maggieblu
Rattie
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| 07/22/2007 12:31 PM |
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Hiya.....a newbie here and newbie Ratty mommy.
My baby, Bindi, is 3 months old today! We've had her for 4 weeks now..and I thought
the training was going well. Then it rained. Lil' miss diva refuses.. and I mean very
adamantly refuses to go outside when it's wet! I've taken her out even with an umbrella..
an no go...literally..no go. But...she enters the dry house and... whoopsie...she definately
goes..and goes..and goes! Anyone have any ideas??? Please???
# 2 She also likes to play "catch me if you can" when it's time to go out..all the time.
She does go to the door....gets excited...when I bend down to get her she takes off like a
flash...and wants to play. How do I let her know this is the time for business.. play is
after??? |
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treble02
Alpha Feist
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| 07/22/2007 12:35 PM |
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im sorry...i am a new rattie owner too, so i dont have much advice...im sure others do..but this post made me laugh....Trixi is a bit of a diva too! Good luck and i hope you get some good advice....i was lucky...i got her when she was 7 months old so she was mostly housebroken! ..wish i could help more!
Also...be sure to post pictures...we love to see everyones puppies!!!  |
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~ Mary, Trixi and Toa's Mommy,
Ratbone Rescues Database Manager
and Applications Coordinator
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maggieblu
Rattie
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| 07/22/2007 12:43 PM |
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Diva or not...we wouldn't have them any other way..eh? 
I love how they have their own little personality....bein' lil' stinkers and all!
I sure will post some pics when I get my cam hooked up on here...
that is if it doesn't turn into some lil' 4 legged babydolls lunch first!! lol
Nice to meet ya! |
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treble02
Alpha Feist
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| 07/22/2007 12:49 PM |
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| hahaha...yes im having fun with Trixi ...getting to know all her little quirks! |
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~ Mary, Trixi and Toa's Mommy,
Ratbone Rescues Database Manager
and Applications Coordinator
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Caesar & Julia's mom
Alpha Feist
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| 07/22/2007 1:56 PM |
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| Oh, sonds like you're having fun!! Welcome to this site and there are people here that can offer you great advice...made me chuckle too. Reminds me of Caesar when he was a puppy...hated to go out in the rain. I had to take him out on the leash and carry lots of treats in my pocket!!hehe Well good luck and glad you're here! Julia and Caesar send a big "Helllo"! |
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Diane~ loved by Caesar and Julia
"Don't count the days, make the days count..."
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rattytatty
Newbie
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| 07/23/2007 8:03 AM |
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My first suggestion deals with the "come" command... sounds like that's where you need to start, in my opinion. I don't play the "catch me if you can" game, and I don't think you should allow it either.
Take your dog out on a leash. Get a treat.. something yummy that Bindi can't refuse. (cut up bits of stringed cheese works wonderfully... or small bits of hot dog) Call her ... "BINDI, COME!" (emphatically). Lure her with the treat. Make her coming to you WORTH coming to you ! Put the leash on her and take her outside, even if it's raining (get a BIG umbrella! LOL).
Never call your dog to come to you without rewarding it... especially in the beginning when you are just starting to train the command. Eventually she will learn that coming to you pays big rewards, and the "chase me if you can" scenario will cease.
If she comes back in the house and hasn't done her business... crate her. Leave her in the crate for awhile and try again. Keep crating her if she refuses to do her business... don't give her the opportunity to do her business on your floors.
I hope all of this doesn't sound harsh to you. All of this is a simple (did I say "simple"?) process of YOU becoming the alpha. Good luck to you! |
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jeremy
Rattie
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| 07/23/2007 9:41 AM |
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| YEP! Listen to Nora! That's precisely what has worked for Bandit (and BOY does he hate the rain too!). Now that he's gotten the idea, he'll do his biz fast so he can get back in! Crate training is the best thing on earth! I wouldn't do it any other way! Best of luck to you!! |
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maggieblu
Rattie
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| 07/23/2007 12:16 PM |
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Thanks Nora...I will definately do as you say. As a matter of fact...I read your post
before I went shopping this morning and got some string cheese.....but not the
BIG umbrella...she will just have to rough that part. lol
I had no problem with her when I came home...of course she was crated while
I was gone and had to go potty pretty bad. In a bit we will see how it goes...
