June 18, 2014

How I really feel about getting a 2nd puppy

Yesterday, I showed you the pup party our friends put on a couple of weeks ago.
Today, more puppy thoughts.  Just because I'm home for the summer and I have most of my conversations with dogs….

I never was completely sold on the idea of a second dog. But it did make sense because I hated the thought of Scout spending his days alone while we're at work.  Jett is super cute, quite fluffy, and doesn't object when I carry him around.  He's just now getting to the point where he loves to be loved by us;  he tries to climb up my legs when he's scared, for example. But he is not passive.  He is quite vocal and will let you know when he doesn't like something.  One time, I picked him up and moved him off the bed.  "Rawr! Rawr! Rawr!…Rawrrrrr!" and then he went back to sleep.


I never thought of dogs as having different personalities.  However, our two dogs could not be more different.  Scout is very reserved.  He's very sensitive.  Intuitive to our feelings.  If Scott or I are feeling anxious, Scout paces and frets with us.  If Scott tries to leave the house without him, Scout will block the doorway.  He'll also stand by the truck.  He knows how things work.


Jett?  Well, Jett is in his own little world.  He is not intuitive to our feelings.  He tromps around caring only about his next meal.  Sometimes I think Jett only gets excited when we come home because he sees Scout get all worked up.  He cares not what we think about discipline.  Only recently has he become afraid of us because, honestly, the whacks had to get more severe.  He chooses to make bad decisions time after time.  The house training isn't going spectacularly well with this one.  We're trying to put the fear of God into him now.  All puppies need the fear of God in order to become good dogs (I'll put that in my forthcoming dog-training manual).


Then I tell myself that he's only 3 months old.  Then I think that Scout was much better at 3 months…but maybe I'm deluding myself on that one.  Maybe I've forgotten.  Puppy training is not for the weak-hearted.  In fact, I should really give this little guy more credit.  He spent the first month of his life with us being shuttled between our house in Missouri, Scott's apartment on the college campus, and our house in Colorado.  Consistency has not been his friend.  We're probably lucky that he's as good as he is!

Scout has become the model dog.  Jett gets treats for telling us when he needs to go outside.  Scout gets treats just for being Scout.  I figure if we can "raise" one good dog, we can do it again, right?

But then they both are really into digging holes.  So maybe I won't be writing that manual after all.


Any dog training secrets?  And the digging thing…is there a way to prevent that?  Such a hassle.

15 comments:

  1. He is awfully cute, though! My boyfriend and I almost got a second dog a couple of times, but in the end it was better that we didn't, because apartment options in DE are so limited if you have 2. I do feel bad about Luke being home alone, though, so I definitely know where you're coming from. (as soon as we get a house, it's go time!)

    I wish I had tricks to share, but we got pretty lucky and Luke was easy to train. We did go to an obedience class though, and that helped immensely (especially with being first time dog owners).

    I hope things get easier for you!

    Jenn | Business, Life & Design

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  2. ...but he is a cutie!

    Once you get settled into Colorado, the puppy training will probably become easier. He's probably just excited about everything.

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  3. Oh he is so cute! It really is amazing how dogs can have such different personalities.

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  4. All three of my dogs have distinct individual personalities.

    Once you get settled and Jett isn't moving from place to place training will get easier.

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  5. We adopted Gigi first and she is so intuitive, and has a personality like no animal I have seen before. So we decided to get a friend for her because we felt bad while we were away to work, too. So then we adopted Oskar. The laziest, sweetest, and honestly dumbest dog ever. He only gets excited when he knows we put food down or ask if he wants to go for a walk. At least because he is lazy and probably much older than what we were actually told by the Humane Society, he isn't a bad dog; just so different from spunky Gigi. Now that we have a yard in the new house, Jason wants a third dog. I told him that is just not happening.

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  6. Puppy raising is NOT for the weak... our pup is now at 11 months & it's STILL a fight every day to correct him.

    But they're so dang cute!!!

    Our back yard is like that as well... I wish I knew the answer to the digging thing.

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  7. Puppy raising is NOT for the weak... our pup is now at 11 months & it's STILL a fight every day to correct him.

    But they're so dang cute!!!

    Our back yard is like that as well... I wish I knew the answer to the digging thing.

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  8. puppy training is SO hard! I don't wnat to do it again!! he is so cute!

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  9. My dogs are diggers. I have thrown their poop in the holes, and it does help. They are hunting dogs as well, and I think they are digging because they are hunting. I have also used chicken wire to deter them. It is ugly, but it did the job.

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  10. I think the work of raising two puppies definitely deserves a glass of wine at the end of the day :)

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  11. The training is what takes such work!! I took my Lily to puppy kindergarten, worked with one trainer,and now have another. we have seen such an improvement with this new trainer!! she is much calmer and lays on the floor (sure she wants attention when you get home after she has been home by herself). she hasn't tried to bite anyone (knock on wood). The new trainer has told us to use "BAAH" in a deep voice when they do something we don't want them to do and immediately praise when they do the right thing. Also, a squirt water bottle works wonders.

    The whole potty training thing takes forever. At least for me. By being consistent and taking the dog out first thing in the am, then after they eat, and again before bed, eventually they get the idea. Took lily 4-5 months to get it but it was worth the work!

    If you are interested in the trainer i used, they're a nationwide company and very reputable!

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  12. Ah! The different dynamics are so amazing to me. Dogs definitely have individual personalities! It's always so fun to watch them work things out. Jett is a little cutie!

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  13. Dogs definitely do have different personalities.

    Our second dog was much easier to house train but he gives us problems that our first dog never did (who still, 10 years later, has problems with housetraining). Once you guys are settled, it'll be easier.

    He is too cute, though!

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  14. That's so funny. It is like having different kids lol. I'm hoping my next kid is more like Scout because I'm raising a Jett right now ;)

    My dog was a digger and a chewer... but he was potty trained, gosh darn it. He figured that out quick.

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