Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone!
In case you didn't know I adopted the pom/maltese mix-not from a shelter-but from an owner. I know I had planned on a shelter dog, but things don't always turn out the way you think. She is only 15 lbs, and is definitely a sweetheart. She loves to cuddle and hug you. She's a very affectionate dog-Obviously the owner loved on this dog a lot.

Anyways, I just wanted to let you know we are off to a great start on training. I got her two days ago and already I've taught her come, stay, down, and we are close to roll over. She understood it at least from what I can tell. She's very food driven so I am hoping to do these with and without treats. She's extremely smart and definitely willing to learn, but she has a ton of energy. I try to wear her out by running around with her in the yard.

On the first night we had a few accidents, but so far today(except the morning) has been really good. I've taken her out quite a few times and made sure she went potty. The times that she had gone in the house I had not been paying attention so that was my fault. Since the rain though it's tough getting her to go right away. Any suggestions on making her go out in the rain? She looks out the door, and stares at me with a look that says "Are you crazy? You go out there!"lol.

I am definitely going to enroll her in puppy classes(she's 9 monts-I know..not at all how I planned it!)

All in all she is a wonderful dog. I am really going to enjoy her.

Oh her name is Jazzmine. I didn't change it. I don't know if I will or won't.

I'll take some photos soon!

-Jade

>>Hi everyone!
>>In case you didn't know I adopted the pom/maltese mix-not from a shelter-but from an owner. I know I had planned on a shelter dog, but things don't always turn out the way you think. She is only 15 lbs, and is definitely a sweetheart. She loves to cuddle and hug you. She's a very affectionate dog-Obviously the owner loved on this dog a lot.
>>
>>Anyways, I just wanted to let you know we are off to a great start on training. I got her two days ago and already I've taught her come, stay, down, and we are close to roll over. She understood it at least from what I can tell. She's very food driven so I am hoping to do these with and without treats. She's extremely smart and definitely willing to learn, but she has a ton of energy. I try to wear her out by running around with her in the yard.
>>
>>On the first night we had a few accidents, but so far today(except the morning) has been really good. I've taken her out quite a few times and made sure she went potty. The times that she had gone in the house I had not been paying attention so that was my fault. Since the rain though it's tough getting her to go right away. Any suggestions on making her go out in the rain? She looks out the door, and stares at me with a look that says "Are you crazy? You go out there!"lol.
>>
>>I am definitely going to enroll her in puppy classes(she's 9 monts-I know..not at all how I planned it!)
>>
>>All in all she is a wonderful dog. I am really going to enjoy her.
>>
>>Oh her name is Jazzmine. I didn't change it. I don't know if I will or won't.
>>
>>I'll take some photos soon!
>>
>>-Jade

>>>>>>>>>>>

To get a dog to go out, go with her. A raincoat helps, an umbrella helps, boots help, and a covered area outdoors for her helps. What I do the most, though, is keep an eye on the weather and rush the dog out before, between and after the rain whenever possible. After all, I wouldn't enjoy having to potty in the rain, either.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47

Congrats on your new puppy. She sounds like a great dog. When my dog came home (as a puppy), we had days of rain one after the other, so most of her potty training happened in a downpour. I carried her out with me, put her down, asked her to "potty," and praised when she did. Then we'd run back into the house. She's actually pretty good about going out in the rain now, which I credit to the bad weather during her earliest training.

She's a really great dog. Very energetic, but ready to learn if you want to teach her things. It's been pretty easy to train her to go outside since she was partially house trained or maybe fully. I am not sure. She hasn't had many accidents in the house. We slept for about 5 hrs and she was great- no accidents.

Sometimes she does this funny thing where she starts to jump around and chase her tail. She started doing that before she went #2 in the house so I guess that's my signal! lol

Do you think I should buy a crate? I'd like to minimize the time she spends in there though. Maybe at night or when I'm eating.

She doesn't really like it when I'm on the computer. lol. Time to take her out! lol. In the POURING rain!! ahh.

>>She's a really great dog. Very energetic, but ready to learn if you want to teach her things. It's been pretty easy to train her to go outside since she was partially house trained or maybe fully. I am not sure. She hasn't had many accidents in the house. We slept for about 5 hrs and she was great- no accidents.
>>
>>Sometimes she does this funny thing where she starts to jump around and chase her tail. She started doing that before she went #2 in the house so I guess that's my signal! lol
>>
>>Do you think I should buy a crate? I'd like to minimize the time she spends in there though. Maybe at night or when I'm eating.
>>
>>She doesn't really like it when I'm on the computer. lol. Time to take her out! lol. In the POURING rain!! ahh.

