Meet Lila...

[Samantha Puppy]

Here are some pictures of the new pup, Lila. They aren't the greatest but between her not sitting still for more than two seconds at a time and my camera going fudgy on me, it was all I was able to get.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4d932b3127cceb27931aaf0a90000001610

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4d932b3127cceb2793194f0970000001610

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4d932b3127cceb2793190f0930000002610

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4d932b3127cceb2793186f0850000002611

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4d932b3127cceb2793180f0830000001610


Oh, and if you're an animal expert (especially experienced with more than one dog at a time, PLEASE read my "Please read - I need advice" thread, 'cause I could still use lots of help...).

[cloverfdx]

Oh my Lila is beautiful :D.

It will be great seeing photos of her as she grows *Hint Hint* ;)

Have fun with her. How is Samantha doing so far?

[chocolatepuppy]

What a cutie ! :)

[prechrswife]

Too precious!:)

[swimma253]

oh my goodness she is too cute! She looks just like samantha! I hope they are getting along welll!

[Kfamr]

OH MY GOSH! *melts*

Do you know how much of a sucker I am for tan pups.... and tan pups with black muzzles!??! -dies-

She's so freakin cute and i'm so freakin jealous of you!!!

[Logan]

Lila is darling and I think you took great pictures!!!!! :) :) :)

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Adorable! :D

Congratulations on the new addition!

What does Samantha think of her?

[Samantha Puppy]

Samantha and Lila play all. day. long. They romp, they chase, they race, they wrestle, they trip each other up, they do EVERYTHING but settle down.

I think Sam is wondering what on earth is going on right now but I'm hoping she'll adjust happily and that Lila will too.

Right now, I'm trying to convince my husband to allow us to have a pet-sitter come in twice a day to let Lila (and Sam, obviously) out, because otherwise I don't see how we can keep her. It's unfair to keep her crated all night and all day while we're at work and puppies' bladders aren't big enough to go all day. It would make for a miserable puppy which would make for miserable owners... but if he sticks to his guns and doesn't let me, I just don't see how we can keep her. My family was originally supposed to help out but they've decided to go the "You didn't think this through, this is YOUR responsibility and not ours" approach so getting them to help beyond today ain't gonna happen. :(

[aly]

She's adorable!! :)

Do you have a neighbor who would come over at least around lunch time to let the dogs out?

[Samantha Puppy]

Originally posted by aly
Do you have a neighbor who would come over at least around lunch time to let the dogs out? We just moved in... so we don't know any of our neighbors. So in my husband's eyes, that'd be as bad as hiring a pet-sitter to come over and do it. Plus, I'm so shy I'd have a hard time going up to someone, introducing myself for the first time and asking if they'd be available to help us out.

See? Every possible "fix" has a problem. I'm at my wit's end.

[Logan]

It would be a shame if you had to send her back because of this problem. Are you crating her during the day? And how long does she have to stay inside without going out?

Honey and Lilly made it as puppies while I was away at work all day. I came home at lunchtime as much as possible, but I gated them in a safe area and just hoped for the best! Yes, I had messes to clean up on occasion, but they learned quickly, and sometimes, once they got a little bigger, I left them in my backyard on pretty days, but if there was a threat of rain, they were kept in the kitchen with lots of toys and an easy floor to clean up!

Please make it work for Lila.

[Samantha Puppy]

Logan, I promise I will do everything I possibly can to make it work for Lila. I was in tears on my way to work this morning because of how frustrating everything was - her being unhappy in the crate last night, her pooping on the floor this morning, her being in a crate all day (after today)... I want to make this work, I just need a little help from either family or my husband allowing a pet-sitter to come in, and I'm just not getting it.

I guess we could try the babygate thing but Samantha's large enough she could just leap over it. I would be afraid that Lila would try to do the same.

[luckies4me]

Very sweet. :) I sure do hope things work out great for you and her. Keep us updated.

