Boomer's back home

    • Gold Top Dog
    Boomer -- WELCOME!!
     
    When he has an accident -- soak it up (pick it up) in paper towel and go put it in a PARTICULAR place in the yard where you want him to go.  *Do not* let him see you handle his waste. 
     
    After you've moved it -- go get him 'on leash' -- even now -- it will help you keep his concentration (are you using a sling to help him?? That's sufficient then) -- take him to the place where he screwed up and just plain explain "Not here Boomer Boo" (don't belabor it -- keep walking" --"HERE is where I want it!!" and show him you 'moved' it.
     
    This makes a heck of an impression - particularly on a dog trying reallh hard to please.  Nothing negative here -- this is TEACHING.  So, use the word training if it suits you ... but to me this is teaching the dog what you expect and want.  You can use the pet name -- that keeps the pressure off ... but be matter of fact ... not baby talk.  Does that make sense?  Keep an alpha tone to your voice but kind as well. 
     
    You keep this dog trying hard to please you and you will both win!!!
     
    You might want to be prepared to massage the spine itself -- and the major muscles in the shoulders and the other flank because they are absorbing ALL the shock.  He's young and he just will roll right into life this way -- BUT help those muscles out and it will help him develop the musculature in an equal way rather than actually hurting his back from bearing too much on the other side.  Does that make sense??
     
    You go girl -- I'm SO proud to know you!!
    • Gold Top Dog
    Callicritters

    Thanks for the hint about massages, I hadn't  thought of that. We are boarding at the Vet's (kind of
    hate to do it) for Mothers Day weekend while we go visit my mother-in-law. He's just not ready for
    a three hour road trip and, even though he seems to be crate trained, he's still peeing a bit.  I feel really
    bad, like he'll think we dont want him anymore, but I'm going to send him with  his daybed and my old nightgown
    and  lots of treats so  he doesn't feel so bad. We're working on the housebraking, at least the weathers  nice
    so I've been taking him out a lot and putting him with Mocha Jean.  I tell him to sit when I put his food
    bowl down, like I do with Mocha, and he's doing it.  But thanks again for the massage idea, I'll mention it
    to the Vet when I take him on Friday.
    • Gold Top Dog
    They have self help stuff you can get on [linkhttp://www.petmassage.com]http://www.petmassage.com[/link] -- I've seen awesome results with it. 
     
    Before you leave show him 3 fingers (or however many you'll be gone) and tell Boomer "we'll be gone 3 bedtimes" (or whatever your word for 'go to bed' is).  If some kind soul at the vet will just reduce the number of fingers by one every day -- they truly understand.  Not the 'math' for sure -- but that there is a definite "limit" and MOM IS COMING.  That honestly helps a whole bunch!! 
     
    Tell him you're gonna bring him a t-shirt or a ball or some stupid thing -- and then DO it.  Something he really enjoys -- you'll find it will make things easier and then you've become a "Mom of her word" -- and he learns to trust you!  Last time they SAID they'd come for me and did!  It's conditioning pure and simple -- but just put it in your own words as you'd say it at home.
     
     
    • Gold Top Dog
    How's Boomer?