Potty Training - A Reality Check!

I had an email from a visitor to my website this week that got me thinking. Here's an excerpt from what she had to say.....

'I have an 8 wk old puppy that I've had for 3 days..... He NEVER asks to go potty ...  I get up twice a night  and spend my days cleaning up after him & taking him OUT every half hour It's not working .... how do I make him understand that he needs to go potty OUTSIDE?'

 It's not that I'm surprised by what she's asking, in fact I hear the same question over and over again.

But it only just struck me today how unprepared for reality first-time puppy owners truly are when it comes to housebreaking.... and that leads to all sorts of confusion and frustration.

So, reality check, what this new owner is describing is ABSOLUTELY NORMAL FOR AN 8 WEEK OLD PUPPY - sorry, don't mean to shout, but wanted to be heard :) 

No matter what you might read in a book, or online, or in a big-name doggie magazine - you cannot housebreak a puppy in 7 days, or 10, or even in a month.

Just won't happen... well for 99.999999% of puppies anyway, there's always going to be the rare exception but I doubt you or I are going to own him.

Potty training a puppy takes a lot of time, patience, energy, consistency and... yes more time and patience! Some smart puppies will begin to 'get it' after a few days, or maybe a couple of weeks, but many more won't.

They're babies, running on instinct and with immature nerve or impulse control, this means they need to be shown what you expect them to do... and they need the time and encouragement to learn, one step at a time.

Crate training really helps, but it's not a magic bullet. No matter how you look at it, housebreaking is work and you're going to spend a lot of time on it, and lose some sleep into the bargain.

BUT, it's absolutely worth the effort. An untrained puppy is a nuisance and makes life messy, and untrained adult dog is impossible to live with... unless he spends all his time outdoors and that's not a happy life for him.

If more prospective puppy owners knew this it would make for fewer frustrated parents and fewer confused puppies. That could only be a good thing.

So, I'm just putting this out there in the hope that I'll reach some prospective puppy parents, and save them a heartache or two.

And maybe it will even help some who are in the early days and wondering what on earth is wrong with their pup - or their teaching methods.

If you follow the links in the above paragraphs you'll be taken to webpages that are jam-packed full of tips and advice to make housetraining your pup a whole lot easier.

Good luck. Hang in there, you'll get there, given time :)












 

Is your new puppy scared?

It's not unusual for a new puppy to be scared, anxious, lonely or homesick for the first few days after you bring him home, after all he's just been through a LOT of changes.

If you think about it from his point of view his feelings are totally understandable!

He's just left his momma and siblings and the only home he's ever known to move in with a set of complete strangers - it's enough to frighten anyone, let alone a puppy who's the equivalent of a human toddler.

But puppies are resilient little creatures and they usually bounce back very quickly and are no worse for the experience.

A few, naturally anxious pups, can be overwhelmed by their fears and need gentle and understanding treatment (but NOT coddling) so that they can develop the self confidence they need to be happy.

I've covered these issue in two new pages on my website:

Understanding Your Scared Puppy

Puppy Separation Anxiety

Luckily our little Milly (featured in the post directly below this one) hasn't had any such worries - she's super confident. But I have had puppies before who were anxious enough to shut out the world and sleep 24/7 or refuse to come out of their crate at all!

That's worrying for a new parent, and can be tricky to deal with. Luckily if you follow a few simple steps you can make sure that the worry is soon a thing of the past and that your new pup grows up to be a happy and confident adult dog.

Introducing Milly :)

Milly at 9 weeks

Milly at 8 weeks

Who can resist the cuteness factor of a brand new puppy?

Not me, that's for sure.

Thought I'd share some of that around by introducing the newest addition to our family!

This is Milly, my middle son's English Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

She is just a little firecracker :)  Full of energy, mischief and joy. Springs in her short little legs and a big grin on her face at all times.

Welcome, new grand-puppy - we're so glad to meet you.

Heartworm Prevention - Time To Get Started!

April is 'Heartworm Prevention Month' and that makes this an ideal time to talk about making sure your puppy or dog is protected from these nasty, disgusting parasites.

Look at that heart to the right, THAT's what heartworms do.... and it's clear why this condition is so deadly.

But there's a really simple way to make sure your pet doesn't become a tragic statistic, all you need to do is give him a heartworm preventative on a monthly basis.

Heartworms are spread by infected mosquitoes and it takes about 6 months from being infected for a dog to develop symptoms. By that point he is already very sick.

Depending on where you live, you may only need to give a heartworm preventative for 6 months of the year, in other locations it might be wise to do it year round. Your vet can give you more advice on this based on your own area.

I've covered this topic in detail on my website and I'd recommend checking out this page All About Heartworms in Dogs to get the info. you need to keep your pet safe.

When it comes to preventing the problem, there are a whole range of products to choose from, the most well-known one being Heartgard.

Many of them contain Ivermectin which can cause dangerous reactions in some breeds, particularly collies and sheepdogs. If you own one of these then you would be better to try a product such as Trifexis Chewables or Advantage Multi


Again, there's lots more information on preventing and treating heartworm on my website, this page has what you need to know.....Heartworm Prevention.

Please don't skimp on this, heartworms are really, REALLY, dangerous and as they're so preventable it seems a crime that any dog should suffer!

Easter Goodies & Your Puppy

Easter is almost here, and if you're anything like me you're looking forward to some chocolate-overload :)

Puppies may look adorable in Easter baskets, dressed up in bunny ears, or with candy-colored collars or bling..... but in real life, chocolate and dogs do not make for a happy combination.

