# HELP! - Crazy Puppy



## jason.lotkowictz (Apr 2, 2008)

My girlfriend and I are first time dog owners. charlie is about 3.5 months old and we've had her for almost a month. we love her very much and have tried to educate ourselves as much as possible on raising her to be healthy and well-behaved. first two weeks were great. she was using her weewee pad with very few accidents, her biting was minimal, she would never bark or cry. we've been able to teach her some basic commands, sit, stay, fetch... but now she's at the point where its hard to keep her attention long enough to work on anything...

now that she's comfortable with us, shes started to go INSANE. She is incredibly hyper active, bites like crazy, tears up her wee wee pad, poops on the floor of her pen, barks, crys, etc. basically if shes not supposed to be doing something, its the first thing she wants to do.

we've been stern with her. every time she starts chewing on something shes not supposed to, we give a firm 'no' and try to take her away from the situation. if she bites us, we will say ouch and pull away. if shes barking we tell her no. she listens for about 10 seconds and then goes back to whatever she was doing. we've tried time-outs

this isnt all the time, sometimes she is a perfect angel. unfortunately, her behavior is only good about 30-40% of the time and the rest she is just going berserk!

Does anyone have any advice? When can we expect her to simmer down? we are currently unable to take her for wallks, (vet says that cant happen until month 4) but i think it might just be that she has too much energy to burn and she could use the exercise. can somebody please help?

Jason


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## maryam187 (Jul 18, 2007)

:welcome: Jason, your sweet little 'devil' Charlie is acting pretty much normally for her age. I thought Pablo was possessed by something evil and was constantly correcting him. It seemed never ending but it really does stop more or less all of a sudden around 4-4.5 months. Why can't you take her out? You're right, some exercise will definitely help calm her down, stay firm, make her do commands several times a day and whenever she gets something (food, water, attention, etc.) and put her in time out calmly and ignore her for as long as it takes until she's calm and lays down. She'll get it. It can get very frustrating, but 'this too shall pass'.


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## Judy A (Jan 13, 2007)

Oh my, what a sweetheart! How frustrating it must be for you! Can you take her to a puppy class? I really don't have answers for you, but I'm sure others will. Hang in there, read some good books on positive training, etc. and hopefully things will work out in the end. I'd think you take her on some short walks or let her run in a fenced in area....mine were pretty laid back, so I don't have any experience with this...good luck Jason and welcome to the forum.


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## Leeann (Feb 28, 2007)

Oh yes I remember when Riley came home I kept asking myself “what have I gotten myself into..” I will agree with all that Maryam said and if that doesn’t work you can just hand that little cutie right over to me :laugh:

Good luck and be patient she will get better.


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

When I scrolled down to see the pic, I think you posted the wrong dog! Nothing that cute could ever be evil!

I recommend lots of throwing of toys inside for now! We used to play chase with my white monster. We would run up and down the hallway with her (well more related to 2lb dog in Michigan Winter than shots!) But the more exhausted a puppy is, the cuter they get!

Amanda


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## maryam187 (Jul 18, 2007)

LOL, Amanda, I too saw the belly shot and thought: no way is this a little devil!


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## suzyfrtz (Nov 12, 2007)

Oh my how cute!! These darlings do turn into monsters at times! Right now Cazzie, who's just a year old, is trying his best to get me away from this computer by tugging viciously on my sleeve and making all kinds of wierd noises! They do need lots of playtime and exercise....maybe that's why so many owners end up with two! (the theory being they keep each other occupied?)

Suzy


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## anneks (Mar 13, 2007)

She is just adorable!!! I think it is just puppy energy and hopefully you can get her to run some of that off. Havanese are known to be a little wild, hense the RLH (run like hell). Have fun, keep up the training and it should sink in pretty fast.


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Jason, welcome to the forum. You may not want to read this, but it sounds like you have an adorable, normal Havanese! Gosh, she's a cutey too!

She is almost at the age where you can start taking her to some puppy classes. It would be good to get her out and learning in a setting with other dogs. It also sounds like she could use some 10-15 minute walks to expend some of her energy. (I'm not sure why your vet thinks she can't do that for a few more weeks, but maybe he/she knows something that is a danger in your area.)