>>>>>>>>>>>>

Distract your dog whenever she chases her tail. Do not punish her, but get her to stop, every time. Tail chasing can become an obsessive behavior that does terrible damage to a dog. Teach her to do as many games and cues as possible, so she will not focus on any one thing too intensely. Don't let anyone play with her with flashlight or laser light beams, either. It is very sad what happens to some dogs whose owners let these behaviors grow. You don't want that.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47

Yeah, I understand. No tail chasing.

Do you have any remedies for begging? I don't have a table I can eat at so I just eat in my room and she's practically all over me and my food. I've tried to eat and put her in a spot on my bed, but it isn't working very well. I don't have a crate yet- hard to get to the store without a car and people telling me they'll drive me when they never do. I really want to get one for this issue in particular.. Is there any other suggestions besides the crating during eating? I put her in the spot on my bed-away from me and she just keeps inching forward. I say "jazzmine STAY" and she just keeps doing it. I'd love any suggestions you have for this..

Other than that she is really very intelligent. We've practiced quite a few things in the last couple of days, and she hasn't peed or pooped in the house as well. I watch her like a hawk, try to feed her at regular times and let her out as well. I think we're both getting the hang of it.

She is a very new dog, so she probably is still trying to find her way around things. I understand that, and I am trying to be patient.

Any suggestions though would be great on the begging issue..

>>Yeah, I understand. No tail chasing.
>>
>>Do you have any remedies for begging? I don't have a table I can eat at so I just eat in my room and she's practically all over me and my food. I've tried to eat and put her in a spot on my bed, but it isn't working very well. I don't have a crate yet- hard to get to the store without a car and people telling me they'll drive me when they never do. I really want to get one for this issue in particular.. Is there any other suggestions besides the crating during eating? I put her in the spot on my bed-away from me and she just keeps inching forward. I say "jazzmine STAY" and she just keeps doing it. I'd love any suggestions you have for this..
>>
>>Other than that she is really very intelligent. We've practiced quite a few things in the last couple of days, and she hasn't peed or pooped in the house as well. I watch her like a hawk, try to feed her at regular times and let her out as well. I think we're both getting the hang of it.
>>
>>She is a very new dog, so she probably is still trying to find her way around things. I understand that, and I am trying to be patient.
>>
>>Any suggestions though would be great on the begging issue..

>>>>>>>>>>>>

I have an article on begging at the link below my signature. The key is to never, ever, ever reward it. The dog will eventually give up on things that never work. To speed learning, see the article "Settle." That technique works well on behaviors like begging.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47

Do get her a crate. For travelling crates are very safe if you snap it into the car with the seat belt. My beagle Fancy sleeps in her crate at night with the door open. Make it really comfortable. Fancy has two crate pads, a nice thick blanket, and a small pillow in the crate and it's the most comfortable spot in the house.
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Kadee Sedtal
home of old lady Lucy (boxer/lab/garbage disposal), pretty girl Fancy (beagle), the rats- Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Pachebel, Fillmore, Norbert, and baby Franz, the mice- Vivaldi, Brahms, Schubert, Bartok, Rasputin, Johann, Chaminade, Dorothy, Glenda, and Em, and the *adorable* winter white dwarf hamster- Feather
"I wish I had a dollar for every time I spent a dollar, because then, yahoo! I'd have all my money back." -Jack Handey

Your new baby sounds wonderful. I think that thing with her refusing to go out in the rain is typical amongst dogs who are spoiled rotten! My girls have pee pads in the garage for when the weather isn't to their liking.
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Kadee Sedtal
home of old lady Lucy (boxer/lab/garbage disposal), pretty girl Fancy (beagle), the rats- Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Pachebel, Fillmore, Norbert, and baby Franz, the mice- Vivaldi, Brahms, Schubert, Bartok, Rasputin, Johann, Chaminade, Dorothy, Glenda, and Em, and the *adorable* winter white dwarf hamster- Feather
"I wish I had a dollar for every time I spent a dollar, because then, yahoo! I'd have all my money back." -Jack Handey

She really is a great dog. I think I figured out my problem-lol. She had no toys!! I didn't get some until today so she had nothing to put her teeth on so she thought my hands were the chew toys. If she is heavily distracted while I am eating I think those will help. I got her a kong, and some greenies-she really loves those! She's happily chewing on a bone on her own bed.

I am going to spoil her rotten, and we will be starting puppy kindergarten class in December. YAY!

I'll also be making an appointment to get her spayed this Friday if possible, if not next Tuesday.

My mom also offered to pet sit for me while I am at work.. Yay, so I think the barking issue will be curbed ASAP. I also got her a crate as well-so she has her own little space. She'll be a lot happier. I still don't need to close the crate at night though unless it becomes an issue.

