnie! It is easy to feel overwhelmed when we see all the subjects and posts in this forum. There are a lot of members and it's impossible to get through everything, so don't worry about that. You did the right thing by starting your thread here so you can get some help and suggestions.

I doubt Marnie has a "sensitive stomach" as you said in your first post. I think it's simply stress with adapting to a new home and all that that entails. It's a great idea to have a trainer help you out at first and hopefully, it's someone who doe not use negative reinforcement or physical restraint. I don't think Marnie would do well with a tough hand, but rather with slow, easy and positive training. 

How does she sleep at night and where is her crate then? Are there other family members in the house with you? Has she been spayed? If you can avoid dwelling on her past, then you may not panic so much and second-guess yourself. It's hard, but try that out and just take one day or one moment at a time.


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## Paradise Havs (Sep 25, 2008)

You are getting great advice! I'll add that we got Rosie 6 months ago at 1 1/2 years old. Her breeder said to give her 6 weeks to settle in. Her personality has really blossomed as she has become more and more part of the family!

Rosa came from a wonderful breeder/ family home. Since Marnie came from perhaps not such great circumstances, it might take longer for her to settle into her new home..
Give her lots of love and structure and I'm sure you will see her 'bloom"!

Pictures please!


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## Miss Paige (Apr 4, 2008)

As others have said-relax and breath-the dogs can pick up on your level of stress and react to that. Pee Pads are great to have around the house and puppies can be trained to use them when they can't get outside. Some dogs are trained to use a litter box inside. It just takes work to train. When I have a foster I let them out every two hours to potty-and they get lots of praise when they come back in the house after doing the "job" and treats help them understand they did a good thing. 

I still get up in the middle of the night to take Frannie out to potty-I just don't want her to have to go all night without going outside-trying to prevent crystals from forming. 

Welcome to the forum and you will get lots of advise and support from this wonderful group of people.

Pat (humom to)
Miss Paige
Mr Roman
Ms Frannie


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## boo2352 (Dec 18, 2006)

Welcome, Bev. We went through several bouts of diarrhea with MacGyver as a puppy. Pumpkin worked miracles, and he loved it.


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## maryam187 (Jul 18, 2007)

Welcome Bev and Marnie, you've gotten some great advice already. If you live in Charlotte, NC, there are a few Hav owners near you. You'll do fine, hang in there.


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

Bev & Marnie, welcome to the forum. You are a step ahead of me because I didn't know about the forum when we first got Abby at eight months of age. She was afraid of us and we had serious housetraining issue and was afraid of my DH for a long time (nearly five months!) but she is like a new dog now. If was a hard road but definitely worth it all! She is still reserved around strangers but I think that is just her personality because family & friends she is wild about!

Hang in there and just take in all the good advice you get here on the forum. Good luck with the trainer.

Kathie


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## Bev (Jan 19, 2009)

Again, great advise from all and I will follow as much and as closely as I possibly can. Definitely the relaxing part! Now I will try to answer a few of your questions and then I will try to get a pic posted. 
Marnie sleeps in her crate in our laundry room, which we keep gated off from the rest of the house at night. I leave her door open and have a potty pad available for her. She did great last night and thankfully, seems to be fine today. She was not altered by her previous owner (which was another red flag to me) but will be very soon. She weighs 6.5 pounds now, which is up from the even 6 in the beginning. She is also willing to eat in front of me now and has shown some interest in her toys. She really has come along way in a short amount of time and I suspect this will continue. We are looking forward to a wonderful spring and summer. Thanks again to all!


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

Bev, I cannot wait to see your pictures!! Does Marnie sleep in the laundrey room for a specific reason? I would bet that she is very lonely there. Is it possilbe to put her crate or xpen in your room so she can see you? I have found with my three as well as all my fosters, that our bond became stronger by having them with us at night, even if they are in a crate next to the bed, but they can always see me. Maybe she is upset being by herself all night and that could be causing her stress - then the potty problems.


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## CinnCinn (Mar 30, 2007)

Welcome Bev & Marnie! I can't wait to see pictures of this cute little gal.

When my Havs were young it seemed I gave "bottom baths" on a regular basis. After some research on foods, I decided to switch them to a raw diet and haven't washed a bottom since. There are several threads on food on the forum. Use the search feature to find them. Lots of really good diet information.

Welcome and congratulations on your puppy.


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## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

Bev said:


> Marnie sleeps in her crate in our laundry room, which we keep gated off from the rest of the house at night.


Can you bring her into your bedroom? We have 5 dogs and they all fit on the bed  She'll feel safer knowing you're near


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Welcome Bev and Marnie! It sounds like you are both doing great! I agree with all that has been said...don't switch the food unless there is a reason, relax, and if possible let her sleep in her crate near you. You can even close the door of her crate...she will learn to sleep and should be able to hold it through the night. Being with you at night will help her feel like she is part of your pack.

