Amelia Jean’s Training Update
I’m a little rusty when it comes to training a new puppy. I haven’t had one in a long time.
So far, she kind of knows where to pee. Sometimes she’ll go on the carpet, but other times she will go to the bathroom where her weewee pad is. Although, sometimes she doesn’t go on the weewee pad itself, but it’s progress nonetheless.
She still cries when we leave her alone, but I’m trying the whole Self Soothing technique. My dad does not follow this rule, and picks her up the louder she cries. I’m like the bad cop, and he’s the good cop. Typical grandpa behavior, spoiling the grandkid. :P But I think the Self Soothing thing is working because she cries for shorter periods of times now. So that’s good.
One thing she did do by herself was go to her own bed, which is also in the bathroom. I’m usually the one putting her there when it’s time for bed, or when I think she has to pee. This one time, though, she actually took herself to bed. I left the door open to show her that she’s not always going to be confined in there when she goes in.
She has two beds, actually. One in the bathroom and one in the living room. I probably need to buy another one for when she’s in my room. Anyway, I’m teaching her to know where her “spot” is. She can’t always be let on the couch, and I need to be able to tell her where to go. This was one of the things Doogie was really good at doing; knowing where to go when I told him. As usually, she begs to be let on the couch, but I ignored her. She tried to see if my dad would let her up, but I even scolded him to not let her. Again, bad cop (me), good cop (my dad). I tried telling her a few times to go to her bed while pointing at her bed. Lo and behold, she actually listened and STAYED. I am amazed by this. Progress! Now I don’t feel like I wasted $7 on her new bed!
Another thing I’m trying to do is to potty train her outside. Hopefully on a schedule, but this is going to be a toughy. It’s winter, so it’s too cold for her. She doesn’t have a long coat as Doogie did. I’m still trying, though. I’ve already taken her out. We don’t stay out there for more than five minutes anyway, because as soon as she does her business we go in. Those few times, I’ve been able to take her out without a leash, but I don’t think that risk will last. She’s starting to venture farther away, so a leash will have to be used soon. Small dogs are fast, and I do NOT want to have to chase her around the neighborhood.
So…that’s where I’m at with her right now. I’ll update more later. Maybe get a video posted or something. :)
