The day Dexter got a little sister

I forgot to post this here but I previously posted in my other blog a few years back about what it's like to get a boxer pup. So you think you want a boxer pup?

Well, fast forward a few years later and Dexter is just over 3 years old and doing VERY well. He is no longer kept in his crate while we're gone during the day. We have a gigantic crate for him to sleep in since he is WAY too big to share a bed with on a daily basis. He's about 80 lbs or more now.

So with everything going so great....why not get another one?

I want to keep this as a log of how our training with his little sister (Hera is her name) goes.

We just got her yesterday.

She'll be 8 weeks on Tuesday. 

Night 1: Put her in the crate around 9:15, she woke up at about 9:55 and cried/howled/barked for a good 15 minutes. She eventually settled down. I let her out around 1:15 and then she slept pretty good straight through to just before 6 am.

Day 2: A few minor potty accidents but took her outside as we caught it and got her to finish up outside. 

Tomorrow I have to leave her in the crate while we're at work until I come home to let her out on lunch. I have puppy mommy anxiety!

As far as how the two of them get along?

Smashingly!

Mailman...Friend or Foe?

I think I have found one of the Stress causers while Dexter is in his crate. The majority of the time when he is in the crate its when....the mail man comes by!

Today I was doing the dishes and heart Dexter bark/yelp in a weird higher pitched noise and he ran for the door his hair on end. His hackles were all up. I looked out the door and there he was, the mailman. I'm thinking about seeing if either the mailman can not close the flap on my mailbox or if he can start a little training with me in the spring. I'm going to see if he'll carry a couple treats on him and give them to my dog I'll wait outside with Dexter for when he comes by.

This all depends on how nice my mailman is. Or maybe I can look into getting a p.o. box?

Either way I think its a break through. We're still practicing daily with him. We're slowly making progress. We've been practicing again with everyone ignoring him when they come over and he's become much more calm now when people enter our home.


Here's your daily dexter....

anxiety update....and will it pass the Dexter test?

I'm going to be very honest....we have been horrible at practicing with our pup lately. Dexter is still drooling immensely. So, yesterday we began again from scratch. We left for 5 minutes to sit in the car and came back and ignored him for about 5 mins and let him out. There was a lot of drool...A LOT!

Today Brandon practiced with him for about 7 minutes but couldn't find his Kong so he left him with nothing. It did not go well haha . Dexter immediately began barking. We're going to practice again in about a half an hour.

We're trying to build up to leaving him for a half an hour. This takes a lot of time and as I'm relearning again A LOT of patience.

I really contemplating getting another dog but after a lot of thought, I don't think that will fix a problem.

This training process worked well the last time. We think something may have caused him to have a little bit of a relapse. Now that I think of it we had a few really windy days and I think he may now associate the crate with the storm/noises from the wind.


I'm certain we can help him again but it's going to take a while. We are sticking to it and we'll continue to track his progress. Let's call this officially the second Day 2 the haha


Two practices of leaving Dexter for 5 minutes. Copious amounts of drool.

Now for a new segment?

Can Dexter wreck it?

Today I stopped by this AMAZING local pet supply store called Golden Tails!
What did we pick up?

All natural dog chews! Antler chews! www.petchoicepharma.com

How does he like it?

LOVES IT! So far just a few minor chew marks and its keeping him entertained. I think it's even tired him out.

random act of kindness

There's a family going though some hard times due to a house fire and could really use some random acts of kindness.   Without this family and what I believe to be fate, we would not have dexter. Dexter brought a lot to our lives that I didn't know was missing to begin with.  If you can help at all please do! Email me for info on where to send donations.

They have 5 kids
Cie- med womens tops, size 8 pants, size 10 shoe
Phil- med mens tops, 18-20 husky pants, size 8 shoe
Ryenn- same size as cie
Zackery & harold- 8/10 tops. Size 8 and 10 pants and size 2 and 3 1/2 shoe


Sherylbeck26@gmail.com

happy valentines day

Last year

And This year

dog park saturday

I never get bored watching dexter play with other dogs!   He is a nut haha

Separation anxiety update.... It's been pretty cold and snowy so I did not get to practice with Dexter the last day or so. Brandon and I did leave him again the other day for 10 mins and he was a drooly mess when we got back (not as bad as usual) but still drooly. I go back to work today so I have to put him in the crate for 3 hours. But I'm off tomorrow so I'm going to try a couple times tomorrow. If you're worried you might break a cycle by going from practicing at 5 or 10 mins to leaving him in his/her crate while you go out or to work.. Don't be! Just keep doing intermittent little leaves in between. This almost creates a confusion where your dog will not know how long you'll be gone. Which is not a bad thing!

Happy Sunday!

Day 2 separation anxiety practice

I left Dexter alone in his crate for 10 minutes today.  I noticed that he was very into his Kong when I set it in the crate. Lately he's been kind of ignoring it as I leave him. He was very focused on it today. I took a walk around the block just shy of 10 minutes and noticed him barking when I got back in front of the house. So, I'm not really sure how long he was barking.

After a few minutes of doing dishes I let him out and he didn't seem as attached to me as he usually is. We practiced stay again. He stayed several rooms away for 30 seconds until I called him to come get the treat. It was pretty awesome! So even though he's crying/barking still I believe he's making progress. I just have to keep at it.

I love that my dog loves me but I want him to be at least a little independent. Right now he's in the living room relaxing on the couch not at my feet for once haha. I don't know if its because our training is working or he's angry with me :)

“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace.” 

― Milan Kundera