Chip home for a week now...
 

So I finally got Chip at 12 weeks one week ago! Potty training is going pretty well I think! He has an iris ex-pen while I'm at work and only has gone on the disposable pads in there-one pad is in a rascal box (like a kitty litter box for dogs) and the other is right in front of it. We have had a few accidents on the carpet when he's been loose. I have a second box that I originally planned to keep in the bathroom when he was older but just last night put it in front of the couch where I was sitting and he used it to pee!

He woke me at 6am (we have him in a small crate in the bedroom at night with us and from day one after a few minutes of crying he settles right down) today and after spending some time with him i really needed a nap. I put him in the crate but he started whining and between my need for sleep and worry for the neighbors (I'm in a condo) on a Sat. am, I put him in bed with me and we both slept nicely. I hope he will go back to the crate tonight for regular nighttime sleep.

Here's the thing though....when we woke up I had to go to the bathroom so I picked up the rascal box and put it in the bathroom with me and while I was on the toilet, Chip peed in the box! GOOD BOY! Then....I moved the box to the living room and while I was changing the paper he ran into he ex-pen and pooped on his paper there! EXTRA GOOD BOY! He got a nice piece of boiled chicken after that!

We do have one issue, my neighbors very nicely told me that while I am at work he cries and barks. This was Thursday. So on Friday I moved the ex-pen from the bedroom where it originally was (now the sleep crate is there) to the living room to put a buffer of one room between him and them. I also left the TV on. Chip has always had a stuffed mommy dog with a heartbeat in the pen. Of course his food, H2O and toys are in there. On Monday I plan to start leaving a tee shirt with my scent in there too. ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS? I can't have my neighbors complaining. I am just hoping that as he gets older it will get better. This weekend I am going to try to desensitize his to my comings and goings by stepping in and out of the condo for a few minutes longer and longer times so he gets the idea that I always come back

Whew!!! Long post! I love my little Chipper! and p.s. he is great in the car too!

Karen

I think leaving him for short periods will help alot then he will know that you leave but you will come back/ dont make a big deal about leaving// we have a special bone that Morgan only gets when we leave him in the pen and also a couple of toys that he only gets while he is in the pen also