iamshack

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Apr 9, 2012 -> 09:36 AM) Also shack re: puppy pads. Should we be trying to have her exclusively do this? Or mainly have it try to be outside and praise if she goes? A little of both? I just don't want to get in such a habit of peeing inside that she just thinks that's how it works, when really, further down the road, it needs to be all outside. And the people we picked her up from rec'd one of those fake grass things since we are in a high rise. Said put it by the balcony, then eventually it can be put on the balcony, etc. Not sure what to think of those if anyone has used them. I think the key is to get them to understand the concept of going in a certain place, and then adjusting that place to be where you want her to go. Often times, the easiest thing is to get them started on the puppy pads, because they are scented in such a way that most dogs instinctively understand to go there. However, not all do...in fact, many dogs just chew them up. So if she is not getting the puppy pads, then you can try to move them outside (if it is windy you can weight them down with rocks or something) or just eschew them entirely. If you are trying to get her to go out on the balcony, place something with her urine on it out there to try and get her to make the association. Keep at it...it may take some time, but she'll get it eventually. Then when you take her on walks, make sure you praise her if she goes...eventually she'll realize it is ok to go outside and begin to make a habit out of it. At first, I find, you just have to keep taking them out enough times to where whether it happens just by chance or not, they go enough that you can praise them and eventually they realize it is ok to go there.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Apr 9, 2012 -> 09:24 AM) Vet is today at 2:00. When we picked her up they said she was up to date so far, I'm assuming she'll get everything else she needs today but not sure. Or maybe there are ones you don't get until further down the road? Wife did the research, was also told from the people we got them from that they are pretty "chill" usually and low maintenance. So I don't know. I could put a blanket over the crate if that will help, absolutely. Well shack that's the thing, the dog can be anywhere you think she should be. This is the first full day home. So nothing's really been established yet. Should i leave it roam? Cage it certain times? Certain times let it roam with me in the same room, other times leave her be in the other room and close the door? Am I doing the right thing to "ignore if yappy" and everything? She seems to go randomly - but I am starting to move paper towels on to the pads in hopes it attracts her for next time. I'm going to grab that book based on your rec. I also try to get her out more to the lobby, etc. It's a tough spot you're in, honestly. I don't think there are any magic answers. I'd cordon off a small area near where you are working and allow her to play in that area where you can keep an eye on her. Take her out to the balcony every few hours and see if you can get her to go. If not, just keep putting those paper towels in the place you want her to go. After a while, you can put her in her crate for a few hours, and do what Jenks said - put a blanket over it and make it dark - this should make her feel more secure. I know it's tough to ignore her cries, but the fact is you're not going to spend every waking minute with her, and so she'll have to get accustomed to that. The issue is breaking her of this habit in a productive way that works towards improving her behavior and making things easier for you in the long run. Remember, this is an 8-week old puppy. She is going to cry, do stupid s***, pee and poop wherever she pleases at times, demand your attention in the most inopportune times, etc. This is all part of being a puppy owner. That being said, she WILL get accustomed to her new life after a few weeks...so you just have to refrain from throwing her off your balcony until then.