[My Peanuts]

Lila is very sweet and cute. I'm glad Samantha and Lila are getting along. :)

[Logan]

Maybe mine are a bit "dumb", but no one, to this day, ever tries to get over the baby gate. We still use them, actually, since we have changed houses and have one with a bladder problem and lots of carpet, which I didn't have before. I have never crated a dog, although I don't think it is a bad idea at all, if used wisely.

Sorry you aren't getting more support from your husband and family, but if you have an area of your home, which is not carpeted, where Samantha and Lila can stay, use it! Mishaps are much easier cleaned up on non-carpeted areas! At least that way, you get a little control. And Samantha will help keep Lila company while she adjusts to her new surroundings. I know the first night is horrible. And the subsequent nights might be too, but if you're exercising her a lot before bedtime and making sure she does her duty, outdoors, then she will adjust and be just fine. The gates I have cost $11 each at WalMart. They are just wooden gates. We have learned to climb over them and the dogs are perfectly content to stay behind them. It has added peace to our family, to have them isolated, and on occasion, we do let them join us in other areas of the house under supervision.

I am an insomniac by nature and hear every single thing. It has helped me to not have 4 dogs sleeping in my bedroom. The cats are bad enough!! :eek: I have decided that it is not cruel to distance your dogs from your bedroom if you need to, to allow sleep for yourself.

Good luck.
Logan

[Samantha Puppy]

Thanks for the support. I don't think your pups are dumb, but Samantha is nuts. She used to jump over my parents' couch FROM BEHIND and clear it, so I *know* she won't take to staying penned in the kitchen or extension (both with pergo flooring). LOL I don't think Lila could quite make it over right now but if she grows as fast as Samantha did, she'll be leaping over it very soon... unless add something on it that makes it taller than average.

I am 100% dedicated to making this work. I don't want to lose the dog. I know yesterday/last night was rough because it was new for everyone but I know it gets better... I just hope the ol' ball and chain is willing to stay the course too...

[Aspen and Misty]

Originally posted by Samantha Puppy
Thanks for the support. I don't think your pups are dumb, but Samantha is nuts. She used to jump over my parents' couch FROM BEHIND and clear it, so I *know* she won't take to staying penned in the kitchen or extension


Nova can also do that, but when there is a baby gate she doesn't, I say try it.

I also say give it more then a day. If we all based our Decisions of our pets on the first day I think no one would have any. The first week to 2 weeks are the worst! Just hang in there and see if it works out.

Ashley

[Samantha Puppy]

I am going to have my husband stop at Wal-Mart on his way home tonight to get a baby gate. Samantha has always had run of the house so I'm not worried about necessarily keeping her penned behind it. And hopefully the the time Lila gets old enough to clear it herself, she'll be housebroken and able to be trusted to be loose like her big sister.

I know the beginning is the hardest. I'm just really nervous with having two dogs now, one being a new puppy that needs so much training.

[Pam]

These hard days shall pass.... :)

When we got Bella it had been YEARS since I trained a puppy. Her predecessor died at the age of 14 so it was 14 years! I used a crate as per the breeder's suggestion and also since I had used it with my other dogs. The first night I made the mistake of having the crate downstairs. All Bella did that first night was cry. Through the wonderful folks here at PT I got the suggestion to put the crate in my room. It was like magic. She settled down and fell asleep in her crate the minute I turned my light out. :)

During the day while we worked she was also crated, but I am fortunate in that I work half days so the most she was crated was about 4 1/2 hours. Occasionally it was longer but not often. The breeder even said that if I was a "home all day person" that she still recommends the crate for short period in between meals, exercise and pottying. I don't think I could have survived without the crate. She didn't hate it and she learned the routine so well. She'd see me reach for my keys in the morning and she'd go into her crate.

I know it seems overwhelming right now. Actually when I was thinking of getting Bella a "sibling" I worried about going through all of the *puppy stuff* again. Fortunately for me, Ripley was already housebroken. Whew!

I think you would feel a lot better if hubby and other family members were more supportive. Let's hope they quickly grow to love Lila as much as you do and will help you more and give you a little more emotional support. (((hugs)))

[dukedogsmom]

I had an idea while reading this: How about 2 baby gates? One stacked on top of the other. That would solve the jumping problem. She sure is a doll. Just wait. It will get better. I will really look forward to seeing them both together. Glad Samantha is having fun with her. I'm so jealous of people that have two dogs.

