A couple of questions...

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proudag08
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A couple of questions...

Post by proudag08 » Fri Nov 25, 2011 8:05 pm

Well as some of you know I brought our 10 week old GSP home last week. Since then we have a couple of questions... And by "a couple" I mean several!

1. Is it ok for him to eat bark... pine cones... grass... rocks and other organic materials? He has tried a lot and I have caught him most times but some times I just can't get there in time.
2. I hear tug of war is bad to play with the pup. Why?
3. He has not had any #2 accidents in the house and only 2 #1 accidents. But sometimes we take him out after he eats and he doesn't want to go to the bathroom. He just plays around outside. Any suggestions on how to get his to go when we go out?
4. Sometimes when we go exploring he will run in front of me and sit almost on my feet as I am walking. Almost like he wants me to pick him up and walk him. Why does he do this?

Thats about all I can think of at the moment. Thanks for all your help!

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by Cajun Casey » Fri Nov 25, 2011 8:42 pm

1. No, it's not okay. Discourage this by having carry toys available.

2. Not a good idea for a dog you expect to softly give up a dead bird.

3. A leash and a designated potty area will solve this.

4. He's using you as a security contact.
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by Ken Lynch » Fri Nov 25, 2011 8:50 pm

OK, I will be the first to start the conversation.
1. All puppies explore the world through their mouth. It is a phase, just go with the flow.
2. Tug of war is bad because it gives the dog the impression that it can hold on to a bird and fight you for it, rather than willingly give it to you.
3. Just stay out until he goes and praise him when he does, then go in. Over time he will get the idea of what is expected.
4. It is a confidence thing. Just ignore it and keep walking. Over time it will go away.
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by GUNDOGS » Sat Nov 26, 2011 5:08 am

Another thing i will add to the great advice is to teach him the "go pee" command..every time you bring him out on lead tell him "go pee" and when he does praise him up..this comes in handy when you are in a hurry and its cold out in the middle of the night, when you are travelling and pull over and want to get back on the road again ect..also break the habit of the pup eating rocks asap as that will lead to a HUGE vet bill if he swallows them..have fun, and congrats on the new pup....ruth :D
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by Onk » Sat Nov 26, 2011 9:39 am

I agree with all the above except praise when they potty outside! According to many people praising a dog for going potty will make him thing he is being praised for doing it in front of you and not just because he did it outside. This leads to the dog walking up in front of you in the house and freely doing his business thinking its what you want out of him. All my dogs in the past I did the whole praise thing, with this last pup I had him on a leash and took him to the same spot each and every time without saying a word or petting or playing with him. He soon learned that that spot was for one thing and one thing only. I got this advise on this forum last year and it worked like a charm! Good luck!
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by GUNDOGS » Sat Nov 26, 2011 10:28 am

Onk wrote:I agree with all the above except praise when they potty outside! According to many people praising a dog for going potty will make him thing he is being praised for doing it in front of you and not just because he did it outside. This leads to the dog walking up in front of you in the house and freely doing his business thinking its what you want out of him. All my dogs in the past I did the whole praise thing, with this last pup I had him on a leash and took him to the same spot each and every time without saying a word or petting or playing with him. He soon learned that that spot was for one thing and one thing only. I got this advise on this forum last year and it worked like a charm! Good luck!
hmm, thats the first time i ever heard of a dog learning to walk up to someone and pee in front of them in the house because of being praised after peeing outside, learn something new everyday :) ...ruth
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by proudag08 » Mon Nov 28, 2011 12:43 pm

Thanks for the replies all!

