dewittsc

All: I posted here back in late dec/early January when I got my husky pup and you were all extremely understanding and helpful. We have now had her for 4 months and she is 6 months old on tax day. She is a great, great dog. However, my wife and I are really not sure we are a good home for her. The main reason is that we feel like we are being totally unfair to the dog and that we are pretty awful pet owners. I would like your candid advice on whether this is true and/or what we should do. The main thing is that we really don't have a good place for her to hang out. (I realize in hindsight that we should have thought of this beforehand - our bad...) So #1 we don't have a fence and can't afford to put one up. I have read that tie outs and stakes are very dangerous so I won't do that. #2, on the inside our house has a very open layout and has 5 children running around which makes it near impossible to dog proof. We have tried several times to just let her roam around but she always just ends up trying to eat a toy (choking hazard) or peeing on the floor. We have no way to block off a room completely (short of building a wall). So, that has left us with our current solution of keeping her tethered to our kitchen table (the only thing big enough to hold her) which I feel is just as cruel as keeping her crated up 100% of the time. We do walk her 2-3 times a day for at least a mile each time but I don't feel like this enough - she is a runner after all. So, bottom line we feel we are just being unfair to her and she would be better off somewhere with a secure area she can run around in. The secondary thing is the following. We knew she would be work - that's fine, we were willing to do that. Unfortunately, for reasons I can't discuss, we have come to a place where we are having an extremely rocky time in our marriage and family. IMO, this has two problems. 1) They say dogs are very intuitive and I'm worried she can probably feel all the tension (and it's not like you can't hear the yelling) and she is unhappy and depressed. 2) The extra work is a pretty constant stressor in an environment already filled with a stupid, crazy amount of stress (I realize this is OUR problem and not hers but it's still not good for anyone). We do have some other issues that are smaller and I'm sure could be fixed if we didn't have the above two things. The main thins is, she still pees in the house - she just did it while I was writing this. I have read every puppy potty training article I can and done everything they've said - take her out plenty (about every 1-2 hours), say no and run her outside when she does, cleanup the area with nature's own but don't let her see it, never yell at her, etc, etc, and on and on but she still does it. We go back to the vet on Tuesday so I will ask her again about this. Granted she is way better than she used to be - some days she won't do it and others she might do it once or twice (she used to do it like 10 times a day). I have read on here of folks potty training in 2 weeks - it's been 4 months so I don't get it. She is a great puppy and I want the best for her. I really feel like here is not it. I am willing to make changes if someone can come up with them but I'm out of ideas. Your thoughts would be very much appreciated. Thanks, Scott

Al: Thanks again for your responses!! A few responses of my own, also in order: 1. OK, we will continue with our potty regimen. 2. OK, will continue to keep her on leash even inside (but out of her crate). 3. OK, I will reluctantly wait. :-) Re: your comment about letting her run in the yard, I bet you assumed I have a fence. :-) Unfortunately I don't. I have a nice sized backyard but no fence. We have looked into getting one but they are upwards of 5K, especially one we'd need to keep her in (8 ft high and like 2ft below ground). As an alternative, we've looked at the Boss Pet - Prestige 100ft Skyline Trolly. My only concern with this is that given how creative they are she might get off and then I'll never see her again. But at this time it's looking like our only option if we want to let her have some free time in our backyard. Thoughts? 4. OK, started timeouts today for nipping. 5. OK, I have restored her access to constant water. I think the reason it had been suggested (not sure if it was this forum or somewhere else) is that she had been having accidents like every 10-15 minutes. I know for a fact she can hold it at least 3 hours since she is doing it every night (knock on wood for me). So not sure what is up with the accidents. Now that she has her water back, she definitely is back to more accidents. I guess I will just have to deal with that (hopefully not for too much longer....)? Thanks again for all your responses. If i got this "My Media" thing right, hopefully the little devil will appear below....

