House Training Stinks .... Literally!

Well, the first day stated off alright, but today has been something else.

Last night I got scared when Norway pooped in the kitchen and there were a bunch of worms in his poop. I know, maybe too much information. Well, it turns out before we took him home, the humane society gave him a de-worming medication and it made him poop out any worms that were in his system. So, good news there. Now he's back to just the normal poop in the kitchen. :)

But that's just the problem. Since we can't have him and Barklee together yet, we have to keep a baby gate up between the kitchen and living room, and he stays in the kitchen when we're not holding him or playing him, and Barklee is on the other side in the living room. Well, there have been a couple accidents in the kitchen and we think that since he was from the humane society where the puppies just had to poop in their area and were never taken outside, he seems to be lacking that inborn don't-poop-where-I-sleep gene. Or at least he has grown out of it.

Today I've taken him out probably 5 or 6 times and he hasn't done a thing while we're out there. Then, about 5 - 10 minutes after I bring him back in, he poops on the floor. This past time I caught him in the act so I hurried and stopped him, then I put my coat and shoes on and rushed him out. And what did he do? Nothing. I stood out there in the freezing cold, turning snowy weather for about 10 minutes with him. So I decide, maybe he already got everything out that he needed to get out. We come back inside. I'm in the kitchen with him trying to decide what to have for lunch, and within 3 minutes of us coming back inside, he squats and poops. And there is almost no warning with him. It's like it's shooting out of a cannon! It just flies out, so there was no way for me to stop him. Again, probably too much info.

I don't believe in harsh punishment of any kind, especially since he doesn't know what's right and what's wrong yet, so I've been reading a lot from a training book I bought, and any credible information we can find online. We think the only way we're going to break him of the habit is to buy him a crate. Before I fully understood the importance and safety of crate training, I didn't ever want to get a crate for my dog. But after reading a lot about it, I've decided it's best because if we ever have to travel, and I know we will, or go to the vet, which we will, or have someone over doing work on the apartment or house, which we will, it's best to get him used to the crate, and liking being in there now. It will give him a place to go where he knows he is safe and secure, kind of like a little puppy bedroom.

Of course, for now the house training will continue as we've been doing it, but I'm stressed out and I'm starting to wonder if we should try to deal with one thing at a time. It's going to be very important for him and Barklee to get along, so in addition to the house training we're dealing with that too. It seems like they make remarkable progress and then something happens to set us back. I know we can do this because I've done it before with another dog that was even more un-doggie-friendly, it's just going to take a little while. I just don't know if I can handle Barklee-training and house-training all at the same time, especially since I'm alone during the day.

Hmmm.... I don't think I've ever been given such a high-maintenence birthday gift. But I know once the hard part is over, he will be so much fun! I just have to keep telling myself, "patience Sharla, patience is the key."