# New puppy is sad. Is that normal? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 4, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-is-sad-is-that-normal/646103 "2013-01-04T20:58:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-is-sad-is-that-normal/646103/21 "2013-01-05T12:49:32Z")
> [@Dog80](#): > > We just bought this morning a 4,5 month old maltese puppy. At first when we brought to our home is was rather scared and wouldn’t let us touch it. > > A few hours later the puppy doesn’t look that scared and won’t go away when we try to touch it, but it looks rather sad and likes to hide under the coffee table in the living room. > > It was very active when we saw him at the breeder’s house. Is this normal? Nitpick: A puppy is not an ‘it’. A puppy is a him or her. > [@Dog80](#): > > [http://i48.tinypic.com/20kd746.jpg](http://i48.tinypic.com/20kd746.jpg) > > I guess it was a long day for him and he’s tired 🙂 > > His name is Femto (from the SI unit prefix). Much better. And cute dog. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-is-sad-is-that-normal/646103/22 "2013-01-05T13:15:46Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > At least your moving wasn’t as eventful as [http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.sg/2010/11/dogs-dont-understand-basic-concepts.html?m=0](http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.sg/2010/11/dogs-dont-understand-basic-concepts.html?m=0) I laughed out loud a few times reading this. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-is-sad-is-that-normal/646103/23 "2013-01-05T13:36:30Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > At least your moving wasn’t as eventful as [http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.sg/2010/11/dogs-dont-understand-basic-concepts.html?m=0](http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.sg/2010/11/dogs-dont-understand-basic-concepts.html?m=0) Ha! That was hysterical. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-is-sad-is-that-normal/646103/24 "2013-01-05T15:43:58Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > He looks fine in that photo. For a puppy the transition time should be brief. As soon as he’s comfortable and used to the routine he’ll be plenty happy all the time you are with him. He may tell you he was sad and miserable anytime you were away, but dogs lie, he was actually sleeping the whole time. I don’t know, my sister’s Maltese would jump up on the bed and shit on my sister’s pillow if she was left alone. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-is-sad-is-that-normal/646103/25 "2013-01-05T17:34:54Z")
> [@sahirrnee](#): > > I don’t know, my sister’s Maltese would jump up on the bed and shit on my sister’s pillow if she was left alone. And I’ll bet she lied about it too. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-is-sad-is-that-normal/646103/26 "2013-01-05T20:38:47Z")
How’s he doing today – any better? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-is-sad-is-that-normal/646103/27 "2013-01-05T20:53:40Z")
The first night with a puppy can be rough. They’ll cry for their mom. Sometimes a ticking clock will soothe them or a stuffed toy. After a day or two the puppy adjusts and they are happy. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-is-sad-is-that-normal/646103/28 "2013-01-05T21:00:31Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > At least your moving wasn’t as eventful as [http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.sg/2010/11/dogs-dont-understand-basic-concepts.html?m=0](http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.sg/2010/11/dogs-dont-understand-basic-concepts.html?m=0) That was _hysterical_. Thanks for posting it. **Dog80** , I hope Femto has settled in by now! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-is-sad-is-that-normal/646103/29 "2013-01-05T21:21:34Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The first night with a puppy can be rough. They’ll cry for their mom.\*\* Sometimes a ticking clock will soothe them or a stuffed toy. \*\* > > After a day or two the puppy adjusts and they are happy. Just make sure the alarm’s not set. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-is-sad-is-that-normal/646103/30 "2013-01-06T05:44:54Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Just make sure the alarm’s not set. I think I just choked on a pringle 'cause of reading this. :p:p:p Yep; and now it’s stuck somewhere between my tonsiles and my nasal cavity, damn you! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-is-sad-is-that-normal/646103/31 "2013-01-06T05:48:54Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > At least your moving wasn’t as eventful as [http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.sg/2010/11/dogs-dont-understand-basic-concepts.html?m=0](http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.sg/2010/11/dogs-dont-understand-basic-concepts.html?m=0) omfg I can’t stop laughing, and I’m only 1/3rd through. :p:p “I MADE FOOD!! I AM MAGICAL!!!” ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-is-sad-is-that-normal/646103/32 "2013-01-06T06:01:28Z")
> [@Taomist](#): > > omfg I can’t stop laughing, and I’m only 1/3rd through. :p:p > > “I MADE FOOD!! I AM MAGICAL!!!” Some dogs can process from both ends. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-is-sad-is-that-normal/646103/33 "2013-01-08T15:20:23Z")
Update: The little guy is a lot better now. He’s still a bit reluctant to let us touch him but he’s more active now and doesn’t look sad. We have a bit of a problem with housetraining though. The breeder had trained him on a newspaper, so we put newspapers in two spots in the house. He goes there throughout most of the day, but there are times when he will do his business right on the floor, usually while we sleep for the night. At least he does it on the tiles, not on the carpet. Also he’s stuck on my wife and follows her constantly everywhere she goes, while he mostly ignores me. Whenever she goes to the bathroom he stays outside waiting and whimpering softly. This is a bit strange, because when she goes out of the house and leaves him with me, even for several hours, he’s not crying. Here’s another pic of him: [![](http://tinypic.com/images/goodbye.jpg) ](http://tinypic.com/images/goodbye.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-is-sad-is-that-normal/646103/34 "2013-01-08T15:35:34Z")
You might check with Petco or Petsmart. They have puppy training classes that run 6 weeks and are about 100 bucks IIRC. The trainers can offer advice with other things as well. Far as I’m concerned, women got screwed. All they got for a best friend was a diamond. Man got the dog. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-is-sad-is-that-normal/646103/35 "2013-01-08T19:16:07Z")
Positive housetraining! Take him out, early and often, to pee outside, and _praise him when he does_. When he pees somewhere inappropriate, dip a paper towel in it, take him outside with the paper towel, set the paper towel in the grass, place him next to it and _praise him just like you did when he went in the right place_. Do not rub his nose in it or scold him. And consider a “[Two Week Shutdown](http://www.squidoo.com/TwoWeekShutdown)” since he’s in new surroundings. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-puppy-is-sad-is-that-normal/646103.md?page=1)