Courtney: Just thought I would say that your post inspired me to write a nutty little story about my pup. http://courtneynicolehamilton.blogspot.com/2010/06/puppy-love.html
Hilarious! Dogs are totally like kids. :)
I also put a link to your post so people could laugh at your story as well! 6.25.10, 2:50PM
Chloe Murdoch: I can so relate to the dog/devil problem. Shiloh the love of my life (beside my husband) has eaten over like $4,000 worth of my stuff! I know it is crazy but with the help of several training classes and some miracle chew toys we have not had destruction in a while!
6.24.10, 3:45PM caroline: Our puppy hated the crate as well. We just gave up on it, as I swear the thing just made him more nervous and likely to pee everywhere (it looked like we were keeping the incredible hulk in it). Pete had a thing for electronics (we actually had to switch to wireless internet, after he ate 3 ethernet cables), and Molly loved eating shoes. Thankfully, they both grew out of being unbelievably destructive.
6.24.10, 9:01AM betsy, la vida: Ha!! Ah yes, the puppy years... I barely remember them except for the streak of Satan in my dog (who DID eventually grow into a mellow, lovable pooch!). Take care and embrace the crazy ;)
6.23.10, 12:18PM Annette@TripleCord: We had an Old English Sheepdog when I was growing up. LOVE this breed. Thankfully the grow out of the "devil" stage!
6.20.10, 1:08PM LindsayO: Wow she has already grown sooo much since your first post!!! I hear ya with the frustrations, though- we have 2 puppies now! It's well worth it in the end. :)
6.13.10, 1:04PM Meagan: OMG! SOOO ADORABLE! What kind of puppy is this!!?? i must get one! 6.8.10, 11:11PM
LizKPhoto: Jessica,
PLEEEEEAAAASE consider reading Cesar Milan's books (Cesar's Way or How to Raise the Perfect Dog). It has done wonders with my 6 month old Labrador Retriever. I wish I would have read it BEFORE getting a puppy. I too have not had babies and have found out that "oh that sweet adorable little puppy" is not all that cute. They ARE like babies except they don't have a diaper to catch their pee and poop and they have REALLY sharp teeth and claws. Good luck with you new little "fur baby."
6.7.10, 2:01PM katy: My dog always had issues with her crate, too - every day she would need a bath and everything washed because she was so upset by the entire thing. She'll use it now, but only because we have another dog and she's not by herself. The playpen is a GREAT idea, though - that's basically what we used until we got the second dog. 6.7.10, 8:03AM
Amanda: That has to be the most precious little fur ball I've ever seen! Congratulations on the new addition!
6.6.10, 5:18PM elizabeth Pellette: we just got a new puppy too.. Brooklynn an Australian Shepherd..we love her to bits and in the process she is ripping us to bits apparently she thinks we are all chew toys, I look like I have been in a fight with a mountian lion.. yeesh.. but if you have time and wanna have a look here is a link to some photos of her. http://epellette.typepad.com/elizabeth_pellette/2010/05/brooklynn-.html
6.6.10, 10:41AM aaron: Such a cute puppy, thanks for sharing. Great shot!
6.5.10, 7:44PM katie minardi: O.M.G!! Acey is the cutest!!! Congratulations!!! Can't wait to meet her! 6.3.10, 9:05PM
Jan: Too funny!!
6.3.10, 6:55PM Patricia Marie: I love my dog more than life but those first few weeks of puppy life made me think we had made a huge mistake. I was up at night almost wishing we could return her (shhh don't tell anyone I said that). It gets better though, I promise!
6.3.10, 1:31AM Sarah: Nature's Miracle is the best product to get out odor/stains...you can even use it in loads of laundry!! 6.2.10, 11:09PM
angie : We have had great success with chewing ...our puppy NEVER chewed anything that he wasnt supposed to. We kept him busy chewing on Bully's ( youcan find them at Petsmart in the rawhide section..they are not rawhide and safe for dogs to chew and injest. It will keep your pup entertained for hours! Also...a kong filled with Peanut butter...frozen! One of the best ideas!