QUOTE (Tex @ Apr 9, 2012 -> 09:03 AM) I believe we are looking at dozens and dozens of generations. (Although I'm not certain the number of generations makes that big of a difference) Plus we would also have to examine the evolution of processed dog foods as a suitable food for dogs. I suspect that we will find that a wild diet is better, I'm just not certain by how much. Looking at a wild dog who has a wild diet and a wild environment. We assume we can improve the dog's life by switching it to a domestic environment. On the surface it makes sense and based on my belief that a dog does not have a very complex psyche, one I believe could be true. The dog grows up in an environment and does not have the capacity to understand the concept of wild or any other life. As far as quality of life, I am looking at what is "natural" for a wild animal. Shack is preaching a "wild" diet while keeping the dog in a distinctly non wild environment. I find that a very interesting contrast. This whole concepts of humans keeping pets is fascinating to me and I am looking into what research has been done to understand why we do that. Of course there are all the symbiotic reasons that are usually mentioned, and the various psychological reasons. Tex...it's not just a wild diet...it's a diet their bodies are biologically evolved to live on. From their teeth, to the enzymes present in their mouths, to their stomachs and their intestines and really their entire gastrointestinal systems...they simply aren't well-suited for a diet of heat-pressed rendered fat and cheap grain. They don't digest it well and will overeat because of the lack of quality nutrients in the food. This leads to obesity and all sorts of skin allergies. It also causes problems with their gastrointestinal systems as they are designed to eat large meals once a day or less and not multiple smaller meals a day (as humans are). I'm not saying you have to send your dog out into the wild and expect it to kill prey for its meals (however idea this might be), but by feeding raw meat and bones, at least occasionally, and feeding them once a day and fasting them for a day once in a while will make for a much healthier dog. As for keeping your dog in a non-wild environment, allowing your dog plenty of exercise and socialization with other dogs goes a LONG way in making your dog happy. It doesn't mean you have to kick your dog outside when it rains.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Apr 9, 2012 -> 08:55 AM) Shack, let me also add that I'm home during the day. So someone is almost home all the time. What should be the pattern here? Leave her in the main room for parts to hang out? Put in the cage for small periods of time? Otherwise I feel like again, she'll follow around and never stop. Plus, we've made the bedroom a "no dog zone" and so that's where we can get away and she can't pee on the carpet, etc. I just don't know what the plan of attack should be as far as activity. We also tried to play with her a bit last night to make her tired, but she usually just comes up and tries sleeping near us, doesn't really play a ton. So that was a failure. Ok, so when you're home, where is the dog? Is she running around the condo, or is she in her crate, locked in a different room? When she pees, does she seem to go to the same area, or does she go in all different areas? Again, I'd try to clean up some of her urine and then place that paper towel in the area where you want her to go...on the puppy pads. I know it seems like she'll never get it, and honestly, some never do, but 95% of them will after a few weeks. You just have to be patient. As Illinilaw mentioned, exercise is your key tool in moderating the dog's behavior. But the first few weeks can be tough, because you're got to be careful until she is vaccinated, but meanwhile try to socialize her as much as possible. I'd make every effort you can to play with her and introduce her to new things. You don't have to sensory overload her (walk her down Michigan Ave for her first walk), but she's going to be a dog that lives in the City and so she must get accustomed to it. As Illinilaw also did, introduce her to as many of your friends as possible. Take her down into the lobby of your building. If you have friends with children, invite them over. If you have family members with pets, bring her to their place. Honestly, I can't advise you enough to read the book I mentioned earlier. It addresses all of your questions and more.

Is she fully vaccinated yet? My guess is no, since she is only 8 weeks old. Have you gotten her into the vet yet? If she's not fully vaccinated yet, I'd take her for walks, but just not the most common routes where people walk their dogs. You don't want her to pick up Parvo or something. Another option is to put her in your backpack or a duffel bag and walk around the City so she can get accustomed to the sights and sounds. This will protect her from picking anything up before she is vaccinated. Did you do research on the Shichon? Shichon.net Sounds like you might have an uphill battle ahead of you...

QUOTE (Tex @ Apr 9, 2012 -> 08:33 AM) Will this domestication lead them to kibbles and bits, or primal cuts of animal? We are at the stage where dozens and dozens of generations have been raised on kibbles and bits, seems like that part of their evolution is complete. Of course if we start comparing the very worst of the human processed foods compared to the best our conclusions will be vastly different. Are they domesticated enough that we need to regulate their food intake or are they wild enough where we can leave them a bounty of food and allow them to eat what they will? Bottom line, compared to living in the wild, our domesticated dogs have a far easier life. I'm not certain if it is better. It is easier and longer. But we've taken a wild animal and locked them up in crates and houses (basically a bigger crate). We take them to the doctor and dentist, clip their nails and cut their hair. Is it better for them? I'm not certain it is. This is simply not true. Domesticated dogs have been eating kibble for roughly 80 years. Evolution simply does not work this quickly, Tex. As to your second statement, you are doing exactly what most humans do...you are making judgments from your perspective rather than that of a dog's perspective. I know you qualified it with your next statement, but I'm not sure it is easier, to be honest.

