I think this is something she needs to choose on her own. I hate puppy mills, but everyone says that their dog chose them and, well, it sounds like he chose her. I also see her point- why should the puppy be miserable just because of what stupid people have done to his parents? IMO boycotting from individual consumers does nothing anyway. Boycotting from a small group of consumers does nothing... Major companies boycotting might make them pause for a moment. This is turning into a different thread.
Ashley, I would say definitely crate him while you're away. Even if he goes in his crate, the mess will be contained. If he's only in there a few hours at a time and you clean the crate every time you take him out, it would be better than cleaning a whole house full of puddles. I trained Paddington to go on a pee pad inside a tent, and to poop outside. He stays in his crate while I can't watch him 100% and every time I take him out we go straight to the pee pad. When he goes pee on the pad, I do a "pee pee" dance, and give him a treat that is specially reserved for correct potty behavior. Also, praise him AS SOON AS he sqauts to pee! I wait about 15 minutes after he's eaten, and then take him outside. When he poops outside, I do another dance with him, and give him a bigger treat (he is having difficulties with pooping outside, so he gets a super treat when he does it!!!) I give him the treat when we get inside, that way he is ready to go in when he's finished his business rather than chasing squirrels or whatever, but I make sure to verbally praise him when he is squatting... that is important, because otherwise he won't know what the heck you are so excited about! On the same note, if there is an accident, you can't do anything but sigh and clean it up. If you see him squatting in the incorrect place, pick him up (you might get peed on!) and put him in the right place. If he is still peeing, great, praise him and treat him. Most likely he won't be though, so just go and clean up the piddle trail. Don't say no to him, or yell because then he might think that he isn't allowed to pee or poop! In that case, he will go and hide when he's gotta go, and you won't find the mess for a while- not to mention it makes correcting it more difficult if you can't see it! Yelling might also make him afraid, and he'll go into submissive mode- something that dogs tend to show by peeing... so then you'll have him peeing even more while you're frustrated that he's peeing, and you will lose your temper very easily! You might want to look into clicker training.It speeds things up a lot. Just google "clicker dog training"
-O |