Kelly's vet visit and a few questions

[Lynn in TN]

Kelly went to the vet to get a shot. She did really well. She is 12 weeks and weighs 4 pounds. Is that about the right weight for her age? She is healthy, and the shot didn't seem to affect her at all. The only trouble I had while we were there is she wanted every ones attention. If they walked by her and didn't talk to her she whined. (ha!ha! I guess she is a little spoiled)

I am almost finished stripping her puppy overlay. I only have a few stray hairs to get. Let me know if I've missed something after you watch the slideshow. The first few pictures is before and the last few are after.

It seems we are having a little potty training trouble so help me if you can. She will only potty at home, She potties at other places but holds it until she can hold it no longer it could be on the floor or in the car. I walked her for an hour outside at my Mother-in-laws (last weekend) We had been there 3 hours. 4 hours total after the hour walk. As soon as we put her in her crate to head home she started whining,so i took her out still wouldn't go. So back in the crate and whined she went potty in the crate and whined even louder.( I felt really bad for her, but I really didn't know what to do.) I have tried getting a urine sample (was going to pour it on their yards she won't go at my Moms either) That's not going to happen if i pick her up she stops and won't finish if their is something under her. I can't slide any thing under her she is to low to the ground. If you can think of anything let me know and thanks in advance.

She rarely barks.She is growling more now.

She loves every one she meets. She does a happy dance then flops on her back for a belly rub. Really cute.

I am sure you are getting tired of pictures of Kelly but I'll post them anyway.

[percy's_girl]

OMG I love the pics! I don't have any answers to your questions, but wanted to let you know I was cracking up at the slideshow. The air vents at my parents' house are on the floor, too, and Percy is always camped out in front of them. She also sleeps half in/half out of her bed like Kelly. I don't know how that's comfortable, but she does it all the time.

[Idaho Cairns]

Get a little plastic container that chain restaurants use for fry sauce or ketchup and when she squats slip it in behind her--you'll catch enough for testing--you also have a nice little snap in place top for your "prize".

Love the slide show--such a pretty girl.

[Dempsy's Mom]

Yeah! That was a great slide show! I loved it so. Kelly is so very sweetly cute. All of the pics were my favorite, but if I had to pic a winner it would be the tough-o-war with the egg carton. Thanks for sharing you made my night!

[hheldorfer]

Thanks for sharing the slideshow. Kelly's getting into all sorts of mischief, isn't she?

The peeing problem may be physical but, if it isn't, maybe it's just one of those odd dog things. I had one dog who never wanted to pee or poo - even on walks - except in her own yard. Again, IF it isn't a physical problem, praise her like crazy when she piddles (outside, of course), do a pee-pee happy dance for her and give her a treat.

Please let us know how her potty training progresses . . . and more slideshows will be great, too!

[Rohnda]

Luigi had the same "shy" bladder problem. He would hold it for hours if he wasn't home. He will be one year old this month and I am happy to report that he is over that now! He would only eat at home as well. So every time we would travel, his diet was miserable. He was a little heavier then Kelly. At 12 weeks he weighed 7 pounds. He gained about a pound a week and then sometime I quit weighing him (weekly). He has held steady now at 17 pounds for the last few months. Kelly is adorable, keep the pictures coming!

[janis]

She is just too cute for words! Love the pictures, they made my night too! Kirby is very reluctant to pee or poop anywhere except home. When he was that size, we would say, "go potty/good potty" and reward him....you probably already do that. You might try scented puppy pads or training spray for outside away from home , or the plain ones for the car just to catch accidents.

[KerryJayne]

Oh Lynn they really made me smile she's gorgeous :-) how did you know what hair to pull out ? Nessie still looks like your before pictures but longer as she's about 18 weeks old now ! I don't know what to pull out . I've been very lucky with toileting she's practically house trained but I think its because we have other dogs you will get there with her :-) she is so gorgeous :-)

[finncaraid]

