JMFS

Oh my gosh, you are doing a Terrific, Magnificent, Stupendous, and Spectacular job with him! I'm in awe. We went through the resource guarding thing with Momo. After 8 years of struggling I finally got help and it was a completely different feeding routine after that. My advice to everyone I meet now is, "get help immediately, don't wait and waste the best years with your pup." From now on my dogs get the "hey, look at me," treatment at the bowl and they get a tasty addition to their bowl if they give me the attention. I reinforce it a few times per month and can take anything from them (unless they're parading around the yard triumphantly in a game of "Keep Away." Esther . . .. Gerts does it rarely, but sometimes with 5 or 6 birds of prey flying over our yard there are unexpected treats hiding. Anyway, you're not alone in resource guarding and that video made me smile and laugh. Good boy, Finn!

Petra and Gertie are kindred souls. Gerts Never tires of being pet. Esther doesn't, either, but she has to calm down before we will appease her. Once she's settled, though, her head is in someone's lap. Gertie would be an excellent therapy dog, but for that initial, "omg, I am Sooooo happy to see you," wiggle butt behavior. We're working on that with Leah, and she Is improving. If we can get Esther chill before Gerts is out of service age I would like to do it. It's a good way to get Me out in the world, too, so it's therapeutic for everyone. Leah had an interesting tid bit - she learned in her courses that black dogs are often animated because their facial features are harder to read. As though they're cognizant of that need. It sounds reasonable and far fetched at the same time - are dogs really That aware? I think we haven't even scratched the surface of most animals out there. Frogs, for example, since I'm learning about them. There's a gal on YouTube I watch whose frogs are the cutest. When she feeds them, if another frog takes the food intended for someone else, the someone else will often bite the offending frogs head as though to say, "you jerk! That was mine!" Her frogs beg, as does ours. They're surprisingly entertaining creatures. If we could handle them more frequently than every few days (their skin is porous and our oils are bad for them in addition to their potential to carry salmonella) I think we could teach them so much. I can say Esther is getting Much better with people. Major improvement there. She's not going to go up to people willingly, but she no longer cowers. She's still timid, but that's disappearing faster and faster. Whew! So there's a positive. She's not an unchanging she devil after all! 😆 Rofl, y'alls' couch looks like ours - a giant sleeping ghost. I love my dogs, but the hair, snot, drool, and dirt can go away! So just add one more jog near the window there and you've got our couch. I have Amazon and Chewy boxes aplenty so maybe I'll go that route because I can see Esther squeezing herself into any openings - she's impressively bendy for a dog. She does okay with the sounds - that one is easy for me to train. It's the sight that I struggle with because I'm not quick enough, and then of course the combination. Hmmm, what do you suppose would happen if volume was on my computer, and visual on the husband's? We sit back-to-back so she would have to turn her head to give each one attention. Last night I put my foot down and Esther stayed in her kennel with her Orka tire and a treat. We made it through two shows before she started fussing. Given what others are working with around here, I'm thankful for that. Abbi is still a mess during the day, panting like crazy. The nutty thing is that picking her up and walking her around doesn't work, but taking her over to watch Esther play with her tire stops the panting. I'll take it! Her veterinarian gave us Sileo to give to her, but when the husband gave the correct dosage she fell asleep on his lap and peed a little on him as she slept. He said it was pretty scary because she was so limp. He's picking up the Valium or Xanax today (hoping it's Valium because Xanax didn't do much for her).

Omigosh the truths you speak! It's not easy when you're of differing opinions, and you're both Certain you're right. We tried the dimming and husband said, "nope," to that one. Esther still reacted anyway so we need to go the towel or sheet route. I was afraid I might be rewarding the barking, doggone it. My biggest worry is that the husband grabs her and in my mind I'm thinking of a redirected bite potential because she's so worked up. He's not hearing me on that - kind of like the gal in your example. He thinks he's impervious or exempt, which he is not. He always pulls her towards him and her face is Right next to his. Maybe I need to start with my phone, then work up to the 10" tablet, then the 12.4", then my monitor . . . if my words are falling on deaf ears. I'd like him to still have ears to ignore me with than have Esther rip one off! In a calm state she would Never, but hyped up like that I'm not so sure. Great idea about asking the trainers. In front of him, lol. I like the upside down chair idea. Right now they're next to the treadmill to keep her from hopping off the sides, but since I'm holding for an in person visit I think I can use them on the couch instead. It's a biiiiig couch (loveseat with chaise lounges on each side) so I may need to put some pillows or blankets there as well. Or maybe drape a blanket over the chair legs so it looks solid. My brain wheels are turning now. 😄