Some more questions I have:
1. How long is too long to walk a puppy? I want to see if I can get in a routine as soon as I can. In a perfect world it looks like this: Come home, let him out, help cook dinner, put him up, eat, go for a walk, watch tv/ do chores while he chills in the living room, put him up for the night. How long is too long to walk the pup and as a pup how much excersise time/ play time do you reccomend? (He's 10 weeks old)

2. Today was the first sday i left him alone in the garage. He is in a 16 sq. ft. "exercise pin" that is 3 feet tall that I got at TSC. Its currently 50 degrees and sunny at home. In the pin with him are all of his toys, his crate/kennel (puppy sized) with a towel in it, another towl outside the kennel, and his water bowl. Is a concrete floor too cold at 50 degrees? I have a space heater that shut off immediately if turned over or overheated. Should I set that up (outseide the pin of course) to run during the day?

3. I gave him his first ath last week and since then he has gotten some dry skin. Granted the shampoo I used was borrowerd from the father-in-law and had probably been in the bottle for a while. What are the top ingredients I need to look for in a shampoo? Ive heard oatmeal and aloe are good for the coat and skin. Is that true?

4. Alnog with the dry skin issue is the collar scratching issue. Sometimes in mid run, he will stop and scratch at his collar, its not all the time just some time. Its a cheap laether collar from Petsmart. Would the leather be causing any reaction or rash (doesnt look red or anything)?

Thats all for now. Thanks for yalls help! Just trying to make sure I am doing this puppy thing right! Frio is doing great though! Last night he came and got me twice and ran to the door to go out! I was so proud! He also has a great retrieving drive which I am trying to encourage without boring him... I am about to start the transition from breeder food to Purina Pro Plan Performance (all life stage). Hopefully that goes well!

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by mcclinj » Mon Nov 28, 2011 12:49 pm

Proudag,

Does the pup spend anytime in front of either your AC or heater vent? Mine loves the heat and gets dried out in the winter time and has some dandruff. I just use baby wash when bathing my pup, but for what its worth, I think we have bathed her maybe 4-5 times since we brought her home.


-John

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by proudag08 » Mon Nov 28, 2011 12:53 pm

mcclinj wrote:Proudag,

Does the pup spend anytime in front of either your AC or heater vent? Mine loves the heat and gets dried out in the winter time and has some dandruff. I just use baby wash when bathing my pup, but for what its worth, I think we have bathed her maybe 4-5 times since we brought her home.


-John
No, not really, All of out vents are in the cieling and I haven't notcied him sitting anywhere where they blow. It did just get "cold" here a couple days ago. It could be drying out because of that... just like humans do I guess... Thanks for the reply!

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by Vonzeppelinkennels » Mon Nov 28, 2011 1:00 pm

Washing a dog washes out the natural oils & dry's out the skin don't wash your dog unless absolutely necessary.I know of some show Dobes that never had a bath in their life.
Believe it or not most dogs do a pretty good job of cleaning themselves.

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by Karen » Mon Nov 28, 2011 1:05 pm

Dry skin can be caused by not thoroughly rinsing. Also, make sure you use a shampoo made for dogs. Their skin pH is different than ours, so using a product made for humans can dry their skin.

The collar thing will pass in time. We have 2 10 week old pups (Brittanys) at home now. They've been wearing collars for 2 weeks straight and don't even acknowledge them anymore.

We raised the puppies in our basement. Because the floor is cold, we covered a piece of plywood with linoleum, raised it up off the floor with 2x4's and set the x-pen up around that. Mine scaled it last week and were running lose....no more puppy pen for us.

I have to disagree with Onk on not praising. When they relieve themselves inside, you yell at them/grab them, take them outside, and then praise them for finishing outside. They learn outside is good, inside is bad. Not that doing it in front of you is good. That's just been my experience after having many puppies and LOTS of rescues that needed to be housebroken.
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by proudag08 » Mon Nov 28, 2011 1:08 pm

Karen wrote:We raised the puppies in our basement. Because the floor is cold, we covered a piece of plywood with linoleum, raised it up off the floor with 2x4's and set the x-pen up around that. Mine scaled it last week and were running lose....no more puppy pen for us.
How tall was your pen?