Kelly is a real cutie! Looks like she'll grow into a beautiful young lady! Love the water bowl pics! The good thing with the no-potty thing is that at some point in the near future, she'll be completely house-trained. We also had the same problem with Finn. The night we brought him home, he didn't go for 7 hours. When he finally did, for the next several days we had to go to the same spot. 2 weeks later, we took him to our beach place. That time it took 9 hours with a walk every 1/2 hour before he finally went on the deck. We immediately took him to the spot we wanted him to use. Till this day, 10 months later, that's the spot he uses on his first day & he's been there for a prolonged stay 7 times. While this behavior seemed rather odd to me initially, it made it super-easy to housebreak him. At a year old, he's now a lot more relaxed 'cause he's gotten use to a long daily walk, always by a different route. But he's still reluctant to relieve himself when he's in a completely strange new place. These dogs seem to have incredible memories so the key may be to take Kelly to the same spot for a few minutes every 1/2 hour to an hour when you go somwhere that she's likely to go on a regular basis. So when you go to your mother's, a place she'll be going to repeatedly, let her take a quick sniff in the designated area then enter the house. Half hour later or so, repeat. If nothing happens, repeat again a 1/2 hour later. Keep it up till she goes. Think it's more about repetiton than duration. They catch on incredibly quick so you probably won't have to do this over & over. If you're using a clicker to train Kelly, use that when she goes. If you're using praise, use that. Whatever method you use, she's probably already accustom to learning this way- just extend it to potty.------------I hear you with the strange sleeping habits. Finn always sleeps with the back end higher than the front. He'll rearrange whatever he's sleeping on so he can rest this way. DH says it's because he's got such a big head, it takes extra blood to get to his brain so he can get into better mischief . If that's so, it's very effective

[pindrop]

Kelly is just such a sweetiepie - love all the pics. I too like the egg carton. They have such sweet faces and each have their own disposition. Isn't it a blast? Now I know you were just kidding when you said we are probably not up for puppy pictures - slap! Silly girl - of course we love them. The more the merrier. This way we get to see how much they are growing and what they can get into the minute our backs are turned - that's why with a Cairn, we develop eyes in the back of our heads. I am so happy you are enjoying her so much. Hugs.

[Hawkeye]

Oh Lynn keep the pictures coming! Kelly is sooo adorable, my winning pic would be the water bowl pictures. You gave me my chuckle (in work) today...thank you. As far as the grooming, you did GREAT! You stripped all the wispy long hairs. How did she do while grooming?

[Lynn in TN]

@ Idaho thanks for the idea about catching her urine. I'll try it.

@ Hawkeye She did great she would sit for 20 to 30 minutes at a time until I got to the hip and tail area she wasn't happy about the stripping in those areas. LOL She would give me the

if looks could kill look. She didn't growl at me or anything just gave me the look and would fidget a lot. She also hates nail clipping time. I have to do one nail when she is sleeping and of course

it wakes her up so I wait until she goes to seep again to get another nail. I hope she will get accustom to that soon.

I really can't complain about house training at home she does great. The only accidents we have at home is our fault. we'll play with her for such a long time that she can't make it to the door.

It is only when we take her other places, I'm glad to no that there are other pups that were like her. That is why I was trying to get a sample of her urine thought if I could put some in

their yards maybe she would get use to going potty there.

I really like the 18 count carton off eggs picture myself. My children makes it very hard to train her though. I've told them that she will grow up and the damage will be a lot worse. They think it is

cute. I have to admit I do too! hehehe

She is so much like us it is scary! Ha!Ha!

[gt_mustang_gal]

She is absolutely gorgeous and a lot of her expressions really remind me of my Cracker! I do have to ask you - how are you stripping her hair and trimming her nails? He won't sit still long enough for me to even attempt to do anything like that. (EDIT - you were posting when I was, so you kinda answered that in your last post!)

As far as getting a sample goes, we actually used paper towels to soak up some of his pee and then rubbed it where we wanted him to go. It worked! You could try that if you can't "catch" it as she's going. Then just take the paper towels to your familys' yards and rub them on the grass.

[Hawkeye]

Another suggestion for nail trimming is the Dremel file. I file their nails rather than clip. It is much easier and never worry about getting too close.

[sanford]

For gathering a urine sample - one technique is to use a soup ladle or a long handled spoon.

[bradl]

Some folks use an actual hand file - I've seen a "four-in-hand" file most frequently recommended. I'm too impatient to use one, so love my Dremel Stylus - probably one of the best grooming tool purchases I've ever made, right up there with finger cots and a grooming table.

[tomatosandwich]

What great pics! I love the ones with the water bowl....oh and the one with the air conditioning vent...oh and the one with her getting the eggs out...and...

all of them!

Wow! I'm impressed you stripped her already. Divot needs it, and I'm still a little too chicken!

[beccadiane374]

Great pics! What a cutie!

When Tanner was potty training, I used the paper towel trick mentioned above. If he went potty in the house, I soaked it up with a paper towel & took it outside, laid it on the grass & then poured water over it to transfer the scent.

[josie&holly]

Just love those photos! The egg trick is so funny but yes would also be annoying too!