[Dailydrool] Oh, Kristin, I feel your pain! Puppys...

[Tim Mayer]

Oh, Kristin, I feel your pain!

Puppys...the definitive love/hate relationship even at the best of times.

I recently got a little boy named Dexter. He was then 10 months old, he's
now 15 months. And he is EXACTLY like your Hubert. Although he now no
longer swallows the household items he runs off with. This morning when
brushing my teeth he was busy chewing on a clock I'd left on my table for
repairs. Stinker! Earlier this week he chewed my expensive rubber garden
hose clean in half.

When I walk down the hallway, he grabs at my hand. If he misses, he grabs
my pants leg instead. If I have anything in my hands, he trys to get that
too. I tell him "Off" but he doesn't listen, even though he knows what I
mean. He isn't rough; it's simply playful stuff. I know I need to play with
him more.

And don't even talk to me about the landscaping in the back yard. Grrrrrr...

But, this is the most loving, sweet dog I think I've ever had. He can't
wait for me to sit down so he can curl up in my lap for LONG snuggles. And
he cries like a baby if I leave the house without him (unless he's in his
crate, which he knows means I won't be right back.) He follows me
everywhere. And just watch him come running when I call his name - he could
win an Olympic medal for that :)

What's really cute is when he's in the car. I have the "hump" down the
middle of my sedan, like most cars with rear wheel drive. And I have the
split front seats, with a console between them. Dexter parks his rear
solidly on the hump, front end up on the console, so his head is poking
through the split seats, and watches everywhere we go. And drools, of
course, so there's a bit of a mess there after the trip <grin>! But he
loves to be close like that all the time.

Like Hubert, Dexter won't eat regularly. I put extra stuff on it (grated
cheese, eggs, pumpkin, yogurt, etc.), and if I get him started, he'll eat
pretty well. But if he won't eat, I just put it away until next feeding
time. His weight is good, so I'm teaching myself not to worry so much. The
vet feels the same way. He may always be a fussy eater. (My real problem is
keeping Maggie away until he decides to eat or until I put it away she'll
eat ANYTHING sitting out.)

Best I can say, is my hounds don't seem to outgrow this puppyness until
they're at least 2 years old, often more. Maggie tore up the furniture and
the carpet and the woodwork (and even the bricks on the fireplace!) until
she was 4 or 5 years old. I'm surprised she has any teeth left.

Puppy classes. Please consider puppy classes! They're fairly inexpensive
where I am, hopefully they are for you too. It gives you a chance to work
with the dog with the help of someone who has more experience, and can
possibly offer training tips that work for you. Especially with things like
getting on the tables, counters, etc. Bad habits like that need to be
addressed as soon as possible, because of the huge potential of critical
problems.

Tim 'n Puppies
Maggie d'Earest ("I'm not a puppy anymore!")
Leia Round ("Yes, I lay around. What's wrong with that?")
Dexter Doodles ("...and wiggles and waddles and oh, yes, I'm the puppy.)
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