Jester’s Fifth Day Home

Jester starts to play fetch

Guess who didn’t wake up, guess who didn’t wake up. Well, I did, because I’m such a light sleeper, but Jester made it through the night without having to be removed from his crate. I’m thinking, not bad – it’s five days. Much better than Harleigh’s two month record.

He did wake up at 2 a.m. and coughed. I’m hoping that the OxyDoc I started using last night (by putting it in his drinking water), will knock out this cough problem. He fell back asleep and didn’t wake up until 6 a.m., after I got up, I might add. That means he slept seven hours! Yippee! We are making progress.

I took him out of the crate and he coughed a couple of times. I brought him outside for a short little potty walk and he peed outside, but no poopies. So back inside, and of course, darn it all, he pooped.

I had a dentist appointment that morning for a teeth cleaning. So I brought Jester in the car with me. He rode in his crate in the back seat and did really well. I left him in the crate in the car outside the office. (Mind you, it’s February in San Francisco, so temperature is not an issue at this point.) Afterward, I brought him in to meet all the staff. Instant socialization for him with about five ladies.

Then I drove downtown to my office and put him in the travel carrier (which looks like a duffel bag) and snuck him into my building. No Dogs Allowed – in that high rise. He had a blast playing on the carpet in my boss’s office, literally a circle of about six people surrounding him passing him around. Socialization heaven! Everyone was impressed at how calm he was chewing on his chew stick and giving everyone kisses and letting them hold him.

Jester plays with a Cavalier at the Park

I then brought him home and took him for a walk in the park so he could go potty. When we came home, I thought he must be good and tired. So I put him in the x-pen. He fell asleep, but woke about 45 minutes later. After whining and trying to escape for about five minutes, he went back to sleep for another hour.

While he was sleeping I played the sound desensitization CD I mentioned yesterday. It’s a Puppy Habituation CD that includes noises a puppy needs to be familiar with including, children and babies, household noises like vacuums, pots and pans, thunder, rain and fireworks. I can’t recommend this enough since most households can’t possible provide all these sounds during the first 16 weeks of a puppy’s life, before that window of socialization closes. But don’t stop then! Keep playing the sounds until at least six months of age, as they will soon be entering adolescence and all kinds of strange behaviors and fears will creep out.

Okay, back outside for a walk and he did both potties outside. Double yippee! When we came in, he played fetch and was chewing on his toys, so I took him out 45 minutes later, and he peed again. This is the important break that most people forget. At this young age, when they are actively playing you have to stop the fun and take them out to go potty.

Then after a little play session, he fell asleep for about an hour. Another outdoor pee! I offered him a little bit of dinner. I didn’t want to give him too much because I was going to take him to the puppy social. He hadn’t coughed since this morning, so I was hoping it was the end of it. I’m sure I would be ridiculed by vets for doing this, but I really think his cough was more of a reaction from the vaccine, then a true virus. The incubation period for kennel cough is two to ten days. He started coughing after being home for just 24 hours, so he didn’t get in San Francisco from another dog. And he had had the Bordatella vaccine within ten days of me picking him up.

We went to his first puppy social and he was typically a little nervous. We penned off the new and smaller puppies and let the bigger rough and tumble puppies play outside the pen. We often do this when we have several newbies to make them feel safer (and it makes their human parents feel better too). This evening there were about 4 of us with new puppies that were a little cautious. I know Jester will do fine as he will be socializing like crazy simply due to the fact that he’s my puppy.

After we came home, he didn’t potty at the social or on the walk home from the car, but rather he conveniently had a “mistake” on my bedroom rug and the hall runner. He seems to favor my white bedroom rug for his poop time. Thank goodness for Natural’s Miracle and lots of rags.

Off to slumberland and let’s hope for another successful night of sleep. I know two perfect nights in a row will be too much to ask for at this age, but I can dream . . .

Next: Jester’s Sixth Day at Home

Jester’s Fourth Day Home

Jester Napping in his Exercise Pen

I’m slowly getting some more sleep as Jester’s clock adjusts to Pacific Time and he learns to sleep through the night. Each puppy is different in their adjustment to their new home and their sleep patterns.

I remember Harleigh not sleeping through the night until about 16 weeks of age. Lucky me. Her little bladder just couldn’t hold it. I felt like I had just had a baby since it went on for 2 months after I got her. I was a train wreck at work, always exhausted. She was pretty good though as she would scratch at the crate door in the middle of the night, I would let her out and she would go potty. I would sit on the floor trying to relax and soothe her for a few minutes and then I could put her back in the crate, and she would go back to sleep. At first it was every 2-3 hours; then it went to 3-4 hours, and then finally she started to sleep through for 6 hours. And now at nearly 9 years old, she may sleep as long as 12 hours.

After going to sleep around 11 p.m., here’s Jester’s sleep schedule

2:00 a.m. Woke up coughing, so I took him outside to potty. He went pee! Yeh!
2:30 a.m. Even better he went right back asleep in his crate
5:45 a.m. Jester woke up and I took him outside to potty. He went pee and poop. Now we’re talking!
6:15 a.m. Jester ate breakfast. Then I let him play.
7:15 a.m. We went for a 45 minute walk. At his age, we don’t move very quickly, so we didn’t get all that far, but that was a nice amount of exercise outside. He went poop again. Oh, I am so happy now – I’m throwing him a party every time he goes outside!
8:00 a.m. I put him in the crate for a nap and played a Puppy Sound Desensitization CD. Learn more about Sound Desensitization in tomorrow’s blog.

 

Jester meets a really big dog!

10:00 a.m.  Jester woke and we went for a walk in the park by my house meeting a friend. Jester met two very large dogs – a Neapolitan Mastiff and an Alaskan Malamute – both girls weighing in at about 150 lbs.
12:30 p.m. We visited our friend with the Jack Russell and the backyard. He had a ball playing with her. Then he took a nap in his crate at their house.
1:30 – 3:30 p.m. Nap

We came home and did some training exercises. Some more hand targeting and sits and I introduced the down and sitting before the door opens.

