# How am I doing so far?



## AzureStarline (Oct 20, 2010)

Ok, so Kira and Ramona, my 10 week old girls, came home with me Thursday afternoon. They're both very good, friendly with each other and other people and most other dogs they've met, and sleep through the night downstairs in their crates. I'm just wondering how I'm doing, so let me map out some of what I've been doing...

Mornings: I wake up around 6:30 and immediately walk the girls. We then come back in for breakfast, after which I give them a minute and then walk them again. On work days, I then run around with them to use up as much energy as possible. All in all they get about an hour of time with me before I put them in their separate crates and head to work. I make sure to leave a toy in each crate. I also have dividers in each and this seems to be working well. Neither has ever done #2 in their crate. Kira doesn't seem to do #1 in it either thankfully, but Ramona may have worse bladder control. She's still young and I know it happens.

Midday: On weekdays, I drive home during lunch to take them out. Like in the morning, I immediately take them out before feeding them. They then get lunch, then walked again, then more play time and running before I go back to work. On my days off, which so far was only last weekend, I spent a good amount of time with them but made sure that there were times when I went to other parts of the house and kept them corralled in the tile-floored entryway. My rationale was just that they should get some time out of the crate without me around. I don't want them to be clingy and I do hope to eventually leave them out of the crates during work once they're trained and trustworthy.

Evenings: Again, I come home on weekdays and walk them, feed them, then walk them again and play. I then hang out with them. Last night I watched a movie on my laptop while sitting on the tile floor near where they were lazily gnawing their tug of war toy. Then, around 10:00, I put them in their crates and turn off the lights except for one dimly-lit one. They bark and whine for a minute or two but then are quiet for the night.

As far as feeding goes, I'm not leaving the bowls out. Food and water is available during meal times but water is also available to them if I see any sign of panting, which only happened for the first time today since it was 76 degrees today around home and they came inside thirsty after I took them out after lunch.

Whenever they go to the bathroom outside, I make sure to give them a treat right then and there. This is a special treat that I don't give them on any other occasion. They seem to really like it and I'm finding that I have very few accidents to clean up as long as I walk them enough. They're puppies though, so that's still a lot of trips outdoors. I'm looking forward to when they go to the door and bark to go out, which neither has done yet. I'm guessing this is still normal and will happen within a few weeks likely?

The two seem perfectly healthy. They run and play a lot and they had a vet checkup last Sunday. Sometimes when they play, the noises really come out! Not quite growls, more like guttural rumbles. They both instigate play and neither ever runs or yelps much, so I'm not concerned there. I am keeping an eye on it and I try to calm them a bit if I think they're ever getting too intense in their puppy wrestling.

What else should I mention? Kira is smarter I think. She already figured out how to climb stairs, so I started using a gate. Then she figured out how to get around the gate by climbing onto the first or second stair from the side between the banister poles! So now I have to fortify the base of the stairs to keep her down there. Ramona, who was 0.8 lbs heavier on Sunday, doesn't seem to be able to make the squeeze.

Oh, so I gave them a bath Sunday evening with my girlfriend's help. They were not pleased! I've never seen them shake so much. I made sure they had each other for company and that the water wasn't too hot or cold, just warm. After shampooing their coats, We took them out, wrapped them in towels, and held them until they were dryer and had stopped shaking. I was surprised that even though they seemed to dislike the bath, they kept quiet. 

So, how does it sound like I'm doing?


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

sounds good, lol best thing after a bath once you got the exes off them if your not going to blow dry them is to let them run about, it worms them up and drys them off. 

are you giving them a command to pee, the command is a god said if your in a hurry and don't have time to wait for them to decide to pee but you know they will need to go. 

i know you don't want them to be clingy but it really is important for you to be more important to them than each other.


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## Jesarie (Sep 9, 2010)

Sounds like your doing a great job! I hope they start to like the water. Axle is amazing when I bathe him. He just stands there. I do not have to hold him, I can even stand up, go to the counter grab soap or whatever and he will just stand there. Now if only he would pee that easily.

And Kendal, speaking of peeing, Axle peed on my bed...again last night.


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## AzureStarline (Oct 20, 2010)

So I'm now two weeks into having the puppies at home with me! So far there have been a few changes, but not the big breakthroughs I'm waiting and hoping for. They're certainly growing and Ramona is bigger than Kira. They're keeping their crates dry, which Kira has been doing but Ramona only recently started being able to. They happily go outside when I walk them, but they haven't begun barking or signaling to me to take them out. Therefore there are still messes when they're unattended. I am eagerly awaiting bringing them into the rest of my home, but until they're trained they're stuck in my tile-floored entryway. Also, Kira particularly is becoming a bit of a nibbler. She doesn't really bite hard but she puts her teeth on everything: my hands, clothes, etc. I'm considering this normal, obviously. Are they teething or something? I occasionally notice slight blood marks on their stuffed monkey toys if they have a tug of war with one.
What else to mention? Kira and I are forever at war to keep her from getting upstairs. No matter how I barricade them, she seems to be able to find a way up. 
I'm going to be thrilled when they finally start to bark at the door to go out. Training two puppies while living on my own is quite tiring! No regrets though.


