Poopy Dog Training - While You are Out

There will be times you have to leave your puppy home alone. Not only is it better for your floors and home to confine him in a small, 'puppy-proofed' room but it's a friendlier, safer environment for him. Puppies are unpredictable and you definitely don't want to arrive home to find your Manolo Blahnics chewed or even your wooden door trim.

Hugo likes gnawing on Grandpa's shoes (they smell so yummy) and he loves to chew on the wooden stair posts. He's just rounding the corners for us!


Paper a small portion of the floor in your puppy-proofed room, using the newspaper the pup is already familiar with on which he has done his business. Put his bed, toys and food/water bowls off to the other side of the room. He will probably play with the papers, chew on them, and drag them around the little area - but hopefully still pee on the paper that smells like him.

Most puppies do play with the paper and you just have to accept it as part of the process. Don't get upset; just accept it as life with a young puppy. The important thing is to clean up the mess when you get home and lay down fresh papers beside one on which your four legged best friend has voided.

Be consistent - dogs and children thrive on routine!


PPP

Poopy Dog Training - Is he Going Number 1 in His Sleeping Crate?

The major reason a dog does his business in his crate is because he may have been left in there too many hours. But when it makes a mistake is it only going number one? If it is try and start only giving it water as it leaves the crate in the morning - Set a very strict time @ night and DO NOT give them water after that. Always thoroughly clean the crate if this happens, wipe everything down with vinegar & add a little into the washer while washing the blankets - Vinegar gets rid of the nasty smell, not even your puppy will be able to smell anything. If a dog can smell the scent of there feces they will continue to go in that exact same spot - Vinegar even works great on carpet.
If after that your dog is still is going number one in the crate it might have a bladder infection and you should consult your vet.




PPP

Crate Training Your Pup

Something to consider while house potty training your puppy during the night is crate training.

Hugo hated his crate at first, but now that is where he LOVES to sleep! Of course, he loves to sleep on Grandma and Grandpa's big king size bed too, but when they aren't home, his crate is his comfort zone.

When your dog wakes up in the morning take him outside immediately for a bathroom
break. If he does his business, bring him back in the house and let him sleep or play (outside the crate). If he doesn't do his business while you are outside, put him back in the crate for half an hour, feed him then take him out again for another try.

In the beginning I wouldn't suggest leaving your little pup in the crate all night, without a break. You might have some business to clean up in the morning - Puppies need to pee every few hours. It could lead to further problems if he starts peeing in his crate...we will discuss those next time :)


PPP

Friendship and Learning

Hugo is finding a huge world of friends outside his little family's home. This is his very best friend, Mika,who lives right across the street with her Mom and Dad.

Hugo takes his Mom for a walk around the dike every day, which is nearly a mile, and there are always other poopy dogs with their owners. It is a great way to learn to socialize. If they are both off-leash it's nearly always a good 'meet'. Sometimes if they are both on leash, Hugo gets agressive which causes the other (usually bigger) dog to be uncomfortable. Hugo is learning which behaviour is acceptable but he tends to forget at times :)

He's also learning his Mom's 'rules'. She is consistent on every walk. There are times Hugo must be on leash and others where he may run free, but he must stay on the path (he'd get in big trouble if he went chasing off after someone's golf ball...) and he's learning to stop to wait for his Mom when she says, "Wait Hugo".

Hugo knows the path and will soon be taking his Grandma for walks to train her!


PPP

No Fault Accidents - Another Potty Training Tip

Accidents will happen when you are paper training your puppy to do his business! Do not blame your puppy, just slow down the process, perhaps even backtrack slightly and be sure to give lots of praise your pup when he does the job correctly.

Once your puppy is reliably doing his business only on the papers you have on the floor for him, you can slowly, gradually move his papers to a location of your choice - such as closer to the door.

Move the papers only an inch a day. If your puppy misses the paper and messes on the floor, you're moving too fast. Go back a few steps and start over. Don't be discouraged if your puppy is making great progress & then pees somewhere off the paper - this is normal. There will always be minor set-backs. If you stick with this procedure, your puppy will be paper trained in no time. Dogs are very smart and they aim to please.

