Can you tell I'm really starting to get excited and ready tonight? It's been helping with some of the sadness of last week.
Few questions since I've never ever lived in a two dog household before...
1. Taking walks... best tips for walks with two dogs- especially one tiny? Do you suggest those like leash splitter things?
- I would do individual walks and integrate tandem walks later on when the puppy is a ways along in training. Always have individual walks also, its nice to have one on one time. Which you'll have to reproof an everything with walking them together because they tend to get more jacked up about stimuli with a buddy. It depends on whether I use the splitter or individual leashes. If I want to work specifically on heeling and its a path thats really squirell heavy or whatever I usually use individual leashes. If its a mostly deserted path and I'm using the long line they are on the splitter. Another thing to be aware of is the possibility of redirection if one of them is frustrated about something: Lily is in this ongoing pissing contest with a coonhound bitch that lives in a yard we pass and if she's frustrated about it she tries to redired onto Scout. Correcting it only amps up drive, so I've found using food reward to distract my little food ***** into doing obedience/focus work to be effective.
2. Car rides... what do you do for your dogs? Jude sits in the front now. Ideally I want them both in the back in seat belts, after someone hit me from the back this year and I was so relieved Jude wasn't in the car- but do carseats really work? My dogs will be in the car almost every day.
-I don't let them ride in front. Backseat only. If I had an SUV I would have them in crates honestly.
3. Bowls and eating- do you put them near each other? Do they share water in the beginning? Do you feed the older dog first? How can i encourage Jude to not finish his food and go over and try to steal Jonah's food other than reprimanding him?
-They are fed in crates with doors closed or on their cable tie outs when we're at my mom's. I make them kennel up at the same time before I hand out food. Feeding in crates will head off any problems at the pass.
On road trips I make everyone lay down and stay in one spot during feeding time. Nobody is allowed to move until I put everything away after they are done.
They do fine sharing water bowls.
4. New puppy and older puppy... did it work out putting the little puppy in a crate? I think that's my plan. Jude likes to sleep in the living room. Would you put Jonah in the living room in a crate or in with me?
I would make a new puppy sleep in the crate. Easiest way to crate train is to feed and sleep in the crate.
My dogs sleep in the bedroom with me and I know if I had their kennels in my room they'd probably sleep in them. As it is there are a couple dog beds they trade off on. Lily usually moves up to the bed in the wee hours of the morning.
5. When I want to clicker train the new puppy- should I give Jude something to do? Raw meaty bones and kongs outside? Or should I teach him he needs to lay and watch. He has a really hard time with this at agility classes. Tips?
I would kennel the other dog during your training sessions to start. Maybe give Jude a training session first?
Then later on have each of them lay and watch during the others' turn. It will be excellent practice for them both.
6. How do I not feel guilty!!! I want to bond with Jonah like I did with Jude- lay with him in bed sometimes- hug and kiss him- but I feel so guilty...
If you feel guilty I gauruntee Jude will figure it out and work it. You need to be able to treat them equally, don't feel guilty and don't let Jude be a jerk to the puppy.
7. Toy sharing... Jude is very much an only child. Anyway to make this easier?
Multiples of the toys. Individual toy time with very special toys. If Jude starts guarding toys, keep them picked up and have only individual toy time.
8. Any other overall tips... this is all foreign to me. I've never had two dogs before- nevermind an older puppy and a little puppy. I'm so excited- but in completely new territory. All of your advice is so, so appreciated.
Few questions since I've never ever lived in a two dog household before...
1. Taking walks... best tips for walks with two dogs- especially one tiny? Do you suggest those like leash splitter things?
- I would do individual walks and integrate tandem walks later on when the puppy is a ways along in training. Always have individual walks also, its nice to have one on one time. Which you'll have to reproof an everything with walking them together because they tend to get more jacked up about stimuli with a buddy. It depends on whether I use the splitter or individual leashes. If I want to work specifically on heeling and its a path thats really squirell heavy or whatever I usually use individual leashes. If its a mostly deserted path and I'm using the long line they are on the splitter. Another thing to be aware of is the possibility of redirection if one of them is frustrated about something: Lily is in this ongoing pissing contest with a coonhound bitch that lives in a yard we pass and if she's frustrated about it she tries to redired onto Scout. Correcting it only amps up drive, so I've found using food reward to distract my little food ***** into doing obedience/focus work to be effective.
2. Car rides... what do you do for your dogs? Jude sits in the front now. Ideally I want them both in the back in seat belts, after someone hit me from the back this year and I was so relieved Jude wasn't in the car- but do carseats really work? My dogs will be in the car almost every day.
-I don't let them ride in front. Backseat only. If I had an SUV I would have them in crates honestly.
3. Bowls and eating- do you put them near each other? Do they share water in the beginning? Do you feed the older dog first? How can i encourage Jude to not finish his food and go over and try to steal Jonah's food other than reprimanding him?
-They are fed in crates with doors closed or on their cable tie outs when we're at my mom's. I make them kennel up at the same time before I hand out food. Feeding in crates will head off any problems at the pass.
On road trips I make everyone lay down and stay in one spot during feeding time. Nobody is allowed to move until I put everything away after they are done.
They do fine sharing water bowls.
4. New puppy and older puppy... did it work out putting the little puppy in a crate? I think that's my plan. Jude likes to sleep in the living room. Would you put Jonah in the living room in a crate or in with me?
I would make a new puppy sleep in the crate. Easiest way to crate train is to feed and sleep in the crate.
My dogs sleep in the bedroom with me and I know if I had their kennels in my room they'd probably sleep in them. As it is there are a couple dog beds they trade off on. Lily usually moves up to the bed in the wee hours of the morning.
5. When I want to clicker train the new puppy- should I give Jude something to do? Raw meaty bones and kongs outside? Or should I teach him he needs to lay and watch. He has a really hard time with this at agility classes. Tips?
I would kennel the other dog during your training sessions to start. Maybe give Jude a training session first?
Then later on have each of them lay and watch during the others' turn. It will be excellent practice for them both.
6. How do I not feel guilty!!! I want to bond with Jonah like I did with Jude- lay with him in bed sometimes- hug and kiss him- but I feel so guilty...
If you feel guilty I gauruntee Jude will figure it out and work it. You need to be able to treat them equally, don't feel guilty and don't let Jude be a jerk to the puppy.
7. Toy sharing... Jude is very much an only child. Anyway to make this easier?
Multiples of the toys. Individual toy time with very special toys. If Jude starts guarding toys, keep them picked up and have only individual toy time.
8. Any other overall tips... this is all foreign to me. I've never had two dogs before- nevermind an older puppy and a little puppy. I'm so excited- but in completely new territory. All of your advice is so, so appreciated.
