I got Rosie on December 23rd. I was in the mid-grief and got her before I really took time to think it through. I know…a bad decision. But, I had rationalized it out. I thought I would have extra days off through that time to spend with her. I figured housetraining would be a challenge…the extra time, I thought, gave me a chance to address house training.
I’ll be honest. I was in heaven the first few day. The puppy love was in full force. I missed Ruby terribly but was happy with Rosie…but that that all changed. She was terrible at house training and then some “well meaning” blog readers and friends would say, “our dog only had two accidents ever in the house”. I felt like a failure. What was I doing wrong?? I was doing all the same things I did with Ruby for house training. Yes I had the bells for the door. Yes I was limiting her space in the house. Yes she was kenneled and immediately taken outside but she still wasn’t getting it. I was so frustrated. Rosie was not a textbook case.
She was terrible about “mouthing”. Absolutely terrible. She couldn’t be out of the kennel when the childcare kids were here. I have a baby and five year old that are terrible with the dog. They squeal and flap their arms and giggle and Rosie takes that all as a sign to play. So she mouths hands. She doesn’t bite- Just mouths hands. I’ve talked to the five year old but it isn’t clicking with her. So Rosie had very limited time outside the kennel during the day.
Then…I was feeling so terrible in the evenings. She would get out of the kennel, be all excited and run and tear around everywhere. I would sit down to write a blog post and I’d have to get up three times in 10 minutes to take childcare toys away from her.
Then with my new furniture she would zip around behind the couch and loveseat and hide from me. To say I was frustrated was a gross understatement. I was ready to cry and honestly, a couple times I did.
I was struggling to sew. I was struggling to cross stitch. I was struggling with childcare. I was struggling in the evenings. I was struggling to try to get to town to get groceries as I felt so terrible leaving her home in the kennel as she had been in the kennel so long during the day. (for us a fast trip to run get groceries and hit up Wal-mart is a minimum of 2 hours)
Kalissa tried to be helpful but her dog, Betsy, HATES Rosie. She is quite aggressive and makes me really nervous when kids are around. I don’t want kids getting between the dogs.
Well…I’ve had her close to six weeks now and FINALLY I feel happy that I got her. She is turning into more of a companion and less of a nuisance.
-House training. We had two accidents this week and she has full range of the main floor.
-Mouthing. Her teeth aren’t as sharp and she doesn’t do it as much.
-In the evening she will often hang out with few problems. I kennel her if I am taking a shower but other than that, I can write a blog post without jumping up like a Jack in the Box every three minutes. She might take one or two childcare toys over the course of a whole night and when I tell her to drop it, she does.
The other night we reached a milestone when she did this with Karl….
Played video games!!
She even let the childcare kids do this with her. She’s learning… This is why I wanted a puppy so she grows with kids and learns to love them.
Then last Friday I was sick and spent the day on the couch with the flu. She finally let me cross stitch.
It’s taken some spankings with a slipper, some had chases around the house to get her to drop a toy, some sprays with the spray bottle to keep her out of the dishwasher, learning to close the bathroom door and lots and lots of patience but I think we are finally heading down the right road. I really miss sewing in my sewing room so that’s on my list of one of the next things to try to tackle. Oh Rosie…you have been a handful.
Glad things are coming along. It’s hard to stay mad at a beagle. I know because we had one of the naughtiest, or beagle Lucy. We loved her dearly and miss her. Our next little beagle was named Rosie. Good name for a beagle, right? She was a real sweetheart and I’m still getting over losing her. I’m enjoying following your Rosie’s progress.
This could have been my story. My puppy Cleo was so challenging that I really didn’t like her and felt sorry I got her. Of course that made me feel extremely guilty. then one day she turned into a dog.!!! I lost her a few months ago at age 10 from an aggressive cancer but she was truly sent from God and was the most loving, kind,gentle dog I have ever known. I miss her terribly. Sometimes the most challenging ones turn into the best ones. Keep on loving her and she will love you.
Sounds like Rosie is finally coming around! She may be challenging but she’s so darn cute!
I just spent the last year or so reading all of your posts from June 2009! Today I finally caught up to the present. I LOVE your blog (if you couldn’t tell from my first sentence haha). Just wanted to say not to feel badly about house training. I house trained three dogs in 2013. The first trained in two months and wasn’t too bad. The second didn’t house train until he was ten months old…. it was awful. I didn’t think I would ever get that dog house trained. One day it just clicked for him and he hasn’t had an accident since. He’s the smartest dog I’ve ever owned and also the most obedient if you can believe it. The third dog trained in a literally one day. They were all 8 weeks old when I got them and I trained them all the same way. It really isn’t your fault. All dogs are different, just like people. I am so glad Rosie is finally turning a corner for you. Puppies are exhausting. She may have a little regressions here and there but overall she should continue to get better and better as she ages even weekly/ monthly.
I read somewhere, “It takes 3 months for it to click, in a dogs mind, that this is home”. I’d say, you are right on schedule! ;) My Henri is a bit of a nightmare too. But, he’s my nightmare, and I LOVE him! <3
Sigh, I feel your pain. Beagles are not the easiest dogs to have. They can be stubborn and nutty and soo frustrating. But they are such sweethearts and incredibly loyal. I am glad she is mellowing though and especially with the kiddos. I have been in the position before of sitting in bed wondering if I am making the right decision and wondering if I need to find my dog another home. So painful, luckily it eventually worked out.
