minimax

I think I have read so many books/articles on crate training and the do's and donts that I have become a little bit of a control freak about following things to a tee. My partner and I have to do some grocery shopping today, so will leave him in his crate pushed up against the dog door and see where he ends up. If he keeps going outside I'll just let him sleep where he wants during the day. I guess as long as he goes toilet in the right place (which he seems to be getting an has been doing very well in) then I should just let him be.

Thanks guys, having a puppy is much harder then I remember it being!!

I know how you feel! And a lot of the dog people seem to view not crate training as a failure, which puts more pressure on things.

Once I got a bit more relaxed with my crate training ideas, I got a lot happier and so did my pup. She now sleeps in the kitchen and sleeps all the way through the night, as opposed to the 2 or 3 wee breaks during the night. She's pee pad trained but tends to hold on not pee during the night.

It just takes time!

Minimax and Megan - I personally don't mind if he sleeps outside during the day, I just thought that would defeat the purpose of crate training so he learns where an appropriate toilet place is and not to soil where he sleeps.

I have also read a few posts on here that say young puppies shouldn't be left alone outside unattended because it's not safe?

I have fenced off a small section of garden and am heading to bunnings to buy some chicken wire to cover the sandy areas because he has also taken a liking to eating rocks, so am going to cover them up. Maybe I should start leaving him out during the day then and bringing him in when we are home, crate only for night.

Edited because I missed out words, I think faster then I can type!

Crate training doesn't mean he has to sleep in the crate every single time he sleeps. As long as he's okay in there when you put him in there. But don't forget - he's only been with you a few days!

Sleeping under a tree is also probably a lot cooler than the crate, depending on what's in it and where it is.

I tried to make the crate my pups "happy place" but 99.99999% of the time she won't go in there to sleep voluntarily, she decided her den would be under the dining roon table, not the crate. And because I'm more about her being safe and happy rather than sticking to my strict crate training ideas - I let her keep under the table as her happy place.

If you were trapped in one spot all night (the crate), would you be likely to go there voluntarily if there were better options available (ie: under a tree or under a table?).

My pup is now 5 months old and it really took a lot of work for me to let go of my "I must crate train and I must do this and this and this" and relax a bit. Though I still feel like a failure because she cries and screams if she's crated during the day, even for 1 minute lol

edited to add: puppies naturally won't want to toilet where they sleep - it's more about teaching where the appropriate place to toilet is, rather than teaching where NOT to go (in my opinion. some may disagree). Sleeping in a crate when no one is home isn't teaching him where to pee.

I thought this was a really good plan until I realized how much he likes outdoors and how he'll choose to fall asleep anywhere BUT the crate. When I go to work I obviously won't be able to watch and correct him like I am know so he could learn some bad behaviours.

Why does he have to sleep in the crate during the day? Why is it so bad if he sleeps somewhere he loves? Doesn't it matter more if he's happy, rather than sleeping during the day in the "right" place?

If you were looking after someones puppy for them, whether just for the day or for a few days/overnight what info or instructions would you want left?

I've done some sheets up with all her vet details, and will attach copies of her vaccination details and microchip details, but I can't think of anything else someone would want or need to know.

I've listed what her usual diet is, what she's allergic to (nothing), her favourite games and toys, and any little "personality quirks" she has - what else should someone know?

I've never seen my Pug eat - the second the bowl hits the floor, it's empty.

Okay, seriously though. She inhales her food so fast that I can put the bowl down and walk back to the kitchen, and she can beat me back to the kitchen, having already finished.

I can't believe that clip is getting so much publicity - poor dog, it's just a poo!

I like the bags on the rolls that fit into the bag holders (ie: bags on board etc) but they are SO expensive. Luckily my pup doesn't poop much on walks so we don't go through many, but having the holder with them attached to the leash means I don't forget to take them.

For those that use nappy bags or normal plastic bags, do you guys just keep them in your pocket, or how do you remember to take them when you go out?

Please help cause I can't go without sleeping anymore!!

You have a puppy - get used to the lack of sleep!

But it's not too late to start working on a routine you want her in. My pup is now 5 months old and only in the last few weeks have we found a sleeping/nighttime routine that works best for us both.

