I may have made a mistake

[lath]

Wow, thanks for all the comments, suggestions, and encouragement. It's definitely what I needed. I was even getting a little teary eyed reading giny's comment, hehe. This is a great forum with great people.

I'm definitely going to invest in the play pen. I think that will help a ton. Because even if I take my eyes off her for a few seconds, she will find trouble with those little teeth of hers.

I didn't want to just crate her when I wanted my time to myself because she is crated most of the day while I'm at work. She gets the 45 minute break when I come home for lunch, but that's not much throughout the day. So she deserves her freedom for the rest of the evening, and with the pen she can have that and I can still have some peace.

I tried the Kong the second day I got her. She's only interested enough to get the peanut butter from the very opening of the hole, then she gives up and her attention goes elsewhere. She has a very short attention span, as I've read most puppys do her age. I've tried the kong stuff'n mini snap treats also, and she'll just bite off the little bit sticking out and ignore the piece inside.

I've tried about 5 different kinds of dog bones and chew toys to see if she would "get addicted" to one (for lack of a better term) but so far she will just chew for a few minutes then forget about it and decide it's funner to try to rip holes in afghans, socks, tv trays, etc.

I'll try to take and post some pictures. Until then, I found a picture on puggle.org that looks exactly like her: http://www.puggle.org/pics.asp?pugg...18/2006&city=Chattanooga&state=TN&country=USA The light color with the white feet and everything.

Anyhow, thanks again for your comments. It really does help to know others felt the same way I'm feeling. I just have to keep reminding myself that it will be worth it and that at least she is getting a loving parent.

 

[jess2416]

Awww How Cute... Cant wait to see pics of yours though What is her name ?? you didnt to tell us...

 

[lath]

oh yeah, . her name is maia

 

[Westie Girl]

Hang in there. I picked my Westie up at the beginning of the summer. I had this romantic idea of how we would play and be best buds. I think that the frustration comes from the conflict between expectation and reality.

I lost 10 lbs without really trying. I sunk into a depression that became very concerning. She is almost 5 months now and things are better. We are almost there with the potty training and she is a big ball of energy.

I know what mean about not having time for yourself. My husband and I have not rented a movie all summer. She will not leave us alone long enough to watch it.

Everyday is an adventure. Keep stopping in and keep us posted on the progress. I admire you for being brave enough to say that you are having doubts and second thoughts.

 

[Fran27]

Can you maybe use baby gates to close access to other rooms? It's what I did with my two, it made it much easier.

About the playpen well, we got one and I wish we hadn't wasted money on it... the little bugger found out how to climb out of it in one hour Or get a HIGH one.

Anyway, hang in there and in a few months you will be so happy you did

 

[queenie521]

Lath, i have a puggle as well, we got her at 11 weeks and she is now 15.5 weeks old, so just over a month. The first two weeks were HELL but they will get better, i PROMISE!!!! One of the best things I realized was to take her out and play for a good thirty minutes with her running around and playing tug or anything just to tire her out. She will probably then gladly sleep on you while you are watching TV. I found that one of her favorite toys was one of the cheapest. Take a water bottle (or I use a 1 liter seltzer bottle) and take the label off and let her have at it! It is hours of fun for my Brinley (can be a little noisy, but she loves it and it wears her out). Also, as far as the chewing thing, I tried the kong and all sorts of bones and stuff as well. There were 2 things I have found that work like magic. One is Nylabones Healthy Edibles. She loves these things although we need to give them to her sparingly now because she has learned to eat them quicker. And Bull Pizzle....you can get this at nearly any pet store. it looks like a stick. This is her FAVORITE and we dont go anywhere without it. It is 100% natural (dont get freaked out by this but it is Bull penis.....stretched and dried). It takes her a couple of days to finish it. The only warning here is that when it is wet from her chewing on it, it SMELLS really bad, but she likes it, thats all that matters! Good luck, and if you need any more advice, give a hollar!

