I wanted to submit an update in case other people are feeling the way I was.
First off, I got advice from here, a friend a my breeder on a number of issues we were challenged with.
Since I posted this message, Maddie absolutely trashed our half bath she had been sleeping in. I had been gone that day at a mandatory training for my insurance business. She was with my husband all day and had done really well. That night, she pooped twice in the bathroom, overturned her crate and made a horrible mess. We decided a drastic change was required so we moved up the timeline on our plan to eventually have her sleep in her crate in our bedroom. Via much advice from many places, we put her crate in our bedroom, put in a chew stick, a kong with a puppy bone shoved inside, completely covered the crate with a blanket so she couldn't see out. I put her in right when I went to bed. The past two nights, she's barked for 15-20 minutes, was quiet for a while, then barked when I turned my reading light off. The barking the second night was less frantic. She may have barked very early in the morning the first night, but the second night, she barked around 6 so she was in her crate for over 8 hours with little barking. I think this plan will work and she will be much happier.
On the issues we've had with her biting too much, we got advice that she doesn't realize she's biting so hard. So to let her know, we yell "OUCH!" If that doesn't work (so far it is), we would lightly smack her behind with a paper. Her litter-mates would yell if she bit too hard.
Potty training is a non-stop thing. She's inconsistent with her poops. Sometimes she'll go 20 minutes after a meal with no poop. Sometimes 2 minutes. Sometimes she'll poop at 2 in the afternoon (no even close to a meal). So we're watching her close, keeping her baby-gated to be with one of us at all times and taking her outside enough that she has ample opportunity to go when she needs to go.
I have been having an issue with my cats who are equally amused and annoyed with Maddie. So if the boys get in stalking mode and go towards Maddie for no good reason, I shake the water bottle and that stops the action.
Maddie is also becoming introduced to the water bottle. If she starts to chew on one of the coffee table books, she first is told "No!" If she ignores that, she gets a water bottle squirt WITH a "No!".
We feel like we're making progress. We've had Maddie for almost a month. She is such a joy and is slowly getting into a grove. Thanks to all that gave thoughts and opinions, here as well as from all my resources I'm leaning on. |