I love the progress Rosie has made – I can relate to childcare being difficult during the training process. Children want to interact with a dog and some children just don’t know how to do it. From being fearful, which dogs seem to sense immediately to over excited which also over excites a puppy. Looks like Rosie has made it out of the kennel during the day now and little by little that will improve. I admire your energy Jo. Rosie is a cutie for sure!!
Oh i thought for sure you were going to say you returned her! So happy for you Jo that Rosie has made a large milestone and you’re getting most of your life back!❤
I know it would be an expense, but maybe you could put another crate in sewing room.
I’m sorry it’s been such a struggle with Rosie. And I’m so happy for you both, that you’ve been able to tough it through this hard period of time with her. May Rosie and you Bless each other in the coming years!!!!
Hugs and a Happy TGIF to you!
Rosie is so cute. Glad she’s graduated and made some high achievement.
She will make good dog and friend .
I wanted to suggest when you do crafts with your kiddos ….to try “tacky glue”
It works on Wood, glass, fabric ,plastics, and drys clear . I use it all the time it great.
Rosie is so cute. Glad she’s graduated and made some high achievement.
She will make good dog and friend .
I wanted to suggest when you do crafts with your kiddos ….to try “tacky glue”
It works on Wood, glass, fabric ,plastics, and drys clear . I use it all the time it great.
I feel your pain Jo. After my old kitty died in early August, I waited until the end of September before getting a 4-month old kitten. He still tries my patience on a daily basis and I have had regrets. I guess, just like little, kids, some are spunkier than others. We can only hope things get better once they move beyond their baby years. I think God makes them so stinkin’ cute so we don’t kill them. :-)
We got our first dachshund puppy when my son was about a year old. I felt like I had two babies at the same time with all the training that goes on. But, eventually they become part of the family. She is cute.
We’ve had our puppy since the end of August and similar experiences and yes I did cry a few times too! A week ago we had five days straight with no accidents then back to a couple accidents and now we are back to no accidents! It’s a challenge! Stanley is great at surfing so the other night he tried pulling something off an antique table and a leg broke but it can be fixed, later he tried to pull a table runner off and off flew a lamp…I think I can fix that too. Yesterday he was an angel!! I think a daily walk will help immensely but we don’t have very good walking weather in Iowa. I think I finally have my sewing room puppy proof but he surprises me once in awhile!! So hang in there and I will too!!
We’ve had our puppy since the end of August and have experienced the same frustrations! Last week we had five days in a row without accidents and then back to accidents. He’s a great surfer which creates problems in itself. I started knitting a baptismal blanket for our new granddaughter who should be arriving any day…and the other night he pulled it out of my bag and it was fair game for a chase…ugh!! But he is a heart stealer and he’s starting to be better around our grandchildren by not jumping on them. Hang in there and I will too!
I don’t have a dog , but my neighbor has beagles. The other day when I came home, I got out of the car to get the mail and was swarmed by 3 beagles. I got beagle slurps and then they ran home. They are so cute! I’m glad Rosie is making progress. Hang in there.
Max is his name and I swear it took 6 months to get him house broke. He is a pound puppy and we believe part hound and part demon spawn.
Now 4 years into it he was worth the effort and time.
On the crying front…. been there …done that and it helps to cry for a stupid reason when we do not give our-self permission to cry for the real real reasons in our life.
That’s great! Our dog had accidents in the house for a year! We thought it would never end. But it did and now all’s well.
So glad it’s working out now! Some pups take longer than others to get things. About chasing the dog to get something they have, we learned it’s better to have something noisy to throw at them. They don’t like the noise and will likely listen and drop the item whereas chasing is a wonderful game in their eyes. A chain collar (tied with a twist tie to keep together) or a soda can with a couple of pennies inside and opening taped makes wonderful noise. Suddenly they realize you have magic!
She certainly is a cutie, Jo!!! And that, from a (Not a) “Dog person.” Glad to hear that she is calming down a bit.
I am so glad to hear that Rosie is starting to mature enough that you can enjoy her! I have always been a cat person, the only time in my life that I haven’t had a feline companion was the first 6 months of our marriage (when we couldn’t afford the pet deposit) and the 6 months following the death of my very large 17 year old Siamese/Main Coon Cat. Imagine my surprise when I fell in love with a chihuahua pup! And then house training began. Oh my gosh, I really thought I am never going to enjoy this dog. I was in tears one day when a neighbor dropped by. Long story short, she taught me how to potty train the pup. It was a good exchange, I gave the tips to potty train her daughter and she helped me the same with the dog!
When we were first married (49 yrs ago) we had a beautiful Springer Spaniel and she was a Holy Terror. She ate furniture, when she saw an opening and a way out she would take off, she pulled a fully decorated Christmas tree down. Oh my, it was crazy. She EVENTUALLY settled down and we loved her so much. She lived for 13 years and I still think of her fondly. Over the years we have had 2 more Springers, a Collie-mix, 4 cats (all rescues, I might add). They all did puppy and kitten mischief, but grew into wonderful family members. We have a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier now; he is 5 years old and my husband and I look at each other sometimes and say — where was this guy all our marriage. He is just plain good and has been so easy. One thing he will bark for is for me to turn on the old Murder She Wrote TV series. He watches it intently.
Oh my goodness, she is the cutest little thing EVER!! They can be a handful—but oh, so worth it!! :D
You can see lots of personality in that adorable face.
Enjoy!