First, happy new year to you all!! We've made it a whole week and a day with our new pup. @Al - thanks for your suggestions. It has been an interesting couple of days. For now we decided to go ahead and keep her tethered at all times. I am feeling a little bit guilty about this but I guess it is no different than the kennel idea or even that different than putting up baby gates for setting boundaries with a baby. She gives me "the look" a lot when she's tethered and laying down! So now that we've both had some time to get to know each other, I have a few more questions about her that I'd love folks advice on. So I've been following the rules consistently for if she has an accident - taking her directly outside. I am pretty darned sure she has now learned that's "how to get outside". I know from getting through the night that she can already hold it from 2.5-3 hrs without problems. And yesterday she "had an accident" - I took her outside and nothing, then brought her in and she immediately peed and headed to the door so I took her outside and nothing. She did this 3 times. Here is what I have decided to do, please let me know your thoughts. If she has an accident, I say "No, we go outside" and stop my foot as usual. I take her outside. But instead of walking with her to let her "finish" I just stand there in one spot and encourage her to go. This way I'm hoping maybe she will stop associating "peeing" with "fun/walking". After I stand there for 10min, I put bring her inside and put her in her crate for a bit as a "timeout". Like I said, hoping this makes a clear difference between when we go outside to walk or play and when we go outside to potty. Thoughts? I do feel pretty bad having her tethered all the time. But from the suggestions here and from reading about how they have "no recall" and should really never be let off leash except in a penned in area (read this in Siberian Husky magazine), that's what I've been doing. I don't want to start a debate as I realize there are probably mixed feelings on this but... thoughts? When is it safe to start running with her? I believe it was someone earlier on this forum that said its bad for them to run at this early an age. But I think that will help her get her energy out. On that note, I know folks said they play hard but she -really- nips a lot and fairly hard. She likes to try and eat my girls' hair and the other day pulled my 4 years olds pants off (which was hilarious). But she also has gotten REALLY fiesty a couple of times growling and shaking her head and nipping. Any suggestions? So per suggestion I have been giving her water only with her food and/or when I see her panting. Is there a rule of thumb for how -much- water she should have each feeding (1 cup, 1.5 cup, etc?) Thanks all for your time in advance!!

@Al Excellent! I was thinking some hybrid of 2 and 3. Since you suggested it yesterday I have tried it twice (once while sitting outside chatting with friends for a while and once inside while working) and option 2 seems to work OK. But I as you mentioned, that could get dicey when I'm talking with customers (could care less when it's with my employees - they can deal :-) ). So was thinking of one of those hexagon shaped "play pens" they sell at petsmart. Again, THANK YOU so much for your time and expertise!

Al, totally forgot to answer these questions!!!! Was not trying to be secretive. I probably just forgot b/c I am like not getting any sleep from getting up 5 times a night with the pup!! I feel like I'm back in the days when my kids were born (I literally fell asleep in the shower this morning)!! 1. Technically it is -my- pup since I have been asking for her for a long time but after having six kids (20,17,10,7x2,4) I can tell YOU from experience (in case you don't have kids) that nothing is your own in a family. And frankly, that's the way it should be. So I would say it's a family pup with a strong tendency towards being mine. :-) 2. Different kids are involved at different levels in different things (FYI I am a software developer so I'm an expert in vague questions and answers). Training wise, mostly the older 2 but of course they also play with her. Playtime wise, mostly the younger 4, but the older 3 of that bunch do like to try and teach her to sit and lay down). 3. As mentioned above, six kids, ages 20, 17, 10, 7 x 2 (twins), 4 and F, M, M, F x 2, and M. As for what I do, I own a software consulting company so I spend all day at a desk mostly talking on the phone (boo) but occasionally still getting to actually develop code (yay). Let me know if you think there is anything else that would be helpful to know! Scott

Dave - thanks! Any opinion on the 4 options I laid out above? Your input would be valuable!