BTW, where did you get her? Ours is from a breeder in Oklahoma.

 

[Doberluv]

Hang in there. That's what it is like having a puppy....for all of us. My Doberman was a puppy from He!!. LOL. He couldn't be left loose at home while I was gone until he was 17 months old! Most puppies, I have experienced are usually civilized around a year old. Yes, indeed....it takes constant supervision and way less freedom for yourself. You sacrifice your usual life style for some time and invest in your puppy. The more patience you can develop, the better. And the more you can learn about how to interact and train your puppy, using that patience, calmness and effective, gentle methods, the better your bond with your pup will be. The better the bond and trust your pup has in you, the better she'll learn and become a wonderful dog.

So, keep asking for help and researching stuff. Don't forget some good exercise. When pups are a little tired out....(not exhausted) they have better behavior. Give her a "job" to do two or three times a day for just 5 minutes. Obedience training makes her mind get exercise. Physical and mental exercise is a must to help keep her on track.

Hang in there. Invest in your pup all the right things and you'll have a lovely companion dog for years to come. But yes....it's a ton of work.

 

[girlbuffalo1]

puppies

Puppies can be very stressful. I would get your sweetie to love her crate and that will give you a lot more freedom. When Wrigley was small (and not potty trained) we would go for a half hour walk in the evening--play for another half hour or so and then he would either need to lay on me or near me while we watch TV or he would go back in the crate for awhile. He didn't like this when he was small--but I would hold him there and now at 7 months if I put him up on the couch or on me he sits perfectly still and generally starts to snooze. I really think this is because I got him used to it when he was little.

Do not feel bad if a day goes by and you have only played for 15 minutes or forget a walk now and then...overall you can still be a good puppy parent and do these things. When she gets a couple months older and potty trained it becomes a lot easier as you can let her down on the floor while you watch tv and get gate off or close doors to other rooms.

You will find toys she likes...Wrigley personally likes soft things like squeeky animals and rope toys..it generally takes him a week or two before he likes them though--I put them in his crate and that makes him seem to warm up to them quicker.

Hang in there---it's tough but you can do it!

 

[laneyandme]

i had the same response to my puppy... and we almost gave her away. we had to totally change our scheduals... and we had to learn ALOT! i wasn't prepared for that and that made it all extra hard. that lasted for about the first 3 months...

Now.... she's 8months old and really a neat part of our family. we just got back from a hiking trip and she did great.

we do have a baby grate on the bathroom door, so we can leave her in there when we don't want to watch her. it works great.

i think staying honest about what's hard is the best way to go... it is hard! but it's harder when i think i have to make it easy....

hang in there... you are so right tooo: if you're used to a certain lifestyle and then it gets flipped around.. it gets you pretty quick and pretty lethel!

you are not alone in your frustration!!!

 

[lath]

westie: sounds pretty familiar, thanks for sharing, here's hoping I lose some weight too!

fran: it's funny you mention that because just today I was taking maia out to go to the bathroom and my neighbor noticed and I introduced her to him. he liked her a lot, and it just so happens that he has one of those baby gates that he didn't want! I'll try it out, but I should only use it when I am 100% positive she doesn't have to poop or pee, right?

queenie: aren't these puggles adorable? Yours looks very similar to mine also. Thanks for the tips, I'll definitely try those out. I got her from a breeder in Ohio. I got the pick out of a litter of 7 females and 1 male. She was the smallest and the cutest. Plus she passed all the checklist items I had read from a book. I did try the nylabone which she barely even touched, but it was a bigger one that was like mint flavored or something for bad breath. I'll have to try a smaller one with a different flavor.
Anyhow, thanks for the encouragement, that especially helps from a puggle owner!

doberluv: thanks for the tip, I'm going to start reading some puppy training books and go to a class to start doing those things. I'm surprised how quickly she is learning, because after just a few times making her sit before I gave her her food, she is sitting very quickly...I only have to say sit a couple times. The potty word on the other hand is taking longer to sink in. I'm measuring the time it takes for her to do her business in misquito bites now, hehe.

