Time to stop lurking

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Shivas_Mama

New member
I guess after a month of lurking it's time to come out of the closet.
I'm Shannon and My husband Mark and I became the proud parents of a female Newfie on December 13. Her name is Shiva (meaning goddess of destruction) and she is just a little over 4 months old. She has been quite a joy and a challenge at the same time. We are fighting some separation anxiety issues (soiling her cage, only when we aren't there) so if anyone has suggestions fire away.

We also have a 10.5 yr old Lhasa Apso named Sierra, who is quite cantankerous and none too pleased with the new addition to the family. We live near Huntington, IN on three acres of land we just bought last year.

I will try to stop being so shy from here on out and hope to get to know everyone better

Shannon
 
Sailorgirl

Sailorgirl

New member
WELCOME!

I'm so glad you decided to post. I LOVE your girl's name although I'm thinking you might have doomed yourself with that! How exciting to have a new little one though. As for doggy relations, hopefully things will work out, just make sure that Shiva respects the older one, don't let her beat up on her, and give them equal love and attention! As for the crate soiling issue .. do you have it divided so that she's in a small enough area that she can't go to the bathroom in one corner and lay in another?

Good luck to you! And keep posting!
 
blstarke

blstarke

New member
Welcome Shivas to NewfLand
Are you free feeding or schedule feeding which could make a huge difference as far as housebreaking.
She is probably too long in the crate for a 4 month old, remember that she is still a baby and can't hold it that long.
 
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Largo

Active member
Glad to see you come out of lurk mode.
Welcome


I've not delt with separation anxiety before, but makeing the crate just small enough for her to lay in and turn around should help with the soiling problem. Also you may want to make sure that you are not feeding and watering her too soon before you have to leave her and that she has of course relieved herself before she is put in. Others here I'm sure will have more suggestions for you to try.
 
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Shivas_Mama

New member
Oh trust me Sierra is not about to be overtaken, but she is making no extra effort to get along.

As far as the crate, we have tried it all. She does fine all night long, doesn't wake up or cry. But if we leave the house for even a half hour look out. Putting the divider in makes no difference, except for Shiva is a bigger mess to clean up than with the divider out. We leave the lights on, radios and TV's are on. Give her a buster cube, kong, nyla bone. It doesn't matter what we've done, there is always a mess.
 
ina/puusty

ina/puusty

New member
Good to hear from you and yours..and..when you find an area..that has become an issue..try 'pulling on' that lil puppy coat..in minds-eye..and thinking.."What might it look/feel like"..from her tiny, tiny..perspective? Only 30 seconds..in a mindset like that..can work some wonders..if 'tried on'. Someone like me..can use it..for long periods of time..but I'm an 'outrider'..as usual ;) Many cultures can 'freeflow'..back and forth between life forms..and yet, in our country now..everything is apt to be cell phone 'non-stop'..and the hustle for fastfood and an eyeball, peeled for dodgeing through traffic..to the next appt. and the next. The really adept folks here (as I am a newbie type , to newfys) will steer you to many wise and careing ways to help your furkid..become the 'lady'..of your dreams. Happy to meet ya!
ina n HB
 
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Shivas_Mama

New member
Oh trust me Sierra is not about to be overtaken, but she is making no extra effort to get along.

As far as the crate, we have tried it all. She does fine all night long, doesn't wake up or cry. But if we leave the house for even a half hour look out. Putting the divider in makes no difference, except for Shiva is a bigger mess to clean up than with the divider out. We leave the lights on, radios and TV's are on. Give her a buster cube, kong, nyla bone. It doesn't matter what we've done, there is always a mess.
 
bearbearsmom

bearbearsmom

New member
Hi Shannon !! Nice to meet you. I agree with everyone else about the crating (only because many years back I learned the hard way !!). That crate needs to be just small enough for her lie down in and turn around. I thought at first, oh no, gotta have lots of room to stretch out, well that is fine once the training is done. Now we have a BIG CONDO crate and no accidents, but when they are learning, block that baby off and she'll learn really quickly !!

