# Puppy Comes Home 3/22!



## terrym2442 (Jan 17, 2011)

Hi all,

I've posted a few times before but now it's official- we are bringing our first Cockapoo home in 1 1/2 weeks. He'll be 10 weeks old, and though we could have gotten him sooner, I've been traveling (out of town now, even) and had to wait till we return.

There are three pups available in his litter, but we've chosen the brown/white one at http://www.parsonsfamilypets.com/cockapoopups3.html - he's pictured on the bottom two rows, with the 2nd from bottom row being the most recent pix.
But here's a pix, too:









For now, I'm thinking of naming him Elliott.

The breeder tells me he's smaller than she expected from this litter- she thinks he'll be 12-13 lbs.

I am so excited, but more than a little nervous. Though I've had dogs my ENTIRE life, I vowed NEVER to get another puppy. We have a 2 1/2 yr old Portuguese Water Dog who, like our Portie before her, was NUTS as a puppy. I couldn't see going through that again- unbelievably hyper, furniture eater, and very mouthy- nipped us all for months.

I told THIS breeder that I could not take on another puppy like that, and was reassured that Cockapoos aren't as crazed as Porties. I hope she's right.

So here's a few questions for you Cockapoo experts:

1. We plan on keeping him in a crate next to the bed during the night. Do they, at 10 weeks, need to go out in the middle of the night? I'll certainly not offer unless he starts to whimper.

2. I work from home in my home office. Do I keep him in a little crate in there and take breaks and play with him? Or do I try and let him play in the room outside of the crate? We have wood floors and I'm not sure how to housetrain him while I'm working.

3. Any favorite puppy books you can recommend?

I can't believe I have forgotten all of this stuff when I just went through it 2 1/2 yrs ago, but...that was a terribly difficult time with our Portie, who BTW, finally did settle down nicely at age 2. Whew.

Thanks for your info and support!
Terry


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## caradunne (Nov 29, 2010)

He looks soooooooooooo cute!


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Hi Terry i was thinking of you the other day and wondered what was happening.. he is absolutely lovely. Is it the same pup that you posted a picture of when they were just a couple of weeks old.. with the old mans name ... maybe you just could nt see his markings then. Mable would sometimes wake and need the loo and other nights would nt so yeh I would nt just take him ... she'd whine we'd take her out with no fuss then back in. I know a few people work from home so maybe could advise. I suppose it might just be trial and error it depends how distracting he'll be .. I suppose putting him in his crate for times so he gets used to being left would nt harm... in between play, food and wee's . Im sure it will all come back ... just outside after play, after waking and after eating with loads of praise ... are you planning on getting any work done lol. Good luck with your pup, what does your other dog do while you work Im sure he'll keep him occupied .... look forward to more pics of little Elliott x


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Thats it just looked ... Larry lol ... Id forgotten what they'd called him lol x


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## DebMax (Mar 12, 2011)

awww... how cute, i picked up my puppy at 9 weeks as well and i'm so happy. Just cant wait til he's fully trained.


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## terrym2442 (Jan 17, 2011)

Hi Karen,
Yep, that's the same one. In the earlier photos, I don't think you could see the body markings too well. And yes, they named him Larry (the others are Moe and Curly). 

My other dog is on the aloof side and though she is totally housetrained, she prefers to hang out in the kitchen instead of me while I'm working. : (

I am hoping Elliott will bond more with me; thus the idea of keeping him in my office. But you're right- how does one work while keeping an eye on a puppy during housetraining?

I guess I'll be taking a lot of breaks!


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

terrym2442 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> So here's a few questions for you Cockapoo experts:
> 
> ...


Hi Terry ... Elliot looks wonderful ... as for the cockapoo expert well you have come to the right place.... (not me but there loads on here).... 

1) At 10 weeks his breeder will of most probably crate trained him and he should be fine through the night 10pm until 6am ish ... ask the breeder about his routine that will help you when settling him in (just for ref I spent a week on the sofa next to my puppy so anything goes as long as you and your puppy are happy).

2) Try a bit of everything, definitely some play time, feed time, wee time and crate time is needed so you can do some work. The first week may be hard as you are both working on a new routine. You will want to play and cuddle Elliott more than work.... trust me on that 

3) You won’t need a puppy book now you are on this forum, everyone on here is helpful and we are all in the same situation, we own and love cockapoos and give real and honest advice ...