girlbuffalo: I've been trying to give her more exercise for that same reason. today she got all kinds of attention and playtime since I only worked half a day, so she's sleeping soundly on my lap as I type this...it's little things like that which make it seem worth the work.

laney: thanks for the encouragement

 

[jess2416]

I'm glad things are starting to improve Just keep at it (I am having to tell myself the same thing) but after a few days/weeks I am sure that you will look back at this and wonder what you would do with out maia

 

[Herschel]

Lath, i have a puggle as well, we got her at 11 weeks and she is now 15.5 weeks old, so just over a month. The first two weeks were HELL but they will get better, i PROMISE!!!! One of the best things I realized was to take her out and play for a good thirty minutes with her running around and playing tug or anything just to tire her out. She will probably then gladly sleep on you while you are watching TV. I found that one of her favorite toys was one of the cheapest. Take a water bottle (or I use a 1 liter seltzer bottle) and take the label off and let her have at it! It is hours of fun for my Brinley (can be a little noisy, but she loves it and it wears her out). Also, as far as the chewing thing, I tried the kong and all sorts of bones and stuff as well. There were 2 things I have found that work like magic. One is Nylabones Healthy Edibles. She loves these things although we need to give them to her sparingly now because she has learned to eat them quicker.

Some words of advice about the Nylabone Healthy Edibles:
-These can cause diarrhea in puppies if they eat them too quickly. Watch your dogs constantly when using them!
-They are made out of ingredients similar to Greenies, which can cause intestinal blockages if eaten whole.
-Monitor your dogs stool. If there is any sign of large pieces of the Nylabone Edible, please throw it away and switch to a Nylabone Durable.

 

[Rubylove]

Oh wow I just read this whole thread and oh, how I hear ya! Our lives changed drastically and irreversibly when we got Ruby - we didn't even make love for three weeks after we got her!!! (Lol - prob a bit too much information here ) It is like having a child. But it was also the beginning of a beautiful love affair - we even willingly went through it all again three months later when we got Chester.

All I can say is, read, research, learn and understand. It will be a love like you've never known, and I can't stress how worth it it will be - and once she's potty-trained and you `get' her a little more, and she becomes used to you, things will settle and you will wonder how you ever lived before she came into your life!

They are hard work, you have to change your life and give up quite a lot, but that all just means that you are a responsible dog owner who will have a long, loving relationship with your new best friend!

Good luck with Maia, and stick around, we'd all love to know how you're going!

 

[Doberluv]

Oh, I noticed something you said. "I only have to say "sit" a couple of times" or something like that. Here's a tip: Remember, at first dogs don't understand English the way we do. They do learn over time to make associations between words and behaviors. Don't keep repeating a command. Only say it once otherwise the command to the dog becomes, "sit, sit, sit, sit, sit." And she won't ever sit on hearing only one "sit." It will take umteen cues for her to associate the string of words to the behavior.

Forget using a cue word or command at first. Get the behavior by luring her with a treat into the sit (or whatever). Keep doing that until she is sitting easily 90% of the time. THEN start using a command one split of a second after she sits. Keep doing this for a while. Reward her the second her butt hits the ground. Or, in the case of another skill, the second she does the behavior. Don't bother giving the command before the behavior until she is understanding your lure/hand signal. Remove the treat as a lure as soon as possible and only use your hand. Give the treat with the other hand that you're not using as the "signal." When she is very reliable in giving you the behavior, then start trying the cue word before the behavior. Only say it once and if she doesn't sit, help her into the sit with your lure and then reward/praise. That pretty much goes for any skill you're teaching her. After some time, you can make your luring (hand signal) more subtle....gradually.

