JMFS

For leaving them home, have you considered crating Jack? That's the only way Momo is allowed to have long-lasting chews or other goodies when he's indoors. He can growl all he wants, and our other two dogs are safe from his tantrums. I thought about you today because Mo had to be inside for the exterminator who's not warm and fuzzy about dogs (weirdo). I have the crate between Abbi's and Gertie's beds and he worked on his Kong for two hours with no concerns aside from the one bark and snap when Gertie Dared to sniff the crate, but after that he didn't give it a second thought. I feel your pain - Mo can be left with the other dogs, but not if there are food-related resources about. I've had him since he was 16 weeks old and we still struggle with food and certain toys. He's the happiest dog otherwise and he's been worth the effort, but it does wear on me and it is stressful. I'm not scared because he's only 34 lbs and I can handle him even if he goes off the deep end, it's just frustrating and Annoying. I thought it over after reading your post and I am now waiting for a "local" behaviorist to contact me back (he's an hour away - we're in a small town). I'll let you know what he quotes me, if he gets back to me. That would give you a starting point for cost at least. Mostly, though, I wanted to let you know you're not alone. That adrenaline sure can get pumped up fast when dogs get into a disagreement! My dogs can do some fantastic things, but they're Definitely in the market for improvement; hence my presence here. :) One response from someone 2½ hours away (ugh): $125 / hr

Awwww, lol. In animal language that spells L O V E. :D He's got that puppy energy. I wonder how he would be at the "find it" game since it relies on the nose rather than sight, and he gets around the apartment well. That might help to tire out his brain. Based on our little ones I think 25 minutes is a good long walk for those short legs - our dachshunds tired out after about 15-20. I can't count the times I felt a pull on the leash only to look back and see I'd begun to drag Brownie because he'd flopped onto his side and given up on the walk (he was something else). When we'd get home, though, he'd go back to licking the floor for Hours - it drove me up the wall. Now that I've learned more, I think perhaps his brain needed more exercise than his poor old body. Maybe tug toys might work for Romeo since he likes to use his mouth. Abbi's favorite toy is a spider squeaky toy - she loves the legs. If Romeo likes your fingers he might enjoy a similar toy and with Halloween around the corner they're pretty easy to find right now. On the crate part, don't feel guilty! Most dogs find them to be comforting. Momo goes to the crate when he's needing down time - I leave the door open so he can come and go when he's indoors. It's also the only way I'll give him a long-lasting treat in the house because he's a jerk about sharing. The crate keeps everyone safe. Gertie puts up a fuss when she's in the crate, but she'll sure take her Kong Goodie bone in there and happily chew and lick away for an hour. Eventually Romeo will learn the sleeping patterns and you'll be able to move him to the bed. Gertie used to pounce on us or nip and lick our fingers when she was ready to wake up, but with time she's learned that this gal isn't so easily swayed in the morning. :D At one point I put her leash on her and attached it to my inversion table so she couldn't get into things. With time she was allowed in the bed (and I'm someone who used to be Adamant about No Dogs in the Bed). She'll sleep in with me until about 9:00 on the weekends - chest scratches or leg massages help sweeten the deal for her. When I got up in the middle of the night to answer Nature's call she would get antsy, but with learning the "stay" command that eventually faded as well. Now she just rolls over onto my husband when I get up. It will all come to pass and it sounds like you have great gobs of patience, which will help! That's about the extent of my knowledge, but I like to think I'm good at kicking around ideas. When I have time on my hands I like to give troubleshooting a shot. :)

This is a selfless task you're taking on! I can't imagine being completely blind in a foreign place and not understanding the local language. I don't have answers for the how-to, but I have a theory for the trip. He was probably overloaded on senses, taking in all the new scents, sounds, and touches, that he didn't have time to pull shenanigans. I know there will be more information needed like When does he bite, and is it a playful nip, an aggressive bite, or is it perhaps exploratory. Dogs use their mouths quite a bit for figuring out what things are. Gertie learned the other day what a wasp is. :D She finally found a bug that bites back and she was less-than-thrilled about it, lol. Pretty much everything goes in her mouth - I'm thinking she may be a little far-sighted because it's mostly leaves that catch her attention and I think she chomps on them to "see" what they are. I digress, I'm saying all that to illustrate how a sighted dog uses their mouth, and I think a blind pooch might rely on it even more. That in combination with his biting the furniture makes me think he might be using his mouth to figure out what things are. It may be wishful thinking, but I wonder if it might not be feasible to help him further by making paths to his food and water dishes, the front door, etc . . . with rugs or maybe marking paths with scents, so he has reference points to help him determine where he is. I use a mixture of witch hazel and lavender essential oil on the dogs' beds so maybe something along those lines, or walk those paths with him several times while you're barefoot so both of your scents are stronger in those areas. It works in my head, but I don't know about actual application - just trying to come up with ideas. :)

