Putt
- Thread starter Putts
- Start date
Help Support Van Living Forum:
Putts
Well-known member
I know, right. Really well behaved, too. Had to tell him about three times not to chew on the leash and he's stopped. very soft with is mouth and doesn't really chew on you at all. LOVES the back yard. I'll try to get a video of him playing with his little tennis balls I've hung from a rope on a tree. Slept soundly in his bed at the foot of my bed. I've got a leash in the center of the bed so he can't get out of it to invade my bed. He took to it no problem.
Yesterday was funny picking him up. He had never even been outdoors yet, just in a caged in area with mum. He was pretty...well, frightened isn't the right word, maybe just overwhelmed by it all. We stopped by a lake on our way back. there was a lump of grass on the shoreline with an 8" cliff to a little foot wide beach below. He was sitting scratching his shoulder and fell over backward off the cliff and tumbled half into the water. Didn't phase him a bit, just walked out and shook himself off.
He follows me around like a shadow. Right now he's just sitting at my feet resting. We've already had a big morning, he played in the back yard attacking the miniature tennis balls hung from the tree and jumping around through the tall grass. When I walk up the flight of stairs (7) to the back porch he already knows how to make it up. Going down is a bit sketchy yet. He has come up and down the stairs to his bed though.
I bought an electronic squeaker mouse, all you have to do is touch it and it squeaks. I sewed some fishing line to it's nose and put it on the end of a pole. Holy smoke he goes after that thing. Good Dart!
I'm not really the schmoopy type, but it's fun watching him. I think he's going to do just fine as a working guard dog and companion. All good here.
Yesterday was funny picking him up. He had never even been outdoors yet, just in a caged in area with mum. He was pretty...well, frightened isn't the right word, maybe just overwhelmed by it all. We stopped by a lake on our way back. there was a lump of grass on the shoreline with an 8" cliff to a little foot wide beach below. He was sitting scratching his shoulder and fell over backward off the cliff and tumbled half into the water. Didn't phase him a bit, just walked out and shook himself off.
He follows me around like a shadow. Right now he's just sitting at my feet resting. We've already had a big morning, he played in the back yard attacking the miniature tennis balls hung from the tree and jumping around through the tall grass. When I walk up the flight of stairs (7) to the back porch he already knows how to make it up. Going down is a bit sketchy yet. He has come up and down the stairs to his bed though.
I bought an electronic squeaker mouse, all you have to do is touch it and it squeaks. I sewed some fishing line to it's nose and put it on the end of a pole. Holy smoke he goes after that thing. Good Dart!
I'm not really the schmoopy type, but it's fun watching him. I think he's going to do just fine as a working guard dog and companion. All good here.
Putts said:
Guess again!
That pup has you wrapped around his little paw....
Putts
Well-known member
I....um....but...well, okay, probably.
Putts
Well-known member
Thanks, Cammalu, I'll get some today. My daughter is desperate for one too.
Putts
Well-known member
Queen said:
Not really, he's surprisingly mellow. He hasn't really played with me; tried to get him to hold on to one end of a rope toy and pull against me. He just looked at me like, "Sure, you can have it, boss." Cocked his little head and looked at me. To your question, he'll play around in the back yard for 15 minutes gnawing on grass and exploring. Then I'll go up to the porch and he'll follow right along. If I sit at my computer he'll sit at my feet and relax.
Just went for a walk on the leash for the first time, prolly a half mile, and he was mostly heeling up just behind right beside me. Bloody impressive. There's a little tiny creek in the park a block away---literally about a foot wide and 3" deep. I crossed and he just splashed right through.
Wow, just a great little dog. I couldn't be more satisfied.
Update: Yeah, he just fell asleep snuggled up against my shoe as I type.
Good Dart.
decodancer
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2014
- Messages
- 564
- Reaction score
- 1
Wow! Just catching up on the thread and glad to see that little Dart is doing so well. He's gonna be one lucky pup, so many are just locked up while family is at work all day. You're doing everything right, letting him fit into your life instead of adapting to his wants and wondering why he ends up fighting you when you change the rules. You mentioned a leash to keep him from going on to your bed. It is attached to a harness as apposed to a collar isn't it? My fear is that if he were to roll out of bed while sleeping, that's a long fall for a tiny pup. At least with a harness, he would not harm himself, just do a Peter Pan imitation. Always remember the easiest way to house train any dog is to never let him make a mistake in the first place. If he does, just pick it up without a word and get him out sooner next time. If you catch him looking for a spot on the other hand, carry him to the correct place and praise him when he goes. Yelling or punishing just tells him that he better not do that in front of you again. Set your rules and stick to them. If he's not allowed on the furniture, don't let him on it once in a while just for a treat. Puppies are little sponges and learn quickly but if it was ok yesterday... He's adorable, enjoy your new family member.