Update time! The husband is still insisting, without reading what you wrote, that he needs to sit with her one day and just watch dog videos. I am thus far unsuccessful at convincing him to have a read. He's about to get full control and responsibility if he's not going to work with me! Everything else we work well with, but this one thing we're a house divided. I've been able to pull her off the barking with treats, but it's difficult because Gertie wants to have treats, too, and that poor girl is getting to where she may need to be called Girth-y. Poor Gerts, she has middle-aged woman metabolism these days and eats only 1.5 cups per day (.75 x 2), where Esther eats 2 - 2.5 (1 - 1.25 x 2, depending on how many training treats she's had). Esther is skinny, but any more food than that and she just poops it out. Leah recommended Esther not be on the couch, and instead be on a bed on the floor. I have yet to figure out how to make that work so she's on the couch for now. The B&T trainer has said 3x now that they'll come over to show us how to set up the treadmill, but no show and I don't have the time to hound them about it. I've put her on a couple times, but it didn't go very well. It wasn't enough to poison the exercise, but I'm worried I will mess it up if I keep pushing so I'm leaving it for now and every time she steps on the treadmill I sing her praises. It's clear she Wants to, I just don't have the correct execution - or our treadmill is simply that different from theirs and we'll need to ease her into it. The trainer from B&T had to redirect Me Saturday, lol. I guess Esther and I are kindred spirits in one regard. We take care of business right then and there. We're put next to the windows so we can train Esther through distractions and, well, humans offer Lots of that. This lady was trying to get Esther's attention through the window. Esther has her Haltie on (red flag #1), there's a class going on (yellow flag), and I'm desperately trying to get Esther's attention (red flag #2), yet she continues on and is about to tap on the glass. I was operating on 3 hours of sleep so my inhibition was non-existent. I had even snipped at my husband because he kept correcting everything and I said, "how about you let Stef handle the corrections, like she said last week?!" I was not my best self. Before that lady could tap on the glass I stepped between her and Esther and wagged my finger at her while mouthing, "stop," or some such. Stef came over and said, "we can't train the dumb out of people, but we can train our dogs to ignore the dumb," or something similar, which made me feel better because she understood but was trying to help me cool my jets. I did not get a treat for redirecting, though - guess I'm on a variable schedule. 😞 Abbi had a seizure Sunday, veterinarian Monday, and is in my craft cart next to my desk while wearing her Thundershirt. She got herself so worked up that her brain likely went hypoxic (ran out of oxygen from the panting) and her body responded by seizing. Doctor Alan gave us a Valium-type medication that can be given rectally in case of another seizure as well as another sedative for when we leave the house, but we have to be extra cautious with the dosage. Thankfully the big girls' Vet is 5 minutes away if the medication needs to be reversed. Gertie is still 95% perfect. I told Leah the next thing I want to do with Gerts is freestyle dancing. I think that's something she'll be good at. She's not as brilliant as Momo and Esther (they're exceptional) so I have to find easier things for her. Monkey is doing well with 1 mL of Prednisolone per day. He has plumped up to his winter weight so I am limiting his food again. No good saving him from one thing only to have him morbidly obese! The frog is doing well. I'm looking for a larger terrarium for him, but my goodness those things are expensive! He's a tree frog so needs a tall enclosure and the taller variety are the more expensive ones. I'm having a hard time justifying $300 for a 3" frog. His current home is 12 x 12 x 18 and I'd like to get an 18 x 18 x 36 (he needs taller than wider because he's a climber). Experts say he's fine in that smaller size, but I keep thinking, "this is his entire world for his lifetime, he should have something bigger." I check Craigslist and the local for sale site weekly, but so far no luck. That's it for now. I hope all is well with you!

I found it on Amazon and it has: Omega 3. Omega 6. Vitamins B, E. It says "Hemp Oil," but it's not listed in the ingredient list. It also shows "FDA Approved," on the box and then there's a blurb on another panel of the same box that reads, "These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration." That's a little concerning - is it or isn't it? So I did some more digging and found this Q&A via Google, "So, is hemp oil the same as CBD? Nope, not really. While both oils come from the same plant, they're extracted from different parts. Hemp oil comes from the seeds, and CBD might come from stems, leaves, and flowers." It may very well be a beneficial product, but I raise my eyebrow when there's conflicting, or vague information. Also, because all these things can interact with other medications, it's best to check with a veterinarian first. I give it to Esther and Gertie because they're on no other medications. Abbi was given sedatives (like serious ones we'll need to be Very careful on dosing) today so she won't be getting any more CBD because it could present issues. Good to know those are the parents - I was right along with Adrienne, scratching my head, lol. Given that information, I'm still saying terrier at the least. Definitely Texas Longhorn, haha. Esther must be half bunny rabbit with the way she bounces around the yard. She'll have Husky in her, judging by dad - don't think that one is a secret. Mom is a bit tougher to ponder, aside from the terrier. Alright, so you've got a good puzzle for Adrienne! The thing I keep thinking is to play crate reinforcing games. Toss treats in, close the door, open the door right away, slowly increase the time, decrease time if she gets anxious. If there's not a lot of space in the room, I wonder if a pressure baby gate would fit between the bed and the wall so it's not a crate, but she's corralled. Also, the top would be open so she has some head room and it would be easy to increase her space over time until maybe one day it's not needed at all. Failing that there are freestanding gates that might work. Oh! Are these plastic or wire crates, or maybe one of each? Is it comfy in there? Esther has a crate mat and I cover that with a fitted mini crib sheet (her crate is a 36" size wire crate that works well with the mini crib sizes). Before putting that in there she was Constantly pacing and that plastic tray on our hard floors was not making for great sleep.

I'm in agreement with Adrienne on the age - she's a good size for 12 weeks, and I'm not seeing that tell-tale puppy round belly. I'm really curious now! I think she might be a Texas Longhorn with those colors, lol. So pretty! In the first picture she looks anxious, but I Love seeing her eating with another dog - I wish mine could do that (we had a fight just last week over a toy - we're all struggling in some way!). I didn't see it recommended, but we have good success with Rescue Remedy. It kind of takes the edge off so Esther can relax and it definitely dampens her excitement / anxiety peeing (she's a hot mess, but we're working on it). I also have "Quiet Moments" which is not a pheromone spray, but it Is supposed to emulate the mother dog's pheromones. Lastly, I have Zumist Lavender spray - it's actual real true lavender mixed with water and a carrier oil. If you go the sound route, one thing I do is have a waterfall or waves or some other static noise playing on a Bluetooth speaker, then on my computer I'll play any kind of calming music. Mine seem to prefer piano, cello, and oboe, but there's also "Liquid Mind" which is like meditation music (I use it to help me sleep). So much is being discovered about sound nowadays that there are YouTube channels aplenty (even those tailored to dogs or cats) to choose from. 30 minutes ago I sprayed Abbi's bed with a pheromone spray and turned on the music because it's raining (our regular afternoon thunderstorm lately). She put herself into a seizure two days ago from being stressed out (husband came home, it was raining, and the big girls were dancing around excited about him getting home) - that's a first for her, and I didn't even know that could happen. She got back from the vet's about an hour ago so we're pulling all the tricks out of the hat, which means your post came along at a good time because I'm remembering things we haven't used in a while. If your wife is her comfort zone (what is y'alls' puppy's name - I don't think I've seen it, yet) then perhaps have her (wife, not dog, lol) wear a nightshirt (preferably one she's willing to sacrifice or one (or several for less hair to wash off) y'all buy for just this purpose) for a few nights to get her scent good and infused (sounds gross, but that's dogs for you - the grosser, the better). Then try placing that in the crate at night and let her have it only at times she's supposed to sleep or needs comfort. I was told by my doctor that they use CBD on their dog. About a 3 mm drop for their 40-lb dog is all it takes (I crochet so I compared my hooks to the size he drew and 3 mm was it). They put it on the underside of her ear where the skin is bare so she can't lick it off. Just make sure there's Only CBD in it - menthol is toxic to dogs, as is THC (figured I better cover that because some states allow medical and recreational marijuana). I tried mine on Esther before I realized it had a small amount of menthol in it so I need to buy a different type. As to the other post with the daycare time, I would also seek a different environment. If she's hiding or cowering, that's (imo) significant language for, "I don't want to be here." We have two boarders (Gertie does great at our original, but Esther needs a little extra help) and they're both magnificent at management and putting personalities together for the dogs' comfort. Esther's boarder also does Board and Train so I know she's in good hands (she boarded with them for 5 weeks, they thought they'd only need 3 - to give you an idea of what I'm working with, lol). I do a DNA test on all my dogs. Mainly because it's fun to know what they are, and how wrong our guesses were. 😄 Gertie is mostly black with white on her chest, paws, and nose, but she's 50% Golden Retriever! It shows in her personality, but not her looks. It's also helpful in gaining insight into some of their habits (e.g., Dachshunds like to burrow because they're bred to hunt badgers). With her ears, I'm thinking there's terrier in there of some sort. The hind legs make me think Boxer for some reason - I don't see that in her face at all - though the coloring is more spaniel. In the picture of her lying down, she looks like a large Jack Russel Terrier to me, lol. If she loves to fetch, then something terrier would be my best guess.