Hi and welcome. :) We have one who will go in the house if we don't let her out and make sure she goes when she's out. She will go out and, like yours, sniff around a little, then come right back in if we don't accompany her. That would be Abbi, the dachshund. Our other weiner dog, Brownie, used to walk around the corner, wait a couple seconds, them come running back to the door. That was before I came on board and I remember my husband lamenting over how smart Brownie was, the little trickster! Gertie and Momo had very few accidents during training; however, I attribute that to my hyper vigilance in taking them outside, and my extreme aversion to having to clean up poop and / or pee. 30 minutes after they eat is my "rule." 20 minutes is about how long most articles say it takes the average pooch to process food and need to eliminate. Gertie seems to be about 45 minutes, and Abbi about 30. Momo is spot on with the 20, but he's outdoors so he just goes when he needs to. I take them out about 30 minutes after eating and then every hour after that. I also feed them all around the same time each day and night, which helps with timing potty breaks. We lay out puppy pads as a last ditch effort to save our floors from Abbi. She, irritatingly, goes about 2" away from the pads. Experts tell us dogs aren't vindictive, but I have evidence to the contrary! Abbi's favorite spot to go is on Gertie's blanket - and Abbi is thoroughly unimpressed with Gertie. So, my two coppers is to take the pups out regularly and praise the heck out of them After they've done their business (you don't want to surprise them and stop them mid-elimination). I learned from one of Adrienne's potty guides that it's possible to get them to differentiate between number 1 and number 2, and how to do that. She has this one for the grass issue: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/puppy-refusing-potty-grass/ one for specific breeds (but it can be applied to any dog and has good tips): https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/potty-training-tips-difficult-breeds/ and then the basic How-To https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/7-secret-potty-training-strategies/ Sometimes, even when they're trained, pooches have to be taken back to the beginning so they relearn the steps, and hopefully, unlearn bad habits.

Hi Brenda! Gertie does that sometimes. We've reasoned that she prefers his couch because there's more room and it's cooler than my loveseat. She usually ends up coming over to me after she's had her fill of him and is sleepy. It may be similar to the Weekend Parent syndrome that kiddos present when a family is split. When they're with him it's all fun and games, relaxation, and no worries. When they're with you there's discipline, routine, and order. With him they get to simply "be." My husband thinks dogs are family and there shouldn't be a need for discipline or training (we have some fun "discussions"). When he tries to get the canines to do something they 75% ignore him, but when I say it they 90% of the time do it, when I start counting to 3 they 98% of the time do it. Yes, I totally did pull the Mom trick of counting to 3, and it Worked. :D That could be a bit of what's going on with your herd of pups. It could be energy, too. I'm the most high strung laid back person I know. My husband is Mister Cool, as in I've seen him lose his patience a handful of times. When we're on our couches I'm concentrating, counting stitches and reading a pattern (and "quietly" cussing to myself if I've miscounted and have to pull the row out because you know I don't realize that until I've done four rows incorrectly already) while he's over there melting into the couch with his brain slipping into cruise control. I'd rather sit next to him than to me, too! He's "go with the flow" and I'm "go with the flow as long as the flow follows me." I think, though, it's more likely the theory that they don't see him as much. Think of kids when a babysitter comes over. Man, do they get excited! They Totally forget who provides the shelter, the food, the comfort, the care, etc . . .. The babysitter isn't any more loved or cherished than the parents, the babysitter is simply something different - a break in the routine. Or, if he mostly ignores them then that's a sure-fire way to get their attention. My mom is Not an animal person. She likes them as long as they are away from her. Naturally, all of our furry critters hang out right next to her. :D Or, it could be the cookies. I know that's what it is with my aunt's dogs and her husband - he's Always sneaking food to them. I don't know about you, but sometimes it bothers me. For the most part it doesn't, but if it happens on a day that I feel was an especially good day (we were successful with fetch, for example, or I made special dog treats) I get a little miffed, but then I get over it and instead focus on being happy that I have extra room and don't have to shift my yarn around.

Each dog park I've been to specifically states that food is prohibited. Common sense should prevail, but alas, it does not and so we have rules. Alas (again, because I rarely get to use the word), folks tend to walk Right past those ever-so-wise rules with nary a glance at them and allow their dogs to go merrily bounding into the fray. Most dogs are a-okay, but there are always those special cases. Gertie wouldn't care one wit if there were treats and other dogs. Momo would likely end up in a fight. I would definitely move both of my pups away from anyone doling out treats. I'm with you on the resource aggression - Momo can be a jerk. My ultimate solution was simple and stress-free: he doesn't get long lasting treats or toys when he's around other dogs or children. After 8 years of special treat deprivation he's no worse for the wear so I'm here to share with you that even if your girl remains grumpy about these things she can live a satisfying life. :) I've tried so very many things and short of hiring a behavior trainer nothing's worked; he's simply a sour grape, but he's My sour grape. :D I haven't given up, but I don't know if he'll ever learn that no one wants his stinky, slimy, dirt covered, drooled upon chews and toys! Well, Gertie might, but her tastes are questionable (she occasionally sneaks a bite of the cat's hairballs or petrified frogs . . . gag). I'm glad you posted about your issue - the answer was a good read and gives me food for thought.

Hi Manida, I'm glad you asked the question. My older pup took to fetch like a duck to water. Or, at least, that's My recollection. :D I've been collecting sticks around the yard as Gertie prefers those to the ball, and I have a pile going so I always have something to replace the one she's frolicking victoriously around with. I've been throwing shorter distances (as if I could throw all that far to begin with . . . ) and I do my "come" whistle as I start to walk away with another stick in hand, pretending I'm done with the game. The toughest part for me has been telling the difference between her being over it and her playing hard to get. That plopping down in the middle of the yard and chomping the stick to bits is So annoying! It's high pressure, too, because even though we have quite a bit of space, the neighbors can see Every failure. Not that their dogs are all that well behaved (the Yorkie squeezed through our gate, came into our yard, sniffed our Dachshund, peed on our grass, and left without so much as a thank you while his Poodle buddy barked at us from the gate, lol, and the other neighbors dogs also think their humans are foolish and often ignore pleas to comply), but still - having witnesses to the training woes can be a wee bit embarrassing. We should probably start a neighborhood support group, but we're all introverts so attendance would be low. :D Have you had any more success with your pooch?

