chloebear

With my previous dog, it was really cold one winter (outdoor dog) so I gave her my old feather duna, still remember her kennel in the morning, it looked like it had snowed. The only way I could clean it our was to use a leaf blower, so I got covered in feathers. To my luck so far, my puppy hasn't ate her bed, but I am sure it is comming, so I have already brought spare covers. At the moment she is probably to busy destroying everything else, to worry about ruining her bed.

I love Kongs, she now gets her breakfeast packed into a kong, takes her between 30min to 90mins to get all the stuff out. When she is looking a little bored when I am inside doing different activities with kids, I use a small red kong, just fits a chicken neck in very tight - so far she hasn't worked out how to get it out, after an hour, I feel sorry for her and use a screwdriver to loosen it slightly. I like the idea of haning the chicken frame, just gotta work out where (we don't have much like growing trees, for some reason all of us are stunted growth.

My previous dog always burried her bones, but we never got maggots, they just stunk us out when she reteived them and always started to eat them up wind from us......

Rolled up sleeves and started the puppy proofing this morning, plus she got her breakfeast in a kong, about 30 minutes and she is still trying to get all of her breakfeast out, starting to think maybe I packed it a little too well.

Went to town today and got a couple of new toys for her, plus some puppy proofing items for my home. I plan to up the training to try and tire her out. I am planning to have a look at Auzzie toys tomorrow and see what I can find that might help to keep her entained. Plus tomorrow is the big clean up, to puppy proof the outside of how home as much as I can............and to start training the kids and OH to not leave things laying around (this could prove harder than training the puppy)

sorry can't offer any advice, but I am crossing my fingers and toes hoping for the best.

I can't beleive she just jumped into my patio, with the layout of my house I have no idea of where else I can keep shoes etc, especially with my husbands really smelly shoes. It seems to be no matter what I do, she out smarts me, between her and the toddler I think I am going to lose the plot very soon. On a positive note OH home for two weeks, hopefully he can take some pressure of me, by making some kind of progress with her either that or we will both be driven nuts.

I used an electric collar with my previous dog, worked whilst she had it on, but latter found out the problem wasn't my dog, she was being stirred up by a roaming dog that was sitting on the other side of her kennel eating her bones......I felt really bad.

I had just gone through and cleaned my patio up from the last lot of chewing by my puppy, area looked great. So I decided to shut patio gates to keep puppy out, but she had just jumped over the gates..........at the moment I don't think words can describe what I am feeling as I am typing this I have just heard her destroying something else.

She is 6 months old and large breed, how far can I walk her as to not do her damage to her hips etc?

I am so happy for you! I only hope that Holly and I have some good news to report soon, she is driving me crazy.

You guys must have been reading my mind, I decided whilst at Kids party that when I got home I was going to ask for a list of things to get to keep her occupied, so please keep the suggestions coming. I have decided to drive to town tomorrow to get some things to puppy proof the area's that she has access to, large plastic crates (with lids) for shoes, some more toys for her. So Please keep the suggestions comming, because, before I leave for town tomorrow I am going to log on, and write a list................of items to puppy proof my home (outside), and items to get to keep her entained.

Yep, you win, OMG if my puppy ate my bed I think I would totally lose it. OH has time off over Christmas so we are going to change layout of yard, patio etc to allow her area to run without having access to patio - her destruction zone.

Thanks everyone for your idea's, trust me I am going to give them a good go. Have also read a number of the links that I have been given, I am looking forward to trying clicker training, I am going to buy one when in town next so I can start. Tried playing with puppy this morning for about 30 minutes, but sadly this time of morning she shows little interest more interested in where her food bowl is. As I was tiping this I could hear her destroying something, said no in a firm voice she put it down and took a couple of steps backs. She has also started to chew the earth wire to the house, I have now blocked it off.

Tomorrow is a new day, I am going to be positive and start trick training, thanks for you help and support.

thanks so much

Thanks CavNrott, I must admit today I really needed to hear something positive. I knew when I saw Holly that she would be a challenge, but I honestly had no idea how much. But in saying that how could I leave her there to die, but I feel horrible for saying my life was so much simplier before I got her. I have never walked away from a challenge before and I am not going to turn my back on her either. I am just hoping tommorrow is a better day. Today I feel totally deflated with the whole situation. All I can say is thanks so much to everyone for their support, I don't know what I would do without it.

Before joining DOL I have never even heard the term "clicker training" when the kids are asleep shall try searching for it, to be honest I don't even have a clue what it is - just know it is something that you do with a dog. I will start trying to teach her more tricks etc, we have started working on stay. Must admit I am not very creative, and had no idea of how to stimulate her, so I will definately try your ideas. I need all the help I can get, at the moment I feel like a failure, I am trying but not suceeding.

I have spoken with two dog trainers re correspondence training, but given my dogs issues, they have advised that they need to see her. So far havn't been able to track down a trainer, with good recommendations in the Mackay region (largest closest city)

This is going to sound terrible, to say the least. But trying to convince my OH that we need to get help with her is going to be the biggest problem. When it comes to training my OH and I are completly opposite, I don't know what to do, it is just getting out of control.

With my puppy, I was advised to use Intercept instead of Heartworm needle. Children are the same, if unwell or running fever they shouldn't be vaccinated.

My dog got her vaccinations and heartworm needle at the same time. But with my new puppy, I couldn't get her desexed and vaccinated at the same time.

I shall start making her run more, try and wear her out, I feel bad about locking her in her kennel or run it is about 2x3mtrs. Should I start putting her in her kennel when I am not outside with her. I will also look into clicker training, I am willing to try anything.

I just read your post following mine. I too say ditto to what you advised. Crate training with the dog inside with family is the very best way to bond with a pup I think. The pup grows up as a member of the pack and learns his position in that pack. There is no way that the puppy can come inside, my OH has a zero tolerance policy with dogs inside, both me and the dog would be homeless. Especially considering my son gets an allergy to contact with dogs, after being outside he needs to be sponged down or he comes up in rash.

I have noticed that a number of people have suggested that I need to be more structured in the way that I deal with Holly, can someone please explain what you mean? Sorry I am confussed