Bones meets Haley the Border Collie
There are tons of new friends in line at the pet store!
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
A Day In The Life
A puppy's life is so difficult!!
There's so much exploring...
And walking...
And playing...
Sometimes it just tires a puppy out. And so there's lots and lots of napping!!
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Puppy's First Week Home - Training and Tricks
Thank goodness corgis are smart! Bones is learning "sit", "stay", and "drop it". Treats are a great motivator and so is playtime. We both make sure to train him, and spend several minutes a few times a day practicing these commands.
We're working on teaching Bones to be polite by making him sit before we allow him to eat the food that's been put down for him. I've also invaded his space and put my hand and face in his bowl to make sure he doesn't get possessive of his bowl. I found this great YouTube channel for training your dog and it's working like a charm on Bones. He's sitting for longer and longer periods of time and we're working on "stay".
"Drop it" has been the easiest command and something he picked up right away, mainly because he wants to continue playing ball. I say it each time he retrieves the ball, that way he'll eventually recognize the command and use it for any object.
 |
| Leash Training |
 |
| "sit" |
We're working on teaching Bones to be polite by making him sit before we allow him to eat the food that's been put down for him. I've also invaded his space and put my hand and face in his bowl to make sure he doesn't get possessive of his bowl. I found this great YouTube channel for training your dog and it's working like a charm on Bones. He's sitting for longer and longer periods of time and we're working on "stay".
 |
| "Drop It" |
"Drop it" has been the easiest command and something he picked up right away, mainly because he wants to continue playing ball. I say it each time he retrieves the ball, that way he'll eventually recognize the command and use it for any object.
~With enough consistency, repetition, and treats, Bones will be our perfect little gentleman.~
Monday, July 8, 2013
Crate and Potty Training
Crate Training
I'll admit I'm a slightly obsessive mommy and did a lot of research before getting bones and even now. There are two things you should know about crate training
I'll admit I'm a slightly obsessive mommy and did a lot of research before getting bones and even now. There are two things you should know about crate training
- It's supposed to be a safe place for puppy, do not close the crate on him when he's scared or anxious, he needs to be calm when he is in his crate
- Never use the crate as punishment, EVER.
The first night of crate training was easy, the poor guy was so tired he didn't care where he slept as long as he could see us. The second night was trickier and I was too tired to argue with Bones and get him calm and back in his crate, I confined him to the hallway where he could see us and go in his crate if he wanted to. Night 3 was much better. Bones was a little hesitant to go in his crate, even when lured with a treat, but after sitting with him for awhile, he accepted it. When I got into bed he whined, but I tapped on the grate and said "quiet" and he behaved. Night 4 was magic!
 |
| Asleep in his crate for the night |
Bones likes to reorganize his crate and play with his squeaky ducky. I had a wee wee pad on the bottom of the crate in case he had an accident - luckily for me he's an amazing puppy and has never had an accident in the middle of the night.
I folded an old pair of jeans and put them in the crate since it's too hot for a blanket, and I heard the scent of his owners will calm him while we're away at work. I came home to find his rope toy in his crate and the wee wee pad rearranged, so he seems to be taking to the crate really well. I put him in there when I vacuum and he stays much calmer.
Potty Training
***REMEMBER, it's not safe to let puppy on public grass or dog parks before he has all his shots!***
Potty training can be extremely frustrating and there's a lot of methods you can use. Bones came to us at 9 weeks with a head start thanks to an awesome breeder. We use wee wee pads in the house, and bought cleaner for any accidents. The most important thing to remember is consistency. Bones is taken out every time he wakes up, after meals, and before bed. We take him out to the same area and praise bones as much as possible when he does his business outside and on the wee wee pad. Accidents happen, but as long as we're watchful and can take him out when needed, he doesn't have any accidents.
Potty Training
***REMEMBER, it's not safe to let puppy on public grass or dog parks before he has all his shots!***
Potty training can be extremely frustrating and there's a lot of methods you can use. Bones came to us at 9 weeks with a head start thanks to an awesome breeder. We use wee wee pads in the house, and bought cleaner for any accidents. The most important thing to remember is consistency. Bones is taken out every time he wakes up, after meals, and before bed. We take him out to the same area and praise bones as much as possible when he does his business outside and on the wee wee pad. Accidents happen, but as long as we're watchful and can take him out when needed, he doesn't have any accidents.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Bringing Home Our Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Bones!
For my 25th birthday, my amazing boyfriend got me a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, our very first dog. Finding him was a bit difficult, especially with Corgis being so popular. After a 2 hour drive, we met our little guy and got to see his parents. We fell in love with the little guy right away, I mean who wouldn't love that face!!! Making sure you read up on the breed and what to expect when owning a puppy is extremely important, so make sure you're well informed before buying or adopting!
Bones was amazing the entire trip home, and slept most the way with no problems (something I was a little concerned about). We then took him shopping for all his basic needs at our local store, Super Pets (great store!)
Bones was amazing the entire trip home, and slept most the way with no problems (something I was a little concerned about). We then took him shopping for all his basic needs at our local store, Super Pets (great store!)
- food and water bowl
- Food - Natural Balance
- Treats
- Brush for puppy
- collar
- leash
- poo baggies
- weewee pads
- crate
- bed
- doggy shampoo
- cleaner for accidents
After shopping we went to a BBQ! This turned out well for us, but I wouldn't recommend it for all dogs. Bones did not like all the people petting him and went back to his "place" on the tile to stay cool and away from all the people.
During the BBQ I took him outside several times so he could do his business, praising him when he did. Papa held him in the car ride home late at night, and we set up his crate for bedtime. He was so tired he KO'd and slept the entire night.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)