Putts
Well-known member
Thank you, decodancer. Yes, he has a harness in his bed; the tether goes through a hole in the center of his pad, through the wood, and to a cleat underneath so I can adjust it just so. Your words echo what I've read, and are especially important for a Schip I understand. Just took him for a ride to PetSmart so we could walk around and deal with a bunch of dogs and kids (and parents) saying, "Ooooo, he's so cute!" The first dog he met was a big goofy St. Bernard. At first he was really sketched out. I got on the floor and cuddled him and the big mutt came over for a sniff. By the time we went down two more isles and a couple of dogs he was walking right up for a sniff. After about a dozen encounters with kids he was trying to jump on on a bench to meet the next one.
He does ASTONISHINGLY well on the leash. Sometimes a little hesitant with sliding doors and curbs, I let him chill for a sec and then start walking and he comes right along. Tends to walk a little aft of me, I hear that's a good thing because he recognizes I'm in charge. Is that right?
Every once in a while he pulls back and doesn't want to go. So far I've been giving a little tug and saying "heel" and he seems to respond pretty quickly. Any advice here?
Yesterday on the three hour drive from Missoula he was in a soft carrier on my lap. after about two hours he started to circle a little frantically, so I told my buddy Tyler to to take the next exit 'cuz I figure he needed to go to the bathroom. He got out, waded into the grass for a minute and pooped a good one. Atta boy! Good Dart.
On the way to PetSmart he was on the passenger seat and jumped off onto the van floor. I didn't do anything at the time because I was driving. When we left he tried to jump onto the floor again and I gave a stern "No!" and gave him a little pinch on the back of the neck. I saw a video of a lady on a sailboat who had Schips with a brood. She said the pinch on the back of the neck mimics what mom would do. Anywho, I've been doing that with startling success...a couple times and the behavior changes. This time, because he had jumped on the floor before, it took about four times, then he settled into the passenger seat and chilled out. Any comments?
Here's the video:
He seems surprisingly uninterested in food. Stress maybe? I think yesterday was the first time he had even been outdoors. He has eaten some, but not much at a time. The breeder said that she had a good puppy food mix, but oddly the whole litter decided that mom's dry dog food was better. It's Pure Balance "Small Breed" grain-free formula. The breeder suggested mixing it with lactose free milk. Do you have any suggestions on food and feeding amounts? That sailing lady said to weigh the dog weekly at this age to monitor growth. Good idea? Any idea how fast he should take on weight gain?
I read somewhere that pups his age should be careful around other dogs and their poop and pee due to potential disease. He did get his canine distemper adenovirus type 2 parainfluenza parvovirus vaccine and canine coronavirus vaccine about three days ago. Is this something I should worry about?
I bought some bells to hang on the door for him to swipe when he wants to go out to go potty. Any tricks to getting that to sink in?
I terrible with birthdays, I was worried I'd forget Dart's. He was born on 4/20! Shouldn't have any problem remembering that.
He does ASTONISHINGLY well on the leash. Sometimes a little hesitant with sliding doors and curbs, I let him chill for a sec and then start walking and he comes right along. Tends to walk a little aft of me, I hear that's a good thing because he recognizes I'm in charge. Is that right?
Every once in a while he pulls back and doesn't want to go. So far I've been giving a little tug and saying "heel" and he seems to respond pretty quickly. Any advice here?
Yesterday on the three hour drive from Missoula he was in a soft carrier on my lap. after about two hours he started to circle a little frantically, so I told my buddy Tyler to to take the next exit 'cuz I figure he needed to go to the bathroom. He got out, waded into the grass for a minute and pooped a good one. Atta boy! Good Dart.
On the way to PetSmart he was on the passenger seat and jumped off onto the van floor. I didn't do anything at the time because I was driving. When we left he tried to jump onto the floor again and I gave a stern "No!" and gave him a little pinch on the back of the neck. I saw a video of a lady on a sailboat who had Schips with a brood. She said the pinch on the back of the neck mimics what mom would do. Anywho, I've been doing that with startling success...a couple times and the behavior changes. This time, because he had jumped on the floor before, it took about four times, then he settled into the passenger seat and chilled out. Any comments?
Here's the video:
He seems surprisingly uninterested in food. Stress maybe? I think yesterday was the first time he had even been outdoors. He has eaten some, but not much at a time. The breeder said that she had a good puppy food mix, but oddly the whole litter decided that mom's dry dog food was better. It's Pure Balance "Small Breed" grain-free formula. The breeder suggested mixing it with lactose free milk. Do you have any suggestions on food and feeding amounts? That sailing lady said to weigh the dog weekly at this age to monitor growth. Good idea? Any idea how fast he should take on weight gain?
