[charlie bear]

1. Crate training at night is great! He didn't like it at first, but it almost MAKES him get on your schedule... ie can't lick you all night or play with your feet when you'd rather be sleeping. A lot of the times, as we're going to sleep I hear Charlie in there playing with his chew toys, but always quietly. We've only had one night of barking, and i think... because we didn't bend, he figured out that just wasn't going to work.

2. Hypoglycemia is a really scarey thing. The day before we got Charlie we had gotten another puppy from the shelter, a terrier/chi (1 pound) We had gotten her on Friday, and by Saturday night we had to put her down because we couldn't stabilize her blood suger. Even if it's not common (which it is) make sure you're prepared! It's a very fast vortex that you don't want to find yourself in.

3. The three hardest thing for us:

1. the chewing and biting while he's teething.
2. the "drop it" command. yeah right. They'll run and hide all day long. So whatever you think you may want them to drop eventually - move it out of reach BEFORE you get your puppy. Especially tissue. But mine also likes socks, snails, rocks, and anything really that he finds outside.
3. The "come" command. They really are stubborn. It takes a lot of consistency, and like most dogs, they don't seem to want to please you as badly as they'd rather please themselves. I think it takes a while for the respect to grow.


Getting Charlie, for us, has been awesome! And he learns and behaves a little better everyday. Even though the training is difficult becuase this breed is so smart, therefore, stubborn... it will be a permanent blessing.