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Settling Into A Routine


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Hello, all! Our pack is finally settling into a routine. I try to keep every feeding around the same time (I even took their meal with us one day when we were out), and mornings as well as evenings, the cues are there for both dogs to know what's coming.

 

Kitchee wakes once a night, usually around 3 or 4 in the morning, and then goes right back to sleep. At night, when it is time for sleep, we have our one last walk. Then the harness comes off, the lights start being shut off, and I lead him to his crate. Right away, he goes in and settles for the night- I say "go in" "sleep, Kitchee". I close the gate, and he lays down, while I take my boots off and put them by his crate door - that serves to show him I'm done going out too, and it helps me to pull on shoes when I go out in the night or in the morning.

 

Wyot's world expands once more, back to the living room (which is off limits right now to both- as soon as Wyot comes over, he wants back to the other side, and of course, Kitchee screams like a banshee if he's left by himself and big brother is in another space, lol!)....Wyot sleeps there, in his usual spots, being under the coffee table, or on the rug by the stairs. Some evenings, they are more tired, and Wyot lucks out. While Kitchee naps, I open the living room up to him, and he settles as he used to while we watch some TV. He seems to accept this all just fine, sometimes with a hang dog look, though, as if to say" how much longer til he gets it and everything can get back to normal?? . Kitchee sits for his treats, and Wyot, won't, but he also reluctantly takes his treat- perhaps he thinks he doesn't need it...

 

Two days, now, and no accidents. It seems like he has finally gotten to making it known when he needs to go. If I don't pay attention right away to his cries of "I need to go" (there are different tones to the cries he has), he goes to the door and has learned to ring the bell I have hung up on the handle. I tell him he is a good boy while I grab my coat, and he waits, or follows me and then goes to the door. I hope this sticks!

 

Now, I just need to chill Wyot out in the car. I think it is anxiety, and now it is doubled, as he needs to protect one more.......I have looked up whining and car rides..and I have some re-training I have to do to get him calm BEFORE he gets in the car. Kitchee just curls up, or looks over the seat cover hammock at me, or the road, then goes back to resting.

 

Hope everyone else is adjusting well with their new pups! :)

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Everything sounds like it's starting to come together! I tried the mixture you recommended this morning for Haru's food and it worked like a charm. She ate all of it and was licking the bowl although thankfully she still retained her slow eating.

 

Have you tried using some Rescue Remedy with Wyot before he gets in the car to help him chill a little? This could help ease some of his anxiety. Perhaps some in car crating could also be in order with the retraining being that when he jumps around like that he goes in the crate and he only gets his freedom if he behaves in the back? I know that's a bit of a pain but making him work for his freedom might be the solution.

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Rescue remedy was definitely what I was going to try next! I watched a few Cesar Milan videos on how to calm the dog first...and THEN he can go in the car. I'm gonna work on that, as he gets SO excited to go in the car (that means adventure destination to him), that he won't potty at all, and goes a little bonkers until he gets to go in the car...then he whines and has just started the shaking thing.

 

I tried the crating...I'm surprised he didn't bust out of it like Superman, lol!! It actually made it worse...

 

Thanks for the suggestions! I am so happy the routines have finally melded and taken. Kitchee also seems to not have to potty right away when he gets up, so that's a sign he's getting it. Yay!!!

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Oh, my...I meant to tell you how glad I am that Haru enjoyed the food! Oats are very settling for nerves as well as stomach...soaking them in goat's milk or even water, and putting in a little in the food helps. I made organic lentil soup yesterday, and put 2 tablespoons and one tablespoon respectively in each dog's bowl...scrumptious meal for them...they kept licking the insides all over, even when there wasn't anything left, lol!!!

 

Here's hoping Haru is settling a bit. How's the banshee scream going? I notice that it isn't as prevalent anymore, unless Kitchee really isn't happy with something. we went shopping yesterday, and apparently the treat I gave him in the crate wasn't enticing enough...so, the screeching started. But, we went, and were out for an hour and a half...he was SO happy to see us, and I keep reinforcing the "we'll be back" and "see, we came back" thing to him- Wyot already knows that...he gets a "watch the house" statement, and "we'll be back" as the door closes. He's been super good with that, and I suppose that Kitchee will get it, especially once we won't have to crate him when we leave. It's still too early for him, though.

