tomorrow!!!

shelbers

New Member
My puppy is going to be here tomorrow!!!! It feels like just the other day i was posting that it would be three more weeks. Now the big day is finally here tomorrow!!!:dogbiggrin: I am soooooooo excited!!!!
 

snooks

Experienced Member
Well i for one am waiting for some very cute pictures. How exciting. I am a bit jealous...i do love puppiezzzzzz. Do tell about it all when you get some free time--maybe nap time.
 

shelbers

New Member
crazy boy

Well my in laws have been here so I haven't had time to write, but they're at the zoo (I didn't want to go they're driving me nuts and I didn't want to stress the puppy out) with my hubby right now. So I finally have some time. yay! Loki is taking a nap now next to me, otherwise I wouldn't be about to do this because he is a little attention hog! Hmmm so what to say... So he basically has sit in the bag, but hes not at 100%. I've been trying to teach him down, that's getting there. Other than that he goes too crazy for treats to think about what I'm trying to do, I really need to get a clicker. His potty training is going okay, sadly I cant be with him 24/7 because I have school, so newspaper in the kitchen for that. :dogdry: I don't really know what else I can do, I know he cant hold it. I would use create training, but one I don't have one and two I'm pretty sure that he hates confinement, and if he didn't before he does now. MIL decided that we all needed to go out and leave puppy in the bathroom, I was not for this! he pooped everywhere and got it all over the place, after being out for a few hours against my will he was STILL crying. GRRR. So MIL in her infinite wisdom decided to get him used to it we needed to do it again. I protested, but hubby seems to think that ALL my research and time, means nothing compared to his moms experience. (obviously she doesn't know what shes doing.) So once we came home it was the same scene and he had knocked something off the counter and got a cut on his nose. It is very lucky that it wasn't worse. Finally, the other day they listened to me and we were able to just let him free in the house and he was fine! (of course we puppy proofed first and did all we could to make it save for him.) I really need to build it up because of classes.

But I REALLY need help with his biting!!! He's not breaking skin but hes biting harder and harder! I've tried ending play and giving him something right to chew on but it only works about 50% of the time, and worse part is hubby lets him bite. I'm guessing I'm going to have to train hubby to train puppy. I eep telling him that it promotes biting in the future, and all wise MIL tells me im wrong because their dog doesn't bite. :dogdry: [Oh and it's his way of telling me to wake up and take him out (we've had very few accidents in the house!) or that hes hungry or tired. ]
and his nails are really sharp and hurting bad, he likes to use his front paws a lot to paw at me and what not. he let me clip them no problem, I didn't have to use any food or anything, but he won't let me file them to make them a little less sharp, he let me the other night when hubby was feeding/distracting him. but I need to be able to do it on my own.

wow, that was kind of long...hes really a sweetie, other than his biting. plus he loves to play! I'm having such a blast with him. It's such a work out to go up and down the stairs all day, luckily he finally figured out the stairs and I don't have to pick him up anymore. oh yeah I was wrapping this up. :dogsmile: I'm going to get some pictures up in a few.
 

xanny

Well-Known Member
Aww, I miss having a puppy!!! We went through a similar bathroom experience with Bender and came to the same conclusion you did, that it would be easier to find a different solution for when we were gone. If you do decide to trycrate training, there are some tricks to getting puppies to like it when they aren't tired. (you can usually find crates really cheap right now at garage sales).
These are the steps I took, and Bender LOVES his crate!!

1. Whenever I walked by the crate with puppy following, I threw a few treats in the crate and left the door open. I also had a few training sessions of clicking/treating for going in crate with door open. I used shaping for this by clicking any movements toward the crate and Bender quickly figured out that going into the crate was what was earning treats.
2. Once puppy is used to going in and out of the crate, close the door and let puppy out when quiet. Bender had a fear of being confined and would urinate when the door was closed...so I would give him tons of treats through the holes in the crate so that he was eating them off the ground while I closed the door and would open it as soon as he was done eating. Quickly I required a few seconds of not eating and quiet before he was let out.
3. Put treats in the crate, close the door without having puppy go in the crate, and the puppy will really want to get into the crate! (this helped Bender tremendously)
3. Gradually increase the time you leave puppy in crate during the day without anyone around. Start by walking out of eye sight and right back, leave for a few minutes, 10 minutes, etc.

Bender always slept in his crate at night on top of this daytime training. I would have him go into the crate after he was worn out from playing and ready for bed. Crate training has really been wonderful for us, especially when traveling and staying with relatives or in hotels. Plus, if he ever has to stay at the vet or boarding, I know he will be more relaxed than if he wasn't crate trained.

Biting--I'd also add a "no" or "ah-ah" to what you are already doing..but I think you are right--the hubby will have to be trained :msngiggle:. Another thing to try is puting a treat in your fist. The puppy will probably try to bite it, but don't let him have it until he is licking or just touching your hand with his nose. Hopefully somone with more puppy experience with have more ideas for you!

Can't wait to see pictures!!!
 

xanny

Well-Known Member
Another note on crate training if you decide to try it--at night, when puppy whines, take him out to the yard (no playing, petting, etc.) give him a few minutes to do his businnes (I tell Bender, "hurry up" right as he is going so it's on cue) and then put him right back in the crate so he doesn't learn to whine for attention.
 

shelbers

New Member
Thank you! I'm still thinking about getting a create(my parents have a medium sized one I can have, i figure I'll use boxes to make it smaller) I'm just kinda nervous, especially after both the bathroom incidences. He really appears to hate be locked in; he does super well free. I have tried no and ah-ah. I feel bad because I got really mad at him earlier, I know hes still learning, it just gets a bit frustrating. I'll try the treat thing though.


Oh yeah and if anyone can help me put some weight on my boy. I want to get him on a feeding schedule, right now MIL give him food all the time, but his ribs are still showing! :dogsad: and his hips... hes eating pedigree, I know it's not the best food but we cant afford the nice stuff. I wish i could tell you how much he is getting fed but MIL will make up more food when im not paying attention... and she doesn't measure any of it. Any suggestions of what else kind of schedule I can put him on and how much to give him. (hes 9 weeks and about 16 lbs)
 
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