Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Animal biologist here. It seems you got a pet without having any interest in learning about the psychology of the species you were taking in. This is necessary if you are planning to live indoors with any other animal, including your own human family.

Peeing indoors is never acceptable, not even for puppies. When she has an accident inside, you raise your voice and do your best to have a very displeased tone. Dogs are very sensitive to tone, but don't have good memories, so you need to catch her in the act, or a few seconds after. That's when she'll make the connection between your anger and her peeing on the floor. You also need to use enzymatic cleaner on all the spots she's peed to get rid of the remaining molecules, otherwise she might believe it's OK to pee there.

The dog should not be so anxious and/or excited when it meets strangers. You need to train her to greet more strangers, outside, and reward her on the spot when she doesn't pee. In the meantime, if someone she doesn't know is planning to visit, they need to meet the dog outside first, to avoid her peeing indoors. You can wait for your guest outside, encourage her to pee before they arrive, then have the meet-and-greet outside before coming in. Reward her every time she meets someone without peeing. If that works (she doesn't pee for about 5-10 meetings in a row), you can give her a potty break before they come, bring her in, then ask that they come in very quietly, and you reward her for a well-behaved greeting. If that's successful, try an indoor meeting without a prior potty break.

As you can see, training a dog means immediate negative feedback when they do wrong, but gradual adjustments to the ultimate correct behavior, with lots of rewards along the way for incremental progress. Your goal is to always put them in a position to succeed, because timely food reinforcement is an extremely powerful tool.

I can't help you with your annoyance that she's always "there" - you can just ignore her, OP. But is there anything else that you think is not normal and that you need help with?

OP here. OMG, can you come to my house? Do you have a company you recommend to help train or learn about her? This has been amazing. I will admit that we do not have her around many other animals or people and I have no clue what her life was like before we got her from the shelter. She does this thing though, which I would love your input about. When she meets other dogs on a walk, she lays down, her ears are back, tail tucked and she just lays on her back. Is she scared? I mean, obviously, but what should I do? If they are not near her, say like across the street, then she growls and barks. I do have the enzyme spray. Your idea about having guests meet her outside is something I never even thought of, so thank you. I guess I feel bad for just ignoring.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the same. When my dog and cat pass on, I will never own another animal. I don't understand why people are ok with following an animal around and picking up its poop. I got the dog because I love seeing people with their animals (the cat we inherited) - but I hate the smell and I especially hate having to plan my day around walking the dog. I have one hour in the morning before work - I could either lift weights and run or I can take the dog for a walk. But I have to walk the dog so my own health suffers. When I sit down to watch a movie in the evening, the dog wants to play. I'm a slave to the freaking dog.

OP here. This is my problem too. I want to work out in the morning, like intensely when the family is asleep but she needs to be walked. Then if she doesn’t poop, I have to watch her like a hawk to make sure she doesn’t poop in the house. She is not a dog that I can run with as she is small. That is why I asked another poster how long should I walk her to tire her out enough so that I can come home and work out?

No, she doesn't need to be walked first thing. I get up an hour before my dog gets out of her crate so I can shower and have my tea while the house is quiet. If you want to work out first thing, do that. Train your dog to the schedule that works for you, not the other way around.

The more you walk your dog, the more you'll need to walk your dog. Yes, they do need outside exercise, but what they really need is stimulation. Two 20-minute walks a day plus 2 "stim breaks" with an engagement exercise (lick mat, kibble rolled up and tied in an old towel or some other kind of "snuffle mat", a frozen treat, a kong stuffed with PB and hard-to-reach treats like bits of carrot...) is plenty for a small dog. Yours is still a puppy, and coming into that "teenager phase" between 1-2 years. There will be pushback and whining. Treat it the same way you'd treat your kid whining about wanting to stay at the pool, eat more snacks, watch TV all day... "I hear you, and the answer is still no".

You'll like your dog a lot more when you start treating it more like a dog. They're trainable. Teach it what you want and it will learn to adapt to you.

OP here. Thank you for this. Where do you suggest I keep her crate at night? She is in our room. She is so excited when I get out of the bed that I let her out and we both run outside to let her pee so no accident. After that, she is wide awake so I do not want to put her back in the crate to work out.

I have two (very large) dogs. I love dogs and love having them. But. They are not even allowed in the upstairs of our house. Keep her crate somewhere else. Laundry room? Office? Pick a spot that isn't in someone's bedroom. You'll both sleep better.

