Let me preface this post by saying that I am not an expert. I repeat, I am not an expert (on anything) on dogs. But, after having multiple puppies in my lifetime, and after these last few months with Trigger, I decided to put together a list of tips to help you in surviving the early months with your puppy.
Continue reading Dog Days Surviving The Early Months With Your Puppy
As you know, I am always on the hunt for healthy treats for Trigger, and this has led to me making some of my own! You and your dog will LOVE these three ingredient dog treats that I made for Trigger, they are super easy to make, and he absolutely loved them!
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Without further ado, here’s the recipe!
You can add additional peanut butter if the dough is too dry or additional oats if too sticky.
If you tried making these treats, please leave a comment below and let me know what you thought! I can’t wait to hear all about it!
Welcome back to another wonderful dog day! Today we are going to discuss feeding your new puppy. This will involve everything from what to feed him, to a feeding schedule, and even your new puppy’s nutrition.
Continue reading Feeding Your New Puppy
Last week we discussed anything and everything you could possibly need for your new puppy. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, how about we discuss surviving the first night with your puppy!
The first night home with your new puppy can be a trying experience for both of you. It’s the first time your puppy has spent the night away from his mother and littermates. Because dogs are pack animals, your puppy knows instinctively that being separated from the pack is dangerous. Whining and crying at night is your puppy’s way of calling for his pack to find him. Of course it does nothing to comfort you.
With a little preparation and patience, you can make the most of the first night with your puppy.
Take up any food or water after six or seven o’clock to make sure your puppy is running on empty when it’s time to sleep. Otherwise, you’ll be making trips to the bathroom all night, or worse, your puppy will eliminate in the house.
Shortly before you go to bed, spend some time playing with your puppy. You want him to be tired enough to sleep soundly. Definitely don’t let him nap within an hour or two of bedtime or else your puppy will be ready to play when you’re ready to sleep.
Just before bed, take your puppy outside to his soiling area and wait for him to go. When he does praise him and bring him back inside. This reinforces good behavior and begins the house training process.
If possible, you should let your puppy sleep in your bedroom to reduce the chances of whining or crying at night. Also, the constant contact throughout the night will help your puppy adjust to you and establish you as pack leader. One note of caution: Don’t let the puppy sleep in the bed with you. He’ll eventually expect to be allowed in the bed, and it can lead to numerous behavioral problems as your puppy grows. Although, I’ll be honest with you, I currently fight one dog and four cats for a spot in my bed, so I probably should have taken my own advice a lot sooner.
If you or the breeder have started crate training, you should put the crate in your room and use that to confine him while he sleeps. Puppies usually won’t soil the area where they sleep, but if he has the opportunity to wander he may get up and go during the night.
As a last resort, you can keep your new puppy somewhere other than your bedroom. Make sure you puppy proof your house first and put a sweatshirt or other article of your clothing with him for your scent. A ticking clock or a radio set to a low volume can also help soothe a puppy the first night home. You should check on him throughout the night for bathroom breaks.
If you have multiple pets in your house, it is important to NOT let the puppy sleep with the other pets until they are properly acquainted.
If and when your puppy starts crying at night, you need to decide if he has to go to the bathroom or if he’s looking for attention. If he’s been quiet for a few hours and suddenly starts to cry or whine, he may need to go out. Puppies have small bladders, so you’ll likely have to take him out at least once during the night. A good rule of thumb is to add one to your puppy’s age in months and that’s generally how long he can go without a trip outside. So a two-month-old puppy can wait three hours. That means your puppy will probably need to go out at least twice during the night.
If your puppy is crying and you’re sure it’s not for need of relieving himself, reach down and soothe him a little. Don’t be too doting or coddle your puppy. This will only reinforce the behavior and he’ll cry even more. If he continues to whine, a gruff “Quiet” and a quick, but gentle, shake by the scruff should settle the matter. If all else fails, ignore him. Tough love may be difficult, but eventually your puppy will learn that crying at night gets him nowhere. The more persistent you are in your approach, the quicker the situation will be resolved. If you’re stern one minute and sympathetic the next, your puppy will only be confused and his behavior will continue.
Congratulations on surviving the first night with your puppy!
Now, get up right away and take your puppy outside to his soiling area. Carry him. Don’t let him walk there or he may be tempted to go before he gets outside. Let him empty everything out, and praise him when he’s finished.
As with any new baby, you may not get much sleep the first night with puppy. If you’re patient and understanding, your puppy will learn what you expect of him when it’s time to sleep. You both should wake up rested and ready for the day after a few nights together.
I hope this has helped you with surviving the first night with your puppy! If you can think of any additional tips, please comment below or email me at aliciainasmalltown@gmail.com!
So, I can’t lie to you. It’s been a rough week. Getting back into the work/school routine has been less than fun… And I didn’t play the Power Ball, so I have no chance of having won and not going back. 😉 Don’t get me wrong, I love my job, but we came back to school to find that two of my favorite students were transferring to different schools… It took everything in me to not cry at school.
Training Trigger is going good! I can say that he is almost 100% housebroken, walks super great on the leash, and does perfect in his crate. Plus, he’s such a love bug! He tends to be a bit of a lap baby, but I’m okay with that. 🙂 I was able to get in touch with someone who got a puppy from a previous litter from his breeder (same mom and dad) and they said that their pup who is just over a year old now weighs 110 pounds! I may need to get the lap baby thing in check soon, but I really enjoy all the love…
As you can see in the photo above, I have a brand new phone case. It is AMAZING! I have to have a wallet phone case, because I am constantly forgetting my driver’s license and debit card in either my purse or yesterday’s blue jeans, so this one is kinda perfect. What makes it completely perfect is that it has a removable magnetic case for your phone. It also has three separate slots for cash, receipts, and whatever other loose papers that you may have.
We’ve had so much rain these last few weeks that I’ve been desperately needing rain boots (especially when my front yard turned into a pond!). I searched and searched, and finally found these cute and affordable ones! They are available in several different prints, but I got these black ones with white polka dots with the intentions of adding my monogram in red. I’ll have to update the photos when I finally get a few minutes to add the monogram.
So, here’s the topic that I dread talking about… I really need to get healthier. I will be keeping you all updated with my weight, measurements, and workouts throughout the year. Without further ado, here are the numbers—
If you would like to join me on my fat loss journey, I have a clean copy of the sheet I created that you can download here…
Well, until next time! I hope you’re all joining me tomorrow for week 2 of our 52 week home organization challenge!