Here’s how you get the down:

Level 1: Use the food to lure and reward for every position change, just as when training the sit. It’s easiest to do this from the sit – so be sure to get the sit first. Take the treat in between your fingers and put it in position right at the puppy’s nose while he is sitting. Slowly lower the treat straight down, pushing slightly inward or pulling slightly forward (depending on what your puppy responds best to) and go between their two front paws. Make sure the puppy’s nose stays on the treat – it’s okay to let them nibble or lick at it, but don’t give it to him completely until your puppy gets into position. This is often the hardest position and may take multiple repetitions or even days before you get a 100% down. You may only get a 75% or 90% down, that is, your puppy’s butt is on the ground, they move their head down toward the ground, but they don’t extend their paws forward to lie down and they keep an arched back. If your pup won’t get into the full down position, try moving the treat forward, to the side or back into them when they are in this position. I let them lick the treat while I’m trying to get them into the position, but I don’t let them eat it – if you do that, they’ll stop to eat and pop back into a sit or stand. If they stand up, start again with a sit. Remember to give the treat once they get into the down position – and reward with pets and a happy voice! NOTE: Remember not to reprimand your puppy for biting too hard during this process (that means removing the treat or saying “ouch”. That’s another exercise and in order to not confuse your puppy, it’s best you work on a soft mouth during a separate exercise. Just grin and bear it for this one.

Door etiquette - sitting for the door

The last thing I worked on, was sitting at the door. Door manners are important to me. I like dogs to sit before entering or exiting through doors, waiting to go through until I release. So many dogs strain at the leash or put themselves right in front of the door and you can’t even open it. For everyone’s safety, it’s a great exercise to practice. It keeps the dog away from the door and hopefully prevents door dashing down the road. This is another really simple exercise and starts a good habit. It’s a great learning exercise for your pup and doesn’t require a lot of work. Once I have requested or lured the sit, I let the door do the talking. Here’s how it works:

• At the closed door off to the side, ask your puppy to sit. (You can practice this on internal doors of your home until you get your timing down. If you don’t have a door to a fenced backyard, then be sure your puppy is on a leash. This exercise is best done on leash so your puppy doesn’t run off if it gets bored.)
• Put your hand on the door ready to open it.
• As you start to pull or push the door open, if your puppy stands up, close the door. (this is the idea of letting the door do the talking)
• You don’t need to say a thing; wait for your puppy to sit again.
• Repeat this process, trying to open the door as your puppy stays seated.
• If you can open the door a little wider, then say, “let’s go” and let your puppy through the door.
• You may choose to go through the door first, but that is not important to me. What is important is that your puppy learns to not run through the door until you release them.
• Continue this exercise until you can open the door all the way and your puppy doesn’t move.

This evening we are off to our first puppy class. There’s a class that my friend is teaching and the pups are all graduating, so they are a little older. But I thought it would be a good idea to sit there with Jester on my lap to observe. He hadn’t coughed since the early morning hours so I was hoping he was getting over it and that it was in fact a reaction to the bordetella vaccination.

Puppy class is held at a Jeffrey’s Natural Pet, a store specializing in raw food and holistic remedies. I asked the store owner if she had anything natural she could recommend for kennel cough. She recommended a product called Oxydoc by GreatLife. It’s a product made with sodium chlorite and among other things it kills internal bacteria, yeast infections, diarrhea, ringworm, kennel cough and parasites. This sounded perfect for Jester and maybe it would get rid of Harleigh’s yeast problems as well. It was worth a try.

We came home and Jester took a nap from 8:30 – 10 p.m. After a potty break and some play, he went to sleep at 11 p.m. We had one accident in the house during the day. That’s a huge improvement. I’m learning his needs and he’s learning where to go.

Next: Jester’s Fifth Day at Home

Jester’s Third Day Home

Jester playing with a toy

Starting again with the night before, while it wasn’t the perfect night of slumber, it felt greatly improved over our first night.

If you remember, Jester had a nap in the evening until 9 p.m. He played and chewed on a beef tendon – and I even tried to keep him up a bit hoping for a big night of sleep, so I put Jester in his crate around 12:30 a.m.

12:30 a.m. Put in crate, already asleep

2:30 a.m. He woke up with an odd cough for a few seconds (sounded like kennel cough to me); he wouldn’t pee or poop where I placed him. He would walk away and look for a rug. So, I tried taking him outside. Nothing. I even stood in his pen with him and when he would start to squat I would move him to the potty area and he still wouldn’t go. How frustrating! I finally gave up as did he, and I put him back in the crate after a full hour of trying without having gone to the bathroom.

3:30 a.m. Put him in crate and he fell asleep right away.

5:30 a.m. He woke up and I took him outside with hopes of going potty. We ran into other dogs out on a walk, which caused him to have some excitement urination, although he didn’t go again. I brought him inside and he went over to the white rug in my bedroom to poop. Of course! I grabbed him in hopes of getting him to the right area, and the poop dropped onto the floor midway to our target. Oh, the joys of having a puppy. Note to self: he’s showing interest in his poop – I’ll have to keep an eye on him being a poop eater.

6:21 a.m. Jester peed on the kitchen rug. Ugh. Well, I might as well feed him breakfast.

7:00 a.m. Back in the crate for a little nap.

8:00 a.m. Jester woke up and I took him outside. He pooped on the sidewalk and had a little cough episode while we walked. A little girl came out of the doorway suddenly and startled both of us. He barked at her – I think that was his first bark.

9:00 a.m. Back in the crate for another nap. He coughed at one point, but fell back asleep.

11:00 a.m. Jester finally woke up. I took him to the park near my house for a walk. He chased Harleigh in the grass and he pooped outside. Yeh!

Harleigh and Jester have their first chase

It was time for me to take Jester to the vet to have his cough checked. She examined his throat and pressed on his trachea, which caused the cough. The vet said that this tenderness could be kennel cough and to keep an eye on it. There’s not a lot you can do for kennel cough. Some vets will give antibiotics and some like it to run its course. It’s like a cold virus for us – but it is highly contagious to other puppies and dogs. Jester had a kennel cough vaccine before he left Florida, so it could be a reaction to the vaccination. He couldn’t have gotten it any where else – he’s hardly been exposed. Because he didn’t have any nasal discharge and his coughing seemed limited, we opted to wait it out and see how it would go.