QUOTE (illinilaw08 @ Apr 9, 2012 -> 07:41 AM) I'm no expert on this, but we have had our puppy for about 7 weeks now (got him when he was 8 weeks old) and went through some of the same stuff it sounds like you are going through. 1) At night, we put the crate in our bedroom. He would cry when he first went in there, but being in the same room helped. He would cry for a little while and then fall asleep and that only lasted a couple nights. If he cried at 3 in the morning, I took him right outside and let him do his business and then he went right back in the crate (note, 7 weeks later, he still can't hold it through the night, but he really only cries in the crate now when he needs to go). 2) Puppy pads were worthless for us. Anytime the dog went on the pads, we praised the crap out of him... until we realized that he was going on the pads as a random accident. He just happened to be standing on them when he had to go. 3) Our guy was VERY afraid of other dogs and outside at first. We got him into a puppy kindergarten class and his first day there, he got in, saw the other dogs and cowered. Our instructor told us to just ignore him, let him adjust to all the other animals around him, and after a couple minutes he was fine. We treated him for going outside on his own, for going to the bathroom outside, on walks, for good interactions with people and other dogs. Now, while we still have the occassional accident, he's at ease with most other dogs (the dog across the street that barks at him scares him still) and is great with people. Hope this helps... Sounds like you guys did a great job! Glad to hear he is doing so well!

QUOTE (Tex @ Apr 9, 2012 -> 07:31 AM) It is interesting how far some people wish to elevate their dog's life from what it would be in the wild. The dogs closest wild cousins do not have someone cleaning their teeth, carefully deciding what, and how much, they can eat. Yet they seem to survive. I don't have a problem with someone that wishes to treat their animal as close as possible to a human, I also do not have a problem with someone who treats a dog like an animal. It is really just how high you want to elevate the dog's life from what it would be without a human to care for it. Tex, the problem occurs when people ignore what a dog is. Dogs are not children. They are not human. As you point out indirectly, they did not evolve on couches or eating Kibbles and Bits. They evolved IN THE WILD for thousands of years, and then humans domesticated them. They are still adjusting to this domestication now. Your common house dog evolved from wolves. They share many of the same biology and evolutionary experience as wolves. Their instincts are very similar. Wolves are hunters and for the most part, carnivores. They will eat other things, such as berries or grains, but their teeth have evolved to tear meat from bones. In the wild, many times, meat is scarce. Any type of food is. Therefore, when wolves kill their prey, they will often feast on every part of it except for the fur. They will eat it over the course of a day or a few days, and then rest. Their stomach does nearly all of the digesting in their gastrointestinal system, and this requires as much as 24 hours if they eat until they are full. They can then go days without food, as their bodies have evolved to process stored fat much more efficiently than humans. In fact, it is at this time when their bodies operate most efficiently...better than when they are eating on a regular basis. This is basically how a dog's biology works. Now think about they manner in which most people treat their dog and feed their dog.

Ok, honestly, the pup is just very young and it sounds like you've taken her to a very different environment than where she came. Please, please, please, do not follow this two-week shutdown bologna. You need to do exactly the opposite. You are in a prime socialization period for the dog. You need to be introducing her to as many people as you can. As soon as she is fully vaccinated, you get her to a dog park. If you have friends with small children, INVITE THEM OVER. Take the dog in the car once a day or so. Your dog will adjust to your environment, you just need to have some patience. But trust me, the answer is not keeping them in your house for two weeks, or keeping them on a leash all the time in your home, or refusing to allow them to interact with other living things for fear of overstimulation. The best book on the market, one I cannot recommend enough, is "How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend," by the Monks of New Skete. The book is over 30 years old, but is recognized as a classic training manual for dogs and owners. Another great book (very similar, but maybe more focused on your particular issues) is "The Art of Raising a Puppy," by the same authors.

Good to see you guys are in mid-season form, even though our heroes are not yet there...

