Thank you to you both for your kind words. I have both my previous boys ashes in decorative urns - I can't bear to part with them.
I understand. I lost my first dog seven years ago and her ashes are in a box on a shelf in my living room.
I refound this post especially to say "wow, what a difference a month makes!" I look at Libby now sitting and staying waiting for her cue to move; standing patiently at the back door for her wee; waiting at the bottom of the stairs (mostly); letting me out of the room without barging through; sitting if we turn our back on her; lying on her mat while I cook etc; getting better at walking to heel (more or less) and wonder if I have the same dog! So, message is: it does get better, much better!
Awesome update! Bessie's 20 weeks and at the moment I need some hope! She's so pretty; do you have a new pic of her?
21-23 weeks was the biggest turnaround! She started listening and responding and I took better charge of telling her what to do. For example, she isn't going to decide herself that she should sit and watch as I load the dishwasher rather than lick all the plates so I make a definite point of telling her where to sit and keep saying stay while having hotdog or chicken ready as a reward. I'm sure much of it is us learning too! I'll try to sort a pic. I don't think she's changed much though. X
I am in the same position! My little guy is 9 weeks old, and some days I feel like we made a big mistake in getting him. Love him to death, but he is SO much work. I have recently started popping him in his pen at 8:00 every night. We go outside at about 730-745 and run, run, run as much as we can. Tires him out and by the time we come in, he's ready to lay down and sleep. It also gives me time to wind down before bed, and I don't feel so frustrated. He is booked to get his shots on November 12th, and after that he will be in the clear to go to work with my OH during the week! He'll be free to run around they're yard to his hearts content. Then come home and snuggle me until bed time. Hoping things get better for you!
Maybe there is something in a name...... I have a 'Libby' who is turning 4 months this week. I have never had a dog who bites like she does. I'm sure others have heard me complain here. I know it is all in play but her biting is so hard and it hurts so bad! People see my hands and they're horrified and then I show them my ankles! Especially worse during the 'zoomie' hour(s) in the evening but happens other times too. The obedience trainer says to put her in 'time out', i.e. behind the baby gate, for 20-30 seconds. Yeah, right. She is WAAAY smarter than that. The other night, I went behind the baby gate. That really confused her! We started puppy obedience last week and the one thing I have found that sort of starts to bring her around is when she sees me get the clicker and the treat pouch out. She is pretty much 'at attention' at that point. Then we can work on some commands and that has started making things a bit better.
Stick with it. Careful training every day to tire him mentally as well. It will seem like forever but actually it's just a couple of months they're so exhausting! This forum is a lifesaver (the puppy's life lol) xx
She is so darling! Good to hear about 21-23 weeks. I'm seeing some improvement, but some regression -- I just went away for 2 days, left them with a house sitter. She was reliably house trained for over a week before I left, but now she's gone back to peeing and even pooping inside. Ugh. I need to work on mat training and waiting at the door. We've been a bit behind because we have to put a lot of time in on leaving her in the crate without crying/whining. Biting hasn't been her thing, not too badly, anyway - just when we're coming in from a walk, she wants to go for the ankles.
Note to self: when you go home for lunch to check on your dog, don't leave your purse in a place where she can get to it.... my eyeglass case and phone case took a big hit while I was eating my lunch. She drug them both upstairs where I wouldn't see her. Already been on Amazon to order a new phone case................................
This is what happens when you tangle a skein of yarn, a toilet brush, and a hairbrush..........................................
I've only had time to read a few of these, but will get back to read them all. It's so refreshing that we are all in this together. I've thought these things too. We've had Hank for 2 months now, he's 10 months on the 2nd. Since his first 7 months were spent in a dog run with not much interaction, he is just now learning how to be a puppy. So although he's 10 months old, he's acting like he is 4 months - but at the size of a 10 month. He's jumping up on the couch, chewing anything he can get his mouth on, counter surfing - all of it. We just added another baby gate yesterday and I have officially picked up everything within his reach. It's fun, it's hard, and I'm sure it will be rewarding. Going from a senior lab of 13 years (who was AMAZING) to this is quite an adjustment.