Just enjoy those hectic first few weeks ... it is over so quickly .... he will settle in very quickly


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

AWWWW cute pic!!!


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## terrym2442 (Jan 17, 2011)

JoJo,
Good advice! I'll find out his current routine and adjust my work week, knowing everything will be "off" for a while. 
I couldn't even cuddle with our Porties- they were so wild- so I'm hoping this little guy will be different.


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

dont panic if they dont get on at first, their is always some teathing problem bring a new puppy in, you portie will need time to agust to him being there.


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## terrym2442 (Jan 17, 2011)

I know! I have no idea what'll happen. But Harper (Portie) is well socialized having spent lots of time in doggie day care, so I'm hoping she'll be ok with this. She will be quite a bit larger, too, but she's a sweet sweet dog that has never shown an ounce of aggression.

I read somewhere that you always treat the first dog as the king or queen so they don't feel displaced, ie feeding them first, praising them a lot, etc. 

Should be interesting!


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

not heded of that one about treating them different, a good plan may be to get a toy you know she will like and keep it for the day you bring the pup home, i only say this because my mum said she did it when i was 2 and she had my little brother said it was him that got it for me so i would feel better about him getting mums attention. 

i know you cant exsplain that kind of thing to a dog but puppy ariving and her getting a new toy in dogs mind puppy equals good things. 


if you have any isues post up and someone will have an answer. 

oh and i dont think we have seen photos of harper yet does she have to show clip or the pet clip?


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## terrym2442 (Jan 17, 2011)

That's a great idea! A toy for Harper so she feels special- I'll do that. I'll find a pix of Harper and post it. She has a regular "pet" clip, not a lion cut. : )


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## Kel (Feb 1, 2011)

Aww adorable, I love the brown and white, reminds me of my puppy.I am a first time dog owner so I don't have much advice to offer. I am sure it will all come back to you once you get him home 

My puppy was definately not sleeping through the night at 10 weeks, more like 15 weeks. However, my friend got her Cockapoo at 10 weeks and she slept through the night the second day they had her. So you just never know! Both our Cockapoos still do their fair share of biting/nipping even though mine is 6 months old and hers is 9 months old. My puppy has settled down quite a bit but there have been times when I wondered what made me think I could handle a dog. 

My puppy thinks she NEEDS to be with people most of the time, absolutely not aloof.


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## terrym2442 (Jan 17, 2011)

Here's Harper. Elliott will be a little "mini-me" of her, it seems. Harper is just over 50 lbs. Elliott is supposed to be 13-14#.


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## terrym2442 (Jan 17, 2011)

Kelly, do you have pix?
Hoo boy, I have to remind myself that there will be lots of adjusting to a new pup. I think Harper got through the night early on, but then, her bladder was probably a lot bigger. : )


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## Kel (Feb 1, 2011)

terrym2442 said:


> Kelly, do you have pix?
> Hoo boy, I have to remind myself that there will be lots of adjusting to a new pup. I think Harper got through the night early on, but then, her bladder was probably a lot bigger. : )


Funny you mention pictures, I just deleted my avatar picture so I could replace it. And, of course, I can't get a new one to work. I don't have any recent pictures on here, for the same reason. I WILL figure it out someday, haha. Anyway, Kendal was nice enough to put in pictures for me in my intro thread last month. Here is the link (hopefully)

http://ilovemycockapoo.com/showthread.php?t=995&page=2

I am just so thankful that Chloe is now sleeping through the night; I was so sleep deprived. BUT she is being spayed next week , so I will be back to sleeping on the couch beside her kennel until I am sure she is better.


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## terrym2442 (Jan 17, 2011)

Chloe is a gorgeous pup! Oh my! She looks a bit like Elliott, but with more white on her face/head. Did she look like E when she was younger?

But now you've got me nervous about the "bad" behaviors and sleep issues. Hoo boy. 
We've always kept our dogs in our bedroom at night, so I'm hoping that will help. But we'll see.