Getting there took a lot of work, time, and very early mornings (and then some earplugs).

My tips: wear her out. Yes she's a pup and she needs lots of sleep, but if she gets too much sleep during the day she won't be tired at night (or will be in the awake for a few/asleep for a few routine, which is seems like she is naturally).

She's only a baby and just came from mum, so she will be lonely and scared at night. give her something that smells like you - a tshirt or something to snuggle with, and maybe a radio on low for some noise.

Is she being crate trained, or where will she be sleeping? Keep her near you, and wake her up to pee on your schedule.

It's trial and error - but to teach crying won't get her anything means you have to let her cry it out.

Do you know your neighbors? Can you pop over (with a bottle of wine and some earplugs for them!) and explain you have a new pup and things could be a bit noisy for a while?

Good luck. And we need pics of your new baby!

Never heard of it, but considering it has over 12 lines of ingredients, and the second one being corn - I doubt it's fantastic.

Depending on how many you go through, try ebay. There are always cheap rolls there, you usually find them in packs of 30 rolls or more though.

read the above and take careful note.

the lack of communication referred to is the fact that the owner was NEVER told the nature of the complaint.

This seems a bit OT for this thread?

Update, l just got home from a weekend of showing and found a reply to my return email with a phone number, l rand the number and it's a Tassie number listing says the pup is in Melbourne. Anyway the guy asked which puppy l wanted to buy and when l questioned if he was in Tassie or Melbourne he insisted he was in Melbourne and l could collect the puppy from the city then he hung up

So, from the initial email when they said lots of people were after the pup and you had to basically pass their test, to just being able to pick up the pup? If you were close to Melbourne I'd say yes I'll take her and see what happens!

Sad that people will go to these lengths to try and scam someone :/

Poor little guy. If he let you continue he can't have been too traumatised, so that's something. I'd never do my pups nails, purely because they are black. The vet does them whenever we're there and it saves us all a lot of hassle.

Any butcher would sell them?

Hasn't anyone else found a stray with a phone number, only to find that the number has been disconnected . . . anyone know what fraction of the microchipped dogs out there have up-to-date contacts?

Sure, not everyone has, or knows how to use, a smartphone. But there are probably 1000+ smart phones out there for every microchip scanner. And the teens and 20 somethings know how to use them even if you don't.

The really big advantage of this product is that it lets you update information instantly. For example, my sister's dog escaped from the back of the car when it was parked when she was halfway through a ~400 km trip. With this sort of tag she could have, in effect, sent a message to whoever found the dog, giving up to date contact details and offering a reward.

QR technology is a bit new . . . but it's growing rapidly.

Oh I think it has advantages, for sure. But in conjunction with other ID forms not as a replacement.

I'd never rely on one of these over a good old fashioned phone number engraved on a tag for the reason AussieDog mentioned - not everyone has smart phones. You might say "well most people have smart phones" but if you lose your dog don't you want everyone to be able to access the info?

l decided to contatced the seller myself and enquire about the pup they are selling using my microchip number, below is the reply l got.

Hi there,

Coco is a purebred american cocker spaniel puppy aged 13weeks,She is up to date on shots,micro chipped,not fix,wells socialized toilet trained and house broken.She will be coming with all her accessories and papers.I bought Coco from a breeder in Queensland,when she was just 5weeks.She likes playing with kids and even befriend strangers and other animals,as she would play very much with the kids we meet every time we go for walks at the park.Coco is like a kid to me now,I won't spent most of the day with her,feeding and training her following the instructions on the manual given to me when I got her from Jason(breeder),because i have no time to take care of her,Coco is a little bug that you would want to have as a companion,when you think of a cocker spaniel with a gorgeous face and good complexion on her coat,Its Coco you think of.photos will prove am right.She is good with humans,obedient and devoted.submissive and befriend children very well as mentioned above.Its very difficult and painful for me to give her away just now,but honestly I cannot do otherwise than getting a very nice home where she will be happy.

I am willing to accept $650 as re homing fee for her and all accessories,not leaving out any.

I know there are a lot of families out there just like yours,who are interested in Coco,but I really need to make sure she get the right home by imposing an adoption fee and asking a few questions like the oneslisted below.

