FD26

Aww Mavericks, what a cute picture of the two of them, Maverick seems very accepting! :D Kirtal - today's the day! I'm very excited for you!! We had another fairly good night - didn't wake until 5am to go outside, but did take awhile to re-settle after that. I'm about ready to kill my OH cause for some reason he thinks it's fine if I lose sleep but god forbid he does and it's making me verrrry cranky lol. But, for the most part all is well. I promise I'll take more pics this weekend, too lol

Yep, he's getting spoiled today...gave him a bit of watermelon after brekkie and he loved it lol, had to take the rind away because he didn't want to stop!! Can't wait for pics of your little guy krital!! Bet you're getting excited now!

What a cutie, Mavericks We had a good night last night Joker slept through from 10:30 til 6am somehow, yay!!!

Well, I don't know if it was luck but we had a great night last night!! Joker was trying desperately to sleep all day, but after about 4pm we didn't let him sleep for any longer than 30 minutes at a time. Stopped all food (but left the water) at 7pm, and made sure he had plenty of time to toilet outside. I was in the loungeroom playing with him around 9 and he started getting a bit sooky to get on the lounge (where we let him sleep sometimes in the day) so I thought okay...bedtime. So in he went to his crate at 9pm. After a good hour of crying right off the bat I was feeling guilty, thinking I'd put him in there prematurely. But, instead of letting him out OH took him to the toilet and put him straight back in and we found a little radio for him. It still took him awhile to settle, but he was asleep at about 10:30pm. We were too tired to remember setting any alarms to take him out and I figured we'd just wait til he cried and take him calmy out - so we woke up to his cries - and it was 6am!!!! :p It was sooo nice to get a proper sleep lol. I'm so happy with him right now too, after squatting inside lol I brought him out and he's done a poo and a wee I'm feeling like we're finally getting somewhere this morning!!

bluefairy - we picked a staffy because my OH grew up with them and loves them. Our last pup was a staffy and at that stage I wasn't too fussed whether we got a dog or not, I was pretty happy with my cats and actually wanted a cattle dog, which I've had in the past. But I fell head over heels for our last guy, and just loved the staffy temperment - how they're so loyal & affectionate (something my cats lack lol), their ability to be laid back or little balls of energy - I think they're a nice in-between. All the staffies I have met have been so friendly, as well..they love anyone that's willing to give them the time, which is endearing. And really, they're just beautiful dogs! I keep looking at Joker and saying "isn't he just so beautiful?" It's probably getting a bit broken-record-like now. It's a good thing he is though, or else this exhaustion would be getting the better of me lol.

How cute is that? He doesn't mind going in for sleeps in the day, actually if I put him in there and shut the door he just sort of looks at me and falls asleep. I think we've introduced him to it fairly well, it's just when he wakes up that the trouble begins. But, hopefully with some of the advice given I can convince my OH I was right and it will settle down soon!

Aww, what a good girl! We're have a hard time with Joker. I think we must have gotten the best puppy in the world last time around, so we weren't expecting quite this much work! lol He has lots of accidents inside still, even right after coming in! He's just not understanding the concept yet, so when he does go outside he's getting praised like nothing else lol. Now he seems to understand that when I put him in the grass he needs to do a wee and that I like that lol, but he still doesn't understand the not doing it in the house or on the verandah part of the deal. He had his first poo in the yard this morning for my son, which was exciting lol. Aww well, all in due time. He's a gorgeous little guy with so much personality, but he sure is a handful lol. I wish my OH had been able to get time off work, but he's got a really busy week of course, which is making everything a little bit harder..

Aww guys, the pups are looking so cute!! I still haven't got enough energy to take any more pics of Joker Bluefairy, you're a crazy dog lady already and you don't evne have your pup yet!! KritalJay - I'm so excited for you, and hanging out for photos!!

