Lets not have breakfast

Rodders showed no interest in food at all until very late today so I just got on with things and ignored it.

I eventually went to get washed and dressed about 11am and he couldn't really be bothered to come upstairs but did eventually join me in the bedroom. He had a play on the bed while I got dressed.

Once we came back downstairs he wanted out in the garden for a piddle and then had a little play. It is already a bit windy and it is going to get worse.

When he came back in I put on my coat and his lead and he started to do summersaults and jumping up and biting my coat. We headed out the back door and in to the car. He settled down quickly but did start to bark about 15 minutes in to our journey which is really unusual. Luckily we were nearly at Pet Supermarket so I just told him to wait. As soon as I opened the crate he was straight out and standing on the boot ledge while I out the lead on and started to bark at people in the car park. He didn't seem to need a piddle so we made our way inside.

Rodders was making sure that everyone knew he was there and continued to bark at people he saw and when he could hear toys being squeaked. I managed to find another of the bed pads as he seems to like the one we have already bought and got him a water bowl for travelling with. I also got toothpaste and a toothbrush and a tooth cleaning kong which will probably be saved for Christmas. He also has a new lead ready for puppy class tomorrow.

A few people stopped to talk to him and he was quite good with one lady and actually approached her, he wasn't too keen on the others though.

We bumped in to a huge dog, a spanish mastiff, and Rodders wanted to say hello. He was about ten times Rodders size but he wasn't bothered by that at all. His owner got him to lie down and Rodders went nose to nose with him! It was really funny but I think his owner was a bit worried as he is a bit of a handful to control due to his size so we moved on.

At the till Rodders was given treats which he wolfed down. He didn't complain about getting back in the car but when we got home I only just managed to clip his lead on before he jumped down! I am going to have to open the crate wide enough to get the lead on but not enough for him to get out.

Chewing, biting, walking

Once Rodders came in from the garden he was being a little horror, chewing the rolled up carpet and then trying to bite me when I said a firm no. I put the lead on him to make it easier to check him and he carried on trying to bite my arms or legs. So he kept getting checked.

This doesn't seem to bother him much and he rolled over on to his back to chew the lead!

I decided it was time for a walk to try and calm him down. He was very excited when I put on my coat and wellies and it was difficult to get him to sit and wait at the door but we managed it. We followed yesterdays route to the Nicky Line and back under the bridge. He walked better to heel getting there and I managed to keep him walking past another dog without him barking or wanting to stop and play but once we had got part way down the Nicky Line he was being a little odd and kept giving the odd whimper. He has not done this before and I stopped to check he was OK and had nothing obvious stuck to him.

We didn't seem to be making much progress forward so I turned around and started to head back the way we had come but went under the bridge and followed the path to the Rugby Field. He stopped whimpering and was walking quite nicely. Once we got to the field he wanted to run and I wished that I had the extendable lead with me. It seems a bit mean that he can't have much freedom yet.

We walked towards the main road but turned left before it and headed home past Kev & Jane's. Today as we reached roads we needed to cross I made Rodders stop, sit and wait each time and this was really successful. He was also walking to heel a lot of the time but had his nose down a lot too.

When we got home I made him sit and wait before he came in the door.

Once inside he went for a quick play before having a mad 5 minutes where he was running the full length of the house, round chairs and over the rolled up carpets. He then asked to go out for another run about the garden. By the time he came back in he was exhausted and flopped on to a snuggle fleece.

Daft dog!

After Kev and Polo left I put on Rodders lead as we were getting to that time of the day when he can get a bit bitey and naughty.

He is quite good while it is on, it is almost like it makes him think about what he might be about to do and I have only had to check him once this evening and that was when I was down on the floor playing with him so his was a bit over excited.

He doesn't mind the lead following him about and it doesn't stop him eating or drinking, he has even made up his own game with it. He walks through a dining chair and then comes back around it so that the end of the lead is back where he started. He then grabs it and plays a game of tug with himself!

It has been a tiring day and his has been asleep at my feet for almost an hour on snuggle fleece and I sneakily unclipped the lead a while ago. Rodders couldn't even be bothered to come upstairs when I went to use the bathroom but he was sitting at the bottom waiting for me when I came back down.

It is amazing that in six weeks I am confident enough in him to be able to leave him in a room on his own for a short time without worrying that he will have piddled or pooped before I get back. The temptation to chew something he shouldn't is probably still a bit much though!

Grrr, biting

Rodders really doesn't like being stopped from doing something he shouldn't and quite often tries to bite me when I tell him off. This is something that I have struggled to deal with. On the odd occasion when he has actually managed to make contact it flipping well hurts and it is alright if he does it to me (well, not really) but so much worse if he does it to someone else.

