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tracey_oh

I think we have a dog...

Tracey_OH
13 years ago

This is a follow-up to my post from last Dec. about my son wanting a dog. You guys were sooooo helpful and I wanted to catch everyone up. So we moved in April but we were swamped with baseball, vacation, and unpacking that we are just now getting around to finding a dog. We found this dog on a rescue site. He's a lab/pointer mix and was rescued from a Memphis kill shelter. He came over for a visit yesterday and I think he will be great for the munchkin. He's close to a year and should be close to full size. He was very well mannered, friendly and cute. We are going to pick him up tonight! So, what do I need for him right now? Bear in mind that I've NEVER had a dog before so I'm flying blind. What kind of food, treats, and anything else I need to know. Any help would be appreciated!




Here is a link that might be useful: Mom, can Santa bring me a dog?

Comments (45)

  • pkramer60
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    first, Congratulations! He has a beautiful face and I love the "kissing" spot on top of his head.

    You will need:
    Collar with ID tags
    leash(es)
    bowls for water and food
    Food- ask what they were feeding to avoid a tummy/poop problem
    Stuffed toys/balls/frisbees
    bones to chew if we get nervous
    Plastic bags for poop pick up
    Bitter Apple spray- to stop chewing of furniture, electival cords, etc.
    Milk bone makes little "cookies", great for a reward while training.
    Baby gate to close off resticted areas or stairways (he may not know how to work those yet)
    Calendar marked with the date of a training class for both of you.

    Now remember: He doesn't know what door to go out for potty, so be sure to show him and often. Heck, he may not know how to tell you even, so ask often. Yelling at him only makes you feel better. Firm voice tones works better. He runs one way, you go the other. And keep using his name, he wil not know it yet.

    Get on your hands and knees and crawl around. If you are at his level, what kind of mischief can you get into? Chew this cord, eat that shoe, stick my face in the dirty laundry and snack on undies???? Hey, whats in this trash basket? Yum, Kleenex!

    Yup, it's like bringing home a baby or toddler. Only no college money needed.

    Have fun, discover and enjoy. Take lots of pics as you both start the journey of giving this cutey a forever home.

  • claire_de_luna
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Tracy, congratulations on your new family member! What a sweet lovely face he has. Here's my list, but I'm certain others will have additional ideas:

    Crate. Most dogs love their crates as they view them as dens where they can get away from it all. Pick a good spot for it to live (a quiet place where they can look out at the action, or look out to a door or opening to the room.) If you plan to travel with your dog (we always took ours along rather than put her in a kennel), pick a sturdy travel crate, so you only need one. There's the added advantage of it being familiar when you're in a new location, so there's less stress for your dog.

    Dremel Rotary tool with sandpaper attachment, preferably corded. (Cordless just doesn't maintain battery power long enough.) This is for filing their nails, which you'll want to do on a regular basis. (It was every week for our dog, but we have wood floors. Even so, you dog will be much more comfortable if you keep up with this, and won't need to DIG in your garden, trying to take care of it themselves.) If you cradle them from behind while you file the nails, they don't seem to mind, since who doesn't like a hug? This is much less stressful than cutting their nails, and they get used to the dremel very quickly. It will pay for itself over the length of your dog's life.

    Chew toys. Since your dog is a lab mix, he may have a strong oral need to chew. Give him plenty of these, and vary them so you can decide what he loves best.

    Soft ball. Soft latex toys worked well for my chewy dog, as they deflate and aren't crunchy enough for them to want to chew through. Anything that squeaks is always fun.

    Soft plushy bird with squeaks or honks. Since you have a bird dog, I suspect he will love that. If he loves it, use it as a reward for play while you're training him. If he has an oral bent, that will also save it a bit longer for both of you.

    Collar and retractable leash. The German made retractable leashes seemed to last longer. Another thing to consider is a Gentle Leader, which is a leash that goes around their head. These are great leashes that give you ultimate control over your dog by allowing you to turn their head towards you, without harming them in any way. I wish I'd known about this one early in my dog's life, but maybe instead I can pass it along to you.

