# A Ruff Ruff Day



## emichel (May 3, 2012)

I know having a new puppy is supposed to be challenging, but today was off the charts. Where to begin. After 2 days I realized that my planned system of crate training was not working. He did not cry so I didn't know when he had to go potty, plus he had no idea what the pee pads were for. I realized that I needed to totally change my approach. To keep this as brief as possible I will cut out a lot of details, but basically, I spoke with the breeder this morning, and decided I was going to put an x-pen in my bedroom and get a baby gate for the bathroom, for when I needed to leave him alone for a couple of hours sometimes. I stopped by Lowe's near my house and bought a baby gate I thought would work, and it turned out to be a piece of (&[email protected]!%) garbage, so that will go back to the store. I looked at x-pens online, but decided I needed to get something today, and tracked one down by phone in a local pet store. I put him in his carrier crate, and on the way to the pet store he pooped in the crate. He did whine and let me know something was up, but by the time I was able to pull over it was too late. I took him out, wiped off his paws with baby wipes, and continued on my way with him in my lap, which I know I'm not supposed to do. We got to the pet store, and somewhere along the way I had lost my wallet. I looked all over in the car, on the sidewalk, etc. I think I might have had it on top of the blanket with Benjamin as I walked into the pet store and a passerby swiped it, but in any case, I couldn't find it. I drove home with Benjamin, put him in the bathroom with the door closed, and looked all over the house for the wallet. I called my credit union to report my debit card missing, drove there and got some cash, and went back to the pet store and bought the x-pen. Then I came back home and set it up in my room, with a tarp on the floor. I put him in there with a bed, food, water, toys, and newspapers. Oh yeah, I got newspapers and put them on the floor in the bathroom while I was on my 2nd trip to the pet store, and he went potty on those several times. Then I put him in the x-pen and laid down on my bed with a tall glass of wine. (Almost wrote "whine" -- ha ha).

I know you guys don't know me, but my life is normally not this chaotic!!! Holy &#&%@ tamole!!! 

Tomorrow I will go to the DMV to get a new drivers license, and this evening I will alert the credit card companies.

Well anyway, how was your day. :frusty: I am sure things will go better now that Benjamin has a system we can both work with, and after a month or so I will start taking him outside. Actually I'm going to e-mail the breeder and see if I can take him out sooner. There are a lot of grassy areas around here with only occasional dogs going by, so maybe I am being too conservative about not going out. Does anyone have any thoughts on that? It doesn't matter so much, though, now that he is going potty on the papers. I know it's gotta get easier than this!!!

Thanks for listening... maybe I should go to therapy.com. ound:

-- Eileen


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## Alexa (Jun 17, 2007)

If it wasn't for crossbody styles I would lose my handbag on a daily basis...keeping my fingers crossed it will still show up for you!
I was so paranoid the first night I ended up sleeping on the hardwood floor next to the expen (as in ON the wood, no blankets or anything) because the other methods hadn't panned out. We had a bunch of different things we tried out over the first months (e.g. the plastic crate did not work out for him...he worked himself up into such a panic each time, and one of those episodes ended up in a bladder infection somehow). Long story made short...things may seem totally chaotic, but they settle down soon enough...the expen will certainly help. Until he figures out how to escape from it....
I am close to you in Snohomish...hope to meet you and your pup in person some time!


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## MarinaGirl (Mar 25, 2012)

I'm so so sorry you've had such a tough day. I live in Seattle (Q.A.) and would love our puppies to meet and I can share my experiences as a new Havanese owner with you. It's been quite a ride. Hang in there, it will get better.


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## emichel (May 3, 2012)

Thanks Alexa and MarinaGirl, nice to know you are nearby. It would be great to meet sometime. MarinaGirl, we are practially neighbors -- I am sending you a pm.
-- Eileen


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## Sparkle (May 17, 2012)

Just think, one day you'll look back @ this day & laugh. And you'll tell this story so many times in the years to come. But right now it's not fun. Puppy kisses will make it all better!


