what do i do with this puppy???

[agnes_day]

someone stole our puppy a few weeks ago...the kids were really upset so when i saw a man giving away puppies at walmart last week, i had to stop and check it out..they were all very healthy and adorable..and the one i picked out is a real sweetheart except..he freaks out if you try to pick him up or anything! he will shake as if you are getting ready to kill him or something if you dare pet him and when my oldest son tries to take him outside he starts yelping and peeing all over himself! also, hes using the bathroom somewhere in the house, but we cant find it!
i am not a dog person so any advice would help out a lot!
he looks to be part dachshund/jack russel terrier.

ETA he was fine with the guy who was giving him and his siblings away too..maybe he doesnt like us?

 

[mamabird]

How old is the puppy? How old are your kids? I'd take to the vet and get a check/shots/worming for starters. Sounds like it was never socialized. All I can tell you, is give him lots of attention and when he becomes a little less stressed, expose him to as many new people and situations as possible. A dog that is not socialized can be a powder keg when they get older! Good luck!

 

[ChickenToes]

Try leaving him alone for awhile so he can get used to his new surroundings without humans around. Keep him in one room of the house (such as the bathroom) until he gets comfortable being in there. Don't just pick him up, go in there and let him come to you. Be very gentle, don't be loud. Stop picking him up until he becomes comfortable around you.

He just sounds like a nervous little guy to me.

 

[horsejody]

The puppy may be in pain. I would suspect an injury or severe worm load. Get the puppy to the vet.

 

[agnes_day]

hes been dewormed and hes not injured...hes running around, playing with our cat right now..the weird thing was that he was acting happy and everything until we got home..and then my oldest went to pick him up and he freaked out big time! he will come up to you, wagging his tail and everything but if you act like you are going to snag him, he will start howling.
last night, i was petting him and he started shaking..i dont know..hes so sweet and everything, i just hope he gets used to us. at least he likes the cats, he slept with them last night!

he is 12 weeks old, according to walmart guy.

 

[mamabird]

Regardless of what WM man says, I would take him to a vet, have him looked at (vet can tell you if the age is close). Unless you are the one that wormed him, I'd reworm. Vaccinations also need given. I know a lot of people who say their puppies have had shots and been wormed, but a puppy needs a series of shots and wormings for them to be effective. Even if WM man said it had shots and wormings - if it hasn't been done in the last 3 weeks, it needs done again. Parvo is a SERIOUS disease in puppies and if un-vaccinated, can be fatal (or at the very least - very expensive!). My guess - the puppy was around the breeder's family a little, but was never picked up or handled much. Shaking could be nerves, and the yelping may be just because it hasn't been handled - or - long bodied breeds sometimes have back issues. I'd start at the vet's. Good luck!

 

[animal nut]

I am a huge dog person and have seen many of personalities in dogs. If the vet check the puppie out and he is ok, my guess is that he has been mistreated. You say the pup will come to you wagging? Let the pup make the first move. Show him that you can be trusted and will not harm him. This will take time and patience but if should be worth it in the long run. Call him when you go outside, let him follow you. When you approach him to pick him up he is just afraid.

 

[hollyclyff]

It could still be a pain reaction. Maybe it only hurts when he's picked up or a certain part of his body is touched. Or maybe it only hurts sometimes, but he's afraid it's going to hurt so he reacts out of fear of potential pain. He's a little young for disc disease, but who knows? I would have the vet rule out pain. He will need more shots anyway, so you may as well tell the vet what's going on and let him/her to check the puppy over.

Of course it could be just plain fear. For that, you just need to go easy with him. Don't try to pick him up until he's more comfortable with you just petting him on the ground. Sit on the floor with him a lot and just let him come to you. Give him treats when he does and maybe encourage him to climb in your lap. Do everything slowly and gently until he gets used to it. Just make sure to praise and give treats when he's acting brave and calm. You don't want to reward him for acting afraid.

As far as housetraining - good luck with that. If you're correct about his parentage, Dachshunds are notoriously difficult to housetrain. You have to be really consistent and it helps a lot to crate train and get them on a strict schedule. And find where he's gone before and clean it up with an enzyme cleaner. Oh, and get him neutered before he starts lifting his leg. Once that habit starts, it's really hard to break. I can't stress that enough.

 

[hollyclyff]

Oh, and an easy way to find where he's gone potty before, is to use a blacklight after dark. Urine spots will glow.

 

[Jamie_Dog_Trainer]

Hi, I read this post with interest. I speciallize in behavior issues in pet dogs--exactly what you have on your hands. I seriously doubt your puppy has ever been mistreated, rather the dog has some temperament issues with nerve base (meaning the dog has little tolerance for stimulation and any stressor). He's got a soft temperament which is not necessarily a bad thing..however he's very very soft, not easy for him to shrug off stress, ie, petting, new enviroment, ect.

I think the very best thing for you to do is go to the vet, have his physical health evaluated (not mental health) then go to a trainer whom you have screened for success with fear based behavior. Do not allow your vet to diagnose the behavior...most Vets have no clue, they just think they know. My very best advise is to get a trainer/behavioris to assist you with your puppy in getting him restarted on the right track. If you don't get this taken care of this fear issue/behavior could turn into a life long problem that only gets worse with time.

Of course that is the negative prediction, he may come out of his shell. But..with how extreme his reactions are I would say probably not without some real help from someone with experience with this. Feel free to PM me with any questions you may have about screening trainers, where to look, ect. Good luck to you.