    Small treats like liver for training. These are great for getting their attention very quickly and usually a favorite. My dog always got a couple of these when she'd go into her crate, so the crate was a happy place for her. (I kept them on top of the crate so they were handy.)

    If you can designate a certain spot in your yard for him to ''go'', it will make the rest of your yard a cleaner place for your family, and you'll only have scoop in one area.

    This is up to you, but for summer, I liked cutting a thicker yoga mat into two for my dog's crate. It was cooler than a bed, but provided some cushion for the dog's bones. In the winter months I added a fluffy rug for extra cushion, and my dog was in heaven. (Just out of the dryer before she went to bed, and it was a lovely moment.)

    Take an obedience course. That will help the entire family, and you dog will be happy knowing what's expected of him.

    Enjoy him, he's beautiful!

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  • claire_de_luna
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The Puppies for Dummies book is excellent. Your sweetheart is still a pup, and it will help guide you in the best way to train your dog and show him what to expect. I'm so happy for you!

  • caliloo
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Congrats and best of luck with him! He looks like a sweetie!

    Alexa

  • centralcacyclist
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    "A tired Lab is a good Lab!" Get a Chuck-it ball thrower and a bunch of cheap tennis balls. You have a good fetch dog! So much fun. A hard rubber Kong you can fill with peanut butter is a good thing to keep them busy. Yes, Labs love to chew! Mine loves soft fuzzy toys to carry around in her mouth. Eventually she will tear out the squeaker.

  • obxgina
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What a cutie, congratulations!
    Don't forget monthly flea/ tick treatment, we use Advantix because it also covers mosquitoes a problem here in NC, and also monthly heartworm medication! Keep us posted! Gina

  • annie1992
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Aw, he's sweet.

    Lots of love, that's what you need. I'll second the chewies, it keeps them out of a lot of trouble. Cooper likes to chew m y shoes, the WonderWeiner just chewed the rungs of the chairs!

    Annie

  • mustangs81
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You are my hero!!

    I was hoping Peppi and CdL would chime in knowing their vast doggie knowledge. I, on the other hand, can only offer praise for rescuing him and encouragement to make him a part of the family.

  • Tracey_OH
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thank you so much! I must admit I'm a bit freaked out. I made DH a list from the suggestions and he I think we are okay for now. We picked up Wellness brand food and snacks from Petco and he ate it. I'm a little worried about the training since I have no idea how to go about it. I'm going to Petco tomorrow to sign him and the munchkin up for classes. Please let me know if there's anything else I need to know! Like I said, I have zero knowledge of how to care for/train a dog. DH grew up with them but not me so he's way more relaxed about the whole thing. But to see the munchkin walk in with him for the first time with a huge smile on his face makes it worth it :)

    Tracey

  • wizardnm
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Congratulations! He looks like a real sweetie.

    Roxie is my first dog and is now eight years old. The best thing I did was to enroll her and I in obedience school. I learned so much about how to teach her what I wanted her to do.

    Nancy

  • ann_t
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Tracey, Looks like you found yourself a real sweetie. What is his name?

    Ann

  • annie1992
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Tracy, relax. He doesn't have to be perfect and neither do you. You care for him and he'll return complete loyalty and boundless love ten fold.

    Annie

  • claire_de_luna
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Tracy, See if you can check that book I told you about, out at the library. If not, your local bookstore will have it. Once you start reading, it will tell you what you need to know, and you'll feel lots better about things. You'll do Just Fine!

  • compumom
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Congratulations! Wise move to avoid the young puppy stage, they're a handful! I'm sure he'll reward you with loads of kisses, love and loyalty!

  • arabellamiller
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Yay!! What a gorgeous pup! We got a puppy last year (also brought up from a kill shelter in the south), she's a shepard/lab/border collie mix. Loads of personality.

    The first months are the hardest, but now she's fallen in with our family rythm and the kids have learned how much love is too much love.