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

lol my Inca didn't start cry at the back door till she was 2 and a half years old so don't set your hart on it. you could try hanging a bell from the door and ring it every time you open the door so they learn that if th bell rings the door will open so they should learn to ring the bell themselves. puppy biting is a normally thing but the quicker you stop it the better. if you think they are teething you could try soaking a dish towel in water tie a knot in it and stick it in the freezer, some one suggested frozen carrots but my lot have never taken to it. 
for stopping them getting up stares a baby gate may be a better idea.


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## strangeland86 (Oct 30, 2010)

The baby gate is very useful for keeping the little ones out of where theyre not supposed to be,


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## AzureStarline (Oct 20, 2010)

Ok, so the girls will be 17 weeks old at the end of this week. As of Thursday, I will have had them for 7 weeks. Some things are coming along fairly well. They've learned to sit and are learning "up" now. Potty training, however, hasn't shown much improvement. They've always been good about doing their business outside when I walk them and they don't mess in their crates while I'm at work. In the evenings, however, if I go upstairs and leave them corralled in my tile entryway unattended, I have messes to clean up almost every time. I have to mop my floor clean to remove smells every few days. I know they're still fairly young, I just wish the number of accidents was showing signs of decreasing. I just got a doggy bell (which came with a DVD, but I haven't looked into it yet) and am trying to decide how to implement that without them using it as a toy or breaking it. Right now I'm walking them before and after all 3 meals, once later in the evening, and once before bed.


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

for the bell just ring it every time the door opens, they should learn that if they ring the bell the door will open (well you will come and open it lol )


glad to hear they are doing well, any new photos lol


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## AzureStarline (Oct 20, 2010)

kendal said:


> for the bell just ring it every time the door opens, they should learn that if they ring the bell the door will open (well you will come and open it lol )
> 
> 
> glad to hear they are doing well, any new photos lol


Won't they play with it, especially if I put it on the floor? I'm thinking of mounting it to the wall since that way people won't accidentally step on it either. 

Photos! Good idea! These are not super recent, maybe a week or two old now. Good reason to take more!


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

lol i said door. they may eventualy use it just to get your attention but by then you shouldnt need it any more. just hang it on the door handle at a level they can nose or paw it. the jingle anytime you open the door. love the photos


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## Tressa (Aug 31, 2010)

Gorgeous wee things - such sweet faces.


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## AzureStarline (Oct 20, 2010)

kendal said:


> lol i said door. they may eventualy use it just to get your attention but by then you shouldnt need it any more. just hang it on the door handle at a level they can nose or paw it. the jingle anytime you open the door. love the photos


I know you said door, but should I physically attach it to the door? Sorry if I misread something.

EDIT: Hanging from the door handle is a great idea!


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

i know someone who came across the bell idea when he lived in a house with a low lock, the dogs learned that the keys rattled in the door every time it oppend so they started rateling the keys when they wanted out.


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## AzureStarline (Oct 20, 2010)

Kira last night after her first grooming! Ramona wanted nothing to do with being photographed. Apparently they were both very good girls for the groomers!


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## parapluie (Dec 22, 2010)

how did the hanging on the door thing work out? did they start ringing it when they needed to go out?


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## AzureStarline (Oct 20, 2010)

I haven't started using a bell yet since the one I have doesn't work properly when hung vertically and PetSmart was out of hanging ones. I'm thinking of maybe using any generic jingling bells that can hang from a door knob. I definitely do need to start using the bell though, and perhaps making other changes. Their training progress has come to a standstill. They rarely mess when I'm around and they readily potty outside, but they simply won't hold it and wait when I'm not around. I've been mopping my hallway for nearly three months now and cleaning up multiple messes daily is wearing on me. My grandparents' Havanese was doing far better when she was this age last year. 

The only time my girls hold it is when they're in their crates. I feel bad making them sit in their while I'm at work but I'm considering making them do it anyway, at least for a few days, to perhaps teach them to hold it better?

Help! Advice appreciated. They're great dogs with unbeatable personalities, but the messing has worn down this single puppy parent!


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Awwww if only they did nappies (diapers ... for the foreigners ha ha ) She looks lovely though... hang in there x x x


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## AzureStarline (Oct 20, 2010)

Guys, I'm really hitting my limit. My girls just won't hold it! I came home at lunch and walked them, then went to eat my lunch after giving them theirs...came downstairs just minutes later to two #2's! They know our routine is walk/eat/walk!

