We did it!! We pulled the trigger and we got a puppy. His name is Roscoe. We drove for two hours to look at dogs on Saturday and decided we liked the first one we saw the best. We got him from a no kill shelter in town. His original owners were scum of the earth and left him and his little sister in a dumpster. He is so loving and loyal! If I'm washing dishes, he has his belly on my foot. He just stares up at me with big ol' eyes. I think he may get very big!
He is a mix. They say he has some boxer in him.
As new puppy owners, I thought I would run down the schedule I have with him and see if you all think I should tweak it any. This is what our plans are...
While we are at work he will be outside.
While we are home he will be inside and getting tons of love and kisses.
At night (while we sleep, until he gets house trained better) he will be in the bathroom with a soft bed and papers down. He uses his papers in the night very well! We have only had a couple of accidents during the PM in the house. Any potty training suggestions would be GREAT. I have been taking him out every hour to hour and a half in the evening.
I've never had a puppy before. The other thing I am worried about is the fact that at night he cries and cries! He is scratching at the door. We are sleeping in the living room because the bathroom and our bedroom are joined. I wonder how long the crying will go on? I said I would give him a month to get used to the bathroom routine and then he goes outside at night (if he doesn't calm down). I mean it can't be good for anyone to have him so freaked. I know I'm EXAHUSTED! Any suggestions for a better night's rest for all of us? That is really my main concern.
What a cute Puppy. When we brought our Babe home we had a little kennel (those little plastic ones slightly larger then she) with a bed made up of old blanket and our scent, we also had an old wind up alarm clock that ticked (kept under the bedding) the puppy seemed content.....it was her space and it was in the garage later we rigged a little fence around it with newspaper for to do her business on and eventually she made it into the house and then learned how to use a doggy door, she still uses today as her bed, she likes it. The kennel is also good for visiting people.
valerie wrote: Hi, Hottie!! Good to see you and the pup is ADORABLE.
That you are taking him out so frequently is good but I have to tell you,
leaving the pup out at any time is dangerous. They can get into so
many things you wouldn't believe.
I don't know your situation fully, but I would advise getting a crate and
potty training him that way. Can you come home on a lunch break or
have a neighbor come over? I'm not sure of his age from the pic but
their little systems are pretty much garbage in, garbage out for quite
some time!!
Leaving papers down for him to go on really sets back the house
training, you are training him that it's "Okay" to go in the house, and you
don't want that. A crate with soft bedding and toys will be his place
and he won't want to "dirty" it. The crate shouldn't be too large, if
it is he will go in one end of it. You can get a large crate with panels
to block off a portion and then expand it as he grows.
You can pick up his water bowl at night. A word of caution, I've never
done this, because I just wake up and take the pups out when they
need it! But I suggest it as somewhat of a benefit for those who want
to go that route. It won't hurt the pup. Be sure to have fresh water on
hand at all other times.
Get him on a schedule as soon as possible, regular feeding times (should
be probably 3 or 4 times a day at this point) and regular trips outside,
after play, after meals, after naps, basically run yourself ragged, LOL!
To help cut down on the crying, the old standby ticking clock and hot
(but not TOO hot!) water bottle can help, wrap the water bottle in
one of your old (unwashed) t-shirts and that will help comfort him.
You can keep the crate next to your bed so he can see you.
As far as the crying, think of it from HIS point of view. He's had a
really rough go of it up 'till now, and that would make anybody cry.
It should diminish as he gets more comfortable in his new forever home.
You'll have to pay your dues for a bit, but if you do, it will be worth
it in the long run. Tamsen was an exceptionally quick learner, and
she housetrained (reliably so!) in about 5 weeks. So that is a gauge
for you.
SEE YOUR VET. That is really important, they often have pamphlets
that will give you help, too!