It’s time to start training little behaviors. You can never start too young — the younger the better to start training. It will make life easier as they go through adolescence. Here’s what you’ll need for a training session:

1) a thin nylon 4’-6’ leash attached to your puppy so that you can step on it (so puppy doesn’t run away)
2) small (make that tiny) precut treats or even kibble if you have a food motivated puppy

I like leaving a thin nylon or rope leash (dragline) on my puppy whenever he is running around free – outside of his pen or crate. This way if he gets under a chair or table, I can always grab him. If he tries to play keep away – which will happen within a week, trust me – I can quickly step on the leash, teaching him that I am faster, smarter and stronger and he shouldn’t even bother trying to get away. I also like preparing my treats for training in advance by cutting them in uniform sized pieces and even counting out how many I will use.

In the afternoon, we practiced hand targeting, which is one of my favorite exercises for puppies – or any new dog for that matter. Hand targeting involves having the puppy touch his nose to your hand. This application transfers to many real life uses – 1) go say hi to new people; 2) touch a hand with their nose (and a closed mouth); 3) allows you to use your hand to position your dog without food or toys; 4) use your hand as a location target for a recall. Later, this behavior can be used in agility to lead your dog to specific pieces of equipment.

Here’s how the exercise works:

 Present your hand to your dog.
 Out of curiosity he will sniff your hand – say “Good” and treat. (If using a clicker, click the instant your pup’s nose touches your hand.)
 Take your hand away.
 Restart by introducing your hand again.
 Be sure to put your hand very close to your dog initially and take your hand away between repetitions.
 Repeat this exercise until your dog is touching your hand as soon as it is presented.
 Now start moving your hand a few inches away from him.
 If he touches your hand without hesitation, then move your hand further out to the side . . . making your dog work harder to touch your hand.
 Switch hands and repeat all levels of difficulty.
 Try not to encourage him with talk or other movements. Let him think about it. Wait out the behavior – it will happen! If you lose your puppy, i.e., he goes off to play, then the repetitions are not occurring fast enough. Review your steps – are you close enough, are you rewarding with something yummy, are you doing the repetitions fast enough.
 Once he is eagerly and consistently touching your hand, either hand, every time you present it and in various locations, you are ready to give this behavior a name. Note: This will not happen on Day 1, Day 2 or Day 3 of this exercise. Be sure the behavior is consistently happening without hesitation before naming it.
 You can use “Go say hi”, “Touch”, Target”, etc. as the command. Say the command, and then present your hand.
 The next level of this exercise: give the command and have someone else put their hand out for him to touch. When he becomes a pro at this exercise, increase the distance – back up a couple of feet.

The next essential behavior is the “Sit”. There are several ways to get this behavior. The most efficient way is with a lure, such as a piece of food or a toy, or if you like, you can capture the behavior with a clicker. At this point, we are at Level 1:

Level 1: Use the food to lure and reward for every position change. Take the treat in between your fingers and put it in position right at the puppy’s nose while he is standing. Slowly push the treat forward as though you are pushing it into the pup’s face, keeping it just barely above his nose. By pushing back this way, the puppy’s bottom will hit the ground as they try to follow the treat back. Give the treat for the sit.

Keep sessions short with 10 trials per session, multiples sessions per day. Use tiny pieces of food. It’s best to train before mealtime when you puppy is hungry and will pay attention. Don’t hesitate to use a toy for this training as well.

Jester didn’t cough again today. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that it’s a mild case of kennel cough. He had one more accident in the house – later in the evening after he was playing and chewing. I will take the newspaper, roll it up and hit myself in the head for not managing him better.

Here are the main events that cause a puppy to go potty:

1) Sleeping
2) Eating
3) Drinking
4) Playing
5) Chewing

After any of these activities, take your puppy to their potty area within 5-10 minutes. At this age, a puppy that is playing, fetching or running, will need to go potty within 15 minutes. As your pup gets older, this time duration gets longer and longer. Thank goodness!

Here’s to a better night’s sleep!

Next: Jester’s Fourth Day Home

Jester’s Second Day Home

Relaxing on the sofa (supervised!)

Let’s focus on Jester’s first night before we get to his second day.

Here’s what happened:

We fell asleep together on the sofa, probably about 10:00 p.m. I awoke about midnight and put him in his crate.

12:00 a.m. put in crate, already asleep
12:15 a.m. he woke up because of a sound from the refrigerator (crate in kitchen); I brought him in bed with me.
12:30 a.m. put him in wire crate next to my bed; whined for a few minutes, but then fell asleep.
2:20 a.m. woke up, brought to potty, peed on WizDog, brought him back to bed with me – I fell asleep.
4:40 a.m. put him in wire crate next to my bed.
5:00 a.m. woke up whining, back in bed with me.
6:00 a.m. put him in wire crate next to my bed.
6:30 a.m. woke up whining, brought to potty – nothing.
6:45 a.m. fed him breakfast and water in exercise pen.
7:04 a.m. peed, missing WizDog
7:10 a.m. pooped on WizDog; played in pen with toys, chewed on toys, no whining.

I was exhausted. I did some basic crate conditioning exercises, I threw a chew stick in the crate and he would get it and bring it out. I would throw it back in and he would bring it back out. It’s great exercise, good mental stimulation, good fetching practice and positive associations with the crate.

Even though Jester is just 9.5 weeks old, I took him for a walk around my block. I know all the dogs in the neighborhood and they’re all healthy and well cared for. It’s very residential, so on my block, it’s just the locals, even though there is a dog park 1.5 blocks away. But if you have a backyard, that would be the ideal place for a new puppy to learn to potty and get some fresh air and outdoor time.

9:00 a.m. put in crate in kitchen, quiet, no whining.
9:30 a.m. out of crate and into the car and off to the beach for some exercise.

In the car, especially for a puppy that is not potty trained or knows to sit still, I use a crate. The motion of the car helps them fall asleep or at least settle down. Having them in the crate, you get the added bonus of some passive training. That is, the motion of the car will make him relax while he’s in the crate.

Jester's first walk at the beach

I brought Jester to the beach to meet some friends. This beach is nice and clean. All the dogs there are well kept and are friendly. There are a lot of people who will disagree with taking him out at such a young age, but I believe that certain areas are generally cleaner and safer. The beach sand gets washed daily with sea water. Granted there might be bacteria in the ocean, but I haven’t heard of any problems like this and Jester would not be getting near the water. As it was I carried him for half of the walk – but at least he got exposed to San Francisco weather, other dogs going by, the smells of the beach, and a variety of people.