    One trick for correcting pet behavior that has worked for us is "Pet Corrector". It's a small red canister with compressed air. You spray it when they do an unwanted behavior, like jumping on a person to greet them. It doesn't hurt the dog, just makes a loud noise that completely freaks them out. After only once or twice, my dog now sits politely if she even sees the canister.

    AM

  • foodonastump
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Congratulations, what a pretty dog! "He was very well mannered, friendly and cute." Sounds like you're starting off well ahead of the game, don't stress. Some people take pet care/training a lot more seriously than others, but in my experience lots of love, plenty of exercise and consistent discipline is what turns out a good pet. The only "bad dogs" I know are the ones who are thrown outside or locked in a cage or the basement whenever they get hyper, rather than dealing with the underlying issue. They never calm down.

    So, how was the first night??

  • lsr2002
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Congratulations!

    Definitely a tired dog is a good dog - so I would also suggest you find a dog park and take him regularly. He will love the freedom to run off leash in a large fenced space.

    Our rescued dog, sweet but untrained except for being housebroken, absolutely loved his dog school classes. One of the most important things we learned was to say his name, to get his attention, then the command or hand signal given ONCE (after he has learned what it means) and then wait him out. At first when we would go out in the car I would have to allow 10-15 minutes to get the harness and leash on our dog, walk him, returning to start in the kitchen several times when he pulled on the leash, and then telling him to wait while I opened the door and went down the two steps into the garage - he knew what I wanted each step of of the process but was just too excited to stay calm. Now he sees the leash or harness come out and he comes and sits to have it put on and waits at the door until he is verbally released, he also lies down with one hand signal when we are ready to put his food dish down for him to eat. Don't keep repeating the command - he heard you the first time. Of course a small treat in your hand given when he does what you have asked and lavish words of praise make training easier. I really believe that a dog likes to know what is expected and wants to please you. Also, and this may be hard for your son, if you want a calm dog, you have to be calm around him, don't yell, use a quiet firm voice.

    We took 4 sets of classes, because our dog had such a great time in them, from the same trainer. Several of the dog owners would take their dogs for a walk or a run before class to make sure they had tired dogs that wanted to learn to be good dogs - that never worked out in our schedule but there was always five minutes or so of play and socialization time before the class started. All of our previous dogs went to boarding school to be trained but I now think that participating in the classes is a much better way to have your dog want to please YOU. I hope that you plan to attend the classes with your son.

    We were also taught never to tease our dog, that meant not wrestling with him,(cuddling on the floor is fine) or playing tuggy with him - it's fine for him to wrestle and play tuggy with a toy with another dog but dog/human play should be more like throwing a ball or a frisbee for him to run after and fetch or playing hide and seek, where one family member stays with the dog while another hides in another room or in the yard and then softly calls the dog. The ball throwers that Barnmom mentioned are really great.

    Our dog loves to go anywhere with us and we can take him to an outdoor restaurant, into a bank, into the Home Depot or a large hardware store and know he will behave in a way to make us proud of him. I'm sure that some of your training at Petco will be done out in the middle of the store so he can learn how to react to strangers, how to "leave it" when he really would like to grab a toy or a bag of treats off a shelf, and how not to freak at distractions when noises occur in the store. You will LOVE, LOVE, LOVE a happy well trained dog.

    Others have really covered the supply end of things very well and I don't have any thing to add to that. There have been lots of discussions on feeding dogs here and some of us cook entirely or partially for our dogs, and some feed raw. While you may want to feed purchased dog food, it is still important to know the few foods that are really harmful to a dog and some emergency tactics for when you suddenly discover you are out of dog chow. It's easy to put together a meal from your pantry and fridge, or with avoiding the few dangerous foods, a meal from what you are serving your family.

    You have lots of support here, and have been given lots of suggestions to think through and decide which are right for you. Now you just have to love him and learn and grow with him - I can't wait to learn how it's going.

    Best wishes to all of you,

    Lee

  • claire_de_luna
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I came back to hear how your first night went. Don't keep us in suspense! May I also mention that I loved the title of your post? I think we have a dog...