My dogs sleep (mostly) in the family room. Sometimes I come downstairs and find the bigger one (130 lbs) sleeping in the powder room--it's like a den or crate for him and he likes that. Dogs often like small confined spaces and will choose them. Crates are good for them, it keeps them safe and they know it's their space.

Just remember that she's a puppy and will chill out over time. When she pees outside, praise. If you catch her attempting to pee inside, sharp and loud no and immediately go outside. It won't take long.

You can leave her on your deck unattended unless she's small enough to fall off between slats? You said 20 lbs, doesn't seem like she would. I leave mine on our deck, and they're actually big enough to jump over the railing, but they're not stupid enough. They just like to chill and watch the world go by sometimes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the same. When my dog and cat pass on, I will never own another animal. I don't understand why people are ok with following an animal around and picking up its poop. I got the dog because I love seeing people with their animals (the cat we inherited) - but I hate the smell and I especially hate having to plan my day around walking the dog. I have one hour in the morning before work - I could either lift weights and run or I can take the dog for a walk. But I have to walk the dog so my own health suffers. When I sit down to watch a movie in the evening, the dog wants to play. I'm a slave to the freaking dog.

OP here. This is my problem too. I want to work out in the morning, like intensely when the family is asleep but she needs to be walked. Then if she doesn’t poop, I have to watch her like a hawk to make sure she doesn’t poop in the house. She is not a dog that I can run with as she is small. That is why I asked another poster how long should I walk her to tire her out enough so that I can come home and work out?

No, she doesn't need to be walked first thing. I get up an hour before my dog gets out of her crate so I can shower and have my tea while the house is quiet. If you want to work out first thing, do that. Train your dog to the schedule that works for you, not the other way around.

The more you walk your dog, the more you'll need to walk your dog. Yes, they do need outside exercise, but what they really need is stimulation. Two 20-minute walks a day plus 2 "stim breaks" with an engagement exercise (lick mat, kibble rolled up and tied in an old towel or some other kind of "snuffle mat", a frozen treat, a kong stuffed with PB and hard-to-reach treats like bits of carrot...) is plenty for a small dog. Yours is still a puppy, and coming into that "teenager phase" between 1-2 years. There will be pushback and whining. Treat it the same way you'd treat your kid whining about wanting to stay at the pool, eat more snacks, watch TV all day... "I hear you, and the answer is still no".

You'll like your dog a lot more when you start treating it more like a dog. They're trainable. Teach it what you want and it will learn to adapt to you.

OP here. Thank you for this. Where do you suggest I keep her crate at night? She is in our room. She is so excited when I get out of the bed that I let her out and we both run outside to let her pee so no accident. After that, she is wide awake so I do not want to put her back in the crate to work out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the same. When my dog and cat pass on, I will never own another animal. I don't understand why people are ok with following an animal around and picking up its poop. I got the dog because I love seeing people with their animals (the cat we inherited) - but I hate the smell and I especially hate having to plan my day around walking the dog. I have one hour in the morning before work - I could either lift weights and run or I can take the dog for a walk. But I have to walk the dog so my own health suffers. When I sit down to watch a movie in the evening, the dog wants to play. I'm a slave to the freaking dog.

OP here. This is my problem too. I want to work out in the morning, like intensely when the family is asleep but she needs to be walked. Then if she doesn’t poop, I have to watch her like a hawk to make sure she doesn’t poop in the house. She is not a dog that I can run with as she is small. That is why I asked another poster how long should I walk her to tire her out enough so that I can come home and work out?

No, she doesn't need to be walked first thing. I get up an hour before my dog gets out of her crate so I can shower and have my tea while the house is quiet. If you want to work out first thing, do that. Train your dog to the schedule that works for you, not the other way around.

The more you walk your dog, the more you'll need to walk your dog. Yes, they do need outside exercise, but what they really need is stimulation. Two 20-minute walks a day plus 2 "stim breaks" with an engagement exercise (lick mat, kibble rolled up and tied in an old towel or some other kind of "snuffle mat", a frozen treat, a kong stuffed with PB and hard-to-reach treats like bits of carrot...) is plenty for a small dog. Yours is still a puppy, and coming into that "teenager phase" between 1-2 years. There will be pushback and whining. Treat it the same way you'd treat your kid whining about wanting to stay at the pool, eat more snacks, watch TV all day... "I hear you, and the answer is still no".

You'll like your dog a lot more when you start treating it more like a dog. They're trainable. Teach it what you want and it will learn to adapt to you.