It's time for constant crating, lessons, or something drastic. I'm done cleaning up 8-10 messes a day.


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

how many times a day are you feeding them. have you conciderd cutting out the morning meal. how long after them eating do you take them out.


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## AzureStarline (Oct 20, 2010)

I am feeding them three meals a day but they tend to not actually eat them all, usually only eating significantly 2 out of the 3. I have been planning on eventually downgrading to just 2 meals. I walk them before meals, then feed them, then give them a couple minutes if they start wrestling after eating, then take them out as soon as that breaks up. The messes are rare if I'm in their presence, so since yesterday at lunch I've been crating them whenever I can't supervise them. They whined a bit yesterday evening, but not bad. My current plan is to give this a few days to a week and then test the waters again.


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## Dylansmum (Oct 29, 2010)

What you are doing is probably a good idea. Dogs are such creatures of habit - they get into both good and bad routines easily so hopefully they will get used to being clean and that will last once they are out of the crate again. Good luck.


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## AzureStarline (Oct 20, 2010)

Well, here's another update. Sadly, no good news. The pups have been crated daily for about a month now and there's no real sign of improvement. They're getting spayed on the 15th and I'm hoping maybe that will do something to spur them to improve. Like before, they quickly and happily potty outside but won't hold it and wait for me to let them out. The messes are at the point of driving me mental. They definitely don't like being crated so much and I wish I could enjoy their company in the main portion of my home, but oh well.  I would do puppy lessons or something, but I really can't afford it being a year out of college and living alone. Hoping things improve...


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

Don't stress to much about the potty training!!! Lady had some issues with it...we have just gone our first full week without one accident. it will come.


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## j maree (Jan 15, 2011)

I've read the posting from the beginning. Oh, boy. A question............If you keep doing the same thing over again will you get a different result ???

First problem you have two pups the same age.they are going to have a poop competition going!! 

Chloe did the samething!! It took forever.(she didn't have a patner in crime though). Every couple of times I had to change what was doing. Finally I was actually picking up the poop and throwing it outside making wild noises!! It goes outside grrrrr. Got it Chloe??
lol.lol.... I think she now has it! She thought OMG this mommy is a nut case! I ain't doing that again.

I tried patience I tried ignoring screaming leaving her outside/ I have a fenced yard Eating once a day pointing to the ground "go pee" sometimes that worked. If I looked her in the eyes when I let her out she would come back in and poop!! I have a bell on my door knob in my bedroom and on the back door. She knows how to ring it. But I swear she just likes to let me know who's boss. Something like this turns into a power play. 

Picking it up and throwing it out the back door has worked for 3 weeks!!!!


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## AzureStarline (Oct 20, 2010)

Amanda, thanks for the encouragement. I'm sticking with it. J Maree, you make a few good points. I think you're right that part of the problem comes from having two. I think right now Kira is ahead of Ramona as far as bladder control, etc. Would it be a bad idea to separate them a bit, perhaps bring Kira upstairs (to the main floor of my home) with me for a few days? I'm curious to test her to see just how good she is. I haven't actually caught her in the act in a while, but when I don't catch the accident I can never be sure which puppy it was, you know? Also, you mention throwing the poop outside and that made me realize something else: the vast majority of the messes are pee. I don't remember the last time I picked up poo indoors, but then again they aren't uncaged and unsupervised much. 

Unless advised otherwise, I'll probably begin separating them and giving Kira a chance to prove herself. Ramona won't know where Kira is, so I'm not too worried about jealousy issues, etc. For Ramona, it'll just be another day.

All your help is appreciated, everyone!


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

seperating them might be a good idea. keep going you will get their soon. things will just click at some point.


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## AzureStarline (Oct 20, 2010)

Here's another update. Eight days ago the girls got spayed and tonight they have their checkup with the vet to hopefully get permission to stop wearing the lampshades. They can't stand them and I'm sure they haven't been sleeping comfortably in their crates with them on. Potty training is ongoing, essentially on hold while I'm struggling with their recovery. I thought Kira was doing very well until the peed on the carpet right in front of me two nights ago. Ramona has always been lagging. 
Once the surgery and recovery is behind them, I do plan on separating them. One will stay in my back room and the other will be in my entryway. I'm hoping that will have some effect.


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## Lilly's mum (Feb 24, 2011)

Hi AzureStarline,
Your puppies are adorable! We have a little cockapoo called Lilly.
xx


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## AzureStarline (Oct 20, 2010)

Update time!

Things with the pups are fantastic! They now have a Scottish Terrier brother and all are happy, trained, and wonderful.


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## Laura(L)Izzie (Sep 9, 2011)

I love the pictures  Just read through the thread, wondering how it ended up working out with weeing inside etc & how long it took you...? Hope it all went well


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