Boy, dogs sure are expensive. I added up my tab tonight:
Cost of dog: 100(adoption fee)
Cost of crate :15
Dog House-30
Various Toys-23
Kong/Greenies-28
Spaying 75-150

I don't mind it though. Whatever I was spending on cds is basically what I added up right up there. CDS are useless anyways. I'd rather have a dog! hehe.

Sorry, I'm rambling. I love doggies!

And Jazz has a middle name. Jewel. So her full name is Jazzmine Jewel. Hehe. Sounds like a daughter- well she is! A kid in a fur suit! lol

Do you know how nice it is to hear you tallying up all the costs like that and saying it's worth it?? I get so sick of seeing people being cheapskates with their pets. Why get them in the first place?? But your girl is very lucky that you have that attitude... just don't go too overboard or she'll turn out like my beagle and think she owns the house- and is right.
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Kadee Sedtal
home of old lady Lucy (boxer/lab/garbage disposal), pretty girl Fancy (beagle), the rats- Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Pachebel, Fillmore, Norbert, and baby Franz, the mice- Vivaldi, Brahms, Schubert, Bartok, Rasputin, Johann, Chaminade, Dorothy, Glenda, and Em, and the *adorable* winter white dwarf hamster- Feather
"I wish I had a dollar for every time I spent a dollar, because then, yahoo! I'd have all my money back." -Jack Handey

I forgot to include loves and kisses from the dog-pricesless! lol. I don't mind spending all this money. I mean I used to spend it on other things-now I have a dog to dote on. She already thinks she's a little princess-that's why the owner gave her the name Jazzmine.

When I was sleeping she had a field day with my headphones to my IPOD. OOPs. I guess I should have put them away. Oh well. They're easily replaceble. Though I'm not sure why she chose those to chew on vs her various toys around her. She had plenty of bones to chew on. (which she is happily chewing on right now)

I got her a Kong. I stuffed it with Yogurt(I hope that's okay.. I plan on getting other things to stuff it with) and she chewed on it vigorously to get out the contents. It was great because I gave it to her while I was eating so no begging puppy!

"When I was sleeping she had a field day with my headphones to my IPOD. OOPs. I guess I should have put them away."

Aaaahaha, you're doomed!! That just cracks me up! Things like this come up on the pharaoh hound board a lot. These people make these elaborate meals- one even had filet mignon for several people, and the dogs take it, then the people come back with, "well, I should have known better to leave it up on top of the refrigerator," or something to that effect. Not that I'm not guilty too, just a couple of days ago I made the dumb mistake of leaving a bowl of pasta on the computer desk while I went to get my glass of water, and when I came back Lucy was almost finished devouring it. So I ate some Pop Tarts. No problem. Not like I wanted to eat it or anything.
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Kadee Sedtal
home of old lady Lucy (boxer/lab/garbage disposal), pretty girl Fancy (beagle), the rats- Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Pachebel, Fillmore, Norbert, and baby Franz, the mice- Vivaldi, Brahms, Schubert, Bartok, Rasputin, Johann, Chaminade, Dorothy, Glenda, and Em, and the *adorable* winter white dwarf hamster- Feather
"I wish I had a dollar for every time I spent a dollar, because then, yahoo! I'd have all my money back." -Jack Handey

Hehe. Yeah, no more Ipod headphones for her..lol. Some people just don't remember it's a dog and well...dogs chew on things they aren't supposed to sometimes. I learned my lesson well! lol. She tried to eat my phone the other day. ha. Than, she just licked it and layed down. Maybe she though mama needed her phone?

She's really silly. I really can't wait until I can get her into training. It's going to be so fun!

And I can't wait to get rid of this god awful morning shift. It's been fun for the year I've had it, but I'm too exhausted. I work 5:45 AM to 4:45 PM and am soooo so tired!

I had to leave Jazz alone today(in the yard) and I felt god awful about it- The first 5 days I had been able to be home with her, than I had to go back to work. Needless to say I was a worried mama. She got out of the yard!-Idiot brother or mom left the gate open.. No more of that. BUt... She did come to the front door and barked until my mom realized she was outside.. See she just wanted to be inside with someone. She likes people a lot. I'm glad she's a loyal dog.

Doggie day care is close to my current job so I am going to look into that further. It would be great for her and I wouldn't have to worry.

Jazz sure is a cutie and it sounds like she's doing very well. I loved the captions with the pictures. I wish you the best with her.
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Mary Lou & Katie

Thanks! She gets cuter everyday. I'm going to check into all the training classes soon and sign up. She is also going to get spayed-which will definitely be a load off my mind. Not sure why the previous owner didn't get her spayed. Oh well, definitely will be done soon.

I'm also looking into possibly 2-3 days a week at doggie day care while I'm working. We'll see though.

-Jade