Day 2 (Settling In)
Back to the internet and searching ... "How many hours can a puppy hold their bladder?" Answer: Less than 2 months old: 1 - 2 hours. After 2 months: 1 hour for each month of life + 1 hour. After five months old, most puppies can make it through the night. Important note: Do not give your puppy food or water within two - three hours of bedtime. The less food and water before bedtime, the longer they can hold their bladder.
Rule #4: No food or water two-three hours before bedtime! (Note - if my puppy is thirsty, I'll put the water bowl down and allow her to drink a little. I've even done it in the middle of the night when we get up for a potty break. I tend to err in favor of the puppy's needs.)
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The next morning, we went straight to the bathroom pad. We had breakfast (almost 1/3 cup of food). And we played like there was no tomorrow! What happened to that timid little puppy?
The day went pretty well. We started establishing a routine quickly. Puppies need to be fed three times daily for the first few months of their lives. I am an early riser, so she gets breakfast before 6:00 a.m. Lunch is around noon. Dinner is between 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. I was told to avoid training treats the first couple weeks and only offer a few pieces of her kibble for positive reenforcement.
Rule #5: Establish the routine. A puppy's bathroom breaks can actually be on schedule. So can their nap times and playtimes.
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There was a lot of love. A lot of play. A lot of naps. Things were beginning to look bright.
... Until bedtime. She decided she did not like our crate at all and whimpered and barked for 15 minutes. I didn't give in. She finally gave up and slept for almost an hour.
Following Rule #4, the water and food dishes were pulled up at 8:30. She did pretty well, the longest stretch was 2 hours. But that 2 hours was blissful sleep for the owner.
Day 3 (Visiting the Vet)
The next morning was our first trip to the Vet. The puppy contract form the breeder requires that the new owner visit a veterinarian within 48 hours of sale.
I love my vet. She was Millie's vet. I trust her. She is honest. She is forthright. She is kind.
The ride there was heart wrenching. It was like Harleigh thought she was being returned. She barked. She howled. She whimpered. She whined. She did not like this turn in events at all.
I had made a list of concerns to be addressed.
A. Adding food to her current diet. I really like high-end, grain-free food with specific ingredients. Farina produces a puppy food with lamb, pumpkin, and blueberries. I purchased a bag and wanted to add a little to Harleigh's current diet. (I took the bag with me for her to see.) My Vet liked this food a lot and had actually used it with her own dogs. She said her only concern was that it softened the dogs' stools. We will postpone that idea for a few weeks.
B. I didn't want to bathe her too much because I had read online that it can cause skin drying, itching, irritation. Harleigh brought a strong odor with her from the breeder's, and I really needed to get rid of it! She suggested an aloe and oatmeal shampoo that was free of harmful detergents. ($24 - Just add it to the bill!)
C. When Harleigh was born she had a little kink in the end of her tail. It wasn't that noticeable, but the breeder told me that she could never be shown because of it. I don't plan on showing her, so that isn't a consideration. The breeder told me that her vet said it probably happened in vitro and may correct itself. I checked this out online and it is common when there is a large litter and a smaller dame. She carries her tail correctly. She walks normal. I just wanted my vet to support that I needn't worry. My vet said it was completely cosmetic and nothing to worry about.
D. She needed her 8-week deworming.
"She's a stinking cute little puppy! And that's my professional opinion!" Harleigh got a clean bill of health. But she wouldn't be allowed around other dogs or people until she had her shots.
Home we headed. Only break in routine was a bath in the afternoon. Evening routine was great! We are on a decent sleep schedule. We're moving closer to two hours between breaks.
Day 4 - 7 (The Art of Compromise)
As Harleigh was becoming accustomed to her new home and routine, her personality started emerging. She can be strong-willed, stubborn, and persistent.
1. Where to eat:
I had established her eating location to a pad at the farthest end of our kitchen in a little corner. She actually likes it there. My breeder had told me not to leave water down because she would play in it. Because the bowl is in a metal holder, it is too heavy for her turn over. She has never played in it, so I leave it down with water in it until bedtime. It took her a few days, but she knows that is where she gets water and goes there consistently.
I do not free-feed her. I leave her food bowl down for 1 hour and then take it up. I put any leftovers in a glass dish that is covered. It gets mixed in with the next meal. She is learning to eat what she wants when it is provided.
2. Where to sleep:
I had established her bedding area about six feet from the feeding bowls, up against our kitchen island. Even though she had a nice bed, I found her going to sleep under the desk area in the kitchen. It's actually a nice covered, three sided area. She feels safe there. One day she pulled her bed over there, climbed in, and slept for almost 2 hours.
I hadn't considered putting it there, but she apparently wanted it there and it has been there ever since. When she gets tired and sleepy, that's where she goes. It's out of the way. No problem.
3. Where to play:
Harleigh does not lack for toys. There is a pretty good sized area between our kitchen island and the eat-in furniture (appx. 8' x 12'). There's plenty of room to chase, tackle, attack, run and roughhouse. It's easy for me to get on the floor with her there and play.
4. Where to potty:
If you are going to housebreak your puppy to go outside, then you will need to be consistent and take her to same place every time. I am training Harleigh to use pee pee pads. I purchased a bottle of attractant to use on the pads. (That stuff works miracles, you can even use it on grass!)
I had originally put the pads between her sleeping area and play area. I actually found her laying on the pads, carrying her toys to the pads, being inconsistent with using the pads for their intended usage. (Remember the photo of the lovely pad holder!)
This is the actuality of the situation!
About midway through the week, Harleigh had discovered the back hallway. (At first she was reluctant to go back there. Now she runs up and down the hallway like it's race lane!)
She started going to the bathroom back there. Once she even pulled a pee pad back there. Very intelligent puppy! I moved her pad holder and pads back there. There have been fewer and fewer mistakes.
I returned back to the internet and found that the dog's living space is its den. It eats, sleeps, and plays in its den. It doesn't use the bathroom in its den. Harleigh had established her den as the kitchen area. It was unacceptable to her to use the bathroom in the kitchen area. She actually helped establish where to put her pads.
RULE #6 - The art of compromise. Pay attention to your puppy's needs.
Try to work with the puppy to satisfy the needs and the training will go easier. Some things may be nonnegotiable, but be flexible when possible. By allowing Harleigh to help establish where her bedding would be and where she would be using the bathroom, it has made her training easier.
We had a pretty good routine. There was a place for everything and everything was in its place. The layout was satisfactory to owner and puppy. There was plenty of play time. Sleep time was becoming more consistent. (By the way, according to the internet, a puppy can sleep as much as 18 hours. I'm not sure what breed that puppy is, but my puppy gets in plenty of play time.) Although sailing wasn't as smooth as desired, we had a good course chartered and were heading in the right direction!
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