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by Karen » Mon Nov 28, 2011 1:21 pm

42"
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by markj » Mon Nov 28, 2011 2:48 pm

. Just stay out until he goes and praise him when he does, then go in. Over time he will get the idea of what is expected
Yeah buddy, may take as long as a 1/2 hour depending on pups attention. I let my pup run out in the field wit hthe big dogs for a bit, then I say lets go inside, she will then pee and poo then inside we go. She dont go inside ever, even in front of me :)

My son plays tug of war with her, when she fetches tho I say give and she does just that no hanging on, no tuggging. Its all in the training imho

Ken nailed it.
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by proudag08 » Tue Nov 29, 2011 4:37 pm

UPDATE: Day one in the play pen... no poop, no pee... perfect! Day 2... no poop... no pee... but escaped the pen... Dang it... smart dog this one...

Now a question. Would putting a tarp on top of the play pen be a bad idea? How about leaving him in his crate instead of the play pen? He hasn't peed or pooped in the pen yet so why would he in the kennel (is that flawed logic)? My wife said that nothing looked to torn up in the garage

Also, do you think he may be pooping then eating it? There is no smell... no signs in the pen.. nothing to indicate this but I feel like a 10 week old pup holding it for 7.5 hrs is pretty rare. How would I tell if he is eating it without actually witnessing him eat it? (He has never shown interest in eating it in the yard when he is out sniffing around).

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by ACooper » Tue Nov 29, 2011 4:46 pm

proudag08 wrote:UPDATE: Day one in the play pen... no poop, no pee... perfect! Day 2... no poop... no pee... but escaped the pen... Dang it... smart dog this one...

Now a question. Would putting a tarp on top of the play pen be a bad idea? How about leaving him in his crate instead of the play pen? He hasn't peed or pooped in the pen yet so why would he in the kennel (is that flawed logic)? My wife said that nothing looked to torn up in the garage

Also, do you think he may be pooping then eating it? There is no smell... no signs in the pen.. nothing to indicate this but I feel like a 10 week old pup holding it for 7.5 hrs is pretty rare. How would I tell if he is eating it without actually witnessing him eat it? (He has never shown interest in eating it in the yard when he is out sniffing around).
Proudag08, you want to nip the escaping ASAP a dog that begins learning he can escape enclosures as a puppy can develop into a dog that is difficult to keep contained. Crate him or tighten up the play pen.

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by deke » Tue Nov 29, 2011 4:55 pm

1. pups chew on things, my pup ate a box of fire starters when he was 10 weeks. you could literally use his poo to start a fire, we tried it.

2. I never played tug of war with my pup, it seemed to help out with retrieving?

3. When my dog was a pup every time we went outside i would tell him to go take a p!ss, now if i tell him he just does it. But when they are pups i think they do it when they are good and ready.

4. His butt is cold?

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by Sharon » Tue Nov 29, 2011 4:59 pm

proudag08 wrote:Well as some of you know I brought our 10 week old GSP home last week. Since then we have a couple of questions... And by "a couple" I mean several!

1. Is it ok for him to eat bark... pine cones... grass... rocks and other organic materials? He has tried a lot and I have caught him most times but some times I just can't get there in time.
2. I hear tug of war is bad to play with the pup. Why?
3. He has not had any #2 accidents in the house and only 2 #1 accidents. But sometimes we take him out after he eats and he doesn't want to go to the bathroom. He just plays around outside. Any suggestions on how to get his to go when we go out?
4. Sometimes when we go exploring he will run in front of me and sit almost on my feet as I am walking. Almost like he wants me to pick him up and walk him. Why does he do this?

Thats about all I can think of at the moment. Thanks for all your help!
No but you can stop what ypou see. Grass is not a problem.

It's only bad if you lose. If you win every time the Alpha position is maintained. Some feel that will encourage pup to want to release a bird. I've never found that to be true.