Anonymous wrote:Animal biologist here. It seems you got a pet without having any interest in learning about the psychology of the species you were taking in. This is necessary if you are planning to live indoors with any other animal, including your own human family.

Peeing indoors is never acceptable, not even for puppies. When she has an accident inside, you raise your voice and do your best to have a very displeased tone. Dogs are very sensitive to tone, but don't have good memories, so you need to catch her in the act, or a few seconds after. That's when she'll make the connection between your anger and her peeing on the floor. You also need to use enzymatic cleaner on all the spots she's peed to get rid of the remaining molecules, otherwise she might believe it's OK to pee there.

The dog should not be so anxious and/or excited when it meets strangers. You need to train her to greet more strangers, outside, and reward her on the spot when she doesn't pee. In the meantime, if someone she doesn't know is planning to visit, they need to meet the dog outside first, to avoid her peeing indoors. You can wait for your guest outside, encourage her to pee before they arrive, then have the meet-and-greet outside before coming in. Reward her every time she meets someone without peeing. If that works (she doesn't pee for about 5-10 meetings in a row), you can give her a potty break before they come, bring her in, then ask that they come in very quietly, and you reward her for a well-behaved greeting. If that's successful, try an indoor meeting without a prior potty break.

As you can see, training a dog means immediate negative feedback when they do wrong, but gradual adjustments to the ultimate correct behavior, with lots of rewards along the way for incremental progress. Your goal is to always put them in a position to succeed, because timely food reinforcement is an extremely powerful tool.

I can't help you with your annoyance that she's always "there" - you can just ignore her, OP. But is there anything else that you think is not normal and that you need help with?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the same. When my dog and cat pass on, I will never own another animal. I don't understand why people are ok with following an animal around and picking up its poop. I got the dog because I love seeing people with their animals (the cat we inherited) - but I hate the smell and I especially hate having to plan my day around walking the dog. I have one hour in the morning before work - I could either lift weights and run or I can take the dog for a walk. But I have to walk the dog so my own health suffers. When I sit down to watch a movie in the evening, the dog wants to play. I'm a slave to the freaking dog.

OP here. This is my problem too. I want to work out in the morning, like intensely when the family is asleep but she needs to be walked. Then if she doesn’t poop, I have to watch her like a hawk to make sure she doesn’t poop in the house. She is not a dog that I can run with as she is small. That is why I asked another poster how long should I walk her to tire her out enough so that I can come home and work out?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why did you want a dog? Dogs are pack animals. You are part of her pack. Of course she wants to be with you!

You do not have the right temperament for a dog. Hopefully your family members are nicer and dog people.

OP here. Fair enough, I may not have the right temperament for one. I am very much an introvert and thought it would actually be a great idea! However, I get no break from her. I am very nice to her. I do not know why people assume I am not? Do we never find our kids annoying or needing a break from our kids? No one even answered my questions, what helps? We put our kids in aftercare and summer camps…. Would doggy daycare help?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I LOVE dogs, but I know not everyone does.

I agree you could crate train your dog, but I find it hard to put a dog in a crate when we are home and awake. My dog only went in at night and if we left the house while she was still a puppy.

Your dog needs LONG walks. Also mental stimulation. Get toys with flaps that you have to refill with treats but is still good for their mental stimulation. Get a lick mat and freeze yogurt and peanut butter on it. Stuff kongs. The more mental stimulation a dog has, the more settled they are, and the more tired they can be later! Puppies have a lot of energy, your dog will calm down, but probably not for another 9 months. So do what you can for now, it’ll be ok and this stage is not forever

OP here. Thank you for this. People are hating on me but I don’t see it as any different as someone coming online and asking for help for their crying baby or when they will sleep through the night, etc. I am asking for advice so that hopefully the feeling of being annoyed will lessen. What is a good amount to walk her? She is 20lbs. We do 20 minute walks every two hours. We do not have a fenced in backyard. Would it be best to get one to help burn more energy? Even when the kids take her out, I have to be out there because I don’t want her running off. I don’t like the idea of a shock collar. We put her in the crate at night with no issues. Putting her in during the day seems so sad to me. She just stares at me. I can’t see putting her in at night and then during the day at times too? We have a deck that has no stairs. We chill out there but again, don’t want her to be unsupervised so I have to be out there too. Most people are saying she will grow out with this and I will keep going. We are getting her trained next month. She knows sit and come. She just pulls at the leash. Again, I think she needs to run but we have no fence. No, we never had a dog before.