Things are getting better, but still not great. First, I haven't gotten a second crate for Suzzie yet. Just haven't had the cash flow. Her crate is still in my office and she's still getting some tries at "being out of the crate and calm" in my office -- with mixed results.

What I've found I've been doing is when I get frustrated with dealing with her in my office I just take her out into the back yard and let her be free there. I don't think this is a good idea, but it seems like my best option maybe.

Suzzie is mostly black with longish hair. She doesn't really like to be outside in the sun during the day. She just gets hot and finds some shade to lay down in. Sometimes I can coax her out of the shade to play in the back yard; but mostly she just wants to be in the shade. It's not really hot here. We're mostly in the 80s, but sometimes cross over into the low 90s. We consider the 90s pretty hot and our humidity is between 50 - 70%.

So I feel a little badly leaving her outside except I know this is the place where she can do the least amount of damage when left on her own. There's always fresh water and plenty of shade. It's just that she's left alone and spends most of that time close to the house ready to come back in.

This morning I didn't get in our walk like I usually do. I try to get her out at about 7:30 - 8am while it's still cool (like 65 - 70). We walk a little ways over to a ball field and then do a little bit of running around in the grass. I feel like this is pretty low impact and she's not being forced to run much. We're doing short bursts with rests. Usually we do about 30 minutes of this and then come back home for breakfast (both of us). Today I missed it because of work.

So at about 10:30 we went for a walk. I think the temp was in the mid-70s or low 80s. We walked about 1/4 - 1/3 mile that was out in the sun to some trails in the woods that were shaded. I'm sure the temp in the woods was at least 5 degrees cooler or so. We walked a mile or so and then home. Towards the end of this walk she was getting hot and tired. Well, she was acting hot shortly after we left home, then perked up again in the woods, then started acting hot and tired on the way home. When we got back to my office she got some water and I put her in her crate where she's been very quiet and still. Note that her crate in my office is very cool in the basement at around 60 - 65. I had my #4 in the backpack carrier for the walk and was quite sweaty myself when we got home.

Maybe these aren't the only two choices. However, both of them are a way for me to deal with the dog during the day. On the one hand she can spend an hour or two in the backyard mostly by herself and on the other hand I can walk her until she's really good and tired and she'll sleep in her crate in my office. I don't know which of those two is preferable.

It's worth noting that I've ordered two more enrichment toys this week from Leerburg: the Buster Food Cube and Medium Twist-n-Treat (aka "the spaceship thing"). In addition to the three kongs I have (which I never seem to keep filled and fronzen) and the orbie fun ball, I'm hoping these will help keep her entertained more while in my office.

Oh and I've also started teaching her the game of "find it". Basically I toss a treat somewhere and tell her to go find it. She then sniff off for it. Right now it only takes about 10 seconds or so for her to find it; but the hope is that I can build it up to being harder and harder for her to find them and take more time.

QUOTE: if the end goal is teaching the puppy that obnoxious behavior = freedom and removal from environments where compliance and calm behavior is required. END


I'm sorry, Doug, but this is correct (IMO). You are doing a lot of things so well and skillfully that you owe it to yourself and the dog to re-think this one.

Think about what behaviors you want to reward and reward them.

Dogs are darned quick to see black-and-white stuff like "this gets me ignored and this other gets me a romp in the yard."

I see what you're saying. I'm sure it might be, but it doesn't really look like being put int he backyard is fun for her. It's more like isolation out in the hot. At least that's how I was looking at it. That coupled with the minimal damage she could do/trouble she could get into.

My new toys shipped today (same day service, yay!), so maybe I can use that to help keep her mind working. Also, I'll remember not to take her to the backyard for free time unless she's been behaving in her crate or my office.

My other question is again about proper amount of exercise. At a few days shy of 5 months old, what should I expect from her? I try not to walk her on the pavement and she rarely falls behind even for a few paces. If anything she's almost always half a body length in front of me or more. Today is one of the few times she showed signs of really tiring. She was slowing, but didn't ever stop on the way home. When we got back in the yard she literally laid down right away and just stayed there for a few minutes as if to say, "I'm not walking one step farther".

I don't think we went especially far, but it was mid-morning rather than early morning or late evening. I don't want to push her too far, or risk over heating; but I must say I enjoyed having her sleeping all afternoon.

Doug, let me preface this with the fact that I am not a professional handler/trainer. I have a small companion animal.

However, I do understand when you say "when I get frustrated......". Puppies can wear you out just like babies can.

