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Arya's first 2 weeks with us

4K views 24 replies 5 participants last post by  Nebuchadnezzar 
#1 ·
OH MY GOD - this whole experience reminds me of when it was like to bring my son home for the first time after he was born - you read few books, you think you know it all (or most of it) but then the REALITY hits you and BOOM - you don't sleep for 2 weeks, you wipe the floors few times a day because of dog wee, you play with her (half asleep most of the times :D), take her for toilet breaks and walks (we don't have a fence in our garden yet, so all the toilet breaks do happen on the leash, which is normal, I guess, but it means we have to wait for her in the garden to finish chewing, laying in the sun or just in general, finish) so this is I know not the first time you've heard and you have all been through it all - I AM EXHAUSTED!

:confused::confused: We are still learning what it's like to be together and live together. At the same time this whole experience is teaching my son (who will be 10 on June 6th) a whole new responsibility. Of course, he loves to play with Arya, but the more mandane tasks, like taking her outside, sometimes end up with him cleaning the floors, cause she did a wee inside. But he is getting better at watching the time and recognising her behaviours (we all do!)

:hyper::hyper: She is definitely getting bigger and gaining more strength - yesterday we took her for a walk and play and ended up 1,5hrs with her, running, throwing sticks for her to catch and all sorts - she can definitely walk for a longer period of time, rather than stop and sniff everywhere and you feel like a "dummy" for standing in one place for 10 minutes or so!! :) :D
She usually gets 3 decent walks, including 2 for about 30 minutes or so, if we can squeeze a 1 longer one that's great. Obviously we don't WALK her for 30 mins, she is still very curious and stopping, sniffing, chewing tree roots and started to be interested in DOG POOPS!!!???? We do pull her away any time we see her try to get one. Eeeeeeeewwwwww.

:dance::dance: We are starting a puppy course on Saturday, which we struggled to find, because of our lack of advanced Dutch (or proper beginner's Dutch, but we're learning).
But we also DO RECOMMEND WHOLEHEARTEDLY Zac George's videos on You Tube - Arya is awesome and sits and waits now before we give her a treat.

:dance::dance: We've ordered one of those bike trailers for dogs so can't wait to start using it during our family bike rides.
I've noticed, after those 2 weeks, change of scenery is so important - to both our puppy and us. I started to feel claustrophobic, even though there is so much outdoor at the moment

:blush: Anyway, I think this thread is tad too long :) :) :blush:
 
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#6 ·
We do not have a yard (we live in an apartment) so it is possible to do without a fence but I can see a fence would be nicer. When Neb was a puppy I lived in a house without a fence so I have some idea.

But yes, beagles are not off-leash dogs.

You're doing great with Arya though! Good idea to get her microchipped for sure.

Have fun at puppy class! I take it you're in the Netherlands? My aunt and uncle (and cousin) lived in the Hague for years, my aunt and uncle are back in Toronto now, my cousin has just started teaching and I know she'd love to go back. It's a beautiful place.

With the peeing accidents, crate training might help. In a small enough area, I think - Cassie can probably confirm, it's been about 11 years for me - that they are less likely to want to soil their area so they learn to hold it a bit better. Neb also went through a destructive phase from a teenager to early adulthood so the crate was a lifesaver (he destroyed an easy chair, destroyed boxes of books, etc, etc). I saw on another thread you were asking how to crate train - I just stuck Neb in there was a toy or kong with something stuffed in it and let him be at first, and then he got used to it. He hasn't used a crate in years, but it's good to be able to rely on in a pinch (we have them for both boys).
 
#7 ·
Definitely get a crate and use for at least the first couple of years. Cassie will go in it on her own and hang out. Whats not to like...a serta mattress and blankets...lol.
Cassie sleeps on my bed but in her bed at the foot. A couple of times I had to crate her in an emergency when i had to call 911/ emergency medics for my husband. She seemed to know things were unusual and she was quiet and good in the crate for hours.
Just never use it for time out or punishment.
 
#8 ·
Thank you for all your answers. How big of a crate do you recommend? We've got this sort of transporter/crate which we brought her in from the breeders but I think she connects it with the car journey now... And it seems really small to feel comfortable in - she could just stretch in it, I guess.

Have fun at puppy class! I take it you're in the Netherlands? My aunt and uncle (and cousin) lived in the Hague for years, my aunt and uncle are back in Toronto now, my cousin has just started teaching and I know she'd love to go back. It's a beautiful place.
Thank you Nebuchadnezzar - yes, Netherlands is beautiful - we love it so far :)

Really greatful for all your answers.
 
#9 ·
My dog, when a puppy, quickly grew out of her initial carrier. I got a large crate which was given to me from an owner of a large dog. Cassie does very well in this size and honestly a smaller one wouldnt be good for her. Its about 3 feet long by 2 feet high.
Given the expense I would opt for a large one so you dont have to keep buying larger ones.
Pictures of the crate and with her in it. She likes to go in it on her own thus the door is open
 

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#10 ·
Oh, I thought a much larger crate would be better. She is getting used to hers. I've attached a picture of what we've got. She is in and out if it though because yes, it is open. I just cant bring myself to close it when I'm sitting right next to her. But i guess that's what you've got to do when you're out and about and at night?
God, I'm looking forward to those times... Or rather my neighbours should 😂
 

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#11 ·
So cute...
That looks like a good size.
Dont think of a crate as jail or punishment. Even now at my dog's age of 7.4 yrs I give her a small treat every time "I" put her in the crate so she knows its a good thing. You want your dog to be fine with the crate...keep working on that...praise and treat.
 