Don't worry too much KritalJay, the breeder did warn me that he was the most vocal puppy and that we'd need earplugs to crate train lol. She said all the other pups would look at him like "what are you crying for?" so hopefully your guy won't be such a sook! lol

Hi, thanks guys. His crate is in our room right next to the bed covered in a blanket. The temperature should be pretty good because we sleep with the aircon on but it's never cold here lol. He has his favourite blankets in there and a big stuffed toy because he likes to sleep between things. He doesn't mind going in there of a night, and even goes in of a day and has a wander around and comes out. I think I will have to convince the OH we need to tough it out then. It's what I thought from the get go, but it has been quite hard to deal with his cries - he's a VERY vocal little guy and his cries turn to screaming howls pretty quickly! This morning when I came back inside I was exhausted and fed up and said to my OH "don't say a word or get him out because I'm not getting up again, if you take him out he's yours" lol...so he cried for about 10 minutes and then all was silent. He cries and barks about everything, at the drop of a hat lol..we're not used to this at all as our last pup only cried for the toilet and we only heard him bark one time ever lol. He is slowly getting better at associating outside with the toilet, with lots of accidents still inside, often right after we bring him in lol. Hopefully as he begins to realise in the day that when we put him on the grass it's time to toilet he'll understand it better in the night, too. That's a good idea about the alarm, too...will try that tonight. It would probably be better if he didn't learn making this horrible noise got results lol.

I'm sure this has been done before lol, but... it's about 3 am and I'm sitting outside while Joker calmy chews on a toy I need some serious help here. Our 8 week old puppy got here 2 days ago and we're having a nightmare time with him waking in the night. First night the was up (for the day) at 2:30 am. We tried letting him cry in his crate after a quick trip outside but OH ended up taking him out around 3:30am. This morning, I took him out at 12am when he cried and he wouldn't sleep in the crate afterwards, just crying..so I picked him up and took him into bed to settle him down, because he'd wanted to play. He woke up again at 2am and OH took him outside. Brought him back and put him in the crate - crying, brought him into bed, playing....so now it's 3 am and I've been sitting outside with him for an hour so that he can play, but there's no sign of him settling. We didn't put him to bed until about 9pm last night, and his last nap he woke up from at 6pm. What's going on?? He did come from QLD, so I thought it may have been the time difference (only half an hour) or "jetlag", but he's up earlier today instead of later. And as far as crate training too, I think we're failing miserably. Should we be letting him cry it out? I reckon we should be, but OH is making this impossible. If Joker cries he'll tell him to "shush" which I think just gets him more upset. And then he'll either take him out or I feel like I have to before OH gets angry. Advice please???

\ I wouldn't leave my pets, either. Luckily it's slim to none that I'd have to. If we get a cyclone here our house is just as secure as the shelters. If it's going to be too big I'd be packing all the pets/my son in the car and driving south as far as I can lol. But I'd never leave them behind, nooo way.

Oh that poor baby

Our night was chaos lol. I'm wishing I didn't have an interview today because I feel like death warmed up, my poor OH has training today and said on his way to work "I hope I don't blow my arm off" he's tired as anything. Joker was insistent on sleeping around 6pm, and we tried to keep him up but felt bad because he'd had such a long flight and a big day - what a mistake that was! He went into bed in his crate at about 9:30 with no fuss at all he was so knackered, but woke up at 2:30am!!! OH took him outside - nothing, I got up and took him out at 3:30am when he was crying again, nothing. Then at about 4:30am after an hour of Staffy screaming OH decided to let him out, only to find after cuddling him that he was covered in poo! We think he'd pooed in his crate before 2:30am and that's why he was cying so much, poor guy. At that stage I said "you deal with it" and went and slept on the lounge for another hour before I had to drive OH to work lol. Keeping in mind I didn't get to sleep until about 11pm, I'm exhausted!!! I enlisted my son to come out and mind him until I got back, and I was so grumpy at him...but just as I was leaving he perched up at the back door and he looked so cute I just thought "ahh, how can you be angry?" lol :D After getting back from dropping OH I gave Joker a good bath and I'm in the process of soaking/washing his blankets to get his crate cleaned up. We've had another two wees in the house this morning, and lots on the back verandah lol...but I don't blame him because it's been raining this morning. He's getting used to the car pretty well, we went for our third drive this morning to drop my son at school and he was pretty relaxed, yesterday he was terrified lol. I'm using a harness for him and it's so funny on him because he's soooo small! lol Jax - I know what you mean about not sitting still for photos! I can't seem to pin Joker down either. I might try again this afternoon if I'm still awake :D we'll see. He's going pretty good inside though, our last pup tried to destroy EVERYTHING in sight lol, but Joker's been good..only playing with the things we give him so far. Hope everyone else is getting some rest