  • Tracey_OH
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks everyone for checking on us and for all the encouragement! Well, we made it through the first night and day. We put him in the kennel around 10:00. He whimpered a couple of minutes then settled in and stayed in there without a peep until we came in the kitchen this morning to let him out, around 6:15. He seems to understand the word no and he stayed far away from our pool when he was out back. Claire, I have the puppy book on hold at the library and I picked up info today about training classes. It's funny-everyone told me that dogs will eat anything and that my kitchen floor will be clean. Ummm, not so much. He turned his nose up at the Wellness Well Bars from Petco and the cracker crumbs still need to be swept up. Figures I would get a dog as picky as my kids :) Here's a few more pics-some of the stuff we've picked up and me and Chance. The munchkin finally decided on the name Chance.

    I totally failed at dog walking. I put him in the car (huge deal for me) and drove to the park. When we got there, I realized I had no idea how to control him and I was soooo afraid he was going to slip out of his collar and run off. We were there about two minutes and I panicked and took him right back home. I also had grand ideas of taking him to Petco to get a bath but that's beyond me on the first day. DH said he could do the bath so that's off me. I actually had two friends stop by to see him in person cause they couldn't believe I now live in the same house as a dog. I'm telling you, after 39 years of never having a pet, this is rocking my world. I REALLY appreciate everyone's help and support. I'm sure I'll have many dumb questions in the next few weeks.

    Thanks!!!
    {{gwi:1451438}}


    {{gwi:1451439}}

  • claire_de_luna
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Well, I love the name Chance, and it seems he's aptly named! As far as the treats go, it's a cr*pshoot to figure out what they like until you do...my dog never liked peanut butter too much which I thought was Very Odd! She did learn to hoover the floor, but I do confess to encouraging that, so she learned fast. (I let her clean up the floor, but never let her beg for food.) She always came running when I'd make popcorn, which was one of her favorite treats (and mine, of course.)

    As far as dog walking goes, that's what the training classes will help with. If you go ahead and invest in a Gentle Leader, you'll be amazed at how well you can control your dog. Using that particular lead is like using power steering without needing any physical strength. As I said, I didn't know about this in the beginning, which would have helped us a lot. The difference in ''before'' and ''after'' using the Gentle Leader was like watching a commercial for the product. After the first time I put it on my dog and walked down the driveway, I was convinced that it's one of the best products I've ever used.

    Chance looks very relaxed sitting next to you and I'm certain he's going to be a very happy dog! Thanks for sharing...you know we're all living vicariously through you!

  • lsr2002
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You and Chance look wonderful together. I love his name too. You did not fail - Chance just saw a wonderful opportunity to run and play, but you were right to be concerned. Next time, try a dog park, park your car right at the gate if you can, let him out to run until he's tired, maybe twenty minutes the first time, have a treat that he likes in your hand and call him as though you were going to have the best party ever when he comes to you. You'll be surprised how well he will walk with you when he is tired and since dog parks are fenced you won't have to worry about losing him. Another hint we were given was to always reward your dog when he comes when called - even if it's just from six feet away in your home. The reward can be a treat or just lavish praise. You want to feel comfortable that he will always come when called especially if he's in a situation you don't feel is safe.

    Several people in our classes used a Gentle leader and they do work really well. For some reason the trainer suggested an easy walk harness for us - but she made recommendations to everyone for what she thought was best for their situation and I can certainly say that those who used the Gentle Leader were extremely happy with it. When you learn to loose leash walk with your dog in a class, you'll be in a small area at first - we learned by having our dogs between a wall and our hip. The dogs didn't have much room to get way from the person and they all learned to walk nicely on a leash pretty quickly.

    I'm really smiling at your experience with the likes and dislikes of treats and CDL's comments about "hoovering" the floor. We named our first two dogs after vacuum cleaners in the hope that they would pick up food that fell to the floor - neither did, and the names of Kirby (for an Irish Setter) and O.D. Hoover didn't make any difference at all.

