Practice Makes Perfect

Cocoa has taken very well to her house training routine and we have only had a handful of pee accidents (and no poop accidents!) since she arrived. She sleeps all night-- yay!

Here is her routine this week:

Morning: Cocoa wakes up in her crate and cries to come out. "Good Morning, Cocoa!" and we carry her outside by herself to "potty". "Yay Cocoa! Good girl!!" when there is success. Then she walks in to get Woolie & Luci, and they all go outside and play together and have a big morning romp. Then inside for breakfast. Cocoa eats in her exercise pen in the kitchen, her dry food soaked slightly in warm water. Then Cocoa goes back outside by herself to potty again -- "Good girl!". Then more play time. When they lay down to rest, "Outside!"-- another potty time. Pretty soon it is lunch, and we repeat the same thing... and later dinner. She loves, loves, loves to eat. She has access to fresh water whenever she is not in her crate or exercise pen, inside and outside, so we have to watch her extra closely for signs of being ready to potty.

When we are outside we just stand still until she goes and THEN we give her kudos and attention. She has caught on and now trots right out to pee immediately, looking at us for approval.

When we cannot watch her carefully, she goes into her exercise pen for up to an hour before the next potty break. When we are not here, she goes into her crate (as do the other dogs). Most of the time she is being watched and either playing with us or the dogs or having a few minutes of "training".

This week she figured out on her own the steps to the bed (that NONE of the other resident or current foster dogs have mastered) and found the couch a nice retreat from the big dogs-- who don't follow her up there.

The other dogs and the kids keep her very busy much of the time, but like any puppy, any moment of down time is a potential opportunity for mischief. She is getting more interested in chewing, so if we see her thinking about chewing something that isn't hers, we remind her by giving her one of her chew toys.

At night we like to cuddle with her on the couch, and maybe do a little grooming. But often she is too busy and on the go for much couch down time. She enjoys being held and loved and petted for a few minutes... then she is off to play in the wide world again!