Thor was rehomed...

Hi,

I haven't been posting much lately, I am in the middle of packing. I just wanted to let everyone know that I had to rehome my Rottweiler puppy. It was a stupid choice to adopt a Rotti, I have a toddler. I should have know that they are not recommended for toddlers - because of their size. Thor challenged Sierra to a fight - he raised his hackles, bared his teeth and put her in a corner. Luckily, I was sitting close by, or Sierra could have been seriously hurt, or killed. I was training Thor properly, teaching him that he is a subordinate, I guess he thought Sierra was lower in the pack than him. He was a great dog as long as Sierra wasn't around. She never hurt him, or teased him. She minded her own business. I should've thought that they are recommended to breed experienced people. The only dog I ever lived with was Buddy, a Golden.

Now, I love my daughter and want what is best for her, not me. She is my life, and she matters more to me than anyone, or anything. I don't want people to think I am a cruel person, but rather than keep Thor with *strict* rules, I decided to put him up for adoption. I am just happy that I saved him from the home he was born in. Thor went to a professional trainer who trained him and then found him a wonderful home. He now has kids over 12 and another dog to play with. It has been 4 months since I rehomed him.

Now, I am adopting a smaller dog for Sierra. This dog will be for life - no ifs, and or buts about it. She is the sister of the puppy my sister (The Cat Factory) is adopting. She is an ACD/Lab mix. It will be so much easier for me to train - when I had Thor I was in college for 4 hours a day, plus I live in an apartment. Thor is probably 120 pounds now, while the new puppy will be 45-50 pounds full grown. IF there is a time that I have to rehome the new puppy - which there never will be, I give you all permission to come and smack me in the head! ;)

Now that I have gotten everyone all worked up - what is the best way to housebreak a puppy?

Thank you...

Doing what is best for all is a good idea..as long as he got a good home , just be happy :)
Puppy training for housebreaking?? Outside, lots of outside..lol..

I suppose I would take puppy out every 1-2 hours? :confused:

You have probably made up your mind with the pup but have you considered adopting an older dog, a rescue who is proven to be good with children and who is housetrained and more laid back? I just ask because a puppy of any breed is a handful and a young lab/ACD mix is going to be FULL of energy and hyperactivity, if not exercised, trained, and given LOTS of time and effort you could have behavioral problems on your hands again. Just something to think about.

edit to add: Taking the puppy out a lot is best, but especially ALWAYS after meals. Treat and praise when he/she goes outside and make a huge deal of it. Ignore accidents in the house that you find (just clean them up, don't scold the pup), if you see the pup in the middle of going simply whisk her outside and let her finish there, and give her lots of praise if she does so.

You did the right thing to rehome Thor, he was adorable, but rottis can be a challenge. Sounds like he got a great home.

Now, housebreaking....#1 - cover your floors with lots and lots of newspapers at night! Taking the puppy out after eating and every couple hours is good - take them to the same spot and choose a phrase like "go potty" (I use - "go pee") and repeat it regularly in that spot. When the dog does, praise it by name with that phrase " Good Spot! good potty! " or whatever you used. This will help the dog know what you mean and that this is a good thing. We did this with our 5-week old puppy and she caught on pretty quick. I've also heard you can keep them near you on a leash so you can quickly get them out when they assume the position, but you have to be quick!

Crate training is the only way I'll go with housebreaking. It worked wonders with both dogs I've done it with. The dog goes into the crate at night, and, any time it can't be supervised. Depending on the age of the dog, you'll need to take it out at night, every two hours. Make the biggest deal when they go potty outside, even treat them if you want. Try to avoid making a fuss when they potty inside. Negative attention is still attention. If you don't catch them in the act, definitely don't discipline. But, if you see him going potty inside, a firm no, then take him immediately outside. During the day, take him out all of the flippin' time! Especially after play and eating. And, when you're outside, and, he doesn't seem to want to go, sometimes running around a bit will get things going for the puppy. :) Good luck!

And, I think it sounds like Thor is in his perfect, forever home!

I'm really sorry to hear about that :( It's completely understandable. I don't think anyone on here is going to bash you for re-homing a dog who could have seriously hurt or killed your child.