Can you play fetch with her in your home? Roll a ball down a hallway or across a room for her to chase and bring back to you.

And above all, I hope you realize that the runlikehell (overly hyper mad dash through your home) is completely normal if you see her doing that. That's part of the charm and amusement of the breed.

When can you expect her to settle down? I'd give it another 21 months.


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## mckennasedona (Feb 20, 2007)

Oh my goodness, Jason. That little cutie cannot be the evil monster. She's adorable!! I'd love to help you out. Just send her to me for training. I'll have her straightened out in oh, say 12-15 years. 
Seriously though, a tired puppy is a good puppy. Lots and lots of play time. She sounds like a typical pup.


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## trueblue (Jan 22, 2008)

I read this post and kept expecting to see a dog that looked like what Ryan posted earlier! And then I see this adorable little furball...awwww...how cute! Not sure you want to try this, BUT, my secret for exercising the dogs is having kids...they totally wear each other out...lol!


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## Poornima (Jun 29, 2007)

Welcome, Jason. You have already received great tips of the Forum. I just wanted to say Charlie is absolutely adorable.


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## Moko (Dec 11, 2007)

Havtahava said:


> When can you expect her to settle down? I'd give it another 21 months.


ound:ound:ound:ound:

There you go! That about says it all!

Once the walks start, you'll see a whole different side of that adorable sweetie. And the suggestions about socializing just can't be stated emphatically enough. 

Our Molly is at her absolute most angelic best after a playdate with our granddoggie, Billy. The whirlwind that they are together, becomes blissful sleep and relaxation for both of them when Billy goes home!

I'm thinkin' you need ANOTHER Hav to keep things easier! :biggrin1:

Welcome to the Forum!


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## jason.lotkowictz (Apr 2, 2008)

first off, thanks for all the advice and the kind words on our pup, she really is as cute as the pictures would have you believe!

ok, so Charlie has her final set of vaccinations on 4/7 and we live in NYC. these are two reasons that she may not be allowed outside yet (the vet and pet store both told us not until she is 4 months).

but i agree, i think she just needs to get spent, burn off the excess energy. the problem is that when we play indoors, im afraid that it gets her more "riled up" and aggressive. what types of play (aside from fetch) are good at burning up some energy without making her aggressive?

here are some more pictures...


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Welcome Jason and Charlie. I have to admit in that first picture I can see a bit of the hellion side to Charlie. Maryam said it best-- Charlie is just being a puppy-- and enjoy her, because admit it isn't she kind of adorable when she is going a bit crazy???? Puppydom will be over too soon. 

A few things that helped us: As far as potty training goes-- take nothing for granted till she is at least 8 months--watch, show her where again and again and again. Your tenacity will pay off-- but it is important to do it NOW. 

What helped us tire out our little hellions at 3 -6 months was the "Come Game." You and your wife get as far away as possible in your house armed with treats---If one can be up a flight of steps even better--- And take turns saying "Charlie Come" Do this until you notice her slowing down. Be sure to break the treats up real small. Not only does it burn energy-- it teaches her to Come to you when you call.

Biting: again persistence will pay off with what you are doing right now. But also-- if you rub some butter on your hands-- and teach her the word kiss- then when she bites you can say No bite- kiss. Jasper was never a biter, but Cash sure was and this worked wonders with him.

WOW, New pictures already-- boy is she cute!!


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Oh, I totally agree on doing the "Charlie, come!" game. That's a great way to teach her recall as well as burning off energy. When we were driving across a few states and had a young dog that had been in the car for hours, we would find a safe place at a rest stop and would play that game to burn off the extra energy. (Finding the safe place was the hard part.)


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## brandy (Jun 12, 2007)

She is a doll! Looove the belly shot in bed. Some really good, yummy chewies that she can really work on for a while will also wear down some of that energy and keep her occupied too. Hang it there, she'll settle down eventually.


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## Moko (Dec 11, 2007)

Molly likes to jump OVER things! :jaw:

When the weather is junky (and lately that's been ALOT!) I set up some pillows, and just run her over them, around them, and over again.

