patandchickens
Crazy Cat Lady
I know I said I didn't want a puppy, was looking for something older.
Oh well. We are now as of last night the owners of a 5 month old yellow lab (probably fairly purebred, just not real typey) from a shelter where he was surrendered as "couldn't be housebroken".
I am seriously hoping that the problem wasn't so much "couldn't be" as "owners were too lackadaisical about". He is EXCELLENT in all other possible respects (well other than I'd have preferred something more Heinz-57; but my husband is THRILLED to have a lab). Super super temperament, tests cannot provoke any trace of aggressiveness or guarding, seems convinced that humans are basically a) wonderful and b) naturally in charge of telling dogs what to do, fast learner about things like sitting before going through doors/gates, just overall a very friendly waggy squinty happy yellow dog.
We are crating him and taking him out a lot, especially at likely times, and not leaving him loose in the house. Thus far my impression is that his problem is "just" that he leaks when excited, especially in the 90 seconds between opening the crate door and actually getting outside. He mostly does hold the vast majority of his pee til he gets out; and he seems basically housebroke w/r/t poo (shelter said he only pooed in his cage the first couple days).
So think good thoughts for this being a straightforward issue that can be solved by a few months of diligently-applied system! He is an *awfully* good dog. Have I mentioned that? Good dog. We like him
No pics yet, been way too crazy-busy (all this driving around -- shelter is 2 hrs away [he's from Belleville, Stephy!] and there are so many new-dog things to do and I have to put final touches on new sheep pens so sheep can move in so that dog can use the great big chainlink yard for off-leash exercise). Hopefully will take some pics this afternoon, maybe post them this evening, "she said optimistically" <g>
He needs a new name, my husband has vetoed his existing name "Buddy". Do we need to pick a new one that sounds fairly similar so as not to overly confuse him? Have not made much progress on it yet -- our 3 yr old son suggested, for some reason, "Baking Soda" as a name -- but he really needs a NAME, for training purposes if nothing else!
Oh man, what have we done
,
Pat
Oh well. We are now as of last night the owners of a 5 month old yellow lab (probably fairly purebred, just not real typey) from a shelter where he was surrendered as "couldn't be housebroken".
I am seriously hoping that the problem wasn't so much "couldn't be" as "owners were too lackadaisical about". He is EXCELLENT in all other possible respects (well other than I'd have preferred something more Heinz-57; but my husband is THRILLED to have a lab). Super super temperament, tests cannot provoke any trace of aggressiveness or guarding, seems convinced that humans are basically a) wonderful and b) naturally in charge of telling dogs what to do, fast learner about things like sitting before going through doors/gates, just overall a very friendly waggy squinty happy yellow dog.
We are crating him and taking him out a lot, especially at likely times, and not leaving him loose in the house. Thus far my impression is that his problem is "just" that he leaks when excited, especially in the 90 seconds between opening the crate door and actually getting outside. He mostly does hold the vast majority of his pee til he gets out; and he seems basically housebroke w/r/t poo (shelter said he only pooed in his cage the first couple days).
So think good thoughts for this being a straightforward issue that can be solved by a few months of diligently-applied system! He is an *awfully* good dog. Have I mentioned that? Good dog. We like him
No pics yet, been way too crazy-busy (all this driving around -- shelter is 2 hrs away [he's from Belleville, Stephy!] and there are so many new-dog things to do and I have to put final touches on new sheep pens so sheep can move in so that dog can use the great big chainlink yard for off-leash exercise). Hopefully will take some pics this afternoon, maybe post them this evening, "she said optimistically" <g>
He needs a new name, my husband has vetoed his existing name "Buddy". Do we need to pick a new one that sounds fairly similar so as not to overly confuse him? Have not made much progress on it yet -- our 3 yr old son suggested, for some reason, "Baking Soda" as a name -- but he really needs a NAME, for training purposes if nothing else!
Oh man, what have we done
,Pat
Congratulations on your new family member! I hope, with a little time and patience, that he is easily house broken, but in any case, it sounds like you could always house him in such a way that it wouldn't have to be a huge problem (you don't live in an apartment).
You certainly can change his name. You can train any animal to come to any word you choose with enough goodies and smooches! And it can sound completely different. Remember, your other animals and even your kids (I bet!) have several nicknames each and they respond to all of them.
awesome!!! My Mastiff was given to me on the same premis, "couldn't be house broke"....funny, like yours, he never peed in my house. 