We had him in his crate in the bedroom. I replaced my nightstand with the crate and put a piece of plywood on top so I'd still have something for my glasses, lamp, etc . . . to sit on. We had 3 cats at the time ourselves, so I understand well the desire to keep them stress-free and unharmed. It served a double purpose of acclimating Mo to the cats at a low threshold because at night everyone is calm and sleeping, but he could still see, hear, and smell them.

I touched on this a little in your other post. Initially, you're right, our dogs rarely sleep where we intend them to. They have their own ideas on these things! Abbi, our 15-yr old 10-lb Dachshund sleeps on the bed next to my husband. Gertrude sleeps wherever she wants because she doesn't disturb people or things (she's shut into our bedroom with us at night, and has a bed on my side of our bed - otherwise she would sleep on our couch in My spot and her porcupine hairs on my side make me grumpy so bedroom it is!). Esther will likely forever be in a crate. Momo preferred to sleep outside, but I brought him into the room where he would pace and pace and pace and pace some more (he never ran out of energy). I brought him inside to be considerate to our neighbors. Mo was an excellent watchdog, and that doesn't always go hand-in-hand with neighborly relationships at 3 in the morning. Brownie used to sleep in the bed before I came into the household. After that he slept under the bed (it's a high bed and he was a short little Dachshund). So, really, the only right answer is what works for you. At the beginning there will be an adjustment phase where you're giving leeway, but over time you can move her to where you would like her to sleep.

No judgement here! You may be asked some questions that you've already answered (rare, but it can happen), or we may ask for information that you've already done or think is kind of common sense. It all helps with troubleshooting. 🙂 Momo was fine with the crate until I tried to leave him alone in the living room. I ended up moving his crate into our room and that sorted things out. Eventually I decided it wasn't so bad having him in the room - he was pretty darn quiet. I moved him to the foot of the bed and all was well. Something to consider so your wife can at least get back to the bedroom. So here are the usual questions (I see there's another post, but I haven't peeked at that, yet): Do you know where she slept when she was still with her mom? What breed? Is she spayed? Do y'all have a routine in place? It can help immensely when dogs know what's coming. Does she settle when your wife is in the living room with her? That's all I can think of for now because you have the other bases covered. I'm sure Adrienne will have more, but I wanted to try to get you started.

With Esther Everything is a distraction. At our weekly classes (the follow up to her Board and Train program) they put us in the aisle next to the window so we can work through the distractions. It's highly common for her to be the only one barking her head off. The trainer is supportive and reassures me she's just a dog being a dog and dogs bark. Even so, I still get flustered. Especially when there are puppies with better manners hanging out with us. This morning's training saw a lady outside the window trying to get Esther's attention. I've had a particularly bad bout of insomnia the last few nights and last night only saw 3 hours of sleep. I was Not in the mood for this gal and I walked over to the window, shook my head, and wagged my finger at her while mouthing the word, "stop." I'm a barrel of laughs when sleep deprived! The trainer came on over and told me to train Esther through it, get her attention back on me and don't worry about the lady. She later said, "we can't train the people to not do irritating things, but we can train the dog to ignore the irritating things." With time, though, it is paying off. We got accolades today for me being able to more quickly get Esther's attention back from the distractions. Based on my experience, if you can train through a window, that may be a good starting point with "look at that." Obviously you can't enlist the local wildlife's help in this, but you could get neighbors, friends, family, etc . . . with dogs to walk past your window or yard so you can work with him through some barriers before moving on to closer proximity exercises. Or, if he watches television, you can summon all sorts of critters for his viewing pleasure.

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/preschool/look-into-my-eyes/ https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/university/look-at-that/ https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/conditioned-emotional-response-cer/ The conditioned emotional response (CER) link is to explain why you're going through all these steps. Nutshell: In an alpha type of training we force our dogs do things via intimidation and dominance, which gets us a negative CER. When we teach them to do something on a reward-based system they develop a positive CER and they'll be more likely to do what we want because They want to. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/impulse-control-frustration-tolerance/ https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/train-dog-go-to-mat/ https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/approaching-people/ https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/threshold-levels/ https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/counterconditioning/ https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/ignoring-commands/ https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/emergency-u-turn/ https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/the-airplane-game/ That's enough links for now! If you find you need more, enter the search term at the top of any of those articles and you'll get several results. She doesn't have a "fetch" specific article, but I know there are several threads in this forum about it and there's a search function here as well.