 

An exhausting vet visit!

We went back home and he took a little nap in his crate after lunch. We had his first vet appointment in the afternoon. This is typically done after a new puppy is brought home. I needed to send my breeder a signed document by the vet after a general puppy exam. Jester did great and practically fell asleep on the exam table. Everything seemed clear, with the exception of a little yeast in one ear. The vet prescribed some cleaner and some drops. Regardless of how you obtain your puppy I recommend a vet visit within the first couple of days to make sure your pup is healthy and also for some initial puppy advice from the vet. Nine years ago, with my little girl Harleigh, I took her in right away and found out she had a belly full of round worms.

Next, we went to a pet store that was having a sale so I could buy him his first big boy collar. I had picked up a cheap little thing for his trip, but he needed something more suitable. While we were in the store, Jester started to cough like something was stuck in his throat. I wasn’t quite sure what it was. I checked his throat to make sure he didn’t chew on something he wasn’t supposed to have. This wasn’t a sound I heard from Harleigh before.

Had we done too much? Homeward bound and off to napland for him. It’s been a big day. That’s what I love about this age. During 8-12 week stage, there are lots of little power naps. Enough to let you get things done, and possibly take a quick power nap yourself.

During some of his wake time, I started him on clicker training for silence in the x-pen. I tried a couple of times to just leave him in the x-pen and walk away and he would bark, whine and howl. If I lived in a house, I could have let him work this out, but it was just too loud in my apartment and I couldn’t risk any complaints. We got up to 20 seconds of silence, where I would walk away and then return. Not bad for a first session.

I also called my vet to tell her about his little cough and she told me to bring him in tomorrow so she could take a quick peek.

He had an accident on the kitchen rug in the late afternoon. I decided I would move the potty tray to the hallway where it was more easily accessible to see if that would help him.

He took a nice 2 hour nap in his crate from 7 -9 p.m. Hopefully a sign that I’ll get more sleep.

Next: Jester’s Third Day Home

Flight Home and The First Day in the House

First Day Home - Napping

Goodness did I need to get up early. And, of course, I didn’t sleep as well as I was constantly checking on the new pup. That morning, I couldn’t let him run around the hotel room and I needed to take a shower, so I brought him into the bathroom with me. I took a quick shower and he did just fine investigating the bathroom.

I didn’t give him any breakfast or water since he would be flying for so many hours. What goes in must come out—so it would be better if nothing goes in for the flight. We would be home by 1:00 p.m. California time and he would get two out of his three meals later in the day. Fasting a puppy is not recommended, but in this case, it was necessary to skip one meal. Missing a meal is the kind of thing that can add to stress at that age – and there would most likely be stress from travel, too, but I needed to avoid him from soiling in his travel carrier.

After much coaxing, he finally went potty on the designated area, but I had to move him from the rug over to the paper. For breakfast, I ate some yummy left over Key Lime Pie, a traditional Florida dessert, which I ordered at lunch the day before. I put him in the carrier and off we headed to the airport, about 30 minutes away. He whined in the carrier for about 5-10 minutes, but settled in okay. While I was turning in my car rental keys, I could hear him vomiting. Poor little guy, I’m sure he was as nervous as I was.

When we got to the airport waiting area, I took him out and cleaned up the little mess he made – though not much since his belly was empty. I had brought wet wipes for just this kind of incident. He sat on my lap in the small airport waiting room and everyone was admiring him. When it came time to board, however, I had to put him back in the travel bag, which he was not happy about. On the little plane, which had two seats on each side and maybe 20 rows, I was fortunate enough to sit next to a dog loving professor from the University of Florida in Gainesville. He became my lookout and I took Jester out of the travel bag and let him sleep on my lap. I would cover him up with my jacket whenever the flight attendant walked by. Once settled down he was fine, and slept on my lap for the remainder of our flight to Atlanta. Some flight attendants don’t care about pups being out of their carrier, but some get rather testy. I didn’t want to take the chance because I knew he wasn’t comfortable in the carrier. If I had to force him in there, it would only add to more stress compromising his immune system.

When he finally fell deep asleep, I put him back in the carrier and I never heard another thing from him – from the layover in Atlanta, to the six hour flight to San Francisco. Even when I carried him around the airport in San Francisco, he didn’t let out a whimper. So I kept him in the carrier bag. I had parked at the airport and he still seemed asleep on the car ride home. Ahh, the beauty of a young puppy – lots of sleep. When I finally got home, I put his leash on and walked him to my place. I knew Harleigh, my senior girl, was in my apartment waiting for us. As far as she was concerned, I was just bringing home another weekend boarder.

I examined the carrier when I got settled in and discovered he never went potty – for 15 hours total. Amazing what they can do. I couldn’t believe my calculation, but with the flights, the layovers, the car rides, it totaled 15 hours. So – see, they can hold it!

Of course, he didn’t go potty on the walk into the apartment, but peed on the kitchen floor about 15 minutes after returning home. Some books would have you believe that I ruined everything by allowing this to happen. But I feel like I had to compromise somewhere. The little guy just flew across the country and hadn’t peed for 15 hours – I didn’t care where he went at this point.

I had my apartment set up and ready for Jester. I let him sniff around and check out his surroundings and let him meet Harleigh. After all, he had been sleeping for a very long time and would need to run around and play. Mind you that his freedom is under constant supervision and with a leash attached and dragging. Although I live in a small apartment, I wanted him to get to know it at his pace. I also needed to remember to bring him outside every hour to go potty.

My training associate and friend, Fawn, came over to meet Jester. She has two Jack Russell terriers. One is a 13-year-old cranky pants, the other a very sweet 3-year-old. If Jester didn’t receive enough correction from Harleigh already, he would get a good dose from the Jacks. This would help me see how appropriate his dog/dog communication skills were. After a few corrections from the old man, he finally figured out to keep his distance – for today anyway. (Everyday is a new day to a puppy.)

We went to visit a friend who has a nice backyard and another very sweet Jack. This is a great situation for a new puppy as you can let them run around, which will make them pee, and they will be in an area of success, so you can reward, reward, reward with a spectacular treat. Be sure to reserve a special treat for potty training only. Something like freeze dried turkey or beef liver, cheese or dried salmon or chicken. This will give special meaning to that treat and your puppy will get potty trained much faster.

