# Housebreaking progress



## Chasing Mayzie (Aug 16, 2016)

Mayzie is a week shy of being 6 months old, and I am finally seeing some signs of progress on housebreaking. 

As a reminder, I have used confinement in an ex-pen by day and a crate by night as a primary housebreaking methods with no litter boxes and no pee pads. I have just taken her out very often during the day, or when she cries and whines in her ex pen and doesn't want water (so by process of elimination, I figure out she wants to go outside). For a while, we had done really well in that when I took her outside, she would immediately go potty and I would praise her, but then we had a setback: I had caught her going in the house, shouted at her, and grabbed her and ran her outside, which scared her, so she ran away, and thereafter would run away every time we went outside...from which point I had to take her out on a leash, and, sigh, progress stopped. 

My husband last week put back up our little temporary plastic fence which keeps her from running away but doesn't require a leash. That seems to have been a great motivator for her! Plus, without the need for the leash, she goes out with my other 2 dogs who are well housebroken and get down to business immediately after being let out. Yesterday, she had an accident in the house, but it was very close to the back door (I was cooking and could kick myself for missing out on that opportunity). I am hopeful that we have turned a corner. 

I know she is smart enough. She can do so many tricks and knows so many ways to be sneaky to get things she wants (aka my yarn bin!). I fully believe she will be housebroken completely by 9 months, and after that, it will be 20 years of smooth sailing making allllll this trouble worthwhile!


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## boomana (Jul 9, 2015)

Sounds like you're on the right track. How's Mayzie doing with her skin stuff?


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## Bowie's Mom (Oct 1, 2016)

So good to hear she's doing better with the housebreaking! Bowie seems to be doing better too. How's her coloring? Any changes with her new growth?


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## Bowie's Mom (Oct 1, 2016)

Also, what tricks has she learned?


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## Hava Novice (Aug 30, 2016)

So sorry that Mayzie has had a little set back, but as smart as she is, I expect you will have her back on track soon. Oreo has been making progress, but I continue to stay vigilant. We have been 3 weeks without an accident, but he is in his pen when I can't keep my eyes on him, and the only place he has free run is the kitchen (where I do my computer work). His last 2 accidents were behind the kitchen table, and now he will go sit in that spot and make a soft little squeak of a whimper and just stare at me. I take that as his sign that he needs to go out, and jump up immediately. Of course there is a high likelihood that he is just doing that to manipulate me into getting up from the computer when he wants some attention! He has me pretty well trained!  
Good luck!


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## Chasing Mayzie (Aug 16, 2016)

Thank you both for asking about the skin stuff! I am happy to say that the mange seems to be completely gone. The multiple dips and Revolution seems to have done the trick, and huge blessing in that my other 2 dogs didn't come down with it (we treated them in time, I guess). 

Her coat continues to be the strangest thing. I will attach pictures when I am home. If she is curled up, she looks black with gray roots, but when she is walking, you can see the silvery-gray roots most prominently. I still think that in the end, she will be gray with white tummy, feet, and tip of her tail. 

As for tricks, I tried so hard to take a page out of Dee-Dee's book and teach her to do Sophie's trick (hope I got those names right) of "go under the box", but wasn't quite able. She will:
1. Get in the box (hide in a box tipped on its side)
2. Go under the box (run under a box that is propped up).
3. Lay down, and we are working on army crawling to me using laying down as a starting point.
4. Sit pretty (which looks like begging)
5. Bunny hop (she will hop a full 7 feet across the floor, cracks me up).
6. Jump through a hula hoop (I don't put it up higher than 3 inches or so, but I think she would zing through it if I put it a foot in the air even).
7. Roll over. We are working on "play dead", but she can't seem to stop from rolling all the way over.
8. Give me 5, and then Give me high 5. We are working on "wave bye bye" using this trick as a starting point.
9. She is just now learning to drop. She loves to play, though, so if she knows I want her to drop something, she will promptly run far away! Ha!
10. Go to bed...no matter where I am, if I say "go to bed", she will run and jump into her ex-pen's open door. 

Now, lest I sound like a bragging parent, remember, this dog will not come, sit, stay, has horrible leash manners and isn't fully housebroken! I am going to work on the basics though. Now that her mange is gone, we are going to put her in an obedience class too. 

I will try to get a video of her running the gamut of tricks and attach it. You guys are very nice to let me share these things!


