Puppy shivering

[Sue and Cash]

I haven't dealt with this before unless my puppy was frightened like at the vet or in a new situation or even meeting another dog for the first time. Cash is 9 1/2 weeks, been with me now for 3 days. At first I just figured fear and cold. He is taken out in the cold snowy yard at least 2 times an hour unless it's overnight. Then maybe once, but last night slept in our bed and made it 8 hours! In bed he seems fine, but napping on the rug even on a blanket he shakes. He shakes if I am picking him up to go on the stairs or outside. And in the car he is very scared although being held by someone. I have the heat cranked up in here for him but i am thinking it is still that he is scared. How long do puppies take to settle in? He plays and seems okay but that shivering has me concerned. Nerves maybe?

[Melinda Auld]

If you think it's fear, whatever you do, don't play up to him. Don't make a big deal of it, or you'll basically be teaching him that it's okay to be afraid.

You can tell the difference between shivering and trembling by looking at the rest of his body language. Is he cowering, or looking around fearfully? Or is he just shivering? Does he creep around the house? Or does he strut around boldly?

If he seems nervous of something, just try to distract him and don't pay ANY attention to what he's afraid of. Praise him for giving you his attention instead.

[Sue and Cash]

That is why I am confused about it Melinda. He does not seem afraid. He is playful and struts around so adorably.
He does though jump up to follow me even if he is napping on the blanket on the floor. But the little bugger has made his way upstairs (with me following behind him) never excepted him to make it all the way. I now have the gate up to stop that. He tries to get up on beds and couches as well. So he is confident in his actions. I turned the heat up even more in here. I usually keep it on the cool side like 66 or so, I hate the dryness. I know the puppies were kept in a warmer enviornment. I emailed the breeder about it. Maybe it is just being cold. I know she said they don't regulate body heat well before about 16 weeks so not to take him out for walks yet. I am a worrywart-never had a winter puppy before.

[Susan Stone]

Susan, I suggest you take him out for little walks even in winter. Pups can regulate body heat by around 4 weeks! My winter pups have run around in the snow, got cold, come in to warm up again and then go out for a play in the snow again. No need to pamper him. He needs to get out and see the world, this is all part of correct socialising. Do you have puppy play groups?
IF he is shivering due to cold then all the more important to give him short outings, get his circulation going and come back into the warmth. How do we feel on cold days if we hang around indoors? Cold and shivery. And if we've been out for a brisk walk in he cold and come back in? Lovely and warm...

Another thought just going through my head...I've found puppies who over-eat or wolf down a specially tasty dinner can afterwards suffer indigestion and lie there shivering until tummy ache has passed...

[ursula wilby]

This does not sound as if he is cold but rather as if he is frightened.
And just as Melinda said, dont pity him and keep making a huge fuss or you will just feed his fears.

The reason I think it is fear is the fact that he does not seem relaxed when he is asleep on his blanket and feels he has to follow you once you move out of the room.
Ignore him and this will go away!

[Laura Kolbach]

Danka at the age of 8-8,5 weeks, still in Sweden at her breeder, running to her new mum :-) the pups were allowed to go outside and play in the snow and they definately enjoyed it.

[Carmel Murphy]

What a sweet photo Laura!!

[Dee Rance]

Hi there Susan
Does he do it at any other time??? ie after eating....I had a puppy in 2000 she was, after a lot of tests at the vet found to be Gluten intolerant she also was intolerant to chicken and lamb. The reason I ask is because she would shake after eating, for a couple of hours. This is how I noticed that there was something wrong.
But I am sure that yours is just because he is a little bit nervous still, you ask ''how long does it take to settle in'' well I think the answer to that is 'how long is a piece of string'...dogs are like people some can take longer than others to settle into a new situation, perhaps time will stop him from doing this, and as it has been said already, don't make a fuss of it because you will be saying that it is OK to do this behaviour, make sure he isn't sick, and make sure he is worm, and then ignore the behaviour, (but keeping a distant eye on it..just to make sure all is well) as Laura has said about her puppies, I had a winter litter and at 4 weeks they would be in and out loving the snow and cold...

[Catherine Carter]

Hi Susan,
I wonder if you can buy in the USA a product we have in the UK called D.A.P. Spray. It stands for Dog Appeasing Pheromone and most vets have it available over the counter here. I quote from their leaflet : " In mammals, all lactating females release substances called appeasing pheromones the function of which is to reassure the offspring. Canine appeasing pheromones are secreted by the sebaceous glands of the intermammary sulcus in the lactating bitch. These pheromones calm the puppy and provide reassurance particularly in unknown environments and when encountering novel experiences. Research has shown that the reassuring properties of these pheromones persist even into adult age". You just have to spray on the puppy's bedding.....By the way I have no shares or stocks in this company or any money reward from telling you this but I have tried it and it seems to work for my puppies!

[ursula wilby]

DAP-collar would be better.
That way the puppy carries the security with it.
Expensive to buy, but I have tested this on several breeds of dogs for the swedish kennel-club magazine...and according to the people that tried it...Yes it works!
And no, I have no shares in the company either and in fact find this somewhat of a threat to all tests of dogs and breeding in general.

If you can manipulate dogs with a collar to appear calm and collected...well what can we base our judgement on when it comes to asess breeding-results and animals to breed from?

[Catherine Carter]

Ursula,
I am only saying to use the spray for the first few days in a new home! Not forever!....then later you can see the true genetic making of the dog if your intention is to breed from him!

[Sue and Cash]

As far as eating, he is not eating well at all I feel. All other pups I have had ate like horses and always wanted more, climbing in the bowl even. The breeder said they were eating 3/4 to 1 cup a food 3/times a day. I was surprised, that seemed a bit more than I would have fed, but she insisted they need lots of food right now. Well I am lucky if he will eat 1/4 cup and even then he will graze on it more than eat. And if I leave the kitchen he runs after me and will not eat at all. He drinks lots of water though...little pee machine. He is my challenge pup so far. My other housebroken in a day, he has at least 2 accidents daily. He is getting good about poop going by the door and crying but pee is like just a time out from play. Even after he just was outside. As far as outside time, he is out at least twice an hour for bathroom time. He is out in the deep snow as well since he likes to use that area for bathrooming. So he is getting outside time. In the four days he is here he has been out to visit grandma, the vet and the pet store. He is very scared in the car, so we are taking out again for some errands and perhaps to look for a new food. He is on Eukanuba large breed puppy but maybe he just doesn't like it? Or is it that again he is frightened still so I should give the food more time? But he plays fine and sleeps in bed with my husband and is sleeping fine without shivering for 7-8 hours at a stretch.

[ursula wilby]

Catherine, I was not refering to Susan L's puppy when I wrote about the DAP-collar...that was a very general remark about my doubt regarding the collar.

I think its fine to be used in a situation like this!