Laxie Goes Primetime

[RED-DOG]

Good god.  I've read through most of the book and I'll have more work in training Jack than I will training the puppy!  This could get messy.  Just glad we're heading for better weather.  He won't mind it as much in the shed.

Just make sure you socialise you puppy well dawn. Give him as many experiences as you can while he's too young to know something is unusual.

Hold him in your arms if you have to, but introduce him to everything. Busy roads, loud machinery,  crowds, Glock 17s, farm animals, maiden aunts, toothpaste, Eastenders, bank robbers, Lamberettas....

You get the idea. It's the best thing you will ever do for him.

Will do, but how do I train Jack?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutering

[Rod Paradise]

Good god.  I've read through most of the book and I'll have more work in training Jack than I will training the puppy!  This could get messy.  Just glad we're heading for better weather.  He won't mind it as much in the shed.

Just make sure you socialise you puppy well dawn. Give him as many experiences as you can while he's too young to know something is unusual.

Hold him in your arms if you have to, but introduce him to everything. Busy roads, loud machinery,  crowds, Glock 17s, farm animals, maiden aunts, toothpaste, Eastenders, bank robbers, Lamberettas....

You get the idea. It's the best thing you will ever do for him.

Will do, but how do I train Jack?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutering

I was going to say rub his nose in it, but you win Tom.

[Laxie]

Good god.  I've read through most of the book and I'll have more work in training Jack than I will training the puppy!  This could get messy.  Just glad we're heading for better weather.  He won't mind it as much in the shed.

Just make sure you socialise you puppy well dawn. Give him as many experiences as you can while he's too young to know something is unusual.

Hold him in your arms if you have to, but introduce him to everything. Busy roads, loud machinery,  crowds, Glock 17s, farm animals, maiden aunts, toothpaste, Eastenders, bank robbers, Lamberettas....

You get the idea. It's the best thing you will ever do for him.

Will do, but how do I train Jack?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutering

I was going to say rub his nose in it, but you win Tom.

 

Poor Jack.  Deep sighs by him as he reads this thread shaking his head. 

If he were a puppy, he'd be getting a pat and a treat right now to cheer him up.

Actually, he's currently nibbling on a snack so he's only short the pat.  Suppose I could manage that. 

[Laxie]

13 days and counting....

[Laxie]

I've a hair appointment booked in Leicester today.  It's a new hair salon to me and normally this would be a worry.  Will they do a decent job?  What colour will I walk out with?  Pleeeeease don't let it be purple again.  (Yes this HAS happened before  lol)  

None of that has really troubled me today.  This time I'm more concerned about actually getting there...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17295857

The Queen is in town.  Marv.

[Laxie]

We've a new addition.  Heeeeeeeeeeeeeere's Archie! 

Click to see full-size image.

[RED-DOG]

We've a new addition.  Heeeeeeeeeeeeeere's Archie! 

Click to see full-size image.

I want one.

[Laxie]

He's an 8 week old Labrador and he's already mad for Jack's feet.

Click to see full-size image.

[RED-DOG]

Well they are partial to cheese...

[Laxie]

Pity we missed the rest of his body out of this one, but never mind.  We were lucky to catch him sitting still at all.   

Click to see full-size image.

[Laxie]

Well they are partial to cheese...

He's pretty flexible as it happens.  He hoovered his food in just a few minutes and has been searching every inch of the lounge and kitchen in hopes of finding a crumb of something...anything at all. 

Toilet training is going to be great fun.  He's not had his injections yet, so we've to paper train him until it's safe to take him outside.  We've puppy pads bought for that job and hoping he gets the idea sooner rather than later.  In the meantime, I've limited him to just the lounge and kitchen.  Will show him the rest of the house when I'm sure he won't shit in it. 

[RED-DOG]

He really is gorgeous though Dawn.

[Laxie]

He really is gorgeous though Dawn.

Cheers Tom.  Wait til ya meet him!  He's a proper charmer.

[Laxie]

Archie is settling in well since we brought him home on Saturday.  We'd a few tough (loud!) nights, but last night he went into his cage thingy, threw down and didn't let out a peep at all through the night.  If he stays quiet again tonight, then I know we've that much sorted.  Good thing, because I was struggling with the lack of sleep.

His meal times are done after we've fed ourselves because that's what one of the books said to do.  He's pretty good about not begging at our feet for the most part.  When he gives it a go, we say no and then ignore him.  With that, he goes and lays down for himself and we feed him as soon as we're done.

Chewing on us has been a non-stop battle.  I've been grabbing him up by the scruff like Tom suggested if he doesn't stop when told "no" in a firm tone.  He stops eventually and we're grand for a while...until he forgets himself and goes at it again.  We keep a few of his toys nearby and try to distract him with one of them too... "No you can't chew on me, but you can chew on this."  Apart from that, I'm not sure what else we can do, only hope he grows out of it sooner rather than later.

The potty training is going pretty good.  He's got it down to the 'puppy pads' we bought and I try to keep an eye on his behaviour so we can get him outside before he has to rely on them.  The odd accident, but for the most part I reckon we'll have him sorted on that front in no time.

Walks aren't happening so much just yet.  Kind of stuck at the minute because he's only had one vaccination.  It'll be nearly 3 weeks before we can take him out for walks in public places.  Until then, the vet has suggested we practice with the lead in the back garden each day.  It's a good thing we've 3 weeks to kill.  lol  Sometimes he doesn't mind and we get on grand.  Other times he does mind and flops around like a salmon that's just been caught. 

He got an excellent review by the vet.  All bits are in order and nothing he can see to be concerned about.  We'll have a pretty big guy on our hands when he grows up, which is what we wanted, so all good. 

The only downer on the whole thing is Sarah.  We talked about her calling over for a visit at Easter, but she's got important exams right after the break and needs to be studying for those.  So we agreed she'll call over right after school lets out for the summer instead.  Brian's even talking about coming over with her.  Now that we have Archie here, she's annoyed that she's missing his 'puppy phase' and he'll be bigger by the time she gets here.  Extra skype video chats to make up for it so she can see him acting the fool around the place.  I'm sure he'll still be dopey when she gets here.  He's hanging with me all day so it's inevitable. 

[mondatoo]

The dog is lush, have fun.