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## Chasing Mayzie (Aug 16, 2016)

Hava Novice said:


> So sorry that Mayzie has had a little set back, but as smart as she is, I expect you will have her back on track soon. Oreo has been making progress, but I continue to stay vigilant. We have been 3 weeks without an accident, but he is in his pen when I can't keep my eyes on him, and the only place he has free run is the kitchen (where I do my computer work). His last 2 accidents were behind the kitchen table, and now he will go sit in that spot and make a soft little squeak of a whimper and just stare at me. I take that as his sign that he needs to go out, and jump up immediately. Of course there is a high likelihood that he is just doing that to manipulate me into getting up from the computer when he wants some attention! He has me pretty well trained!
> Good luck!


Three weeks without an accident is reason to celebrate in and of itself, but the fact that he will whimper and stare when he needs to go out adds a whole new dimension! From this point forward, it is all downhill! I am very happy for you! I think Mayzie is on the verge of making the connection that if she stands at the back door, she will get let out, but she just isn't motivated enough to do it.

Mayzie is absolutely, 100% food driven. The only reason she learns tricks is because she is a pig at heart and will do anything for a treat. I have had such good advice on here about not giving crunchy treats that take a long time to devour, about giving small treats to keep her hungry and interested, about keeping training sessions super short, about, well everything!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Chasing Mayzie said:


> Thank you both for asking about the skin stuff! I am happy to say that the mange seems to be completely gone. The multiple dips and Revolution seems to have done the trick, and huge blessing in that my other 2 dogs didn't come down with it (we treated them in time, I guess).
> 
> Her coat continues to be the strangest thing. I will attach pictures when I am home. If she is curled up, she looks black with gray roots, but when she is walking, you can see the silvery-gray roots most prominently. I still think that in the end, she will be gray with white tummy, feet, and tip of her tail.
> 
> ...


They all learn different things on their own schedule. Some of that is because we tend to emphasize working on things we find fun, but it's also that different dogs find some things easier than others. it sounds like you are doing g a wonderful job with Miss Mayzie!


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## Hava Novice (Aug 30, 2016)

I am so impressed with all of Mayzie's tricks! Oreo is food driven too. I have a trainer coming tomorrow morning, and she told me not to feed him before she comes so she will have plenty of "currency" to use with him. I told her not to worry, but even if I fed him, he would be more than willing to do anything and everything for more treats. I am excited about the trainer, she was a trainer at Dolphins Plus and the Atlanta Aquarium and is now training service dogs. Hopefully she will get us off to a good start.


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## Bowie's Mom (Oct 1, 2016)

That's great! Please let us know all the tips and secrets!
I'm so impressed with Mayzie and always look forward to hearing what she's up to. How many times a day do you train her and for how long? Do you use a clicker? How do you break down the tricks? I personally can't wait for the Mayzie Trick Video! Very happy the other pups didn't get mange!


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## CaroleG (Aug 13, 2016)

Our Cubby is now 6 months old. He is in his crate which is in a gated area. Never goes in that area. Goes potty on leash well, but if I give hiim free run inside (figuring he is empty), I eventually find a spot. He is not yet neutered and will wait until 7 months to have that done. I now know I must be watching him when he is out. Sometimes I put him on a long lead and let him go about the house with me. If he runs to the carpet, out we go cheerfully. Make it a point to never raise my voice if I catch him squatting, etc. because I dont want him to think he has to hide it.


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## Hava Novice (Aug 30, 2016)

Carole, Thanks for sharing about Cubby's unreliability when out of his gated space. Oreo is gated in in our fairly large kitchen, and hasn't had an accident in here in over 3 weeks, but I haven't let him loose in the rest of the house yet, and based on your experience I probably won't for a good while yet. The one time he escaped and ran into our bedroom, he wet the new carpet. I excused him for that one since it was in the middle of a hurricane, and we weren't getting outside as frequently as usual.  I have been thinking that I would keep him somewhat confined anyway until he was past the worst of the chewing, not wanting him to teethe on my furniture or good rugs.


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## Barbara Levy (Apr 22, 2016)

krandall said:


> They all learn different things on their own schedule. Some of that is because we tend to emphasize working on things we find fun, but it's also that different dogs find some things easier than others. it sounds like you are doing g a wonderful job with Miss Mayzie!


I agree with what's fun but also what is important to us. I live in a old city where the houses are right at the street, tiny back yards and there is a 4 way stop at every corner. My priorities were housebreaking (no accidents in several months) and teaching Loki to heel and automatically sit at every corner. We aren't quite there but getting closer. He also sits and stays before before being told OK to go out the door. All issues for his safety. Also, to not jump on the furniture without being asked up. I haven't even started on tricks. I am sure in different circumstances, I would have had different priorities.