I have tried a firm no but it just makes him worse, I have tried tapping his nose and saying no and I have tried holding his head and making him look at me as I say no but nothing seems to work. For the last 24 hours I have put him in the kitchen behind the baby gate when he does it and I leave him there until he stops barking or whining and then try to get him to sit and say sorry by licking my hand. This has had some success.

But I really wish I knew how to stop it.

A good morning

After a play Rodders had a snooze on snuggle blanket before going in to the garden for a piddle. I am trying to get him to ask to go out rather than just look at the door and we are getting there.

I went upstairs for a shower and Rodders came too. He was chasing his Kong with Kibble in it until I switched the shower on, then he had to come and have a look and see if he could catch the water but he soon got bored with that. I got in and closed the door and he tried to lick the water underneath the door.

He went off and played with a toilet roll inner and tried to chew my dressing gown, a swift Rodders No from the shower stopped that so he went back to play.

When I switched the water off and opened the shower door he came running over and stepped in to lap up the water. When I got out he followed me and tried to bite the towel but soon stopped. He hasn't eaten all of the kibble in his Kong so there is some left for another bathroom trip.

I am making lots of fuss of him when he stops doing something when asked and this seems to be working.

We are going back upstairs in a minute so I can dry my hair and get dressed. I hope this goes as well as the other day!

Then it is off to puppy school.

And the devil returned

So after a rest the devil returned and it seems as though I have spent a lot of the late afternoon saying "NO Rodders". When he has started biting me in retaliation for stopping him I have walked away in to the kitchen, behind the baby gate, and ignored him. He doesn't like this at all and stands there and barks at me for ages before giving up and going off to do something else.

I have found that if I can talk to him before he even starts to chew something he shouldn't it makes both our lives easier as I don't end up with a sore throat from trying to lower the tone of my voice and he doesn't get stroppy with me and turn bitey.

OH rang on his way home when Rodders was up to mischief and so I out the phone on speaker. It was really funny watching Rodders listen to him. He stood with his front feet on my knee and looked at the phone, moving his head from side to side. It worked and calmed him down, maybe I should just have a recording of him saying no and talking to Rodders, it seems to have far more effect than I have had over the last couple of days.

Definitely having a down day and feel as though I am doing a crap job of this :-( I love him to bits and want him to be a happy well balanced puppy. Fingers crossed, I will get there one day

Whilst Rodders was calm I took the opportunity to give him a good brush, can't have him too knotty and scruffy by the time we get to the grooming workshop on sunday!

Lets get settled

I brought Rodders up on my knee to see if I could get him settled as this isn't how my beautiful puppy usually behaves in the evenings.

He came up happily and settled right down, no wriggling, no biting or chewing, he has now be transferred to the floor and is fast asleep on snuggle fleece.

Do you think his is nervous about starting school tomorrow?

Grooming

I have struggled to find a way to groom Rodders that works for us and I may have found it. We have just been sat on the conservatory floor and he has been happy for me to use the slicker on him just as long as he could chew the puppy brush. When I got close to places he wasn't happy with he would turn around to bite the slicker but I could divert him by tapping the puppy brush on the floor. Trouble is, it means I can't really do his tummy.

He has been back to eat more of his breakfast so he has had almost 3/4 of it and I am about to lift it.

He has asked to go in the garden again and has pooped and is now sniffing around quite happily.

OH drops in

OH dropped in on his way home this evening. Rodders was fast asleep and raised his head as he came in the back door and lay there for a minute or two thinking about it. Then he got up and came towards him with his tail wagging, he knew who it was and was very pleased to see him. He wanted up for a snuggle and to give OH a quick wash!

We all then ended up in the garden so that Rodders could have a piddle and then back in the warm for a cuppa and some Choccies :-)

Rodders wanted up with OH straight away and sat nicely being fussed, no biting or chewing him -  well maybe a sneaky one but he got a short sharp no and stopped straight away.

Just before OH left he nipped up to use the bathroom and Rodders wanted to come back up with me. Of course he started to bite me straight away and wasn't taking my NO at all. OH came back down and said it and he stopped straight away. It looks as though I need to change my tone of voice!

We saw OH off out the back door and Rodders curled up on his towel at the back door - not sure if he wanted to wait for him to come back but it will be a long wait as he isn't here again until Monday! He did come through to join me and has curled up at my feet on snuggle fleece.

Getting tired

Once Rodders gets tired there is very little you can do with him, he just will not do as he is told and will not give in and go to sleep. I try everything, letting him up on my knee, standing at the window, sit exercises, nothing works until I can get him to stop.