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## Kel (Feb 1, 2011)

terrym2442 said:


> Chloe is a gorgeous pup! Oh my! She looks a bit like Elliott, but with more white on her face/head. Did she look like E when she was younger?
> 
> But now you've got me nervous about the "bad" behaviors and sleep issues. Hoo boy.
> We've always kept our dogs in our bedroom at night, so I'm hoping that will help. But we'll see.


Oh sorry, didn't mean to make you nervous! I guess I won't tell you about her kitchen table jumping/stealing off our plates then  Seriously, remember that I am a first time dog owner and have no clue! Maybe Chloe takes advantage of that, haha. My friend also sleeps with her dog in her room so maybe that does help them sleep better. 


The third picture in my link in the last post , the one with Chloe near the trampoline, was taken on the day we met her/got her. I can't believe she was ever that small.

Enjoy your new puppy


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

Kel said:


> I am just so thankful that Chloe is now sleeping through the night; I was so sleep deprived. BUT she is being spayed next week , so I will be back to sleeping on the couch beside her kennel until I am sure she is better.


Sleeping on the sofa next to your dog/ puppy is part of it puppy ownership, I think 

I spent a week on the sofa when we first got Oakley and if he was ill or needing me I would do it again!! Although my hubby did laugh about it & still does, as I love my sleep... Well things have changed due to puppy ownership..... I am up at 6am every morning (even weekends!) and I wouldn't change it for the world 

Having a puppy is like having kids, they all do things in their own time i.e. crate training, toilet training for puppy, talking and walking for kids, but they all get there in the end ... oh but dogs don't need help with their homework and want the newest PS3 game ... ha ha ha xxxxx


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

You'll definitely get cuddles ... you wont be able to move without a cockapoo following you lol x


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## terrym2442 (Jan 17, 2011)

Kelly- OH. My last Portie did the food stealing, too. She was so smart that she'd ask us to let her outside to "go" and as soon as we stood up, she went after our food. Such a stinker. She was also a counter surfer- eating what she could when you weren't looking.

Harper has a fondness for sleeping on our large kitchen GLASS table. I can't figure out that one. She was easy to housetrain, so the thought of starting over isn't fun.

Now that my kids are older, it's been HEAVEN, sleeping in till 7:30-8. Since I'm such a night owl, I'll probably keep E up with me and try to train him to sleep in a bit.

I love how you keep Chloe shaggy. She really is a gorgeous dog. How much does she weigh? I think she's bigger than Elliott will be.


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## terrym2442 (Jan 17, 2011)

That's one of the reasons why I chose a Cockapoo! Harper could care less where I am!


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

terrym2442 said:


> That's one of the reasons why I chose a Cockapoo! Harper could care less where I am!


You never know they may end up vying for your attention lol x


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## embee (Dec 27, 2010)

JoJo said:


> Sleeping on the sofa next to your dog/ puppy is part of it puppy ownership, I think  I spent a week on the sofa when we first got Oakley and if he was ill or needing me I would do it again!! Although my hubby did laugh about it & still does, as I love my sleep... Well things have changed due to puppy ownership..... I am up at 6am every morning (even weekends!) and I wouldn't change it for the world


Ohhh no - you're all making me feel so harsh. Afraid Flo just got put straight out into the utility room with the dog shut from day 1 although I did everything in terms of making sure she was secure and comfortable with a covered crate, microwaved snuggly, cuddly toy, blankets, bowl of water and litter tray with puppy pad. She gets let out when we get up and gets fed when we get round to it any time between 7am and 10am!!!! She also gets walked when it fits in. I think because she has no routine and timings to speak of she's quite relaxed, has no expectations and just rubs along with a hectic, busy, unpredicatable family life.


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## terrym2442 (Jan 17, 2011)

Awww...no....I think most keep their dogs out of the bedroom. Your Flo is getting everything she needs and more. Good point about being laid back at your home. Maybe that's the key to having a flexible dog!

Did you have to let her out in the middle of the night when you first got her?


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## terrym2442 (Jan 17, 2011)

Wouldn't THAT be amazing? Harper prefers to hang out in the kitchen than with me in my home office. Maybe if the pup is with me, she'll want to join the crowd. We'll see.


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## embee (Dec 27, 2010)

terrym2442 said:


> Awww...no....I think most keep their dogs out of the bedroom. Your Flo is getting everything she needs and more. Good point about being laid back at your home. Maybe that's the key to having a flexible dog!
> 
> Did you have to let her out in the middle of the night when you first got her?