I don't know that newspaper is a good idea, really. It works for some people, but the best training method for most is a crate. Newspaper will teach your dog that it is okay to go in the house and then, what do you think he will do if he sees a newspaper on the floor once he has been housetrained? Crating him at night will eliminate messes in the house. You need a crate that is big enough for him to stand up and turn around, but not big enough for him to potty at one end and sleep at the other. Dogs like to keep their den clean. Nova *never* went in her crate, not even the first night. I kept her crate by my bed and took her out during the night if she cried. During the day I took her out every 1-2 hours at first, and less after she had been here for a while. Just remember that a puppy can hold it for one hour more than it's age -- for instance, when your puppy is 2 months old he can hold it for 3 hours.

IMO you certainly did the right thing, you cannot have your daughters well being at stake, Thor will be just fine , and you will be at ease knowing that, good luck with the new pup.

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Originally Posted by K9soul

You have probably made up your mind with the pup but have you considered adopting an older dog, a rescue who is proven to be good with children and who is housetrained and more laid back? I just ask because a puppy of any breed is a handful and a young lab/ACD mix is going to be FULL of energy and hyperactivity, if not exercised, trained, and given LOTS of time and effort you could have behavioral problems on your hands again. Just something to think about.

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I was thinking tha same thing.
Even though their size is fairly small their attitude can be very big. ACD's are not for everyone and mixed with a lab well thats a LOT of energy for a dog.

The hair lenght and color on the pupies reminds me of an Aussie or Border Collie, its longer than a lab or ACD would have so there is probably something else mixed in their too.

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Originally Posted by lv4dogs

I was thinking tha same thing.
Even though their size is fairly small their attitude can be very big. ACD's are not for everyone and mixed with a lab well thats a LOT of energy for a dog.

The hair lenght and color on the pupies reminds me of an Aussie or Border Collie, its longer than a lab or ACD would have so there is probably something else mixed in their too.

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Where did you see photos of the puppies? I must have totally missed something.

And, an Australian Cattle Dog and Lab mix, wow. They're smart, but, that doesn't mean they're going to be easier to train. They have so much energy, that's a heckuva mix to adopt. And, how is it that they know for sure how big the puppy is going to be? Labs can get pretty big. I hadn't really read the part about what kind of dog, until now...good luck if you really decide to get that particular puppy.

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Where did you see photos of the puppies? I must have totally missed something.

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I posted a thread about them a few days ago :)

http://www.petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=93742

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Originally Posted by The Cat Factory

I posted a thread about them a few days ago :)

http://www.petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=93742

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Ah, ok, I figured that I must have missed it. :)

Awww.
sorry about your Rott having to go. :(


but are you sure that an ACD mix is a good idea?
ACDS were bred to herd... when they see something moving fast. the job that they were bred to do,, kicks in.. and the dog will try to herd it,, by chaseing it and nipping at it. would you like this to be your daughter?

when i was around 10 or something years old,, i was running around with my little cusion.. and the dog woudlnt leave us alone(she was an ADC) she tripped us,, and nipped us. she didnt 'bite us' just nipped us.. but it was hard enough to leave a huge bruses on my leg. but the at the time when she nipped me.. it didnt really hurt,, but the bruse itself hurt quite a bit.

but since your thinking of a mix bred dog... the herding instints may be tamed somewhat..
whatever choise you make. the best of luck to both you and your kid. :D

The puppies mother is not like most ACD's that I have met. She is calm and friendly towards everybody - not at all aloof like they should be. I was told the mom is crossed with an Australian Shepherd, but she has short hair. I am aware of their energy needs, I have a park close by that will walk her to everyday. There is a baseball diamond that is fully fenced off that you can take your dogs in. I researched the breed before I made the decision to adopt her. Another good thing is that my sister will have her brother, so they can be raised together. I am a graduated veterinary assistant, so I have lots of knowledge about dogs. The herding instinct is not half as bad as the dominance that Rottis have. I would rather Sierra was nipped on the ankles then seriously bit. The mother herded Sierra gently, by nudging Sierras arm with her head. :D

I am an active person, I love going for walks at the park. I am home 24/7, so the puppy will never get bored.

