[mtandg]

Our 13 wk puppy that we rescued and have had for over two weeks now is just driving me to insanity. He absolutely will not pee or poop outside when it is hot, which in the desert summer it is quite hot right now so when we have to leave during the day I take him out to get him to go we leave and put him in his room then we get back and it is like a pee flood happened and he can hold this all day until time to go into his room. It is summer so we are not going out very often but the few times we have been able to get out of the house because we needed to for errands and the kids' classes and such he leaves a huge mess when we get back. Oh he will go in the AM and PM when it is cool but darn it all....and we are not leaving for hours, I know he pees right when we leave too and the other day he peed all over his bed so all he has now it a rug. And I take him out all day every half hour or so so he knows where to go....

we were thinking we were going to fake leaving and then come back and take him out again but I will bet he is too smart for that but honestly we are at wits end and don't even get me started when he is sleeping he will not go out no matter what he just goes out and lays down again outside....then has an accident later. We have tried to get him on a schedule so he knows when he needs to go out, the ladies that had him before just left him outside all the time so ruled the roost and could go wherever.

And now he is eating rocks and twigs and anything green he can get his mouth on, I read these posts about twig/rock eating...should I just invest in the muzzle now?

Signed, exhausted and frustrated and need a new view...

 

[mtandg]

Tummy's Mom: I have to go to the petstore to get a bigger harness for him so I will pick up a clicker as well, can't hurt to try! We have been using food rewards but he is just interested in the food not the deed and gets mad when you don't give him the treat

Jasper's pet: I have considered leaving him outside during the day although I think as a mom I worry about him just being outside in the heat, although there are shady spots I suppose he would be ok,..perhaps I will try this when we do short trips...

I am trying to believe that this is going to get worse before it gets better, he is probably going to try every trick in the book....he almost got the book thrown at him last night when he started whining at 3:30 in the AM and so we let him out he peed then when we got up this AM he had pooped inside....he does let us know he wants to go out at night and upon occasion but he will not during the day because he does not want to go out...lol..wait til he experiences cold weather

 

[mtandg]

Your baby is telling you that you need to be in control. Put a harness on him and leash in and out of the house. A dog that young can't be expected to know everything right off the bat. It's your job to learn how to teach your basset to make potty outdoors. What we did, with the help of the instructor at puppy kindergarten, is learn how to talk with your basset.

We'd escort Ruby to the tree where we wanted her to "make potty" and we'd stay in that position. She had room to walk around and sniff to find the correct spot. The leash was long enough for her to find where she wanted to be, but short enough to be where we wanted her to be. Then when she'd act like she was ready to "go", we'd say, "Ruby, go make potty." And when she did, she'd get hugs, high praise. We had her on a regimented schedule from the minute we brought her home from the breeder and to this day we keep it up.

You also can't expect a puppy of that age to be able to hold it all night long. Waking you up at 3 a.m. was common at our household when Ruby was at that age.

Having a schedule helps. Do you take your basset outside to make potty B4 YOU go to bed? Even if you have to wake him up, it's what we do.

Crate training works well too, but don't for a minute think that you can keep your dog inside the crate all day long either. As for him eating rocks and twigs, you'll have to keep him on leash when outside so you can watch him. There's no way for him to know that he shouldn't do that at his age. Try to find a puppy kindergarten class so you and he can learn how to train him.

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We have been working with him and have him on a schedule since we got him. We have an area outside for him my hubby built a fence and we take him out there and that is where he is supposed to go and he does sometimes..with hugs and praise. Having him on a leash everytime he is outside is just not feasbile sometimes so we built an area for him to be in minus rocks and sticks.

At night we get him up before midnight since my hubby goes to be late but he just does not like to go after he wakes up then we are up at 5:30 so he gets lots of times to go. We are going to get a crate tomorrow we have him in a small laundry room but I think it is too big for training still so I will let you know the results of that experiment, lol.

He just does not like to be outside when it is in the 90s and I don't blame him and that is when he is coming inside and going...and he never is home alone all day ever he is one of the luckiest dogs on earth we homeschool so while we might have classes some mornings or afternoons or the occasional all day he is rarely home alone and is spoiled by us being there!

 

[mtandg]

Hi again. pet store usually carry clickers @ ck. out counters. The basket muzzle (have to measure 1st wITH REAL HOT WEATHER i WOULN'T LEAVE HIM OUT MORE THAN 10-15 MIN. tUMMY TAKES A SIZE #8.TUMMY IS LARGE FEET LARGE EARS AND BUILT LIKE sTEINER'S BEAUTIFUL Emma. But Tummy ia a red and white. Hope basket works 4 U. Tummy Boy's Mom
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Our Dobby's feet are huge they are about 4 inches diameter and like lion paws is the only way to describe them...lol

 

[mtandg]

Welcome to a fellow New Mexican! Basset puppies are SO cute and they can drive you to distraction.

I don't know how big a room you are leaving him in, but you might consider crate training him A puppy obedience class might also help.

It has been so hot here lately that I try not to leave my dogs out for any length of time. But it has to cool off eventually - doesn't it?

Mark your calendar for next May - that's when we have our annual Waddle and you can meet all the beautiful NM houndies.
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Yes we are in NM high dry mesa..lol... I will check out the Waddle my girls would love that!

 

[mtandg]

MINOR SUCCESS!! Today we took him out to his area and he peed and pooped no clicker yet so I just clapped and said the words and he looked at me like I was an idiot at first but then the wheels clicked and he went!

I am hoping the crate solves the inside problems when we are gone and will update as that works.

The biting seems to be nipped in the bud so to speak...my kids have learned to stand firm and speak strongly and he is listening.

My 6yo has taught him now to come, sit, speak and now a game they call 'find the cookie' where they put him inside and then hide a cookie or beggin strip (strong smelling treat, bleech) then let him out and then they snap their fingers and walk around until he has to dig out the 'cookie' or find where it is hidden and he has had the best time!

We are looking into puppy school but right now the kids are checking out dog training websites and such and seeing what works and what does not and they are having such success for now I am very pleased but a kindergarten is in his future...although since we homeschool the kids really think it should be an option for dogs too!

Signing off today a much happier bassett mom....until tomorrow at least!

 

[mtandg]

Puppies need socialization, and puppy kindergarten provides an excellent socialization opportunity. Socialization produces a calm, well-behaved dog that doesn't react unpredictably when confronted with novel situations. The window for optimal socialization closes quite early, around 5 months or so.

Lucky for us Dobby is a very good easily socialized dog now and does get out we take him with us when we can and even in his short life he reacts very well to others and dogs. He has a bit of learning to do as far as the basics of sit and stay but he is working very well already. He goes all around the neighborhood and is already known by a lot of our neighbors. He also has an elderly cat who is doing her best to train him but also enjoys playing with him outside acting like a kitten again. It is only the potty training and mostly this is because he hates being outside because his previous owners never let him inside and so he is acting out when he does come in...punishing us for their mistakes.

Thanks for the links!