Nope. We put her crate in the utility room which has a stone floor. We left the crate open and had a large shallow seed tray with a puppy pad in it that she could wee and poo in if she needed to go. She used to wee in tray but poo'ed on the floor for some reason  She stopped pooing fairly quickly but did use the tray for wees for a few weeks. On reflection trick would be to do evening feed fairly early on, 4pm say, then only leave a few spoons of water in the overnight bowl to reduce need to relieve themselves. After just a few weeks we'd 'put her to bed' at 10pm and let her out between 6.30 and 8pm and she would hold on till we let her out in the garden.

I think I'm maybe quite strict, she is a dog after all not a child, but it hasn't made her less cuddly or loving and she is a real velcro dog who follows me everywhere and clearly sees me a 'leader'. I think it is important not to see dogs as children or to think they feel, think or perceive things the way we do - that does them a dis-service.


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

Kel said:


> Funny you mention pictures, I just deleted my avatar picture so I could replace it. And, of course, I can't get a new one to work. I don't have any recent pictures on here, for the same reason. I WILL figure it out someday, haha. Anyway, Kendal was nice enough to put in pictures for me in my intro thread last month. Here is the link (hopefully)
> 
> http://ilovemycockapoo.com/showthread.php?t=995&page=2
> 
> I am just so thankful that Chloe is now sleeping through the night; I was so sleep deprived. BUT she is being spayed next week , so I will be back to sleeping on the couch beside her kennel until I am sure she is better.




remember its the direct link you use to put a photo as an avitar


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## Dylansmum (Oct 29, 2010)

embee said:


> I think I'm maybe quite strict, she is a dog after all not a child, but it hasn't made her less cuddly or loving and she is a real velcro dog who follows me everywhere and clearly sees me a 'leader'. I think it is important not to see dogs as children or to think they feel, think or perceive things the way we do - that does them a dis-service.


Mandy I think you are absolutely right, but with both dogs and children we tend to "parent" in the way that feels right to us and it is very hard to do things in a way that is out of character. For example, I know that I was not tough enough on my kids when they were young. I let them get away with too much and they have never done chores or kept their rooms tidy. Similarly, I am quite soft on Dylan, and he doesn't have a crate, sleeps in our bedroom, curls up on the couch, eats his bones on what was a nice rug etc! However he is quite well trained, walks perfectly off lead, has brilliant social skills both with other dogs and people, knows he has to let me work during the day, doesn't cause any damage when he's left alone with the run of the house, and really causes me very few problems. So I don't think that there is only one way to bring them up. I think that if there is something that causes a behaviour problem, then you have to address it, but as long as your dog is happy and is behaving in a way that you are happy with, then you can't be doing too much harm. But I definitely agree that they must clearly see us as the leader - without that there are always behaviour issues. I just think that a difference in "house rules" from one owner to another is not always important as long as each is consistent.


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## Kel (Feb 1, 2011)

terrym2442 said:


> I love how you keep Chloe shaggy. She really is a gorgeous dog. How much does she weigh? I think she's bigger than Elliott will be.


We actually just got Chloe groomed this morning so she isn't shaggy at the moment, just fluffy. We wanted her to have a bath and trim etc before her spay. They scared us at the groomers at first because they thought that she was all matted and would have to be shaved down! I almost cried and felt so guilty for not brushing her everyday! Then they tried blowdrying and brushing a small area of her fur and the "matts" came right out thankfully. Maybe she just has strange fur for a Cockapoo. The shaggy look is definately my favorite for her (she isn't curly haired..or is it curly furred?) and she will be back to that soon enough.

Chloe is about 13 pounds at 6 months. I have no idea how much they grow after their first 6 months though?

It IS kind of funny that we now have to get up in the morning for our DOG. Our youngest is almost 12, so we were long past the baby stage.


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## Kel (Feb 1, 2011)

kendal said:


> remember its the direct link you use to put a photo as an avitar


I must have become a genuis overnight, haha, because I just changed my avatar AND posted my first picture to the gallery, whoo hoo! I tried it so many times before and kept getting "invalid file", "wrong size" etc. What I did differently this time was to download them to my computer from photobucket and then going to my downloads on my computer and clicking on the pictures there. Not sure if that is the long way or what, but the clicking on the link/code was not working for me. Now I just have to figure out how to get my pitapata signature to actually have the right age for Chloe.


