Ruki Asleep

Over-Tired Puppy

I'm not sure if Ruki's getting enough sleep... I realized, and researched, that there's a "condition" called "over-tired puppy." Yesterday, I walked her... A LONG WAY. Let her play off-leash in the park with a ball and stick. And then, on our way back, she was just CRANKY.

I also wonder that when I pull her out of the crate--not literally, but I open up the crate door and "encourage" her to come out so I can take her out during her scheduled pee times--why she's so stubborn. I think she's just cranky because I woke her up. And she's tired. And then when I take her out, she's still stubborn and cranky.

I think maybe I have to figure out how to readjust her pee schedule to her nap schedule.

Keeping Myself Disciplined

I started loosening up on her schedule when I'm at home all day with her. But I've quickly learned that--no matter what--when she wakes up from a nap, and I let her out of the crate, she *must* be let out. Twice, I decided, "Oh, let her play a little bit--she needs to wake up," and lo, and behold, there was a spot of pee that I had to clean up in a few minutes.

Walking the Stubborn Walker

I've started adjusting my techniques in getting Ruki to "walk well" with me.

First off, I have to understand that she's just a puppy--and on top of that a bulldog. She can't walk that far. So when I go around the block, I should expect that every quarter block she's going to stop and stand--to rest--or stop and sniff around a bit. It's not her being stubborn, it's her being a bulldog puppy.

So it all takes some time to go for the walk.

If she pulls, I only resist--I don't pull back. And once I feel that she's no longer pulling but just standing with the tension of the leash, I let go and give her slack. When she wanders off to the side, and I think it's not a good time, I keep the leash tension tight; and then slack when she's no longer pulling. At that point, she's usually at attention, listening or sniffing; I give her a few seconds--I even count up to 5--and then pulse or call her to "come" and she'll trot right along.

I'm also working on training her to walk either beside me or slightly behind me. I don't want her to walk me. If she gets ahead of me the leash is taut; whenever she's being good by being beside me or slightly behind me I keep the leash slack and upright--right above her head so there's not pulling at all.

Bulldog Won't Walk - Just Sits There

Ruki, at 13 weeks, can definitely get cranky about walking. When I bring her outside of the courtyard of our apartment, she goes right for the shrubs or, worse, will just sit and not budge. Here's a mixture of techniques that seem to work in getting her to get going:

1. Keep on walking. Once I get her going, I keep up the momentum and don't stop. If she turns or stop I keep on going. I also don't make eye contact, don't look at her, give her the silent treatment. After a few stops, she picks up and just follows.

2. Keep on walking. If she stops, I walk back to her, circle around her--she'll usually turn with me--and then turn back in the same direction I was originally heading. If she doesn't get up after a turn or two, I'l start shuffling into her, and then turn and go.

3. If she sits, I put a hand under her belly and ask her to "stand." This gets her up, then I have to figure out how to keep her moving.

4. If all else fails, I hoist her up and take her about a block away. (We live in the city.) I think being too close to home is too distracting to her. But when I get her far enough away from home, she trucks along just fine--presumably just so she can make it back home. :)

Over-Excited? She Needs a Nap!

Puppies go crazy nuts a few times a day, just because they're puppies. But I've noticed that later in the night, maybe around 9.30 - 10 p.m., Ruki will go a little more extreme on the nuts side. Play-stance, pouncing, running around, chewing everything, tossing things, and sometimes even growling and barking.

And then she'll pause, put her cheek down, head to the side, and rest. And then back to crazy.

My theory is that when she's really tired, she'll have these crazy bouts. When she's crazy enough late at night, it's time to hold her tight, and "pet her down"--pet her and sooth her until she's calmed down. And then crate her for the night.

House-Training Update

So house-training seems to be going well. At 3 months (as of yesterday!) and with her being ours for two weeks, she can hold it for at least 3 hours and pees almost immediately when she gets outside.

So if you were as frustrated as we were last week, things improve drastically over a week!

She still has problems if I don't walk her after 10:30 p.m., or for the afternoon stretch from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. So today we started having a dog-walker to come in for the 12.30 - 1.30 p.m. stretch.