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## Chasing Mayzie (Aug 16, 2016)

I had my daughter help me shoot a quick video last night. Mayzie and I were both so tired we were punchy, but what the heck, it's fun to watch. She can do all of these better (especially hop) when we aren't so tired, but I wanted to hurry and get it up.





.

I'll try to get another video that shows her army crawling and attempting to play dead (more like "play injured", lol).

She has learned these tricks instead of the more important stuff (come, sit, stay) because my (grown) kids like teaching her these fun things and so do I, so she gets lots of repetition. But I do want to work on the basics ASAP. I will admit that I would trade every single one of her tricks to have her housebroken to the point Loki and Oreo are! She is getting there though...just slowly.

CaroleG, I think you are right on point about not raising your voice if you catch Cubby having an accident. As I mentioned, I made that mistake and shouted and scared Mayzie...this did what Krandall called "spoiled the cue". I had to change my word from "potty" to "puddle", change my tone of voice, and everything. It really hindered progress. Grateful to Krandall for that advice...it helped!

Here's also a picture of her curled up lying down in her ex-pen. Isn't it weird how dark her hair looks there?

PS: Here are two older videos I have posted before: 



. They are too long, sorry...I got a lot of helpful hints to improve my training techniques after these, and I am always open for more!


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## CaroleG (Aug 13, 2016)

What a beautiful pup. Remind me of the age. Did you have her groomed, cut? Love how her face looks. If you did, could you give me a close up photo, cause I like it alot.


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## Chasing Mayzie (Aug 16, 2016)

CaroleG said:


> What a beautiful pup. Remind me of the age. Did you have her groomed, cut? Love how her face looks. If you did, could you give me a close up photo, cause I like it alot.


Thank you! She is almost 6 months old (born May 23, 2016). As for the grooming...actually the vet shaved her ears because she was diagnosed with mange, and there was this yellow seepage that made a crust that was getting infected. We have no idea how she got it (the sarcoptic kind even). On top of that, she lost so much hair that she doesn't look nearly as fluffy as she was at first. So although I have had her groomed once, she isn't sporting any particular cut except "post-mange growing back stage". 

But here are some pictures of her face anyway.


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## CaroleG (Aug 13, 2016)

Thanks for the photos. She looks so pretty! This helps me with deciding on what to do with my scruffy little boy! We re so lucky to have these angels in our lives, right?


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## Barbara Levy (Apr 22, 2016)

CaroleG said:


> Thanks for the photos. She looks so pretty! This helps me with deciding on what to do with my scruffy little boy! We re so lucky to have these angels in our lives, right?


Carole - He was a week shy of 7 months in this picture. It was the first time I had his body trimmed but the 3rd time I had his face, feet and sanitary parts trimmed. To keep him this long, you have to find a groomer that will trim with scissors. Not all will.


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## Hava Novice (Aug 30, 2016)

Thanks for posting Mayzie's photos and videos! She is precious and smart as a whip! Once we get the etiquette basics down, I hope to teach Oreo a few tricks too.
So sorry about the mange. Oreo has had such a hard time with itching, and had scabs develop on his chest and red bumps on his underbelly. After being double dosed with flea treatments in case it was a flea allergy, and seeing no improvement, the vet wanted to rule out scabies (mange), and put him on Bravecto which is effective for scabies. That didn't help the itching either, so we are back to thinking it is allergies. We have changed his food, eliminating chicken from his diet. He does seem some better, but still scratches more than I think is typical. He has a pungent odor, which returns shortly after bathing. It isn't just a funky stinky smell like my old lab used to get from yeast in her ears, it is an odor almost like cat urine. I feel like whatever is making him itch is also causing the odor. 
Oh the joys and frustrations of puppy life!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Hava Novice said:


> I have been thinking that I would keep him somewhat confined anyway until he was past the worst of the chewing, not wanting him to teethe on my furniture or good rugs.


Yes! There isa WHOLE lot more to "house training" than just "potty training". Puppies and adolescents can get into all KINDS of trouble left to their own devices.


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## Chasing Mayzie (Aug 16, 2016)

Bowie's Mom said:


> That's great! Please let us know all the tips and secrets!
> I'm so impressed with Mayzie and always look forward to hearing what she's up to. How many times a day do you train her and for how long? Do you use a clicker? How do you break down the tricks? I personally can't wait for the Mayzie Trick Video! Very happy the other pups didn't get mange!


Thank you for such kind words about Mayzie! She is a mess, but I sure do love her! No, I am not using a clicker, but I don't have anything against them. I probably practice tricks with her 3 times a day on average...it is our primary way of bonding. When I say "oooh, Mayzie, you wanna play?" she gets so excited...she will run over to the spot where I sit in the floor to train, then run back to me, then back to our spot...it's really funny.

