Sleepover
Jax recently spent his first night away from home, and it wasn’t at the vet’s office this time. John and I went to Nashville last Saturday, so we had to figure out something to do with the dogs. John decided that the best thing to do would be to leave them with his parents. For Dixon, this would be old hat. She has stayed over in Coldwater quite a few times. There’s a couch, some blankets, and someone to provide her with food, so she’s set. Dixon’s a pretty easy going dog even though she does pack around a lot of attitude for her little frame.
But of course, I was worried about Jax. Would he try to escape their fence or eat the fish in their pond? Would he chew up their furniture? Scarf down a few pairs of shoes? Would all of our housetraining be forgotten and he think that he can relieve himself whenever and wherever he wants? Would he keep them up whining all night?
John’s answer was simple: Rachel, Mom and Dad have had puppies before, you know.
Yes, John, I know. But this isn’t THEIR dog. They would be doing US a favor, and that favor shouldn’t include being terrorized all weekend by a red-headed puppy!
But drop him off we did. With Dixon. And a bag full of food, serving dishes, and their favorite squeaky toys. I felt partly sad because I’ve grown quite attached to the little heathens and partly guilty because I just KNEW that my dogs would turn into tasmanian devils and wreck their house.
But as often happens, I worried for nothing. Either John’s parents did a bang-up job of hiding the evidence of destruction, or Jax was a very well behaved gentleman. I’m mostly convinced, though, that it was the latter. Turns out, John’s dad even camped out with the two little furry rascals on the couch over night. They tooks naps with John’s mom during the day. They played in the back yard in the sunshine. They didn’t destroy everything not nailed down! I even have photo evidence of John’s parents finding both dogs NAPPING ON THE COUCH after leaving them to roam the house during church!
So I’m a proud mom. And though I don’t forsee us leaving Jax and Dixon any time soon, I now feel comfortable knowing that Jax can be a gentleman at a sleepover in Coldwater just as he is a gentleman at our house. What good dogs we have. 
Jax meets all kinds of folks!
I’ve been taking Jax around lately to meet people. All kinds. I want this dog to be happy contented around any situation or any person he meets. Without really planning it, this weekend he met four young people – our nieces and nephews! There was a bit of a mix-up and I didn’t know that they were even going to be at the Hughes’ house at that time, so I was a bit apprehensive about even bringing him inside, but I think he did well after all. He’s still a baby and hasn’t quite learned the “off!” command yet, so I didn’t want him running around and jumping on them. So I held him while they patted him, kissed his nose, wagged his ears, squeaked toys around him, and poked on his spots. He passed with flying colors in my eyes! No apprehension, just lots of tail wagging and wiggling and kissing! The kids did well with him, too, and Hannah loved on him the most.
And then after the little ones left, he got to show off his obedience skills to the grandparents. He fetched, did “shake”, “sit”, “down”, and even a few short “stays”! I’m so proud! Now hopefully this rain will stip for a while so we can get more outside play time….
Smarty Pants
I can’t get over how quick this puppy is soaking up obedience lessons! He already knows “sit” and “down” like a champ with or without treats and is now working on “stay”. He will stay put with the door open until I tell him “ok” when letting him back in the dining room from outside, although I’ve only had him in the “stay” command for about 30 or 45 seconds. I’ll start increasing the time and changing locations over time, but for now I’m pretty impressed. He’s only 13 weeks old! I hope I can get a video of it soon so I can show him off.
Typical day during Spring Break
Here’s Jax’s schedule over my Spring Break, which was subject to change. Play time was frequently substituted for visits to John for lunch, brief bouts of kennel training (as a game), or just short rides in the car. Wouldn’t you love this schedule?
7:30am Out to potty
7:50am Breakfast while Dixon is taken out to potty
8:00am Play time!
8:30am Out to potty
9:00am Play time!
9:30am Nap
10:45am Out to potty
11:15am Chow time while Dixon is taken out to potty
11:30pm Treats and training
11:45pm Play time!