First Day Home

He took a nap at my friend’s house all bundled up in a nice warm lamb’s wool lined basket. My favorite part of this age (8-10 weeks) is run, crash, run, crash, run, crash. This age puppies take lots of naps, though typically short; but it gives you lots of little breaks to get things done and to be able to take advantage of setting them up for success in crating and confinement, which, in turn, sets things up for quick potty training.

After a few more little play sessions and potty breaks, I let him fall asleep with me on the sofa. Once he was sound asleep, I put him in the crate. I find this to be the easiest way to get a puppy used to the crate if they have difficulty with it. Jester was showing that he had difficulty with not only the crate, but also the exercise pen. His vocalizations were painful for me to hear – unfortunately I have a lower tolerance for it.

Living in an apartment also makes it difficult for me to allow a puppy to bark, howl and whine it out. Respectful of my neighbors, I was going to have to train him actively and passively. Passively training crate confinement as mentioned above means waiting for them to fall asleep and then placing them inside. Actively training crate confinement focuses on desensitization of the crate, such as feeding them in the crate, using the crate in the car, and working on going in and lying down with the door open. More on actively training crate confinement later.

So, did he and I sleep through the night? . . . find out in the next blog: Jester’s Second Day Home.

It’s Time! Picking up Jester!

Picking Up Jester!

It’s here, it’s finally here. I flew to Gainesville, Florida, to pick up my new puppy. I made plans to meet the breeder, with whom I have developed a truly wonderful email relationship over the last 9 months. We have been able to share stories and philosophies about training, breeding and the health of our companion dogs and for the most part, we have the same beliefs, which is why I knew I found the right breeder for me.

After my flight from San Francisco to Gainesville via Atlanta, I rented a car with a GPS. I haven’t visited that area before, and I was driving alone without a co-pilot, so I needed all the help I could get. For the puppy, I packed:

• a soft-sided pet carrier for inside the plane;
• clean-up rags;
• a couple of chew sticks;
• some unique treats;
• a collar and leash;
• some soft squeaky toys for the puppy to play with in the hotel room; and
• bottled drinking water.

I knew the breeder would give me some newspaper to use for his potty and a supply of food.  After spending my first night anxious and exhausted in my pet friendly hotel room, I met Jester’s breeder for lunch the next day and was able to share with her a couple of Cocker Spaniel books I had collected over the years.

North Central Florida

We really had a great time together, and it was especially nice of her to take time out and show me around the area since I had made such a long journey.  Many breeders will ship puppies, but she does not as she has had so many complications in the past.  I had already decided I would fly to wherever my puppy was and bring him home on the inside of the plane, even though many a puppy is shipped daily with no problems.

I was so excited to finally meet my new little boy. What a sweet, lovable, fearless puppy. The breeder had given him a basic puppy Cocker haircut, which I have never seen on any puppy so young. What a great idea. I wish more breeders would do this. Most people wait until their puppy is 6 months old to take them to the groomer, but just like anything else, they need exposure to these things before their window of socialization closes at 16 weeks. Anything you want your puppy to be okay with, you have to expose them to by four months of age.

On the car ride back to the hotel, he initially whined in his carrier bag, but settled down after just ten minutes. When we got to the room, he was a little cautious, but was investigating his new surroundings. I pulled out some really yummy treats and put on his collar and hooked on the leash. I did not need him to crawl under the bed and get stuck. The leash would be his safety line. We did some name recognition and sit exercises. I had told the breeder a couple of weeks ago, that I was going to name him Jester, so she may have been calling him by name already, but I wanted to build a great association with his name. He was responsive and learned “the sit” very quickly. So we moved on to approach and sit, approach and sit, approach and sit and “Jester Come!”

I put some water in a cup for him and hand fed him some kibble for dinner. In no time at all, he was comfortable enough that he played with the toys I brought and seemed to be settling in well. I set up the newspaper in the bathroom area and kept bringing him there in hope that he would potty on the paper. He hadn’t used paper for the last 2-3 weeks, so it would be a re-introduction and wishful thinking on my part. My persistence paid off and he hit the mark. I would have to bring him there after 15 – 30 minutes, but at least it was just for a short time period. I was warned about all the diseases that a puppy can get that especially run rampant in Florida, so I knew I couldn’t take my puppy for an outdoor walk.

I was exhausted now and was going to have to get up at 5 a.m. to catch our flight. So, I put him in his carrier bag, hoping he would go to sleep without any problems. But, of course, easier said than done. He whined excessively in the carrier and I really needed to get some sleep and couldn’t wait it out, so I let him out of the bag and brought him into bed with me, where he slept like a puppy.

In case you are wondering – no, this won’t set back his crate training or start any bad habits. More on that in future blogs.

Next: The Flight Home and The First Day in the House

Preparing Yourself and Your Home

Jester 8.5 weeks old

So much to do, so little time. My new puppy will arrive soon. It is very important to prepare your home in advance of your puppy’s arrival. In addition to puppy proofing the rooms that your puppy will be allowed to play in or have access to, you will need to purchase a variety of items to help your puppy be successful with potty training and general management. Unless you live in a studio apartment, and, even then, your puppy should not have access to the entire house until they are trusted not to chew things and equally important, they are house trained to potty in the appropriate area. For most dogs, that will probably be around 9 – 12 months of age.

Be sure that electrical cords are safely secure or out of site. If you have children in the house, make sure that your children’s toys are kept away from the puppy. The most common surgery for a puppy prior to one year of age is for the removal of a foreign object – I’ve heard of ingested coins, human socks and under garments and balls that were not size-appropriate for the pup. If you have cabinets containing cleansers, etc., make sure they are secure and not able to be easily left open or be opened by your puppy.

Jester 8.5 weeks old

I recommend downloading, “Before You Get Your Puppy” by Dr. Ian Dunbar from the Sirius Puppy Training website. Read it and re-read it! It is free and worth it! You can also purchase DVD’s and other books from the site, including “After You Get Your Puppy” — another must have.