I stand corrected - but I will say you are the first person I've ever heard do that AND you must have awesome managers. Dave: THANK YOU for this. I knew there would be work and I signed up for that, but as you said, reality is I have to work. By tomorrow I actually will have had 5 full days with her. And I will be working at home all week so that will help. I hear you, I do. I have 6 kids so I get having to rearrange lives. I've done it at least 6 times plus I guess 1 time for getting married. :-) My kids are indeed old enough to help. I have two older kids that are being helpful. The younger ones are also helping but tend to get scared when she starts to get lively. :-) Thanks again for the advice/help. Thanks for this input! So the biggest issue right now is that tomorrow starts back the work week and though I will be home she can't have my every minute. I have gotten input from a bunch of folks and I would really appreciate the advice of you all. Basically I see a couple of options. 1. Should I keep her in her crate at all times between potty breaks until she learns? (this seems somewhat cruel but it has been suggested to me) 2. Several people (including here) have suggested to me to keep her on leash at all times until she is potty trained and have that leash under a chair leg or something while I am working - that way I can see when she starts to get restless or starts sniffing or some sign of having to go and take her right out 3. Another option is to get some sort of doggie gates that can act as a sort of "kennel"/"pen" and have her in there until she is potty trained. 4. Just let her have the run of the first floor (which is what we have been doing thus far) and deal with the zillions of places she will have an accident. My breeder was pretty clear she thought giving her the run of the house was a bad idea at this stage so leaning away from this one. What do you think?? THANKS again for your input... really really appreciate it. Thanks for taking the time to help others. It means a lot.

Wow, THANK YOU everyone for your support. I will respond to some of these things more in a bit and try and get some pics up. She is a female red and is just gorgeous as all get out. Last night went well (hope you don't my updates - if you do let me know and i'll shut up) - I woke with her every 2 hrs and she peed outside each time. Today is more of the same though - a lot of accidents in the house, rushing her outside only for her to do nothing since she did it all in the house. But she can sit like a champ on cue! Thanks again everyone for your help.

Thanks Ms Emily, I will keep up with the potty techniques we've been using b/c it sounds like it's on the right track and I will cut back a bit on the walks. So I hear what you are saying. And I mean this in the nicest way possible. But like we all have jobs right? How can anyone possibly do this? It's not like you can say "hey I can't come into work the next three weeks b/c I have to train my puppy". At least I've never known anyone to do this and I know plenty of folks who have owned puppies. So I guess my question is what do -those- people do? Yup, I totally get they are a lot of work! And experiencing it first hand! I know it will be worth it. Most of my kids are mouthy too. And I keep them anyway. Al's post about the bite inhibition i think made me feel better about this. She definitely didn't break the skin and I'm sure she could have if she had wanted to. Thanks Dave!!! It is good to hear that other people have struggled with the "hey, I have to work" problem while raising a puppy. When you say large kennel, can you shoot me a link to what you mean? I do have a basement so I could potentially do that. Someone is typically always at home here (especially over the next few weeks) the issue is just that no one really wants to follow her around every step she takes all day long. I mean I didn't even do that for my kids (yay play pens). Thanks again everyone for your great support!!!!

