New Puppy Owners Need Help!

[BenjiMom]

Well Mark..you sure have your hands full....2 babies!!!!

I cant add anymore that has already been said. Toilet training is the worst job i know. We had to stay outside for ages, waiting for Benji to wee. But stay we did..til he did it..then he was praised. When he did a wee inside..i caught him...and scolded him..never spanked or rub noses in it. He's good now. Finally can relax and watch TV instead of watching Benji in case he dropped to do a wee ....lol

It will be all fine once they learn..most dogs just love to please you. And they dont like been scolded. I find that when we say NO..he knows we really mean NO now.

Hope all goes well. Cant u put a pen up outside?? Large enough for them both.

[Doghouse]

if you dont want ants getting into food bowls then place them in a shallow dish of water...

[Klattsy]

Hi Again Everyone,

Sorry for not writting back sooner. It has been crazy here and our internet at home is a seperate carpeted room (where we don't want pups) and we have to run the cable to the kitchen which is risky with the pups around.

I have some pics, hopefully will get to up load them from work this week!

We just rocked the side of the house and am building a colour bond lean-to for the puppies during the day - mainly to protect them incase it rains while we're at work.. It's going to be really shaded and better then the grass/dirt combo we had before. Plus they won't need the pen so they now have about 20m2 to run around in! I'm planning on maybe putting some astro-turf strips down in case the rocks become to much for their feet...???

Toilet Training - no good. We do EVERYTHING mentioned. Take them out as much as possible, get up during the night, scrub the floor daily with vinigar, priase/reward, training mats...but there are still times when we will take them outside for 20 mins and they will pee within 5 minutes being back inside, even if they did one outside! I also don't like leaving them too long outside becuase they start to eat bark and rocks & whatever is on the ground, even though they may have just eaten a gourmet meal my wife has cooked them!!! Plus Jezy keeps peeing on the bed (and most other places) which I thought was a no-no!!! We bought these great mats from Homemart and we have one in the bed at night and then one by the door while we watch TV for them to rest on. She first pee'd on the one in the bed, now she pee's on the one by the door! And they still lie on it! SO frustrating.

We have started puppy pre school as well. Went last week and going next 3 Tuesdays...only 3 other dogs though.

Finally, when they get out of control with their fighting we give them the small Pal Dentabones. This calms them down unbelievabley but Jezzy (bigger dog) eats the whole thing it 20 minutes, and Charlie (little cocker boy) has his 50% gone! Is this right? I thought these things where supposed to last for a while...

Thanks again for all your help, I print out this thread every couple of days and my wife and I sit down and read it. Thank you!

Mark & Suzie.

EDIT - Would taking away the water at night be a good idea? I was always under the impression that they should have unlimited acccess to water...this may stop peeing in the laundry (where we leave them at night) and the need to take them out during the night? We go to bed between 9-10 PM and wake up at 6AM. I always get up 2x but if we're in bed by 8 I sometimes get up a 3x. They also start whinning at 5:30-6 AM every morning, i'm guessing because they are used to getting up at that time. Which means no more sleep ins on weekends

Edited September 30, 2007 by Klattsy

[chloebear]

Glad to see that I am not the only one who purchased a sick, flea infested dog. We lost our last dog a couple of weeks ago to a snake bite. I was determined that I was going to reasearch the breeds and ensure that I got a breed that suited our lifestyle and the kids. We where all missing our last dog so much especially my four year old that I decided that I had to get another puppy asap. I checked out the local pet stores and then I went to the pound and found a courgious female rottyxmastif cross that was to be put down, so I brought her and took her to the vet. Underweight, timid, more than likely not a rottyxmastif cross she has cattle markings when looking closer and big floppy ears! Oh and she is coughing so she is now on antibotics. Even though we have had some surprises with her I am very glad that we got her and didn't leave her to be put down. But now the hard work is begining.

[PAX]

Klattsy,

I know it's frustrating when pups wee on mats and furnishing, but it is a really a good thing. Your pup doesn't want urine to splash on her legs so she is really a clean little naughty girl. Limit access to bedrooms and carpeted areas until she is more reliable. She will not be so keen to wee on hard surfaces.

Good Luck

[sas]

The toilet training can be a hard one depending on how the dogs were kept with their litter, if their area wasn't kept clean and they were forced to toilet in their sleeping area toilet training can take a while, stick with it, they'll have a light bulb moment.