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

yikes! Yup, you definitely are in the "What have I done? I must be nuts!" phase. Unfortunately it lasts for a while but the puppy kisses are worth it.


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## mamacjt (Aug 23, 2011)

Thank you ever so much! I was seriously thinking about getting another dog! You've surely helped me come back down to reality in a big hurry!!


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## Pipersmom (Jul 27, 2009)

Yikes! Hang in there, it will get better.



mamacjt said:


> Thank you ever so much! I was seriously thinking about getting another dog! You've surely helped me come back down to reality in a big hurry!!


Haha, you and me both!


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## emichel (May 3, 2012)

mamacjt said:


> Thank you ever so much! I was seriously thinking about getting another dog! You've surely helped me come back down to reality in a big hurry!!


Ha ha, I know. I might get another Havanese after a couple of years, but I'm pretty sure it will be a _mature_ dog!!! Not that this is the best time for me to decide anything. lol.
-- Eileen


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

awwwwwwww, wow, what a RUFF day indeed!!! I am so sorry about your wallet! I would have been in a PANIC!!
I hope your new system works and things will settle down a bit and you can ENJOY your new baby a little bit!!!


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

Wow, you did have a day! Hope you are feeling better today and that things are going better! As much as we looked forward to them coming home, and thought we had it all planned out in our heads how it was going to work, it took a lot of adjusting for us here too! I was very paranoid about taking mine out in the grass where other dogs may have been until we got their shots completed. Our yard isn't fenced and stray dogs and other animals go through it. Our vet also advised against it.

About getting the second one. HAHAHAHAHA!! I thought I had figured it out by the time Augie was 2.5 and we did bring in a second one! Joke was on ME! It was harder the second time around. I hadn't realized how far we had come with Augie and what a rude awakening to start from scratch - with a VERY mischievous character this time. The past year wasn't one of the easiest years I have had, for sure. It is just a good thing they are so darned cute! I have told my friends to stage an intervention and have me committed if I EVER talk about bringing in another puppy! 

We are getting more Washington people on the HF. Yay!


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## misstray (Feb 6, 2011)

So sorry you had a bad day and lost your wallet. What a nightmare. 

You aren't alone in having "puppy reality shock" after the puppy gets home. It's hard. But the good news is it really does get easier. Puppies come super cute for a really good reason!! Brody wasn't even a super-active or high-strung or destructive puppy and there were still times when I questioned my sanity for bringing a puppy into my life. (truth be told, there are still days like that) 

I'm glad I did though. I love my little guy and the positives far outweigh the negatives.


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## sashamom (Jan 12, 2009)

emichel said:


> I know having a new puppy is supposed to be challenging, but today was off the charts. Where to begin. After 2 days I realized that my planned system of crate training was not working. He did not cry so I didn't know when he had to go potty, plus he had no idea what the pee pads were for. I realized that I needed to totally change my approach. To keep this as brief as possible I will cut out a lot of details, but basically, I spoke with the breeder this morning, and decided I was going to put an x-pen in my bedroom and get a baby gate for the bathroom, for when I needed to leave him alone for a couple of hours sometimes. I stopped by Lowe's near my house and bought a baby gate I thought would work, and it turned out to be a piece of (&[email protected]!%) garbage, so that will go back to the store. I looked at x-pens online, but decided I needed to get something today, and tracked one down by phone in a local pet store. I put him in his carrier crate, and on the way to the pet store he pooped in the crate. He did whine and let me know something was up, but by the time I was able to pull over it was too late. I took him out, wiped off his paws with baby wipes, and continued on my way with him in my lap, which I know I'm not supposed to do. We got to the pet store, and somewhere along the way I had lost my wallet. I looked all over in the car, on the sidewalk, etc. I think I might have had it on top of the blanket with Benjamin as I walked into the pet store and a passerby swiped it, but in any case, I couldn't find it. I drove home with Benjamin, put him in the bathroom with the door closed, and looked all over the house for the wallet. I called my credit union to report my debit card missing, drove there and got some cash, and went back to the pet store and bought the x-pen. Then I came back home and set it up in my room, with a tarp on the floor. I put him in there with a bed, food, water, toys, and newspapers. Oh yeah, I got newspapers and put them on the floor in the bathroom while I was on my 2nd trip to the pet store, and he went potty on those several times. Then I put him in the x-pen and laid down on my bed with a tall glass of wine. (Almost wrote "whine" -- ha ha).
> 
> I know you guys don't know me, but my life is normally not this chaotic!!! Holy &#&%@ tamole!!!
> 
> ...


