Re: Driving me mad! A puppy training class is a really fab idea. Make sure they use kind methods (using treats, not pushing and pulling). Don't expect too much from your pup initially. It will be a terribly exciting environment and she may be absolutely beside herself at first. Expect this, and don't be worried by it. With repeated exposure she'll get better and better Take lots and lots of yummy treats - a mix of roast chicken, cheese and chopped sausage should help get her attention.
Re: Driving me mad! I don't know why I hadn't thought of it earlier. A friend I was chatting to on Facebook suggested it.
Re: Driving me mad! I feel exactly the same Wendy he has been as good as gold all day apart from the last 2 hours when he has wee'd on the floor 4 times in the space of an hour despite constant toilet breaks, he has had a mad hour and has been biting constantly i've got so worked up i burst into tears and wished we never had him. I'm dreading going to work tomorrow and even though I have someone coming in to check on him we are crate training and i dont know what to do about his water bowel through out the day. Has anyone got any advice? Im about to rip my hair out! Pippa (very stressed out puppy owner)
Re: Driving me mad! Oh Pippa it's nice to know I'm not the only one! We will hang in there together, along with Claudia!
Re: Driving me mad! Pippa, they often do have a particular burst of insane devilry in the evening... Many people will have read your post knowing exactly what you mean!! What are your worries with the water bowl? Not sure what to use? He does need water in his crate. Do you have a bowl that won't tip?
Re: Driving me mad! Hi Pippa They certainly like to keep us on our toes!! Re access to water, how long will he be crated? If it's only a few hours he will be fine, but any longer I would suggest leaving his crate door open and using a puppy pen/ cornering off part of your kitchen with water available. Bella drinks a lot so her bowl is hooked on her crate outside. ( I tried on the inside but she kept knocking it over but you could try that?) If he is let out in between he will be able to get a drink/ go toilet then? Puppy class sounds good Wendy let us know how you get on!! ' maybe I should get rid of him' oh that made me chuckle Wendy.....
Re: Driving me mad! Hi Wendy. We are at week 14 and the biting is driving me crazy and gets me down. I am constantly questioning what I am doing wrong. Phoebe has moments when I am sure her eyes change and starts snapping at me and my clothes! I did just try ice cubes as suggested by someone on here and it actually did seem to help - she was focused on the ice cube rather than me and it kept her occupied for about 15 min, which also calmed her down. Not sure if it will keep working but definitely worth a try!! Everyone keeps saying it will get better but I just wish it was soon!!!! Hang in there....
Re: Driving me mad! Yes i have bought a small water bowl that fixes onto the side of his crate so he cant tip it over I just don't want him toileting in his crate and getting distressed before my family member gets to him to check on him. He's never toileted in there before he is usually very good but I cant help but worry. It should only be a few hours as I'm at work at 8 and someone is coming in at 11 for an hour my partner will then be bk about 3.
Re: Driving me mad! [quote author=Lee Bell link=topic=9329.msg134710#msg134710 date=1420405005] Yes i have bought a small water bowl that fixes onto the side of his crate so he cant tip it over I just don't want him toileting in his crate and getting distressed before my family member gets to him to check on him. He's never toileted in there before he is usually very good but I cant help but worry. It should only be a few hours as I'm at work at 8 and someone is coming in at 11 for an hour my partner will then be bk about 3. [/quote] I'm a worrier too!! I'd be really surprised ( and impressed) if a puppy that young lasted 3 hrs without an accident during the day though with or without water... I would expect accidents Bella goes every 40-50 mins now and she's over 11 weeks but is dry at night.
Re: Driving me mad! Is there any way you can leave his crate open and some newspaper down outside using a pen or something?