There is definitely no agility competition ahead for Molly, since she sort of does it her way, but when she's done, she laps some water, and does a snooze! ound:It's FUN!


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## Moko (Dec 11, 2007)

brandy said:


> Some really good, yummy chewies that she can really work on for a while will also wear down some of that energy and keep her occupied too. Hang it there, she'll settle down eventually.


And don't forget

BABBLE BALLS! :whoo:


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## Me&2Girls (May 11, 2007)

I have to agree that Charlie is way too cute to ever be considered evil. Just one typical Havanese puppy. Welcome to the Forum - you're going to love it here.

By the way the butter trick is a great one.


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## casperkeep (May 16, 2007)

Your Charlie is too cute....I amm sure it will pass soon....it is nice having another havanese to play with though. Jillee and Betzie play all the time. I have to takr Jillee out of the expen area and have some one on one time with Betzie. Jillee will whine. When you start to take her for walks you should see a gifference. Good luck and keep us posted...thanks for all the pics.


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Charlie is SUCH a cutie! I agree with everyone here, she just really needs lots of exercise to tire her out. Where in NYC do you live? I ask because I also live in NYC (Upper East Side). I agree that she should not be outside at such a young age if all her shots aren't done. Just wait until that last set of shots, wait a week after that, and she's good to go! Your best bet is to find a dog that you know that is healthy and up to date on shots to have play dates with at your house or their place. This will really work out her energy, I'm sure. Depending on where you live, I would be happy to have Charlie and Kubrick get together sometime, if you'd like.


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Welcome Charlie and Jason! I'm happy you found this forum. I'm sure you'll enjoy browsing and sharing stories, advice and pictures. 

Your baby is a cutiepie!!! Love the pics! I hope some of the ideas suggested will help you out. It can be a challenge when they have so much energy. I felt like I had a newborn in the house when Ricky was a young pup. No time for a long lunch, kept having to watch him for every sign of having to 'go pee', and had to keep him from being too bored. After teaching him a bunch of neat tricks, I then decided we needed another Hav !! It's been great and I have no regrets whatsoever. Ricky was 8 months and 
Sammy was 7 1/2 months when we got him. 

Good luck and keep us posted. Lots of pictures help too.


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## Colinahavanese (Dec 31, 2007)

Welcome!!! Charlie is such a cutie. 
I guess I never really had a whole lot of problems with too much energy because we already had a dog when we got our first Havanese. So my advice is to find Charlie a friend. Maybe someone you know has a gentle dog that has all their shots and can come visit from time to time to play, until your puppy has all their shots. Getting them tired is the easiest way to calm them down.


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## jason.lotkowictz (Apr 2, 2008)

hi everyone, thanks again for all of your help. we are going to rearrange our apt so that it is more condusive to letting charlie run around and will ask the vet how soon we can take her out after she gets her final shots on monday. also, we are both gone from 9-5 (one of us has been coming home to visit her at lunch time, but its getting exhausting)... do you think its a good idea to find a doggy day care for her, where she can socialize and spend some pent up energy?

J


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## TobyBaby (Mar 8, 2008)

Hi Jason,
My puppy is younger than yours, so I'm no expert, but I did just hear a trainer say that anybody who has to leave the dog for more than about 3-4 hours should strongly consider daycare at least a few days a week. (Obviously a good one) Good luck! What a beautiful dog.


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## Lilly's mom (Aug 10, 2007)

Welcome to parenthood and the forum. ound: She is adorable especially the belly shot.


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## kelrobin (Jan 21, 2008)

Jason, Charlie is all cuteness with a pinch of mischief! I could have written the same thing you wrote many times! That pink tummy makes it all bearable . . . 

We have been stuck inside so much from the rain recently that we have been running through the house playing chase and hide and seek. The dogs love it, and for some reason, when Jackson gets fired up, there's no stopping what he will do (especially if I do need to leave . . . yanked tablecloth, getting into the trashcan . . . you get the picture). I think they all do that, and I will warn you that they also can get "possessed" when they are teething around 5-6 months. Just continue the exercise, games, firmness, and hopefully some playdates soon. I used to say it's a good thing they are so cute, because sometimes it is totally exhausting . . . whew . . .:frusty:


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

Hi Jason,

Charlie is SO cute! Puppies have a ton of energy and Hav puppies especially so!