6.2.10, 12:33PM Liz: You'll get through it! And you'll learn what she can reach and what she can't.
and you know, she IS quite cute!
6.2.10, 9:23AM Gregg Shaw: This guy is amazing...
http://ocdogtraining.com/
His name is Andrew Ledford and he helped us understand our dog as an individual and figured out how to train her specifically. Like people, one thing that works for one dog won't necessarily work for another. Give Andrew a call!
6.1.10, 6:17PM Carol: I would be SO tempted to take your puppy and run off with it. Seriously, too too too cute. 6.1.10, 3:05PM
Chris: Love the last picture of the adorable dog looking up at the camera. You made me realize that candids aren't limited to people.
6.1.10, 1:52PM Ashley: Don't start the bed habit it is VERY hard to break...keep a squirt bottle by the bed and use it everytime shes not suppose to be on the bed (it does work). I was so against crating our weimaraner and it worked and controlled her bad potty habits. Make the crate warm and make it exciting for her to be put in there for bed time. 6.1.10, 1:16PM
michelle: ah! i love it! my dog will nevverr be caged trained, he hates not being around people and let me tell you we've had some major horror stories! once they go in the crate, they give you these puppy eyes like they'll never see you again. their cuteness always wins! 6.1.10, 11:02AM
Missy M Emory: Cuteness I tell you!!! So stinking cute!
6.1.10, 8:28AM Helen (Dogeared): Although it seems like everyone has an opinion on how to do it, there is a lot of common ground there - like the small crate, take outside 15 mins after eating, etc. And the reason people keep saying it, is because it'll be one of those basic truths, applicable to nearly every dog.
One thing - and I mention this because of the immature Boxer comment above - large dogs are slower to mature than small breeds, and certain large breeds are even slower - Boxers and Dalmatians are notorious for still being like puppies, even when they're 2 (and a Westie or Dachshund might be calmer by then).
It might be worth getting a breed-specific book, so you can find out what are the common traits to OES. I know a friend was looking at Shiba Inus, and found an awesome website written by a Shiba Inu owner - it told the good points, but also was very frank and honest about how naughty, hard to train and attention demanding they are. The person wanted people to know what they were getting into.
But I'm sure any OES rescue societies would be able to give you advice, if you needed it. Different breeds (and even dogs within a breed) will respond to different things - it's the same with kids in a classroom. Some need to do a task to learn, others need to see it done first, others need to read about it.
You'll both figure out what Acey responds to - it's just that she can't tell you.
Good luck, and yes, puppy-proof!
6.1.10, 7:30AM Mandy: Stick with the crate training...it will be Mommy's best friend when your fluffy "child" is driving you up the wall. My darling "child" managed to shred a couch cushion AND also 3 bags of potting soil IN my car...ALL while in her crate. It does get better!
5.31.10, 5:36PM Alison Mosher: Too funny. I have so been there. 5.31.10, 4:55PM
meghan: Hi Jessica,
Just wanted to say that I totally get what you are talking about with people telling you how much your dog will love their crate and blah blah blah.
I crate trained my two Labs. I had them in properly sized crates. BUT. Sometimes they still made messes (yes, I was taking them out at appropriate times). Most of the time they did NOT want to get into their crate.
I just feed them a treat and now they walk right into their crates, but that took a while to develop.
Don't feel bullied by people that have raised a dog and think they own the world now. Dogs are different, just like babies. Everyone finds something that works for them.
No hatin', just lovin' from me. :)
5.31.10, 1:35PM joan zeller: She will get better ummmm
in a weee bit of time. Stay tuned
she has not hit her teenage
stage yet.....Enjoy her.. Outside
imediately after eating , drinking.. Smaller crate..Limit water before bedtime and sing her praises.. Have you introduced her leash to her
yet? Sometimes they buck
like WILD Horses so get her
used to it quick.. If all fails
send her to me....poop and all
She will be worth it all...KIsses
5.31.10, 10:50AM Karen (Mikols) Bonar: This post had me cracking UP! I hope your office is closed off to her ... I'd hate to see her get ahold of a lens or something! See ... all of this is why I hesitate to get a puppy, despite all of my husband's assurances it won't be that way .... oh well! More posts on puppy!!!!
