expanding her domain

rouseat2000 · Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2007 3:42 am Post subject: expanding her domain

Hello all,

We have had our sweet female yellow lab pup for just over a week! She is 9 weeks old now, and things are going very well. We have a crate, and then an extra fenced in area for her in our kitchen

She is now sleeping through the night without a peep, with one wake to pee.

She loves being in her little area, and seems comfortable. We have been working with the crate training method idea, and taking her out to the garden immediately, then some play time, then when we can't be watching her 100% we put her back in her domain. I am a Stay at home mom with 2 young kids, so usually it is about 30 minutes of play, then back into her pen for a while, then out again to pee then 30 minutes of play give or take…all depends on what the kids are demanding!

She does spend a lot of time in the larger kitchen area (baby gate at kitchen entrance) so when I am cooking a meal or we are in the kitchen I let her out in that area with us..

So now with the potty training underway, she never has an accident in her area, nor in the kitchen...but as soon as we bring her to the living room on the carpet, for play time, she will eliminate…like the living room means as much to her as the garden. It is a large room, so I try my best to have my eye on her, but she seems to turn the corner with me on her tail, and she is peeing before I get there…then I wonder if she just thinks carpet is meant for peeing, as most of her time is spent on the tile in the kitchen.

I guess with all this rambling LOL my main question is what is the best way to expand her play area? When she comes into the living room she is also very hyper, because this is were we do most of the play (winter outside!) I want her to be able to relax out here. I also don’t' want her to pee out here...

It is OK to tell me to relax it has only been a week! LOL but I see her doing so well in the kitchen, I feel like it is time to enlarge her space

Our goal is to have a wonderful family companion for us, but also a friend for my 5 year old Autistic son...so I want her to be around us and the kids a lot, not in the kitchen…I heave heard it is important to have her socializing a lot in the first year..

Thank you for any input

Danielle & Sweet Phoebe

Lorri-Ann · Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2007 6:16 am Post subject:

Hi and welcome to Lf

Phoebe sounds like she is doing brilliantly, Abbey was 5.5months old before properly house trained with no accidents Rolling Eyes

Regards to the weeing in the lounge , when she goes outside do you praise and treat her so she knows thats the right place to go ?
she could be just so excited at being in the lounge and playing that she forgets and wee's. THe more she joins you in the lounge the quicker she will learn the rules !
She is still very young and she will get loads better it just takes time Very Happy

Hopefully some more people will have some advice for you too.

_Tracy_ · Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2007 11:53 am Post subject:

only thing i haveto add is that whilst a big deal and loads of fuss when she goes outside, absolutely NO recognition when she goes inside, if poss get someone to distract her whilst clearing it up.
Sounds like you are doing really well with her though