Beware The Chair!

We've been missing in action all week with an emphasis on action. Sydney and Mackenzie have recovered from their operations and now that they are officially big girls we decided it was time for some serious lessons on manners. I think the big dogs wanted to leave home when they realized what we were all going to go thru this week.

Having one puppy in the house isn't too bad, but two has been a real challenge. I even found it easier to train when I had eight pups because if I was working with one, the others all had each other for company. But if I take one of these two with me, the other screams for her sister.

Our training tools this week were a couple of leashes, some treats, a spray bottle filled with water, a couple of crates, and a kitchen chair. I know you're asking yourself about the kitchen chair and I'll explain in a bit.

At first both  girls were on leashes and the leashes were attached to Rob and me at all times. I usually had Syd and she accompanied me everywhere I went and I do mean everywhere. At times the two were permitted to play together but all the while with leashes attached so we could grab them if they got too rowdy.

After a couple days one was allowed to wander around, leash on but not being held by anyone. The other was still attached to one of us. We alternated so that each pup got some free time. They were rewarded for good behavior such as not attacking each other or the other dogs or not chewing things that weren't theirs etc. The were sprayed with water if they had barking contests or attacked each other. This does not work with Porties who love being sprayed and will keep coming back for more.

They were occasionally put in their crates for naps or quiet times and had to be quiet  in order to be released. They were fed separately from their own bowls and if they didn't eat, they were put into their crates with their bowls. Dinner is not play time.

Because of the surgery they were escorted outside on leash until today when they were finally allowed to run.

Wednesday Rob and I were having dinner and Mac was starting to get too wound up, so I tied her leash to my chair. She had no choice but to sit quietly and wait for us to finish eating. At one point I got up to get something and forgot that she was attached to the chair. She saw that as her chance to race into the living room and attack her sister who was quietly playing with a toy. The chair fell over and went bouncing across the floor behind her. She ran faster and so did the chair. Rob jumped up and grabbed the chair and released Mac. When I got to the doorway both pups were sitting very straight and very quietly on the couch. They stayed there without making a sound for several hours. They have a new respect for the chairs.

At bedtime Mac goes into her crate in the laundry room with a cookie but Syd is now allowed to sleep in the bedroom with us. She claimed the easy chair and as soon as she receives her cookie curls up in her chair. We don't hear a sound from her till morning. We hope that someday Mac will be able to join us, but for now there's no shame in sleeping in a crate.

Being a puppy is hard work. There's so much to learn and being bad can be so much fun, but we're getting there. There's another new puppy in Blogville who will be facing some of these issues soon. Go visit Brutus. He's a very big, very cute boy.