The clients; Mom, Dad, daughter, 16 and son, 14, sent their first-night female Golden Retriever puppy woes to the BehavioRx Diagnostics Service. Thank goodness! The parents had read, listened to, and heeded, some of the most popular dis-information about raising puppies that is out there these day. First they bought a crate, brought along some toweling from the litter (so the pup would have familiar scents in its new "home") drove home and put their new family member in its box for a good part of the evening. This, they heard, would keep her from messing in the house.

They played for a while before bedtime, which is good. However, the puppy urinated while playing, so Dad stuck her nose in it (as an "immediate aversive reinforcement") and took "Dolly" out to what was to be her toilet area. However, Dolly had just been terrified by a monster who sopped her nose with her urine, so her entire digestive system was still frozen in fear. Hence, no further toilet urges.

At bedtime, Dad put Dolly in the crate in the laundry room, closed the door (so they couldn't hear the whining) and went to bed himself. Dolly proved she was in great voice, yowling until Dad went down, used some 'scruff-shakes,' firmly said "No whine" to assert dominance, applying more 'negative reinforcement for inappropriate behavior.'

After two such episodes, Dolly's yowls were reduced to whimpers. However, the daughter had become so distraught by the vocal mayhem that she took her sleeping bag, stole quietly downstairs, took Dolly out of the crate and slept with her. Everyone, especially Dolly, had a good night's rest... until Dad got up and found his daughter and dog cuddled up in the laundry room. Both his authority and his wisdom had been violated. Dad's shouting brought Mom on the run, urging Dad to cool it, because "You're upsetting Janet and Dolly!" And she was right... Janet was in tears and Molly had both urinated and defecated on the floor.

A family truce was called. The kids went to school, Dad left for work and, fortunately Mom was on the WWW and she started surfing.

The puppy was still due for her initial veterinary exam, which was scheduled for the following day. Mom was advised to recontact us immediately when the veterinary examination and treatment was complete. In the meantime, we sent the BehavioRx Instructions for Housetraining, Puppy Training, Separation Anxiety, Chewing, Veterinary Health and Behavior, plus several others dealing with puppy-rearing.

Mom was advised to remind Dad at the meeting that puppies are highly social creatures who, while in their litters, slept up to 10 hours per night and never urinated or whined. So, why not continue having Dolly sleep in close proximity to another sleeping animal (daughter Janet's bedroom) having a small dog bed next to the bed, equipped with one of the popular baby sleeping bags. Some pet stores even have these for puppies and adult dogs of all breeds.

Mom had already read about the mythology and danger of scruff shakes, so she was to remind Dad that these can injure puppies, not only their spines, but their central nervous systems. Most Dads have heard of the human counterpart --- Shaken Infant Syndrome. The BehavioRx Instructions advise corrections which are both not dangerous, but totally positive.

The next morning our HelpLine rang. It was Mom. She just wanted to report that the family meeting had proceeded smoothly. Janet was thrilled, but brother David wanted to have the puppy in his bedroom sometimes, too. A two-weekly shift system was advised.

A week later, Mom emailed that the BehavioRx Instructions arrive two days after her first contact and the Housetraining feeding schedule produced a BM schedule of "Dolly eats-Dolly goes out to the toilet for BMs and urination immediately afterward." Mom said it was a real boon to family harmony, but that Dad was now, she felt "spoiling" Dolly... "All he wants to do is pet her, and I have to keep reminding him she has to learn-to-earn her praise and petting."