What can I do to train my dog not to be aggressive and what can I feed it if it was taken away from it's mother to early?

by Juan
(roseville, ca, United states)

I have a 4 week old german shepherd and it was taken away from it's mother to early, and all it does is cries and is sad maybe because it's deppressed.

Also when I give it puppy food it will eat it but is this bad for it because it's to young or do I have to give it milk from the pet store, also how and when can I start to train it, please and thank you!!!




Hi Juan
Yes, your puppy is much too young to be away from his momma and littermates and I'm sure he's scared and lonely. He's just a tiny baby and that's why he's crying.

If it is possible to return the puppy to his momma for another 3 or 4 weeks that would be best for him, but if that isn't a possibility you will need to give him lots of love and attention and be very patient.

He is old enough to be eating puppy food, but make sure it's a good quality food (see my Feeding Your Puppy page for information on choosing the best food) and soak it in warm water for 10 - 15 minutes before giving it to him. Dogs don't digest milk well, and he doesn't need puppy formula anymore. He should be able to lap water just fine and that is enough for him.

At such a young age he won't have any bladder/bowel control, so potty training him is going to be impossible at the moment. Once he reaches 8 weeks old, I would suggest getting him a crate and starting to Crate Training him. It's the easiest and quickest way to house break a pup.

German Shepherds are very intelligent dogs and very eager to please their owners, I don't think you'll have trouble training him. You can start some very basic lessons in 'manners' and simple commands now, see my Basic Puppy Training page for all the help and advice you'll need. Once he's had all his puppy shots I would recommend taking him to a formal dog obedience classes, it will be good for both of you and is a great way to build a strong relationship with your pup.

As you're a totally new puppy owner, I think you'll find my New Puppy Care page helpful. It has tons of information, tips and advice on everything you need to know to take care of your new puppy, and links to many different articles.

Best of luck with your little pup!