So no more peace for you then? Glad he got home safely and is settling in.. The toilet training fun is just beginning.. Just ask Niques and I! Have you given him a chew toy in his crate? A stuffed kong or something? We were really lucky and Badger settled in his crate straight away with hardly any whining but I know Ian Dunbar advocates always leaving a chew toy with them in their crate to occupy them.. Itching to see some pics.. What's his name? We gave him a little rope chew toy for his crate, and his favorite blanky. He's happy in there now because he's exhausted lol, but OH is waking him up now and feeding him so that he'll sleep tonight, hope that goes well! Aww, he's just come and lied down next to me and is giving me a big stare lol. He was literally screaming before in his crate lol - I have a massive headache. We've named him Joker. We had decided on it before but thought we'd see if it fit him and it seems to!

Ok guys, my camera was being silly lol so I was only able to get one good one today! I'll get some more later on. He chilled out this afternoon, and is now soundly sleeping in his crate.

Well, he's home! He's been here 2 hours and I'm exhausted lol!! He's got so much more energy than our last pup, I think it'll take some getting used to! He's also veeeery vocal, and has been having fun barking at the cats lol. He cries when I don't follow him around and we've already had one poo inside lol. Off to an interesting start! He's the cutest thing though, I'll put some pics up after coffee and a break when my OH gets home lol. He was looking really sleepy so I put him in his crate for a time out, but he's not having a bar of it, he's in there howling his little head off lol. The breeder did warn me that he doesn't like being in a crate or any kind of enclosure lol. Hopefully he'll get used to it after some time, if anyone has any advice that'd be great though.

Ahh, an hour and a half to go, so excited!! I just went around the house popping balloons, I swear I popped 100 lol. My ears hurt now, but I was worried they would scare him when they popped at random lol. I have all his toys and bowls ready for when he gets here, and I have my small crate that I use for my cats and his car harness in the car lol, not sure which one he'll need! Now I just have to wait...*twidles thumbs* I'm full of nerves though lol, guess just because we've been waiting for so long now...wish me luck!

How sweet! She looks like "stop taking photos of me, mum!"

Thanks, that was some really good advice. I'm weary about it, too..but it's a good mate of my OH's and the OH is really keen to do it, so we'll see. He says she doesn't have any bad habits aside from jumping up when too excited, but we'll see. Also, if it does go badly we have another mutual friend who said she'll take her if have any trouble - she's got a hectic schedule though, so it would be easier for us unless there are problems. ETA: our pup will be crate trained (fingers crossed as the breeder says he hates being crated lol)

I'm not sure what their pup is crossed with, but the last time I saw her she was a little thing, half the size of my friend's lab! So the weight difference shouldn't be a huge problem. It should be fairly easy to keep them seperated as our pup will be an indoor dog, and theirs is outdoor. And I can always change between the yard/garage/kennel/inside, I imagine it shouldn't be too tough. Their pup probably won't be in our house anyway unless there is a storm, because I have no idea how she would go with our cats.

Redruby - what a charachter! lol I bet you had to check on her in the one near the door lol. Glad Lola's going well, littlehoot - sorry about your car. Can't be avoided sometimes I suppose! Glad you got your pup home jakeyjangles!!! Our little guy is on the plane right now - how exciting!! Pick him up in 4 hours. I'll have to get off my bum soon because the house is a mess from our 9 year old's party yesterday lol. I still haven't figured out the crate..but OH and I were arguing about it last night as he thinks it doesn't need to be seperated. So tomorrow, after the puppy has done his business in there I bet he'll fix it

We're getting our pup tomorrow and a friend has just asked us to mind his greatdaneX puppy (about 5 months old) for a month in April. She is a desexed female, and our pup is a male staffy, he'll be 12 weeks old in April. We've told him he'll have to bring her around to make sure they get on okay, and checked that she's up to date on vaccines - but is there anything else I should be considering before we agree to it? Thanks.

Has been a busy weekend with OH home and my son's birthday, so just jumping on quickly. Didles - I'm SO glad for your family that you have decided to keep him!! How wonderful, and realistically you have to keep in mind that any pet could have surprise health problems down the track. Littlehoot - how's it going with the new addition? Hello to all the newbies And finally, we're getting our puppy in less than 24 hours!!!! I have become sooo nervous now lol. I can't wait to meet him though, beyond excited!! I'll post piccies sometime tomorrow, too.

I thought most breeders provided insurance for the pups for 2-6 weeks? How sucky that yours didn't then!!