Sammie’s pups are now 9 weeks old. Can’t believe it! Where did the time go?
Their house training lessons are continuing. At night when they go into their crate to sleep, we make sure we shut the door so they can’t get out during the night and go potty. In the morning, we open the door and take them out to our chain link kennel and encourage them to “go potty.” We give them lots of praise and tell them what good puppies they are before letting them back in the house. We are using the chain link kennel specifically so they know to “go potty” when they are in there, and it’s a small enough area where we can control them more easily. And it’s right outside the door. 🙂 On a happy note, on several occasions, we have had them in their exercise pen, then taken them outside, and they have gone potty when we put them out, instead of in their pen. Even had them running loose in the house and taken them out after 10 or so minutes of playing, and they went potty then. So, we think they are starting to understand the concept.
As we figured, Sammie’s little look-alike, Joy, is the official escape artist. She was the first to climb out of the outdoor puppy pen, and jumps off of the chair that we put them on in the house. She also easily jumps up on to the futon and the couch. Jasher does follow her sister, but isn’t quite as adventuresome. Interesting note, while Jasher was the first to actually climb on TOP of the crate in the exercise pen, Joy, in her first attempt, not only climbed on top of the crate, she managed to climb over the ex-pen and onto the chair beside it. My husband called me the other day at work to ask if I had left the two girls on the chair, and the boys in the exercise pen. Of course I hadn’t, but Joy had figured out how to get up and over the exercise pen after climbing on top of the crate. Jasher followed her that time. Not only does she look like momma, she’s super smart like momma! Needless to say, the crate is now no longer beside the chair!
Joy did manage to climb out of the exercise pen without the help of the crate one night. We didn’t know it, as it was late, and the lights were off. Hubby was in bed already, and I closed the door on the crate. Next morning, we were woken up by Tucker grumbling, and we could hear the pitter patter of little puppy feet running around on the floor. She tried it again later, but my hubby said she fell off backwards, and she hasn’t tried it again. Dang smart pup!
Also, as weather permits, we have been taking them out in the field to explore. They have done really well, staying with us, but venturing off and checking out all of the scents. Oh, and their favorite thing, poop piles! It’s interesting to note that while Sage and Chance don’t seem to like being in the house or the outdoor puppy pen with the pups, when they are out in the yard or field, they love to play with them.
I have been working a bit on “sits”, but they don’t like the treats a whole lot, so I’m going to make up a batch of liver treats and see if that helps. I will also start working on leash training them individually. Will continue to work on “sit” and “down”. They seem to understand “No” really well. If they are getting into something that they shouldn’t be doing, and I say their name and “no”, they actually do well and leave it alone. Sometimes they are a bit stubborn, but not too much. Depends on their level of interest.
Rat Race Rat Terriers 