I saw a sign the other day that said, "When I use Mom Voice, the neighbors' kids clean their rooms." I actually snorted in the store, haha. My dogs are definitely the paper eaters in the classroom, but I love them - they fit my personality. When Mo plays dead he gets Really excited about it and he turns around a couple times, jerkily gets down to the ground on his side and scoots around until he finds just the right spot, stiffens his legs and stares at me until I tell him, "all the way dead," before he'll put his head down, the whole time doing that eye shift thing like, "am I doing it?! I'm doing it, aren't I, oh boy, I'm doing it, omg I'm so excited I got it right!" Then he starts to get up and we repeat the process two or three more times before he Finally stays still. Paper eater. :D Once we get to that point, though, I can put a treat on his head and tell him to leave it, and he will until I tell him to break. I feel badly that I can't train him better because he has so much potential. I end up shaking my head most of the time over how dorky and hyper he is. I make him sound awful, but he does listen, it just takes a few tries to get past his excitement.

"Daughter of Satan" cracked me up, especially because I can imagine all those breeds in one dog, and what the personality might be if left unchecked. :D Thank you for the laugh!

Good stuff, thank you, Adrienne. I've noticed Momo, for all I complain about his hyperactivity and resource guarding (ugh!), actually does listen and he looks to me for cues sometimes. Not so much when he's full on Momo Mode, but a good portion of the time. With your tips I think I can use that to my advantage. I silent whistle trained Mo a long time ago and he'll break out of a barking fury to come see if I have bacon. :D Gertie is still kind of that dopey teenager who goes, "huh? wha?" and then keeps chasing whatever bug she's located. I've also noticed when Gertie is off in her own world and can't hear a thing I'm saying or doing, Momo looks at me, looks at Gertie, looks at me. I tell him, "get her," and he Does! Never knew he had herding tendencies. He just tends to want to bite whatever he's herding so I'l need to figure that one out, lol. It's nice to know, though, that I can pull her off the screens around the pool if I send big brother in. This morning I sent him off after her, she was doing goodness-knows-what in a copse of trees that I saw jiggling and shaking. He ran her right up to the patio and I was at the ready with praise when he bites her ankle and takes off, initiating a game of chase. Sigh, I'm going to have to be Fast with these two. I ended up having to use what I call "growl voice," to get them to stop. It's not a loud yell, but it's a deep voice with a little rumble that stops them in their tracks. Even my husband straightens up a bit, haha. Why-oh-why they can't just do it the first time instead of making me grr at them I'll never know. It's like a child who knows they're going to have to clean their room but they wait until Mom is boiling mad with steam coming out of her ears and screaming before they'll Finally do it. I'll work on the treat thing - Momo is Highly food motivated, and Gertie copies him. Most of the time. :D

I'm happy to report that Gertie is healed. As was evidenced yesterday when I finally let her out to play with Momo on a trial run. They were running full speed, he lost his balance and landed on his side, Gertie took full advantage of the prone position and used her head like a bulldozer to scoot him another 15 feet, stopping 3 feet short of the side of the house. For non-aggressive players these two are going to kill each other through sheer exuberance, I swear! I am supervising and limiting their time together. I'm also attempting to encourage running over rough housing - they both love running so that makes it easier to reinforce. I stop the rough housing after it starts, and am trying to figure out the cues so I can stop it Before it starts. Again, it's only play, but they're so rough with each other that I want to limit it to short sessions until they learn how much I'm going to accept and allow them to keep going. It's Excellent exercise for them and she's definitely better behaved after they've tired each other out, but it won't do if one of them gets injured again. If I praise the running then Momo takes that to mean "commence rough housing," so I'm stumped as to how to keep them running, short of keeping my mouth shut and "disciplining" rough housing by stopping the play. They act the way fraternity boys are portrayed in movies when they're doing things like running their heads into walls just to see who gets knocked out first. I took her to the dog park a week ago and she was Tiny compared to all the other dogs. She's 41 lbs so not small, but I guess people around here really like their big dogs (me, too, but it would appear I'm a sucker for pound puppies who tend to stay medium-sized). She played with a couple German Shepherds who Literally walked all over her, lol. She figured out she could run under them, but she still had to do some bobbing and weaving. She's all play - no aggression, but her excitement gets others riled up and she ends up getting rolled and tossed. I'm not sure how to temper her zeal other than exercising her before the park. I might rule parks out until I can solve this riddle. Initially we walked around the trail that makes up the perimeter of the park and she stayed within 20'ish feet of me, and wasn't showing much interest in the other occupants. I let her sniff and do her thing while I kept walking and she'd catch up after I got to a certain distance. After three laps I stopped near the other dogs and let them approach us, that was the Shepherds (whom I wanted to love all over, but restrained myself, lol). I also need to decide whether I want her socialized to play with other dogs, or socialized to accept but ignore other dogs. There are benefits and drawbacks to both. In the house poor Abbi gets thwapped by Gertie's paw, and pounced on as Gertie is hopping all over and Abbi lacks the agility to escape. Not cool for 10 lbs vs 41 lbs. Then the Dachshund little dog complex kicks in and Gertie's still playing, but Abbi is out for blood and truly angry. Abbi's personality is one of luxury and naps, so for her to get ticked off is out of character. Currently I tell Gertie to leave it and then we scoop Abbi up and separate the two because Abbi's still going for Gertie's throat. Fortunately it's a manageable situation that happens infrequently because Abbi generally prefers to remain in her corner sleeping, but it needs to be nipped in the bud. I'm not sure how to teach Gertie that Abbi is off limits. As soon as we see Gertie start to get playful towards Abbi we stop it, but it's not seeming to sink into her thick skull. The oddest thing is that she leaves the cat largely alone. She still does the hopping thing, trying to get him to play, but she keeps her paws off him. I haven't ever seen him swipe at her, but my guess is he must have tagged her with his claws a time or two. So, I suppose my post is getting around to: a) her toe is definitely better and b) any ideas on how to teach "gentle" play would be appreciated.