5.31.10, 8:21AM Becky: This post made me laugh so much! thanks for bringing a smile to my face!!!
5.31.10, 8:02AM kelli: If your puppy poops in her crate, it's too big for her. She should be able to stand and turn around in the crate. Our Golden did that, we had to buy a total of 3 different crates as he grew. They were easy enough to sell off after. Another trick is the umbilical cord. Tie your pup to you, she goes where you go and is never out of your sight. And a 'bad' dog is a bored dog. 5.30.10, 11:30AM
Christiane: Sounds exactly like my experience when I got my puppy, Gracie.
Seriously, invest in a million chew toys. I finally found that they kept my puppy busy enough to ignore the shoes, sofa corners, table legs, etc. My dog hated the puzzle toys that dispensed treats, so you just have to find what your dog likes.
5.30.10, 11:16AM Erica Velasco: hahaha i love puppies....just other people's!
5.30.10, 9:55AM sarah: she's so dang cute indeed!!!!!
5.29.10, 3:33PM Ray: "I was half right. The baby was an angel. The puppy was the devil. " So funny! That's an adorable dog you have there. And Wyatt is too cute! =o)
5.29.10, 2:44PM Karen: Sounds like you are doing great! It is WORK, but really, it gets better. Our puppy pooped in the crate too, but the trainer told us it was too big of a crate--that is why she did it-she had room to. Smaller crate worked, didn't poop, but she outgrew it quick and had to get another. AND, do a long walk in a.m., THEN crate. 5.29.10, 12:43PM
Emily Heizer Photography: Puppy sounds bored! Try a kong filled with peanut butter. That will entertain her for quite a while.
Crate training- make sure you are feeding the dog in the crate with the door closed. Dogs don't want to crap where they eat- unless she was raised in a pet store where she eats and poops in a two foot square (or a puppy mill), then this will take time, but if not, feeding her in her crate helps eliminate that problem. She needs to view it as her den which she clearly does not, at this particular time.
Make sure you are feeding and watering her on a schedule. About 15 minutes after either activity and it's potty break time. If you let her graze, poop and pee is going to come out at random times, whenever, unpredictably. Make sure you give her treats and praise a TON when she goes potty outside after meals.
Good luck...
5.28.10, 11:09PM Wendy: This is sad, but hilarious. Having been through puppies and 2 babies, I agree with one thing: A tired dog is a good dog. Run her butt off at the park or around the neighborhood at least 2 times a day. As for the other stuff, it's just like kids: Some say "put them down awake, get them used to the crib, don't hold them all the time, hold them all the time, don't put them in the crib let the sleep with you, make them cry it out, don't ever let them cry..." You get the picture. I think every baby and every baby doggie are different. For some the crate may be the thing, for others, not so much. Same with the crib. My son screamed if I even approached the crib until he was 18 months and I just finally got him a queen bed (which he loved and has slept in ever since--he's now 4). My daughter loved her crib from day one, still sleeps in it so happily at age 2. So there you have it. The good news is, by the end of the year, your pup will be like a 7 year old (1 dog year supposedly equals 7 human years...) so your hard phase will be short lived. There, now I think I get longest comment award. :)
5.28.10, 11:06PM amber: When I first got my Akita puppy who is now 9,she peeed and pooped in the crate EVERYDAY even if she was only in there for 10 mins. She ate two sofas and a king size bed that had a feather bed on top. Can you see the feathers everywhere????? Now she is my heart! never is "bad". and loved all day. Watch the ceasar milan puppytraning dvds I bet there good. hang in there.....
5.28.10, 10:27PM Karen: Aww, Acey is so cute, despite her recent naughtiness. When my dog was a puppy, I had to put her in a play pen whenever I couldn't keep my eyes on her...though she always found a way to climb out to poo on the carpet.