Hi Emily, and welcome! Adrienne is unplugged until the 14th, I believe it was. We have the same situation. Management, look at me, look at that, emergency u-turn, and the airplane game come to mind for getting you started until Adrienne can give you a proper response. Management is managing the environment. If I see a neighbor's dog out front, I'll take Esther out back. You're managing the situation, basically. Another example, if I'm leaving the room and I have food on the table I can kiss it good-bye, but not if I put it out of reach of the dogs. Gertie was a yarn addict and destroyed several of my crochet hooks, two projects, and made a rat's nest out of numerous skeins of yarn. So, I learned that I had to put all that away if I was leaving her alone in that area. Look at that / me is a game to teach your dog to focus on you. I'll come back and post some links to these things so you can read the articles. 🙂 I make them look at me before they get released to eat, before they cross the threshold, before I'll even open the door, again when we're outside before I release them to go to the yard. This one takes a load of repetition. Some days we'll be at the door for 10 tries before I get their undivided attention. They're constantly scanning the yard, looking for something to chase down and I'm having to override that after a good deal of time of letting them get away with only a sit. Emergency u-turn is one of my favorite tools. We used it at least 10 times yesterday at the pet store. Esther was so over-the-top excitable with other dogs and slightly less with humans that we sent her off to a Boot Camp. The trainers use the same force free methods as Adrienne so it was a good fit. They were going to keep her 3 weeks, but ended up needing an extra 2 with her. Now we're doing a 6-week training class with them at the pet store and they put us right next to the window so Esther can see everyone, and everything, walking into the building. It's Exhausting, lol, but it's part of the work she needs to do so we can take her places. Anyway . . . Emergency u-turn is where you see something you know is going to set your pup into a tizzy and you say, "let's go," (or whatever phrase you wish) and you pivot either you around them or them around you - it depends on which direction you need to go. We practice this in the yard daily and I'm fairly certain there's an article I'll be able to post for you. The airplane game goes with look at that / me. It's a game that teaches your dog to look at you, even with weird distractions (like you putting your arms straight out) going on. Fetch - limit his space. We get great games of fetch in the house, too, but outside it's not so great. We have bushes lining our sidewalk and I'll play fetch with them there. They would have to bound through the bushes to run off with the ball so it is effective in helping me keep their attention. Eventually I'll expand the territory until I get a reliable retrieve, rinse and repeat until we're using the full yard. Doorbell is easy! I recorded our doorbell sound because I couldn't find another one like it. I then played it, and before she could bark or react (like as soon as I pushed play, lol) I gave Gertie a treat. But, I threw it so she would have to reset (go get the treat, come back to me and sit). We did that until she got to where she would look at me when I played the sound. People coming through the door is harder, but still easy - it just takes persistence. We started working on her going to her mat when she heard the doorbell sound. I have a mat near the door and we started with me knocking on the wall the mat is next to. When I knocked I'd tell her, "mat," and she was required to touch it with her foot before I tossed the treat (I needed her to reset so I toss the treats away from our working area). Then I increased the criteria to her standing fully on the mat. Then sitting, then lying down in sphinx (where they're able to spring up), then lying down with a rolled hip (relaxed). This took several days, mind you, and Gertie is a calm dog so it could take longer with yours - or it could go quicker because Gertie had to relearn how to greet people at the door so she was working through a learned behavior to acquire a new one. I moved closer and closer to the door, further away from her mat, and each new step threw her off so be prepared to rinse and repeat a Lot. Then I started opening the door and that was a whole new thing! Eventually we got to where I had help with someone else doing the knocking, and I had to shut the door in their face several times so if you end up with an assistant do prepare them for that. When Gertie stopped reacting to her just walking through the door she started leaving through different doors and walking around the house to come through the front door again. We'll up the ante to having a Doorbell Party where we have as many people as we can walking through that door while Gertie remains on the mat. Those are some things to keep you busy for the next few days. 🙂 I'll go hunt up those links. If you have questions, ask away, and I'll do my best to help.

Beautiful attention heeling! Wow! And what a magnificent place to train.

Well, if they can't rule something out right away (diabetes, kidney stones, infection) then just be prepared for about a month's worth of unknowns. If they Can rule in one of those things right away then sure, it stinks to have an issue, but it's nice to have it known and be able to treat it. Adrienne likes to say, "When you hear hoofbeats, think horses and not zebras." We found ourselves a zebra. 🦓 Interesting that he goes in spurts. Gertie, our 4-yr old, is a two-pee per trip pup. After seeing the veterinarian it was determined that's just how she's wired. For whatever reason she doesn't eliminate all at once. Esther is like a clogged sprinkler, lol. It was not uncommon for there to be squiggly little trails along our path as we were headed outside. With the Rescue Remedy it's much improved. It's really an item for nervousness, but there are three ingredients in it that are also effective against incontinence so it's a win-win for us. Please update us after the vet visit - I'll be curious to know what they have to say.

