How did you raise your Sheltie in an apartment? Regret starting to sink in.

ghggp said:
Actually, all reputable and responsible breeders will allow a puppy to be returned. I hope it won’t come to that.

Do you have any school aged children around you that would want to puppy sit! I found two lovely girls that come to play with Liam for $5 each for 1 hour.

Yes, I know day care can be expensive! Actually, I live in Michigan and have three Shelties so I would go over the limit if I had four!

Shelby’s mom gave great feedback too!
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Aha. I don't know why I thought you were in Texas. I don't like the idea of other people being in my apartment while I'm gone but maybe I'll slowly warm up to the idea.

Do you think day care will confuse him too much? I know puppies need routine but I can't take him to day care every day. Some days I need to because work suddenly became hectic requiring overtime so I don't have much energy for him on those days.
 
Like Gloria I have 3 Shelties, with the youngest being 1 1/2...he was a handful as a puppy but they do mellow out as they get older. Don't give up, my middle one is 4 and was my first Sheltie...I can't imagine what my life would be like if I didn't have him, he's my shadow (as is my younger one Finnie) a happy go lucky social butterfly whom I have taken everywhere. When he was almost 3 I decided to get Finnie. Well if Piper was work when I had no other dogs, Finnie was more than just a handful. There have been many times where I questioned myself about whether or not I made the right decision when he was younger but every month it got just a little bit easier as he got more mature.
Give yourself and the puppy time to adjust to your home, that may be why he doesn't want to play with the other dogs in day care, everything is so new to him. Also, the obedience will help create a bond between the two of you, and doing obedience exercises are more exhausting for a Sheltie than a 2 mile walk...all that mental work really tire them out!
It's true that they do mellow out by 3 but the difference between a 5 month old and a dog that's a year old is quite extreme. Much more of an attention span lol.
Good luck and be patient and give yourself the time to really love him, you'll have the most amazing companion as he grows up.
 
Just a quick answer to your question on sleeping through the night. Puppies can hold it overnight at 10 weeks old in a crate so YES I would stop taking him out in the middle of the night! He is training you. There's no way he can't go through the night at 5 months. Most likely, it will take a few nights of barking and whining until he accepts that you are not coming to get him, but persist!!

One thing I've found that may help when he's in the crate and you're in the house or in his sight, and at night. I always cover the crate if it's a wire crate, or just the top and front, with a light cover like a sheet in the warm months, and a light fleece blanket in the winter. I've found that helps them settle and quiet down. Worth a try!
 
As Ann said I had covered the crate and said night night lol. We were lucky Cooper went through the night from the time we got him at 9 weeks and has graduated to the bed. He is 5 months. He has what we have a fussy time around 7 p.m. (taken from when our kids were young). It’s like if there is something he can get into or do wrong that’s the time...we usually distract with a walk.
 
Ann said:
Just a quick answer to your question on sleeping through the night. Puppies can hold it overnight at 10 weeks old in a crate so YES I would stop taking him out in the middle of the night! He is training you. There's no way he can't go through the night at 5 months. Most likely, it will take a few nights of barking and whining until he accepts that you are not coming to get him, but persist!!

One thing I've found that may help when he's in the crate and you're in the house or in his sight, and at night. I always cover the crate if it's a wire crate, or just the top and front, with a light cover like a sheet in the warm months, and a light fleece blanket in the winter. I've found that helps them settle and quiet down. Worth a try!
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Will definitely try the cover. It’s usually half covered. I’m not sure if he can hold it overnight yet. He held it for 7 hours but then a few nights later couldn’t hold it for 6. I give him about the same amount of water daily. It’s really impressive that your pup could hold it that long!
 
Yes, we just ignored her when she would bark and cry in her crate. She learned it would get her nothing. I know it is hard to do. Eventually she will bark in her crate when we are at nosework but that is because she wants to be out and sniff. But everyone in class ignores her and she quiets down.
 
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