*crossing fingers*!
Bindi is such a babydoll and it's hard to be stern with her... but....she has to
learn.
Thanks for your help. I'm learning right along with "Diva" Bindi! |
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Shadows Mom
Ratastic
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| 07/23/2007 12:29 PM |
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| I definately agree with the crating part and the treat with the "come" command. I must also say to do this all the time as I have slacked off and Shadow has retreated a little bit. My fault, but now that he is a little older, he can "hold it" a little longer and he absolutely refuses to do anything in his crate. He will hold it, run to the door and go to the very first spot out the door. I have to hold from laughing out loud at him sometime. But patience and being strict will ensure you are the alpha and you will be greatly rewarded. |
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Shadow's Mom
Laugh, dance and drink like nobody's watching cause life is too short. |
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Russ' Pal
Rat-A-Tat-Tat
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| 07/23/2007 12:37 PM |
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Another rain hater here! I've been known to carry Russ to the end of the street then set him down. That way the only way he can get home is if he walks it.
Also, on nicer days you might want to start associating a command (like saying potty or tinkle) when she starts to go. That way you can use the command to hurry her up on rainy days. |
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-Sarah, pal to Russ & Peca |
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maggieblu
Rattie
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| 08/19/2007 1:20 PM |
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Sorry I've not been very good at my communication as of late, but I do thank everyone for their advice!
Things around here have deteriorated rapidly! I can't get Bindi to go outside hardly at all anymore! I tried
the 'come' command thing and she just lays down and looks at me like I'm nutz! I tell her "quiet" when
she's being exceptionally vocal and she looks at me and barks! Man... I raised 2 mouthy kids already, I
really don't want to do it again! lol I am truely at my wits end here.. hubby is making some noise
about giving her away! I don't want that..at all! She's only going to be 4 months old on the 22 and
she's still a baby...but what can I do to get through to her? I've even made her crate smaller...I thought
I was being a good mommy by letting her lounge in the whole kennel...big mistake evidently.
So today we're starting back at square one. Only out of the crate to go potty...not gonna go...
back in. I take her out every 15 min. until she goes. Then she comes back in and eats and plays
then back out and back in the crate. The whole routine starts over again every couple of
hours. Is this right? I'm soooooooo confused as to what to try with her I don't know if I'm
coming or going! once again....HELP! lol oh yeah....she also escaped outside with
the pizza boy last night... scared the bejeepers outta me! Any tricks on that too? Or is that
just another situation of keeping her caged? (I hate that phrase...caged...sounds like 'jailed' lol ) |
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maggieblu
Rattie
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| 08/19/2007 2:39 PM |
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Just a lil' update...anything..small or not makes me happy! lol
I contacted a trainer in my area....waiting a reply now. Is this a
good thing or are trainers other than 'family' not a good idea? |
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rattytatty
Newbie
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| 08/19/2007 2:52 PM |
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It's difficult to explain what you need to do via text... I'm a "hands on" type of person, and can show you MUCH easier than to try to tell you through words only. I always prefer to be shown something myself rather than just told... so I applaud your decision to contact a trainer for help, instead of just giving her away as so many other people do. This trainer can show you what you need to be doing.
You knew the pizza boy was coming to deliver pizza... Bindi should have been either crated, on a leash with you... or confined to another room, but certainly not in a position to run out the door when it opens.
If she's on a long line, and you say "come"... you need to be reeling her in to you and not allowing her the opportunity to lay down and ignore you. Don't quit reeling her in until she's in front of you... then give her a treat and praise her.. "Bindi.. good come... Bindi... good come" emphasizing the word "come" so she will learn to associate the word "come" with coming to you. She's young and with a trainer's help, you'll do just fine! |
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maggieblu
Rattie
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| 08/19/2007 3:10 PM |
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Thanks Nora. I'm tellin' you...I'm about at my wits end....well some ppl may say that's not a far stretch for me on a good day! lol
She is such a loving sweetie...but she just WILL NOT listen!
As for her running out the door.. hubby was suppose to be holding her..but she twisted that lil' body of hers right out of his hand....lil' stinker! From now on she WILL be crated when ppl are coming and going.. I certainly won't take that chance ever again! We lost 2 dogs on the highway here...that's why I am so concerned.