I feel your pain! We have a rescue dog with a pelvic bladder, and she is highly insecure. Not a good combination! The first day we had her home she had 21 accidents. I'm going to go through the initial list we all check, and ask some questions that might help Adrienne with her response. Is he neutered? Have you, or your brother, taken him to the vet to ensure there's not a medical reason? Is he in a crate during the day, or does he get to roam? Limiting his space when you're not around to take him out could help him hold it I don't promise - Esther will have accidents regardless, but that's just a medical thing. I leave a pee pad in her kennel and she's learning how to hit it with about a 95% accuracy these days, and she's stopped eating them If he goes in the same general area, try putting pee pads in those areas. Then you can move them closer and closer to the door over time. I bought reusable pads from Chewy because we're in for a lifetime of this. Between washes I spray them down with Febreeze because as they dry they can get to be quite potent https://www.chewy.com/green-lifestyle-reusable-dog-pee-pads/dp/323446 I bought the 34 x 36 because she tends to walk while she's watering our floor so it catches more At under $32 (autoship discount) it has been well worth the investment, saving money And the environment. They're also more durable than the paper variety. Esther used to pee on them, then proceed to rip them up so the mess was far worse than no pad Rescue Remedy is another item I rely on to keep the flow under control. Approximately 1 drop per 10 oz of water seems to work for us. https://www.chewy.com/rescue-remedy-stress-relief-pet/dp/135502 You may even be able to find this at a local store if you can't wait to get started An enzyme cleaner will be needed to get the uric acid out of your flooring to reduce repeat offenses. I haven't found one more effective than another so Nature's Miracle or some such will do the trick For puppies it's about 20 minutes for water to work through their system. Taking him out Right after water won't give him enough time to cycle it through so you might want to keep your eye on the time, then take him out a minute or two before that. I went so far as to set a timer for Esther. This one is said with a major caution, and it's important to check with a Veterinarian before implementation. I do meter Esther's water. She is offered 8 - 10 oz every time she's peed, and after each meal. This is because I know in the summer she needs 50 - 70 oz per day, a little less in the winter (based on a number I arrived at with our vet after doing a water test and ruling out things like diabetes, kidney stones, and spay incontinence). Restricting water can be dangerous for their health, which is why it's important to come up with a number with the assistance of a veterinarian. It could also be a temporary solution for y'all, where it's another lifetime thing with us. That's all I have off the top of my head. Welcome to the forums!

We're getting to the same page. He skips ahead a few chapters sometimes. I'm going to start bringing treats to the couch for those moments because he doesn't think she's over threshold, but I say when he's having to hold her back, she's over threshold. We'll get there - just not sure who needs more training, him, her, or me, lol. Whoever it is, she went back 2 steps last night and we had a debate over how to handle it. I know I've said it before - he's of the mind that she needs to be inundated with animals on the TV and she'll eventually get bored with it. I have the opinion that her stamina will outlast us, and we should try small doses first. It's tough to say which would work better because she's been in situations where she's overwhelmed and she does eventually calm down, but at what cost? Is she really settling down, or is she shutting down? They look similar. I think with me out of the room she might do better simply because I get annoyed that he's not listening to me, but I also don't know for sure if I'm the correct one in all this. With me out of the room she might be fine because my annoyed energy won't be there. I've learned much construction terminology since he started building again. It's mostly on-the-nose kind of terminology - they keep it simple. Tongue and groove is interlocking ridges and grooves. Toenailing something came about because they used to (and some still do) use their toe to hold the piece of wood they're nailing in place. Cost-plus is where you pay the cost of construction plus the contractor's fee. Moling is a method used to lay pipes. They use a machine, known as a mole, to force its way through the soil along the desired path of the pipe, just like a mole does in our yards. 45ing is where trim is cut at a 45 degree angle for corners. There are many more I've already forgotten. Every time I learn of one of the more literal terms it makes me giggle. Then there are those that don't make sense at all. Transom is a small window that's generally used only for light, so it won't open or close, and it's generally put above another window or a door. I'm alternating legs going up the stairs today. 🙂 Yesterday it was too much, today it's tolerable. I'm still using the railing and wall to steady me going down them, though, since that's how my calf tore in the first place. Single event learning! 😆 My eyes are getting better with the addition of fish oil - when I can remember to take it. I'm horrible with medications, and even worse with supplements. I swear by fish oil, though, for dry eyes. I won't eat fish so I have to supplement.

I'll start with the bad so I can close with the good. 🙂 Friday, as we were leaving to meet friends for dinner, I slipped on the stairs and bumped down about 5 or 6 of them (hard to keep count when you're attempting to right yourself). I was able to stop the slide before it got too bad, but my everything still hurts. The jolts were definitely not good for my already arthritic situation, and I can't use my inversion table because of the torn calf. I'm a hot mess over here! Word to the wise: it's a pain to vacuum carpeted stairs, but boy do they help with preventing accidents! We put faux wood planks on ours, and the bullnose on the edge is slick. I have stair rugs, I guess you could call them, on each one, but I completely missed the little rug and was in socks, which made for a bruised bum. Never thought I'd be thankful for having a little extra cushion these days, but I am, hahaha! I am not an injury prone person - not sure what's going on with me lately as this is highly unusual. Now the good! My husband has Really shone during this time. It took him a bit to recognize that I was not kidding when I said I needed help, but once it clicked he took charge. He's been feeding, pottying, training, and playing with Esther. My recent slip on the stairs was proof that I'm not ready to handle her exuberance and zest for life. Esther has started to relax on the couch (unless the frog jumps out of his enclosure and I make a surprised exclamation - he's a frisky frog!). I was chided for that, but if you saw my daughter's messy room, you'd understand. I do Not want to have to look for that little guy in that disaster area! She's stopped swiping at the Haltie and has accepted it, which means I have some control over her excitement and can now take her outside a bit, even with a bum leg. Her peeing has diminished with the use of the RR, and she's stopped (mostly) trying to eat her gate when we're out. She still needs to recognize that Gertie likes a little space. Gerts had to use her words last night when Esther essentially sat on a sleeping Gertie. I'll have to pay closer attention, but I Think she's even stopped trying to herd, block, and move Gertie out of the way. She's still barking at creatures on the television, but we're able to get her to calm down with some effort. Before she wouldn't even acknowledge us, so this is progress. We're trying to watch Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, but our 3-yr old TV is on the fritz. They just don't make 'em like they used to! Even the fake creatures (or maybe Especially) are getting her excited. She was barking at a poor fawn-type critter last night, but using "leave" to get her attention diffused the situation a bit, then I was able to tell her, "good" each time she looked at the television without barking. There was some of that winding down they do, whining, groaning, sighing, gruffing; but overall she did alright and we were able to watch 10 more minutes before the television said, "no more." There's a light at the end of this tunnel. As long as my husband keeps helping, we may all survive. I'm cautious with my hope, but this week is definitely better than last. Each morning I wake up I remember, "Night and day," and it's so true! I go to bed aching, but I wake up feeling better than the day before.

