If anyone feels trapped - for me it was Incarceration Kitchen - you can find me on FB and hopefully feel a bit better and get a laugh. I started posting in early February and posted from the kitchen ottoman daily for a long time. Those were some dark days. Fast forward to 5 months old and while there are still some challenges, as everyone has said, SO much better. Niki Bohne and mention that you are in this forum and I’ll accept the request.
Yes I was incarcerated in the kitchen for several months - as you say dark moments - thought I’d never escape.
I too loved in the kitchen for a few months as Inky chewed stuff such a lot. I got a crate and he got used to that fairly quickly. I live on my own so from the first day had to leave him alone to shower etc. I also left him and walked round the block from the first, feeling he'd have to be left at times. Maybe this was wrong and maybe he howled but it was very short periods to start with and he was always settled when I got home.
I live alone as well. It was a special kind of hell! (Said with ❤️). I think there’s a bit of howling involved in crate training. Like pulling off a plaster - do it sooner rather than later!
I live in the kitchen for five months a year lol (I have a new pup every year, number seven is due in July). But I’m lucky in that we have a large kitchen with chairs, TV etc. I’m always glad to get back in the front room ‘tho - and so is Tatze, as she loves to snuggle on the sofa with me .
I must say, I never experienced incarceration kitchen, as it were. From day 1 I set up Gimli's pen in my living room and sure, there's been a few accidents in the initial few weeks but for the most part there's been no problems with the setup. A quick update for those that are following along: I eventually took Gimli into the emergency vet on Sunday, they did an xray and did notice some 'suspicious dark patches' in his stomach so ended up keeping him overnight to be safe. Roll on Monday and they still weren't sure whether it was something to be concerned about or just food, however he was completely fine in every other aspect so they let me take him home and recommended I keep a close eye on him today, which I have been doing. Luckily he's been perfectly fine all day today so it seems I may have been a bit over cautious on Sunday, but hey, getting the peace of mind was worth it. He's actually been a complete dream today and I can confidentally say its the first day where he's behaved like the dog I envisaged when I first got him. We've been for 3 short walks today and every one he walked calmly beside me 90% of the time, whereas before he was always stop start stop start or trying to pick up everything on the ground. He seems to be getting much more comfortable in his own company, I've been able to shower and do a number of other things around the house without him pestering me or whining when I put him in his pen. He's been responding really well to his training, infact I'm running out of things to teach that aren't too much for a pup his age. Crocopup has also been pretty minimal too, which my arms and ears are really thankful for. I'm hoping this is an actual breakthrough and not just an exception but today has certainly given me a lot to feel positive about!
My Labrador is nearly 7 months ,I have days where I just wanna do nothing and lie on the sofa!!Its exhausting and am glad when my hubby and daughter are here to play with him lol..working on leash pulling..hopefully will get there...god it’s hard but people keep telling me it will get better ,hang on in there.Yes you can never do any housework the place is abit messy but hey ho...I have to wait till my child gets in from school and wash my hair!!
@Eva A You're lucky you have others who can take over for a bit when you need a break! I'm doing this all on my own
14 weeks: Another week gone! and as far as improvements, this week has been pretty monumental. His behaviour 90% of the time has been really really good, I can only think of 1 time where crocopup made an appearance, otherwise he hasn't even attempted to bite me. He also seems to be beginning to understand what he can and can't chew on around the house, I'm beginning to trust that I can walk out of a room for a few moments and come back to him not getting up to any mischief (and equally not being followed!). I'm also beginning to get reasonable lengths of time where I can get on with other things without him causing a fuss, showering or tidying up is now no problem. Infact, yesterday I even left him home alone for 1 and a half hours and came back to a perfectly content dog (and to think around 2wks ago I couldn't even leave him for 10 seconds!) Walking out and about is improving greatly too, he still tries to pick up things but its becoming less and less with each walk and he will now quite happily trot along beside me. I have noticed over the last 2-3 days though, that he has had a few regressions in behaviour... Tricks/commands that he knew really well previously he is suddenly struggling with or confusing them with other commands. He is suddenly showing fearfulness again when we're out in the car and there's also a general refusal to do as I ask creeping in, which was never a problem. I had heard of this sort of thing happening in the 'teenage' stage, but I figure my pup is surely too young for that yet?