Lots of exercise will help. This dog will want to play with you WAY more than you will want to play at this point! 

Fetch is great, walks are great. Lots of chewies too will get out some of the excessive energy (and spare your furniture from teeth marks) - check out merrickpetcare.com for flossies, snozzles, etc. 

One game I would play with Lincoln when I was tired (and he was not, of course) was to sit on the ground and pass a toy around my body in a circle (switching from right hand to left hand and back) so he would end up running around me in circles a bunch of times. Sometimes he'd be able to grab the toy, so it was fun for him to try.

Another solution: get another Hav for him to play with! Maybe not yet, but in a few months or so. :biggrin1: In the meantime, playdates with other puppies!

He will calm down about 20-24 mos of age. Lincoln did and he was the MOST hyperactive dog we'd ever seen as a puppy. I couldn't believe it when I realized he'd become a BUM!

Re: doggy day care, just checkout the clientele there to make sure Charlie would not be picking up any behavior problems from other dogs in the group. Maybe others on the forum who use doggy daycare regularly can give you more pointers in this area. Good luck!


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## juliav (Nov 21, 2006)

:welcome: to the forum Jason. I don't think that the adorable Charlie looks like a monster at all, more like a very happy, healthy Hav.  

Have you tried to bring her with you in a sling or a puppy carrier? This way she can still see everything and everyone, but not touch the ground.


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## Judy A (Jan 13, 2007)

I'm sure the all day confinement leads to her overexuberance when you are home. She probably is bored and the older she gets, the less time she is sleeping. Is there someone who can come and stay for a bit with her? A retired neighbor who would like some companionship? Just a thought....
My two love Bully Sticks.....they are a great chew food that will occupy them for a long time. They are a bit salty, so it might make her pretty thirsty which can be a problem if you are restricting her water while you are gone...
Puppy Day Care or a service that comes to your house could be good options...it can get expensive, but these little guys are so worth it! A companion dog is also a good idea, but you may not want to start "puppyhood" again just yet!
Good luck, she is so cute!


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## Kathy (Nov 9, 2006)

Jason,
She is adorable. I want you to know that you are describing a NORMAL puppy. They want your attention all the time, remember, Havanese are "companion" dogs. What you call "biting" is actually, teething. Your puppy is like having a 1 year old baby, they need constant supervision, lot's of entertaining, are learning and exploring daily. Dogs learn with their mouth. Give her a knuckle bone from the butcher or buy some bullysticks or flossies for her to chew on. 

Also, save the word "NO" for extreme correction. Try using words more descriptive, like, "settle", "no bite", etc....

Above all, enjoy these moments, these are the fun days, and take lot's of pictures!


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## Redorr (Feb 2, 2008)

Jason - 

As others have said - you have a normal puppy. I highly recommend day care - a few days a week. It is so great for socialization. You might start by getting to puppy kindergarten first. We went for an hour every weekend and Lola would be so exhausted she'd sleep for 20 hours after just one hour! Day care is that magnified by 10! Find a day care place that has little dogs together, some even separate puppies from adult small dogs. Lola chums up with whatever little puppy can match her energy. She plays all day, and doesn't ever use the beds and crates they have for nap time. 

I don't know that you can leave a puppy alone - especially these Havs - all day. You might also try hiring a dog walker to come in 2x a day and play with Charlie. Do you have a long hallway outside your apt? I have about 100 ft of hallway and Lola and I play Fetch, and Come every day, for about 15 -20 minutes, until she plops down on the floor as if saying "no more"! 

Don't worry that the playtime will make her more aggressive. Give her balls of all sizes to chase. Big balls are like doggie crack - they can chase them for hours. Charlie needs exercise and attention. And some training/discipline work so she knows who is in control. 

Good luck - you'll have a well adjusted cuties with a few months of attention and discipline.


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## jason.lotkowictz (Apr 2, 2008)

Hi everyone, just so you know... we had a breakthrough weekend. Charlie has now learned how to play fetch. as a new "father", this may perhaps be my proudest moment. 