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Originally Posted by finn's mom

And, how is it that they know for sure how big the puppy is going to be? Labs can get pretty big. I hadn't really read the part about what kind of dog, until now...good luck if you really decide to get that particular puppy.

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I am just making a guesstimate. Obviously the father was NOT a purebred lab. The female I am getting is no more than 2 pounds at 4 weeks. Her paws are smaller than my smallest cats' paws. :D She in tiny compared to the rest of the pups - she is the runt of the litter.

Well I am glad you found him a new, happy home. ACD's and labs get big. I had an ACD and he was about 35 pounds when we gave him away and he was only 6 months old. He was going to be about 65. (he had worms so he was thin, but its all treated now)

But anyways, Good Luck with the new puppy. There are many sites you can look up on the internet. Go to www.google.com and type in 'potty training'.

:( that's very sad about Thor. My personal experiences with Rotties is that they are amazing dogs with even a shred of kindness and training given to them, which has obviously not been your situation. I'd relate it mostly to the crappy breeders he came from, sometimes that kind of aggression (which was probably purposely bred in) is hard to train out. My Rottie boy was abused for the first 3 years of his life and thrown into a kennel with broken hips from getting hit by a truck and forced to heal on his own, and when we adopted him he was super obedient within a few weeks of classes and he loved everyone that showed him any kindness, or even those that didn't. All of the families in our nieghborhood trusted him over any other dog to allow their kids to play safely with him.

I personally can't say I agree with your getting a puppy now. It's VERRRY hard to raise a puppy without any kids, muchless with a young baby girl to care for. ACD's are probably the mouthiest of all herding breeds, I've been nipped several times by my friends ACD by just WALKING away from him. He did not hurt me, but I'm sure he'd easily break the skin of any small child. Then again, there are plenty of ACD's who are great with kids... it just depends on how much training, time, and consistency is put into the dog AND the child. You really cannot judge your puppies behavior completely on the parents - with mixed breed puppies, you can't predict temperament. One puppy can inherit very predominate genes from one parent, and being the small size of your puppy girl she's probably more ACD-type. If she does have high drive, you'll be facing tons and tons of training. Gonzo is super low-drive and never even thought about herding people... until my little brother began running around at around 12 months old. He exhibited some SERIOUS herding drive with Alex and that had to be diligently re-trained. Expect to be spending hours seperately caring for your dog and your baby until your child is older or your dog has been properly trained. It's just a TON of work. Good luck ;)

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Originally Posted by dab_20

I had an ACD and he was about 35 pounds when we gave him away and he was only 6 months old. He was going to be about 65. (he had worms so he was thin, but its all treated now)

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:rolleyes: awesome.....

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Originally Posted by bckrazy

:rolleyes: awesome.....

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Um, that wasn't really necessary.

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Originally Posted by bckrazy

:( that's very sad about Thor. My personal experiences with Rotties is that they are amazing dogs with even a shred of kindness and training given to them, which has obviously not been your situation. I'd relate it mostly to the crappy breeders he came from, sometimes that kind of aggression (which was probably purposely bred in) is hard to train out.

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Thor wasn't from a breeder, he was from a friend. Thors mom jumped a fence, according to her owner, and mated with another dog. The puppies were not allowed in the house, they were kept in the backyard. I just found out that Thors mom, Pumpkin, died of bone marrow cancer. I am happy she is in a safe place. Thors brother and sister found a lovely home on a farm. They were adopted from a local vet, where my fiance brought them.

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Originally Posted by bckrazy

I personally can't say I agree with your getting a puppy now. It's VERRRY hard to raise a puppy without any kids, muchless with a young baby girl to care for. ACD's are probably the mouthiest of all herding breeds, I've been nipped several times by my friends ACD by just WALKING away from him. He did not hurt me, but I'm sure he'd easily break the skin of any small child. Then again, there are plenty of ACD's who are great with kids... it just depends on how much training, time, and consistency is put into the dog AND the child.