He’s a baby and you simply haven’t had the time to get your cues proofed yet, that’s all. If he doesn’t respond when you ask him to do something, then he either doesn’t understand or doesn’t have a strong enough history of reinforcement in the environment you are working in to motivate him to do it. In either event, the onus is on you to make yourself understandable and motivate him more effectively so that he can do what you’re asking even if the environment becomes more challenging. That means, if he can’t do something, train it again from the start as if you believed he doesnt know the cue at all, because he’s telling you that, in this context, he doesn’t. Dogs aren’t wilful or disobedient on purpose. If they don’t do something when you ask, don’t think of it as bad behaviour, think of it as information - that you haven’t trained for this scenario yet and so you need to go back a step or two. At fourteen weeks, he can’t possibly be able to do what you ask in every scenario. To be honest, my dogs are all pretty well trained but even the 3.5 year olds will struggle to follow a “sit” cue in some situations. You’ll find out that training is never finished and if you assume it is, you’ll just end up disappointed when something doesn’t go according to plan!
Thanks for another update! I continue to find it seriously spooky how your pup and mine seem to be following the same trajectories, almost week-for-week. For us: We aren't quite as far along as you are with "alone time" (which at 11 weeks was the cause of much puppy blues for me too). But we are seeing signs of Rory's confidence growing and, like you, we can now get on with doing things like showering within the house without upsetting Rory. Today I left the house for ten minutes, leaving my phone to record any noise that was made (expecting that I might capture some whining). When I came back he had not even looked up from working on his Kong. A true breakthrough, and something to build on in terms of duration now! Your trajectory through to a 90 minute trip away gives me great hope for the near future! My wife and I were talking just this evening about how Rory's response to even the basic and much used "sit" cue is becoming worse, and how he is already much more "wilful" in terms of ignoring us completely if he thinks there is something else more interesting going on around him. For us I think we are considering going right back to "lure and capture" for some of these things, and upping our treat value again when out of the house. All we can think of is that perhaps during his earliest trips out he was still a little apprehensive of the big bad world, and so very focused on us, but now as his confidence is growing he is already getting a little less focused on us... hence our need to become more interesting. I can definitely see his growing confidence in the way he interacts with other dogs out on the walk. But, like you, we thought we would get until the teenage years before worrying about this kind of thing... We have also noticed a little bit of regression in terms of the car. Its been an odd one - he seems to settle much better once actually in the car, but is now starting to dig his heels in and try to refuse to get in the car in the first place. No idea whatsoever where this has come from - especially as these days the car is a the means to get to the beach, the country park, etc. We are considering again going back to feeding meals in the stationary car, etc Sometimes I find it frustrating that we are looking at going back to do things we have already done (i want to get onto using his high value treat allowance for recall, and heel work), but then other times I think that (as long as the first month felt!) he has only been with us for 6 weeks, and has already learnt a heck of a lot about how to live with humans. So maybe my expectations are just a little skewed! Anyhow, I hope you keep posting updates - I am particularly enjoying them, given how much they mirror my life, and how I can piggy back on any good advice given
@snowbunny - you're absolutely right. I will admit I do get a bit carried away with successes and have a bit of an attitude of "that's that done, onto the next bit of training" rather than continually working on something even if I feel he's got it. @RedRory - I'm glad to hear things are getting better for you too (at least most things ). It's interesting you mention digging his heels in when getting into the car as for me its the exact opposite. Using going to daycare as an example, he loves the place, and as soon as I've got him out the car, he makes a beeline straight to the building and he's already through their gates before I've even had a chance to say bye to him and yet the actual process of getting out the car is where he digs his heels in. I have him in the back seat and I find that whatever door I open to get him out, he goes and sits at the opposite side. I've decided to start trying to lure him across now with treats and make a big song and dance about it being a good thing and see how that goes but its a funny one.