Here’s a general list of things you will need to purchase to prepare your puppy’s living area:

• Exercise Pen for Long Term Confinement (preferably metal to prevent chewing) – size appropriate for your puppy’s height and climbing ability
• Doggy Toilet for Long Term Confinement (such as the WizDog) – not necessary if you will be home to let your puppy go out to the toilet every hour or so
• Crate or Cage for Short Term Confinement (just big enough for them to fit in, stand up, turn around – do not buy a crate that they can grow into unless it comes with divider panels – this can create a habit of having them potty in the back of the crate and live in the front)
• A dog bed for the Long Term Confinement area – also depends on your puppy’s chewing habits
• A mat, blanket or towel for the Crate or Cage – also depends on your puppy’s chewing habits
• Nature’s Miracle – cleaning solution for potty and other accidents
• Bar Towels or similar cleaning materials
• Bitter Apple Chewing Deterrent (you may or may not choose to use it, but it’s not a bad idea to have around)
• Grooming Wipes – Pre-moistened shampoo wipes for cleaning your puppy’s paws after walks
• Chew sticks – beef tendons, bully sticks, hollow bones for stuffing (I don’t care for rawhide – most of it is imported from foreign countries and treated with arsenic in the processing stage and it can cause choking because of the way it breaks apart)
• Chew toys – Kongs, Premier Twist–n-Treat, etc.
• Stuffed toys, balls, hard rubber toys
• Water bowl, Food bowl
• High value treats for potty training and good association training, such as liver treats, freeze dried chicken or salmon
• Premium dry dog food (kibble) for training and meals
• Premium Canned Puppy Food to coat inside of Kongs
• Collar, Harness
• 6’ thin nylon leash for dragging
• 6’ leather leash for walking (my preference, as it is much easier on your hands)
• Training Books and Videos – specifically “Before and After You Get Your Puppy” by Dr. Ian Dunbar
• A journal or notebook to keep notes of your puppy’s successes and accidents (this is truly invaluable especially during your puppy’s first weeks)

Below is a picture of the cleaning bucket I keep on the table next to my puppy’s confinement area.

Here is my puppy’s confinement area.

Choosing a Veterinarian

Jester at 8 weeks old.

If this is your first puppy, you’ll need to find a veterinarian. If you already have a family pet, you probably retain a vet that you like and can trust. Or, you may decide it’s a good time to re-evaluate your current vet.

There is no question that there are different types of vets available — from old-fashioned country vets to the newly graduated high tech and specialized vets, to those who practice modalities such as homeopathy, acupuncture, herbal or chiropractic. What type of practice fits with your health and nutrition philosophies? Yes, I include nutrition as well, since we have a greater knowledge of good nutrition for our pets these days. The Association of Pet Product Manufacturers (APPMA) tells us that in 2007 Americans spent $9.8 billion on veterinary care of the total $40.8 billion spent on pets. But, Americans spent nearly twice that portion on food products, an estimated $16.1 billion – so clearly nutrition is on the forefront, or at least it should be.

Puppies need a series of vaccinations to protect them from the many viruses that may infect them. One of the biggest conflicts we trainers have with veterinarians is that of socialization versus vaccination schedules. Unfortunately, still too many vets and breeders will suggest you keep your puppy in your home until it has had all of its vaccinations – which is typically around 16 weeks. Yikes – that’s also when the window for socialization (exposure to new things) starts to close and for some breeds slams shut. This topic will be brought up in my blog after my puppy arrives, but it is something I want you think about when talking to your veterinarian. Some veterinarians realize the importance of socialization and will recommend a puppy class or puppy social once your puppy has had two sets of vaccinations, but will warn about taking the pup out into the general public. Because early socialization is critical, those of you living in areas that are riddled with puppy viruses (tropical-like weather climates specifically) will need to find ways to socialize your puppies while keeping them safe. For more information about socialization Dr. R.K. Anderson of the Animal Behavior Resources Institute has issued the following letter: http://abrionline.org/article.php?id=75

I want to discuss vaccination schedules because my puppy is coming from the tropical climate of Florida, which means he has a much higher risk of contracting Parvo Virus and/or Distempter there, than he will in San Francisco. So, in order to keep my puppy alive and healthy, the breeder’s vaccination protocol is to administer a special overriding Parvo vaccine as early as five weeks, along with a multi-vaccination interspersed, until eight weeks when a vet will administer another multi-vaccine during the health exam. At which point, nearly everyone agrees, wait another three weeks and administer a multi-vaccine (11 weeks of age), then another multi-vaccine in three weeks (14 weeks of age), then a Rabies vaccination at 16 weeks of age. The multi-vaccine is typically called DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus and Parainfluenza). There are other vaccinations such as Bordetella (Kennel Cough) and Leptospirosis that your vet may discuss with you also. Then, most vets advise to wait another week or so before taking a pup out to make sure everything has taken effect. That is just too late to socialize my puppy to the many things happening in my world that he needs to be comfortable with and accepting of during his life. Please see the American Animal Hospital Association Canine Vaccine Guidelines for 2006 attached. AAHA Canine Vaccine Guidelines 2006

Today, everyone is talking about vaccinosis – caused by over vaccinating. There are puppies who have reactions to vaccines and a type of immediate vaccinosis can occur, but the type of vaccinosis that most people are referring to these days are from yearly repeated, unnecessary vaccinations for adult dogs which I won’t cover here. However, you should consult your vet on this subject. Then, do your own research to prepare you for when your pup matures so you can discuss his booster vaccinations at his annual exam.

As with any medication for people or animals, reactions are always a possibility – for example, it is known that the Lepto vaccine has the highest risk of reaction and may be left out of the vaccination protocol. Also, there are so many strains of Lepto and the one your puppy comes in contact with may not be the one for which it was vaccinated (similar to our flu vaccines.) Again, do your homework and research and see if this is something that your pup really needs for the area you live in.

I do believe that puppy vaccinations are important and in certain parts of the country, absolutely necessary for the life of your pup. In San Francisco, the debate is much more contentious because we don’t have as much concern for many viruses because of the climate and some people are willing to forego vaccinations completely. But, I don’t believe that is the answer, especially if you do not know the health of your pup’s mother. The mother gives the puppy her antibodies, and if vaccines are administered too early, they cancel out her antibodies and that may result in a null effect between the two – so no immunity is building in your puppy. However there is a product on the market for those early vaccinations that many breeders give, and it guarantees it will override the mother’s antibodies and protect the puppy from Parvovirus. That’s the product my breeder uses on her pups, and since using it, she has not had any Parvovirus outbreaks. The product is called NEOPAR® and you should ask your breeder if they use it.