I read somewhere that pups his age should be careful around other dogs and their poop and pee due to potential disease. He did get his canine distemper adenovirus type 2 parainfluenza parvovirus vaccine and canine coronavirus vaccine about three days ago. Is this something I should worry about?
I bought some bells to hang on the door for him to swipe when he wants to go out to go potty. Any tricks to getting that to sink in?
I terrible with birthdays, I was worried I'd forget Dart's. He was born on 4/20! Shouldn't have any problem remembering that.
Putts
Well-known member
Oh! Kathleen, I've heard it's not a good idea to pet Schipperke's ears as too much may cause them to flop over and not stand up straight as an adult. Is that right?
Putts
Well-known member
Progress report:
Dart pooped on the floor.
Nothing said...cleaned it up fine. (Nice and firm but not rock hard or runny.)
"The tactical result of an engagement forms the base for new strategic decisions because victory or defeat in a battle changes the situation to such a degree that no human acumen is able to see beyond the first battle." - Helmuth von Moltke the Elder
Or, to put it more succinctly: "No battle plan survives the first engagement."
Didn't see it happen; kids are over for dinner; vigilance ratcheting upwards!
(Hell of a build thread, eh?)
Dart pooped on the floor.
Nothing said...cleaned it up fine. (Nice and firm but not rock hard or runny.)
"The tactical result of an engagement forms the base for new strategic decisions because victory or defeat in a battle changes the situation to such a degree that no human acumen is able to see beyond the first battle." - Helmuth von Moltke the Elder
Or, to put it more succinctly: "No battle plan survives the first engagement."
Didn't see it happen; kids are over for dinner; vigilance ratcheting upwards!
(Hell of a build thread, eh?)
Putts said:
He was probably looking for the 5 gallon Home Depot bucket. Their TV commercial even says, "Lets DOOO this"
Shame on you sir!
Putts
Well-known member
Next week I'll be training him in the intricacies of a composting toilet.
Not sure he can span a separating bowl. Heck, thinking about it I begin to worry about anatomical alignment.
I'll break out the white board and Google some stuff.
Not sure he can span a separating bowl. Heck, thinking about it I begin to worry about anatomical alignment.
I'll break out the white board and Google some stuff.
decodancer
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2014
- Messages
- 564
- Reaction score
- 1
Putts said:Wow, this is one busy puppy! I was exhausted just reading it. Just remember he's a baby and needs lots of down time. Eat, poop, play, sleep, repeat. Just consider the length of your legs compared to his, he's running a marathon on a trip through Petsmart.
He does ASTONISHINGLY well on the leash. Sometimes a little hesitant with sliding doors and curbs, I let him chill for a sec and then start walking and he comes right along. Tends to walk a little aft of me, I hear that's a good thing because he recognizes I'm in charge. Is that right?
Every once in a while he pulls back and doesn't want to go. So far I've been giving a little tug and saying "heel" and he seems to respond pretty quickly. Any advice here?
My guess is that he's trying to keep up, the short legs thing again. That curb is like you climbing three feet, takes some practice. That sliding door is three stories high to him, it's all new now and each experience will bring more confidence. He'll walk beside you eventually, I prefer mine a foot or so ahead so long as they are not pulling. No dog wants to be at heel all the time, pups need to "read the mail" and see who was here before them. Train for five minutes then relax, that's about all the attention span he has right now.
Yesterday on the three hour drive from Missoula he was in a soft carrier on my lap. after about two hours he started to circle a little frantically, so I told my buddy Tyler to to take the next exit 'cuz I figure he needed to go to the bathroom. He got out, waded into the grass for a minute and pooped a good one. Atta boy! Good Dart.
On the way to PetSmart he was on the passenger seat and jumped off onto the van floor. I didn't do anything at the time because I was driving. When we left he tried to jump onto the floor again and I gave a stern "No!" and gave him a little pinch on the back of the neck. I saw a video of a lady on a sailboat who had Schips with a brood. She said the pinch on the back of the neck mimics what mom would do. Anywho, I've been doing that with startling success...a couple times and the behavior changes. This time, because he had jumped on the floor before, it took about four times, then he settled into the passenger seat and chilled out. Any comments?
A gentle pinch on the neck is fine for bad behavior but he doesn't know that he's not supposed to jump down and probably doesn't know what he's being punished for. A better choice might be to tether him so he can't jump or crate him in the car till he's older.