We spent the whole morning saturday reorganizing (doggy-proofing) our living room. while before, we were nervous to let her walk around on the floor too much (wires, some dust, weird things under the couch, etc) we had her running around all weekend. all of the exercise paid off and she spent most of her non-playing hours doing some much needed R&R.

we have been really good about coming home at lunchtime to keep her company / feed her... but its getting exhausting and its also hard to leave work for that long. that being said, we are considering taking her to doggie day care.

we are taking her to the vet today for 3rd set of vaccinations so that we can finally get her outdoors! also, i have another strange habbit that shes taken to... sometimes when she is bored, wants attention, or even in the middle of playing, she will walk over to her water bowl, put her paw in, and start splashing it creates a mess in her play pen and then she tracks water wherever she goes! its kind of cute, but frustrating! what gives?


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

good job Jason!!!! I can just picture Charlie splashing her way to all our hearts--- SO where are the pictures of "said spashing" for attention?


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## Me&2Girls (May 11, 2007)

Oh I know all about puppies who think that splashing in the water bowl is great fun. Not my Havanese, but my Keeshond puppy. The do have "no tip" water bowls which limit their access to lots of the water.

But I agree, your puppy is splashing its way into your heart and pictures please.


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## Judy A (Jan 13, 2007)

My two will do that if there is something in the water...like a piece of food. Otherwise, I've not noticed them doing it.

You might try bully sticks for a great chew....they can sure occupy a dog for a long time, and puppies usually can't eat them very fast, so they last longer. They do make them thirsty, though.


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## jason.lotkowictz (Apr 2, 2008)

ok, so most of the behavioral stuff is improving now that we're getting charlie more frequent exercise. the biting is still what we consider to be slightly aggressive, rather than just teething, and we may end up seeing a trainer to help us work to curb the habit. overall, it has declined though which is a big plus.

now, more problems... we got her rabies shot monday night. tuesday started her bout with massive diarrhea. i came home tuesday evening to a weewee pad covered in it, and charlie had clearly been running around, sniffing it, and generally getting it all over the place... truly a nightmare. after bathing her and sterilizing the area, it has been moslty under control, but she is going every few hours and it is not solid. on the plus side, she seems otherwise healthy, energetic and has a good temperment.

the vet told us it could be a reaction to the shot, to feed her white rice and chicken, and that we could give her a quarter of a tablet of pepto bismol to help. to make things worse, we are flying with her for the first time today. we fed her a large breakfast and will probably not feed her again until we land. i know puppies are at risk for hypoglycemia, do you think it is ok for her to go 12 hours without food? should we maybe feed her a very small portion at lunch time to keep her from getting lethargic?

Also, the vet told us we could give her 25mg of benadryl 1.5hrs before the plane ride. does this sound ok and has anyone else ever 'helped' their puppy fall asleep for the plane ride? we were considering getting her doggie diapers also to avoid getting any mess on the inside of her carrying case... thoughts on that? THANKS!

I have some more pictures...


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## juliav (Nov 21, 2006)

Oh, poor baby!

I am sorry she's had an upset tummy. Your vet is right on all counts, boiled chicken and white rice are great to solidify her stool, and pepto bismol perfectly safe. I always have it on hand for both kids and dog's upset stomachs and it works great. 

I am yet to fly with Bugsy, but from personal experience know that if I take Benedryl it really makes me sleepy, so should work like a charm on Charlie. By the way, her pictures are adorable.

If you are flying at night (after 5 p.m.), I don't think it would be problematic to feed her a small portion of her dinner at noon and the rest when you arrive. Usually, you worry about hypoglycemia with really tiny, young puppies. Is Charlie very small? Also, you might want to bring Nutrical for her and give a little bit after the plane lends. It's a supplement given to dogs or cats when they are really sick, and won't eat but need to keep up their strength. It's great in preventing an episode of hypoglycemia.

HTH,


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## ivyagogo (Sep 11, 2007)

I have to say that that is one darn cute pupper you got there. Hang tight, this too shall pass!


