At the visit to the vet yesterday, we found out that Cookie is about 8-9 weeks old. She’s a Chihuahua and (possibly) Dachshund mix. She’s healthy and flea/worm-free. She got some shots, her nails clipped, and we went home with lots of samples and brochures. We’ve also discovered that she’s quite defensive to strangers and packs a fierce growl and yap!
I just love seeing Ashlyn with Cookie. Ashlyn just oozes love for the pup. She loves to cradle Cookie in her arms and rock her like a baby. She talks, sings, and reads to the pup in a gentle soothing voice. It’s pure sweetness.
Summer, on the other hand, is a different story. She tried to pick up the pup by the neck. She’s constantly chasing after Cookie with a kibble in her hand. Her loud squeals and cackles, sudden movements, and big gestures totally freak the puppy out. Poor Cookie. hehehe
Having a pet is not quite as fun as I remembered it to be. It’s probably because I’m a parent now and not a kid. 
It’s only been a couple of days and my biggest debacle is potty training. Cookie generously leaves little “gifts” for me all around the house. And because she’s a tiny little thing, her puddles and poos are hard to spot right away. Currently we’re in the midst of getting laminate flooring installed at home, so it’s not a big deal when she goes on the cement floor. But today, the installers worked on the living room and Cookie and I were confined upstairs. I would take her outside every hour or so, but nothing happened. By the end of the day, she went on the carpet FOUR times! I wanted to cry.
My friend suggested the crate-method for potty training. Sounded easy enough, but poor Cookie just wimpered and cried the whole time in the crate. All the wimpering, yapping, and yelping sounded like there was animal cruelty going on at my house. I just couldn’t stand it, and would take her out. Of couse the minute I took her out, she would pee on the carpet or in my arms. 
Thoughts of regret and giving her up crossed my mind a dozen times, but I mustn’t give up so easily or quickly. I have to keep reminding myself that it just takes time, some love, and a whole lotta patience. HEEEEELP!
I’m open to any advice…..anything.
Tags: Cookie, kiddies, puppy training
September 26th, 2007 at 9:40 am
maybe you should try pee pee pads. and get her to slowly move from the pads to the outdoors.
September 26th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
Awww what a sweet photo of Ashlyn! I wish I had advice but I’m not pet person, my brother is. He managed to teach his dogs not to pee or poop anywhere in the house and even in the yard. How he did that is beyond me??? Of course they get walked 2x a day sometimes 3, just so they can “release”. It’s only fair.
September 26th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
Re: what Bett said, my cousin tried pee pee pads for her dog and they worked.
Crate training worked for us, but I don’t have any advice because I think it was just Daisy’s personality working in our favor. She LIKED going in her crate. We did get the biggest crate possible, put in a water bottle so she still had water to drink, give her a blanket, and let her have tons of chew toys.
September 26th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
all dogs like crates, once they get used to it! i’m no expert because my dog is a total ass, but while i was gone, my friend isaac taught toki how to go in a LITTER BOX. all 3 of his dogs do, too. it’s so cool because potty pads are $$$$ and smell like crap after one accident.
he swears by Cesar Milan’s methods and he was able to turn my monster into a sit-stay-wait-leave it-shake-high five-down dream of a dog that eats once a day and poops in the evening, like clockwork. amazing, that isaac.
September 27th, 2007 at 8:55 am
you are not alone! i had thoughts of regret (mostly at 3am) when i was outside with the dog.
the crate method worked really well for me. trick is, not to let them out when they are crying…but you have to get a hang of when they are crying to be let out to potty and when they are just crying to be free. this is difficult to tell at first. remember that the puppy needs to go out right after eating, waking up from a nap and playing.
take her out every hour and have a key word like “hurry up…or go potty” and DON’T go back in until she has pottied then praise her lavishly. soon she’ll be able to go on command.
also, make sure you have an odor neutralizer. you’ll need to spray all the areas that she’s gone on otherwise she’ll be drawn to go on those areas again.
she’s a really teeny puppy so maybe pee pads in the house just in case. at least if she goes, it will be just on the pad. don’t get rid of the pad right away so her scent stays on it then she’ll get the idea to go on the pad.
hope i helped a little. Good luck!
September 27th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
welcome back, peg!
the girls look so beautiful
and grown up. the time really
does fly by! eeee! i fantasize
about both kids being in full
day school. haha! but i know
i will miss them–for a day
or two. ;*) so glad you’re
updating again!
September 27th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
Hi Peg!
You can make her crate a place she enjoys by giving her special treats when she’s in there, and putting all her favorite toys in with her. (Try stuffing a Kong with peanut butter,…she’ll love it!) And don’t give her a chance to poop when you take her out of the crate,…make sure you’re close to the door and take her to the same potty spot each time. Good luck!!
September 29th, 2007 at 1:16 am
hi peg, kellyclarkson was so funny! what a cutie. my childhood dog was an outside dog, so we had it easier with the housebreaking, but i do remember a friend of mine had a dog like yours (named champagne) and instead of a crate, they sort of fenced/blocked off an area that had newspapers so the puppy learned to go on the newspapers only. and supposedly if you leave one of the wet newspapers there with new ones on top, the puppy will sniff it and actually want to go there again. next to the newspapers were a warm blanket/toys. it might work for you if the crate isn’t working out.