Here's the video:
He seems surprisingly uninterested in food. Stress maybe? I think yesterday was the first time he had even been outdoors. He has eaten some, but not much at a time. The breeder said that she had a good puppy food mix, but oddly the whole litter decided that mom's dry dog food was better. It's Pure Balance "Small Breed" grain-free formula. The breeder suggested mixing it with lactose free milk. Do you have any suggestions on food and feeding amounts? That sailing lady said to weigh the dog weekly at this age to monitor growth. Good idea? Any idea how fast he should take on weight gain?
He needs time to settle in to the new routine, might take him a while to get a good appetite. That said, Dart should be eating puppy food no matter what the litter preferred. He's growing and need more of some nutrients and not so much of others. My vet says brand matters little, I use Purina One for my guys and they do great on it. Moisten with a little hot water to make it more palatable and softer. Tiny teeth, still coming in can be sore. Feed him as much as he wants and when he stops eating, pick it up till the next meal. Three times a day at this age. He should also have a chew toy of some sort but please no rawhide.
I read somewhere that pups his age should be careful around other dogs and their poop and pee due to potential disease. He did get his canine distemper adenovirus type 2 parainfluenza parvovirus vaccine and canine coronavirus vaccine about three days ago. Is this something I should worry about?
I'd keep him away from dogs you don't know (have their vaccines) until he has had his last set of shots at four months old. He can get worms or worse from sniffing poo so yes, try and avoid that too.
I bought some bells to hang on the door for him to swipe when he wants to go out to go potty. Any tricks to getting that to sink in?
Right now it's your responsibility to let him know it's time. Vet says dog can hold it one hour for every month of age during the day. Should be able to hold through the night. Two months old, every two hours, time to go out and ring the bell as you go. After he eats and as soon as he wakes up, time to go out, ring bell. He'll get the idea.
Hope I'm not being too preachy, good luck, Kathleen
I terrible with birthdays, I was worried I'd forget Dart's. He was born on 4/20! Shouldn't have any problem remembering that.
Putts
Well-known member
Oh heck no, Kathleen, those are the exact, zeroed-in answers and recos I need right now. Ringing the bell as you go out is awesome. Will do.
Yes, I definitely get the it's all Mars as far as he's concerned right now. It's amazing how well he's taken it so far. I don't really push the issue much at all...he mostly come right along shortly, so I've been giving him time to process, but making sure he knows what we're on about.
[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Love it. Not that I was outpacing him---he seemed to be having a blast---but I'm going to slow down the walk some.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif][size=small][font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Got it.[/font][/font][/size]
[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif][size=small][font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif][size=small][font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Ruh rho. Of the 10 things i've presented him with, small rawhide (I assume) stuff is what he totally goes for. (Well, other than that mouse on a fishing pole.) What should I get? A link or two to get me started would be great.[/font][/font][/size][/font][/size]
[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif][size=small][font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif][size=small][font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]THANK YOU!!![/font][/font][/size][/font][/size]
decodancer
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2014
- Messages
- 564
- Reaction score
- 1
Kong is a great idea! Can fill with peanut or they make a cheese filling to. Freeze if it's hot out and the pup will have a cool treat. Nylabone is also good and there are several flavored teething toys. I boil up marrow bones for mine but might be cautious with a pup. They wont splinter but he could cut himself on sharp edges. I know lots of people give rawhide but can't count how many cases we got at the vets office from dogs choking on them. Same with pigs ears though not as often. They also hold bacteria after being chewed on a bit.
rvpopeye
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2015
- Messages
- 5,239
- Reaction score
- 5
Nylabones are great too , everything Deco said !!
My Dal loved 'em and actually chewed the end off of one of the large ones...
Once she bit her tongue or maybe lip , yipped like a bee stung her and never chewed on one again.
Shuh kuh kuh
She used to play with carpenter ants for hours until we were in Texas and she found out the hard way that fire ants weren't the same fun toy!!! Never ate another carpenter or any other ant ....after that either .
The only reason I didn't mention nylabones is they are HARD , I can see a puppy breaking off teeth on even the little ones, get him one right after he loses his first puppy tooth and git 'er done!
My Dal loved 'em and actually chewed the end off of one of the large ones...
Once she bit her tongue or maybe lip , yipped like a bee stung her and never chewed on one again.
Shuh kuh kuh
She used to play with carpenter ants for hours until we were in Texas and she found out the hard way that fire ants weren't the same fun toy!!! Never ate another carpenter or any other ant ....after that either .
The only reason I didn't mention nylabones is they are HARD , I can see a puppy breaking off teeth on even the little ones, get him one right after he loses his first puppy tooth and git 'er done!