Back to nutrition — just like us, if their little bodies are fed properly, they will be healthier and have a better chance to fight off the illnesses they may get exposed to – their immune systems will be stronger. So be sure your puppy is getting fresh water, in some areas filtered water may be best, in a clean bowl, high quality food (home-cooked, raw, or meat-based prepared kibble with minimal grains and by-products) and lots of fresh air, exercise and sleep. Search for a pet store that specialize in health products — and inquire about supplements and digestive enzymes.

Finally, I have decided to retain a holistic vet as well as a traditional veterinarian. The holistic vet will break up the vaccinations into individual immunizations – that means the DHPP multi-vaccine gets broken down into a separate Parvo vaccine and a separate Distemper vaccine – usually given two weeks apart. And depending on the area and needs of your puppy, the additional vaccines such as Hepatitis, Lepto and Parainfluenza are given separately as well. Breaking down the vaccinations individually allows the pup’s system to handle the vaccination easier. The holistic vet then also recommends a homeopathic treatment, Thuja, to help process the vaccines so vaccinosis doesn’t occur. Unless your veterinary is holistic or homeopathic, they may only carry the multi-vaccines.

Your puppy’s vet is an important person in their lives. Be sure you are comfortable with their practices, their bedside manner and just as important, their technical staff.

To learn more about holistic medicine and find a holistic vet near you go to: http://www.ahvma.org/

To learn more about homeopathy and find a homeopathic vet near you, go to http://www.theavh.org/

Next: Preparing yourself and your home . . .

Choosing a Puppy

Jester hours old.

Choosing a puppy is by far the hardest topic to address. It is one of emotion, and for some, it is a political decision. My decision wasn’t difficult, but for many it is. Now that I have decided to get a puppy, what’s the next step?

Deciding on the breed
Trying to decide the breed is much easier for some than others. There are purebreds, hybrids (intentional mixed breeds), accidental known mixed breeds and unknown mixed breeds. Many people make this decision based on a childhood dog; a dog that their best friend has that is well-mannered; a dog for dog-sport competition, hunting, search and rescue or similar activities; or the cute Jack Russell doing clever behaviors on a popular television sitcom.

There’s much more to picking a breed type or types in the case of a mixed breed. It is critical to think how this companion will fit into your life.

What is your lifestyle?
• Athletic, on-the-go, never home, always home, coach potato, children in the house, constantly entertaining?

Do you enjoy maintenance?
• Can you handle a dog that requires constant brushing, ear cleaning, grooming appointments as well as keeping your own home clean of their hair and dirt?

There are dogs to fit all of the above. For example, there are dogs that are bred to run for six hours all day in the field before coming home to retire – EVERY DAY. There are dogs that are bred to sit on your lap, be brushed and petted and enjoy every minute. And, there are those somewhere in the middle. Perhaps you determine a dog that fits your activity level, but then you hate all those short little hairs getting into your rugs and sweaters.

You love the way a Border Collie looks, and you have read how smart they are, so they must be easy to train. But alas, you didn’t see any of the shows on PBS showing Border Collies running on acres and acres of property in hilly Ireland herding sheep all day long, every day, in all weather conditions. That’s a hard-wired behavior and, if not given the appropriate outlet, will manifest in some very challenging behavior problems. How will you accommodate a Border Collie in a house with a small yard in the city?

Jester at 10 days old.

Most importantly – there is no such thing as a perfect puppy – no matter how much homework you do. I think of clients who have researched the “perfect breed”, but failed to research the breeder adequately and were left with a puppy with all sorts of health and temperament problems. They thought they were getting the “perfect puppy”. The fact that you can actually choose a puppy dog by its looks and what it is bred to do, tends to become a very emotional decision for people and that “perfect puppy” concept is born. You can imagine the pressure I faced from my friends and peers as they heard me talk about a getting a new puppy.

Everyone is attracted to something different. I am a gun dog or sporting dog person, more specifically the spaniel family, so I will be getting another Cocker Spaniel, the smallest dog in the Sporting Dog Group. My father was a hunter and so I grew up with a variety of hunting dogs. It’s what I know. We also had miniature poodles with multiple behavior problems that left me with a negative association. They were the product of bad breeding for both health and temperament, otherwise, I’m sure they would have been lovely companions, as I know so many are.

Where do I get this puppy
If you thought the first step was tough, this step is even worse and it is where politics can play a role. Here are some ways to find a puppy - in no particular order:

• AKC Registered Breeder
• Other Registered Breeder (there are over 23 different registries besides the AKC)
• USDA Approved Breeding Kennel (selling to retailers)
• Breed Club Referral
• Newspaper Advertisement (typically backyard bred dogs)
• Internet Advertisement or Petfinder.com
• Word of Mouth
• Shelter, i.e., Animal Care & Control or SPCA
• Rescue – both purebred rescue and any dog rescue

Since Harleigh came to me by “word of mouth” and was a backyard bred dog with a bad start in life genetically, I decided I would find a breeder this time so I could learn the process first hand. I looked for a breeder that specifically bred for temperament and health. Ahh, but isn’t that what everyone is looking for? Technically, I should think so, but I can tell you more stories than I care to about how this didn’t work out for people. And whatever you do, don’t bring your kids on the first visit to the breeder, as you will surely walk away with a puppy whether you were ready or not.

Jester at 3 weeks old.

My criteria did not require me to find a local breeder that is driving distance from my home. I didn’t care if I needed to fly to pick up the puppy or have the puppy shipped. Other factors weighed more heavily with me. I wanted a breeder that truly knew something about their dogs’ genealogy and health, that handled the puppies every day, that allowed them exercise and fresh air and that for about the first 4-6 weeks raised them inside the home (since that is where my dog will live) listening to sounds such as doors slamming, dishwashers running, vacuum cleaners zooming, phones ringing, alarms sounding, radios blaring, neighbors shouting, etc.

Jester at 5 weeks old.

