Hello to the community, and thanks to everyone for all the valuable advice! I have been spending a lot of time reading your posts! I am a first time owner of a spoo and the family and I are just thrilled with our little Olive. She is now 10 weeks old and beginning her third week in our home. I had read Ian Dunbar’s book and watched some videos, but somehow have been unable to follow him to the letter. His program seemed designed for people who go out sometimes, but at this point all four of us are home all day and I felt that all day short term confinement with breaks to relieve herself and to play and train was somehow too confining. Also, she had already been relieving herself outside while with the breeder. So I created a sort of hybrid space with the crate inside a very small playpen. She gets fed in her crate and will nap there sometimes but mostly hangs out in front of the crate inside the little pen. There is no indoor toilet because we take her out frequently. She has not had any accidents at all inside the setup for 2-3 hours at a time, and in fact has only had a total of 3 pee accidents when left outside to play in the kitchen with us for too long without going out. My kids also mistakenly let her play around the house a few times when she was full, which led to the unmentionable. Now she is confined to the kitchen when playing outside the pen and does well when she is walked every 2 hours and after eating. I think this is working but it still feels rather different than what Dunbar suggests. I am concerned that she is not spending much time in a crate with the door closed other than at night when she gets distressed sometimes if we do not sit with her until she is sleepy. Any thoughts?
Also- I am afraid I have really botched the pooping part of house training. I had not realized she should poop in the same toilet area she readily pees in on command already. I have been taking her out on her leash in the yard (too young still for street walks) and letting her find her own spot to poop. Sometimes we also play outside. However in rereading Dunbar last night it seems he recommends pooping in the same toilet area and coming inside to play. I wonder now whether when it comes to leash training she will be confused since she has been walking and running in our yard on the leash wherever she wants to go. I somehow had not planned ahead for that. I would really appreciate some guidance here because I am having a mini crisis of confidence. (Of course we are having a great time with her, we just want to do well by our new family member.). Thanks again for all the help already provided!
Also- I am afraid I have really botched the pooping part of house training. I had not realized she should poop in the same toilet area she readily pees in on command already. I have been taking her out on her leash in the yard (too young still for street walks) and letting her find her own spot to poop. Sometimes we also play outside. However in rereading Dunbar last night it seems he recommends pooping in the same toilet area and coming inside to play. I wonder now whether when it comes to leash training she will be confused since she has been walking and running in our yard on the leash wherever she wants to go. I somehow had not planned ahead for that. I would really appreciate some guidance here because I am having a mini crisis of confidence. (Of course we are having a great time with her, we just want to do well by our new family member.). Thanks again for all the help already provided!
