Comments on: The good, the bad and the frustrating http://www.ramblinprose.com/2008/01/07/the-good-the-bad-and-the-frustrating/ A little bit of everything that doesn't make sense to a rational parent Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:18:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: herb http://www.ramblinprose.com/2008/01/07/the-good-the-bad-and-the-frustrating/comment-page-1/#comment-74665 herb Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:04:40 +0000 http://www.ramblinprose.com/2008/01/07/the-good-the-bad-and-the-frustrating/#comment-74665 JW, We're all too familiar with <a href="http://www.ramblinprose.com/2007/12/31/trying-to-get-a-handle/" rel="nofollow">making sure you have a proper backup</a>. And familiar with peeing animals. Pippin continues to piddle in the kitchen. Abby happened to sit in it Tuesday morning. JW,

We’re all too familiar with making sure you have a proper backup.

And familiar with peeing animals. Pippin continues to piddle in the kitchen. Abby happened to sit in it Tuesday morning.

]]> By: jw http://www.ramblinprose.com/2008/01/07/the-good-the-bad-and-the-frustrating/comment-page-1/#comment-74625 jw Sun, 13 Jan 2008 13:39:02 +0000 http://www.ramblinprose.com/2008/01/07/the-good-the-bad-and-the-frustrating/#comment-74625 I apologize for not getting my congratulations in sooner. Pippin is adorable. You might say, "Yes, jw. We were surprised to not hear from you. We know what an animal lover you are." Well, here's what happened. Mike, the runt cat, decided the little box was a little to far for her to travel to, so she decided to pee in the computer's surge protector. This is not the first time she's decided to pee wherever she wanted. Do you know what happens when cat pee meets pluged-in electrical device? I do. Mike's still alive, though a little jolt would have been nice to teach her a lesson. Enjoy the puppy! By the way, the surge protector did its job. The computer is okay, but it did remind me to back up some files, like important campaign information! I apologize for not getting my congratulations in sooner. Pippin is adorable.

You might say, “Yes, jw. We were surprised to not hear from you. We know what an animal lover you are.” Well, here’s what happened. Mike, the runt cat, decided the little box was a little to far for her to travel to, so she decided to pee in the computer’s surge protector. This is not the first time she’s decided to pee wherever she wanted. Do you know what happens when cat pee meets pluged-in electrical device? I do.

Mike’s still alive, though a little jolt would have been nice to teach her a lesson.

Enjoy the puppy!

By the way, the surge protector did its job. The computer is okay, but it did remind me to back up some files, like important campaign information!

]]> By: herb http://www.ramblinprose.com/2008/01/07/the-good-the-bad-and-the-frustrating/comment-page-1/#comment-74553 herb Tue, 08 Jan 2008 14:32:19 +0000 http://www.ramblinprose.com/2008/01/07/the-good-the-bad-and-the-frustrating/#comment-74553 We generally keep him confined to the kitchen and den. We move his crate to our bedroom at night. He gets lots of exercise and lots of outdoor time when we're home. I need to investigate a dog run in the back. Our yard's so uneven that it would be impossible to fully fence it in. Good advice, Sue. Thanks! We generally keep him confined to the kitchen and den.

We move his crate to our bedroom at night.

He gets lots of exercise and lots of outdoor time when we’re home.

I need to investigate a dog run in the back. Our yard’s so uneven that it would be impossible to fully fence it in.

Good advice, Sue.

Thanks!

]]> By: Susan http://www.ramblinprose.com/2008/01/07/the-good-the-bad-and-the-frustrating/comment-page-1/#comment-74552 Susan Tue, 08 Jan 2008 14:12:26 +0000 http://www.ramblinprose.com/2008/01/07/the-good-the-bad-and-the-frustrating/#comment-74552 I actually wondered if he was marking his territory, now that he knows this is his house, his yard, etc. I actually wondered if he was marking his territory, now that he knows this is his house, his yard, etc.