I'm not sure how well this one will go over, but when my cat and older dog were young I would counterattack, I guess you would call it, by moving my finger towards the back of their throat. Never hard, but enough to tickle the back of their tongue, which caused them to gag. I only had to do it a couple times because they learned quickly. I'd wait for Adrienne to weigh in on that tactic, though, because I know I made some mistakes with Momo, and that could have been one of them! One thing I Do know I'm right about is that puppies at that age have razor sharp teeth so it's not surprising blood is being drawn. Teaching bite inhibition is going to be helpful and I've seen several posts lately about that so you might poke around here to see what others have been advised to do. Another thing is that puppies use their mouths to discover pretty much Everything. Especially things that move, and what moves more than our hands and feet? Not much! :D I know one thing that is likely to be advised is to make like a tree when your puppy is biting. Stop moving, be still, like a tree. The less exciting and animated the hands and feet are, the less interesting they are. Dogs generally don't bite trees because trees are boring to dogs. Leaves blowing around, insects, cats swishing tails, squirrels with their twitchy movements, hands, toes, children playing, bicycles, etc . . . are interesting because they move. One more suggestion - if she tends to nip your fingers you might try curling them under so she has less to aim for - knuckles are tougher to latch on to. Gertie is also a Boxer mix and she's very much attracted to things that move. I found teaching her "give" was easy because of that. As soon as I start showing her something else more animated she redirects, or if I stopped moving the toy we're tugging with, she lets go. Here's to hoping your little rapscallion is the same!

I'll second the kibble idea. I give Gertie 1 cup of food per feeding. If I know I'm going to have to crate her I'll feed her 3/4 cup and reserve ¼ cup of her morning meal for her Kong and then toss in a teaspoon of yogurt or yogurt and peanut butter mixed together, then freeze it. That way I'm only really giving her a teaspoon of extra goodies. If I know I'm going to be unable to give her much attention that day (e.g., Mondays and Tuesdays are the days I pay my business bills and I'm hyper focused on those numbers), I'll reserve half of her food so I can hide it around the rooms she's allowed in for the "Find It" game. I'll hide 3-4 pieces of kibble per spot. This serves two purposes - keeps her occupied And makes her food a reward, rather than an expected commodity. Wait, I guess it serves a third - it makes high value rewards really easy to think up! Instead of having to go all the way up to chicken or steak, a potato chip seems quite exotic compared to kibble. I also keep Goldfish on hand. In Florida we have Publix grocery stores and Publix has buy one get one free sales, or 10 for $10, on Goldfish at least once per month. We're talking bargain dog treats! I mix plain, cheddar, and cinnamon flavors and keep those in a container by my desk. Far cheaper than dog treats and just as many empty calories. :D 4.8 calories per Zuke's Crunchy Naturals treats vs 2.54 in a Goldfish cracker. The main difference might be the amount of carbs - I couldn't find carb info on Zuke's. 9% protein in Goldfish, 10% in Zuke's. I keep the Zuke's on hand for our allergic-to-everything weenie dog, and to change things up. I use either or for training rewards, and the Goldfish for "Find It" games, and stuffing into her Kong Goodie Bone. Going back to my first train of thought, when I know we're going to do intense training I'll feed her half her food in the morning and then determine her nighttime feeding based on how many treats she earned during the day. Really, when they're puppies it's kind of hard to overfeed them, unless you're going to extremes, because they're burning so much energy. When we first got Gertie, and before her toe injury, I was feeding her 1½ cups and was considering upping it because her ribs were still showing. Now that she's on limited activity I've bumped it down because she started getting a cuddle layer. :D I like to keep my dogs trim. My biggest issue with treats is the aftermath (potty) as it can wreak havoc on their digestion, and upset the routine. That's a strong factor in why I favor kibble, lol.

