The fun in raising a puppy...

draggar · 30-07-2010, 14:09

We took Luna and Pongo to the park the other day. Luna is growing up very nicely.

30-07-2010, 15:20

She's starting to grow out of her awkward puppy legs! They grow up so fast...

draggar · 30-07-2010, 16:55

The main problem now is that when I crate her at night (I know she'll either get into something she shouldn't or go to the bathroom in the bedroom) she barks and whines for about an hour (or more). If I have to get up in the middle of the night, she barks and whines (after I get back into the bedroom) for another 30+ minutes.

You name it, I've tried it other than letting her out of the crate (which I think she's too young for at this time as noted above).

I've started to put a radio by the crate playing music all night (quiet enough not to keep me (or her?) awake) it's only been a couple of days and I'm not sure if it is helping.

Other than that - you name it most likely I've tried it.

yukidomari · 30-07-2010, 17:09

Question - has she been difficult to housebreak? Coming up in August she should be close to 8 months, right? Is this the norm for Vlcaks? Just wondering.. I just know that our dobe was reliably housebroken through the night by 18-20 weeks, bur I know some breeds are harder to housetrain than others.

ETA: Have you tried crating her in your bedroom?

draggar · 30-07-2010, 17:17

She's very good with house training - the only time there are accidents is when she and Pongo play a lot inside (the activity gets their systems going). We do walk them often but sometimes it just comes. It's not common (in fact, it's getting rarer and rarer since now if they play for about 30 minutes I'll proactively walk them).

She just turned 7 months (on July 24th). She should be able to hold herself for 7 hours (maybe a little longer - but I wouldn't want to push it). Her going to the bathroom is the second worry - my primary worry is that she is still a puppy in many ways, she'll get into things while we sleep (clothes, chew up the rug, electrical cords, etc.. even if there are toys the things she's not supposed to play with are more fun

).

Also, the crate is in the bedroom (we have 3 set up in there). I have a bone in there for her and leave a rawhide bone for her, too (those last several nights with her). So she's not bored. I covered the crate, left it uncovered, you name it.

I would love to leave her loose but I don't think now is the right time - she's still too young. Maybe when she's 9 months old she'll be a little more mature (but now she's mature compared to other 7 month old puppies that I've had / seen).

30-07-2010, 17:26

Could be that she's just trying to see what she can get away with. She is hitting the obnoxious teenage phase.

If I were you, I'd wait it out and make absolutely sure when I let her out in the morning, she was being calm first. Even if she's just up and excited, or she gets some sort of reaction regardless of whether you let her out (i.e. eye contact, etc) she could think she's "winning".

yukidomari · 30-07-2010, 17:26

Oh, yeah, course... about the naughty puppiness.. One dog here going on 2 yrs old still can't be uncrated when left alone.......things come up mysteriously destroyed when we do, still.

I was just wondering about the housebreaking, is all. Thanks for the reply! Glad to hear that they are not so difficult to housebreak.

BTW, who's Pongo? Is that Pollux's pet name or another dog all together?

Can anyone else pitch in about the crating? What about Vlcaks in general in regards to crate training?

draggar · 30-07-2010, 17:36

Sara renamed Pollux to Pongo and this time the name seems to be sticking (although she went though many names for him).

Sara also normally takes "the chacks" to a class in the evening for a few hours, most of the time where they can run around a lot but never seem to get tired (can we hook them up to our power grid??). We do what we can to tire them out but it never seems to work. :S

I also think she's just being an annoying adolescent.

As for crate training - Luna is extremely good with it. We tell her crate and she goes in (most of the time), she just doesn't like to be in there long (feeding time is OK, etc).

Pongo is harder but all it takes is a cookie tossed towards the back of it and he dives in (We still do that with Luna sometimes, too, so there are rewards in there sometimes).

30-07-2010, 14:09	#1
draggar Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 370	We took Luna and Pongo to the park the other day. Luna is growing up very nicely. __________________ Fred Lanting's Official Site Dog Actors

30-07-2010, 16:55	#3
draggar Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 370	The main problem now is that when I crate her at night (I know she'll either get into something she shouldn't or go to the bathroom in the bedroom) she barks and whines for about an hour (or more). If I have to get up in the middle of the night, she barks and whines (after I get back into the bedroom) for another 30+ minutes. You name it, I've tried it other than letting her out of the crate (which I think she's too young for at this time as noted above). I've started to put a radio by the crate playing music all night (quiet enough not to keep me (or her?) awake) it's only been a couple of days and I'm not sure if it is helping. Other than that - you name it most likely I've tried it. __________________ Fred Lanting's Official Site Dog Actors

30-07-2010, 17:17	#5
draggar Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 370	She's very good with house training - the only time there are accidents is when she and Pongo play a lot inside (the activity gets their systems going). We do walk them often but sometimes it just comes. It's not common (in fact, it's getting rarer and rarer since now if they play for about 30 minutes I'll proactively walk them). She just turned 7 months (on July 24th). She should be able to hold herself for 7 hours (maybe a little longer - but I wouldn't want to push it). Her going to the bathroom is the second worry - my primary worry is that she is still a puppy in many ways, she'll get into things while we sleep (clothes, chew up the rug, electrical cords, etc.. even if there are toys the things she's not supposed to play with are more fun ). Also, the crate is in the bedroom (we have 3 set up in there). I have a bone in there for her and leave a rawhide bone for her, too (those last several nights with her). So she's not bored. I covered the crate, left it uncovered, you name it. I would love to leave her loose but I don't think now is the right time - she's still too young. Maybe when she's 9 months old she'll be a little more mature (but now she's mature compared to other 7 month old puppies that I've had / seen). __________________ Fred Lanting's Official Site Dog Actors

30-07-2010, 17:36	#8
draggar Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 370	Sara renamed Pollux to Pongo and this time the name seems to be sticking (although she went though many names for him). Sara also normally takes "the chacks" to a class in the evening for a few hours, most of the time where they can run around a lot but never seem to get tired (can we hook them up to our power grid??). We do what we can to tire them out but it never seems to work. :S I also think she's just being an annoying adolescent. As for crate training - Luna is extremely good with it. We tell her crate and she goes in (most of the time), she just doesn't like to be in there long (feeding time is OK, etc). Pongo is harder but all it takes is a cookie tossed towards the back of it and he dives in (We still do that with Luna sometimes, too, so there are rewards in there sometimes). __________________ Fred Lanting's Official Site Dog Actors

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30-07-2010, 15:20	#2
Vicky Guest Posts: n/a	She's starting to grow out of her awkward puppy legs! They grow up so fast...

30-07-2010, 17:09	#4
yukidomari Moderator Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Los Angeles CA Posts: 847	Question - has she been difficult to housebreak? Coming up in August she should be close to 8 months, right? Is this the norm for Vlcaks? Just wondering.. I just know that our dobe was reliably housebroken through the night by 18-20 weeks, bur I know some breeds are harder to housetrain than others. ETA: Have you tried crating her in your bedroom?

30-07-2010, 17:26	#6
Vicky Guest Posts: n/a	Could be that she's just trying to see what she can get away with. She is hitting the obnoxious teenage phase. If I were you, I'd wait it out and make absolutely sure when I let her out in the morning, she was being calm first. Even if she's just up and excited, or she gets some sort of reaction regardless of whether you let her out (i.e. eye contact, etc) she could think she's "winning".