Good luck, hang in there, and holler if you need any more help!
hiya, minks, val, and others! thanks for the kind words! val, thanks for the input. well if i don't leave him out (while we are at work), i leave him in a crate? that doesn't seem right to crate him all night and all day too?
your potty training advice really made sense. okay so crate him at night by the bed and you think he can make it 6-7 hours until we let him out that morning? is that how it works? i don't know if i can talk da hubby into a crate system but that makes sense that papers are confusing!
hotsauce wrote: hiya, minks, val, and others! thanks for the kind words! val, thanks for the input. well if i don't leave him out (while we are at work), i leave him in a crate? that doesn't seem right to crate him all night and all day too?
your potty training advice really made sense. okay so crate him at night by the bed and you think he can make it 6-7 hours until we let him out that morning? is that how it works? i don't know if i can talk da hubby into a crate system but that makes sense that papers are confusing!
I use to think it cruel too, but I was told they were Den animals and it's what they do.
hotsauce wrote: hiya, minks, val, and others! thanks for the kind words! val, thanks for the input. well if i don't leave him out (while we are at work), i leave him in a crate? that doesn't seem right to crate him all night and all day too?
your potty training advice really made sense. okay so crate him at night by the bed and you think he can make it 6-7 hours until we let him out that morning? is that how it works? i don't know if i can talk da hubby into a crate system but that makes sense that papers are confusing!
How old is he? He probably will need to go every 2 hours at least, they
just don't have the bowel or bladder control until 4 months old or so.
So, you will still have to get up at night, it's a lot like having a human
infant, at least at first.
He shouldn't be crated all day while you are at work, either, that's
why I asked about a lunch break or a neighbor. (Wish I lived closer,
I'd come do it!!) Outside just presents a multitude of dangers and
diseases for a young pup. I don't know how close you are to any
neighbors, but a noisy pup can irritate them. Diseases such as parvo
can live in the ground for a long time and your pup won't have immunity
for that yet.
Their little systems can't ward off cold or heat very well, either, and
they can get nasty upper respiratory infections. Just a few of the things
you have to think about. Don't mean to alarm you, but it is what it is.
If expense of a crate is an issue, try Ebay. And if you do get one, it is
NEVER to be used for punishment.
Also, when potty training, no punishment for "accidents" just clean
them thouroughly with a product like Nature's Miracle. Tons of praise
when pup does go in the right spot, make an idiot out of yourself,
Did you tell us his name? If I missed it I'm sorry. I love doggies!
Your pup is the same color as my Buster.
Dog people understand that crates are *good*, not bad. They like to have their own private space, a nicely defined area. It may seem cruel at first but it's really just the opposite.
Regarding Val's advise of putting the crate next to your bed -- I agree completely! When Buster was a pup (all 1 pound, 10 ounces of him! :rolleyes: ), as long as he could see me, he felt safe. You can also try, little by little, moving the crate further away from you and hubby.
And the suggestion of putting something with your smell on it with him -- that's excellent! The sense of smell is a dogs' strongest scent, and that will offer him comfort and security.
His name is Roscoe. It was a looooong night again. I finally went and slept in my car in the garage. I'm still mentioning crating...we will see if the hubby will bite. Thanks again for all the advice.
hotsauce wrote: His name is Roscoe. It was a looooong night again. I finally went and slept in my car in the garage. I'm still mentioning crating...we will see if the hubby will bite. Thanks again for all the adice.
Obviously not winter there yet (sleeping in car) hehehehe Puppies like things closed in around them it feels snuggly and secure... Crate is good, no sleep unhappy puppy bad.... but.... hang in there hunny
�You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.�
hotsauce wrote: His name is Roscoe. It was a looooong night again. I finally went and slept in my car in the garage. I'm still mentioning crating...we will see if the hubby will bite. Thanks again for all the adice.
I just had to give you a Roscoe update. The first three nights were HELL! On the 4th night I put a sound machine in his room. I put it on "heartbeat". The boy didn't make a peep all night. He was perfect last night too. Wow, the world looks so much better with 6 hours of sleep under your belt! Two great nights of sleep for the whole family! YAY!
Also, he has been 100% with potty and poo outside for the past two nights! This morning when I woke him up he went right to the door! He has gone potty just a couple of times on the papers in the house. But he is "going" where we have established!!! I am just like the proudest mama!
Annnnnnnnnnnd, I taught him to sit last night! He was so proud of himself!
So, things are looking great! Thanks again for all your dog advice! You all really helped me out when Stevi dog got so sick. We miss her but we sure love this new little guy, too!
