Puppy Training Crash Course
Before I got a puppy, I had certain expectations of the dog mom I wanted to be. I would crate train her early, so that she could sleep on her own. I wouldn’t use pee pads because then what’s the purpose of grass? And we’d go on long walks, both of us trotting along at the same pace. When Maya came home, I learned that those expectations were not realistic. Adjustments had to be made for both of us to get in sync with doing life together. Little did we know it, but we were in for a crash course on how to live with each other.
The Adjustments
Walking
Like walking down the sidewalk past our apartment building. She wouldn’t do it. Refused. So I’d pick up all 10 pounds of her fluff and carry her on “our” walk. (I tried pulling her in a wagon that I bought just for these situations, but all she wanted to do was jump out of it. Needless to say, I returned the wagon.) I was going a bit stir crazy only walking 10 minutes a day with her, compared to lifting weights, running, and walking every day. During my first vet visit, three days after she came home, I asked if it was normal for her to refuse to walk. Wasn’t that what puppies would love? But he said that everything was so new to her still, it was natural for her to be hesitant. She was just trying to figure out her new world. I felt relieved, glad that I hadn’t already ruined the sweet ball of fluff. She just needed more time.
Here’s what helped: In the meantime, as she continued adjusting, I didn’t give in every time she wanted to turn around and go back home. As long as I was paying attention to our surroundings and knew we weren’t in any danger, I’d prod her to keep going. I didn’t want fear to dictate her life, but I also didn’t force her to go long distances. Just push her a little past her comfort zone. And a few weeks later, we were up to two 15 minute walks a day.
Showering
Me showering that is. She would yelp and whine the entire time I took a shower for the first few weeks. To the point I would dread showering, a once-upon-a-time peaceful experience. One time she even peed while I was in the shower. I felt bad for my neighbors who undoubtedly heard her pitiful howls (thank you to my zero sound-proof apartment walls).
Here’s what helped:
Taking her outside to go potty before showering.
Closing the bathroom door.
Removing any rugs (for easier potential pee cleanup).
Leaving her with a comfort toy (for Maya it was a white stuffed dog that had been loved on by all her siblings).
Talking to her while in the shower so she knew I hadn’t abandoned her.
Keep showering. Eventually, she got used to it, and now, shower time is her mini-nap time.
Sleeping
Expectation of the first night’s sleep: She’d go potty one last time outside before I put her in her crate (which was right next to my bed). She’d whine a bit, then drift off to sleep, knowing I was right there next to her, both of us comfy in our own beds.
Reality: Before her last potty, she peed on her bed. I convinced her to go into her crate after our last potty. She peed on her crate bedding. I took out the little crate bed, sprayed it with odor-eliminator spray, and shoved it in the washer. Then we went back into the bedroom and I stood there, defeated. “Fine, you can sleep with me,” I told her. And literally, the minute I got situated in bed, she was asleep against my leg.
We were both tired from all the newness and excitement, but my alarm was set for a few hours later to mitigate the risk of her peeing in my bed. Or, I guess, our bed. She slept with me for two more months and now she sleeps like a pro wherever she wants on my bedroom floor. (For the record, I do have a bed for her in my bedroom and another blanket spread out on the floor. But she switches out from the bed, the blanket, and the random spot in front of the fan. What a life.)
Here’s what helped: Giving in. Honestly, I didn’t have the energy to keep cleaning up pee in her crate and on her bedding. I put pee pads on top of my comforter and then her blanket over the pads, just in case. But thankfully, we didn’t have any incidents.
The Realization
Consistency was and still is the key for Maya. And to me, she was the most perfectly imperfect puppy. We learned to be patient with each other when we both made mistakes. And now have an unbreakable bond. The lost sleep and not-as-clean house are so very worth it.
P.S. A sanity-saving tip from my breeder: get a cat collar with a bell for your new puppy. Because then you always know where they are. And when you can’t hear it, drop everything to find the pup. Something is going down…and it’s probably not good.