Start a cue word. After a bit he'll understand. I say "Hurry up!" and my 3 immediately pee. :)


Independence and confidence comes with time and experience. he wants to get out there but doesn't have the confidence yet. This is one reason I don't run a pup with an older dog.
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by proudag08 » Tue Nov 29, 2011 5:01 pm

ACooper wrote:
proudag08 wrote:UPDATE: Day one in the play pen... no poop, no pee... perfect! Day 2... no poop... no pee... but escaped the pen... Dang it... smart dog this one...

Now a question. Would putting a tarp on top of the play pen be a bad idea? How about leaving him in his crate instead of the play pen? He hasn't peed or pooped in the pen yet so why would he in the kennel (is that flawed logic)? My wife said that nothing looked to torn up in the garage

Also, do you think he may be pooping then eating it? There is no smell... no signs in the pen.. nothing to indicate this but I feel like a 10 week old pup holding it for 7.5 hrs is pretty rare. How would I tell if he is eating it without actually witnessing him eat it? (He has never shown interest in eating it in the yard when he is out sniffing around).
Proudag08, you want to nip the escaping ASAP a dog that begins learning he can escape enclosures as a puppy can develop into a dog that is difficult to keep contained. Crate him or tighten up the play pen.
I agree, but how do I do this? Is the tarp a good idea? He didnt knock the play pen over... i think he climbed it. Its 36" tall...

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by proudag08 » Tue Nov 29, 2011 5:02 pm

deke wrote:1. pups chew on things, my pup ate a box of fire starters when he was 10 weeks. you could literally use his poo to start a fire, we tried it.
:lol: :lol: :lol: Did it work?

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by DogNewbie » Tue Nov 29, 2011 5:05 pm

For the pee thing, I added a command so literally every time the pup peed outside on his own I would say "number 1" and now if we are about to get in the car or I'm late for work and he hasn't peed, I just say number 1 and he'll squat right away....almost like a Pavlovas dogs thing

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by Sharon » Tue Nov 29, 2011 5:06 pm

. Alnog with the dry skin issue is the collar scratching issue. Sometimes in mid run, he will stop and scratch at his collar, its not all the time just some time. Its a cheap laether collar from Petsmart. Would the leather be causing any reaction or rash (doesnt look red or anything)?quote

All dogs scratch at their collar off and on. Not a big deal. Never put the collar over a wet neck.

All dogs will eat a hunk a'"bleep" if they have the chance. Pick it up immediately if it bothers you. Don't let pup eat another dog's poop.

I wouldn't use a tarp. It could fall over his head and suffocate him.
Forget the playpen ; he probably only sleeps in it anyways. Use a crate.
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by proudag08 » Tue Nov 29, 2011 5:30 pm

His crate is in his playpen. I'll post a pic later on tonight.

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by ACooper » Tue Nov 29, 2011 6:05 pm

proudag08 wrote:I agree, but how do I do this? Is the tarp a good idea? He didnt knock the play pen over... i think he climbed it. Its 36" tall...
I know you said you were going to post a picture, that may help but it is hard to say what will or won't work without acutally seeing, not sure even a photo will do it. My concern about a tarp and if he is climbing is if he would be able to get his head stuck.

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by Cajun Casey » Tue Nov 29, 2011 6:25 pm

Top the x-pen with some 1x2, j-clipped or zip-tied in place to prevent the little derelict hanging himself. Putting a crate in an x-pen is a bad idea because the mutt will get on the crate and go over the side of the pen from there.
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by wems2371 » Tue Nov 29, 2011 6:40 pm

GUNDOGS wrote:Another thing i will add to the great advice is to teach him the "go pee" command..every time you bring him out on lead tell him "go pee" and when he does praise him up..this comes in handy when you are in a hurry and its cold out in the middle of the night, when you are travelling and pull over and want to get back on the road again ect...ruth :D
I use "go potty". :D It leaves no doubt what I want and has worked well for me too. It gets them to go in a timely fashion.

Besides the retrieving issue, I've also always read that it is possible to mess up the incisors, playing tug of war.