Hi Margaret, and welcome! He sounds like a typical labrador, hehe. They're known for their bottomless bellies, high energy, and propensity for chewing. Buuuut, they're not America's #1 most popular dog for no reason. They're also affectionate, social, and intelligent. They're a hunting breed (retriever being in the name was earned by their zeal and skill) so games of fetch, once he starts relinquishing the thrown item, will be a game you can play with him to tire out his retrieval instinct, as well as provide exercise. He will be in heaven if you have a place he can swim. I grew up with a lab, and we weren't friends when I was little - she was too rough with me and tore my dress (I didn't forgive her back then, but I do now). When she reached about 4 she was the Best Dog Ever. It does take them a wee longer to get out of that dopey stage than some breeds, but with consistency he'll come around. If our Esther can do it, so can yours! To help move things along, because I Know how it is to be around that chaotic energy, I'll ask some questions Adrienne will likely appreciate answers to. Is he neutered? How long as he been with you? What does he know, so far? Sit? Down? Mat? Stay? Those types of things. Any potty training concerns? Has he been socialized with other dogs? Do you have specific areas you'd like to work on? E.g., jumping, leash pulling, mouthiness (you mentioned two of those, but the more she knows, the more she'll be able to tailor a response to your needs). How much exercise, and what kind, does he get each day? Where does he sleep at night, and is he crate trained? With those out of the way (she may have more - I'm just parroting questions I've seen asked), there are some basic starter courses on the site. Here are some links from a post where someone asked, "Where do I start?!" We've all been there! Some of these have information specific to the original poster, but they're good for all of us when we're beginning. "Obedience" below is underlined because I included the entire Obedience 101 course link there for you so you can find specific lessons. I hope it helps! If not, feel free to make a post, or reply to this one, with specific areas and where you're stuck. Main article on potty training: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/7-secret-potty-training-strategies/ Obedience guides are found in the link below. Since your dog is likely a young puppy you will need to factor in short attention spans, so make those training sessions brief and fun (you can start with just 2-3 minute sessions spread in 4-5 sessions throughout the day and see how it goes.) You want to end the sessions with your puppy still having fun so to inculcate eagerness to being trained. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/ Importance of socialization: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/socializing-your-puppy/ Smacking sound: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/the-airplane-game/the-smacking-sound/ Handling exercises: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/exercises-to-teach-puppies-to-tolerate-touch/ Bite inhibition and bite inhibition games: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/biting-mouthing-nipping/ https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/bite-inhibition-games/ https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/train-dog-take-treats-gently/ Prevention of resource guarding: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/the-importance-of-preventing-resource-guarding-in-puppies/ Brain games are great to keep your pup busy and mentally stimulated: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/ As your puppy develops, exercises to prevent separation anxiety: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/exercises-to-prevent-separation-anxiety-in-puppies/ With a large breed dog as a mastiff, tackling jumping early is important: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/behavior-training/jumping/

So he's a ladies man! 😆 Have you tried the Pet Professional Guild for a trainer? Here's the link for a zip code search. https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/Zip-Code-Search

Yes! I get it with the medication. The first time the new owners of our boarding facility had Mo and Gertie they didn't give any of the fish oil I provided. Momo needed it for the arthritis, and did far better when taking the supplement, and Gertrude for her itchy skin. Heck, I take it for my dry eyes. 1200 mg / day (burp less formula - nothing like having fish oil repeat its performance, yuck!). Bonus - great for the heart, skin, hair, and nails. If you eat fish, I do not, then the amount can be lessened. I absolutely Love the idea of dimming the television! How simple, yet I'm betting it's very effective. I'm going to put these ideas into effect tonight! She did quite well, considering, last night when a dog appeared on the tv. She was certainly alert (she actually watches) but we caught it in time and praised her for looking away. Mental note: put treats within reach, duhhh. My husband stepping it up is a massive help. He was letting me handle everything, but seeing me cry for only the 2nd time since I've known him drove the point home - I need support. He's also better able to let things roll off his back. I'm still learning to let go. Buuuut, he is still of the opinion that she needs to just be thrown into everything, and none of us have been able to convince him otherwise. We all have learning to do! Perhaps I need to do the training when he's out in the field, and she's not expecting to be on the couch. Shake things up a bit! Day and night is so right. I ordered a pair of crutches last night in hopes of taking some weight off the leg while it heals. I woke up today with the leg feeling better, and feeling silly or wimpy for wanting crutches, lol. Then I got an email saying my order was delayed (it was for pick up today). It's as though everything is saying I don't actually need them. I'm going to go ahead and get them Just in case we need them in the future. This type of injury is likely to reoccur, though I am going to be stretching once it heals enough (I was warned not to overstretch for fear of increasing the tear), so it would be good to have them available. It would be so much fun to meet! We're in central Florida - not sure which part you'll be in. Thank you for the wishes, advice, and hug!

