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Originally Posted by canana  I can understand that you wanna vent here because of your frustrations! We've all been through that wanna-tear-your-hair-out frustration. Just make sure not to take it out on your kiddos 
About the accidents...it seems that it might be due to the amount of space they have access to? With two, you really need two pairs of eyes to watch them. Because as soon as you're cleaning up after one, the second could be off doing something else! If you can somehow block them off in an area where there's nothing for them to chew except for their toys, you might have less stress?
About the puking...I always feel sorry for my babies when they throw up. I always pick them up to cuddle and tell them "aw, it's okay...don't worry, you're going to be okay". I pick them up because, I don't want them to eat it. I comfort them because the involuntary action of puking is very uncomfortable whether for humans or for dogs.
I'd focus on training the leave it command. I've been finding it so useful. Everyday after we come home from our multiple potty walks, I make my two sit before I take off their leash. After the leash is off, I tell them to sit and remain sitting. Then they get a treat.
Now that they know this is the routine, they know to sit patiently for a treat (instead of darting off past me with their dirty paws). Instead of just feeding the treat to them, I put the treat on the floor with the "leave it" command. I've been doing this for a few weeks now. The treat I've been using for this is Merrick's Lamb lung fillets (broken up into finger nail sized pieces).
To my surprise, "leave it" has been sort of working on our walks too! When I use the "leave it" command when they wanna sniff something, pick up something, or start barking at another dog, they stop sooner than they would have before. I think it's well worth it to continue to train this (for my babies anyway).
Anyway. It seems most of your frustration is because you've got two to train. That's why many recommend getting a second after your first is somewhat well trained. It's just a lot easier on yourself. Hang in there. It's not impossible, just takes a little extra time and patience. |
It's why I have been trying to choose my words appropriately.. I am let me tell you-- extremely horrible at explaining what I am thinking or feeling sometimes.... Like an example is sometimes ill say potato but think of tomato (not exactly like that but I mean like I could better carefully explain the situation and not make it seem different than what it really is)..
I say I yell at her, but I never actually yell at her. I just make the SHHH sound-- where we live I couldn't be loud regardless. Sound carries far, and it's a very quiet peaceful neighborhood. Even with my sibling spats we have to be careful.
I never actually yell or hit her. The only time you could say I smacked her was in the beginning when she tried to swallow a big piece of plastic twice the size of her eyeball... and I did it gently to get her to drop it. I was in panic mode, to be fair at the time I didnt think she had this problem because in the place we adopted her she never touched her toys, never touched anything on the ground, she was cautious, etc. That was my bad there. That and I didnt notice the piece of plastic on the ground before. Now I carefully examine the floors, but theres stuff she still tries to pick up like lint, or whatever came in with us from walking outside. (tiny tiny pieces of paper, dust, grass etc).
I would never ever abuse an animal. Under any circumstances. I know what it's like to be scared/frightened, in pain, etc. Where I lived as a child it wasnt a very calm and peaceful place.
As for the two to train. To be honest, sasha wasn't this bad in the old house. She never picked up stuff, sure she begged, and yapped non-stop, but she never had accidents inside the house, she never went on the sofas, etc.
It is a different sofa so maybe thats why.
To be honest, the stress is probably temporarily. Her owner isn't currently here so I am technically the one caring for both of them.. at least till next thursday.
As for the space. I never gave maggie that much space to roam, sasha never had that much space either when she wasnt supervised. Only got that space when I was right there actually watching them. But like you said, need two pair of eyes, and two pair of hands to do it properly...
The leave it command. Me trying to tell them to leave it, results in them doing it anyways, and the maggie will just pick it up and bolt. Which is when I give her a time out for doing it. (I time her out for 15minutes to 30minutes depending on how bad it was that she did-- I do mean things that she could had prevented). When she does leave it, I praise her excitedly and pet her , pick her up and cuddle her for a bit. Enough to get her to understand she did good.
It rarely works. I am trying to find methods to teach her the leave it command. Some way that it'll just click and a lightbulb goes on her head. (like if I actually listen to him, he'll give me rewards and cuddles).
She doesn't like it when I ignore her, or I go pet the other dog. (she's the jealous type I guess lol).
Honestly my frustrations is that what she does could seriously harm her. I am not 100% sure if people understand that for a big dog eating a piece of lint, or a small piece of plastic would probably (PROBABLY) just pass right through them without any issues-- because they have larger intestines, and stomach... but for a smaller dog, smaller frame, smaller intestines, smaller stomach... itll likely require surgery... Which if it happened on a monthly basis I could not afford. I cant afford to pay for a 5,000 dollar surgery every single month. Because she doesn't quite learn from a negative experience... Makes me think back to when I was a child and I would watch spongebob and the character patrick would place his hand on a hot frying pan-- feel the pain and then 2 seconds later place his hand there again....
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As for the cat comment to the previous post (it was someone else-- forgot to add it there so ill just add it here).
Reason I dont want a cat is because they're not as loving and you cant really play with them the same way you could with a dog and for them.. they'll be with you when they want to be with you, not when you want to be with them. lol
Plus homes with cats tend to smell and feel kind of groddy... (no offense to cat lovers- I like cats look wise) the people I've met with cats.. their homes have this weird gross distinct smell to it...
Couches full of hair.. cats shed more than dogs do... I mean I always wanted an orange maine coon because they're pretty but my instinct says its a horrible idea. My friend has a regular colored coon and shes always full of cat hairs, her clothes(even after being washed) smell like cats... her house smells like cats and a litter box should really be cleaned out daily if possible... after 3 days of leaving it there her house smells like... cat feces and cat piddle....
The litter box idea would be fantastic if the actual litter did it's job properly... She's tried many types of litter and they all smell equally as bad 3 days after. Even after cleaning it the house still smells horrible.
If the cat wouldnt leave me clothes full of hair, or make my house smell weird/gross and all those other things I wouldnt mind having a cat(though I'd still keep my dog lol -- I wouldnt trade her for anything). and if they were nicer...
I mean just look at this little scamp. (ill submit a photo i found on google). He looks like my other friend's maine coon(same color too).