Tonight when he was on my knee and getting bitey I put myself in the kitchen behind the baby gate and he just barked and barked and barked even though he was not getting any reaction from me at all. Eventually he walked away..... and went and piddled in the lounge by the door. As soon as I came out of the kitchen and spotted it he got out in the kitchen while I cleared up. He wasn't happy about that at all and barked and whined even though I was talking to him and, at times, he could see me sitting at the dining table or letting myself in to the kitchen to use the bin. Once I had cleared up I sat at the dining table and when he was quiet I gave him a puppy treat, it took ages.

After that we tried standing at the window and when he seemed quieter, and his heart rate had slowed, we tried to sit on the sofa but he went back in to bitty mode.

I gave up! I just put him on the floor and walked off in to the kitchen to decide what to have for dinner. He wandered through, had a look at what I was doing and settled on the floor. Once dinner was ready and I moved to the table he followed me. When dinner was finished I prepared his supper but he didn't eat much of it.

When I came through and sat down on the sofa he wanted up and soon settled down and then got transferred to the floor where he is snoozing happily.

Lesson for the day, ignore him and go and do something else!

Please can I have a sleep now?

Rodders was happy to carry on playing after OH left. Sometimes on his own and sometimes asking for me to join in. He asked to go out and had a play in the garden and came back in a little damp. He had a run up and down from the lounge, through the conservatory and back again skidding around the corners.

And then he went to the sofa and had a little whine. Come on Mum, I have been playing for almost 2 hours and I am tired now. I grabbed what I needed and brought him up on my knee on snuggle fleece and then moved him to the floor. He has asked to come back up again but I managed to settle him on the floor. He is having a bit of a scratch and hasn't gone back off to sleep yet, but it won't be long.

Or maybe not! Rodders asked to come back up and he has wriggled and squirmed and tried to bite and will not take no for an answer so he has been put back down. I went and switched the lights out and he ambled in to the kitchen for a chew at his carrot and then in to his crate for a drink (he has two water bowls and he doesn't generally use this one!), finally he settled himself on a snuggle fleece near the kitchen door. A few minutes later he wandered down to the one at my feet and looks to be settling.

Or maybe not! I think he just needed a rest rather than a snooze. He has been to collect his kitchen roll inner, with a quick stop for some more breakfast and another drink, and is happily playing with that at my feet

I did it, well half of it!

Rodders came in from the garden and had a play around but got brought in by the smell of bacon. He joined me in the kitchen and then at my feet on snuggle fleece while I ate. I then went and emptied the dishwasher and he was looking very dopey. I need him to sleep while I go to Tesco so I went and gave him a fuss to try and wake him up a bit. I then grabbed some damp cotton wool and he was happy to let me de-gunk his left eye but got bored before I had finished the right one and was biting and wriggling too much so I stopped. We will have another go later, or let OH!

We have been upstairs to get dressed and Rodders has been back in to the garden for a play and to sun himself on the patio. Despite the rain last night it is a lovely day again.

Time to poop scoop the garden!

Rodders and the collar

Rodders has been playing happily inside and out until OH rang to say good morning, he then thought that I should be paying attention to him and not OH so started to bite my slippers and dressing gown and needed to be diverted with something else.

He then asked to go out and thought it might be fun to play with the two slugs on the patio - Eeeeeuuugggghhh! So I had to dispose of them fairly quickly. He then went and had a sniff about and another poo. He is very brave now and uses the back patio, near the gate. Luckily he won't go on the border along side Bob and Pat's Garden as that is the only place we have plants poisonous to dogs - it will be fenced off at some point.

I have put his collar on this morning, we have been a bit lax with this. He does keep stopping for a bit of a scratch but is generally OK with it. He has just asked to go out again and so is in the garden with it on. Just sneaked out to look, as he is on the back patio and not visible, so the collar isn't stopping him from sniffing about and having a good time.

Couple of strange things. We had a video call with OH last night and Rodders was moving his head from side to side as OH was talking to him which was quite cute. He has started to ask to go out at the lounge door instead of the conservatory door!

Rodders came in and was up and down to the sofa so I asked if he was a tired boy, at which point he tried to get up on the sofa! Grabbed everything I needed to hand and snuggle fleece and brought him up with me. He had a bit if a scratch at his collar but soon settled down and is now asleep at my feet.

Not quite a good night

Rodders went to bed with a couple of whinges and woke up desperate to get out his crate. I came down as quickly as I could and let him in to the garden. He has had a piddle in his crate overnight though as the puppy pad is wet.