[lbaker]

I used an old screen door between the kitchen and the dining room when the dogs were pups. I was fortunate when I first ended up with 4 dogs to raise by myself and work too - because I have a large, shady fenced yard and was able to just leave the basement door open to the yard in case of bad weather. I had to be gone 10 hrs a day and the guilt would have been intolerable had I not had those options. Did you and your husband discuss this before bringing dear little Lila home?

[ParNone]

Oh what a cutie!!!

Hang in there Sam's Mom! The first week is always the roughest as the puppy's getting adjusted to you and your routine. The first week I had Gully, I swear I thought he was Deaf. I even went so far as to ask the vet to check his ears. I finally decided the problem was me, not him. So I started working on attention stuff. I'd take his dog food and say his name, click, toss a morsel to him to eat. I did this for all 3 meals. After one day of doing this, he was a different dog. Totally focused on me. Once I got his attention, it made everything easier from housebreaking to what not to chew on, etc. So he really started to settle into a routine that 2nd week. I'd say by the 3rd week, I was getting a full night's sleep again and some of my free time back, so I felt like we were back on the trail to a sane existence.:)

Par...

[heinz57_79]

Major AWWWWWWW factor! :) She's a doll! More pics!

[jazzcat]

She's adorable!!!:D

[fuzzbuttbuddy]

hey get dog pen.....they really work!!!!!

samantha can have the run of the house... but set up a metle doggie pen in the kitchen... she won't jump it..and its her own space...to piddle in..

i say try it...

www.drsfostersmith.com has some really good ones! and have great free catalogs!!!!!

try it!!!!!

[lbaker]

A doggie pen! What a great idea! Sam can still keep her company and she will have more freedom than a crate. That's a great idea :cool:

[Kfamr]

Oh dear.. I really hope this does work out.


Any updates on her?

[Samantha Puppy]

She's had a couple more accidents in the house but some of them I don't think were accidental. She has taken to going out of site and peeing. But now that we're on to her, we will be curbing that.

At Aly's suggestion, we moved the crate out of our room last night and kept it downstairs by the stairs so I could still hear her. She whined for a few moments right after we put her in and then I didn't hear her until 3:30am until she barked to let me know she had to go outside. But that was the only time I had to let her out - so that's good.

Last night, my husband said that we could look into getting a pet-sitter. I contacted one this morning and set up an interview with her for Sunday morning. But when my husband found out how much it would cost ($15/visit), he canned that idea really fast. I think he's thinking of asking one of the neighborhood kids if they'd be interested in earning $20 a week and if that doesn't work... I don't know what to do.

[Kfamr]

Oh... If only we lived close, cause I'd come and give them visits daily for FREE! :p

Along with that you'd have a bajillion pictures of them LOL

[Samantha Puppy]

I wish you did! I don't think there's anyone else here from MD that I've seen. *sigh*

[lbaker]

Hey! ME! I live in Kensington... my d-in-law is home almost all day every day. Where do you live? Maybe we can help. Youngest grandson-in-law is on summer vacation and so far isn't working (but SHOULD be :mad: ) so maybe we can help!
Laurie

[Samantha Puppy]

We're in Westminster... central Carroll Co. Quite a drive from the DC outskirts... :(

[lbaker]

OH DRAT! For all of 5 minutes there I thought I was going have a little puppy niece to play with (or two puppy nieces) but you're right... that would be more than just a bit of a drive from my house :( Sorry.

[Logan]

Actually $15 per visit, given gas prices and time isn't that extraordinary. I pay $16/visit for my petsitter when she comes and she usually makes 3 visit per day! Of course, she only comes when we are out of town or there is a day when no one will be at home for a long period of time. Two of our dogs stay inside all day long. Two prefer to be outdoors.

Hopefully you can find someone you trust, or you need to work on your husband a little bit more. In time, Lila will be fine to stay at home all day, but for a little while, it would be good to have a trusted person coming in and playing with both of them and letting them outside.