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Personally, your opinion on me getting a puppy is not going to change MY opinion. I know we are ready for this, I am going to put alot of my time into training the puppy. I wouldn't have made the decision if I didn't feel I was ready. What makes everyone else a better dog owner than me? I know plently of people that have small kids with *non kid friendly" dogs. My cousin has an 8 month old daughter and a super hyper American Bulldog. The dog is excellent with his daughter - she was raised with her. Is that not the point? I know that if you properly socialize a dog with other dogs, people, cats etc. They will learn to live with them comfortably. Remember, the puppy is NOT a full blooded ACD like everyone is assuming.

A purebred ACD is 100 times different than one that is crossed with many different breeds, the puppies are more mutt than ACD. I know this from experience, when I voluntereed at the SPCA. There were purebred ACD's and mixes. Totally different dogs in all aspects.

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Originally Posted by bckrazy

You really cannot judge your puppies behavior completely on the parents - with mixed breed puppies, you can't predict temperament.

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Just like you say I can't judge the puppies personality from the parents, you can't judge that this puppy is the wrong choice for me because she has a little bit of heeler in her. While I may not be able to judge what her temperment will be, I certainly know that I can train her properly so she won't have behaviour problems. Yes, that is possible with just knowing the important phases of a puppies behaviour development - The neonatal period, transitional period, socialization period and juvenile period. Knowing the fear imprint period is the most important since anything you do that scares the puppy will scar her for life.

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Originally Posted by bckrazy

Expect to be spending hours seperately caring for your dog and your baby until your child is older or your dog has been properly trained. It's just a TON of work. Good luck ;)

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What do you mean seperately? Why can't my daughter be with me? That is absolutely WRONG. I am fully capable of doing both.

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Good luck with the new dog, it will be interesting to see how the dog grows up.

oh, and BTW he is really cute!!! Doesn't look like an ACD, but he is still very small. My experience with an ACD certainly wasn't the best, we had to give him away because he was WAYYYYYY to hyper. and I was smaller then and he knocked me down alot. lol... but i still loved him. Good thing he's mixed with a lab, he won't be as, well i don't know what word to use. lol

I feel you did the best for Thor and your daughter. In no way should she be threatened. I think you did the best in the situation you were given.
My opinion is you are an responsible adult and knew and understood that you were doing the best for both the dog and your child. In lute's situation that is not the case it was for esthetic purposes and she is not an adult. (if this makes ME a witch to some b/c of this opinion well then......so be it)
Everyone's circumstance is different and situations like yours I think rehoming is the best choice. And you found him a responsible home you didn't stick him in a shelter. I know Lute isn't doing that either. I am just indicating society in general.
I also think that you being a responsible adult and knowing what it takes to raise a good dog will do fine with a toddler and a puppy. B/c it is one of each more then one toddler or puppy then I would be like "oiii" ;) but that's me! ;)
(ponts to self ---->wimp!)
I welcome more posts from you as you get your puppy and would love to see pics of your kitties!

I am sorry if my post came off as condescending or judgmental in any way. I had assumed by your first post since you were asking about how to housetrain and you mentioned you had only had a golden before, and that rotties were for more experienced dog people, that you were not all that experienced with puppies and hadn't had many dogs. I also didn't know the pup was so mixed since you originally said lab/ACD mix. I see you are feeling judged and talked down to, but really your posts now seem a lot different from your original one, and we can only go off of what we read here. I really feel that people are just trying to help and give advice. You seemed to fear people would get upset about your rehoming Thor but I haven't seen anyone say any harsh words to you about that.

Anyway, I think it's great you'll be home with the pup, that helps a lot. I really hope things work out much better this time and I'd love to see pics and try to help answer any future questions you may have. Tasha was my first actual BABY puppy, and as much as I had been around dogs before that, it was quite an experience and there were times I'd have liked to have somewhere to ask advice to (hadn't found Pet Talk yet). Best wishes :)

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Originally Posted by Crazy-Cat-Lover

I am just making a guesstimate. Obviously the father was NOT a purebred lab.

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Gotcha. I thought he was a purebred lab. :)

Thanks everyone. From the posts you all put on here, I can tell that you are caring, responsible pet owners. I look forward to posting MANY pictures of the pup, as well as my kitties! :D