The wonders of Niki -- the BRT Puppy

[greekblue]

I was expecting her to cry the whole first night; she did not cry at all, she slept on my shoes.

Niki had only two potty accidents sinse Wednesday when I picked her up (All Thursday no potty accidents! She whined four times (two at the door, two in her car crate -- I took her out she went potty and Poop! One of those times were today midnight when she had just woke up -- she slipped through the door of our room, and she started walking towards the outside door; I went to put her back inside and whined. I took her out and she went potty immediately! But she did not want to come back inside. She lay at the grass and refused to go inside -- she had forgotten that I can still pick her up (silly puppy) Still no accidents! I emailed and asked the breeder if she was housetrained even for a start (I mean I was surprised) -- she has never been housetrained!

Most interesting part -- I never used her treats for training (I kept forgetting them inside and thought that I am going to delay her training. She never got a treat for listening, staying in crate, or going potty). I only talk to her a lot with an enthusiastic, approving voice or I strictly say "No" and pull her away if needed.

She already listens to me and knows that when I say "that's a No No" she needs to stop what she is doing. The day I picked her up, I had to pull her away; the next day "no, no" was enough most times!

I gave her a bath this morning in the bathtub. She was soooo good and patient. When I wiped her off, she wanted to play like crazy. She is a very clean dog, and she does not like been dirty, but she loooves to roll in
the grass. I think she is in heaven when she can roll herself in the grass (she tries to eats the grass and every flower that comes to her way.

And so many more things. In only a day she has left each one of us in the
house in astonishment. Honestly, she is not just beautiful; this dog is
extremely intelligent -- more than I had ever expected.

Last night she got really hungry and at 3:00am was pulling her stainsteel
food bowl out of its position making noise. When I woke up she looked at me
and started pulling it again until I went there and I gave her some food.

At 6:30am, this morning, she was hungry and I was sleeping. Her bag of food is in a low self covered with a clear plastic curtain. I heard noise, and I woke up. Niki had pulled the cover on the side, and was carrying her bag (small) of food from the self to the floor!! I could not hold myself of laughing, but she looked at me with the bag still on her mouth like I was the crazy one
I wish I had taken a picture, but my camera had been left in my car. This brilliant puppy is 71/2 weeks old?!

She will still hold most of the times part of her leash on her mouth and
carries it along or better refuses to walk on my way and pulls the part she has on her mouth the opposite way (let's see who is going to train who?!).

This dog is brilliant! I wish I had a video camera with me all the time.

[britishbandit]

Sounds like she's settling in just fine.

Just one thing though, her waking you up at 3am "hungry" and you giving her food is probably not the best idea. Set times and feed her on schedule, or she'll have you up at all hours all the time. Whether she's hungry or not, she could start doing it (or it could have been the case that time), that she just wanted attention. There's no reason at all she should need food during the night.

What kind of feeding schedule do you have for her? I always suggest 3 times a day with puppies. If you're feeding twice a day, just use the same amount of food but divided into three meals instead.

Oh, and BTW, where's the pics? *hint hint, nudge nudge*

[LilacDragon]

And still no pictures!!

Sounds like she is settling in great! I, too, would stop feeding her in the middle of the night.

Now - about those pictures.

[greekblue]

I will have pictures very soon! Sorry!

I only did that on her first day she came because she was travelling for over 11 hours, and she was trying to adjust. I don't know if that affects dogs, but there is a great difference in time between US and Russia.

She is almost housebroken. I can't believe it. She just came on Wednesday, and she only had another accident this morning because I did not realized her signal, but she came near my bed whining, and when I did nothing, she got up, went to the training pad and did her job there. Later on, she went and started pushing the door with her nose and whined; I took her out and she immediately did her #2. She warned me today also twice!

However, puppyhood is BACK full force! Today, she refused to listen. The puppy that only gave big kisses, bites like crazy anything comes to her way. If I am right, she is suffering because of her teeth. She will go from chew toy to chew toy and will go crazy.
The almost perfect puppy has turned into a little terrorist! She will follow me without leash -- today, not always (like she did before), but she refuses to walk with her leash. She lays down and chews it, and I have to pick her up.

She will chew even the metal from the table.
She bites really hard, and usually she would stop when I said no or ouch, but today, she would not listen at all. I think she tries to make up the badness she lost the days she was good. Oh well, she is still the great smart, funny puppy of mine -- just now add also the term of "terrorist" for her.

[keekers]

get ready- she'll chew for up to 6 m!! it never ends.. : ) but just get proper toys to redirect & it works..

[britishbandit]

Originally Posted by keekers

get ready- she'll chew for up to 6 m!!

She'll chew until at LEAST 6 months!! LOL Tysa was a year old before she stopped her chewy stage, PJ was 15 months.

It'll calm down after the teething process, but they usually still chew for a while after.

[keekers]

haha. lucy stopped chewing but now she just steals things hence being a retriever (duh!) & she 14 m now.

[Ritz459]

Sounds like Niki has settled in wonderfully!

I bet in a couple of months you'll be thinking, "Why did I ever think her being intelligent was good?" when she figures her way into all sorts of mischief. LOL

I can't wait to see pictures!