Update: Check up on Monday went well - no more drugs, restricted activity for 4-6 weeks, basically use common sense. She's putting weight on it again but doesn't like it to be touched. She's running in the yard when I take her to potty (dogs /sigh) and one trip around the perimeter is enough to tire her out right now so I know she's still healing. However, with being able to put weight on it that means we have many more options for indoor play! I got a Level 1 Nina Ottoson bone toy that I can alternate with the Wobbler for feedings to keep things interesting. A tree stump plush with 6 squeaky squirrels she can pull out of the stump. We're back to playing "Find It." I found an old headband that she'll try to swipe off so we're back to trying to learn "Shame on You." I'm saving the Nina Ottosson Dog Tornado for a couple weeks, but that's waiting in the wings. Bonus: It's all been for the better because Florida has been rainy so outdoor activities are limited. Momo, whom I've had resource guarding issues with for all his life (it's fear / anxiety, not aggression) owned the bone game. I had to make him go to the crate because we had a confrontation on the first round when he thought I was taking his food away (I was refilling . . . ). Yet another testament to why crate training is beneficial. Gertie kind of manhandled it and trotted off with the bones in her mouth, leaving the treats behind. With a couple more practice rounds she came to understand the treat is the prize, not the plastic bone. Momo was a pro from the start. I started him off in difficult mode because I know him to be clever (which is why he's such a p.i.t.a. sometimes). He took each bone in his mouth, set it aside and gulped down his rewards. Honestly, I don't think he even knows how to chew. Once done he was told "crate" so I could reset the game. A fun feeding for once! :)

I posted some "people foods" that are Veterinarian approved fruits, vegetables, etc . . . in the Off Topic forum. Abbi is also picky so I have to get creative with her. Meat is usually her driving force. Bacon grease will get a Veterinarian to raise their eyebrow in disapproval, But, when I tell them how I do it they generally give the approval, though they still prefer I'd find another way. I dip a spoon into the grease, let the grease drip off, then mix that tiny amount of residual grease into her food thoroughly so every piece is touched. The grease scents more than flavors each piece of food and she'll gobble them up. If I miss a piece, it gets left in the bowl because she's a stink pot. My husband will break up the bacon and throw the bits in her bowl. She'll sniff those out, pick her choice bites and leave the kibble. They're frustrating little things sometimes, aren't they?! I found she's fond of chamomile / lavender / Tulsi tea. I can make treats or add it to her food to entice her. I'll brew up 4 cups of tea and put in a tablespoon of local honey (she's allergic to Everything and local honey is said to help). I package the tea up and use it as needed. Bonus points: it helps with her anxiety, belly, breath, and skin. :D You might set up a taste test. Take a splotch of peanut butter, a dab of honey, a dribble of yogurt, a spot of beef broth, etc . . . and see what she goes for. Then you can experiment with homemade treats. I like homemade because I can size them for their purpose (tiny for training, bigger for Kong stuffers). On a day I know I'm going to be training I'll reserve half of the dogs' food. This ensures 1) they're hungry and more food driven 2) aren't getting extra calories For Abbi I'll do a treat with gluten free flour (allergic to Everything, remember, lol), beef broth, parsley (she has old lady breath) and peanut butter. You can freeze the beef broth in an ice cube tray so you have it for more batches later. You can also test to see if she'll eat the treats raw or if she prefers them cooked. Raw has more flavor and scent and those ingredients are safe to eat "raw," it's just awkward to handle. :D You'll want to make small batches because without preservatives these last 3 days outside of the fridge and about 4-5 if refrigerated. I tried peach / peanut butter / oats / chamomile tea and Abbi was all about the first one, but wouldn't take a single bite after that. Gertie liked them, especially for the Find It game, and Momo I have no idea because he only knows the meaning of "gulp." At least giving him medicine is easy. :D If you do store bought I do have one other idea - you can dip them in whatever she likes before using them as a training treat. Go easy on whatever you dip it in - don't want her to lose her figure! It should be just enough to entice her.

Thank you, Adrienne. It's her left front paw, 4th toe to be exact. The 4th toe was twisted into the 3rd, ouch. She's mostly using three legs, especially in the grass and when running (dogs :rolleyes:), but she's starting to put some weight on it. Dogs are amazing in their tolerance of pain and keeping a good attitude. We tried Cover the Eyes but she's so doggone tolerant that she just sat there twitching her ear, lol. I think I'll take advantage of the situation to work on focus (Look at Me) and Leave It. I like the free shaping idea - always doing something right is a great way to feel better. I feel mean saying it, but the lack of mobility is actually helpful to training. I have a captive audience. When we go outside for potty she's less inclined to have a look around and chase the lizards, bugs, squirrels (she's Almost trained to leave birds alone, but the rest are tougher due to their quirky movements) - she's doing her business and coming right back to me so I'm using that to reinforce differentiating pee and poop. My husband got a kick out of me saying, "good poop!" the other night because to me that's a taboo subject :o. She has an aversion to the bells on the door the other dogs use as a potty indicator. Maybe we can do target training with that to turn it into a positive thing. Thank you, again. Jennifer

Hi Angie! We'll be going through the same trials and tribulations with our teenagers. :D I have to say, Ava definitely have an irresistible face!

Finally home. It's a small fracture - no surgery (yay). He offered to splint it but said it would likely be more trouble than it's worth due to having to change the splint and dogs' tendency to tearing off foreign objects. So, it's rest and relaxation. He gave us a Rx for Rimadyl to give her for pain and inflammation and we'll go back on Monday to have healing progress assessed. I bought a couple new Nyla bones that are flavored - I don't see how they're flavored, but I'll take their word for it, a new plush with crunchy stuff and a squeaker inside, and some Blue Buffalo Wilderness biscuits to put in her Kong. Other than that I'm short on ideas. She's sedate right now, sleeping off the last of the drugs from today.