12:30pm Out to potty and play
1:00pm Nap
2:30pm Out to potty
3:00pm Chow time while Dixon is taken out to potty
3:10pm Plat time!
3:45pm Out to potty
4:15pm Play time!
5:00pm Nap
6:30pm Out to potty
7:00pm Dinner while Dixon is taken out to potty
7:20pm Play time!
7:45pm Out to potty
8:00pm Play time!
8:45pm Out to potty
9:00pm Training and treats
9:30pm Out to potty
10:00pm Nap/Play/Potty as needed until bedtime – usually around 11:30 pm
I cleaned and did homework during some of his play and nap time, but mostly played (and sometimes napped) right along on his schedule. I know it will change as he gets older, but this Spring Break was wonderful – for ALL of us.
Car Trip
This past weekend Jax took his second long car trip and did a fabulous job! He slept all but 30 minutes of the whole trip both ways. He also got to pal around with my mom’s dachshunds, but they didn’t seem to impressed with him and thought he had too much energy. Unfortunately we had to leave his playmate and my snuggle buddy, Dixon, in Murray – we thought it would be too much for everybody on his first trip home to Jackson. She got to stay in Coldwater, visit with the pugs, and snuggle next to someone else’s knees for the weekend. He did so well, though, that we’ll be bringing her along next trip.
Jax was a big hit at my parent’s house, although all we heard all weekend was how skinny he is. And I told them that actually, we consider this to be fat! When we got him home he was so emaciated – so much in fact that I don’t think I’ll ever post his pictures publicly. But now when I look at before pictures and then look at him romping and rolling in the floor with Dixon, he’s like a completely different dog! We’re adding weight to him steadily, folks!
He also got his first good run on the farm. My parents and John and I took foorwheelers down deep in the woods to check on some cutting and took him along. He got to romp and play off-leash down in the valley once we got parked, and even though he didn’t stray 10 feet from us he had such a good time exploring and sniffing everything he could! He was SO tired after our jaunt down in the woods, but we also managed to have him meet Chester, my grandfather’s chocolate lab. That dog is so sweet. Jax is about the size of Chester’s head, but Chester was so gentle with him. He just rolled him over with his big brown head and slurped him nose to toes. Jax was too tired from the woods to do hard playing with Chester, but next time we bring him back he should be ready to go!
So Jax has come back home well traveled, well socialized, with housebreaking practice in yet another home. Kennel training is going fabulously, housebreaking is smooth as well, and I have all week with him because I’m on spring break!
Crawling before we Walk
So I learned yet another valuable lesson today. Two actually. First, I have a VERY smart dog. Second, if he can’t be in a kennel for one minute without whining, what could’ve made me think that he would stop barking and “get it” after an hour of solid whining? So after thirty minutes of him screaming and me ignoring (and then me kicking myself for being so stupid to begin with!), I sat down on the floor next to his kennel (ear protection still on), took Jax out and loved on him. Put him back in with a treat and a “kennel” command. He whined for two seconds then sat down because I was next to him. Took him out, praised him. Put him back in – treat, command. He whined for a few seconds, sat down. Out, Praise, Repeat. We did this about three more times before there was no whining at all. Then I stretched out the time between putting him in the kennel and and taking him out. At the end of our 15 minute session, I was throwing the treat in his kennel and he was chasing after it, no longer afraid of the door closing behind him, staying in the kennel with no whining for about a minute and a half. And that, my friends, is what I like to call progress.
Tomorrow I’ll scoot farther away. Tomorrow we’ll stretch out the time even more. But tonight, I’m spent. Thank you Lord, for sending a puppy to train me!
Separation Anxiety Saga
Week 10 of Jaxon’s life was a pretty cushy one, if I do say so myself. We’ve established a solid routine with him, he’s been successfully transitioned to our new puppy food, he’s eating plenty, growing like a weed, and has made a best friend in Dixon! We’ve visited Bosco and Zizia, taken short rides in the car for practice, and he has more toys in our living room floor than I’m confortable sharing with anyone!
