Potty Outside

[Hillscreek]

Fantastic!!!

[Macdaddy]

Hi Jodi,

Mac is really getting it regarding the potty stuff. No accident's in almost 3 weeks?? He really knows that outside is where it belongs. He did the same thing Finn does last week. When he needs to go out, he'll sit down in front of me and just stare at me or Suzanne.Regarding the lay down or down command, we've used the "london bridge method" and it's hilarious !! He's really getting to be a big boy and know's we're so very proud of his accomplishments. He's quite proud of himself as well. We've changed his diet a little by introducing some rare steak, hamburger, chicken etc. He's really enjoying that mixed in with his kibble.

We also worked on "here Mac" instead of come as the word come is used so often every day. We've worked with a long line with a "treat" at the end.

He really is a angel and when "rough housing" with him and he gets a bit aggressive with the teeth, all I say is "gentle, gentle" and he stops immediately and starts kissing (licking). He has such a sweet personality. He's started to give a low growl and even bark (it's very cute) but he only barks or growls if he feels threatened. (flapping bags, wind chimes, branches) it's very funny. All we say is, "it's ok, you're ok" then I'll take him over to the item or bag etc and show him no danger and he seems to get it. We're also working on walking with the leash and not stopping every foot to sniff etc. That's taking some time but it's just a great experience. We're really enjoying him and hope all's well with Finn !

[Macdaddy]

Mac at almost 5 months !

[naden]

Cute, cute, cute!

[jodi0553]

Aww, Mac is getting his big boy coat! awesome! Is his head ready to strip yet? Finn's head has been completely stripped and I've just started on the face around his nose. If you slowly strip it just a bit at a time, it will be all different lengths and look awesome. I rolled the coat on his head over a span of about 6 weeks till I got it all and it is coming in great, even standing up a little! The chin hair is still hanging in there, trying to be patient with his "beard" but I want it to go away! Hoping to get over to visit the other brothers and sisters and get some grooming lessons in the next week or two. I think it will be so fun! These guys look so much alike it is incredible, can't wait to see the others, I know at least 3 of them are still there. I've attached a pic of Finn from earlier this week.

Finn is not doing quite as well as Mac with housebreaking, but we're at about 2 weeks for no #2 accidents and over the past 2 weeks he's only gone #1 inside about 3 times and now it is always right by the door where his leash is. I think sometimes he is so into watching his squirrels and chipmunks (See post under cairn life) that he just runs over to the door, lets loose and goes back to watching rather than letting us know. He finally does have a signal, albiet a subtle one, where he puts his paws up on the baby gate and stretches. Wish he would make some sound, but what he is doing is better than nothing. The funny part is that we have the bell attached to the gate and he will stretch maybe 3 inches from the bell but he won't touch it for anything.

Finn has definitely found his voice, but is being pretty responsive to commands to quiet down unless the critters are a foot from his face and then there's no controlling him. Finn doesn't do the growl and belly down at things that are scary like my last cairn, I love that behavior. Flapping bags is a classic one! My last cairn didn't like new objects stuck on the front of the fridge, so every time we got a new drawing from my niece, we had to convince him that it was OK. We use a "that's allowed" command when he does go all crazy at something and it tends to work.

Was just doing some grooming and realized that sometime this week Finn lost two of his baby canines and has big boy teeth growing in! So glad to see those little razors go!

[Macdaddy]

Hi Jodi, Mac has lost his two large bottom teeth and the others are coming in ! He's definately found his voice as well. He sounds a lot like the cowardly lion from the wizard of oz He gives a "humpf, humpf, humpf, a low growl and then a few barks. It's actually very cute. He gave a little "scream" when I took him to the golf course with me Saturday afternoon. We rode around in a cart getting out ocassionally, but we're driving for about 3 hours. He loved running after birds and trying to chase swallows and squirrels. It's when he saw a few squirrels and birds that I heard what may be the "Cairn scream"......Nothing I've ever heard before. Very interesting.Not a bark, not a whimper, something in between. He gets so excited that he sort of chirps a little......like a little sqwak sound at the birds and chipmunks and squirrels.

We havent done anything with his coat except take him to a local groomer a few times. I wouldn't even try to strip him but he does love to be brushed and combed. He actually expects it. Suzanne does that daily. I gave him a bath on Saturday night. He tolerates baths from me, but loves it at the groomer. When he's all wet, he looks like a baby fox ! He really is a great dog and is adjusting so well to his busy life. We feel so very fortunate that we found him and that he found us. He's not shy and is quite the licker. He gives kisses to everyone and is so excited to meet new people. That little tail jut goes crazy !

Edited June 11, 2012 by Macdaddy

[WayneD]

Hamish has just turned 14 weeks and we thought we were making great progress with his toilet training. He sleeps in his crate right through the night without a problem and we take him straight outside in the morning to do his business. Even inside in the fenced off area of the family room he has been doing great as long as we don't take our eyes off him. He has even on occasion gone and stood at the puppy fence hinting to go outside. However, the last few days we've gone backwards fast with many wee wee accidents at random intervals and with seemingly no advance clues. He was even standing up against the wall to get to a table top and peed against the wall. I guess it's back to the drawing board again and stricter supervision for a while. <sigh>

[Idaho Cairns]

No, you are experiencing typical puppy behavior--they can and will backslide faster than a preacher in Vegas with two months worth of offerings in his pocket! Be patient, reward with massive effusive praise every time he does the right thing--get his smell all over the back yard and before long that is the only place he will want to go.

[Hillscreek]

Two steps forward and one step back - puppy development. Angus was around five months before I was absolutely sure there wouldn't be any accidents. Even after that I took him out frequently. More so than other dogs I have owned I can say.

[PLGD]

Max (1 yr +) did the same behavior. He was house trained for the most part at 7 mo then suddenly and deliberately began peeing (he stood at my feet in the kitchen, looked at me then peed without asking ) in the house (neutered at 12 wks). Someone on this forum indicated they tethered their cairn first with a short leash then gradually lengthening as they proved trustworthy. We did this beginning anew with a 6 ft leash tethered to us or a chair graduating to 16 ft then 30 ft. These last 2 lengths gave him freedom to prove trustworthy again by asking or ringing his bell to go out. Also, we instituted NILIF in every area to reteach we were Alpha not him. Six weeks proved the point and he hasn't had an incident since anywhere. (Even his happy pees diminished drastically!)

It mayn't work with Hamish but it did with Max. Be patient as they all seem to challenge in all areas just about the time you think they've learned. Huh, scratch that, they have learned and are challenging to see if they can't be in control as a result! Smart little rascals!!