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Sometimes I think it's getting better and sometimes I think it's getting worse. She's definitely developing more attitude. Like this morning, I had already fed her, we had walked and then I made my breakfast and sat down. She barked at me while I was eating and was trying to get up in the chair with me. I put my food down, put her in the x-pen, which is right beside the chair, and didn't hear another peep. It's getting a bit better now that she has more bladder control and right after she's done her business I don't have to worry about her so I leave her out in the house while I get ready. But then there are times when she gets so demanding and barks at us to get attention. I will put her in her pen and ignore her during those times until she quiets. As with everything else it's a work in progress.

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When my dogs bark, I try to figure out what they want or what is going on around them. I know they are trying to communicate with me. I have learned that sometimes they are just chatting, sometimes there is a wild animal walking down the road, sometimes they just want to go back outside, sometimes they want me to follow them as they have something to show me, sometimes they are telling me to hurry up, and sometimes I can't figure it out. I have learned that their barks sound different when different things happen. Each pup has their own bark with different levels of volume, urgency, calm muttering, warning, etc. Each one. (3) have decided who is going to tell me what. Tolinka tells me about the wild life in the neighborhood, Two Step tells me about the people in the neighborhood, and Rain is learning to tell me when there is a bob cat around and go protect the hens. Sometimes they just want me to open the door to the outside so they can take a new fresh whiff of whats happening out there. Learning THEIR language is pretty interesting and the rewards are great. It just takes a bit of time.

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When my dogs bark, I try to figure out what they want or what is going on around them. I know they are trying to communicate with me. I have learned that sometimes they are just chatting, sometimes there is a wild animal walking down the road, sometimes they just want to go back outside, sometimes they want me to follow them as they have something to show me, sometimes they are telling me to hurry up, and sometimes I can't figure it out. I have learned that their barks sound different when different things happen. Each pup has their own bark with different levels of volume, urgency, calm muttering, warning, etc. Each one. (3) have decided who is going to tell me what. Tolinka tells me about the wild life in the neighborhood, Two Step tells me about the people in the neighborhood, and Rain is learning to tell me when there is a bob cat around and go protect the hens. Sometimes they just want me to open the door to the outside so they can take a new fresh whiff of whats happening out there. Learning THEIR language is pretty interesting and the rewards are great. It just takes a bit of time.

I have learned to tell somethings. Like I'm starting to understand when it's a hungry or pee bark. But the barking I'm having problems with is just her being disrespectful. She wants my attention or what I have and she is barking at me to give it to her (remembering that she is a 10 week old puppy right now). I can tolerate the barking if I believe she's actually trying to communicate something to me about a need, but mostly she's just being disrespectful. I've told my boyfriend that whining and low yipping is ok because that's her opinion about what is going on. But the disrespectful "GIVE IT TO ME" barking is not allowed.

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I have learned to tell somethings. Like I'm starting to understand when it's a hungry or pee bark. But the barking I'm having problems with is just her being disrespectful. She wants my attention or what I have and she is barking at me to give it to her (remembering that she is a 10 week old puppy right now). I can tolerate the barking if I believe she's actually trying to communicate something to me about a need, but mostly she's just being disrespectful. I've told my boyfriend that whining and low yipping is ok because that's her opinion about what is going on. But the disrespectful "GIVE IT TO ME" barking is not allowed.

YES!!! You can certainly tell when it is disrespectful, out of boredom or something else. Giving boundaries is great, and for you, the pen works well. For me, I have a gated area, the kitchen and entry being their territory. I also have it easier because he plays and pushes his boundaries with Wyot, and Wyot schools him part of the time, until he looks at me like "please help me"... I also just come to the gate and say "what???" Hand up, I say an emphatic NO, and "go play". Unecessary whining gets me turning my back on him until he stops and sits, then I praise him and tell him he's a good boy. It is definitely us melding and knowing each other's cues! It's getting there as the weeks go on...and at 10 weeks, I think these pups are pretty far advanced... :)

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