Sorry so long but I NEED HELP!!!
Some of you know that we just got our new furbaby, Lucy, a few days ago.
Problem #1: Lucy is 3 pounds and 9 months old and I was told that she was paper trained.....NOT!!!! She potty's where ever she pleases. The breeder told me that she has never been taken outside to potty because of her size. When I realized that she was not paper trained I immediately went out and bought pee pads and I am now working with her to potty on the pads. My DH is the sweetest most understanding man in the world but he HATES the pee pads!!! He thinks they are the grossest things ever. He says, she needs to potty outside. Our other Yorkie, Buddy is trained to go outside....we open the door he runs out, does his business and runs back inside....SOOOO EASY....we are very spoiled with him!! Our Buddy is 16 months old and 10 pounds.!!!
Lucy is 3 pounds...there is NOWAY she can ever go out without me taking her on a leash because I would be terrified of something getting her. Today was a beautiful day so I thought it was a good day to try to start taking Lucy out to potty. OMG....when the breeder told me she had never been taken out to potty I had NO IDEA that Lucy had NEVER been outside!!!! I can tell she has NEVER been on grass....she was terrified!!!!! She is 9 months old and NEVER been on grass!!!! So outside pottying is going to be a HUGE challenge!!! Is this doable????.....to train her to potty outside when she is terrified to be outside??? How many of you take your tiny's outside to potty?
Since she's scared of being outside what i would do is make it really fun to be out there. give her treats outside and get her favorite toys to play with outside. also you can have your DH hold her on a leash and take buddy out to play so she sees the grass is fun. My yorkie is 4lbs and she has been going outside since i got her when she was less then 2 lbs. at first i took her out on a leash, then she had a tie out (i was outside with her), and now i can just open the door and watch her from the doorway while she potties.
Problem #2:
Our mudroom has always been Buddy's area. His food, his water his toys, his crate, etc.... no gate or door ...this is just his area!!! (but is was gated when he was a baby) Since we got Lucy I have had to make this her area and gate her when I cannot tend to her. (this is the only area in our house to keep her) I have moved Buddy's things to a new area. MY DH thinks this is so mean!!! But I had to move Buddy's things out because this is the ONLY place to put Lucy where she cannot get hurt when I am not around. Now I am really feeling BAD about Buddy not having his room!!!
i think its kinda mean too. Buddy was there first and you are taking away his area and giving it to the new baby. to him, you are putting the puppy first and him last. since he's the resident dog he shouldn't feel like he's being shoved over. put his things back in there, and use the bathroom for lucy.
Problem # 3
Lucy WILL NOT eat dry dog food!!!! I am FIRM believer in dry dog food. I took her to the vet yesterday after she had not eaten one bite in over 24 hours. The vet said we have to get some food in her so they gave her canned food heated in the microwave. She loved it!!! So now the only thing I can get her to eat is canned heated dog food. Sooooo I feed Buddy in one place with his dry dog food and Lucy in the gated mudroom with her heated canned food. Once again my DH says I am being so mean to Buddy. (I have to agree) Buddy just begs for her food!!! This is breaking my heart!!!
Lucy is nine months old, she's not a tiny baby anymore. i think she is old enough to "starve" a little. start by mixing the dry in with her wet and transition her over to just dry if that's what you want her to eat. she will probably reject the dry at some point when it out weighs the wet. don't give in. dogs aren't stupid. they will not starve themselves. she will eat when she's hungry enough. if you feel bad give her a lick of nutrical. I give Morgan 1/2 cup of food every night. sometimes she doesn't eat it until the next afternoon. when she's hungry she eats.
Problem #4
Buddy has lots of toys and since getting Lucy I have bought her lots of toys too. Well, Buddy is sooooo sweet that he is not getting to play with any of his toys because Lucy has taken over!!! Again, DH says this is not right....I have to agree!!!
if lucy takes a toy away from Buddy, take it away from her and give it back to him.
Problem #5
Buddy always sits with me in my recliner....this is his spot!!! Since getting Lucy she WILL NOT sit with anyone but me. So guess who is left out?....my sweet Buddy!!! Buddy just sits and crys in front of my chair!!!
I beg him to get up here with me...I even pick him up and sit him up here but he jumps down because of Lucy.
she needs a little tough love. put her on the floor or give her to DH and have Buddy sit with you. this is now three things that he loved that he doesn't have anymore. sitting with you, his mud room, and his toys. Lucy needs to understand that there is buddy time and there is lucy time. she cannot dominate everything in the house. if you keep giving in to her she's going to take over and be a terror to buddy and you.
PLEASE, PLEASE help me!!!! There are so many of you out there that have multiply furbabies and I imagine you did not get them all at once. How do I juggle all this? Buddy is our pride & joy....we worship him!!! But Lucy is just a baby and she needs so much attention right now!!! (For the record my DH really loves Lucy too but he just feels bad for Buddy) I need some help FAST!!!!! I am so depressed right now!!! I love Buddy so much and all this is breaking my heart!!!!! Plus I am so worried about training Lucy to potty outside....is it possible?
Again, sorry so long....but I need HELP!!!