We have a Pug puppy who will be turning 5 months next week. We have
two puppy books and various web pages that we've been using as a
reference on being sure we are doing the right things to raise and
train him. The problem with these resources is that you can't ask
them questions!

Anyway, I have two questions about puppy behavior. The
point of reference I'm using is when I lived with my parents growing
up, we raised both a Flat Coated Retriever and a Golden Retriever (at
different times) from puppies.

Housetraining:
He is semi-housebroken. When we take him outside, he knows
what he's supposed to do out there. Usually after about 10 seconds of
walking around on the grass, he'll go. The problem is, while he knows
that's what outside is for, he won't necessarily wait to be outside to
do it!
We have vertical blinds which are in front of the door we use
to go out. Usually he lets me know that he has to go out by walking
back and forth through the blinds. The problem is that the frequency
with which he does this is highly irregular. Sometimes he doesn't do
it for 5 hours, and sometimes he has to go 3 times in an
hour! (This is only for urinating...) Obviously, the more often he
goes, the less he actually urinates each time. We've had him to the
vet several times, so I don't think it's any sort of urinary tract
infection.
I sometimes just think he wants to go out because he knows
that if he does do it outside, he gets a small treat afterwards.
Another thought I had is that he does it if he's bored. Just the
same, I don't want to ignore him when he does this, because sometimes
that leads to him going in the house -- which is definitely something
I don't want. Whenever I let him out, we only go to the bathroom and
never have playtime in the same trip.
Is this just because he's still a puppy or are we doing
something wrong in training? I'm coming from a family which had full
grown dogs which only ever had to go out 4 times a day, and they would
wait until we took them out, as opposed to them telling us when they
had to go, so this is all new to me.

Leaving him alone:
When we leave the apartment, we put him in his crate and he
just sleeps the entire time. However, if we're in the apartment, we
let him out and have him confined to one room. The problem is that we
HAVE to be in the room with him. If we leave him alone, he always
ends up getting into trouble. Either he'll start barking at things
outside the window, or he'll start digging in the side of the couch,
or he'll jump up and try to grab things off the coffee table. If
we're in the same room with him, all he ever wants to do is play.
Now, of course, I realize he's a puppy and all they ever think about
is playing, but is this much activity normal for a puppy his age?
Keep in mind that I'm used to have full grown dogs that do nothing but
lay around until you're ready to take them out to play. I mean, it's
a bit taxing because whenever my wife and I are home, we hardly ever
get to do ANY of the same things we did in the apartment before we had
a dog. One of us always has to be the in same room with him, and if
we're together in that room trying to watch TV or a movie, he's always
jumping around, trying to get us to throw his toy for him. I realize
that we could put him in his crate for a while if we need a break, but
I don't want to have him spend TOO much time in there.
I guess the ultimate problem is just that whenever we're home,
we have to spend almost every minute either watching the puppy,
playing with the puppy, or thinking about the puppy. I knew they were
a lot of work, I guess I just didn't know they were THIS much work. I
guess my parents did a lot of work with the puppies when I was growing
up and wasn't paying attention.

My overall question is this: I realize that it varies from breed to
breed, and even from puppy to puppy, but is there some sort of general
timeline for the behavior development of dog? Like I said, I'm used
to adult dogs which only have to go out 4 times a day and can be
pretty independent without getting into trouble. Our puppy right now
doesn't allow us to have any time to ourselves when we are home.
I just want to know if this is normal for a puppy his age, or if we
are doing something wrong. Is there any particular age when any of
you experienced dog owners usually stop thinking about him/her as less
of a puppy and more of an adult dog?

Luckily, obedience classes start tomorrow.

Thanks for your help!

Aaron wrote:
Is this just because he's still a puppy or are we doing
something wrong in training? I'm coming from a family which had full
grown dogs which only ever had to go out 4 times a day, and they would
wait until we took them out, as opposed to them telling us when they
had to go, so this is all new to me.

Yes, puppies have to go much more often than grown dogs. Also, small breed
puppies take a lot longer to develop the physical control necessary to wait
until they're let out, especially if they're active or excited. Throughout
their lives, they are likely to have to go out more often than big dogs. Tiny
bladders.

The problem is that we
HAVE to be in the room with him. If we leave him alone, he always
ends up getting into trouble.

That's not a problem. It's normal. Until he is old enough and well-trained
enough to know and follow the house rules, he needs either direct supervision
or to be somewhere safe and puppy-proofed, like a crate. You've got a ways to
go yet. He's still very young.

My overall question is this: I realize that it varies from breed to
breed, and even from puppy to puppy, but is there some sort of general
timeline for the behavior development of dog?

It does vary. The stage he's in now lasts to about 5 months and is
characterized by unending energy, plus intense curiousity about the world
coupled with ignorance about how he's supposed to act in it. This is the most
important time in his life with you, because how well you socialize him at this
time can make the difference between a dog who is friendly and at ease with
everybody, and one who bites out of fear. I'm glad you're going to puppy class
- that will help a lot.