@shawnlinus, how is he getting out of the car? Does he jump? Or do you pick him up and put him on the floor? In either case, it sounds like something unpleasant has (unwittingly) happened to him. Jumping onto hard ground can hurt and is bad for developing joints. Picking them up it's easy to pinch a bit of skin by mistake and some dogs just hate the feeling of being held - and even being loomed over (as you pretty much have to do to pick them up) is very threatening in doggy body language. I'd try to work out what it is and address it from there. If it's the body language, you can work on this by counter-conditioning him. Set up sessions where you start - very slowly - to move over him. At first, just with your hand, give him a treat. Do this ten times, then in the next session, bend your body ever so slightly as you do it. Next session, lean over him a bit more. etc etc. If he's jumping out of the car, I'd start picking him up to put him on the floor; it's far better for his joints until he's fully grown. Also, when I pick my dogs up, I'm careful not to hold them under the tummy. This can be very uncomfortable and cause bruising. I use my rear hand as a "scoop" behind their back legs.
@snowbunny It had crossed my mind that there must be something about the way I'm getting him out the car that's causing it but honestly I think there's something else at play. We live in a 1st floor flat so I'm picking him up/putting him down multiple times every day to go up and down the stairs. Granted its a different scenario but as far as I can tell, the way I'm picking him up in both cases isn't really changing (I'm also doing the scoop method so I don't believe I'm causing any discomfort). Obviously there is something thats causing this, I'm just struggling to pin point what it could be
It could have been something that just happened one time, not necessarily something that is done each time. Dogs associate things differently to us; they are far more contextual. So a pain he potentially received picking him up out of the car would quite easily be associated just with the act of picking him up when he’s in the car, not off the floor and doesn’t have to be every time. I would probably try to change the picture - maybe train him to put his feet up on you when cued so you can pick him up. That way, you’re not having to reach towards him.
Interesting. Mine is digging in and won’t leave the obedience class building. And I know nothing happened and would put my money on obstinance! Last night we left from a different door which caused no problems. Much harder with the car... We are supposed to try an exercise wherein I pick her up just before I see she’s about to lay down and not move. (No easy feat.) Then take her out and off we go. Back in to a spot a bit closer to the door and same exercise. And keep repeating. It is going to be a bit tedious but I hope it works. It’s embarassing and she’s heavy!
That's a very strange approach and not one I'd choose. Pick her up? They're not very progressive there, are they? She's not being obstinate, she has felt punished leaving the room through that door (defined by the definition of punishment being something that causes a behaviour to reduce in likelihood). It may be for several reasons - she got a fright walking through the door that you may not have even noticed. Even something as subtle as another dog giving her a hard stare if she's sensitive. It may be that your body language changes from "yay, we're having fun together" to being a bit flat and business-like once you're out the door - you see this a lot at the end of classes. Or maybe just that she enjoys the class so the act of leaving and that fun ending is a punishment. It doesn't really matter what the cause was, it's the behaviour you have now that you need to address. My approach would be to make the door a really rewarding thing. Work incrementally closer but within her limits. If she's laying down, you've gone too far, so back it up a bit. Do something she enjoys in proximity to the door, throughout the class rather than just at the end. And when you come in, too, why not do some repetitions of in and out, rewarding her heavily each time. And once you're out into the car park (I assume), play a game with her that she enjoys, even if that's more training - the opportunity to work for a reward can be rewarding in itself.
We had this with Bruce and the car, we had no idea what caused it. So we had him in a different part of the car (car harness on the back seat) for a few weeks. Then we tried again with lots of rewards and baby steps towards jumping into the back. It worked. Do as @snowbunny suggests - very incremental and many repeats. You'll get there.
Oh, another good thing to try is the concept of "pressure on, pressure off". Meaning, don't just make it harder and harder - in your case, getting the dog closer to the door. You need to take the pressure off, too. I play a "ping pong" game with Willow if she's struggling to get past something I need her to. You have two values of treats (it works with just one, but two is better). Toss the lower value away from the door, mark the turn back towards you and reward at your feet with the high value reward. Toss the low value treat away from the door again, and just keep ping-ponging, moving slowly closer to the door. Depending on your dog, you can start bowling the high value treats towards the door, so she moves past you and to the door and, eventually, through it. Willow loves this game and I've used it successfully to get her to jump happily into the back of the car, which she became very afraid to do. All completely hands-off. With her, there was no way that just luring her towards the car with a treat would work (in fact, it added to her stress), but the pressure play breaks through that invisible barrier.
