Dogs - who owns what and how did you choose it?

[Stew]

So now you get to learn about extinction behaviour.

Tonight the dog will likely whine if you don't go downstairs. If you go down they've got what they want. If you stay upstairs then they'll whine more because it worked last night so maybe they just need to try harder and you'll go down.

Extinction behaviour is the 'problem' getting worse before it gets better. You have to push through and ignore it.

 

[Paul_B]

I know this. I did tell her we should ignore the pup. I'm perfectly capable of turning a deaf ear. My partner isn't. It'll be harder for her.

 

[Nice65]

I know this. I did tell her we should ignore the pup. I'm perfectly capable of turning a deaf ear. My partner isn't. It'll be harder for her.

Earplugs for a few nights?

We had it badly with our older JR, she howled and howled. I moved the bed into the bedroom (during the day, not while she was howling) and she was fine from then on. It's not the ideal solution, but we don't mind.

 

[Janne]

Sounds like the family dynamics have changed to the 'new normal' !

When you met your wife, you were No 1.
After first child, you drop one rung. You do that with each child. You get a dog - another demotion.

"Not now, honey, I must feed the dog, then you must take it for a walk!"

 

[Paul_B]

I've never owned a dog, neither of us has, but i've got better instincts. Trouble is getting the other half to follow my lead. It's just started happening today.

 

[Janne]

We did find that puppy classes were very useful.
Dogs and wife learned a lot!
(But I still ended up at the bottom of the family rung.......)

 

[Paul_B]

At least the other half is on a lower rung like me. Our son is higher! How did this happen?!!

Just tickled dog's tummy till it fell asleep. If that's a sign I'm dominant then why did the dog get me to continue tickling when I stopped too soon? Hmmm! Not sure about that one!

 

[Nice65]

At least the other half is on a lower rung like me. Our son is higher! How did this happen?!!

Just tickled dog's tummy till it fell asleep. If that's a sign I'm dominant then why did the dog get me to continue tickling when I stopped too soon? Hmmm! Not sure about that one!

Testing boundaries, needs of a bit of TLC, and establishing his new relationships.

It's not really to do with dominance or even pack behaviour, it's about letting your new friend know where he fits in your social circle. If he doesn't know, he'll be confused and won't know how to behave. Your new one is desperately trying to find out what his new life is about, he's only just come away from his mum and siblings. Set the bar, but be gentle, and make easy goals that can't be failed.

And honestly, don't get too wrapped up in the psychology, you'll get a friend for life anyway.

 

[Paul_B]

She's lying behind my back back I'm sat leaning against a chair. I'm wondering how long to leave it before i can get up and go to bed without waking her. Figure 2 hours sleep tops before she starts whining.

 

[Janne]

My recommendation: wake her up, take her for a wslk now.
She gets ”empty” and tired. Maybe sleeps through the night?

Establish feding drinking and walking routines.
We fed our dogs around 16.00, went for the evening walk around 20.00 let them have a drink of water then removed the water.

I like to sleep uninterrupted.
If you drink at 23.00 you eill wake up needing a wee a couple of hours later.

 

[santaman2000]

It's an puppy. Compare it to a toddler; sleeping through the night without a pee ain't gonna happen just yet. Not regularly anyway. When I was a kid we "paper rained" my pups until they were old enough to make it through the night. Nowadays the pet stores have scented, disposable mats for that.

 

[Paul_B]

Pee mats everywhere. Well nearly.

Can't take her out, only on first vac

 

[Stew]

Pee mats everywhere. Well nearly.

Can't take her out, only on first vac

Do you not have a garden?

 

[Paul_B]

Only a yard which she has explored. Family has a big garden but not that secure.

 

[mousey]

Our first dog was allowed to sleep at the bottom of the bed, but after we got more than one that wasn't practical, so they all had their own beds. They are allowed on the sofa / chairs when unoccupied by people but they get down when anyone wants to sit where they are. We no longer have beds for them, one sleeps outside the bedroom door, the other two are up in the living room on the sofa at night. I occasionally fall asleep on the sofa watching a film and the dogs keep my legs warm

I'm getting to the other end of the spectrum the oldest, a german shepherd / collie, at 14 has had a couple of moments where she couldn't get out into the garden in time for a pee - handy having bare wood flooring and a mop ...