QUOTE (KG#1 @ Apr 8, 2012 -> 09:04 PM) Well, Gavin is a mediocre pitcher, I mean, I hope we get something decent or some good potential. But really, when trading mediocre, what really can we get? Another project pitcher/position player, sure. But we aren't getting a A+ potential for an okay pitcher. He's not mediocre...he's well-above mediocre. Unfortunately, he wasn't blessed with a whole lot above the shoulders.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 8, 2012 -> 07:34 PM) I hate this f***ing commercial. I don't get why...it's poking fun...I like it, actually

QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ Apr 8, 2012 -> 05:58 PM) Or if you have a smart dog, like everyone in my family has owned. Seriously...read some books about dogs instead of going off of the 3 you've seen in your family. You are recommending things to others when you don't know jack s*** about dogs.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 8, 2012 -> 03:11 PM) Unless someone in your family has been killed by a drunk driver, then, not so much. Oh for the love of... If we've always got to be afraid to laugh at something because of some completely unrelated tragedy that has occurred to someone else, then we'll never be able to laugh comfortably. Lighten-up.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Apr 8, 2012 -> 02:59 PM) He was bad but we also have to get a f***in rebound at the end of OT. Ridiculous. That includes him. He got stripped, then stood around and did nothing during the Knicks last possession...didn't guard, didn't try to rebound...just stood around watching.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Apr 8, 2012 -> 02:56 PM) I don't say this often, but the Bulls deserve to lose. That one's on Rose.

QUOTE (knightni @ Apr 8, 2012 -> 02:28 PM) Those kind of feeders can be disease carriers after awhile. It's like drinking out of the same water bottle for 6 months. You don't want to put a puppy on an all-you-can-eat diet. Not any dog for that matter, but especially not a puppy.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 8, 2012 -> 01:27 PM) Really, you can predict the weather this accurately 5.5 hours out? Not only the weather, but the pace of the baseball game as well...and better than the guy who lives near the stadium also:)

QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ Apr 8, 2012 -> 02:18 PM) If he is going to give them store bought dry dog food, then absolutely he should get it. No.

QUOTE (sunofgold @ Apr 8, 2012 -> 12:30 PM) Why not Rios in CF and Lillibridge in RF if you sit De Aza? I agree with sitting the lefty De Aza. Already going to have lefties AJ and Dunn in the lineup. According to Vegas, we are huge underdogs in this game. Great game to make a statement. Underdogs, prime time ESPN, playing defending AL Champs in their ballpark. I don't want to mess with Alex. Let's keep him in right and let him focus on hitting.

QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ Apr 8, 2012 -> 12:07 PM) Get an auto-feeder. http://www.amazon.com/Pureness-AF3-3-Pound...8407&sr=8-4 http://www.amazon.com/Petmate-Pet-Cafe-Wat...m_petsupplies_1 No, don't.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Apr 8, 2012 -> 11:06 AM) Yeah it's been rough. Very needy, has to be held/touching someone at all times it appears. If she's in the crate or in a room by herself, it's constant whining/yelping. She also will not use pee pads or something. We were told to kind of "box her in" and eventually she'll get it and go on there...she just waits until we look away a second, runs 5 feet, and starts going randomly. If we catch her, we put her back on the pad (which we were told to do), but then she won't go. So I don't know what the hell is going on. Next time she goes, clean it up with a paper towel, but don't throw it away...place it on top of the puppy pads and maybe she will get the hint that way. Otherwise, keep taking her out onto the balcony or outside, every few hours, and if she happens to go, act like you just won the lottery and it is the best day ever. Praise, praise, praise.

Alabama Shakes, anyone? This is what I was hoping for when I originally heard the hype over The Black Keys and Kings of Leon...

QUOTE (knightni @ Apr 8, 2012 -> 12:25 AM) Just watched the first episode of Magic City. Not bad. Yeah, I liked it...Starz doesn't mess around with the nudity and sex scenes...

QUOTE (Brian @ Apr 8, 2012 -> 10:11 AM) Watched all 4 episodes of Season (series?) 2 of Luther. Incredible. I've had that in my Blockbuster queue forever...waiting...