Ok... the 'come' thing. I tried the reeling her in while saying 'Bindi come'...but it always ends up more like dragging her. I don't want to hurt her or seem cruel. Is that what I do? Just keep pulling her in even if she digs her feet into the ground? She wouldn't even come for her favorite cheese!
She certainly has a very stubborn streak in her. But thanks...that makes me feel a whole lot better about contacting a trainer. I was worried that I was doing the wrong thing by giving my training responsibilities over to a stranger. We'll see how it goes!
Thanks again! |
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rattytatty
Newbie
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| 08/19/2007 5:56 PM |
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You are having to DRAG her? Even with a treat? Wow....
Find something she can't resist -- pieces of chicken maybe? Bits of hotdog? Maybe start with a shorter line and LURE her....
Your trainer can help show you how to do this. He may even recommend a prong collar, but if so... he'll show you how to use one and that's important. Prong collars are wonderful training aids, but you do need to be shown HOW to use one properly.
Sounds like she truly does have a stubborn streak, but this stubborness can be redirected in a positive way with the correct training. I'll be interested in an update soon! |
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maggieblu
Rattie
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| 08/19/2007 6:12 PM |
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ahhhhh chicken! I was afraid to give her 'people' food yet. We just had chicken for supper...hmmmm might be a good time to try that.
She sure does have a stubborn streak! She does NOT like to be told what to do. As far as giving kisses and cuddling she loves it and she loves to play with kids too....if not for that I'd worry there was something terribly wrong with her. Each pup has their own personality like we humans I guess.
Thanks for your help...once again. I'm admittedly 'training challenged'...but I'll learn! Without a yummy treat! lol |
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gemini72000
Rat Royalty
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| 08/19/2007 8:52 PM |
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| Perhaps she runs away when you bend over her to take her out cuz she is intimidated by you standing over her? Try going down to her level. Squat by the door and have her come to you. Just a thought. |
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rattytatty
Newbie
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| 08/20/2007 7:52 AM |
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| I failed to mention, and probably should have... that I don't call Bailey to come if I want him to come to me so I can give him a bath, or give him medication... or situations such as those. I tell him to stay and then go pick him up and carry him to the bathtub, or carry him to the counter so I can give him some medication. I don't want him to NOT come to me because he knows I'm gonna do something he doesn't prefer to do. I keep it positive... and do the "negative" things very matter-of-factly (is that a word? LOL). Bailey doesn't mind getting a bath, but it's certainly not something he's gonna break his neck to come to me to do! LOL |
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maggieblu
Rattie
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| 09/12/2007 9:57 AM |
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Just a lil' update. Bindi is doing much better! yeah!! But...she still gets a bit over excited sometimes and does her business under the pool table. At least she's consistent...we know what she's about to do when she heads that direction. lol All in all....she's a good girl...or so I keep telling her...hoping it might hypnotize her into being such! Kidding.. I wouldn't have her any other way...she's just a baby learning....patience..patience.........
As for the professional training...they never did get back to me...might just nix that all together...dunno yet!
Thanks for all your help..great ppl here! |
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rattytatty
Newbie
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| 09/12/2007 10:15 AM |
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This is good news... are you working with him on the "come" command on a long line as we discussed previously? It's natural for dogs to return to the "scene of the crime" as far as pottying is concerned. They will pick a place to go and often return to that spot each time for that purpose. Try spraying the area with vinegar water and shutting the door where the pool table is so Bindi can't get in there.
Yes, she's a baby and it does indeed take patience and consistency. |
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maggieblu
Rattie
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| 09/14/2007 3:24 PM |
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ummm well... let's just say the 'come' command is still a work in progress in our house.
Sometimes she comes and sometimes she takes the lead in her mouth and pulls... as if she's telling
me to 'come'! geezzzz lol
She has the 'down' command down pat...unless she's overly excited and the kids are being as
loud and rambunctious as she is....then they all have to sit... 
Her 'quiet' command is coming along quite nicely too.....'stay' is doing pretty well also.
So all in all...she's doing pretty well. I think so anyway.
A question tho...what type of food do your babies get? She gets nutritional puppy food/dry. She seems
to be tired of it now or something. Is it ok to give her one kind one day and a different kind the next? Just
for variety. I don't want to upset her system or anything. |
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