Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 8:14 am Post subject: HEEEEELP!!!! (again)
Hello, it is Aimi again. I have a problem with putting Megan in her "safe room" when someone is in the house (either within view or in another part of the house).
Megan is as good as gold during the night, she does not whimper when she goes in to her crate for bedtime and stays that way right thro, with no accidents. She is calm but happy to see us in the morning.
However, the minute I put her in her "safe room", i.e. having the run of the room her crate is in, but cordoned off from the living room and rest of house by a baby gate, within 5 seconds (literally) she throws a tantrum!! That includes throwing her water bowl and contents around the room, (anyone know of a non draggable, non spillable water bowl? We are on our third and none of them work!!!), pulling up anything she can get her teeth into and dragging it around, barking and howling.
Is it, as I fear it is, something we have to live through until she grows out of it, or is there something I am doing wrong?
She complains equally whether I am upstairs moving about (getting changed, having a shower), or upstairs being silent, or in the next room within her view. She SEEMS to be behaving while we are out of the house, but that is only the impression I get (much less water-bowl spillage for example) and without CCTV I would not be able to say that with my hand on my heart.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this,
Love,
Aimi
x
We use a heavy ceramic dog bowl. No puppy bowl for us straight to the big dog bowl.
Basil did used to 'dig' in his bowl sending the water flying but he outgrew that quickly and it was only on hot days.
Re the tantrum, sounds like she's just relishing in unsupervised play with the throwing things around. But then the howling, I guess you won't know if this happens when you are out?
Personally i would try to ride through it for a few days and see if she gets over it. It sounds like she's just trying to get your attention, as long as you dont return and give her it then she should learn its a waste of time.
If you do need to go back to her when she's howling try give her a distraction to make her stop before she sees you or you go in the room. (ie a slipper banging against a door , doorbell etc , ) Wait a few seconds and then go in. That way your rewarding her by entering a quiet room not responding to her howling.
The safe room. You have a pup who knows you are about. A reasonably demanding pup. It will simply be a case (simply! Hah!) of bearing with it and utterly ignoring her. She is not silly, she knows you are there, and like anything else you have two choices. Give in and have her with you round the house - not a bad option really, I do advise pups are with you more than they aren't, OR bear with the racket and tantrum but bear with it CONSISTANTLY or you will not win this battle
If one day its too much and you let her out half way through, it only makes tomorrow worse.
They do complain when parted from us when we are about. Probably rightly so. Its a case of making her know she can toss her water through a window and you still won't be back to her.
now, as regards the water, presuming she is only in there for a while whilst you hoover, or have a bath or go and put the bins out, or have a quick coffee with a visitor, don't put water down. Really. She won't dehydrate for the want of a couple of hours. Then when you know things are calmer, put it back down when she is lolling around with you.
Di
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The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
I got ceramic bowls from PAH x2 8" ones as the breeder warned me not to get stainless steel ones as TObys fav game was tipping them over to empty them hehe.
As Di says there basically just playing up for attention, if Toby starts that he gets ignored until hes quiet, then ill go back in and see to him, untill then, nope!
Thankyou all!! I guessed it would be a matter of just gritting the teeth and bearing with it.
Di, thanks for the tip about removing the water bowl. It does make sense - if she is going to tip it up and empty it anyway, then what is the difference if it is not there at all?
Am going to do some more safe room practice tomorrow morning - have to catch up on the cleaning (funny how everything seems to have been put on the back burner these last couple of weeks!) so we will see how it goes. I will have to go in and out of the room she will be in, but I guess that will be ok as long as I don't acknowledge her?
Many thanks again.........till next time........!
Regards,
Aimi and Megan
x
Just a suggestion; Jet used to throw his bowl around so I got him one that fixes to the side of his crate with a screwed on hoop, and the stainless steel bowl drops into the hoop. He hasn't spilt it since. He used to have another bowl in the kitchen too but as he preferes the one in his crate he just has that now.
If your pup has access to her crate in her safe room you could give it a go either in the crate or fixed to the outside, or as Di suggests she'll be fine for a short while without it until she's more settled.
The local petshop, don't laugh,but it's actually a parrot coup, but a brilliant size for a labs water bowl and old submarine nose hasn't managed to capsize it yet It cost about £3.50. I think I've seen them at PAH and the're ofetn on e-bay too.
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Aimi and Megan
It cost about £3.50. I think I've seen them at PAH and the're ofetn on e-bay too.