"Anterior cross bite occurs when canine and premolar teeth on both sides of the mouth occlude normally but one or more of the lower incisors are positioned in front of the upper incisors. This condition can be caused by tug-of-war games, retained primary teeth, or impacted roots."

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by Onk » Tue Nov 29, 2011 7:00 pm

GUNDOGS wrote:
Onk wrote:I agree with all the above except praise when they potty outside! According to many people praising a dog for going potty will make him thing he is being praised for doing it in front of you and not just because he did it outside. This leads to the dog walking up in front of you in the house and freely doing his business thinking its what you want out of him. All my dogs in the past I did the whole praise thing, with this last pup I had him on a leash and took him to the same spot each and every time without saying a word or petting or playing with him. He soon learned that that spot was for one thing and one thing only. I got this advise on this forum last year and it worked like a charm! Good luck!
hmm, thats the first time i ever heard of a dog learning to walk up to someone and pee in front of them in the house because of being praised after peeing outside, learn something new everyday :) ...ruth

Yep Ruth I thought the same thing last year when working with my pup when we brought him home. It was on this forum I was told that and I was very sceptical to say the least, I had always used the praise method, but I thought what the heck I'll give it a try. This pup learned crate/house breaking faster than any dog I have ever raised. Maybe it was the dog or maybe it was the method....either way it made me a believer for now anyway!
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by GUNDOGS » Tue Nov 29, 2011 7:40 pm

Onk wrote:
GUNDOGS wrote:
Onk wrote:I agree with all the above except praise when they potty outside! According to many people praising a dog for going potty will make him thing he is being praised for doing it in front of you and not just because he did it outside. This leads to the dog walking up in front of you in the house and freely doing his business thinking its what you want out of him. All my dogs in the past I did the whole praise thing, with this last pup I had him on a leash and took him to the same spot each and every time without saying a word or petting or playing with him. He soon learned that that spot was for one thing and one thing only. I got this advise on this forum last year and it worked like a charm! Good luck!
hmm, thats the first time i ever heard of a dog learning to walk up to someone and pee in front of them in the house because of being praised after peeing outside, learn something new everyday :) ...ruth

Yep Ruth I thought the same thing last year when working with my pup when we brought him home. It was on this forum I was told that and I was very sceptical to say the least, I had always used the praise method, but I thought what the heck I'll give it a try. This pup learned crate/house breaking faster than any dog I have ever raised. Maybe it was the dog or maybe it was the method....either way it made me a believer for now anyway!
hey, i say whatever method works stick to it, sharing successes and failures is what its all about, we all learn from both :D ...ruth
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by Tejas » Tue Nov 29, 2011 10:20 pm

About the chew toys, a pretty good pro dog trainer says that many dog problems are created that would not have ever occurred, but for unintended consequences of human actions. He recommends no soft toys. Never allow or encourage a dog to do something you will not want it to do later.

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by proudag08 » Wed Nov 30, 2011 9:59 am

OK gents and Ladies,

I promised pictures and here they are.

Here is Day 1& 2 set up. (Day 1 he was fine and Day 2 he escaped)
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Here is todays set up... Hopefully all goes well. He has never chewed a blanket before but he is only been with us for 2 weeks now.
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With these pictures do any red flags jump out at you? Thanks guys!

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by GUNDOGS » Wed Nov 30, 2011 10:12 am

personally i dont leave any blankets or towels with them except at night when i know they are sleeping, during the day when they are bored they will eat threw drywall to get to another room to explore, not just chew threw it but eat it, a friends shorthair did that :o ..oh goodness is he cute, i love shorthairs :mrgreen: good luck with the little ball of fire i got a little male myself who is such a ham, he has me laughing every minute especially when he yawns and it sounds like an opera singer hitting her highest note ever :lol: ...ruth
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by proudag08 » Wed Nov 30, 2011 10:16 am

GUNDOGS wrote:personally i dont leave any blankets or towels with them except at night when i know they are sleeping
So would you just leave him on the cold concrete? Im not trying to be confrentational but litterally asking a question. (always have to clarify when typing... 8) )