5.28.10, 10:10PM Sami: Hi Jess - she is gorgeous!!!! I'm about six month ahead of you on the puppy stakes and can TOTALLY RELATE. My puppy Miley was pretty good at the create training and my advice here is make the crate smaller. We put a box in to reduce the size while she was small and it worked a treat. We are currently at the "I want to eat everything stage" (http://samanthagale.net.au/category/mileysadventures/) I've been told it all eases down when they grow a little. My theory is that puppies are so darn cute so that you cant stay made at them while they are pooping & peeing on or eating everything in sight! Can't wait to see more updates x
5.28.10, 10:02PM Audrey: Cute....but don't let them pee on the hard wood floor, even if it IS inside the little fence. The urine will ruin the finish of your hard wood floors. Trust me, I know. 5.28.10, 9:18PM
Angel Canary: Hmmm, so I think I was right when Steven wanted to get a puppy at the start of WEDDING season! No way! Maybe, later...one day...maybe. ;)
5.28.10, 9:03PM Leah Haydock: crate training was awful for us too but after Coco puked in our bed all over my new hotel-white bed linens it just strengthened my resolve. just power-wash the crates outside :)
5.28.10, 8:36PM april: No matter what she gets into, there's no way you could stay mad at that face! I think that's why puppies are made to be so cute...
5.28.10, 8:26PM Angela: I have two daughter's 11 & 6 they ask me everyday can we PLEASE get a puppy. My husband travels a lot and the girls and I LOVE get up and go all over together (movies, waterpark, yummy lunch etc.). Therefore my rule is unless it comes with a SS# and I can claim it on my taxes, it can't come in our house LOL. However I did show them a pic of your very CUTE puppy and they just LOVE her. Good luck! 5.28.10, 8:20PM
Diane Lewis: Oh Jess, she's so cute! You won't know what you did with your free time before the dog, then when you have kids you wonder what you did with your time with just a dog.. somehow it all works out, and loving a 4 legged and/or 2 legged baby is the best thing life has to offer! Best of luck, I hope she doesn't destroy too much in her puppyhood! My dog Reesie chewed every leg of our new hand carved kitchen table the day we decided to adopt her, she never chewed anything since, she's 12 1/2 now and the table legs still are chewed and remind me of her... but life isn't about possessions, but all the wonderful memories we create along the way.
5.28.10, 8:17PM becky g.: The pooping thing is all about learning your puppy's timing. About 20 minutes after eating, she will always have to poop. If you learn her schedule, your rugs will be safer. The Art of Raising a Puppy, by the Monks of New Skete is a helpful book on raising a pup. 5.28.10, 8:04PM
gitz: Dude. You're preaching to the choir. I have the cutest Maltese named Riley. He is on antidepressants. I'm not kidding.
5.28.10, 7:55PM gitz: Dude. You're preaching to the choir. I have the cutest Maltese named Riley. He is on antidepressants. I'm not kidding.
5.28.10, 7:54PM Lindsay: I think the rule is that if you buy kids expensive things, they will always want the cheap packaging it came in (or like my niece, be happy with a plastic pitcher). But if you buy dogs cheap things, they will find the most expensive thing you own, and destroy it (IE my basset hound eating my couch, piece by piece). It is lucky they're cute - hang in there through the puppy phase - it DOES get better. Of course, then it gets worse again for a while, but then it gets really better around 2 years. It's worth it!
5.28.10, 6:49PM Matthew Saville: EXACTLY! Just got a puppy, and OMG I realize just how NOT ready I am for an actual human baby. Like, wow... I used to thoroughly enjoy sleeping in till 9 or 10 every day, it was one of the perks of being a freelance photographer. Now I'll probably spend the next 10-20 years getting up at 5 or 6 AM, whether it be for a dog or a kid. Sigh. But hey, life is GOOD if this is all we have to complain about! =Matt=
5.28.10, 6:26PM sergio Buss: Ahhhhhh... dogs and the beautiful mess they make in our lives.... isn't it great?
5.28.10, 5:47PM Nicole: she is soooo cute!!! she looks like a stuffed animal... especially in the picture next to the stuffed toy! 5.28.10, 5:14PM
whitney elizabeth: yeah, she'll calm down around age 7...at least that's my personal experience from owning 3 puppies in my lifetime!! good luck :)
5.28.10, 5:08PM Kellee: I have no puppy, no baby, and no opinions on crate training (I'd never even heard of it unitl you got Acey). However I will share what I do know for a fact...Cuuuuuuuute!!!!!!!!