#15 ·
So CRATE TRAINING!!!

Thank you Cassie.
Well, I have done my first day & night in the crate yesterday and we're continuing today.

It's a drag to keep taking it up and down the stairs but hey - you've gotta do what you've gotta do, right?

So, during the day I keep the doors open and she goes in and out, loads of treats, especially when I see her awake but she is still laying in there.
Came back from her last walk around 8pm, brought everything upstairs as I saw her dozing off. I out her in the room and all great - she looked up but went back to falling asleep.
.... And then my son came into my room because of achy tum, poor thing, so she woke up and started sniffing around the cage. Took her outside and she did go potty and I took her back upstairs. Put some treats in and she walked in there on her own and layed down. AND OFF SHE WENT: scratching, howling (although not as loud as I was expecting), but I was petrified the neighbours will complain or start banging on the walls!! 😱😱

I kept saying "shhhh" and put my hand closer to the crate but it did not work for about an hour or so (with breaks) and she eventually fell asleep.....

Phewwwwwww....

Even after night time potty break she still got into it and went back to sleep (a 1 or 2 treats might have helped, which I know is not the best for night time)

BUT I am so proud of Arya! This is quite a break through for us so far 😁😁👏👏
 
#12 ·
Glad to see that you are making it. We are just over 2 weeks into owning our 10 week old Luna too. I also can not recommend Zak George enough either. Our Luna is doing great because we watched all of his videos (and there is a lot) we were totally prepared because of going through his stuff.

Our crate for Luna is a 31 inch iCrate from Midwest home for pets. We have 3/4 of it blocked off for now. She has enough room to turn and sleep. We are home most all day so we don’t crate her much at all.

Here is a few pics.
 

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#17 ·
So glad to hear the crate is working out. You will appreciate it going forward especially in emergencies when you have to leave the house.
Now I hate to tell you... but beagles are barkers and she will get louder. I'm sure its difficult for apartment people. Even though we have a house and yard i dont like cassie running around outside barking. Thankfully all my neighbors have dogs...but still i dont care for her loud barking.
My obedience dog trainers had beagles so I asked for help and advice when the barking got bad. When my dog turned 6months i was advised to get a dog bark collar....i know what your thinking... i was very nervous about it too. It made a HUGE difference. After 1 reminder my dog never barks while wearing it...never...and I dont need to turn it on. You might have to consider that if it gets bad given your apartment situation. Its not one you control, the dog gets a vibration reminder when she barks and stops.
I bought what was recommended by the trainer. I bought it on Amazon.
Dogtra...small size. Its about $80 U.S
 
#19 ·
OK. I will have a chat with our trainers we're meeting on Saturday. We are in the house with a garden too, but it's not "free standing". So other houses are attached to it - it's like a complex. Not sure these are the terms you're using in the States? But I hope it makes sense.
I am nervous as hell as I have got a doctor's appointment with my son on Monday and I am dreading it! :cry:
 
#20 ·
Like a townhome. Or at least that's what we call them in Canada.

Xerxes is pretty quiet, as is Neb, except when:

-you leave the house with one dog and not another (but, if the other dog is already gone and you leave, it's fine...and we almost never have this situation occur)
-when the entryway phone rings (we keep it on silent, but they still know)
-when someone knocks on the door
-when he sees a dog outside he doesn't like (more of a balcony issue)
-when I vacuum they follow me around baying/barking and attacking the vacuum. If I lock them in the bedroom they bay/howl

We have great neighbours though, and there's a really loud dog down the hall
 
#21 ·
I can tell you that Cassie's barking got so bad that I got painful ringing in my ears. I called the trainer desperately seeking advice. She totally understood and gave me precise advice on how to carefully use the bark collar. Not to use it before 6 months old and what settings to use. If anyone wants to know how to implement one just P.M. me.
 
#24 ·
Thank you. And bloody hell?? Ringing ears?? That must have been some LOUD barking! I had a look at what I've got available here and we will try it when the time comes. Like I said - at the moment she is OK - we've actually met out neighbour and asked her but she said she can't hear a thing and a good thing is they are working during the day so are not at home.
Fingers crossed for leaving her today and going to see a doctor with my son :eek: I am SURE there will be some howling involved :hyper::eek:
 
#22 ·
I've used a bark collar before. After the first couple of times barking Luc just stopped barking when he wore it. We actually got it because Teagan used to become very excited when Toby and I were first dating and when we went to bed would shrilly bark in her crate so much (she was silent when he wasn't over) that I was worried about not only disturbing other people but Toby would leave in the middle of the night it was so disruptive. I knew Toby was a keeper, so I got one, said to him, I think I have the solution...and it worked. She wore it for one night, and then never needed it again.

...call me a horrible person, perhaps.

We have considered one for Xerxes but he's not too noisy for now inside.
 
#23 ·
Exactly thats how it works
Its amazing how they know. Although cassie wears it, I havent turned it on in years and it only ever needed the Pulse level at first. She barks at the lizards when she's not wearing the collar. Those darn lizards are around until winter...grrr
 
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