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by Coveyrise64 » Wed Nov 30, 2011 10:25 am

If I use blankets for bedding I prefer the tightly woven wool army blankets.
proudag08 wrote:
GUNDOGS wrote:personally i dont leave any blankets or towels with them except at night when i know they are sleeping
So would you just leave him on the cold concrete? Im not trying to be confrentational but litterally asking a question. (always have to clarify when typing... 8) )
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by Elkhunter » Wed Nov 30, 2011 10:43 am

For sure stop the escaping, it will turn into a nightmare. I had an EP that learned to escape and his whole life was dedicated to trying to get out. He ended up hanging himself on his collar when he tried to force his head through the roof and side panel. Horrible ordeal. I got big strong kennels now and they have never tried.

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by deke » Wed Nov 30, 2011 10:56 am

proudag08 wrote:
deke wrote:1. pups chew on things, my pup ate a box of fire starters when he was 10 weeks. you could literally use his poo to start a fire, we tried it.
:lol: :lol: :lol: Did it work?



HaHa yes it worked for about a week, the big thing i asked my vet when i got my pup was what he could chew on and what he couldnt. He told me that if it is natural than he can chew on it. plastics and metal are still bad. My pup has eaten logs, not chewed, ate as in it was there one minute and gone the next, he has eaten several pairs of flip flops, again he ate them, he has eaten a pair of danner boots :evil: basically anything that this dog can get its mouth around it will eat. So far he has had no ill effects from any of this, he is now a year old and the chewing has died down, that is until you leave him alone for a hour or so unattended.

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by Karen » Wed Nov 30, 2011 11:26 am

Is there a reason you're not just crating him while you're not home, rather than keeping him in the x-pen in the garage?

Our pups have always been crated when we can't supervise or we're not at home.
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by GUNDOGS » Wed Nov 30, 2011 11:28 am

proudag08 wrote:
GUNDOGS wrote:personally i dont leave any blankets or towels with them except at night when i know they are sleeping
So would you just leave him on the cold concrete? Im not trying to be confrentational but litterally asking a question. (always have to clarify when typing... 8) )
yes i would leave him on the concrete over using blankets and towels in with him for the entire day, safety over comfort, but i have always just crated my dogs never used an xpen.. i have kong beds, not in their crates though, they are "chew resistant", which means they are very strong but not 100% chew proof, but they are much safer then a towel or regular blanket, mine have taken a beating and dont have a mark on em..also they are guaranteed for life like all other kong products.. also i wouldnt leave any toys in with him except for the large kong toys, i have found they are truly the only product ive tried not eaten within hours by a determined dog :wink: and no im not a sales rep for kong :lol: good luck, ruth...

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by Buckeye_V » Wed Nov 30, 2011 12:58 pm

I would lose that ex pen. Before long my dogs would figure out all they had to do was push on it and they would fall over and out they could go.

If you are going to keep him in a kennel, get a better one. We kept ours in a BIG folding wire kennel with lid with a small crate in it. The pup could go out in the kennel and do their bubsiness during the day and climb in the little crate for sleepy time. We put some things in there to keep them occupied during the day. They all did fine that way. You don't need a park for them ro run around in while you are gone. I bet if you watched them on camera they slept more then they played by themselves.

As far as the blanket thing I think that is bunk too. I have had blankets in all my dogs kennels siunce day 1 and they have never had a problem. if anything they chew holes in them because they get stuck when the ball up in them :lol: :lol: Meaning, I have one who wraps herself up like a burrito. Every time she sleeps.

I guess you just keep an eye on the bugger until you figure it out.
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by Hookadooka BirdDogs » Wed Nov 30, 2011 2:40 pm

Karen wrote:Is there a reason you're not just crating him while you're not home, rather than keeping him in the x-pen in the garage?