So I'm waiting for a call from the vet's office to see what Gertie's next days or weeks hold for her. Yesterday she came up to the door limping. Oh boy. Upon inspecting the foot I couldn't find her toe nail, but there was no blood and she wasn't whimpering or whining. Closer examination revealed her 4th toe was twisted to where the nail was buried in her 3rd toe. As I was on the phone with the emergency vet's office (because these things never happen during normal business hours!) my husband was palpating the toes and foot, trying to determine where the toe nail was, and the toe released on its own. I put ice between the toes to help with potential inflammation (that was a task!) and took her to Doc first thing this morning. She's not putting weight on it when walking - it's the full on pathetic hopping on three feet thing going on. We're fairly certain the injury occurred while the pups were rough housing - back to supervised play it is! X-rays were taken and the vet tech thinks there may be a break, but the Veterinarian wasn't confident enough to diagnose without the Radiologist's eyes on it so that's the call I'm waiting for. Regardless of whether she has to have surgery, get it set, or just rest, we're looking at a presently undetermined amount of recovery time, which brings a set of conundrums. She was able to pee, but she would not even try to poop last night or this morning. She's excellent about peeing on command, but poop is a little tougher because she likes to hide behind her tree to do her business and gets distracted along the way. The tree is on the other side of our half acre and she's likely not wanting to hobble over there . . .. So, here are the questions. What are some ways I can help her with eliminating? Most of the Brain Games involve a mobile pooch. Here's what she plays inside currently: Find It (I hide treats and toys around the house) Meals are normally served in the Kong Wobbler Muffin Game Shell Game Hot and Cold Flirt pole play Doc initially indicated he'll be sending her home with pain meds so I'm guessing she'll be a bit sedate; but I know dogs and they don't stay down for long before getting bored! If there are any ideas to keep her mentally stimulated and physically relaxed I'm all ears!

Hi Jorge, In the articles Adrienne often refers to a clicker, but also says you can substitute a verbal cue. Clickers might be beneficial for people who have a tough time keeping an even tone when they're getting frustrated or excited. A clicker might even enable someone else (like a child) get responses from the pup more easily, but that's conjecture on my part. I use verbal cues mostly myself, but I do find that snapping my fingers or clapping my hands three times (that's what my canines have been conditioned to) works well when I'm in a mood. If I'm grumpy my voice will definitely carry that and I know my dogs pick up on that negative mood - they'll walk a little lower to the ground and behave as though they're in trouble. Same goes for when I'm really happy - they get hyper. I can be quite emotive vocally so I'm in training as much as they are! On days I know I'm not controlling my mood well I use snapping or clapping. I prefer a collar. Harnesses go over the stronger part of the dog's body and they're able to pull easier. The collar can remain on as well, so they always have their ID and rabies tags with them. I'll leave the walking topic to Adrienne. :D Momo is still a pain in the you-know-where sometimes, and Gertie is so chilled out there was practically no training needed, so I'm no expert. I do know I'm going to take the suggestion of doing a game of fetch or some other exercise before our next walk to see if that helps with Momo. I also got him a backpack to see if that will help. He's my special boy. :D

Hi Jorge - I can give suggestions about toys based on my experience with having 3 pooches in the house. I'd add a Kong Classic to that list at the least. It will become your best friend's best friend. :) My dogs also like the Kong Goodie Bone. It's a good item because you can make it easy or difficult and it requires only a small amount of treats while remaining challenging. Possibly a Flirt Pole as well (it's a stick with a long cord attached and a toy attached to the end of the cord). For the Kongs I recommend the Extreme versions (they're black and tougher than the red ones) because Leo is likely going to be a strong chewer, at least until bite inhibition is learned. German Shepherds have a high prey drive and the flirt pole will be helpful in teaching leave it, as well as entertaining Leo if you're stuck indoors. It's a good outdoor toy, too, but with all the tropical storms Florida has been getting lately (it's thundering as I type) I'm finding it to be a lifesaver for indoor play! Shepherds are also smart (I suspect some are smarter than us!) and he'll need a lot of mental stimulation so you might keep your eye on puzzle type toys. Possibly even a Kong Wobbler for feeding his meals. They're said to hold 1 cup of food, but I can easily get 2 cups in the large. For grooming, the Furminator or a similar tool, or even a shedding blade, is going to be helpful because Leo is going to have a double coat. My Momo does, too - he's got Husky in him. I can groom him every other week and the hair just keeps growing back, especially on his mantle. I groom him outside so the birds can use his hair for their nests. Be cautious because you Can give them bald spots. The internet is dizzying with all the information, and much of it conflicting. I've stated before that if I listened to Every trainer I shouldn't even Have a dog. Probably not a child, either. :D I ultimately chose Adrienne's program because it seems to focus more on a partnership with the dog, but one where when someone needs to be in charge it's going to be the human, and the dog is going to be happy with that. Most other trainers seemed to be on one end of the spectrum or the other (intimidation tactics all the way over to coddling and Only positive reinforcement). This one seems balanced with no intimidation, but it's also okay to give Some negative discipline. I think the key is to settle on a trainer and ignore the rest so I've muted Google for dog training now that I've made my choice. :D So far so good! It will be fun to hear your adventures with Leo! I wanted a Shepherd (and a Labrador, and a Golden Retriever, and a Rottweiler, and an English Mastiff, really any big dog . . . ) myself, but I ended up with a couple mid-sized pound puppies and a mini Dachshund (she came with the husband as a package deal).:p