5.28.10, 5:04PM Heather: Just be thankful even at full size your dog won't be able to take a one gallon container of vegetable oil off the top of your fridge and proceed to ruin your carpeting, lol (three carpet cleanings later, I can still tell where that spot was). I've got two great danes...one angel and one devil for sure. But I love them both just as much :)
5.28.10, 4:53PM Wendy: I agree with Scott. The crate is too big. I have three dogs and they are all crate trained. It has become their retreat. (I have 5 kids) You need to get a crate that she can sleep in and only has a LITTLE room. They dont want to mess where they lay. It may seem cruel but I swear by them. Good Luck! 5.28.10, 4:40PM
Stephanie: We're going through the same thing right now with a 12 week-old Golden Retriever... they make puppies unbearably cute for a reaon!! Enjoy!
5.28.10, 4:31PM heather: You have probably heard it but just in case....when you crate train only give them enough room to lay down (the crate hopefully came with a section divider). if we would not have had this then we would have been in major trouble. just from experience with an 8month old lab:)
5.28.10, 3:45PM Amber: That is one cute puppy! Oh and I love your site. It's very unique!
5.28.10, 3:44PM Molly: After a year of seriously trying to crate train our dog, we finally gave up. We were as hardcore as we could be about it, and he never loved it, constantly messed in it and all around hated it to guts. We let him sleep in our bed when we are gone - no issues. Of course he's house-trained. We hung a bell from our doorknob and taught him to ring it when he needs to go out - works like a charm!
5.28.10, 3:25PM Jill Denny: Lots of exercise. Lots and lots of excercise. Trust me. I have two dogs of my own and I got them when they were little puppies.
5.28.10, 3:23PM Melissa: Having a puppy is SO HARD. I had a little yorkie for years, but my husband wanted a bigger dog so literally the DAY we got back from our honeymoon we got a German Shepherd puppy. She is a sweetheart, but big dogs are A LOT of work and we are over 1 year in and I am still waiting for the day where she is as easy as my little pup. But they are always worth it, ya know, because you are right- they are so cute! (and your new addition is seriously adorable!)
5.28.10, 3:22PM Scott Hopkins: The crate may be to big for her. If you have a divider for it, install it. As for the chewing, get a puppy Kong, fill it with her kibble, plug the end with peanut butter, put the whole thing is a ziplock bag and then into the freezer. Our Goldendoodle, Henry, is occupied for ages with it. We try to always have one in the freezer on standby.
5.28.10, 3:22PM julia williams: you forgot the all-important reason #4 why puppies are like babies: puppy-proofing! Just watch, everything in your house will migrate up, you will never leave anything on the floor again... and then when you have a baby, all you have to do is stick plastic thingys in the electric sockets, and you are set!
5.28.10, 3:11PM kelli taylor: They are cute so you don't kill them!
5.28.10, 3:01PM Charrie: Uh, the only thing missing from her play area are puppy pads. Rub a clean one in her pee so she can smell where she's SUPPOSED to go! And hang in there. It will be all worth it in the end, just like a baby. :) 5.28.10, 2:58PM
krissy: good times, jessica & jeff, good times! :)
5.28.10, 2:56PM Lydia: After having raised two dogs for Guide Dogs for the Blind, I'm a firm believer that puppies are good training for babies!
5.28.10, 2:52PM Amanda Herzberger: Our first puppy was a breeze but our second....she is more of the Acey type. The first month or two are the toughest with constantly going outside, housebreaking, etc. From there it gets a bit easier although our younger one is now seven months old and decided to try out shoes for the first time a few weeks ago. Turns out she thinks they are pretty tasty...feels a bit like we are starting over :)
5.28.10, 2:49PM Lacy: My husband and I train our own hunting dogs and this is a great book for the "Family Dog". http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?r=1&ISBN=9780525944720&ourl=Family%2DDog%2FRichard%2DA%2DWolters&cm_mmc=Google%20Product%20Listing%20Ads-_-k232270-_-j12871747k232270-_-Primary&IF=N
5.28.10, 2:49PM Ginger Murray: But good Lord, is she CUTE!!!