    OTOH, Ollie was on the streets for weeks, which was obvious from his being underweight and completely mud caked and matted when he went into rescue, waits patiently for anything to fall to the floor when I'm cooking. He knows he won't get anything from the table so he doesn't beg, but the minute one of us gets his food dish, he's at our side to be sure we do it right. He is the first food driven dog we've had and I'm sure it comes from being out and hungry having to forage for food. He's not aggressive about food though.

    I can't wait to hear more about how Chance is fitting into your family, it looks like a great match.

    Lee

  • lakeguy35
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Congrats to you and your family Tracey! He is a great lookin dog and I'm sure he will give y'all tons of love and enjoyment in the coming years. Can't offer much more advice that what's been given. Labs still have a lot of puppy left in them even at one year old. Ditto lots of chew toys and work/play him hard. Surprised he didn't like the pool...that might not last too long. My lab and cocker loved the pool and lake. I use to get soup or knuckle bones from the butcher or meat market for chewing. They love them and they are cheap. Cooked bones are not good as the can splinter and cause problems.

    Keep us posted with more pics! : )

    David

  • doucanoe
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Tracey, Chance is adorable! The others have given you some great advice. So great, I have nothing to add!

    You'll wonder how you ever lived 39 years without a dog!

    Linda

  • claire_de_luna
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    This might make you feel more comfortable about the Gentle Leader. I'm linking to a You Tube video on the product information, and if you look around the You Tube site, there are all kinds of videos demonstrating it. Sometimes it helps to see something in action!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Gentle Leader

  • wizardnm
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Tracey, you're doing so well and Chance looks happy.
    I remember when I first got Roxie, she was all of 5 weeks old. All I could think about was....OMG what have I done! I wasn't sure I wanted the responsibility. I turned into an over protective mom instantly, yet I was firm with her training and today, eight years later, I couldn't ask for a better dog. She doesn't beg during dinner because she knows she will be fed as soon as we are done (she loves the leftovers) and she will only eat what we give her. I can put out snacks on the coffee table and she won't touch them...
    I read a book about how a dog is happiest when you are pleased with them and that if you teach them your boundaries, they will be much more content. Just be consistent.
    We also never played any tugging games because that teaches aggressiveness. I read that too!
    They mature from wanting to explore the world to just wanting to be near you. So they can protect you.

    Roxie was probably about Chance's age when I commented to a friend about how I never thought I could love a dog so much. Her comment back was, "Just wait a couple of years, you'll love her ten times more, when she settles down." That has proven to be very true.

    The picture of you with Chance is priceless, you are going to be a great dog Mommy!

    Nancy

  • dlynn2
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    If you ever need to give Chance medicine, get some Pill Pockets at Petsmart. It is this beef or chicken flavored stuff that is the consistency of Playdo. My dog loves them and it makes it so simple to give her meds. I don't use the Pill Pockets exactly as they are designed, though, because that would waste too much of the pocket. I just break a piece off and mold it around the pill.

    Also, I think your dog would love you a lot more if you would get rid of that tOSU shirt you are wearing in the picture and replace it with an LSU shirt ;-)

    Here is a link that might be useful: pill pockets

  • annie1992
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    LOL, dlynn, I'm sure that's a typo and you meant an MSU shirt....

    Tracey, when he's comfortable and secure, watch out for the pool. somehow labs just can't resist the water, they love it. Of course, they are wwater dogs, retrievers, so it's their nature, they just can't help it. Amanda finally just got Sadie her own pool, because Sadie would lie down in the kid's wading pool and there was no room for the kids, LOL.

    Nancy is right, you're going to be surprised how much you can love a dog, and how much they can love you.

    Cooper sends congratulatioons to Chance for finding such a good home.

    Annie

  • centralcacyclist
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Our Lab fell into the pool by accident as a pup in winter and avoided it for a long time until the kids coaxed her in the following summer. Now when it's hot or someone is swimming, she will wade in and swim a few laps. Show your dog where the steps are and how to get out. Our pool has corner seats at the deep end she uses to get out, too.