My brother had dogs who shared treats and toys. They'd play tug-of-war with a rawhide and a child could take it from them while they were playing. The dogs would go find some other way to entertain themselves as if it were no big deal, and this was with a house full of people. Color me jealous! My 8-yr old (Momo) is an absolute jerk about resources. I feed him and my "teenage" pup (Gertie) separately. Gertie will watch patiently through the window as I'm working with Momo. I make him do a few tricks (sit, dead, high five, shake, spin around) in various numbers and orders as many folks have suggested making him "work" for his supper. His eyes switch from his bowl, Gertie, and me because he knows what's coming, regardless of whether his bowl is inside, or if it's in my hand, or if it's empty on the ground and the food is in a cup. He's no dummy. I've tried umpteen suggestions to no avail. He'll eat his entire meal from my hand with no issues, but if that food is in the bowl he's in "grrrr" mode. Not fun. Momo doesn't get long-lasting treats because he's given my daughter a black eye, has nipped at me, and lunged at the other canine residents when any deign to go near his Precious. Sometimes dinner time is no big deal, and other times he's wound tight and visibly shaking, regardless of exercise (honestly a long distance runner should have adopted him - he Might get enough exercise then) or mental stimulation. He can be exhausted and he Still has fight in him. It's been a 7-year struggle (he didn't really care about resources the first year of life - I've never been able to figure out what flipped the switch in him)! Gertie, on the other hand, is carefree. I can touch her, move her bowl, sit next to her, and she simply doesn't show a care. She often chooses to sit next to me while she chews her treats. Totally different personality / energy. Anyway, not wanting to hijack your thread - I wanted to give a flash forward scenario that Could be Your life if you had let things continue as-is - and I applaud your foresight. I posted this so you can recall it in your moments of frustration, because there are likely to be some. You'll be able to remind yourself of Momo, and hopefully that will help strengthen your resolve. Better to handle a little aggravation now than to give in to a (dog's) lifetime of annoyance! I didn't know much about much when I got Momo, and I made some mistakes with him. I definitely could have used guidance all those years ago.

I have a firsthand perspective for you. It may or may not apply, but I'm recalling my youth and a similar issue. My dad's dog used to do that to me when I was right around the same age as your daughter. It made me mad because she'd tear my dresses! Usually it occurred when I was being hyper and I think it had a lot to do with the fact that I was barely taller than her (Labrador named Chrissy). You might observe the behavior of the kiddos to see how each of them acts around the pup. My brothers were more subdued than I was and they also engaged her less. I was a quiet self-entertaining child, but when it came to that dog I Desperately wanted her attention so I'd act wild because some of the most fun play sessions my dad had with her were when they were play wrestling. I was trying to copy my dad's play style, but I was too small to see it through and ended up with torn dresses. Sometimes modifying the human's behavior will correct the canine's. :) My dad also rarely left Chrissy with us unsupervised. Mainly because we'd ply her with treats . . . but also because she was our size and much stronger. If your daughter Is being a crazy kid around the puppy then she'll need to calm herself and be mindful of how she acts when she's walking or playing around the pooch. I know that's a Lot to ask of a 6-yr old, but my memory of my younger self says that's a good start. She doesn't have to ignore the dog, only be mindful of her excitement level, physical gestures, and vocal volume. The other thing to consider is that your Aussie is a herding dog. She very well may be attempting to herd your daughter. My brother has a mini Aussie and she herds the other dogs, the cat, and whatever humans will allow it (usually unwittingly). If your 6-yr old tends to leave the area the puppy thinks is okay she could be trying to get the kiddo back into the herd. I'm not sure what to do about that, but I'm throwing it out there as a potential reason for the extra attention.

Thank you ever-so-much. There's a good deal of information here to chew on. She was nose-deep in that peanut butter when I caught her, lol. She didn't even hear me approach. When I said "leave it" she pulled right on out of there and had an impressive peanut butter beard. What a mess! The little turkey was licking her chops for 10 minutes, likely in puppy nirvana. The Humane Society folks said she was picked up as a stray so I'm sure she developed a sense of "get it while the gettin' is good," when she was a free range canine. My husband was eating yesterday and she strolled right on up and put her face into his food. Brazen little gal! We have work to do on boundaries and rules for sure. We'll continue to work on the progress and incorporate your suggestions. She's sticking with us - no more pound for her! I remember when my 8-yr old was younger, he was a holy terror - also a rescue. There was improvement today when we got home. Normally I have a Kong with wet food that I've frozen for her to work on while we're out, but this time I left her with a frozen Kong filled with a tablespoon of peanut butter mixed with yogurt and ¼ cup of dog food. She didn't even look at us as we were leaving. When we returned there was no barking and I didn't have to do the exercise of leaving the room until she was quiet. I'm hopeful that's an indicator she's catching on. I've been picking up my purse and sitting at my desk, then putting the purse away, since I noticed the sound of my keys was a trigger. We have the additional challenge of the dachshund doing what sounds like a hyena hyperventilating when we get home, not exactly a good example. That's a case of the husband needing to be trained . . . dogs are easier. You're right - she certainly does seem as though she's in a teenage state of mind. She even flopped down this afternoon after being told to leave it and gave me a heavy sigh. That's likely me personifying her behavior, but it sure did look like a mini-tantrum. She's receptive to training and she is smart, which is good and bad depending on how one looks at it. A less clever dog = less effort to manage, but a smart dog = a lot more fun even if they are a lot more work (in my opinion). I'll continue to chip away at the management and we do have both inside dogs gated into a smaller area of the house so it's nice to know we were on the right track there. Thank you, again, for taking the time to put together a comprehensive post targeting her issues. We'll get there eventually and then it will be on to better and more enjoyable things. Take care, Jennifer

