Crate Training 101

Update on how the crate training is going in The Land of Oz. So the transition from pee pads to the outdoors threw little Ozzie in to a complete state of confusion.  Yes, I did move some used pads outside, we tried it all, to no avail.  My boy that passed away last month was crate trained and even so much as to potty on command.  So little Ozzie had to return to crate training 101 this past Sunday.  He's had pretty much free run of the house while I was awake and I even made the mistake of allowing him to sleep with me.  He did not take too kindly to the closed door on his crate.  Wow!  I never imagined something so little and adorable could drive me to tears.  He would not stop hollering at the top of his lungs.  I went through two days of this non-stop the moment that door closed until I opened it again.  I could not make phone calls, I could not even think straight.  This was not about him being unsure of a new environment; he's completely over that.  This was undiluted temper tantrums at their best. Okay maybe this is a bit too much information, but I am in my early 50s and very hormonal,  also very emotional still from the recent loss of Reu; these tantrums were not faring well with me at all.  I was at the end of my rope. So I called his breeder and she told me to pick up the crate about 6 inches off the floor and drop it, if that didn't work, then roll it.  Wow, I thought this was a little harsh; but my nerves were completely shot and I was desperate. So I did it.  IT WORKED!  Trying to drop or roll a XXL 48" wire crate can be quite the challenge but it paid off well. Ozzie can be quite a handful at times and a little Casanova at others.  He can be very mouthy. He barks at Toola for eating her food or drinking from the community water bowl.  He barks at her for not wanting to play with him; he barks at the cat.  You get the message, he's very verbal. Dropping the crate every time he would start barking and before he got into a full blown tantrum let him know that behavior would not be tolerated.  It's Friday today and we have had mostly peace since Tuesday when I started this. So the routine is:

• Wake up-directly outside until all paperwork is completed with a limit of 30 minutes.  If all paperwork has been completed then there is play time. If his paperwork has not been completed then back in the crate for another 30 minutes or he's desperate to go potty.
• playtime in the house and outside off and on until tired.  Once tired, he goes back in the crate.
• Wake up from nappy nap, the above routine ensues until bedtime.
• Bedtime he goes in the crate and the crate is covered with a lightweight blanket.  

Throughout the day, the crate door is left open unless nap time and toys are routinely picked up and placed in the crate; also there is the occasional treat in his Kong that can only be had in the crate.

Puppy on the ground or not

Okay everyone keeps telling me " I have always heard it's okay to let your puppy on the ground as long as it's not where other dogs have been".  Unvaccinated puppies or puppies that have not had their second round of shots are at risk of catching diseases.  Parvo of course is a big concern as is rabies; however, distemper a member of the Paramyxoviridae  family , is carried by a whole lot of different wild animals.  Squirrels, rabbits, foxes, coyotes, skunks, raccoons and ect; can carry the disease and pass it on to unvaccinated pets. The disease can be passed through inhalation, has no cure and has a mortality rate of 50%. ("Distemper in Dogs | petMD," n.d.) If you have a nice lawn that you don't share with wild animals, then I would venture to say it's safe for you to allow your puppy on the ground.  However, if you frequently have wild animals in your yard, in my humble opinion, I would not suggest it. The virus is spread through the air and by direct and indirect contact with infected animals.  It is usually spread through contact with mucous secretions however, it can also be spread through fecal matter as well as urine. ("Distemper in Dogs | petMD," n.d.) So this is why it's not a good idea for an unvaccinated puppy to be exposed to areas where wild animals are.

References

Not Good, Not Good at All

You know it's amazing the silly things we can remember and yet the most important things we can forget over 10 years.  I can remember when I brought Reuben home from his breeder; I had to put sheets over anything with a reflection.  He would stand in front of the stove and whimper.  My husband John came home for the weekend and found sheets hanging everywhere!   He totally got it because sometimes I think he IS part dog.   He's a dog mind reader. 


Anyways, I can remember how I gave Reu a toy box and would hide treats in it.  Anything in the toy box was fair game to him; the biggest challenge was keeping the toys picked up and put back in there until he learned what was his and what wasn't.  Like most dogs with strict routines, it didn't take him long to get it.  So every morning when I would let him out of his crate, he would trot to his toy box and very briefly stick his face down in it; then off he would trot to find his sister Stormy aka Kitty Tay.  Once he planted a hundred unwanted kisses all over her face then and only then did he trot to the kitchen to suck the bottom out of his water bowl.  After his morning water, another exciting day ensued.


It's funny how I can remember his lovely little habits like these and yet I have totally forgotten how much work a puppy can be.  I crate trained Reuben and even used the crate to potty train him.  He would Go on command; which made it easy when traveling.  If he had to go, we pulled over and he didn't waste any time, he went and got back in the car.  But I have found it hard to crate train Ozzie, because I so often end up letting him sleep with me!   Not Good!!!!!  Not Good at All!     Fortunately I have Toola to help train Ozzie this go round.  It's amazing what an older dog can teach a puppy.

  Now if I could just get Toola to teach The Oz how to do his business outside!!!

ABRL Sponsored picnic

It hadn't even been 24 hours since picking Ozzie up at the airport and here we were off to a picnic.  Since he did not have his shots, he was not supposed to get down on the ground where other dogs had been.  To keep him off the ground and yet still be able to socialize with others and see other Bouviers, I purchased this pet carrier from Amazon.  I couldn't possibly carry him all day; he was already 20lbs.  Thank goodness Mike didn't mind stepping up to the task.  His wife Suzy took Toola for most of the day so they were both a huge help. 

For Ozzie to have been in an airline crate for almost 18 hours, separated from his littermates, mother and breeder and then come to a picnic with so many strange dogs, was totally unnerved.  He was cool as a cucumber.  It was hard to believe that he hadn't been in my care for a whole 24 hours and yet so relaxed.

There was such a mixture of bouvie babies there at the picnic; small, giant, fawn, black, brindle and even some that could sing. The best part was making new friends with great people.

So here it begins........

This is my first blog so please bare with me through this incredible journey of navigating the world wide web.  This all came about due to the recent loss of my beloved Reuben Bernard Antol.  Reuben was not just any dog; he had an enormous impact on so many many people.  His legacy will live on.

RIP Reuben Bernard Antol 2/28/2005 - 2/16/2015

This blog however is not about Reuben, it's about Ursus Borealis Ham I Am aka Ozzie.  When Reu passed I was incapacitated for several days.  My husband kept insisting on getting a puppy.  A puppy was the last thing I wanted at the time but as it just so happens, the opportunity to share our lives with Ozzie presented itself during my despairing grief.  So here it begins......

Having a puppy for the first time in nearly 10 years is presenting some tedious monitoring along with incessant housework and yet provides boundless entertainment.  I am loving it so much, I want to share every moment with you. So here we are.  Stay tuned...........