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## embee (Dec 27, 2010)

Dylansmum said:


> Mandy I think you are absolutely right, but with both dogs and children we tend to "parent" in the way that feels right to us and it is very hard to do things in a way that is out of character. For example, I know that I was not tough enough on my kids when they were young. I let them get away with too much and they have never done chores or kept their rooms tidy. Similarly, I am quite soft on Dylan, and he doesn't have a crate, sleeps in our bedroom, curls up on the couch, eats his bones on what was a nice rug etc! However he is quite well trained, walks perfectly off lead, has brilliant social skills both with other dogs and people, knows he has to let me work during the day, doesn't cause any damage when he's left alone with the run of the house, and really causes me very few problems. So I don't think that there is only one way to bring them up. I think that if there is something that causes a behaviour problem, then you have to address it, but as long as your dog is happy and is behaving in a way that you are happy with, then you can't be doing too much harm. But I definitely agree that they must clearly see us as the leader - without that there are always behaviour issues. I just think that a difference in "house rules" from one owner to another is not always important as long as each is consistent.


Dylan has a lovely life and, as I say, I think I am a bit strict. I've just shoved a reluctant Flo out into the utility room for the night and I'm sure that she would love to curl up in the bedroom near me but that's just not the way it works for us. I'm sitting in bed now with my laptop feeling kind of mean  The great thing about dogs is that they are tolerant, love us unconditionally and thrive in a range of situations, happily wagging their tails which I suppose is why we adore them.


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## terrym2442 (Jan 17, 2011)

If I can just get through the housetraining period, I'll be a happy camper. Just found a great site (Dr Dunbar) with all kinds of helpful info on caring for a new puppy:

http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/raising-puppy 

But he says one should never get a puppy from a breeder who raises them in a kennel, barn, outside, etc. - that puppies should be living in the breeder's home. I'm in trouble- our breeder has a kennel attached to her house.


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## terrym2442 (Jan 17, 2011)

Love the avatar- is that before or after her grooming?
So what time do you have to get up for her? So much to think about and Elliott's not even here, yet.

Also, I'm thinking of getting him a playpen for my home office so I can pop him in there when I have to work (and take him out frequently, of course). I was thinking of a playpen instead of a crate, cuz then he'd see me better and it would be easy to reach in to get him out.

Anyone doing this? I see them on Amazon, but I could also probably get a real baby playpen-


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## terrym2442 (Jan 17, 2011)

I don't think that's mean. You have your house rules and she has to learn to abide by them.


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## embee (Dec 27, 2010)

terrym2442 said:


> If I can just get through the housetraining period, I'll be a happy camper. Just found a great site (Dr Dunbar) with all kinds of helpful info on caring for a new puppy:
> 
> http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/raising-puppy
> 
> But he says one should never get a puppy from a breeder who raises them in a kennel, barn, outside, etc. - that puppies should be living in the breeder's home. I'm in trouble- our breeder has a kennel attached to her house.


I'm a big fan of Ian Dunbar. His book 'Before and after getting your Puppy' is very good. His regime/routine for bringing up your puppy is very rigorous (with long term and short term confinement areas!!) but the principles make a lot of sense. Would highly recommend reading this before getting your puppy as I didn't get it till Flo was a few months old and might have done things slightly differently if I'd read the book before I got her.


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## Dylansmum (Oct 29, 2010)

terrym2442 said:


> But he says one should never get a puppy from a breeder who raises them in a kennel, barn, outside, etc. - that puppies should be living in the breeder's home. I'm in trouble- our breeder has a kennel attached to her house.


People state all kinds of things and there are obviously ideal situations, but a lot of non-ideal situations too. Dylan's litter was raised in a stable, as the breeders live in a mobile home on a big piece of land that they own. They have horses and lots of dogs and they are all kept in the outbuildings. It certainly hasn't done Dylan any harm - I've had no socialisation issues or any other big issues apart from fleas when I first got him - easily rectified in a day. You have to go by how you feel about the breeder and the pups - I saw the whole litter who were friendly, playful and lively and I was confident to get him. The only one I wouldn't have taken was the runt who was small and very quiet. Puppies can still be well-socialised if they are kept outside, or poorly socialised if they are shut in a room indoors on their own. You can either look for a breeder that meets every criterion or you accept certain compromises. I would suggest you see how the puppy reacts to you and judge by that. I think that at 8 weeks they are pretty malleable - I don't think that too much behaviour will be ingrained by then anyway. It will be up to you how he turns out. Good luck!