I am not an expert in training (as you can tell by the videos!), but I guess here's how I break down a trick. For lay down, I simply put the food in my hand down low, and when she laid down to get it, I patted her rump with the other hand and then gave her the food when she was down. So I used that to teach army crawl: From a down position, I keep the food in my hand and pull it along the ground. When her rump rises, I pat it back down. She is getting is down pretty well now.

For "through" (a hoop), "under" (a box), and "in" (a box), she just chased the food in my hand. Being food crazed helps! However, when teaching "play dead", she wants to just continue rolling over, and I haven't figured out how to stop her from that yet.

Thank you for being such a kind audience for me to post my videos. I am really grateful to have someone interested! And I am open to tips from people who are better trainers than I am! Mayzie isn't going to be an obedience star - we learn tricks just for fun - but I still want to know how to do it properly.


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## Chasing Mayzie (Aug 16, 2016)

Barbara Levy said:


> Carole - He was a week shy of 7 months in this picture. It was the first time I had his body trimmed but the 3rd time I had his face, feet and sanitary parts trimmed. To keep him this long, you have to find a groomer that will trim with scissors. Not all will.


Loki is not much older than Mayzie in that picture, and his coat is so much longer and fuller than hers! I wonder if hers will ever get that long.

I posted a photo of Mayzie lying down which shows how dark her coat looked after she lost a bunch of hair from the mange. But in the videos, you can tell she really isn't that dark. I think she will grow to be gray and white, but who knows...just one of those things to wonder about (and take lots of pictures!).

And HavaNovice, I am so sorry that Oreo is itching still! I remember he was diagnosed with pyoderma and staph, and I'm so glad that didn't turn into a yeast-staph revolving door. I hope you figure out his allergies soon. Wellness makes a kibble called "Simple", and it has very limited ingredients. It is supposed to be useful when you are trying to figure out what a dog is allergic to. Maybe that will help?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Chasing Mayzie said:


> Thank you for such kind words about Mayzie! She is a mess, but I sure do love her! No, I am not using a clicker, but I don't have anything against them. I probably practice tricks with her 3 times a day on average...it is our primary way of bonding. When I say "oooh, Mayzie, you wanna play?" she gets so excited...she will run over to the spot where I sit in the floor to train, then run back to me, then back to our spot...it's really funny.
> 
> I am not an expert in training (as you can tell by the videos!), but I guess here's how I break down a trick. For lay down, I simply put the food in my hand down low, and when she laid down to get it, I patted her rump with the other hand and then gave her the food when she was down. So I used that to teach army crawl: From a down position, I keep the food in my hand and pull it along the ground. When her rump rises, I pat it back down. She is getting is down pretty well now.
> 
> Thank you for being such a kind audience for me to post my videos. I am really grateful to have someone interested! And I am open to tips from people who are better trainers than I am! Mayzie isn't going to be an obedience star - we learn tricks just for fun - but I still want to know how to do it properly.


You are doing AWESOME so far! Competitive obedience isn't for everyone... nor does it mean ANYTHING about how well-behaved a dog is outside the ring. (unfortunately!) So don't EVER think you have to feel bad about that.

One little trick that might get her doing the crawl quicker, and for a longer distance, especially since you train her sitting on the floor (a GREAT way to start things when working with a small breed!) is this. Sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you, and your knees slightly raised. Have her lay down beside you, then using a cookie, lure her under your legs like a tunnel. If she's a little worried or cautious, raise your knees higher at first, or have her just go under one leg. You'll have her crawling in no time!


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## Chasing Mayzie (Aug 16, 2016)

That is an excellent tip, and I will definitely put it to use! I have followed just about every piece of advice you have given me, and it has helped every time, and I will always be grateful to have had you as a guide through Mayzie's puppyhood!


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## Barbara Levy (Apr 22, 2016)

Chasing Mayzie said:


> Loki is not much older than Mayzie in that picture, and his coat is so much longer and fuller than hers! I wonder if hers will ever get that long.
> 
> I posted a photo of Mayzie lying down which shows how dark her coat looked after she lost a bunch of hair from the mange. But in the videos, you can tell she really isn't that dark. I think she will grow to be gray and white, but who knows...just one of those things to wonder about (and take lots of pictures!).
> 
> And HavaNovice, I am so sorry that Oreo is itching still! I remember he was diagnosed with pyoderma and staph, and I'm so glad that didn't turn into a yeast-staph revolving door. I hope you figure out his allergies soon. Wellness makes a kibble called "Simple", and it has very limited ingredients. It is supposed to be useful when you are trying to figure out what a dog is allergic to. Maybe that will help?


