Boney Update!

 Bonaparte turned 3 months old on the 15^th!!!! (of course it was the day my internet was completely down, grr) We’ve had an eventful week and this coming week is already, I hope, looking promising. Little Bit, or Boney as we call him, went with us to a Puppy Orientation class this weekend. At first I didn’t think we were going to learn anything new, but as the session progressed we did. We’ve put some of the practices the trainer talked to us about into motion this weekend, tailored to our pup. Boney seems to be responding well, most of the time. Like not putting down water all day long but only when he eats. That will change once he’s housebroken. And using the crate as a place for him to stay if he hasn’t gone poo or pee after he eats, in intervals. We take him out, wait 3 (I wait five) minutes. If he doesn’t go take him back in and put him in the crate for (five) minutes, then take him back out until he gets the message that when he goes he gets to roam. Here is where his stubbornness shows. He’s decided he’ll stay in the crate until he’s ready to go pee or poo. So, that’s what he does and we’re learning his voiding schedule and when I should take him out according to that. That way he doesn’t have to stay in the crate if he doesn’t want to. We’re working together, but I’m still bigger than he is!

Had our second visit to the vet. Boney hasn’t gained any weight, still 3.6, but the vet said he’s in really good condition and getting enough nutrition. She isn’t worried about his weight. In three weeks she’ll be able to see what his pattern will be and give a guess on what size he could eventually reach. He took his shots like a trooper and made everyone who saw him fall in love with him, duh! The vet also counseled me on staying consistent with him.

As he has become more bold and wanting to wander when it’s time to go out for a pit stop, we decided it was time to get a halter. We tried the collar a few weeks ago and he had a hissy fit and fell in it. The harness isn’t liked any better but I’m holding firm and after two days he is starting to respond instead of just sitting there with ears and tail down with a “why are you doing this to me?” look on his sweet little expressive face. He is as hard-headed as I’ve heard Dachshunds can be, but hey, I’m a mom. I can do this, right? I am hard-headed too, so we make a pair.

I am really concentrating on schedules and consistency and that seems to help a lot both for him and me. We’ve started serious crate training and he is REALLY responding well to that, of course, because he likes the treats! He is also starting to respond to “Boney, come” and “Calm down.” He needs the “calm down” one because he gets so excited when we’ve been apart for awhile and I want him to settle down before I pick him up or open the gate to his room.

The best part though, is how he is sleeping through the night in his crate!!!! My good boy! Five days now and he’s doing great. I wouldn’t have believed it in the beginning, but the consistency is really paying off. He can hold everything all night now and some mornings he sleeps until 6:45 or so! Yea! I’m a happy puppy owner right now!

Hope you enjoy the new photos!