I am also in Seattle/Renton area and have two havs. One is 7 yrs and one is 9 months. We should plan a get together. Linda


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## Tuss (Apr 22, 2012)

what a horrilbe day! why can't you let him outside? Once they have their first set of shots then it's fine. a lot of the "anti vaccination crowd" never get their dogs vaccinated and have no problems. Being around vaccinated dogs, or a short supervised walk should be no problem (you can just pick him up if an unvaccinated dog wanders by), and watch him closely that he doesn't get into anything. I think some people go overboard with the "bubble wrap dogs". For your sanity a nice on leash walk will allow him to go outside and tire him out. Not sure what other people opinion on this is...

don't be afraid to just get out of the house for some time away. they can drive you crazy. It will get better.


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## emichel (May 3, 2012)

I'd love to meet up, Linda -- will PM you later.
-- Eileen


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

When I started with Dexter potty training, it was every 15 minutes, slowly building the time outside. It was 100% reliable in 6 months. Now, Jack...that is another story! 

Puppyhood is exhausting! So sorry about that wallet lost! Nightmare!


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## Murphysmom2011 (Apr 24, 2012)

I am sorry to hear you had a tough day. It does get easier though. Murphy cried a lot his first couple nights in his crate, but settled down quickly by the end of the first week home. He usually woke us up around 4pm to go out, and then would go back to sleep so we had no crate accidents. We kind of trained him the same way we did with our daughter. Get up, take care of them with minimal interaction and then get them back to bed.

We are on the Eastside (Sammamish) and it seems there are a few of us in the area, we should plan a meet up.


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## Beau's mom (Oct 6, 2011)

I agree with "Tuss" in regard to the "bubble-wrapped" dogs. I was completely naive when I got Beau at 12 weeks of age. No one had told me anything but that he needed to be vaccinated for the other dogs' sakes!! Anyway, he enjoyed our lawn (no fence, lots of bunnies, squirrels, ground hogs, deer, fox, etc. -- but not at the same time) and clearly, he was just fine. The same with my previous dog at 8 weeks. At that age, they don't wander far -- and of course you stay with him. Just enjoy and take some pictures!


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## emichel (May 3, 2012)

Thanks Beau's mom/Lorraine and everyone, all of the support and advice has helped immensely. I guess I had the idea that if my puppy even sniffed at the sidewalk where a Parvo infested dog had walked he would get sick. It reminds me of when I was growing up. I was the oldest of 6 kids, and my mom told me that when I was a baby she used to boil my toys (!) every night -- presumably they weren't plastic in those days -- because she was so afraid of germs. By the time my youngest brother came around, he would be sitting outside eating dirt and mom would say "oh, it won't hurt him". ound: I'm just trying to be a responsible puppy owner, but I think I've been a little unbalanced. He was vaccinated against Parvo on 5/18 and June 7th, as well as other things on June 7th. Anyway, today is a beautiful day, and I put him on a leash and we walked around the neighborhood on the sidewalk. Of course he went into the grass on the sides, he was sniffing at everything, but it's probably fine. He looked so happy, running and bouncing along and sniffing at everything, ears flying back, it was so fun! Sorry, I couldn't manage pictures, too. LOL. We met a couple of nice ladies and one of them said her sister had a Havanese, and a couple of little kids who loved him. He ate it up and now is crashed out for a nap. He'd better rest up, because tonight we are going to a puppy playtime at the place he will be taking his classes. A busy day -- and quite a bit more fun than yesterday! :whoo:
-- Eileen