Re: Driving me mad! Sorry to post again guys I just need to vent a little. I feel like I am completely failing at the whole puppy thing. we are still having accidents in the toilet training even though we are constantly taking him out at 30-40 minute intervals, someone recommended putting newspaper by the back door as he shreds his puppy pads, anyone tried this? Or will it throw him off with him mostly going outside. The biting thing is really bad we have tried time outs but he just goes and bits whatever else is in the room such as the door frame or my kitchen cupboards. I dont want to put him in his crate as we were advised not to use it as a punishment. We have tried freezing kongs and have made up some ice cubes, I have also tried swapping his toys however he then jumps up at you and tries to snap at you. I worry about crating him so much in the day as he sleeps in there at night and about him getting enough water or too much when we are out. I think I am driving myself crazy! Sorry to moan about him, he's a beautiful little boy really I just feel its me that's not doing a good enough job. We have looked at puppy classes but we have just moved home and are saving for our wedding in August and we cant find the cash to do it at the moment
Re: Driving me mad! Phipps it's all normal so don't worry. I'm exactly the same as you can see from my posts. Just keep taking him out....We are getting less and less accidents now. The biting is still happening, try replacing and it does work, and we do put her in the crate for time out, just a few minutes. As for water, ours bowl is down as we have another dog and she just helps herself when she needs it. She doesn't have any in her crate. I know exactly how you are feeling, you are not alone, and everyone is so supportive on here. I'm always here if you need to talk x
Re: Driving me mad! Hey Pippa, as Wendy said we hear you!!! Re toiliting, start taking him out more, I've had to go back to every 30 -40 mins with Bella and build up back up again, due to many accidents, although she still has the odd accident in between. But lasts 8 hrs now at nights- I figure she's saved it all up for the day!!! Have you got simple solution to get rid of where's he's been before? Has he been having accidents when crated during the day? If so I would seriously look at other options eg having someone let her out more often or puppy pen as you don't want to start him soiling his bed. I'm back at work next week so am expecting some accidents... I leave newspaper next to her crate but she doesn't always use it ...then I step in a nice puddle somewhere ha. My mum used newspaper with her dog and then put it nearer the back door and it worked so might be worth a try?! Re biting , she ripped my top last night :-\ I just keep mixing it up giving her ice, rice bones ( they do work) and tug toys and play tug to tire her out, but still get bitten, I've taken to making a fist as it doesn't hurt as much when she's biting. ;D I've also sprayed chew stopper on my coffee table which seems to stop her chewing it as much, but it know they aren't always great! It's all normal puppy behaviour but I know how stressful it is! But worth it! ;D
Re: Driving me mad! Thanks Guys, he has never toileted in his crate at night or in the day, I think I am going to put some newspaper down in the kitchen just in case. I have got the solution stuff, I even put some of it in my carpet cleaner the other day and cleaned the entire carpet to remove any smells, it worked for about an hour but I always use it to clean up any accidents. I'll just keep trying and will have to be more firm and keep putting him in time outs more often, he ripped my top yesterday aswell! Pippa x
Re: Driving me mad! It's all perfectly normal, Pippa. Keep on repeating to yourself - it will pass. It WILL pass. The biting is something that you have to "manage" at this stage, I think. The solutions everyone has given are great and if you're consistent they will help a bit, but the main thing with that is time. They suddenly get to a stage (mine was about 14 weeks) where a switch is flicked and they suddenly stop ripping your hands to shreds. Well, that was my experience, anyway! The toileting is another thing. It takes persistence and a lot of good humour when they're having accidents left, right and centre, but if you try and see it form the puppy's point of view - they don't know why they can't just go when and where the mood strikes. They don't do it out of spite or mischief - they just need to learn. And learning can be a slow process at that age. At five months, I now have a clean house again (other than the shredded cardboard that litters the floor), although for no reason the other day, Willow had a wee inside. The door was open, so she could have gone out, but she just got up out of her bed, dozily wandered around the sofa and squatted. First time in weeks I'd had to clean up a puppy wee, but I just put it down to the fact that she was half asleep. So, expect mistakes for a while yet, but they do become less and less frequent. I had to dig the Simple Solution out of the back of the cupboard, and it's only then you realise you've not used it in a while. As for biting things in the house, she was a menace with chewing walls and doorways at first. I tried three different anti-chew sprays and the only one that worked was the bitter apple spray (http://amzn.to/13VPM9v) which was pretty effective, albeit it need reapplying quite frequently. Again, she grew out of this suddenly and hasn't chewed anything inside for a while. The garden table is another matter, but I've not actually tried to stop them chewing that, so it's my own fault (and I don't really like it anyway ). Try to keep your chin up. It's a tough time and it's easy to feel like a failure, but use this forum and you'll see that everyone is going though, or has gone through, the same things. We come out the other side with beautiful, happy young dogs though