Al: THANK YOU for your quick response. It is at least a little comforting to know everything seems fairly normal. A couple of comments/clarifications on your responses: 1. Laughing OK and probably warranted. Hopefully I will laugh about it soon too. 2. Just after I wrote this post, I took her for a 15 minute walk and she pooped outside!! YAY for small successes! 3. She did pee in the crate twice, but not poop. I cleaned it up and used the Nature's Magic to try and rid the smell per what I've read. And a couple of follow on questions if I may (and if I mayn't, then please pardon me). 1. Some other experienced owners commented that 1 mile twice a day is probably too much for a pup of her age and that walks should only be 15 min at her age. My miles (with her stopping every 5 seconds) have been more like 45 minutes. Is that too long? 2. I asked the breeder how much "latitude" she should have to begin with outside the crate. We have been giving her the run of the first floor (approx 1500 sq ft). She said that was way too much and suggested confining to a particular room or part of a room like laundry/bathroom/etc. Problem is we have a very open landscape house and there isn't much we can do to cordon off one room from another. With your experience, what is your opinion on this? I was thinking maybe we could get one of those sets of doggie gates that make a circle/hexagon? 3. When I do take her outside after an accident, a) I almost never get her before she's done and she never goes outside after since she's already gone. How long should I wait on typical potty missions outside (accident or not)? 4. I know this will sound stupid so laugh away... But what should I do with her in the times when she isn't in her crate and I'm not walking with her or outside waiting for her to pee? As I mentioned, I've taken to following her around the house trying to "catch" her before she has that next accident. Again I get that puppies are an investment of time, but that just isn't realistic for me. I do have a job I have to do and 6 kids and a wife to also attend to. At the same time, I don't want to keep her in her crate all day. That wouldn't be right or fair either. But if I don't do my job, eventually i get fired, and she doesn't get fed. Hence the whole gated pen type of thing again - at least until she's mostly trained up. Thanks again SO MUCH for your response. I really do appreciate it!!! Happy holidays! Scott

Folks: I am the proud new owner of a husky pup. Pup is female, 10wks old, born on 10/15 and arrived at my house Xmas day. Was purchased from a breeder next state over and is triple papered (AKC/CKC/AP??). I have done a lot of research and homework on how to train my little girl. I have LOTS of questions but I will try to keep it just to two or three for now. I really appreciate any and all help anyone can provide so thanks so much in advance and happy holidays! 1. She urinates in the house -constantly-. It is literally almost every 15 minutes, sometimes even closer together. It's to the point where I have to follow her around every second just in case she go's and try to clap/say NO to interrupt her, pick her up and take her straight to her potty spot. She is also going poop in the house as well. I believe I have been following a good routine based on everything I've read yet she still does not go outside very often (it has happened a couple of times for which I've praised and given her treats). * I take her out first thing in the am, before bed in pm, after naps, and after meals. * I give treats and praise right as she is going if it does happen outside. * I never raise my voice or do anything negative or rub her nose in it when she has an accident (probably 6-7 times a day so far). * I take her on two 1 mile walks per day. * I have tried the scent cloth thing. * I crate at night and for naps in a large crate with a divider to try and discourage her from going where she sleeps (yet she has done it anyway) So between rushing her out on every accident, the walks, the potty trips, the following her around the house, and the cleanup, I can't get anything else done. I absolutely know that having a pup requires a lot of time but I do have a job and a family so at some point (like when I go back to work after xmas) I have no idea what will happen. - I realize it has only been two days, but does anyone have ANY ideas/advice/suggestions? - Is this normal? - Am I doing something wrong? - Might she have bladder issues (I've read she should be able to hold it her age in months plus 1 - so at least 2 hours - we're talking not even 10 minutes sometimes between one accident and the next). I have absolutely no problem investing time to walk her, take her potty, etc and since I work at home it's not a huge deal. But I can't have her monopolizing my job and risking my work. I can't imagine others do either since there are plenty of successfull husky owners in the world and we all have to work for a living. 2. Just this evening I was outside at her potty spot trying to get her to go by throwing some balls to her. She got pretty excited and started doing the whole "head shaking thing they do to rip apart prey" (not sure what that's called) with it pretty fiercely. I said No several times firmly. I then decided what a good leader would do (as I would with my kids) is just remove her from the situation to a timeout. When I went to pick her up in the middle of her tizzy she definitely did more then nip at me and was growling and yipping at me kinda like a wolf (I get it, they are descendants). She didn't break the skin but she came close. I have 6 kids and I can't tolerate this kind of behavior for the safety of my children. - Was this normal for a young untrained husky pup? - What could/should I have done differently? Frustrated and concerned, and appreciating ANY advice/help, Scott