BEFORE you reach the frustration point, put her in a crate in a different part of the house. And if you can't afford another crate right now (and I can certainly empathize with money concerns) you'll just have to go thru the inconvenience of moving her crate. It'll build character. lol

I live just a little south of you and it is hot for my dog outside. She loooooves going outside, but with this weather, she wants out only a few minutes at a time during the heat of the day. I wouldn't let little Suzie stay out in that weather. My dog is little but very furry and the heat makes her miserable.

Can't tell you anything about the exercise, but an acquaintance of mine who has an ongoing relationship with Confucius quotes him to say "Tired dog is good dog.".

Doug,

There is no way I can top any of the advice you have already received, but I just want to encourage you that this is a temporary situation. Just a few short months ago I was going crazy because I could not get any work done in my office during the day because I was trying so hard to train or keep Falcon occupied. All of the sudden, I have a dog who is content to sleep at my feet, for at least a PORTION of the morning.

I too had to MAKE myself put Falcon in his kennel after I had played with and exercised him. I felt guilty, but he was FINE. I can definitely attest to the fact that my frustrations were relayed loud and clear to Falcon, and once I "got over" my guilt at not having him with me every hour and of his being in the crate even though I was home, things moved along much more smoothly.

Hang in there. Give her what she needs but also know that she will be fine with you working hard in your office while she is in her kennel... working to make sure she can maintain the lifestyle to which she has become so accustomed. Ya' gotta be able to pay for all those cool leerburg toys!!!

When I had my 1st pup I only had one crate & used to hawl it upstairs at bedtinme. During the day it was in the kitchen, where I spent the majority of my time during the day. There are always people out there wanting to sell or even give away crates. Put an add online on one of the free sites & maybe even leave a post at local bulliton boards at the stores & libraries in town. Stop at tag sales around town. You can also put the pup on a leash next to you & give it a stuffed kong or bully stick to chew on to keep it happy for a while if you don't want to put the pup in another room alone. Although, short seperation times are good for a pup to understand that they will be left for a while, but you WILL return for them. So they learn to tollerate seperation & don't develope separation anxieties. Outside in the heat alone, is not the place to put this pup or any dog. My adult dogs are not even outside in the heat of the day & never out unsupervised. I can see them out the window in the yard. Too bad that it seems that you are not enjoying your pups enthusiasim. Allow that enthusiasim to work for you & not against you. You can do many other things that can work her mind (which also tires them out) in the house. A tired dog is a good dog. I love raising pups & enjoy all that that entails. Try to enjoy the pup she is only going to be a pup for a short time. She is a little sponge learning all that you offer even your anger & frustration. Be careful what you are teaching her with you unhappiness with her excitement & needed interaction. This is a strong bonding time for your pup. You want her to know that you are happy with her & enjoy her company. Puppies require alot of time & many times people have no idea the demands that are going to be placed on them when they purchase a puppy. Many people get breeds of dogs that they like but do not realize that they may not fit into their lifestyle & that can cause frustration. Not saying that this is your case, just mentioning it. Good luck try to be patient. Puppyhood is only a short time.

I agree with Barbara. This is likely a temporary situation that will be mitigated by Susie growing up and maturing.

I had forgotten how obnoxious our Sibe was for the first year. She can get a pretty good "woo-woo" going when she wants attention.

Now Danny has taken to whining on and off all day, especially when he hears that I have gotten home. My kids are out for the summer and I don't know if this change has gotten him worked up (probably). He is a pretty vocal dude and when he is done with whining he just goes into outright barking.

It is interesting to me that when he gets less attention he seems to get used to it but give him more and he gets pushy.

Hang in there!

First, I don't want it to sound like I'm angry or frustrated all the time. I'm a fairly patient man. I really am enjoying Suzzie as a puppy. It's hard work raising a puppy, but rewarding as well.

So I mentioned yesterday that we went on an extended walk in the woods and she slept most of the day away indoors. Today I got up and out on our walk earlier. Humid as can be imagined, but the temps were in the low 70s. I didn't have my wife with me and we did a little further than normal. All in all about an hour walk across hilly terrain in the woods. She didn't collapse with exhaustion when we got home (like she somewhat did yesterday), but she's been sleeping happily today. Few times I've headed upstairs for coffee or fix lunch, check the mail, etc. She comes along on lead and then goes back to sleep when we get back to the office.

I don't think either of these walks were particularly stressful. Our pace was moderate and we took breaks. Today we were down by the river which gave her plenty of opportunity to drink and explore. Most of the walk is off pavement and shaded. I think the main thing is the time. We usually only walk about 30 minutes or so. Stepping that up I think is the difference that burns off the extra energy to give me a calm dog.

And the visual and olfactory stimulation doesn't hurt either. And, I Bet you were calmer for it too, huh? I know I am when I walk Hambone and Lucy in the woods as opposed to the road or sidewalk.