 

[KenThis]

Completely different to you, but my border terrier puppy has slept with me in my double bed every night since I got her at 8 weeks old.
My double bed is in the corner of my room. First few nights I put her in her basket and the basket in the corner of my bed. She woke me up a few times in the night needing to go out. I was expecting accidents but thankfully I was very, very lucky.
After a week she would climb out of her basket and snuggle next to me so I left her basket on the floor (she uses it during the day) and just put a thick dog blanket in the corner of my bed. She went from waking me up a couple of times a night to completely sleeping through 8 hours in only a few weeks.
Touch wood but we've never had a bed accident during the night. A couple of times early on she accidentally peed on my duvet during the day due to being over excited whilst playing, but she was less than 12 weeks old so no big deal.
She's 20 weeks old now and much better than an alarm clock. 10pm I turn most lights off and take her out for the final time. Then we have a bit of gentle play where I brush her or rub her tummy. Get into bed by 10.30pm, she just does her own thing, lately she has been stretching out on my feet as I read/ipad/watch a bit of telly. Then she just sleeps through till about 7am, I've stopped setting my alarm as she knows when she needs to get up.. She then climbs on my and wakes me up with licks and pawing. We have another little play where I rub her tummy and stroke her and then take her outside. She does her business and then we have a game of fetch and some tug of war before breakfast.
I'm firmly of the belief that it's the routine that has helped both of us. Since her first night we have pretty much kept the same routine, less anxiety for the pair of us. I'm more relaxed and happier and she doesn't get whiny.

As for discipline, for the most part I've followed the positive reinforcement route where good behavior is rewarded and bad behaviour is ignored. However on the few occasions where she has pushed boundaries too far I've found that picking her up and shouting, suitably mollifies her. After that she will be quiet for 30 secs before coming up to say sorry. To be fair though as long as I've done my job and made sure she doesn't get bored, she behaves pretty well for a puppy.
We're starting puppy nursery at the weekend which should hopefully keep that going.

 

[santaman2000]

Our first dog was allowed to sleep at the bottom of the bed, but after we got more than one that wasn't practical, so they all had their own beds. They are allowed on the sofa / chairs when unoccupied by people but they get down when anyone wants to sit where they are. We no longer have beds for them, one sleeps outside the bedroom door, the other two are up in the living room on the sofa at night. I occasionally fall asleep on the sofa watching a film and the dogs keep my legs warm

I'm getting to the other end of the spectrum the oldest, a german shepherd / collie, at 14 has had a couple of moments where she couldn't get out into the garden in time for a pee - handy having bare wood flooring and a mop ...

Yeah watching them get older is bitter-sweet. It's been said, "You've never been loved until you've been loved by an old dog." On the other hand it's time to start spoiling them then. Probably get another bed for her as it's harder for her to get onto the furniture and that hard floor is even harder n older, arthritic dogs. My oldest has recently been put on Rimadyl for her arthritis.

 

[santaman2000]

Pee mats everywhere. Well nearly.

Can't take her out, only on first vac

We started the paper training that way (papered the floor of the whole room) Over a two or three weeks you can reduce how many mats you put out and she'l seek them out as that's the surface/smell where she feels best going. Likewise when you do take her outside she'll learn to always go on whatever surface she's taught; be it grass, bare earth, sand, or concrete. Whatever she starts on will become her expected place.

 

[mousey]

....harder for her to get onto the furniture....

The sofa she lays on is an ercol, with a seat height of apparently 450mm [I suspect mine is lower even than this] - which I find ridiculously low, it's a fine sofa to sleep on but I'd rather not sit on it.

 

[Janne]

Heritage grade sofa!

As long as you get results, it matters not how you toilet train her.
Dogs do not like to sleep away from the alfa female and male, as they are pack animals.
Our two dogs did indeed sleep in our bedroom.