That being said, there is one thing in Jaxon’s life hasn’t been so cushy at our house: THE KENNEL. The dog literally SCREAMS when we put him in his kennel. For at least an hour each time. No joke. And it’s not whining or barking – SCREAMING. We’ve done everything right so far, but it hasn’t been a pleasant experience for anyone in this house.
Before he goes in the kennel, I know that he’s gotten the following:
- TONS of exercise (mental and physical) from Dixon, John, and myself – he wears out long before we do.
- Free “outside of the kennel” time. He’s not in the kennel any longer than the vet’s recommended time while John and I aren’t home.
- Positive rewards for going into the kennel.
- Separation/Behavior training. We don’t kennel him JUST when we leave (so he doesn’t associate “kennel” with “they’re leaving me! for good!”) We make sure to feed him in his kennel and put him in there for other brief times when we’re eating or cleaning so he sees us in the house and we NEVER go to him when he’s barking in the kennel.
- Potty time. Potty training has been a BIG success, so it’s not from need to potty – we have him on a good routine and we’re consistent.
So far we have ignored the screaming just like we’re supposed to, but I don’t think the problem lies anywhere else other than not enough of #4. Week 9 of his life spent cooped up in a small kennel at the vet’s office and only being let out for brief examinations once or twice daily was not good on his psyche. And now it’s not good on my ears.
So this afternoon, separation/kennel anxiety training has been kicked up a notch. The kennel has been moved to the living room so that we both have a clear view of each other. Jax is well excersised, well fed, and has recently pottied. I have even donned ear protection! Our routine is this: he goes into the kennel and screams. I ignore. When he assumes and maintains a seated, calm, non-flipping out position, he comes out and we play for about 5 minutes! Then back in the kennel he goes with a treat. So far it’s been….loud. The ear protections was a good choice. We will see how long this screaming lasts. This will be beat!
Update
This week has been wonderful! Jax had a checkup at the vet today and everyone said that he was looking great – he had gained weight (John couldn’t remember how much) and the vet said that he looked much more active. He got his boosters, and was given the ok to eat more servings of food. Pretty soon we can reduce servings and increase serving size so he can eat like a normal puppy.
Boy is he active!
In the last day or two he has become less of a velcro-dog and more of a playful puppy. Today he even began chewing on stuffed animal toys and rolling over to play with Dixon (who has been a great playmate, by the way!) We still need to work on crate training – not going to potty in his crate (which he hasn’t) but the whining and crying when put in the crate at night. John and I need to work on Jax’s anxiouness of it – a whole week kenneled in the vet’s office has set us back some. But we’re sure he’ll be fine.
I’ve been reluctant to post new picture of him because he’s skinny still, but by next week we hope he’ll be back to normal round puppiness!
Puppy Bliss!
Right now he is snoozing on my lap after an afternoon of what I’m sure has been pure bliss for both of us. Bliss for Jax: having a quiet, non-kenneled atmosphere to explore and be snuggled and smooched in. For me: a soft snuggly puppy back safe and healthy in my home after a week of separation and worry.
I picked up Jax from the vet with a few instructions:
- NO big meals. Three small (handful-sized) meals for the first three days, then reevaluation and change of diet when he comes in to get his next round of shots. Which is Thursday. Dr. Salley wants to see three good days of this before we add any more trauma (excessive food) to his tummy. He wants him to gain weight, but slowly, and not hurt his GI tract.
- NO rough play or extended play times. He can exercise and romp time just like normal, but only for brief spurts. We don’t want him to burn off extra fat stores he’s building or get too exhausted – he’s a weak boy! (And Dixon has been a champ, by the way – she’s been with him all afternoon and at one point we were all FOUR – Buttercup included! – laying on the couch together.)
Simple rules, and I’ll gladly follow them! Jax and I made a quick detour on our way home to see John on his lunch break. He wanted to see the puppy, and even took a snooze with him in the truck while I went to run an errand in my car. This dog is so sweet – I know he may be “just a puppy” to some, but his expression is similar to Gypsy’s…pure thankfulness.
And so are we. Very, very thankful!