Our pups have always been crated when we can't supervise or we're not at home.
Can't agree more.
As for chewing dogs, my buddy thought it would be a great idea to let the dogs ride in the rear of an SUV un-crated. When he got to the grouse covert he found the dogs had not only chewed through his gun case, but was on his second or third helping of his favorite gun's walnut stock. Sucked to be him.
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by proudag08 » Wed Nov 30, 2011 2:48 pm

So I should keep him in the puppy crate for 7.5 hours straight? That seems to me like I am asking a ton of a 10 week old pup? However, he hasnt had any accidents in the xpen that I can see.

I like the idea of putting the little crate in the big crate. That could be an option.

Chewing has not been a huge issue but we shall see what the blankets look like when I get home... If I can see that he has eatin some of the blanket is there anything that I need to do so it doesnt turn into a blockage?

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by slistoe » Wed Nov 30, 2011 5:36 pm

6 week old puppies can last 7 hours in the crate overnight without having to go pee.

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by Buckeye_V » Thu Dec 01, 2011 7:33 am

We've done the little crate in big crate trick for the last 2 pups and it has been very successful. You know it is time to transition when there are no messes after 8 hours. You may get an occasional mess, but not too bad. They learn the crate is for sleeping and is an OK place.

Just make sure you exercise the rap out of the little guy when you are home. A tired puppy is a content puppy.

Hang on to that ex-pen for other uses down the road. It's not useless, but you just may find that in a few weeks he is too strong for it.
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by GWPtyler » Thu Dec 01, 2011 3:41 pm

I'll second the no cloth comments. My pooch had a bad incident with a sock that, God willing, will never be repeated. Thankfully we caught it in time!

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by proudag08 » Fri Dec 02, 2011 10:56 am

UPDATE:

Frio is doing fine with the blankets... His "big boy" crate came in today so I will probably keep him in there whenever we can go get it picked up. Also, on a side note, we went for a walk last night (on leash, I live in the suburbs) but it was in a partially developed neighborhood. Although there are no wild birds around there are plenty of new smells to be smelt. The walk was about 30 - 45 minutes long and I didn't say a WORD!!! In most circumstances that is a huge deal... I am a talker. Anyway, I was proud of myself! Ha ha

I was thinking about the mental stimulation thread on here yesterday and thought i would try to start doing a little more of that with my pup. What would you all reccomend to do to mentaly stimulate my 10 week old pup? Also, I am about to start switching his feed next week so we shall see how that goes. If 1/2 and 1/2 ok to start with or do I need to make it 1/4 and 3/4 first? Also, how long should the transition take? How long at .25/.75? .5/.5? .75/.25?

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by GUNDOGS » Fri Dec 02, 2011 11:30 am

proudag08 wrote:UPDATE:

Frio is doing fine with the blankets... His "big boy" crate came in today so I will probably keep him in there whenever we can go get it picked up. Also, on a side note, we went for a walk last night (on leash, I live in the suburbs) but it was in a partially developed neighborhood. Although there are no wild birds around there are plenty of new smells to be smelt. The walk was about 30 - 45 minutes long and I didn't say a WORD!!! In most circumstances that is a huge deal... I am a talker. Anyway, I was proud of myself! Ha ha

I was thinking about the mental stimulation thread on here yesterday and thought i would try to start doing a little more of that with my pup. What would you all reccomend to do to mentaly stimulate my 10 week old pup? Also, I am about to start switching his feed next week so we shall see how that goes. If 1/2 and 1/2 ok to start with or do I need to make it 1/4 and 3/4 first? Also, how long should the transition take? How long at .25/.75? .5/.5? .75/.25?
even though he doesnt bother the blankets now still keep a close eye on any of it missing just in case, be careful about long on lead walks especially on concrete (learned this on this forum so just passin on the advice), as far as switching feed and how much, to be honest i just switch them over all at once to the new feed and dont have an issue, maybe ive been got lucky since ive always heard to switch slowly but ive seen no difference in just changing over......ruth
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by proudag08 » Fri Dec 02, 2011 11:33 am

GUNDOGS wrote:be careful about long on lead walks especially on concrete (learned this on this forum so just passin on the advice)
Why?