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## Dylansmum (Oct 29, 2010)

embee said:


> I've just shoved a reluctant Flo out into the utility room for the night and I'm sure that she would love to curl up in the bedroom near me but that's just not the way it works for us. I'm sitting in bed now with my laptop feeling kind of mean :.


I don't think you should feel mean at all. Dogs get used to the rules of the house and they love routine. Obviously it needs to meet their needs as well ( like not being alone all the time) but apart from that it's important that you "parent" in the way that suits you and your house. I'm sure that Flo is used to her routine and perfectly happy with it xx


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## weez74 (Feb 9, 2011)

Sorry - I'm a bit late to this thread - I normally access the forum through my phone, and I lost it a week ago! Much heartache and cancelling of sim cards etc, then my 3yr old found it in the toy bag in the back of the car! I almost cried! Now I have to buy her a Rapunzel doll as a reward. Clever girl. 

Anyway - oh my goodness, your dogs are going to look SO adorable together! I cannot wait for pictures of the pair of them once you've picked Elliot up! She's going to be a little Mini Me!

Re working from home - I do it occasionally, starting with the first week that we got Rosie. She just immediately came and slept on my feet, under my chair, basically anywhere close to me. I got up to let her out every couple of hours (she was 9 weeks and we'd had her for 5 days by then, so I knew she generally could last 2 hours) or whenever she got up and started looking distracted.

She's 12 weeks now and still comes and lies at my feet for most of the time while I work, but she'll also run off and play with her toys for some of the time too. From what I've seen on here, lying on your feet is a Cockapoo trait! Rosie's own personal take on it is to also break wind at regular intervals. She's just done that now! It's a little distracting. 

I'm a big reader, so I got lots of Puppy books. My favourite at the moment is The Complete Idiots Guide to Dog Training by Pamela Dennison. I've mentioned it on here before - once you get through the chapters that are just repeating over and over how good positive training is and how bad punishment and negativity are (I agreed with her the first time she said it!), she has some really interesting ideas. I also liked the Victoria Stilwell one (It's me or the Dog, or something like that) and Perfect Puppy by Gwen Bailey. 

I think I am pretty similar to Mandy, with regard to crating etc. Rosie isn't allowed upstairs, she goes in her crate with the door shut at night and always had, she's not allowed on furniture or to jump up (a work in progress) etc. But I don't think it's about how strict you should be with your dog. Like the others have said - your dogs have to fit in with your lifestyle and household. Personally, I think the most important thing is just to not let the puppy get away with anything you don't want her to do when she is older. 

Sorry - long post - I've had withdrawal symptoms! I hope your wait doesn't feel too long!

Louise


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## Kel (Feb 1, 2011)

terrym2442 said:


> Love the avatar- is that before or after her grooming?
> So what time do you have to get up for her? So much to think about and Elliott's not even here, yet.
> 
> Also, I'm thinking of getting him a playpen for my home office so I can pop him in there when I have to work (and take him out frequently, of course). I was thinking of a playpen instead of a crate, cuz then he'd see me better and it would be easy to reach in to get him out.
> ...


Definately before her grooming. Her fur is so straight and fluffy right now. And her face looks more like a poodle right now. Oh well, it will grow back.

We don't have a playpen but we do have a convertible pet yard with a gate that can be put together for the same purpose. We usually use ours in a straight line to block off our tv room from Chloe because the doorway is too large for the typical gate. I think if you are home working, a playpen is a great idea. Gives them more room and freedom than the crate. Eventually as you trust her more and as she starts looking really big for the area, you can open up the rest of the room to her if you want.