  • Tracey_OH
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    So we are getting through the first week. So far, he's listening well. There are a few things we will be working on-not going upstairs and not climbing on the furniture. Overall, I think he's doing great! I've caught him trying to chew on the wood on the stairs and we've learned very quickly not to leave shoes laying around :) I will admit that I'm not thrilled about all the extra vacuuming I foresee in my future.

    Clair, I ordered the puppy book and I will be looking for that leash! The video was great-I am definitely interested in it.

    Lee, we live in a smaller town and dog parks are nowhere to be found. We have lots of farms and fields but no dog parks. Luckily we have a decent sized fenced in yard where he can run around. I would LOVE to take him to a doggie park to run though!

    I've also caught my kids giving him LOTS of treats. "But mom, he did what I said so I have to give him a treat!" Sigh, I'm going today to get signed up for training classes.

    And BOOOOOOO to LSU (and MSU for that matter) LOL. I actually tried to get the munchkin to name him Buckeye but he didn't go for it. I can't wait to go up to OH next visit and stock up on OSU doggie products :)

    Okay, a few quick questions. How often on baths and brushing? And how often should I wash the comforter in his cage?

    Thanks again for all your kind words and encouragement. You guys are the best!

  • weed30 St. Louis
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Congrats on your doggie - he is a doll!

    For inappropriate chewing, get some Grannick's bitter apple spray at PetSmart or Petco. It works like a charm, and won't hurt your wood. I've also sprayed it on upholstery with no problem, however I did test a hidden area first.

    My beagle started chewing on the corner where my baseboards meet, but one taste of the spray and she never did it again. I actually saw her make a face and try to spit :) Well, as best as a dog can actually spit.

    I've tried other brands of this type of spray, but for me, the original is the best.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Bitter Apple

  • lsr2002
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    "I've also caught my kids giving him LOTS of treats. "But mom, he did what I said so I have to give him a treat!" LOL, yes but a treat can be tiny, a corn kernel sized crumb of a treat and lavish petting and praise is a reward.

    Try the bitter apple spray that Weed suggests, it works for many dogs. But also look at Chance chewing the stairs as a way of meeting a need. If you catch him doing it, try to immediately give him a bone or hard chew toy and call him away from the stairs. You'll learn the "leave it" command in dog school too and that will help with chairs and shoes.

    If you, or the munchkin, brush him a little every day, you'll have a little less to vacuum and it's nice calm bonding time with your dog. As far as baths, someone else will have to advise because our dog is a "hair" dog, not a fur dog like Chance and we wash him every two weeks, but that may be too often for Chance. And wash the comforter when it starts to smell! Or more often - it's up to you.

    I think you are doing fabulously and I'm looking forward to updates.

    Lee

  • centralcacyclist
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Children are far more resistant to training than dogs, I found!

  • annie1992
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I agree, wash the comforter when it starts to smell. I wash Cooper every couple of months, when HE begins to smell, and I brush him every day, just like I did the WonderWeiner because they were both long haired varieties.

    I bought this handy dandy mitt at the local pet place, it's for animal hair. Cooper and the cat fight over who is going to be stroked with that mitt, it's rough when you pull it one way and picks up hair off the couch, out of the Jeep and off the pets themselves, it's great. Then rub it the other way and the hair comes off.

    Works great, along with brushing...

    Annie

  • dees_1
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Congrats Tracey!

    One thing folks didn't mention here; make sure you get a good vet and form a good relationship with them. I take the kids to No. Madison Animal for their stuff and they have a satellite office in our town.

    You'll get used to walking the dog. Practice in your backyard on leash. It will come with time.

  • Tracey_OH
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have gone back and re-read all your comments so many times! I can't tell you how helpful all the advice has been. So we've made it through the first week or so pretty well. DH and the munchkin started puppy school this week with him and are working diligently on training. He's doing well with sit and lay down. I am having a terrible time getting him into his kennel when it's just me and Chance. I've resorted to throwing pieces of bologna in the kennel to lure him in. The thing is, he's smart because he knows exactly what I'm doing! He'll wait until I leave the room before he'll get in the kennel to go after the bologna. I have to hide around the corner and wait him out. He's also destroyed every single toy we've bought :) There's string and bits of stuffing all over my living room every time I turn around. Any suggestions on toys? Oh, and this morning he decided to start tearing up the comforter in his kennel.