I know some people will not like this suggestion, but if you have a fenced yard and live in a neighborhood where you are comfortable, maybe you could leave them both outside during the day? I have certainly done that with mine and it has worked out beautifully, but I know that sometimes the surroundings and the potential for theft are too great to consider that.

Logan

[*LabLoverKEB*]

She soooo cute! What an adorable little puppy! i love her markings! What a beauty! I love her name, too!:)

[fuzzbuttbuddy]

GET A PUPPY PEN!!!or acctually dog pen...bigger!
*she can't nock it over
*bigger than a lil crate
*sam can still keep her company
*AND...YOU KEEP HER!!!!!!!!!!!

ibacker said it was a great idea! and it is!!!!

plz do try this before getting rid of her!!!!!!i love her dearly and would do the exact as kfamr...exact!hehee... for free...but i'm here in houston...that sux.....booo hoooo...waaaaaaaaa:(

sorry butt i say DOGGIE PEN!!

[Albea]

Lila is adorable and I hope that you can solve the problems you have now. All of the suggestions are good; I think a screen door would be ideal, althought you run the risk of those very sharp puppy nails destroying it in no time.
Do you have a garage where she could stay until she's housebroken?
My first two Goldens were very young puppies when they came home and, because of the way my house is designed, I was able to keep them in the kitchen, with the door to the dining room closed, while I was at work. I never used a crate. If you can keep her confined in a room where accidents wouldn't be a problem, it will make you and her much happier.

[anna_66]

Lila is adorable! I do hope you can find something that works so you'll be able to keep her:)

[BCBlondie]

What a beautiful girl you are, Lila!! :D Great pics!!!

[aly]

I had to come see pretty Lila again since we've been talking about her in pm's :) :) What a cutie. I can see why your husband couldn't tell you no!

I think you guys are doing just fine and everything will work out. Hey, if you need a break on a weekend, maybe you can convince Auntie Laurie to come up and babysit! :D My dogs met Laurie a couple years ago and they just adore her!

[stacwase]

What about bringing her to a pet sitter? Even in my area there are people willing to take care of dogs in their homes for about $20/day.

Hang in there! Make the most out of what little sleep you get!

[lbaker]

Aly is right, I could certainly come up for a weekend and puppy sit, should you and hubby just need a break. Maybe I could bring my BadgerDog ... he just loooooves pretty girls :D
Laurie

[Samantha Puppy]

Thanks for all the suggestions. We seem to have the mid-day break taken care of. We will probably get her a doggie pen this weekend and my brother is going to arrange with his employer to have a slight bit longer lunch so he can stop by and let them out.

However, now I'm worried about Lila and Samantha. Lila likes to play and Sam does too, but Lila does not know when to stop (which I know is a puppy thing) and gets very rough and bites - puppy teeth, ouch! - which annoys Samantha greatly. Samantha is so laidback, she takes a lot but all day yesterday, she was growling and baring her teeth and not playing when they'd wrestle, which made Lila not play either. Both of their ears were back, tails tucked, teeth showing, and growling. Because of that, Samantha snaps at Lila whenever she gets near her and Lila is becoming skittish of Samantha. I'm worried this will turn Lila into an aggressive dog. I've never, ever raised two young dogs together so I don't know what's normal. All I know is I want Lila to be another Sam - sweet, laidback, perfect for my future kids, etc. - and she isn't shaping up that way and won't if things continue like this... Right?

[lbaker]

Lila appears to be totally dependent on Sam for entertainment right now and I don't think that's really fair for either. They each need some time alone with YOU. I know your time is limited with all your responsibilities but I do think it would be worth it in the long run if everybody (hubby included) just made the sacrifice for at least the next few weeks. Little Lila is still trying to figure out where she belongs in the mix and her brain is still confused (and YOUNG). They will figure it out with just a bit more time to settle. My opinion only.

Laurie

[Samantha Puppy]

Thanks - that's exactly the sort of advice I'm looking for. :)