One Week Update
Alright, Hokkaido has lived with us about a week, and it's already been a learning experience.
So far, we know about this puppy:
1. He will not poo on the grass in front of the apartment. He has to be on the OTHER side of the complex. Addendum to the poo rule: If we poo once, we must poo three times. Even if nothing comes out the third time.
2. This puppy came to me super socialized. Every person who exits a car or apartment MUST be doing so with the express intent of playing with Hokkaido. This rule goes double for other dogs. We came across a timid little daschund this morning who was totally overwhelmed at the OMGENTHUSIASM of my puppy.
3. Hokkaido has Collar-Induced Ear infections. :P If the collar is on, he shakes, scratches, and tilts his head from side to side. When the collar is removed, symptoms mysteriously disappear.
4. Yelling a sharp no at Hokkaido simply alerts him that he is doing something he shouldn't be. He WILL be back to do it again. A firm shake at the scruff of the neck (picked up from The Misanthropic Shiba) results in a yelp and a puppy who won't do that again for the duration of his 1.5 hour memory.
5. No matter how expensive, creative, or pretty a toy is, it cannot beat an empty plastic water bottle.
6. Cat poo is god's gift to dogs.
7. We do not "take walks". We play Redlight-Greenlight. Every time.
He's about as good as a puppy can be, I suppose. His woolly coat seems to have convinced him he's a sheep, so he spends our Redlight-Greenlight sessions chewing as much grass as possible. We've had a few accidents on the carpet, which are always in the same spot....until I put a pad over it.
The kitties are coming around to having him here. Dizzy has established herself as the Pet In Charge and will play with him from time to time, when she deems appropriate. Sumomo has finally come down from the cabinets, but still growls and occasinally hisses when he's too close. She'll tolerate him near enough for a few sniffs every once in a while. It's good progress, considering it took her two days to even come more than 7 feet from the ground.
I've been teaching him bite inhibition and a bit of self-control by feeding him his kibble by hand every day. If he sits or lays down, he gets food. If he nips, or jumps, he doesn't. It took him maybe an hour before his butt started hitting the floor every time I reached for the food.
This week we're getting him an exercise pen. We did have the kitchen blocked off for him....but the kitties sat on the counters and taunted him, resulting in lots of barking.
I think that's it for the first week.
Happy thanksgiving!
So far, we know about this puppy:
1. He will not poo on the grass in front of the apartment. He has to be on the OTHER side of the complex. Addendum to the poo rule: If we poo once, we must poo three times. Even if nothing comes out the third time.
2. This puppy came to me super socialized. Every person who exits a car or apartment MUST be doing so with the express intent of playing with Hokkaido. This rule goes double for other dogs. We came across a timid little daschund this morning who was totally overwhelmed at the OMGENTHUSIASM of my puppy.
3. Hokkaido has Collar-Induced Ear infections. :P If the collar is on, he shakes, scratches, and tilts his head from side to side. When the collar is removed, symptoms mysteriously disappear.
4. Yelling a sharp no at Hokkaido simply alerts him that he is doing something he shouldn't be. He WILL be back to do it again. A firm shake at the scruff of the neck (picked up from The Misanthropic Shiba) results in a yelp and a puppy who won't do that again for the duration of his 1.5 hour memory.
5. No matter how expensive, creative, or pretty a toy is, it cannot beat an empty plastic water bottle.
6. Cat poo is god's gift to dogs.
7. We do not "take walks". We play Redlight-Greenlight. Every time.
He's about as good as a puppy can be, I suppose. His woolly coat seems to have convinced him he's a sheep, so he spends our Redlight-Greenlight sessions chewing as much grass as possible. We've had a few accidents on the carpet, which are always in the same spot....until I put a pad over it.
The kitties are coming around to having him here. Dizzy has established herself as the Pet In Charge and will play with him from time to time, when she deems appropriate. Sumomo has finally come down from the cabinets, but still growls and occasinally hisses when he's too close. She'll tolerate him near enough for a few sniffs every once in a while. It's good progress, considering it took her two days to even come more than 7 feet from the ground.
I've been teaching him bite inhibition and a bit of self-control by feeding him his kibble by hand every day. If he sits or lays down, he gets food. If he nips, or jumps, he doesn't. It took him maybe an hour before his butt started hitting the floor every time I reached for the food.
This week we're getting him an exercise pen. We did have the kitchen blocked off for him....but the kitties sat on the counters and taunted him, resulting in lots of barking.
I think that's it for the first week.
Happy thanksgiving! This discussion has been closed.
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