    As far as interacting, he and the munchkin LOVE each other! They play and run and have a blast. We had DH's family in town for the day over the weekend. They are all dog people and they just kept going on about what a good, sweet dog Chance is. He also did great around a one year old who was visiting. Yay! He jumps up on the munchkin when they start playing rough but he doesn't do it at all to me, thankfully. This whole experience is definitely bringing to mind the time when I had toddlers in the house. It's been a learning experience to say the least!

    Tracey

  • claire_de_luna
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Tracey, I'm so glad you're getting along well. Since Chance is part lab and a puppy, well...I hate to tell you this but that's what they do. (Tear up every toy you give them.) For a while, my golden loved the twisted rope until I figured out her jaws were much stronger than when she was a little pup, and they were lasting an hour with string everywhere. UGH. (No Thank You.) The most successful for her were: Hard rubber toys like Kongs, or balls with holes you can put a treat or peanut butter into; soft latex toys (not vinyl) that aren't hard enough to ''chew'' (although they get pretty slobbery, IYKWIM). (Mine particularly loved them if they had soft little teeth, which provided some texture I think felt good in her mouth.) Those rubber balls with all the open holes in them (that are soft and bend, about 5-8'' in diameter and different colors). A good Nylabone lasts forever. The ''chuck-a-ball'' thing someone else mentioned is great for throwing the ball (so you don't have to touch it when it gets really gross) so Chance can retrieve it. The site I'm linking you to will have some great choices. You'll know when you find a tough toy when you see it after a short while. I know I was always looking for cheap toys in places like the dollar store, because I knew they wouldn't last long!

    The really intense chewing phase lasts until they're about 3 years old. Even then my dog still loved to chew, so plenty of ''chews'' are something you'll want to keep in stock. If you make it a ''treat'', like every night after dinner, he'll know when to expect it, and look forward to it. (We liked that time of day, as it kept the dog occupied for a while in the evenings.)

    Here is a link that might be useful: Holee-Roller Dog Ball

  • claire_de_luna
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    ...is this latex figure 8. It's probably a little weird, but maybe not, since she loved it. Anyway...there's no way to know if Chance will! Here it is anyway, a good example of a soft latex toy with little teeth. She had a total of two in her short 8 year old life, so I know these were good, long-lasting toys for the chewing dog. (Also, mine loved little feet, so they were the first thing that got chewed off things, even in latex.) I guess because there are no appendages, made this longer lasting!

    What I also like about this one in particular is that it's flat, so doesn't roll under the furniture.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Latex Figure 8

  • triciae
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Tracey, I'm glad it's going pretty well with Chance. Your mentioning toddlers reminds me when my son was an infant. I'm a dog person & we had a Keeshond at the time. Penelope had just finished raising a litter of pups when DS was about 5-6 months. DS was crawling & enthralled with the dog's tail. :) Penelope was so gracious with DS but after a bit her patience was just tried! Rather than snap, growl, or otherwise be aggressive she would grab DS by the seat of his diaper & haul him to the other end of the house, drop him off, & return to her spot in the family room. It would take DS half an hour, or so, before he was back pestering Penelope again & the whole process was repeated. I've got some precious pictures of Penelope carrying DS around like one of her pups. She sorta adopted DS. As he got to be a toddler she would follow him everywhere. They were real buddies. A very sad day when we lost Penelope to cancer. DS was about 10. I've always thought that special bond between Penelope & DS was because she'd just finished raising her pups.

    I hope you are also enjoying Chance along with your munchkin & DH. The love of a dog is so special - they love you even on days when you've just been a jerk to your best friend. They'll lick your face while you cry how sorry you are to your friend on the phone. They'll know when you're sick & lay by your bed until your better. Dogs are wonderful.

    /tricia

  • pkramer60
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    A bit of advise on the kennel issue. You are the pack leader, not Chance. Grab hold of his collar gently, lead him in, block the entrance with your body, then give him the treat and close the door. In first, then treat and praise.