Of course I also had an appearance criteria — since no matter how hard we try to put that aside, it is part of the process. I wanted an old-fashioned looking Cocker Spaniel, one that does not have all the exaggerated lines of the show Cocker. I also did not want a “field” dog, which is a dog whose breeding lines come from field work such as hunting. In most cases, show quality dogs and field quality dogs not only look completely different, but they act completely different. Field dogs are bred to run, flush, retrieve, work out problem situations and even kill vermin in the case of terriers. Show dogs are bred for looks and they must meet the breed standard for appearance. Of course, show dogs must also possess a certain temperament to handle being in the show ring, but I think that gets overlooked. In order to keep them looking like cookie cutter, show quality dogs, an inexcusable amount of inbreeding takes place, which is a huge detriment to the health of the dogs. Pet quality is the label given to dogs that do not meet show quality or field quality standards. I do believe that that is what most of the people out there are looking for — a great pet! So, can we find a breeder who is actually breeding for “pet quality” instead of selling its show quality rejects as pets? Yes, they are out there, but you have to know how to find them. (Watch for our future article on “Choosing a Puppy” that will provide more details on finding a breeder, picking a puppy and choosing the right breed for you.)

The biggest criteria for me, was that I had to find a breeder that did not dock tails – nearly impossible in the Cocker breeding arena. That was my first internet search “cocker with natural tails”. I wanted a full tail on my Cocker Spaniel as I don’t feel there is a reason to dock them any longer. My Cocker was not going to be running through a field of brush flushing Woodcock. If you are unfamiliar with what tail docking is, I’m sure you’ve seen many breeds with either partially docked tails (Vizsla) or a stub (Corgie or Australia Shepherd) or even a handle tail (Terriers). Some breeds are born with a stub or bob tail naturally.

In time, I found a breeder in Florida. I agreed to fly there to pick him up instead of shipping him. I knew I needed a boy to get along nicely with my already bossy little girl. (I don’t recommend two girls in most households – there are exceptions for individual dogs, but it’s usually the worst combination.) Because I was in no hurry and started my search more than six months in advance, I waited for a mating between two smaller dogs in her kennel hoping to get a small sized Cocker making it easier for my apartment living. I was also most interested in the mother’s breeding line for temperament reasons. The time has come and I am due to pick up my little boy shortly.

How to choose within the litter

Jester at 6 weeks old.

Lucky for me, I had no choice as there was only one boy in the litter.
This is also not cut and dry. If you are getting a puppy without meeting it (due to shipping), it is best to have the breeder match the puppy’s temperament to your lifestyle. Many people will pick by looks, but a breeder lives with the puppies and sees their daily interactions and many often conduct temperament tests and place according to their score. So be sure to consult with the breeder as to which pup is best for your family situation. If you are picking the puppy out of a litter – be sure you take a puppy that is not hiding in the corner; the puppy should be naturally curious when you arrive; it should want to come over and say hello and be with you. That’s what puppies do – not a care in their body, happy-go-lucky and curious. If the puppy(ies) hide or run away when you arrive, say “No thank you” and walk away as fast as you can. It’s not a match.

There is so much more to choosing a puppy than I can possibly cover in one blog but hopefully this gives you an idea of how difficult and critical these decisions can be — so watch for our future article with more details on “Choosing a Puppy”.

Next: Choosing a Veterinarian . . .

What am I thinking . . .

It’s time to add a puppy to my family. Why would I want a puppy in my life – when I teach puppy classes, consult with families on training their new puppy, supervise puppy socials and am, well, around puppies all the time. Isn’t that enough? Well, for the last six years, it has been. That’s probably why it has taken me so long to even want to get a second dog. I know exactly what to expect – both good and bad.

Harlequin - aka Harleigh, CGC

Harleigh, is my 8 ½ year old Cocker Spaniel. She was my inspiration, of course, to becoming a dog trainer. I had so much fun watching her play and learn and I found the process fascinating. Harleigh is the product of an accidental and severe inbred mating – a mating that should not have occurred. A friend rescued the pregnant mother as well as the father. I only knew that I might not have the healthiest dog and that there was a chance of some severe medical problems. Both parents passed away due to Parvo virus when the pups were 7 weeks old. Fortunately, Harleigh has not faced any major medical or behavioral issues so far. I think she is healthy and happy for her age; she eats a premium varied diet and gets daily exercise adequate for a lazy Cocker Spaniel. While I spent a lot of time socializing and training her right from the beginning, I respect the independent dog she has become. Her idea of a good time is eating, sleeping and rolling in the grass.

So, why now? Well, with Harleigh officially a senior, I decided it would make sense to have her help me raise a puppy like only an adult female dog can do. What better than to have my own canine disciplinarian living in my home. After all, half of my students want to take her home with them to teach their puppy a lesson or two. And, after watching Harleigh play with other dogs in her daycare, I am hopeful that she will have a fun, playful relationship with the puppy as well, when she realizes he’s here to stay.

There is no evidence to show that dogs learn from each other, that is, they don’t learn by mimicking another dog, or by actually thinking through what the other dog is doing and then copying the behavior. However, they do learn through a process called social facilitation. So, when your adult dog goes outside to go potty, your puppy will probably follow out of fun and end up doing the same.

I could adopt an adult dog from a shelter or rescue organization, but I am a puppy trainer. It’s important for me to keep my own skills fresh and to live the same daily life as my students live with their puppies. As with any teacher, it is important to keep your perspective, keep your skills fresh and to wear the shoes of those you teach.

There are definitely advantages to starting with a puppy. You can socialize them to your lifestyle, friends and family during that time critical window. If you have children, it’s fabulous – after all what’s more adorable than to see children playing with a puppy and your puppy will grow up loving kids. It’s a win-win for the children and the puppy. But beside the socialization factor, puppies are something you can pick out – family, well you’re stuck with what you got! You can choose the breed, the sex , the size, and if you plan properly the health and temperament of your puppy. For people with allergies, it may allow them to be certain of a shedding breed; for people who want a high performance companion dog to run agility or other sports, they can find a puppy that comes from the right lineage.

So stay tuned and you’ll learn how I deal with the difficulties of living with a puppy – chewing, housetraining, barking, jumping up and general puppy destruction! Although, hopefully I’ll get lucky, and I will have found myself a Lassie dog. You know, the one that tells you that Timmy has fallen into the well. I won’t hold my breath though, those pups are one in a million.

Next . . . Choosing my Puppy

Tammy Mehmed is an Instructor with Sirius Puppy Training in San Francisco. For over six years she has specialized in the development, training and behavior of puppies.