For those who don't want to read a saga, skip to the 5th paragraph after the dotted line. 🤣 This is more just kind of a catch up post for Adrienne than anything else (I love giving Adrienne long posts to read . . . lol - she's the best and I at least Try to make them entertaining). Wow! It sounds like a Lot of people are experiencing similar issues to ours lately. I've been gone for a bit - had the flu (not Covid) and am still kind of recovering from that due to allergy complications. Last Monday my right calf was feeling tight and we chalked it up to being dehydrated and not eating for 5 days. It was enough to make me limp a bit as I tried to keep weight off it. It was feeling a wee bit better this past Monday (so a week later) and I was also feeling better (highly recommend vitamin IV with saline to help speed the healing process! We have a "recharge" clinic here that does IVs for all sorts of issues - even my joints felt better, likely the saline hydration at work). Anyway . . . Monday I was hobbling around, taking care of everyone, and was headed downstairs with Gertie's water when my calf went Snap! Instant pain, instant tears (and for mere pain to make me cry, it has to be significant) a scream and a curse (yep, the F-bomb came out). Sobbing, I limped my way to the sink, cleaned Gertie's bowl, filled it, managed the stairs, set her bowl down, then sat in my husband's chair (mine is a tall drafting chair) and had a good sobbing cry because at that point I was overwhelmed and in some pretty serious pain. Texted my husband that I was immobile and waited for him to get home to examine (he was a firefighter / paramedic for 6 years and keeps his license up to date). He was able to determine, with a fair amount of certainty, it wasn't a DVT (thank goodness) and figured I snapped my tendon. We decided to let it ride for a few days to see if it got better. It did not, and it started to swell, so Thursday I had him drop me off at an urgent care facility with imaging next door. So after everyone cringed sympathetically at my story, lol, and an ultrasound ruled out DVT as well (I'd have been in serious trouble or dead by Thursday if it had been a DVT . . . but whatever, here's $200, knock yourselves out), it was determined I tore my calf. Just a small tear, thankfully, so no surgery. I have to stay off it for 4 weeks, keep it wrapped, no exercise (hahahaha, no problemo!), use heat, take a muscle relaxer (ugh - they make me so sleepy), and elevate it (not sure how when my chair is so high, but I do what I can when I can). That, on top of Monkey (who has plumped up and is on prednisone, but I've been warned it may be temporary), on top of Esther, on top of being behind in work due to sleeping for 1½ weeks to get over the flu . . . this gal is stressed to the max. Monkey has been driving me Nuts with his mow-wow-wowing to be let outside so I've compromised with him and he gets to stay out during the day, but has to come in at night. My husband has been a champion throughout it all. He's a fantastic caregiver, and I'm a grumpy thankless mean sicko. If our marriage survived me being infirm, it will survive dang near anything, lol. He did storm out on me once because I was being especially thankless and negative (I'm not proud of it but I believe in full disclosure!) and took Esther and Abbi with him. Poor Gertie, my shining star, was left with me. She has also been 95% wonderful throughout, going so far as to walk behind me on the stairs, one step at a time, all the while wagging her tail and watching me closely. ❤️ -------------------------------------------- I sent the husband to the 2nd training session (it's a group class at a pet store for 6 weeks) with Esther because I was full-blown sick, and he skipped the 3rd because he didn't want to go alone again (I'm his ESW, haha). My husband explained to them the issues we were having, and that I was seriously considering rehoming Esther (as though anyone is going to jump at the chance of a challenged incontinent 19-month old pup . . . but I'm sure the heck not taking her back to the shelter). I have considered asking the shelter if I could foster her while they find a suitable match - it's just too much with everything else happening, I feel defeated). The trainer's answer was to come over here to show me how to do nose work and put Esther on the treadmill. No call, no email, though, so that hasn't happened and I haven't felt well enough, until today, to follow up. They said Esther had no issues with dogs on the television. We still have issues. So is she being protective of us? Is our television bigger? Do they not really watch television? Do they simply know how to address it, and behave differently than we do? Who knows?! It's worse now, though. She lost her cool over a rat on the television the other night. I think it's us. As long as we have food she is 90% great. My husband has been doing all the training because I am not going to risk that girl pulling me down right now. She's doing wonderfully with the Haltie, but as soon as that is off (for me, at least) she goes Right back to pulling. We need to wean her off the treats and I'm hoping we can get the board and train folks over here soon for the treadmill, nose work, and guidance on phasing out treats (though I think we'll Always have to have them at the ready for emergencies). My husband listens to the trainers, but not me, so I'm hoping they'll make the trip over here to show him how to vary and phase out treats. He does have occasional success with a squeaky toy so we know she's not 100% dependent on food, it's just a matter of showing him how to vary it. She's doing beautiful attention heeling, and her accidents have been significantly diminished. Her pad aim has greatly improved as well so I bought 8 more of the reusables. They didn't give her the Rescue Remedy while she was there, which irritated me because she had numerous accidents the first week home until the RR was back in her system. They switched her food instead of asking me for more when she ran out, and charged me for a full bag, but didn't give us the bag (it takes her about 45 days to clear a 30-lb bag and she'd only been on it for about 9 days). That was irksome. They told me when they tried to put her back on ProPlan she had digestive issues. Well, yeah . . . most dogs can't switch at the drop of a hat, and it takes a gradual progression from one food to the other. Not a couple days! They definitely did some great things for her, but they didn't communicate changes very well, and that was aggravating. I think I'm still in negativity mode a bit so I'm being harsh. Maybe. Leah thought it was kind of sneaky to do the food change without clearing it with me first. We can see a clear change in her demeanor, but she has miles yet to go. So, for anyone else considering board and train, you'll want to be more proactive than I was and stay on top of them while clearly communicating that any changes they make need to be approved by you. I didn't expect them to make these decisions without first consulting with me. At this point I've told my husband, only half jokingly, I'm willing to put up x dollars for whomever is a match for her and they can apply that to training with Leah or the board and train folks - their choice, or veterinary care if they don't need the training and it's just us (me, probably). I wouldn't want to introduce a fourth trainer (you're #1!) - that's just getting silly, and they'd have to start all over with her history and getting familiar. I don't know quite what to do at this point and am not making any decisions until my mind is back to my usual resilience. I guess for the next 4 weeks there's not much for me to do (probably more like 2½ - 3 because I Should be almost healed by week 3) other than inside training. Right now I'm Definitely over my capacity and struggling.

Rescue Remedy - I swear by it! I have a dog with a pelvic bladder and insecurity. Not a good combination! Rescue Remedy has given her far better control of her bladder. There are two ingredients in it that help with incontinence: Cherry Plum and Clematis It also has Impatiens, Rock Rose, and Star of Bethlehem (so you can take a gander at all the ingredients). Here's a run-down from an unrelated site (I like to cross-reference claims to ensure I'm not being snookered. Though they do sell products, cross-referencing helps to weed out potentially false, misleading, or misguided claims (note, they do not list Rock Rose as being for incontinence): https://4pawspure.ca/pages/flower-remedies Another site that doesn't sell products, but does list availability, including one woman in the UK who can tailor to your needs. I may actually check that one out! In fact, I wish I could tweak the Rescue Remedy formula to up that incontinence bit - the rest I can deal with, the peeing and constant need to go outside is maddening so I understand well your situation. http://www.irishwolfhounds.org/flowers.htm I wish I could find something with Agrimony in it as well! She scratches when she's nervous, doesn't like to be left alone, and is almost always moving around - she has no chill unless we ourselves are chilling. The moment I stand up she's up and pacing. And here's the Rescue Remedy on Chewy: https://www.chewy.com/rescue-remedy-stress-relief-pet/dp/139818 You may even be able to find it locally. The way *I* use it, after trial and error, is to fill a large pitcher (about 64 oz) and add 6 drops. Their instructions did Not work well for us. Too much of this and she ate her kennel so I say start slow and titrate up if you need to. Esther is 42 - 46 lbs (she lost a lot of weight with her last Bloat battle and Should be at 46, but isn't putting on weight).