He had a piddle and then a poo before we came back in and he sat nicely for his puppy treat. We put the kettle on to make my cuppa and his breakfast and had a bit of a play while it was boiling.

Once my cuppa was made we played in the conservatory for a while and he came up with me to the bathroom while his breakfast cooled. He was obviously hungry as he sat nicely for his breakfast and then wolfed down half of it before moving away for a belch and then asking to go in the garden. He has been back for some more and is now playing happily in the conservatory on his own.

He has tried to bite my dressing gown and slippers but has stopped when asked and has been diverted on to a toy.

Thank goodness for another nice day

Rodders has been in and out of the garden all morning playing happily and it is so easy with this good weather. He has got a bit bitey so we called a halt and did some sit training with a puppy treat or two which calmed him down. We have done some playing with toys too, he loves to chase things and then beat them up when he catches them.

He has now decided it is time for another snooze but I need to keep him going for a little longer so that he sleep when I put him in his crate to go down the job centre and meet the agency.

And then there was peace

Rodders has been in and out the garden and the conservatory, running up and down the lounge and in and out of the kitchen playing. He has managed to undo one of the ties for the patio table cover and galloped off with his treasure only to have it taken off him. He has brought the toys from the kitchen in to the conservatory and has had a look to see if he is big enough yet to get things out of the waste paper basket (not quite!) and has now flopped at my feet by the dining table on snuggle fleece without asking to come up.

The biting this morning has been much less and so have the moments of chewing something he shouldn't.

Rodders is a wuss

OH arrived and came in through the patio door as usual and Rodders woke with a start. He didn't go to say hello and refused to leave my feet. OH tried to entice him down towards him but Rodders was having none of it so OH came to him. Rodders still didn't seem to know who it was, silly boy! Told you he is like me when he wakes up!!!!

OH went upstairs to get his slippers on while I made a cuppa and unpacked the shopping bag - Bread and a huuuuuge box of chocolates, yummy :-) Rodders stayed with me, very close to me, on my foot actually!

Once OH was back downstairs with his slippers on Rodders seemed to recognise him (or the slippers!) and was brave enough to go over for a sniff. Since then OH and Rodders have been re-acquainting and OH is trying to keep Rodders over by him. But the little monkey keeps sneaking back over to me and trying to get up on the sofa with me. I suppose this is my fault as I always let him up with me if he wants, as long as he stays on snuggle fleece.

OH has also found time to find the cable clips and has sorted out the cable for the speakers that Rodders tried to eat earlier.

I moved over to the other sofa with OH and Rodders was happy to settle down between us on snuggle fleece. He came up for a fuss with OH who spotted his eyes were gunky. I got the damp cotton wool and let him deal with those to much wriggling and trying to bite. OH wasn't giving in (I would, I am too soft) and managed to clear one completely and loosen the other. This was followed by a big fuss. Rodders then wanted to have a chew at his trousers, another battle he was not going to win. He got his nose tapped several times and a very firm no before he stopped and moved back to snuggle fleece. He then got a stroke or two for doing as he was told.

He woke up in the same frame of mind

So after 40 minutes Rodders woke up and we went straight in to the garden for a piddle. Came back in and try to settle him at my feet at the dining table but as I was up and down checking paperwork he wasn't interested so I came through to the lounge when OH rang to say he was on his way.

Rodders settled at my feet and then started biting my slippers so I hung up on OH and walked away in to the kitchen. When I came back he came up on my knee and settled down and went to sleep. He is now back on the floor on snuggle fleece.

OH is going to bring us some bread :-)

Don't want to play on my own

Once Rodders gets bored of playing on his own he hasn't learnt how to ask you to play with him so he find something that he knows he shouldn't do like biting the carpet or me. The first earns him a loud Aaaagh, the second me removing myself to the kitchen and the other side of the baby gate.

Rodders asked to go out again for another piddle and poop. Once I am dressed I must poopascoop the garden.

He has had a bit of a whinge because I have removed his breakfast but it had been down almost an hour and he needs to learn that he eats it quicker or it goes. He is drinking more from his bowl which is good.

There is a small cable running along side of the wall in the conservatory that goes round a corner (speaker cable maybe?) and he seems fascinated by that. I have had to divert his attention away from it a few times today. I also left a shopping bag on the floor and that has earnt a bark or two!

What a good boy, maybe!

As exhausted as Rodders is after his busy day he has asked to go out for a piddle and a poo!

And then he came back in as a little minx wanting to bite and carry on :-(  Took a little while to settle him back down but he is snoozing on the floor again on snuggle fleece.