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So we started trying to be more consistent with Jensie last night using many of your suggestions and it seems to already be catching on. We make sure he knows he is out to potty, we don't play with him out there when it is potty time. This morning he was clean, as was his kennel. I had to go into the office for a few hours, he did not make a mess even though I was gone closer to 6 hours.
He has had one accident which was my fault as I didn't take him back out when he wouldn't poop this morning and ended up dozing off on the couch while he was having breakfast.
One of my problems is we got him so young (6 weeks, no I don't like them weaning so soon either) that I forget he is still really young. He feels like he has been here forever but he is only 17 weeks tomorrow.
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Oh wow that is young! If my dogs were not always mutts with some kind of horrible history, I'd only get them at 10 weeks. Alas, the world does not always allow us or them that kind of luxury. So, you may have more issues to deal with since he was weaned so young. Thankfully you have an older dog, this should help a great deal.
Glad he is doing better!
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Yes, he weaned himself at 4 weeks. I feel wrong admitting I got him from a backyard breeder but she actually is known by my aunt. She actually had a couple older schnuazers she had as pets because she found them to have a genetic issue or temperment issue so she retired them but kept them. She just had two breeding females and three males.
I am conflicted on dog breeding as a whole, we rescued Maggie from a Puppy Mill being run out of a vet's office. She was one of seven breeds they were breeding, couldn't eat out of bowls, was baffled by grass and crouched when you reached to pet her at first. But under her horrible life she was the kindest, gentlest and most loving dog ever. But she only made it to nine years old. Then again some of the breeders I found looking for Jens were complete shady. One had a complete bait and switch website set up. So his breeder who spent 2 hours letting us pick the puppy, teaches at the local high school, let us meet the parents and see how she keeps her dog seemed like a more genuine person than many of the breeders.
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The world is far from perfect. So sorry Maggie did not make it long. Sometimes there is nothing you can do to fix a rough early life. I'm going through a tough spot with one of mine now, she's only 7 1/2. Was very abused, very malnourished early on.
Not sure what I think of breeding. I'll prolly never have the luxury, as animals seem to find me. I think we still need some breeding, I just think perhaps there should be a limit, and an age requirement before they are separated from the litter/mom. I don't look down on your adopting him so young, I think it a shame the breeder did that. Anyway, I am glad he is doing better, he's got a great home and an older dog to look up to. :) Enjoy his puppy-ness, they are young for only so long. Our Zoe is getting less "puppy" all the time, just love it when she chases her tail or gets the zoomies and has to sprint through the house!
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The thing about potty training dogs is that for it to be really quick, you need to be able to spend A LOT of time with them, the first few weeks. I've trained a few dogs, and the last two were the best, and that's because I was able to, for two weeks after we got them, always have someone with them. The family would take shifts, and every hour, on the hour, we would take them out, and if they peed, they got a treat. We spent time in the kitchen where they were quarantined until they were trained, and punished them when they went inside, then took them directly outside.
Buddy is very silly, because we trained him to go in a particular spot in the yard, and he developed a quirk, on his own, of taking his leash in his mouth, walking himself to that spot, doing his business, then if he is allowed to play, he runs around like crazy, and when you call him, picks up his leash again, and carries it back, and drops it at your feet. it's very cute, and silly.
However, some dogs are really difficult. Hence the contrast between Buddy the wonder-Dane, and Angel, the slow witted American Eskimo, who we finally had to give away at FIVE because despite spending hours a day working with her (I was unemployed at the time, and seriously had nothing better to do, she got more training attention than ANY of my dogs every have) she was completely idiotic. I finally got her potty trained, but she couldn't do anythign else, and every time it rained, and I brought her outside, she would pee herself on the porch. I brought her to the vet, alongside my lab, who was perfectly behaved, and she was left there to be observed by their handlers for a bit, and it was concluded that she was "mentally challenged" and probably inbred. Later in her life, she also began having seizures. About the time I was really getting worried about her vet & med bills, we went to visit friends in PA, and brought her, and she and their daughter fell in love. Their family could better care for her, as they are much more financially well off than we are, and she's now a happy farm dog. Still a bit idiotic, but she's queen of her own heated barn, where she sleeps in her own stall, next to 4 horses, and a sheep. We get pictures every once in a while.
If you can't get him trained, I would recommend a trainer possibly? There are kennels that will take him for a week or more and train her for you. It sucks not having your puppy with you, but they usually have "parent hours" and handlers whose job it is to play with them when they're not being trained, so they're getting love.
Good luck! I completely understand the frustration. I went from a amazingly trained lab that I trained the same way, to Angel the derp dog. <3