    It does really sound like you are doing great with him and it is like having a toddler.

  • lakeguy35
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Sounds like y'all are doing great for your first week Tracey. I agree with Peppi, get him in the cab first then the treat. He will catch on with time. They sure can chew and destoy toys in short order that's for sure. Better the toys than the furniture or what not. Raw beef bones were my favorite...kind of messy at first but they seemed to last a day or two from what I remember. I'd let them clean them up outside at first and finish them up in the house or crate. I spoiled my Labs and Lucy(Dane) and washed their bedding every week. Not so much for the smell, just keeping up with the hair control. Give Chance a good belly rub and ear scratching for me.

    David

  • claire_de_luna
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Just to echo Peppi and David, training with small (or any) treats is very effective, since dogs will DO almost anything for them, once they get the ''message'' of what you want from them. (Especially if it's something they really love.) Training will be easier and go faster if you make your dog do something for every treat. It also reinforces the idea that you're the pack leader, since you control the treats. It's always a good idea to have your dog sit, stay, lie down, go in the crate, come, watch, wait. It's your best tool for whatever you're trying to teach/reinforce before you give them anything, whether it's food, praise or play. It teaches them to watch you, if you have them wait for their reward.

    I did this every time with my dog, even after she was mature. If I didn't, she thought she could go her own way, and didn't choose to listen anymore. It's better for everyone to get into the habit early on, for their own safety (and yours!) and rewarding for both of you. It's lovely to have a well-behaved dog to take places, and live with.

    Just to figure out what food reward will make him respond best, put several (small) different treats in a line, give him a command, then release him to go get his treat. The first one will be the one he likes most, and you'll know the best effective training tool for the most difficult commands. Save those for the ones he's having the most trouble with and you'll have the advantage.

    I also taught sign language with every command (hand gestures). It was lovely to be able to communicate silently with my dog without having to issue a voice command, except for initially saying their name to get their attention. It's actually pretty easy to train a dog. That book you have checked out at the library will tell you everything you need to know, and you'll both get the hang of it quickly. Try one new thing every few days, once you feel he's learned the last thing you taught him. It's fun!

  • weed30 St. Louis
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Tip for saving a lot of money on treats:

    #1 Make your own. Here is a link to a Google Search.

    #2 Buy {{gwi:1451436}}
    Make sure you get the Steak Flavor that are little chunks, they make a stringy hamburger looking kind too. My dog goes INSANE for these, and it's much cheaper to buy this and use it as treats than buying "dog treats". They're not the healthiest thing, but Daisy will do ANYTHING for them. If I don't hand one to her fast enough, she'll quickly go through every trick she knows trying to get me to give it to her :) If she is outside being stubborn about coming in, I just crinkle the bag and she comes running.

  • claire_de_luna
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oh Yeah, Weed! When I got my first pup, there was nothing like that available at the time, so I used cat food as a treat to train her to go outside to potty. (Very similar to what you linked to.) They were a little smaller, high in protein and she LOVED it. It's funny, because once I ran out of treats, and I gave her one of those inside the house, where she proceeded to defecate on the rug. DUH. The dog was no dummy! It was a personal training moment for me. (That said, she was ''asking'' to go out in less than a week, so it worked very well.)

  • Tracey_OH
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    HELP!!!!! Ok, so the last few days Chance has decided he wants to get up and party between 4:00 and 5:00 am. He starts off whimpering and if no one comes, it progresses to full out barking which then wakes up the entire house. None of us are getting enough sleep and I don't know what to do! Yesterday I took him out on the leash at 5 when he started then promptly put him back in his kennel. He went wild and started barking and rattling the kennel. He's just started this so I know it's not a matter of having to go out but wanting to get out! How do I deal with this?

    And again, THANK YOU for all the advice! I am using it!

    Tracey

  • claire_de_luna
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Here's a helpful article about several different methods. I'm a fan of the squirt bottle and a QUIET command. It will take a lot of repetition, but usually works in the long run.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Several methods to stop barking dogs