In fact, if your dog eats any of the chocolate (or other candy goodies) that you have around the house this weekend, then he is at serious risk of poisoning.... even death.

Did you know that just 1oz (which is about one square) of  dark chocolate could be fatal to a dog who weighs 10lbs? Semi-sweet or milk chocolate is also toxic, but it takes a little more to cause serious problems. For example a 10 lb dog would be in serious danger after eating approx. 10oz of milk chocolate, or only 2oz of semi-sweet.

Scary isn't it? And very good reason to make sure all the cocoa-y goodness in your home is kept well out of Fido's reach!

Although chocolate is the most well-known culprit when it comes to candy-toxicity in dogs, other hard candies, chewing gum and assorted sweets can cause trouble, especially if they contain the artificial sweetener 'Xylitol' which is also poisonous to dogs.

You can get all the info. you need to keep your pet safe this Easter on this page... Help, My Dog Ate Chocolate! 

But your pup/dog can still join in the fun if you treat him to some of his very own Easter goodies! Here are some yummy, dog-friendly gourmet treats that will make him one happy pup..

 
Dog Easter Basket


Dog Easter Bunny Box

There's no such thing as a free puppy!

Let me clarify that.... you might be able to bring home a puppy without spending any money, but that little guy is going to cost you (big time) sooner or later.

This is a fact there's no getting away from, and I can totally vouch for it's accuracy because our family includes four dogs right now, none of whom have any regard for the welfare of my bank account :)

Obviously if you want a purebred puppy then you know you're going to need to invest a sizeable chunk of change - and rightly so, if the pup has excellent bloodlines, has been properly raised and cared for, and is a stellar representative of his breed. You can expect to pay anywhere between $1000 and $3000 for a puppy like this, possibly even more.

But if you think getting a pup from the mixed breed litter your neighbor is giving away for free is going to make dog ownership a low-cost proposition, think again!

A medium-sized dog who doesn't have any major health issues is likely to live for somewhere between 12 and 15 years, and during that time he's going to cost you around $18,000 and $21,000... and no, those are not typo's.

One of the things I hear from new puppy owners a lot, is the lament 'I can't afford to take him to the vet right now but my puppy is sick, what can I do?' This breaks my heart and makes me mad at the same time.

That puppy needs professional help, and not getting it could easily cost him his life. To my mind that is not okay, anytime, anywhere.

BOTTOM LINE IS THIS:
If you can't afford to get a puppy the help he needs if he's sick (or a nutritious food, or formal training classes, or safe sturdy toys etc. etc.) then you can't afford a puppy - even if he's FREE.

Sorry if that sounds blunt, but it's the truth.

When we go on vacation it costs us almost as much to board our dogs at the local Pet Resort as it does to 'board' us at a decent hotel, but that's just part of the deal we make when we choose to share our lives with pets :)

If you'd like to find out how I arrived at those staggering figures above, check out this page on my website. There's a breakdown for you there and a lot more information on The Cost of Dog Ownership. Every potential puppy owner should read it because, like a Boy Scout, it's best to always be prepared!

'Babies' are hard work!

Milly at 8 weeks

One of my sons has just become a proud daddy - to a gorgeous English Staffy pup called Milly.... and I'm lucky enough to have added another 'grand-puppy' to my family.

My son waited a long time for this pup because he knew exactly what he wanted and searched high and low until he found the look, temperament, bloodlines and personality he had his heart set on.

This kid (well, he's in his mid twenties now, but I'm his mom so you know what I mean) isn't known for his patience, so I'm proud of him for that.

A dog is a living, breathing, feeling creature and I truly believe it's a huge privilege to be able to buy another living thing. It's also an enormous responsibility to hold that little life in your hands and we have to live up to the  love, trust and faith that a dog instinctively puts in us.

Adding a puppy or dog to your family is something that should never be done on the spur of the moment, and without lots of thought, planning and preparation!

But even with all that in place, the demands of puppy parenthood can be a shock!

We've raised many puppies, and always had dogs in our home, so my son knew roughly what to expect, but like any new parent a week into life with a new baby, he's exhausted.... his nerves are a little jangled.... and his wallet is considerably lighter.

The good news is that he's totally besotted with his baby :)

Getting the potty training off on the right foot means he's waking up several times a night to take Milly outside... and this is a man who NEEDS his sleep. Preventing housebreaking accidents means watching a lively, feisty little pup like a hawk every single minute she's not crated, or being held.

A tummy upset which featured vomiting and watery diarrhea sent him scrambling to the emergency vet clinic with fears of the dreaded Parvo ricocheting around in his head. Thankfully a bacterial infection that is responding to antibiotics and anti-diarrhea medicines was to blame. Big sigh of relief, but an unexpected vet bill that adds up to several hundred dollars is the price of this good news.

Yep... this puppy care stuff can be a challenge, even when you know what to expect!

I've been thinking about this today and I wish that all potential puppy parents had some idea of what they're about to take on BEFORE they bring that new little bundle of joy into their lives......

Puppies are not soft toys who just sit there on the bed and look cute! They need to pee and poop - a LOT ( and aren't too worried about where they do it), they nip your fingers and rip your pant legs, they chew the table legs and rip up the rug, they wake you up half a dozen times at night and scare you half to death by getting the 'squirts', they need 100% of your time and attention 100% of the time........

That's not to say they don't do all this while looking adorable, but raising a puppy is W-O-R-K, no two ways about it.