Eventually the paper will be very very close to the door, and your ultimate plan is for the pup to go outside to do his "business". Leave the paper near the door for a few weeks - But remember you are ALWAYS trying to encourage the little one to go outside. The paper is placed near the door in case of an accident...

You WILL be able to remove the paper completely once the pup is accustomed to going to the door, because you will always be right there to let him outside. Remember it is not your puppies fault if he pees on the floor - You must be on top of the situation, encouraging him to go outside - every single time after he eats, drinks, wakes from a nap or plays. Pups need to pee on an average of every hour to two hours.

Consistency, persistance and lots of praise will pay off. Your pup will be happy and cheerful and so will you!


PPP

Hugo says...

Hugo says, "Do you like Bugs?" Under your skin? Uh uh, no bugs under your skin - is the bug in Ashley Judd's body or is she in the bugs body? Aaaaaccckkk, just looking at the weird bug on the dark, foreboding poster makes Grandma's skin crawl! That bug seems to have an awful lot of creepy crawly legs....

Lionsgate Films presents "Bug", a new movie starring Ashley Judd and Harry Connick Jr. "First they send in their drone, then they find their queen" is the catchphrase for the movie. It sounds intriguing!

Eeek... look at the face within Ashley Judd's face... that is one scary poster and the blue/grey color makes it look really eerie. I'm scared for her just looking at the poster... Hugo says he and Grandma will have to cover their eyes because it looks pretty scary.

Watch the trailer for the bug movie of the year to see if it will scare you. It looks like a lot of drama mixed in with some pretty frightening ordeals. "Bug" is by the director of the Exorcist so it is sure to be hugely successful!

"Bug" looks like a frightening "bug movie"thriller and comes out May 25. Hugo says tell us when we can open our eyes!




PPP

Hugo Says ESL is More Difficult than Doggerel!

Have you ever been confused by the English language?

Hugo says he knows Doggerel and is trying to learn ESL (English as a Second Language). Bi-lingualism is very helpful in today's world and many people speak at least 2 languages! If Grandma is able to teach Hugo to read he'll be a well educated poopy dog.

In 1989 Richard Lederer wrote an article asking questions to which there appear to be no answers!

The following poem is by Richard Keogh. Try to read it without mispronouncing a word, then ask your English major friends to try it - be sure to keep track of how many words they mispronounce!!!

I take it you already know
Of tough and bough and cough and dough.
Others may stumble, but not you,
On hiccough, thorough, slough and through.
Well done! And now you wish, perhaps,
To learn of less familiar traps?

Beware of heard, a dreadful word,
That looks like beard and sounds like bird.
And dead--it's said like bed, not bead;
For goodness sake, don't call it deed!
Watch out for meat and great and threat.
(They rhyme with suite and straight and debt.)
A moth is not a moth in mother;
Nor both in bother, broth in brother.

And here is not a match for there,
Nor dear and fear for bear and pear;
And then there's dose and rose and lose--
Just look them up--and goose and choose;
And cork and work and card and ward,
And font and front and word and sword.
And do and go, then thwart and cart.
Come, come, I've hardly made a start.

A dreadful language? Why man alive,
I learned to talk it when I was five;
And yet to write it, the more I try,
I haven't learned it at fifty-five.


Hugo says he's going to have to spend more time on 'ESL' but first he needs a nap!

Hugo Shares Another Tip on Potty Training Your Puppy

One of the most important steps in potty training your puppy is to use a code word or phrase.

Repetition and consistency are key in training your pup. "Do Your Business" is Hugo's code phrase and it works for him because his family works at using it correctly.

Before taking your puppy outside be sure to have a treat in your pocket. You can tell your puppy you have a treat because that is ALWAYS good incentive but don't tease him with it! We go light on the treats and big on the praise. Treats are quite often full of useless calories while praise is full of good vibes.

Use 'your' word or phrase carefully and be very persistent. Say it until your poopy dog does his "Business" and then congratulate him with the words "Good Business" each time. You must tell your dog what it was he 'did good' and why you are so happy with him then hand him a treat, followed by a nice pat on the back. This simple step really works. Hugo was potty trained at 4 months old!!!

After a few weeks your pup will do his "Business" on command and you will be able to convince him to do it ANYWHERE - even on the swim grid of a boat!!!