Around 6 months old, you'll start to feel the sting of impending adolescence.
At this stage, the dog's world expands. He starts to become interested in
things that never interested him before. This is the time when you can expect
the unexpected. Typical adolescents are untrustworthy, unreliable, and
undependable. And they still have the energy of a puppy, plus they're bigger.
This is when many people abandon their pets as hopeless, when the only problem
is that they're untrained.

But even well-trained adolescents can be a problem. I tell my students to
expect Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. One day they're wonderfully behaved, the next
they act like they never heard the command "Leave it" before. If they have a
predisposition to aggression, this is usually the time when you begin to see
signs of it.

The length of adolescence does depend somewhat on breed. For example, labs and
goldens can be teen-agers for 3 years or so. I'm not sure, and those more
knowledgeable certainly correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe pugs are
noted for long adolescences.

In general, the maturing process begins around one year. By the time the dog
is 2-ish, he's usually pretty much "what you see is what you get."

Will you have to have him crated when you're not directly supervising him until
he's two? Maybe. Maybe not. Some of that depends on his disposition, most of
it depends on how dedicated you are in training him.

Here are things you can do to entertain him and get a break:

* Fill a kong (hard rubber toy) with pieces of his kibble, carrots, treats,
plug both ends with wet food or peanut butter, and freeze it.

* Get a toy like a buster cube, and fill it with kibble. He has to roll it
and bounce it around to get the kibble to come out, piece by piece. I have a
student who feeds her dog her whole meals this way.

* Try ice cubes. He might love them, and it's a harmless, cost-free way to
keep him busy scooting them around the floor.

Pugs are marvelous dogs. Happy, friendly little clowns. He'll be worth it.

PetsMart Pet Trainer
My Kids, My Students, My Life:
http://hometown.aol.com/dfrntdrums/m...age/index.html
Last updated June 27 at 10:00 a.m.

From: Aaron

We have a Pug puppy who will be turning 5 months next week. The
point of reference I'm using is when I lived with my parents growing
up, we raised both a Flat Coated Retriever and a Golden Retriever (at
different times) from puppies.

Big puppies are very different from little puppies. The bladder control of the
average retriever puppy is much, much higher than a little pug puppy!

Housetraining:
He is semi-housebroken. When we take him outside, he knows
what he's supposed to do out there. Usually after about 10 seconds of
walking around on the grass, he'll go. The problem is, while he knows
that's what outside is for, he won't necessarily wait to be outside to
do it!

I sometimes just think he wants to go out because he knows
that if he does do it outside, he gets a small treat afterwards.
Another thought I had is that he does it if he's bored. Just the
same, I don't want to ignore him when he does this, because sometimes
that leads to him going in the house -- which is definitely something
I don't want. Whenever I let him out, we only go to the bathroom and
never have playtime in the same trip.
Is this just because he's still a puppy or are we doing
something wrong in training?

Personally, I'd skip the treats and use verbal and physical praise only. May
but down on the "get a treat" trips. That said, I try to gauge frequency
needed by activity. Sleeping puppies need to go out as soon as they wake up,
active puppies every 1.5 or so if they are little (young or small breed). Even
if it's just a little, it avoid urination in the house, which is a very big
deal. By not having urination in the house, he doesn't think it's ever ok.
Vigilance and an eagle eye.

I'm coming from a family which had full
grown dogs which only ever had to go out 4 times a day, and they would
wait until we took them out, as opposed to them telling us when they
had to go, so this is all new to me.

But you have a baby small breed now - very different!

Leaving him alone:
When we leave the apartment, we put him in his crate and he
just sleeps the entire time. However, if we're in the apartment, we
let him out and have him confined to one room. The problem is that we
HAVE to be in the room with him.

Of COURSE! He's a social being - he BELONGS with you, under a watchful eye of
course........One of us always has to be the in same room with him, and if
we're together in that room trying to watch TV or a movie, he's always
jumping around, trying to get us to throw his toy for him. I realize
that we could put him in his crate for a while if we need a break, but
I don't want to have him spend TOO much time in there.

Use a leash when he needs to chill out - I do this from day one - teach
settling at my side, whether that's at the dinner table, the computer, or TV.

I guess the ultimate problem is just that whenever we're home,
we have to spend almost every minute either watching the puppy,
playing with the puppy, or thinking about the puppy.

YUP.

I knew they were
a lot of work, I guess I just didn't know they were THIS much work. I
guess my parents did a lot of work with the puppies when I was growing
up and wasn't paying attention.

You're a classic, if that makes you feel any better! An awful lot of my
clients are young couples with their first dog who didn't realize how much work
it was. It's good prep for parenthood if you're contemplating that! ;-D

Our puppy right now
doesn't allow us to have any time to ourselves when we are home.

Time by self? Huh..... I don't know what that's like! I have a lab mix and a
flat-coated retriever by my side (or in the same room with me) every moment I'm
home. The 2 cats are generally with us as well. Their choice, we hang out
together whether in the house, outside the house, etc. That's why they're
COMPANION animals.

Luckily, obedience classes start tomorrow.

Good! Have fun! I have 3 pug puppies in my puppy preschool clas right now.
One should have been named Jaws, but he's very sweet otherwise! ;-D


Janet Boss
Best Friends Dog Obedience
"Nice Manners for the Family Pet"
Voted "Best of Baltimore 2001" - Baltimore Magazine
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com