LOL-- "This is Wyatt's reaction to the stream of obscenities I launched in Acey's direction."
Yeah dude... puppies are so much work. Put the work in, and it will be worth it! Remember, "This too shall pass." My parents have a boxer dog, and those things are INSANEO (often even as adults). I totally called her devil dog, too, when she was a puppy. I didn't realize that was the breed though, and I thought she was just a brat. I remember trying to drag her back home after she ran to the neighbor's yard and was running around with his dogs... she had just gotten spayed, so I was trying to keep her safe, she slipped out of her collar, and she was too wiggly to pick up, and she kept biting me. I dropped a few f-bombs at her(I'm not huge on swearing, but I was crying, angry, AND scared for her). Finally got her back to our house. A couple months later, I was in my high school bathroom, fixing my hair before class. A girl next to me goes, "Hey, are you Ron's neighbor?" "Yeah!" I say. "Oh, my boyfriend's mom is dating him!" "Oh crazy!" I said. She goes, "Yeah ... I think I was over there one time when you were trying to get your dog in his backyard....?"
I was SO embarrassed!! HA! Anyway, I love my parents dog now... I love seeing her when I go "home." She is getting older, and she probably won't be around for too much longer-- too sad:(. She LOVES my husband to death, and he met his first boxer puppy last year, and is now saying someday he wants to get a boxer. Maybe not a puppy though... haha.
Good luck!! And congrats:) Can't wait to see more photos. ((Win for Longest Comment Ever!!))
5.28.10, 2:44PM daria bishop: sorry about your stuff, but jessica, this was a seriously funny post. thanks for the giggles and have fun with that seriously cute puppy of yours!
5.28.10, 2:43PM Ewelina : Congratulations on your addition to the family! She is indeed adorable!!!
5.28.10, 2:42PM Amy Horne: Another similarity between having a baby and puppy: everyone gives you their advice on how you're SUPPOSED to raise them :) And, the truth is all babies and all puppies are different. The same rules don't apply to every single one! Sheesh!
5.28.10, 2:36PM melissa: but she is soooo cute!!
once she is out of her "destroying designer pieces" phase you will have years and years of love and fun!!! 5.28.10, 2:29PM
Tony Bisson: I'd forgive a face like that just about anything too.
5.28.10, 2:29PM MA5EN: As far as the crating goes, don't give up. Two things you can do... don't feed her or give her access to food after 6:00pm or so. Make sure she goes pee in the yard before you put her in the crate. And lastly, take and old t-shirt of yours or Jeff's, and put it in the crate with her. Make sure it has your scent on it. She'll be much less likely to pee or poo in the crate if she smells your scent, and if she has an empty belly and bladder.
/.02
She IS super cute!
Oh, and don't forget to PRAISE her for going potty outside!
5.28.10, 2:28PM Heather Disarro: oh my goodness, but she really is so CUUUUUUUTE!!! i remember when we were trying to crate train our dogs...the only thing that helped was we boarded them and went on a trip. when we got back they were more than happy to go in their crates!
5.28.10, 2:27PM Alexandra: :) I loved reading this post, Jessica haha. She is soooo cute!!
5.28.10, 2:26PM michelle carrillo: HOORAY for the exercise pen! seriously... it's the ONLY thing that has kept me sane this past year (my mini-doxie just turned ONE). ooh, and stuffed kongs and bully sticks. definitely.
5.28.10, 2:25PM Jessica Hill: yes... He's SOOOO cute, like ignore all the chewed up Prada shoes and your poor JA rug cute. Congrats on the new baby :)
5.28.10, 2:24PM carlie: oh jess, i love her already and can't wait to meet her. and yes, RIP beautiful rug... i would have cried.
5.28.10, 2:22PM Wendi: Acey is so cutttttteeee!!
When I first got my Hunter, I called him Devil Dog so often that my friends didn't know his name was Hunter.
5.28.10, 2:21PM Dana: two words: Doggie Daycare.
find one near you :) 5.28.10, 2:20PM