2 CSV Puppies help

[Mirkawolf]

Originally Posted by neesk

As fate would have it, we're ended up with 2 puppies when we were only expecting to get 1. (Breeder is non contactable atm)

This is a receipt for disaster. If you do not have any experience with CSW (and it would be normal, as there is not many in USA), you absolutely cannot handle two puppies at the same time. Even one is sometimes too much! Try harder in contacting the breeder and return one of the pups, or try to find him another home, preferably with some people who have experience with difficult dogs - maybe somebody who has had huskies, malamutes and such.

Originally Posted by neesk

1) We have a 3 year-old daughter, and whilst she is very good - both the puppies are always trying to jump on her and eat her food. We are constently taking them away and telling them "No" when they are jumping on her (we praise them when they sit quietly and ignore her) - does anyone have any other ideas? I know that CSVs are good with children, but I have only heard this in referance to CSV adults.

They are little puppies! (Though you do not mention their age). You cannot expect them to sit still and quietly. They will manage to do that for five seconds, and then they will run again. Especially if they are two, they will support each other constantly in their mischief.
You cannot really make them understand (though keep trying) that food of your daughter is not their food. So you have to avoid creating such situations, where they get the chance to steal her food.
When you give your daughter food, make sure the puppies cannot get to her - close in them in different room, crate them, whatever.
And opposite - if your daughter eats, don´t let her to play with the pups.

CSWs can be good with children, but they have to be educated to be good with them, same as children have to be educated to be good with dogs.

You can´t expect that the pups will know anything by themselves. They are just pups - they have to learn everything first. You have to teach them. And it will take time. Lots of time. Honestly, don´t expect any great results before half a year.

Have you ever had a dog before? Why did you get a wolfdog and from which kennel are the pups?

Originally Posted by neesk

2) Eating everything, except their own food . When they are out in the garden they are eating stones, snales, grass, and the bitch is eating her own (and her brothers) faeces - but they are not eatting much of their own food (vet said not to worry until it has been a few days but I worry!)

Well, they are pups. CSW pups are pigs and they will eat anything - it is part of their curiosity and testing things. Children take everything in their hands and very little children put everything in their mouth. So do the little wolfdogs, unfortunatelly.
I do understand this concerns you greatly. I also had faeces eating puppy, luckily we got over it - both by education and she partly grew out of it. With two puppies, it will be very very hard to teach them anything! It would be hard for experienced owner, but for somebody who never had CSW before - you are in for trouble.
But back to the problem - what are the pups eating? If you feed them kibble, it is not good at all. Most of CSW I know does not grow and prosper well on dry food, they need natural diet to be doing well. I do not know what you have in USA, but perhaps you can get BARF? If you need list of natural food, that should be in CSW diet, contact me by PM or e-mail and I will send it to you.
Maybe the pups are eating faeces, snails and grass because they miss something important in their diet. Not to mention, if they do not want to eat it, it probably does not taste good!

Originally Posted by neesk

3) Toliet training - how long does it normal take for a CSV. Our dog seems to be very stupid and doesn't get it at all yet. Our bitch was learning really well yesterday, but today she isn't getting it again . She is alot more intellegent than her brother and often takes advantage of that when she is wrestling with him.

I do not know, how old your pups are. If you are consistent, take the pups out every time after they ate, woke up and played and praise them for relieveing themselves outside, they could get it relatively quickly. The less accidents inside, the faster result. However, you can expect the puppy to be fully clean only after it is at least 6 months old. Untill then, accidents might (and probably will) happen.

Definatelly the pups are not going to be clean in one or two days of explaining. It greatly depends on your patience, determination and way of educating the pups.

I really think, from your questions, that these are your first dogs ever? If so, you really did not make things for yourself easy, getting a CSW

I suggest that you also might want to look into this website:
http://www.webtrail.com/petbehavior/case.html
and read more about other people´s trouble with their pups eating faeces and housesoiling problems. You will see how the problem was solved.

Sorry if I sound to you too harsh, it´s better to say how the things really are, than to lie to you and say that CSW has this little button on the belly, which you press and everything will be allright...

Mirka

[Dharkwolf]

I would just like to share with you a few dogs.

1) Trying to simultaneously raise two Czecoslovakian wolfdogs pups is extremely difficult - and at times can even be dangerous. What is likely to happen is that the pups bond together rather than to you, which means that they listen to each other and not to you. As times grows this becomes an ever greater problem. The only times I have heard of people successfully socializing and living with two pups from the same litter is when the second pup came much later into the family (18 months or so). I also know of cases when CSVs had to be put down because it was impossible to handle them after they had grown bonded together but not to people. Unless you have a lot of time and patience on your hands (which can be challenging, with you toddler around the house) I would seriously consider rehoming one of your pups. You simply do not need the hassle.

2) House breaking can take more or less time depending on circumstances but a fair rule of thumb is that you can expect six months of accidents. Things will get better, but it is not unusual for there to still be the occassional problem with pups aged 6-7 months though after this things should be ok. There are particular circumstances which cause more problems though, such as when the pup suffers repeatedly from the runs, or from urinary tract or digestive infections (these can be common when they are eating just about anything!)

3) CSV pups like to explore. Nothing seems to please them more than to explore what can be put into their bellies - this will pass. (Again though it can take some time) Could you tell us more about what and how you are feeding the pups? It might make it easier to understand the problem.

4) CSVs and kids - Yes you can train CSVs to be fantastic with kids. BUT this is not going to happen overnight. Avoid any situation where there is a competition about food between the CSV and your toddler, that will just upset everyone. Eventually they can learn to respect even a very young child, but you have to remember that for a young CSV pup a three year old toddler is just about the best toy you can play with! (It moves, it makes noise, it will always react when prodded, licked or even grinned at, and will occassionally drop a tidbit of food. Fantastic fun!)

Best of luck.