Such a good doggy day

[BettyAnn, Holmes & Lucy]

Today was such a good day with Holmes :) He had no accidents, which is huge for me! As much as I love him already, I sure was tired of cleaning up after him inside the house. Plus I was getting frustrated as well, thinking 'when is this dog gonna be potty trained already!?'

Yesterday was not a good day- he was SO mouthy and I felt like he had regressed on that. He drew blood, just a tiny, tiny bit, but it was from my husband who is just starting to like him. So that wasn't good. Holmes also was just a bit too aggressive with my son yesterday and made him cry, either bit or scratched him, or both. He was just a terror.

Today I made sure Holmes got much more play time and activity and boy, huge difference! He was wonderful tonight and much more calm, less biting. OK, he did do one funny and irritating thing. While I was cooking dinner somehow he got a whiff our raw steak I was going to cook, zoned in on it sitting up there on a plate on the counter, and barked at it! He could not be distracted. It was cute... and annoying. Eventually had to get a daughter to take him outside and play with him. Funny since he's never had steak, cooked or raw.

What was really cool was that he actually fetched for me at least a dozen times tonight! SO FUN!!! Finally figured out not to give him treats to do it because he lost focus as soon as he smelled them and would just search for the treats, forget about the ball or toy to fetch. He was just fetching and running right back to me so joyfully tonight. It was fantastic and really tired him out. And a tired puppy is a good puppy :) 

[DJ & Chance]

Congratulations to both of you!  Raising a puppy isn't easy but it sure can be rewarding.

[BettyAnn, Holmes & Lucy]

It shouldn't surprise me how much puppies are like kids! But it still does :)

[Bonnie and Kona]

What a wonderful post. You are learning that you need to exercise your pup to get good results. One other thing I might try is if he is getting too wild, crate him for a half an hour. I found that our pup would get over-tired and behave badly. I had a son who did the same thing. hahaha Anyway, it helps to enforce a little nap time when the pup is "out of control".

[Marnie, Stanlee's Mom]

We don't have the barking issue but I have to be honest, sometimes Stanlee just can't help himself and even though a toy or binkie is close by he HAS to put his mouth around my hand. Or first thing in the morning as I'm getting a cup of coffee he has to hold onto my bathrobe/pajamas (whichever) because he's so happy I'm up and moving around and keeping him company.  No blood or scratches any more, he just doesn't have the ability to hold my hand any other way.  He's so dang cute!

[BettyAnn, Holmes & Lucy]

Thanks Marnie :) I LOVE that idea of binkies all over-- I'll have to try that. Holmes has a couple cloth toys, but he doesn't gravitate to them naturally. I'll have to keep them on hand and shove them in his mouth, haha -- I mean, offer them to him instead of my hand! I think he knows he shouldn't be biting, but he can't help himself. Sometimes he just snaps his shark teeth around me then lays down in frustration making grumbly, frustrated noises. It's funny. I cannot wait til this teething is over! On to the next issue of too much barking....   Good luck on the jumping :)

[Marnie, Stanlee's Mom]

No baby step there, that was a leap!  I can't speak for everyone but something I did that helped with the mouthiness was to make a whole bunch of "binkies" for Stanlee and have them available everywhere in the house.  I got a large piece of remnant fleece, cut it into as many squares a possible, tied a good knot at one corner of each square, and scattered them throughout the house.  We trained Stanlee that he could not greet us or "mouth" us by giving him a binkie everytime he tried.  Stanlee just turned a year and every time I am greeted at the door it is with a binkie or toy hanging from his mouth. 

 

Now, the jumping when excited?  Umm, yea, I'll get back to you on that......