Abbi the 10-yr old Dachshund with Monkey the 10-yr old Cat Abbi background: Puppy mill adoptee. Health issues aplenty as a result. Sweet temperament, ideal lap dog, sleeps more than a cat, husband's dog before we got married - utter lack of any training except for sit Issues: Separation anxiety, poops in the house when we're gone, screams her head off when we return, reluctant eater, cat killer (if she were bigger) Monkey is the only cat she doesn't go nuts over and that's because he's bigger than her and lets her do what she wants - he's Smarticles: ummmm, she's sweet once she gets to know you? She doesn't stray, phew, thought of one! Monkey background: Neighbor's cat had kittens, Monks was hanging on a suitcase by one "arm" and looked like a Monkey - I took him home after he weaned Issues: Hisses at strangers, drools, sucks paw (I think the neighbor weaned them a bit early) Smarticles: Sit. He's a cat, I think sit is impressive enough! Hurdy Gurdy Gertrude ~ 9-mo old (50% Golden Retriever | 25% Boxer | 25% American Staffordshire Terrier) so the Golden American Boxer? Gomeroxer? Boxitriever? Piboxiever? Let's go with "Gertie" or "Gertrude" or when she's in trouble, "Gertrude Ann" Background: Adopted from Humane Society May of 2018 Issues: Thief of food, undies, socks, and shoes, boundaries (she was a stray and doesn't understand yet some things are off limits), rolls in poo and dead things, eats cat droppings, severe separation anxiety, destructive, clingy (adorable, but pairs with separation anxiety), chases but then plops down and happily mouths the ball - when fetching while swimming there's more success due to limited exits though that doesn't stop her from attempting to sneak through the dog door with her prize Smarticles: Swims, sit, recall is pretty darn impressive for a puppy, roll over, quickly overcomes fears Momo the 8-yr old 50% German Spitz | 25% Husky | 25% Cocker Spaniel mix aka Total Spazoid Smart, but über hyper - I have never fully tired him out. Only another dog can and he usually tires a couple out before he himself gives up the ghost. Even at the age of 8 he doesn't stop. I would Love to do lure coursing with him - I think he'd excel at it - his speed and agility are impressive, especially the agility with having no tail Background: Adopted from Austin Pets Alive at 4 months of age Issues: Hyperactivity, resource guarding, occasionally recall stinks, eats cat droppings Smarticles: plays dead, fetches, swims, can hold his breath underwater long enough to dig up a rock bigger than his head, sit, stay, leave it (usually), high five, shake, other paw shake, shake (during bathing he's not allowed to shake off and 90% of the time waits for the shake command - somehow he's able to differentiate between paw shake and water shake) That's my crew. Most days I pull my hair out and utter numerous expletives, some days I'm in heaven. I'm fortunate to work from home so the two girls don't wig out with separation anxiety too often. Gertie and Momo love playing with each other and that's another good thing because I have an arthritic back that prevents me from doing walks some days. They have to be monitored until Momo learns restraint - he's a rough tough outdoor dog and he's no gentleman. That's my fault - I used to wrestle and rough house with him when I was in better health and was rather hyper myself so now I'm having to reverse train to temper him. I feel as though if I were to listen to every dog trainer I shouldn't even have a dog, much less three. Some say we should socialize them, it's important to take them to the dog park. Another says the dog park is a breeding ground for bad habits. Still others say your dog should be 100% focused on you and ignoring other dogs. That's one example of conflicting information / opinions. I chose to give Brain Training a try because it seems to work towards a partnership with the dog, but at the same time there's an understanding that the dog owner should be the one calling the shots. I think Cesar Millan's insights to a dog's way of thinking are impressive and I believe he's right about the pack leader thing; however, I feel his approach is a bit intense and unyielding. With Momo I think Cesar Millan's training would work well, but with Gertie I think it would be too domineering, and poor Abbi would keel over from fright. My ideal: a calm dog I can have with me wherever I go. I visit construction sites often and I would love to have Gertie and Momo with me; however, right now I think only Gertie has potential - Momo is just not calm, lol. I figured out if I thread Gertie's leash through Momo's collar she helps me keep him in line - he can't get ahead of us. I believe once we get Gertie over the separation anxiety hump she would make an excellent therapy dog and I live in Florida where there are nursing homes aplenty for her to bring therapeutic joy to. She's already been to Lowe's and Petsmart and did quite well with keeping to herself on a loose leash, minus the food and toy aisles. Momo on the other hand sniffs everyone and everything while pulling on the leash and needing much correction.