My vet gave me this great natural diahrea remedy...it also works if you decide to switch foods...(but let me tell you from experience...if she's eating and has energy and does not seem allergic... don't switch...if it aint broke don't fix it...the food thing will and does drive you crazy) It is called pet flora and does fix an the runs overnight! I keep it in my house now at all times

http://www.vitalityscience.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=50#Pet Flora Starter Pack

But one thing no one has said here yet...is these Havanese are amazing little very in tune dogs... she knows your nervous, so if you can just relax she will. It sounds like she is doing great for being with you just for a month. It is because they are so sensitive to us...that we love them more, worry more, and spoil them more. it's just part of being owned by a Hav.


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## DAJsMom (Oct 27, 2006)

Welcome! You've gotten quite a bit of good advice already. 
Both of my havanese were adopted at the older puppy stage-7 months and 11 months. Please do keep in mind that a month is not a long time. Marnie is still adjusting. Also, for a shy dog, coming out of her shell may take a long time. I know a hav that came from similar circumstances as a puppy. The first time I met her (about 9 months ago) she would not come near, and her owner said she spent most of her time behind the couch at first. I saw her the other day and she came up to me to say hello and let me pet her. The process of getting over her shyness has been going on for close to two years, but it is going very well. She's a sweet dog who needed love and patience. Find a good, positive trainer, and just keep at it and be patient. The more positive experiences she has, the faster she will see that your world is safe for her.
Also, one of mine peed on my parents' bed the first time we took her to visit--we'd probably only had her a month as well! I was embarrassed!! We paid to have the down comforter cleaned. My parents still let us come back and visit, but I don't know if they'll let Indie in their bedroom! It does help to carry pup outside first thing in the morning to avoid messes on the floor--if you can catch her on the way out of the crate!
And relax! Things are going pretty well for the first month!


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## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

Missy said:


> But one thing no one has said here yet...is these Havanese are amazing little very in tune dogs... she knows your nervous, so if you can just relax she will. .


A lot of people who go into the obedience ring put mints in their mouth. Dogs can smell tension on your breath and that masks it. It might be handy for when you're maxed out and don't want your dog stressed.


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## kelrobin (Jan 21, 2008)

Yayyyyy! So glad to see you on this site, Bev. Everyone will give you LOTS of great advice, much better than I could! :grouphug: 

I have to tell everyone that we met beautiful Marnie last weekend and she is in a WONDERFUL home. Any dog would be lucky to have Bev as their mom!! "Miss Beverly" cared for my nieces and nephew in a difficult situation, and she was their favorite (true, Bev!)

Marnie is the cutest thing you have ever seen (fun coloring and darling eyebrows), and Bev definitely rescued her from a not so good situation. She played a bit with Jackson and my SIL's dachshund, and I can tell that the shyness will get better as she comes out of her shell. She is very "puppylike" for a dog that age which makes me think with good nutrition and lots of love that she will blossom and mature with each month. Even her fur feels like down, so I think she just hasn't quite grown up yet.

Jackson has had problems with bathroom in strange places. He had major problems when we took him to the beach last Thanksgiving. First, he wouldn't go at all, and then, of course he couldn't hold it any longer . . . it was awful (Pam can tell you the story!) I do think they are one breed that will stress out to the point of it affecting everything . . . refusing to eat, potty, etc. Jackson also has a habit of tearing up things when I leave him too long or go away on a trip. 

Bev, you are doing a great job, and sweet little Marnie probably just freaked a bit that maybe she was getting moved again. I would think her food is OK unless the diarrhea continues. You are right, she probably was crated a lot from what you said about her feet. She just needs lot of stability and continuity which I know you are providing. Glad to see you here, and just sorry I didn't have my camera last week. We'll come back soon and take photos.hoto: hoto: hoto:


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## Bev (Jan 19, 2009)

I love this site..can't stay away from it...for example, I need to go to work! Things are getting better. Yesterday was a big day when Marnie took off RLH (is that right, Kelrobin?) in a giant circle in our yard. Now she does it whenever I say "Crazydog" in a funny way. The grands loved it! I will let everyone know that Jackson is so well behaved. He was very polite to Marnie and she was a bit sad when we got to my Mom's and there were no other dogs to play with her. We will have a playdate with Lilly(dachshund) soon. No more diarrhea...in fact no poo at all lately. Gotta get that pumpkin today! Thanks to all,
Bev and Marnie


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Hi Bev, any update on your little Marnie? How are the nights? I'm hoping things are slowly improving, but don't be shy about posting if you still have some concerns.


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## gelbergirl (Jun 9, 2007)

welcome to the forum.
How is Marnie doing?
No doubt she's keeping you busy and hopefully feeling better.


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