Beginning teaching of a new behavior or skill...sequence:

Elicit behavior (lure into position)

reward the instant the behavior occurs (or use a clicker, after learning how)

Get the behavior reliable

Add cue immediately at the instant the behavior occurs, (actually best if given a split of a second...at the tail end of the sit) (too many things for a dog to take in easily in one instance.....doing the behavior and connecting the word) But the two things; the sit and the cue word must be happening at close to the same instant to make the association.....at first.

Keep doing that until you think your dog is associating the cue with the behavior.

Then try adding the cue before the behavior. Do not repeat it. Help the dog more to sit by luring. If the dog is not responding to the cue, she has not made a definite association yet between the cue and the behavior. Go back to giving the cue with the behavior, not before. And work back up to this step.

 

[Sadie'smama]

I feel for you! I have always been a cat owner (male, Patches is 7 and female Lucky is 4), but 2 months ago we adopted a lab/border collie mix from a rescue shelter. She is now 4 months old. There are times when she is an absolute angel and times when she is the dickens! We laugh at her antics and I'm trying to get her to listen to me better. We were very lucky with housebreaking and chewing, she hasn't been too bad with those.

Anyway, just wanted to tell you to hang in there. My mom always tells me that anything worth having never came easy. Sadie is definetly worth having and I try and keep that in mind on "bad" days.

 

[showpug]

Would it make you feel better if I told you that I have three pugs, a 4 month old baby and I am getting a bulldog puppy in a week? LOL!!!! I thought it would

Puppies are worth all the blood, sweat and tears. They really are and they DO get easier...

 

[RD]

You've been given great advice. I especially second Doberluv's post. It's easier said than done, to stop repeating commands - it's a very strong behavior in primates and as natural as it may be to us, it's not normal to a dog. Dogs don't understand that you are repeating a single command because you want them to do it - they may think it sounds like an entirely new command. "Sit" is very different to a dog than "sitsitisitsitSIT!"

You also say that your dog keeps biting despite verbal reprimands. Verbal reprimands mean very little to your puppy. People think that puppies are born knowing what's right and wrong according to people, so they understand when they're being scolded. They really don't. As dogs mature, I believe they develop close connections with people and can tell when someone is not pleased, but puppies don't understand it.
The pup is probably biting for attention. Your talking to her for that behavior is inadvertently reinforcing it. She most likely doesn't understand the meaning of your reprimand (unless she has been punished for the behavior and has come to associate your angry tone with the punishment) and sees it as attention. Therefore, she's getting what she was biting you for. I know it's nearly impossible to ignore those little needle teeth digging into your skin, so try to give her something acceptable to do BEFORE she starts biting you, and reward her for her interest in the acceptable behavior. Both of my pups outgrew the biting and chewing, the difficulty was in avoiding the reinforcement of excessive biting until they no longer wanted to.
On the flipside, teaching them to mouth you gently is actually a good idea as it teaches bite inhibition. LOL, there is sooo much to raising a puppy!

Puppies are tough, I went through horrible puppy blues with my Border Collie - to the point where I really was not happy to be his momma sometimes. He was insanely, frustratingly exuberant. He was annoying. He did EVERYTHING wrong... I found myself so irritated with him sometimes, but I realize now that it wasn't his fault. He wasn't trying to be bad, he just didn't know any better. Now he's 2 years old and I honestly have never had a more intelligent, well behaved dog. The years with a well trained adult dog are well worth the rotten antics of a puppy/adolescent dog.

 

[Dizzy]

I can't add anything.

Except, that it takes time to bond too. For you two to get to know each other, and understand each other...

It DOES get easier. And everyone goes through it... I was in tears when Bo was a pup.. The "have I done the right thing????".

And yes, I did do the right thing. She is one in about 2 weeks, and a little angel.

Remember also... NEVER lose your patience. I can't stress that enough. There were times when I wanted to walk away or scream, and I bit my lip and cuddled her instead. And it PAYS off tenfold.

If you hold back all your anger, then you will end up with a happy, stress free dog.

Take up boxercise or something lol