Nancy
 
Annie Milliron

Annie Milliron

Alpha Goddess
Good for you!!!! I'm so glad you decided to jump in with us!!! Glad to see you and to know more about you and your family!
 
luvxl k 9

luvxl k 9

New member
If the cage is small enough, try leaving her for a few minutes at a time, I don't know if you and your husband both work, but if you do, then the weekend would be the best time to try this. Put her in her kennel, put your coats on grab keys whatever you usually do when you leave. Go out the door then come back in 5 minutes. About every half hour to an hour repeat this adding 5 or 10 minutes each time. Hopefully she will get the idea that you will be back, and she won't be as scared. If she soils her kennel one of the times, reduced the time back to the previous one and then continue adding 5 to 10 minutes each time. Hope this helps.
 
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Shivas_Mama

New member
Thanks everyone. We have read "I'll be home soon" and are trying to incorporate the suggestions in there. Just to clarify, It's not that she poops in one corner of the cage and then moves to another area. She poops and then proceeds to stomp it all over the place and slings it out of the cage somehow.

Our trainer has suggested we ignore her for the first 10 minutes we are in the house, yeah like that is an easy thing to do. She just loves people, even if someone she has not met comes over, when they leave she sits in the window and cries for 15 minutes.
 
jeva

jeva

New member
Welcome!!!!!!!


Just jump in and enjoy....

My Skylar is 6months and that was the magic month for us...hang in there...Skylar would mess her crate only at night and I would take her out about 11:30 everynite and watch her go both 1 and 2 I swear she would hold some in to get me in the morning....or she really loves her bath tub....but someone said 6 months to me and boy over night well about 5 1/2 months she stopped (knock on wood) not a mess in about a month. She was totally house broken otherwise just at night in the crate.

But anyways...enjoy this place its a great group to be apart of!!!!!
 
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FuzzyDustBunnies

New member
Originally posted by Shivas_Mama:
Just to clarify, It's not that she poops in one corner of the cage and then moves to another area. She poops and then proceeds to stomp it all over the place and slings it out of the cage somehow.

Click to expand...
First things first- Welcome! And we're glad you came out of lurk mode. :D

And
!!! I'm sorry, but the visual you painted has me thinking of a little monkey in a crate slinging poo.
It's not fun coming home to a messy puppy. I remember a few times opening up Owen's crate happy as heck to see him and then reconsidered that thought when I saw that he had messed in his crate. :rolleyes: Hopefully in no time you'll be past all of this and can look back on it and laugh.
 
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berryann

New member
If she's soiling from separation anxiety, then karen's idea of leaving for a just a few minutes and gradually stretching it out might help. Also, have you thought about trying D.A.P.? (Dog Appeasing Pheremone, sold at Petco and other pet supply places as "Comfort Zone") The behavior dept at the vet school at the university near me has reported some positive results with it. Your trainer and/or vet might be familiar with it. I'm sure you're getting some ideas from the book, too. Our local shelter recommends that book a lot, as many shelter dogs have some degree of S.A.
Good luck, and I'm always a little envious of new puppy people! (Although they're marvelous as adults, too!)
 
ardeagold

ardeagold

New member
Hi and Welcome!

I'm sorry I can't help one bit with crate training, but I just wanted to say I'm glad you're out of the closet and have decided to post!

Good luck with Shiva...and let us know what you try and how things go!!
 
KS Newf

KS Newf

New member
We're glad you're here!! Shiva (Goddess of Destruction) is a great name for a puppy!! I'll bet she's a little dollface!
 
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Shivas_Mama

New member
"And !!! I'm sorry, but the visual you painted has me thinking of a little monkey in a crate slinging poo."

Kelly, when you put it that way, it is pretty funny.

We just keep trying different combinations of ideas. She doesn't seem to have a dislike of the cage, always goes right in when we ask her and even sometimes when we don't ask. If she fought being in there I could see how some things would work but that isn't the case. She eats her meals in there on a regular schedule and is more than happy to sleep there any time. I don't know maybe I'll keep hoping that 6 month mark is magic for me also.

Shannon
 
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