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by Redfishkilla » Fri Dec 02, 2011 11:50 am

This is what I like to do, but I don't really know what I'm doing. Freeze a quail, dove, or pigeon in a sock. Tie a knot on the end above the bird and cut off the rest. Find a room in the house and hind the frozen bird in there. Bring the dog in a start saying "dead". The first time the bird should be very easy to locate but hopefully you'll have a chance to say dead a few times before pup finds it. Hide it a little better each time, eventually move to the back yard. You can also carry it on walks and when you find some cover put the bird in there and bring pup close and say dead. It's fun to watch a young pup go into business mode after he learns "dead". When they find it and hold it try and get them to come back to you with it, use a check cord early to make sure they bring it to you, keep it all positive at this young age. Before long you've got a small puppy hunting dead and retrieving. For me these skills have transferred easily to the field. When pup is bird crazy for the sock, you can throw it up in the air in the back yard and apply the cap gun to start sound conditioning. I wish I had a puppy and more free time.

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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by GUNDOGS » Fri Dec 02, 2011 11:52 am

proudag08 wrote:
GUNDOGS wrote:be careful about long on lead walks especially on concrete (learned this on this forum so just passin on the advice)
Why?
from what i understand its too hard on their bones and joints due to the hard surface especially if they are running to keep up with you not being able to set their own pace and slow down when they are tired..i usually take my dogs on dirt trails or in the field on a long check cord or off lead in a safe area for exercise..i dont think its harmful to walk them on lead on concrete occasionally for shorter walks, i think its more directed at fast paced walks, runs, jogging or over doing it too often..ruth
Last edited by GUNDOGS on Fri Dec 02, 2011 12:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by Sharon » Fri Dec 02, 2011 12:03 pm

proudag08 wrote:So I should keep him in the puppy crate for 7.5 hours straight? That seems to me like I am asking a ton of a 10 week old pup? However, he hasnt had any accidents in the xpen that I can see.

I like the idea of putting the little crate in the big crate. That could be an option.

Chewing has not been a huge issue but we shall see what the blankets look like when I get home... If I can see that he has eatin some of the blanket is there anything that I need to do so it doesnt turn into a blockage?

Don't keep a puppy in a crate that long. The crate should only be big enough for pup to turn around and stand up completely. If it is any bigger pup will use part for a bathroom. Is there someone who could come in at noon and walk pup?

If eating part of the blanket causes a blockage , you'll know by the puking /pain symptoms soon enough and go immediately to the vet.
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Re: A couple of questions...

Post by Sharon » Fri Dec 02, 2011 12:09 pm

proudag08 wrote:UPDATE:

Frio is doing fine with the blankets... His "big boy" crate came in today so I will probably keep him in there whenever we can go get it picked up. Also, on a side note, we went for a walk last night (on leash, I live in the suburbs) but it was in a partially developed neighborhood. Although there are no wild birds around there are plenty of new smells to be smelt. The walk was about 30 - 45 minutes long and I didn't say a WORD!!! In most circumstances that is a huge deal... I am a talker. Anyway, I was proud of myself! Ha ha

I was thinking about the mental stimulation thread on here yesterday and thought i would try to start doing a little more of that with my pup. What would you all reccomend to do to mentaly stimulate my 10 week old pup? Also, I am about to start switching his feed next week so we shall see how that goes. If 1/2 and 1/2 ok to start with or do I need to make it 1/4 and 3/4 first? Also, how long should the transition take? How long at .25/.75? .5/.5? .75/.25?

Maybe I've missed reading something but why are you switching his feed? Sure way to have diahrrea in the crate. Maybe you have a good reason . Start with 1:4. I stay with a mix for 3-4 days before changing it again, just to be on the safe side.
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