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

Jason,

I would recommend picking up a can or 2 of the Low Residue Diet (it is prescription, from the vet, by Eukanuba, I think) because depending on how bad the diarrhea is, the chicken and rice may or may not solidify it. But the LRD will - it works very well. Good luck!


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

Welcome Jason and Charlie. She is beautiful. Your girl sounds just like my Smarty. Perfect at first, then I spoiled her and it was down hill from there. She is my first Havanese. I have never known a dog that was so demanding. Not to bust your bubble, but at 14 months mine still bites my DH (Dear Husband) in their nightly bad dog game , she runs like something possessed through the house (RLH, Run Like Hell), is a total shedder of anything she is not suppose to have, can get on any piece of furniture in my house like a cat. We could never live in an apartment because of her barking. BUT once I get her attention learns faster then any dog I have trained. I can't help with the potty training, Smarty gets lots of out door time and has been trained almost from the beginning.

My DH calls her a full time job. I would not take a Million $$$$ for her. Well maybe a Million, but not $500,000, well maybe………

You will learn a lot on this forum. I have.


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## Me&2Girls (May 11, 2007)

Jason, the new pictures are darling. Yes, a small dose of Benedryl can help - I always give 1/4 children's dose strip before a vaccination and then 8 hours later. Another thing for the runs is pumpkin - but not the pie filling variety - just pure canned pumpkin. Just a tablespoon may help if you can't get the LRD canned dog food. 

12 hours is a long time for a puppy to go without food, so perhaps a small meal of dry kibble would help but not if you're still having the runs. Follow your vets advice.


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## boo2352 (Dec 18, 2006)

Charlie is adorable! I hope the flight goes well.

MacGyver had some problems with diarrhea early on, but pumpkin seemed to fix it right up (and he found it to be delicious).


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## brandy (Jun 12, 2007)

*suggestions for her flight*

I wouldnt change her food. That can cause diarhea and normally does. I would just stick to what your vet recomended to help her tummy issues. Sedation for flying is a big no no. The airlines will not let you take her on if you have use sedationd medications. Especially if she has never had it before you dont know how she will react to it and what kind of medical care can you get in the air on a plane? 
I wouldnt feed a big meal the day of flying, especailly with her tummy problems. uke: not to mention diarreah
You can stop in your vets office and ask them to administer some sub Q fluids with vitamens in it. It will make a bubble of fluid under the skin and keep her hydrated during the flight. You can also pick up some vet cal at the pet store. It's a paste you let them lick off your finger and it's loaded with vitamens and nutirients. I always give it to my pups if they are traveling long distances. If you do the sub Q fluids with vitamens ask your vet if you should still the vet cal paste, it may be too much vitamens and he may say only do one or the other. 
Im assuming she flying under your seat. Take some good chewies along to keep her occipied. Have a good trip.


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

What adorable pictures of Charlie!!!!! She's so darned cute.

Good luck with the flight. By now, you've already left, so I hope things went well and will also be fine for your return flight. 

Sandi, you're too funny!! ound:


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## SmittenHavaneseMommy (Feb 18, 2008)

Aw Jason, you MUST POST water splashing pics for us to see.. that's so cute when they make messes!  LOL FUN FUN!!!!
You got great advise, nothing I can add to it.


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## JanB (Oct 26, 2007)

Jason, I know you must be gone but I just want to say I caught up on this thread and Charlie is adorable and sounds quite normal!

I hope she's feeling better and your trip went OK!


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## Carol (Jun 18, 2007)

OMG, That first pic Charlie seems to be saying "who- not sweet little innocent me!!" You can almost see the halo above his head!

I promise this stage will pass. Just hang in there. It sounds like you're doing all of the right things.


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## Doggie Nut (Oct 20, 2006)

WELCOME JASON & CHARLIE....HOPE THINGS ARE DOING BETTER! I'LL LEAVE THE ADVICE TO THE PROFESSIONALS HERE! I KNOW THERE IS AN ANSWER!


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## Redorr (Feb 2, 2008)

Jason - How did the flying go? i hope you weren't booked on American! I flew with Lola across country when she was 4 months old and she did great. I hope Charlie enjoyed the adventure.


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