Potty Trained and Some Thoughts About Crate

I'm happy to say that Ginger is potty trained now. After months of training and monitoring, she is very consistent in going to toilet to do her business no matter where she were and what she were doing. When bringing her outdoor, she understood the potty command and she is able to potty outside. I wrote about potty training in my previous post.


This is the current setup of Ginger's play pen. I still confine her nowadays whenever I'm away or unable to supervise her.

We have long ago removed the wired bottom crate you saw in the previous post. Please note that wired bottom crate is bad for dog, they might get hurt with their feet/muzzle stucked between the wires. We are using a plastic crate which we will find her retired into it during the day for a nap.


Ginger chilling inside her plastic crate.

I can't say enough good things using a crate for your dog. Many scorned at the thought of confining a dog in a crate, thinking that it's a cruel thing to do.

Dogs are by nature a den creatures, crate if properly introduced is a den - a safe haven for your dog. It's a quiet place where your dog can retreat into for a quiet time or rest. It's not a jail or toilet!

Ginger will run and hide in her crate whenever she feel threatened or uncomfortable when encountering a strange noise or object. :)

When your dog is trained to use the crate, you will find your dog more easily handled: in the car, at the vets, when travelling, etc.

Ginger will automatically go into her crate and wait for us to lock up the crate when she knew it is bed time. We will then move her crate into our bedroom where she gets to sleep in the same room with us. Next day morning, we will move the crate back into the playpen and remove the door.



We moved the pee tray into a corner of the toilet and the gates are moved to block the toilet bowl (Ginger used to lick the toilet bowl's water, yuck!), so we humans have our toilet back. We doing this by shifting the pee tray to the left side inch by inch over weeks and expanding the gates slowly.

Toy Poodle Tricks

Ginger's hair is messy after running around under rain in my mum's garden.

Feeding Ritual

My daily feeding ritual for my dog - Ginger.
1st : Establish eyes contact. Your dog stay focused on you, not the food bowl.
2nd: Communicate with your dog using soothing eyes. I usually think about how much I love her being calm and submissive and I'm going to share the food to her as long as she remains calm.
3rd: Ask her to go into crate and wait for me to put down the bowl. I have her sit patiently until I give her the release command which is "OK".

This is a great way to mentally challenge the dog by teaching her that a calm and ­submissive state of mind means getting the food.

Having your dogs mind in a calm and open state before he/she receives their food strengthens your relationship and your leadership. Not only that, but performing this ritual every time your dog eats, virtually eliminates the risk of food aggression developing.

3 Month Plus

Ginger will turn 4 month old after 2 weeks.


She still has the same cutie face ever since I set my eyes on her in the pet shop.




Looked so fluffy after I combed her.

Shower Time

Ginger will look so skinny whenever she bathes. My hubby wouldn't even recognize her. "Is she our dog?" He will ask.



Ginger figuring a way out of the bath tub.



This award winning puppy look will increase the chance of someone come rescuing her for 20%.

Indigestion Update

Yesterday after I fed her the medicine, I waited 30 minutes to give her dinner (just 4 piece of kibbles), I saw her eaten them all up. Then I slowly feed her more kibbles every few minutes. Fed her 1 spoonful of kibbles (half of her usual portion) within an hour. No vomit and no bowel movement though.

This morning, I woke up to a very hungry puppy. I fed her 2 spoonful of kibbles. Boy, she looked so hungry. Again, no bowel movement. Decided to cut off her lunch. Scared her body won't accept more food coz she hasn't poop.

Afternoon - around 4pm, she looked very hungry. She just won't stay still when I brush her, she was going for the treat on the floor. Normally she will wait till I brushed her then only eat it on my command. I fed her 1 spoonful of kibbles. Again, she hasn't poop, I'm getting worried.

7pm - I let her out to play ball. After running here and there for 5 minutes. She went to toilet and poo. What a relief ! The stool is solid and thus healthy.

I'm suspecting the doctor's medicine making her constipation. Coz need to wait so long only she poop.

Tonight I will feed her dinner and see how it goes.

Indigestion

Ginger poop 4 times yesterday, (2 times after lunch within 2 hours). I saw her making soft whining sound and keep lying down and drink water only. After 20 minutes, I saw her poo again with toothpaste like stool.

I brought her to vet, doctor just gave 2 medicine and said no problem, probably just overfed. After I came home, she just keep drinking water and after 30 minutes, she vomited all the kibbles I fed her during morning and lunch. No yellowish stuffs just plenty of salivas and kibbles.

I just gave her medicine. Should I continue to feed her dinner tonight? She is on the diet of fish and potato and we have been feeding her this food for a month. Recently, I've been feeding her a lot of treats last 2 days like 15 of tiny rounded biscuits (Xiao Bu Dian) and 3-6 vegetarian rings per day, is it too much? Did I overfed her?

Just recalled that the night before I gave her a milk bone, could it be the culprit?