I am a new to Havanese but I know that they have different kind of coats and I am sure they grow at different times. Mayzie went through such trauma it may take her coat a little longer. I wouldn't be in too much of a hurry. She is so cute with her puppy hair.


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## megansievert (Oct 26, 2016)

Mayzie's tricks are so impressive!! You're definitely giving me ideas! I feel like I've run out of cool things to teach Sy. He's very good at Lay, roll over and paw, we are working on a few others that he knows but he mostly he just continuously rolls over (I think it's his favorite lol!) I keep saying I want to get him a hula hoop and we read that Havanese were used at circus dogs because of their fast learning and their awesome jumps, so I always joke that in going to teach him to jump through a flaming hoop! Lol! I love watching your videos of her, she's a beautiful dog! 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## megansievert (Oct 26, 2016)

megansievert said:


> Mayzie's tricks are so impressive!! You're definitely giving me ideas! I feel like I've run out of cool things to teach Sy. He's very good at Lay, roll over and paw, we are working on a few others that he knows but he mostly he just continuously rolls over (I think it's his favorite lol!) I keep saying I want to get him a hula hoop and we read that Havanese were used at circus dogs because of their fast learning and their awesome jumps, so I always joke that in going to teach him to jump through a flaming hoop! Lol! I love watching your videos of her, she's a beautiful dog!
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I'm very curious how you taught her to do the bunny hop?

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## Chasing Mayzie (Aug 16, 2016)

Thanks Megan! Mayzie's favorite is roll over too! I finally have gotten her to "play dead" without rolling over but it took a while because, yep, she loves rolling over. 

I got her to hop basically the same way I got her to roll over: Just taught her to associate a word with something she was already doing. Mayzie would always go into her "sit pretty" pose if I had something in my hand, hoping she would get it. If I held it high, she would hop for it. So I just said "hop!" and treated her, and she eventually learned it.

In the video I posted, I am waving the treat much too fast, and she tries to keep up with it and falls. When I'm training right, she will hop and hop until I give her the treat. It cracks me up! She will hop back and forth, in circles, etc. So funny!

After we perfect "crawl" and "play dead", we are going to work on "touch", "take a bow", and "wave bye bye". Those 3 things are also things she does naturally (except waving), so hopefully they will be easy to train. They're just party tricks - things to make us laugh and to give me and Mayzie bonding time, so even if they're not perfect, they serve our purpose.


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## Bowie's Mom (Oct 1, 2016)

Thank you for posting the videos of Mayzie doing her tricks! I think she's so cute in her post mange cut. My daughter is coming home from college Wednesday at 12:35 AM! She hasn't met Bowie yet and I've been trying to teach him some cool tricks to show her. He loves to roll over too! He will sit and wait, I can walk away out of his sight and then call him. He also knows down, shake, and working on stand. Can't wait to try crawl and hop!!!


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## Chasing Mayzie (Aug 16, 2016)

I have been meaning to get another video of Mayzie with more tricks, and I did get a couple here. Mayzie is just too darned happy to play dead for very long! But here is her version of it. And I am teaching her to pick up her toys and drop them in a big bowl that we have. So here is her "get[ting] a toy", but unfortunately I didn't get a video of her dropping the toy. It isn't very impressive anyway. I had been shoving the big bowl towards her trying to catch the toys as she dropped them and now she just wants to chase the bowl. 

The last clip is her new favorite activity. She dumps over the toy box, scrapes every single toy out of there, then crawls into the box and scratches frantically against the sides. She cracks us up!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Cute!


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## CaroleG (Aug 13, 2016)

So adorably cute! Same digging at the toys that our Cubby does. He is almost 7 1/2 months. Potty training though 50%. At times get defeated but then go back to the routine hoping it will resolve in time.


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## Chasing Mayzie (Aug 16, 2016)

CaroleG said:


> So adorably cute! Same digging at the toys that our Cubby does. He is almost 7 1/2 months. Potty training though 50%. At times get defeated but then go back to the routine hoping it will resolve in time.


It cracks me up how this breed has so many unusual behaviors that tend to be common to the breed: sleeping on their backs, rolling over, and digging in the toy box! She keeps us laughing!

I know firsthand how frustrating the potty training can be. I still think it is me that is housebroken more than Mayzie. She does well at holding it though, and that's the most important part. I know you must be sooooooo incredibly ready for Cubby to just be the reliable little guy he will be one day. Maybe God made puppies so darn cute so that we wouldn't strangle them when they have accidents!


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