]]> By: Sue http://www.ramblinprose.com/2008/01/07/the-good-the-bad-and-the-frustrating/comment-page-1/#comment-74551 Sue Tue, 08 Jan 2008 13:59:30 +0000 http://www.ramblinprose.com/2008/01/07/the-good-the-bad-and-the-frustrating/#comment-74551 Pippin needs to be outside as much as you can arrange (this is why we fenced in the backyard, but my at-home hours are probably much greater than yours). You can get a stake with a large lead if you don't have a fence. Being outside is good, even for a house dog (like mine). Nice weather days - get the dog used to being outside. Reward peeing/pooping outdoors with a small food treat. They'll get the idea. Take the doggie outside on a regular schedule. Simcha has a longer schedule than Shayna does (Shayna needs to pee more often, smaller dog, smaller bladder). We take them out in the a.m., at 11, at 3 and at 7 (and then at bed). But mine aren't puppies and we are home more than you are, so YMMV. The rescue society told me to leash to dog to me while we were home together. If I walk into the den, she does, too. If I sit in a chair, she sits next to me. That establishes your dominance over the dog, and not vice versa. A 6-8' leash or even a piece of rope works fine for that. You can catch the pre-pee moment more easily that way. The dog is testing his new environs. Don't let the dog go anywhere in the house. Keep him in one or two rooms for a while (too much free confuses / overwhelms dogs). It isn't cruel; it's setting rules, boundaries and limitations :) Dogs generally HATE pooping in their crates. It's their den or burrow and they like to keep it clean. Take the dog out at the FIRST SIGN of wanting to go (y'know, I should listen to MYSELF on occasion :) and then try to get on a regular schedule. Get some puppy poop pads and put them near the door. They will use them and then you're moving them toward the outside. It takes time...and it's messy...but overall, more good than icky. Pippin needs to be outside as much as you can arrange (this is why we fenced in the backyard, but my at-home hours are probably much greater than yours). You can get a stake with a large lead if you don’t have a fence. Being outside is good, even for a house dog (like mine). Nice weather days - get the dog used to being outside. Reward peeing/pooping outdoors with a small food treat. They’ll get the idea.

Take the doggie outside on a regular schedule. Simcha has a longer schedule than Shayna does (Shayna needs to pee more often, smaller dog, smaller bladder). We take them out in the a.m., at 11, at 3 and at 7 (and then at bed). But mine aren’t puppies and we are home more than you are, so YMMV.

The rescue society told me to leash to dog to me while we were home together. If I walk into the den, she does, too. If I sit in a chair, she sits next to me. That establishes your dominance over the dog, and not vice versa. A 6-8′ leash or even a piece of rope works fine for that. You can catch the pre-pee moment more easily that way.

The dog is testing his new environs. Don’t let the dog go anywhere in the house. Keep him in one or two rooms for a while (too much free confuses / overwhelms dogs). It isn’t cruel; it’s setting rules, boundaries and limitations :)

Dogs generally HATE pooping in their crates. It’s their den or burrow and they like to keep it clean. Take the dog out at the FIRST SIGN of wanting to go (y’know, I should listen to MYSELF on occasion :) and then try to get on a regular schedule.

Get some puppy poop pads and put them near the door. They will use them and then you’re moving them toward the outside. It takes time…and it’s messy…but overall, more good than icky.

]]> By: herb http://www.ramblinprose.com/2008/01/07/the-good-the-bad-and-the-frustrating/comment-page-1/#comment-74546 herb Tue, 08 Jan 2008 05:05:06 +0000 http://www.ramblinprose.com/2008/01/07/the-good-the-bad-and-the-frustrating/#comment-74546 He did a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRL4WkMDysk" rel="nofollow">Mr. Hankey</a> and a couple of tinkles on our walk before bed. Then, left alone with Susan, he whizzed on the rug in our room (where he sleeps in his crate at night). Hmm. Me thinks he dost protest too much. He did a Mr. Hankey and a couple of tinkles on our walk before bed. Then, left alone with Susan, he whizzed on the rug in our room (where he sleeps in his crate at night).

Hmm. Me thinks he dost protest too much.

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