Why did my 5-month-old puppy ignore me while crying? Does he hate me?

Perhaps (and without being there, I can't tell for sure) Loki keeps crying because he gets your attention. You do not need to stay with him, nor does he need something to keep him occupied at night. He needs to learn that nighttime is for sleeping. Once you are sure that all of his needs have been attended to, put him in his crate and walk away . . . and stay away! Do not go back, yell, try to soothe, etc. Once he realizes that his noise won't get the desired result, he'll stop. However, he may get worse temporarily. This does not mean that the tactic isn't working. On the contrary, it means that what he was doing before no longer gets the desired result, so he's ramping up the behavior in the hopes that more will be better. Stand your ground! He will eventually learn for himself that nothing is going to work, so he may as well go to sleep.

Boomer is still very young and it may be that he isn't feeling very confident yet. You may want to encourage bonding by always offering him a treat or favorite toy when you come near him. He'll quickly learn that you offer good things! If you're working on potty training or other obedience training, make sure to stick to positive reinforcement as yelling or punishing Boomer only hurts your bond and will make him more fearful of you. Once he is old enough, a puppy kindergarten class together is best to help the two of you bond, learn to interact well with each other and encourage good behaviors.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It looks like Loki is a mixed breed dog but resembles a coonhound. Dogs can exhibit anxiety and be nervous in new situations, so him whining and being unsure of a new place is not unusual. It can take a while, weeks to months, for him to become very comfortable at your place, but I wouldn't give up! Depending on whatever their previous life situation was, they can take time to adjust to a new home and new people. I recommend being as kind and gentle to him as you can, and be patient with him as he adjusts to your home. If he hasn't seen a veterinarian in the last year, I recommend having him seen for an exam to ensure he is otherwise healthy. I hope this is helpful!

It is very unnatural for pets to be held like we hold human babies. Some pets just are not as affectionate as we would like. Some dogs will grow used to your ways of showing affection and will tolerate it, but think of how momma dogs show affection to puppies - through care, licking (petting is our equivalent), playing, and feeding. No momma dog actually wraps her arm around her puppy to hold her! It is good that Nova loves to sleep in her crate. She has chosen this as her safe and cozy haven. Dogs that feel safe in a crate are easier to potty train and have a safe way to remove themselves from situations when they are uncomfortable. She has chosen where she is most comfortable sleeping, and you should respect that boundary. I would recommend trying other ways to bond, such as play time, going for walks, and obedience training. Once basic obedience commands are learned, Nova can work on learning fun tricks! Teaching a dog new skills is great mental and physical stimulation that will create a deep bond between the two of you.

Yes. It can be traumatic for young puppies to leave their mom, litter mates, and previous home that they knew. He needs to develop a new bond with you and learn a new home/environment/routine to gain confidence. Keep working with him and with time and becoming older he will learn. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Ollie cries and doesn't listen to you because she is still just a little baby. She may be having some minor adjustments in terms of being away from her mom and littermates, but mostly puppies are just crying out because they want attention or some resource. She is biting right now because she is in the teething phase of her development. Simply make sure she has ample toys and items to destroy. You should always keep one on your person to make sure you can hand it to her if she starts to bite something inappropriate. If she takes the toy instead, make sure to reward her appropriately. In time and with consistency, she will eventually chew on only the items that you have given to her. The more you train her and the more consistent you are, the more likely she is going to listen to you in the long term. She mostly isn't listening to you yet because she doesn't really know any commands yet at this age. Depending on what you plan on utilizing your puppy for, the most basic of commands are likely all that is required for a suitable household companion. Consider teacher her sit, down, stay, come, and heel first before anything more advanced. All of these can be taught with positive reinforcement using food as a motivating tool. Judging by your statement that she eats very well, this shouldn't be a problem! Hope this helps!

Hi there! Don't fret- I think your puppy adores you! Dogs learn to navigate their environments with their mouths as well as playing with other puppies through light biting and wrestling. When your pup bites you, say "Ow!" and then stop giving him attention for a couple of minutes until he is being gentle again. This is the same way another dog would tell him that he is being too rough and positively reinforces the good behavior. I hope this helps!