Poor Bailey, and poor you! I know well how it feels to be dealing with a less-than-ideal behavior issue. In addition to what Adrienne has already offered, I can say from our experience that having a trainer on hand along with the other dogs makes all the difference. Most dog trainers, especially Behaviorists, are versed in dog language (ears, tail, shoulders, mouth, eyes - combined, it all tells them a story). After our recent board and train experience I would feel comfortable having my dog with other dogs as long as a trainer was there 24/7 to observe, intervene, and train. I'm about to update our story. If you'd like to take a peek it's titled, "Esther Shares, Gertie Does Not," I believe (or something close).

It's going to be an adjustment, for sure. The training we're doing with them is a class, but they put Esther right next to the main station so they can give us extra help. She pooped in their vehicle on the way there, peed when she greeted us, peed again in the store, then I took her out to pee. I Knew she had to poop, but she wasn't giving up the goods, so we headed back inside and she pooped on the sidewalk. As a final salute she pooped once more in the store. I kept it together - they were good at encouraging me. Then we got home. Lol! I missed the part where they said we still need treats for outside so my dumb self, who also took the Haltie off in the vehicle, got my arm torn this way and that as she exerted some zoomies. I had to put the Haltie back on - she was Not coping on the leash. With the Haltie on there was far better control, and she responded much better (with only the leash she was not listening At All). I couldn't get Esther upstairs until my husband put Gertie in the kennel. There's only been one accident inside so far. We're going to start doing walks each day at 5:00 down to the end of the street. That should take us about 10 minutes, which is within the 10 - 20 minute time frame they recommended. Keep it short, but long enough. It's so easy to skip walks when there's acreage, but now we have a purpose to the walks. Monkey (the cat) hasn't eaten since Thursday morning. :( He does this here and there and starts eating after I get some wet food in him (I started alternating wet in the morning with dry at night because of this), but this time he's not coming back like he usually does. I've gotten several syringe fulls of chicken baby food down him, but he won't eat on his own. Water with a syringe as well. That's the most concerning part, the water. I can't tell if he's drinking on his own or not, but I suspect he is not and put some down him with the syringe, just in case. The next time I give him medication via syringe should be easy at least, lol. He'll think it's food or just water. I brought him in last night from the storm and was going to take him before going to training, but Jim didn't know my plan and let Monkey out. By the time we found him on the lanai it was time to go. Took him to Banfield because everyone else was playing round robin, passing me to this vet and that. I knew Banfield would take a look. After running a litany of tests, he's healthy, aside from a high white cell count. She's treating him for pancreatitis, but it could be cancer. She said if we are going to go through chemo they can order up ultrasounds and x-rays, but at his age she said most people opt to let them live out their days and then humanely euthanize. I'm not there, yet. We'll see what this week brings and go from there. She gave us an appetite stimulant and I set up the ex-pen for him so he can stay inside, but not be bothered. It will also stop him from wandering towards the front door. He very much wants outside, but I don't want him sheltering somewhere I can't find him. I even bumped out a section for his litter box so he has some privacy. :p It's kind of in the shape of an "L." On a better note, yep, The Doctor is a White's Tree Frog. My daughter got him, then abandoned him over here so he's now my grandfroggy and I take care of him. He jumps on the glass when I come into the room. They're known for their voracious appetites, and propensity towards obesity, so I feed him Thursdays and Mondays only. I still don't like being the harbinger of doom for these poor crickets, but my grandfroggy needs sustenance. My daughter fed him using tongs, but I've removed myself from the equation by putting the crickets in a container, then transferring The Doctor to the same container. What happens in the container, stays in the container! 5 critters enter, 1 critter leaves. Gertie Loves to watch him, but I've already lost 1 cricket in my kiddo's room because Gerts bumped me so she now has to lie down a short distance away. His name is actually The Detective, but for some reason I greeted him as Meester Detektivf - in a Russian accent. Why? I like doing Russian accents and Mister works better than "The," I suppose. Well, then he became Mr. D. That makes his initials MD, which means he's a doctor. His vivarium is bigger on the inside than the outside (really, it looks tiny from the outside, but it's his whole world) so he became The Doctor. Yes, I'm a mess. I'd say I have too much time on my hands, but it's quite the opposite. Maybe I'm just going looney tunes - that's likely more accurate, lol.

I confirmed this afternoon. Leah and I went over a plan of action to ease the girls into things. We're both sure it's going to be fine, but I don't want to take 6 steps back! I was told Esther and Lilith had to be separated last night because they were taking turns barking and play bowing at each other and the trainer pulled the plug at 3 am, lol. She moved Lilith (one of her Heelers - they're Really into Heelers) to a separate room. She said Esther has made Many friends over the past week so hooray! She recommended parallel walks to acclimate the girls to each other again. I am excited, but I'm also already missing the peace and calm, lol. I'm going over in my mind how I'm going to get the frog fed because Gertie loves to join me for that. She is fascinated with him. I'm thinking Esther will have to be with the husband, or in her kennel, for that because I do see Gertie getting grumpy over Esther trying to watch - and I don't think Esther will let me get the job done. It's hard enough with only Gertie trying to see! Gerts has had the whole middle of the couch to herself so Leah recommended no couch for them while we're eating. I think Esther can go on the bed I have on the floor while Gertie is on the couch. Maybe. That's how we did it before, then Gertie would move over to the husband's side when we finished eating. That's the main issue I think we may have. If Esther has a different energy, though, this may all be for naught and we could have a perfectly fine time. We shall see! I'm pretty good at assessing the feeling of emotions in the room and I'll trust in that skill to determine which tweaks to make. Wish us luck!