Re: Driving me mad! Aww Ladies...patience is the key.... My Bella is 17 weeks. We have had her 10 weeks now wow...I guess it really has been that long! Anyway...when we first brought her home, it was intense of course. Nearly 100% supervision....many frequent trips outside...and with every outside potty we did LOTS of praise...and I do mean LOTS...make a huge big ridiculous deal about it....Super excited "good girl, you're so smart, go potty outside....YEA!!!!!" We even used the clicker to "mark" the outside potty. EVERY time....it was a huge big CRAZY praise session. We also have a bell on our door, so everytime we go outside...the bell rings....and then she goes potty...and gets a big crazy praise session...and then comes in side and gets a treat and more praise. She LOVES the attention and praise, and so quickly associated the outside potty to a good thing. For indoor accidents...no fuss, no reaction except maybe an "oops...let's go". It is ALWAYS our fault...not theirs. So right quick to the door - bell rings - outside with lots of "hurry up, let's go potty" "good girls go potty outside"....hope that she'll do a potty...BIG PRAISE if she does...if not...then back inside no fuss, no reaction, no treat. We had to learn what her "alert cue" was...by watching her and noting her behavior...she would be playing and then literally - All THE SUDDEN....she would stop...sit....look at us directly in the eye to convey her message....and then get up, wander away and go wee. : When we noticed the pattern....of the sit and look intently at us....it was a major lightbulb moment....we would look right back, ask her if she needed to go potty...and DASH for the door. That was a major break through. But like I said, requires nearly 100% supervision to catch that kind of behavior and intercept her. Biting...it does pass....and it takes time. Our Bella was worse in the evenings when getting tired...over tired like a toddler....a good loud screech of OUCH followed by an immediate change in activity worked for us. Sometimes the change was a brief time out in the crate, sometimes just a change in toy or game. Long lasting treats like raw carrots, broccoli stems, a chunck of sweet potato, and rib bones were other good distractionary tools for us. Stuffed kongs help too... But above everything else...patience and knowledge that IT WILL PASS....I promise!!!!
Re: Driving me mad! Pippa, you are already a true Labrador Mum, taking the blame for everything that goes wrong. He's only 9 weeks, it would be nothing short of a miracle if he was toilet trained. Your job is to give him the opportunity to go, and to do so frequently. Puppy pads. My trainer reckoned that by having. Them in the house/crate I was telling her it was all right to toilet in the house. I took them away and Inthink we only had one accident after that. Molly was 12 weeks by then. Doesn't sound like much, but those 3 weeks represent a huge of a puppies life. The biting is awful. I tried everything to stop her, but nothing worked. my hands were a net work of scabs and more recent damage. Then one miraculous day I realised I was stroking a soft golden ear and not being eaten in response. Halleujah. I would trust her mouth anywhere now. Hang on in there. You are doing it right. It may not seem like it now but you are laying the foundations for a good and gentle friend.
Re: Driving me mad! I couldn't agree more on the praise front. I practically had a party for every outdoor toilet for about the first month, the neighbours must think I'm odd. We had a lot a short crate naps in the first 3 weeks (partly because I was revising for finals), then after maybe an hour I'd take her straight out (always made her run out following me, not carried, so she'd learn the route) and she'd always wee because she had been in bed long enough to fill her bladder. Because she always wee'd there was always an opportunity to praise and link to the phrase 'go wee wees' so now she pretty much will go on command. So we only had one accident the first week and one the second week (both my fiance's fault for having the audacity to make himself a drink and take his eyes off her haha)and that's all. Ever. Two indoor wees (and no poos) in 8 months. Amber enjoyed the outdoor wee party so much she did try a few fake wees sometimes just to get a load of fuss and a treat. My house training struggle only came in one particular friends house, where we had lots of indoor wees - I think Amber was so excited to play with my friends two collies that she forgot to finish her wee outdoors only to finish in 10 mins later on the carpet. My friend still curses the fact my puppy has wee'd in her house more times than mine!! But she has forgiven us. Honestly though it gets better. As for biting, that was a major struggle for us. We looked like we owned a sabre toothed tiger for about 4 weeks and lots of my tops have stitched up holes in them. We tried so many things and none really worked. I had some success with standing up,crossing my arms and turning my back - but then my ankles did often get attacked in protest. Even now I think Amber is too mouthy still - not vicious but quite rude. Interestingly as good as gold out and about its just in the house when she thinks I've been naughty - like when i don't oblige and feed her 3 hours early!! It's all worth it though because in general we have a rather lovely dog now.
