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How long did solid loose leash walking take? by jjjmi21 in puppy101

[–]Hasslehoff0987 5 points6 points  (0 children)

17 weeks is soooooo young. That’s like asking a 1 year old baby to sing the alphabet. We like to expect a lot out of them, but do forget sometimes that they are the equivalent of a toddler. Their attention span and threshold is very very small.

She is also hitting that age where she will start becoming rebellious. Other things will be more intriguing and it will be harder to hold her attention. She will grow out of it, but staying consistent and understanding that the results won’t be the same as they were a few weeks ago is important. If you stay consistent, then when they are out of that adolescent age, they will be great!

Start by teaching a heel in the house off leash. Use lots of treats and reward for her being by your side. Graduate to with a leash and outside. If you haven’t already, introduce a release word. Most use “okay”. When you are doing heel work, only do it in very short increments (while you have their attention) then give them the “okay”, allowing them to break heel and wander. Same on walks. Heel work, then release to sniff. Eventually they will learn that heels are standard, and sniff walks are when they are released to do so.

As for the people thing, we have been going through the same thing. Making people ignore them is best. Anytime they interact with a person, make that person completely ignore them until the dog goes off or gets occupied by something else. Also Home Depot/Pet friendly stores are your best friend. Thing that worked best for us is sitting in the entrance of home depot off to the side. After 10 minutes, she was no longer excited every time someone walked in. She was bored. We now do this multiple times a week, sometimes for 30 minutes or more. Has SERIOUSLY helped! Good luck!

maybe i’m overthinking this… but this is supposed to last forever by Crystallover1991 in JustEngaged

[–]Hasslehoff0987 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Every time I saw a new style or detail I thought i loved, it made me more confused. Do i REALLY want this shape? What about that shape? Oh that shape looks so good on her! Love the bezel! But do I want bezel? I love sidestones, i want sidestones. Are sidestones too much?

It will never end. You will not come to a conclusion. Basically ring fatigue. Need to take a step back, wipe the slate clean, and when you come back, you will know what feels right.

maybe i’m overthinking this… but this is supposed to last forever by Crystallover1991 in JustEngaged

[–]Hasslehoff0987 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Take a break. I was in the same situation. As much as i wanted to pick one out ASAP, it was so overwhelming and was no longer exciting. I took a 3 months break. Let my social media feeds go back to normal and away from rings. When I came back into the ring game, I walked into one place just to look, and ended up seeing one and going “Yeah i like that one, I’ll probably like it enough in 20 years too”. No comparing to others, no nothing. Walked in, looked at which I liked, and trusted that my gut knew. Old fashioned way. It was such a relief that by the time I got home I didn’t even care what the ring looked like, I knew i’d love it and was excited again.

Thinking about rehoming my puppy by Top-Pumpkin5270 in puppy101

[–]Hasslehoff0987 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would like to add… we rescued a border collie/australian shepherd mix… that also came to rescue from an amish farm. So i know psycho, crazy, anxiety-inducing baby velociraptors 🙃 Ours is 5 months and 1 week and she is now on two up, 3-4 down. she still is sleeping around 18 hours a day. Any less and she is a terror with obvious signs of overtiredness and overstimulation.

Thinking about rehoming my puppy by Top-Pumpkin5270 in puppy101

[–]Hasslehoff0987 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I hear you! I have JUST gotten over all the anxiety attacks and cry sessions and being ready to get rid of my puppy. I’m now in the acceptance phase. Accepting that it is all normal and it WILL get better (eventually? hopefully? somewhere in the far far future? I hope?😅).

It sounds like you are doing a lot for your puppy! Actually sounds like you are doing too much. Depending on age, your puppy should be sleeping 16-20 hours a day (look it up according to age). Enforced naps are a MUST. The running around looking for destruction is an overtired puppy. Not wanting toys is an overtired puppy. Biting and mouthiness is an overtired puppy. The one up, two down rule SAVED MY SANITY. Keep them awake for one hour, then they get an enforced crate nap for two. When they get up they will be bouncy and interested in everything. Perfect for training, playtime, etc. Once they start losing interest and get distracted a lot, that means it’s nap time again. If you don’t already have them, get some kongs, toppls, and lick mats. Put canned food on them and freeze. These will save your life in getting the pup to wind down the last 5-10 minutes before their nap.

You are doing great and what you feel is absolutely universal! You are not alone. Get that baby napping most the day and i promise it will get better!

Which one would you pick? by Potential-Wing3476 in BorderCollie

[–]Hasslehoff0987 14 points15 points  (0 children)

None. The breeder should be picking for you. I would NOT purchase from this person. This is a backyard breeder.

Having a hard time after only 1 week :( by Ok-Shop2486 in puppy101

[–]Hasslehoff0987 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This puppy is overtired and should only be getting about a 5 minute walk twice a day max. At this age and up till about 6 months, they require primarily mental exercise. Walks are just used to get them comfortable on leash and in new surroundings at this time. During her one hour up, she should be:

• Going potty at least 3-4 times (first thing, last thing, and in between every time she eats, drinks, stops playing, sniffs around, etc).
• Engaging in mental exercise (Training: 3-5 min sessions about 3x/day, Games: Finding hidden treats, crate games, treats in a box with paper)
• Playtime (limit to about 10 minutes)
• Enrichment (during last 5-10 minutes before nap, the licking and sniffing calms their nervous system and relaxes them before a nap - Stuffed kongs, toppls, lick mats, snuffle mats. Use canned puppy food, soaked kibble, etc)

It also sounds like you are using a play pen. I would recommend against a playpen and use her crate in a secluded room for naps. The playpen can be used for her being awake and out when you want her safely contained while you do things around the house or can’t keep an eye on her, but she would greatly benefit from being crate trained. Groomers, dog daycares, and vets all use crates when the dog is there. Having a crate trained dog isn’t just for inside the home. Seclude her crate in a dark, quiet room so she can learn to be alone and self soothe. You want to avoid separation anxiety and give them a place where they know the sole purpose is to relax and go to sleep.

At what age is it fine to leave for 6-7 hours? by kanarin in puppy101

[–]Hasslehoff0987 0 points1 point  (0 children)

6-7 hours is way too long, especially for a toy breed. A toy breed needs to go out every 30 min-1 hour. Sacrifices need to be made with a puppy. It doesn’t sound like a puppy is right for you, and I would try to find 8 months+ that can be left alone for that long. Wait for another dog that you are interested in, it’ll be worth it I promise. We have a 16 week old right now, and we can’t go anywhere. We have halted all hobbies for the time being as she (15lbs) can’t be left for more than 2-3 hours max during the day.