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## Tuss (Apr 22, 2012)

emichel said:


> Thanks Beau's mom/Lorraine and everyone, all of the support and advice has helped immensely. I guess I had the idea that if my puppy even sniffed at the sidewalk where a Parvo infested dog had walked he would get sick. It reminds me of when I was growing up. I was the oldest of 6 kids, and my mom told me that when I was a baby she used to boil my toys (!) every night -- presumably they weren't plastic in those days -- because she was so afraid of germs. By the time my youngest brother came around, he would be sitting outside eating dirt and mom would say "oh, it won't hurt him". ound: I'm just trying to be a responsible puppy owner, but I think I've been a little unbalanced. He was vaccinated against Parvo on 5/18 and June 7th, as well as other things on June 7th. Anyway, today is a beautiful day, and I put him on a leash and we walked around the neighborhood on the sidewalk. Of course he went into the grass on the sides, he was sniffing at everything, but it's probably fine. He looked so happy, running and bouncing along and sniffing at everything, ears flying back, it was so fun! Sorry, I couldn't manage pictures, too. LOL. We met a couple of nice ladies and one of them said her sister had a Havanese, and a couple of little kids who loved him. He ate it up and now is crashed out for a nap. He'd better rest up, because tonight we are going to a puppy playtime at the place he will be taking his classes. A busy day -- and quite a bit more fun than yesterday! :whoo:
> -- Eileen


The tired puppy is the key! you take them outside, they pee, they get exhausted, they sleep, the second they wake up you take them outside, they pee, soon they get the hang of it!


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## MarinaGirl (Mar 25, 2012)

I met Benjamin today at puppy playtime. He's even cuter in person than his pictures, and his personality is so engaging!  Eileen is lovely and is doing a wonderful job with him, and with structured training and socialization he's going to be the BEST.


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## emichel (May 3, 2012)

Thanks MarinaGirl, it was fun meeting you and Emmie tonight. I was proud of my Benjamin with all of those bigger puppies around, I think he is one tough little guy! I was really glad when you and Emmie showed up, though, so that he'd have another Havanese to play with, and she was very well behaved, of course.  I thought the 3 trainers were great, and liked how they separated out the little ones, and kept changing out which puppies came in and out of the enclosed area based on behavior. I'm really looking forward to the next playtime, and of course Benjamin is, too. He was just smiling from ear to ear when we got back in the car, and was obviously very pleased with himself. We'll probably see you there again there soon!! 
-- Eileen


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

SO great that you guys were able to meet up!!!! yay for puppies and new friends!!!


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## lise (Sep 1, 2006)

Cool! Wish I could meet up with a Hav let alone another Hav owner. I know that there is a young pup in the town near me. Hopefully when we start training in July they will be there too!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

emichel said:


> Thanks MarinaGirl, it was fun meeting you and Emmie tonight. I was proud of my Benjamin with all of those bigger puppies around, I think he is one tough little guy! I was really glad when you and Emmie showed up, though, so that he'd have another Havanese to play with, and she was very well behaved, of course.  I thought the 3 trainers were great, and liked how they separated out the little ones, and kept changing out which puppies came in and out of the enclosed area based on behavior. I'm really looking forward to the next playtime, and of course Benjamin is, too. He was just smiling from ear to ear when we got back in the car, and was obviously very pleased with himself. We'll probably see you there again there soon!!
> -- Eileen


It is SO wonderful that you are getting Benjamin out there, socializing, so early!!! This will pay off BIG TIME as he gets older. Good for you!:whoo:


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