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

My Lady figured out how to get out of a pen....she is a jumper


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

terrym2442 said:


> Also, I'm thinking of getting him a playpen for my home office so I can pop him in there when I have to work (and take him out frequently, of course). I was thinking of a playpen instead of a crate, cuz then he'd see me better and it would be easy to reach in to get him out.
> 
> Anyone doing this? I see them on Amazon, but I could also probably get a real baby playpen-


Maybe get a playpen and a crate.... you can then put the crate in the pen!!!

We had this set up for Oakley for a while, it was useful as sometimes he just needed his space away from the kids and hectic family life, he could see us (in the kitchen) and he was quite happy in there for short periods of time... i think this is totally a choice thing... 

Still laughing that Lady jumped out of her pen, thats funny!!!!


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

JoJo said:


> Maybe get a playpen and a crate.... you can then put the crate in the pen!!!
> 
> We had this set up for Oakley for a while, it was useful as sometimes he just needed his space away from the kids and hectic family life, he could see us (in the kitchen) and he was quite happy in there for short periods of time... i think this is totally a choice thing...
> 
> Still laughing that Lady jumped out of her pen, thats funny!!!!


HAHAHAHa, it was shocking!!....there was this little puppy in the middle of the middle of the living room, we started to call her houdini because we couldn't figure out how she was getting out...the little escape artist, day one piled her toy and blanket and towel and jumped over....but by day 3 she figured out how to do it without anything! she gets some serious height when she jumps!


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## terrym2442 (Jan 17, 2011)

The playpens have no bottom; what do you put down so the floor doesn't get messed?

Anyone use pee pads? Or does that slow down the whole housetraining thing? While I'm working, I won't be able to watch him constantly; thus the play pen in my office. So i was thinking of putting pads down for the times I need to concentrate on work.

Any tips?


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

When I couldn't watch lady we had her in her crate, puppies don't want to pee where they sleep. she would have toys in there too. but I never left her for too long. puppies do sleep alot too. the crate training is said to speed up house training.


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## Dylansmum (Oct 29, 2010)

terrym2442 said:


> While I'm working, I won't be able to watch him constantly; thus the play pen in my office. So i was thinking of putting pads down for the times I need to concentrate on work.
> 
> Any tips?


I would suggest that rather than watch him, you try to be proactive and take him out every hour. Choose a command (I chose "do potty" and my family hate it!  ) and make a big fuss and immediately treat when he obliges. Dylan learned really fast to go on command and that way you are taking control rather than waiting for them to want to go.


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

terrym2442 said:


> The playpens have no bottom; what do you put down so the floor doesn't get messed?
> 
> Anyone use pee pads? Or does that slow down the whole housetraining thing? While I'm working, I won't be able to watch him constantly; thus the play pen in my office. So i was thinking of putting pads down for the times I need to concentrate on work.
> 
> Any tips?


Hi Terry ...you could put newspaper or Puppy Pads (pee pads) down on the floor in his play pen area, and as previously said he won’t want to wee in his crate, so therefore will do it in the pen area .. you can put down water too .. it may or may not work for you, but it was useful for us in the first few months


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## terrym2442 (Jan 17, 2011)

I would take him out every hour, but keep him in the playpen with pads in case I don't get him out in time. Would that confuse him, having the pee pads in his playpen?


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## terrym2442 (Jan 17, 2011)

It is hard to know how he'll react- he'll be expected not to "go" in his crate, yet I'm giving him permission to use pee pads in the play pen during the times I can't be watching him. Will that confuse him?

Or maybe he'll end up liking his crate (never had a dog that did); then I wouldn't need the playpen.


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

terrym2442 said:


> It is hard to know how he'll react- he'll be expected not to "go" in his crate, yet I'm giving him permission to use pee pads in the play pen during the times I can't be watching him. Will that confuse him?
> 
> Or maybe he'll end up liking his crate (never had a dog that did); then I wouldn't need the playpen.


Terry this is fine to put newspaper of pads in his pen area.... it is only in case of accidents, generally take him out and give lots of praise for wee wee time, it just all sort of all falls into place to be honest. He may like his crate, our Oakley likes his ... he gets peace and quiet there and will often just snuggle up in his crate .. we just leave the door open.. its his space ...


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## terrym2442 (Jan 17, 2011)

Thanks all for the helpful tips. I think you're right- it should all fall into place. Goodness! You'd think I never had a puppy before! 

Harper just came OUT of this phase and it seems like a century ago!


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