Princess Zena end of week one

I admit that when Zena arrived I had this crazy notion that I would blog about her progress, our trials and tribulations and the amazing progress she was making. Ok, honestly not so much. I am committed (or as my mother would have said should be committed) to getting her potty trained soon. It is the sweet spot of learning at 15 weeks. She can go several hours between potty breaks, if she bonds with me she will want to please me, or not. I have to make a sign that says "she does not pee in the house to make me want to shake her by her pointy ears". In truth she has not learned how to tell me she wants to go out yet. If I take her on a regular schedule she will faithfully go or "try". I can't tell which. But sometimes she has too much water, too much excitement and then we have an "accident". It isn't an accident, it is a training set back. I have to keep telling myself that she is only going outside IF I get her there on time. She doesn't have any way to tell me she wants to go out. AAGH! Where is Dawson when I need him.

Biting, chewing - how did I forget this part. My hands and arms look like I just finished some military survival course requiring crawling under barb wire. I can't wear anything I love since some time during the day it will be nipped, bit, grabbed or chewed. My neighbors must think I am advertising to be a bag lady, old work out pants, outrageous socks, who knows what top. All to protect my poor toes, arms, pant legs.

So is there any progress? She still gets over excited and bites. I yelp and curl my arms up. She comes back and we start soft mouth, depending on how tired she is or how wound up it goes well. Other times, I get up off the floor and move to my chair. I have taken the advice of the Puppy Trainers and am restricting her space when she is not in her crate to the kitchen. I pulled in a chair and barricaded the hall and area between the counter and the wall. Today was ok, I finished my book while she was napping in my lap (bonding time) but tomorrow I have to figure out how to watch tv on my ipad. I can't see it from my perch in the kitchen. Earlier this week before is created this smaller space she and I watched hours of HGTV. By the way I will never ever be able to sell my house based on what these house hunters are looking for. I started out watching cooking shows but after watching at least three hours of making ganache, I baked brownies with a plan to cover them in chocolate ganache. Not good for the waist line. So I switched to house hunting.

Back to Zena. I do love her - or at least I am committed to her. I totally forgot how long it takes to go from a puppy to a dog you trust and love. She is hard work. Hubby and I have fought more in the last week than In the last year. I have a plan on training, he loves to be the hero who comes in and liberates her from her crate and follows NO potty training rituals. He plays tug and then complains when she gets crazy and nips him. I plead it is just a few weeks, he says I am too rigid.

If you are thinking of starting with a puppy and you are the trainer - set aside a minimum of 3 months to do nothing else. A good puppy is a good dog, and loved and valued forever. A bad dog is a constant irritation. It takes a total commitment to help her learn the rules of the family, to want to please her family. If you don't have that time, and most of us don't, think carefully about what you are getting yourself on to. As one of my daughters is right in saying - begin knowing where you want to end. If you don't want to hand feed your princess puppy forever, get her started with a few kibble then let her feed herself. If you want her to be comfortable in her crate because you may be away for several hours before she is totally trustworthy, then sit with her and read during her crate time so she doesn't think it is punishment. But mostly above all else, know that for at least the first two months, success will because you are potty trained, or play trained, the best you can hope for is that in month 3 and 4 it is half you and half your Princess.

 

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Day 2 and 3

It was all going so well on Day 2, kept to a schedule until we had visits from friends to see the new puppy. Just like a baby our schedule got off, dinner was late and by 8pm we had two accidents. I went to bed frustrated, puppy went to bed afraid of the crazy woman who grabbed her up and took her outside.

We made concessions on the collar. She now is wearing Zed's old cat collar from when he was little so at least in the house I have something to grab. She is still wearing her harness for walks.

I forgot that puppies cannot play tug. They don't know when to stop and they haven't learned not to nip. My arms are a wreck.

Puppies do not come on command. They do not come when wheedling or bribing. In fact they are fast little wigglers. I can't wait for the gate to arrive so I can trap her in the kitchen during free time in the morning.

Final thought. 6:45 is early. It is cold and I look like the Shrew of Haridan pre-makeup and coiffure. And in my neighborhood it is the time many of my neighbors leave for work, snug in their warm cars, coffee in hand, make-up on ready for the day. Women understand this problem.

Day 3 through diligent training of me and a running list of times we made it through the day peeing and pooping outside. Zena not me. Working on the biting, wish Dawson was here. Trying yipping when she bites too hard and looking away for 10 seconds. Then coming back to play. Seems to be working somewhat. Made the mistake of lifting my arm to toss a toy, when she jumped for it she took a big nip. I will be wearing long sleeve fleece for a while.

 

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Zena the Warrior Princess

For several months we talked about if we wanted another dog. On spur of the moment movie and dinner nights I pointed out we couldn't do this if we had a puppy in training. On cold, wet rainy mornings when getting the paper at the end of the driveway required gear, I asked if he missed walking Zed rain or shine. But more he read the ads for puppies in the paper, and said how much he missed his puppy. After the holiday's he started in earnest. I said in Spring, we would ask our vet about a breeder who was trusted.

I said I would know when I was ready when puppies started being cute. And then Shelly our wonderful dog sitter, groomer, savior in time of emergencies sent us two pictures with a note, just thinking of you. The pictures were of Zed and her golden who passed away shortly before Zed started getting sick. They were out in her backyard on a light snow day, shoulder to shoulder patroling the fence. That afternoon we started looking at web sites. This one was too "not cute" and that one was expected to be too small. Then we read about a few breeders who had brought back German Yorkies who were traditionally larger 8- 10 lbs. Then while he was in his office "working" and I was finished the crossword puzzle we each were actually looking at Yorkies. And there she was. She had the perfect face, was 5 lbs at 14 weeks so could be expected to be 8 - 10 lbs when fully grown. She had most of her shots and had been sprayed. Even better she was about an hour and half away. She is too cute, a brindle, not show quality and it is too early to tell if she will have a soft or silky coat but she was it.

I got Bruce to call and of course they said others were coming to look and if we wanted a chance to have her they needed a deposit since I didn't think we could go until Saturday. As luck would have it, afternoon meetings got cancelled and we set out on a miserable, rainy foggy cold afternoon to drive up towards the mountains. I wanted to keep it a secret that we were looking so we could say no, not this one. If she was too timid or lethargic she would have to find another family. Before we left we chose a name Zena the Warrior. If she looked like she could live up to her name she would ours.

The rest is history. She slept through the night no whimpering even though she didn't have any litter mates nearby. By the 24 hour mark she was eating. So far we have managed to get her to poop outside but peeing is a different task. Unlike Zed who felt he needed to lift his leg and needed the perfect blade of grass or something, she is sniff, sniff squat kind of girl.

So while I try to figure out her tells and schedule, it is by the clock. Out first thing, then playtime followed by crate time. As soon as she comes out of the crate we gear up and head to the spot outside. So far we are three for three. But I am not counting on anything but my diligence. Now to convince Papa that crate time is not punishment and she has to pee on a leash. She is in a harness - lesson learned the hardeay with Zed - but it takes a little more time and two hands to get her ready.

Today is day three and despite dawning Uggs and ski jacket cold it has warmed up to fleece weather. I have two weeks to get this schedule thing working before Bruce starts his new job and has to go to the office so Zena and I are on the Puppy Boot Camp program. No backsliding.

 

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