What experience have you on this breed in general?

Will you be willing to send me,or her breeder photos as she grows?That's what i have been doing since I had Coco from Jason.

How many hours at most will Coco spend alone if you were to get her?

If you can assure me to take good care of Coco by giving convincing answers,we can take it from there and see where it leads us to.I have no problem organizing her transportation to you.let me know where you are located.

looking forward to your response.

Regards

Can you ask her for a copy of her microchip papers from the vet, just to confirm? Say you've been scammed before and are really wary of things so you like to double check everything. Especially as she said she got her at 5 weeks, which sound so dodgy it's not funny. And she just wants "convincing answers", not "honest answers"?

I'm in the process of figuring out how to teach my 5 month old Pug to ignore a specific object (a teddybear). My current idea is using an undesirable scent on him so she isn't compelled to maul him, as she does her own toys, but I've not found a scent she doesn't like! Once she even stole the scent pad I pinned on him and tried to eat it (at least she ignored the bear, but that wasn't the point lol)

We're working on a generic "leave it" command which we are struggling with because if she breaks the "leave it" it's self rewarding as she gets the treat early. I've tried restraining her (ie: with leash or harness) and only releasing her on the command, but then once the leash or harness is off, all bets are off and "leave it" doesn't exist in her mind. So that isn't going to work for the specific teddybear and I'm running out of ideas.

I don't train using negative associations, so I'm out of ideas on how to create an undesirable association (or similar) with a specific object. Or is it not about doing that, but something else?

So, help? lol Thanks :D

For a bit of background, or to explain a little about why I need her to learn not to kill this bear - https://www.facebook.com/charley.bunnybear

It worries me that people put so much trust in vets (and human doctors too for that matter) and take their word for things without doing any research. I'd never take a medication without first looking into it myself, and same for my pup.

I mean, just look at the food most vets recommend you feed your dog - how could you trust the word of someone who recommends you feed your dog foods loaded with chemicals used in nail polish remover, paint, and fertaliser?

Yep - I haven't found one I am totally happy with either. For instance I would like to be given some ideas about why he may be having skin problems instead of just treating with an injection which in hindsight I don't think was warranted. As for the annual heartworm injection I find it hard to understand why people can't just get a cheap calendar and keep it on their kitchen bench - it only takes a couple of minutes to mark the same day each month with the necessary treatments. Maybe people don't have calendars and diaries any more

On the other hand - I don't know anyone that doesn't use a mobile phone, and all mobile phones have reminders/calendars! There really shouldn't be an excuse for forgetting a routine tablet, it takes 2 seconds and is easy as (well, it is for me as my pup thinks all medications are just another yummy treat).

Perhaps some here would be better off putting their energy into actually rescuing, not having a go at someone over a photo.

Agreed. For the time spent whinging over a photo, one could have donated their time and energy to a service or done something positive.

In my opinion, you don't pose with pride over the death of anything. Whether it's deemed necessary or not. Show some respect!

He's not showing pride over the death, nor did he say he was.

If he was frowning you would have people up in arms saying he's against the eradication of feral cats, he can't catch a break either way.

How many people here have photos of themselves, or their husbands, smiling proudly whilst bbq'ing steak? I hope not, I'd hate to see you smiling over a dead piece of animal.

Minimax I believe you have a pug and it is generally accepted among pug circles that you don't give pugs the annual heartworm as they are one of the breeds who can and do have serious reactions to it.

I do have a pug, yes. I was already pretty sure the vet wasn't going anywhere near my 6 month old with the injection, but now I'm extremely sure!

WTF!, who are you people? and what are you doing on a "animal rescue site:??

Anyone who enjoys killing animals has NO PLACE in ANY business associated with other animals!!

How do your animals like their vegan diet?

Love this thread. Have just ordered a snuggle BarkaParka for my pup! I've been looking at the enclosed cat beds for her because she loves to get into cozy spots to sleep (anywhere but her crate! so I think she will love the snuggle BarkaParka.

Mostly she's happy to snuggle into an old tshirt of mine, or mums dressing gown to sleep, but I'd feel better if she had a "real" bed lol

Her favourite beds: