Tagged: “puppies”

Potty Train a Puppy Fast!

Potty Train a Puppy Fast!

Here’s an easy trick to potty train your puppy fast.

You can potty train your puppy quickly using this method.

potty train your puppy fast Potty training your puppy relies on an easy trick. All you need to do is mimic what a mother dog would do. But first, let’s clarify what potty training a puppy really means. So, the first question would be: Is it possible to potty train a young puppy? Yes, in a way, and no in another way. The “no” portion of this statement is due to physiological barriers. It’s impossible for a puppy under the age of 14 weeks to hold its bladder for 3 to 4 hours. The muscles of the bladder are not developed enough at this age so you can’t expect her to hold it all day or even for 4 hours. Besides, it’s not normal or natural for them. The “yes” portion of this statement is easy. Regardless of how young a puppy is she will “get” the idea of the appropriate elimination area very quickly.

When you embark on the puppy potty training adventure, keep in mind that what you are ultimately trying to accomplish is teaching the puppy where to potty. Your puppy will pick up on this real quickly as long as you follow the easy-to-follow potty training tricks listed here. What you can expect to learn from this article is how to teach your puppy where to potty. And, that’s what potty training it is all about: teaching your puppy where she is allowed to “go”. The attached guide “How to Potty Train your Puppy in 14 Days!” will provide you with a step-by-step guide on potty training your puppy and help you through this process. This potty training guide was developed and written by an experienced puppy foster who has house broken hundreds of puppies before placing them into homes using this exact method. But before you jump into it please read this introduction article. It will give you the exact tricks needed and these aren’t mentioned directly in the guide.

potty train your puppy fastThe first trick to teaching your new fur baby about proper house rules and potty training is to show them. Dog’s learn by actions and watching others. That’s what momma dog does. She teaches her little ones where the bathroom area is by leading them away from the sleeping area to a potty spot where she squats down and urinates. Each puppy in turn repeats momma’s action. By doing this she essentially potty trains them. You are going to do the same. Of course, you can’t actually squat down and urinate but you CAN lead the puppy to the appropriate potty area. Like momma dog you are going to choose a potty zone. Make certain that this potty spot is a safe place, in a secure area (preferably a fenced backyard), away from a busy street and free from distractions (puppies have about a one second attention span).

The second trick, choose a door in your home to access this area. Use this door consistently EVERY time you take her out to potty. Take her to that same outside area EVERY each time. Think of it like this: Do you need to go hunting and searching for your bathroom door? No, you know exactly where it is. What if someone moved the door or bathroom every time you needed to “go”? It would be confusing, right? Well, it’s the same with the puppy. That’s why you must decide which door to use and which area to use as the potty area. (Make certain that every member of the family knows.) Then use that door all the time. Not some of the time, but ALL the time. Use that same potty area ALL the time, not some of the time.

potty train your puppy fastThe next trick involves speech. We have a language, dogs do too. Their language is primarily body language with vocal cues. Puppies understand a lot more than you give them credit for. They are equipped from birth to learn quickly, their survival depends on it. Your puppy will pick up on the word/action association. Therefore, you are going to give puppy her first English lesson. Each time you bring the puppy through that door you will say the word “outside”. No exceptions. This is IMPORTANT. The puppy will learn what the word OUTSIDE means.

Note: A young puppy might need to be carried from the crate to this outside area because the moment you open the crate door, she will squat and pee. If you pick up the pup, you’ll avoid this. Gradually the need to pick her up and carry her will decrease. Regardless of whether or not you need to carry the puppy or the puppy can walk on a leash to the door you will need to say “outside” each time you go through the door.

Next, show the puppy where to go outside. The outside potty area must be established. Place the puppy down and say “potty”. STAY there until the puppy goes. The moment she squats to urinate or she has a bowel moment praise her. In your “happy” voice say “GOOD POTTY!” Give her a chance to urinate AND have a bowel moment. But don’t stay outside too long. The moment she has finished going potty bring her inside.  As you bring her through the door you will say the word “inside”. No exceptions. This is IMPORTANT. 

Soon your puppy will understand what’s expected from her when you bring her to the potty area. She’ll look at you when you praise her. She might even begin to do a “fake” potty and look to see what you do. She’s testing to see if this is the action that wins your approval. By all means, praise her! This means she’s “getting” it.

potty train your puppy fastDuring the potty training phase do not bring her to the potty zone for any other reason except to potty. This is IMPORTANT. You want to establish that the OUTSIDE is to potty in AND the inside is to eat, sleep and play in. You will not be using the outside for any other reason except to potty in. No playing outside with the puppy, no leaving the puppy outside unattended. Why? The key to this system is to teach the puppy the difference between the outside and the inside. She’s smart. She’ll get it! Inside is NOT potty. Outside IS potty. Repetition. Repetition.

Please download the FREE Potty Train your Puppy in 14 Days! guide and all the best to you and your new puppy.

PottyTrainYourPupIn14Days

Copyright  © 2015 by Texas Animal Guardians, all rights reserved

If this FREE book has helped you please consider a small donation. Many of the animals received into our adoption program need expensive medical care. Your tax deductible contribution helps pay for this. Won’t you please consider a small donation to help needy animals get well? This gives them a chance at adoption and a new life. Thank you in advance!




 

 

 

 

 

BOOMING Year for Adoptions!

BOOMING Year for Adoptions!

DustyAdoptionTexas Animal Guardians closes 2014 with record number of adoptions!

Texas Animal Guardians’ adoption numbers for 2014 are officially in: One hundred and sixty-three adoptions! This includes both dogs and cats and it is our best number yet. Not only has 2014 been a banner year for adoptions but it has also been a year of growth. Our volunteers are helping to make this growth possible. Thanks to them we have expanded the Petsmart Cat Center adoptions program. With this program, we are able to house more cats and kittens at the New Braunfels Petsmart store. Here they can be viewed seven-days-a-week by potential adopters. Our TNR (Trap Neuter Release) program has also grown. Thanks to the efforts of TAG hundreds of otherwise doomed cats and kittens were given a new lease on life. The TAG Dog Squad program was also out there helping homeless people with dogs by distributing collars, leashes, harnesses, food and treats. To ensure that people who are low on funds can still feed their pets the TAG Kibble Kare program provided pet food whenever possible.

Texas Animal Guardians Dog Squad Program

Ladybug, a regular feature in South Austin,
is a Dog Squad recipient.

It is traditional to make goals for the New Year. Like people, organizations do the same. Texas Animal Guardians is no exception. So what are the hopes and aspirations of TAG for 2015? First and foremost, to reach 210 adoptions in 2015.  TAG would like to distribute pet food to the needy on a regular schedule and give the Dog Squad homeless people more support with food, blankets, dog sweaters and flea/tick preventatives. And TAG has a brand new endeavor: to start a pet therapy program for children, nursing home residents and those in hospitals.

Naturally, these goals can only be achieved with more volunteers. To adopt out 210 dogs and cats in 2015 we will need more foster homes. Fostering a puppy or a kitten is rewarding on so many levels. It’s a fun-filled, family activity that has lots of memory-making moments. And, who doesn’t love a puppy? Even the resident dogs seem to accept tiny puppies. Adult dogs help to potty train puppies, they teach pups appropriate manners and help socialize them. Children learn how to be selfless by giving their time to a help a little creature. Kittens are adorable! And so much fun. They don’t need much space, a spare bathroom or bedroom will do. They only stay in foster care until they can enter the Petsmart Cat Adoption Center. Experienced bottle feeders are also appreciated since they can help out with abandoned or orphaned kittens

Texas Animal Guardians TNR program has saved hundreds of otherwise hopeless cats.

Chuy, a TAG TNR program recipient,
was given medical aid and
recovered from a severe upper
respiratory infection. He was recently adopted
into a loving family.

Texas Animal Guardians would also like to expand its current programs to include an animal therapy program. As mentioned, this program would go into children’s homes, nursing homes and even hospitals. Let’s face it, furry balls of fluff epitomize organic mood therapy. It’s a proven fact that interacting with puppies or kittens will brighten the mood of even the most crestfallen person. They don’t even need to do anything special, just sit there and be cute.Without trying they naturally lift the spirits of those around them. With enough willing volunteers we could bring joy to others while socializing puppies and kittens. This will be a double-good therapeutic program because it ensures positive results to all participants.

The bottom line is that volunteers are needed in every aspect of the Texas Animal Guardians organization. Whatever your skill is, whatever your schedule allows, whatever your passion is – we will find a way to utilize and accommodate it. The results are what count: more adoptions! If you feel led to join the cause please do not hesitate to contact us. We value each of our volunteers. Just go to our forms page, fill out the volunteer application, list the areas you are interested in and someone will contact you.

In conclusion, we would like to thank all our adopters, volunteers, Petsmart Charities, and the New Braunfels Petsmart staff for a most wonderful 2014. And, we wish each and everyone a very Happy New Year. A special wish goes out to our fellow rescue workers: here’s to lots of successful adoptions in 2015!

Texas Animal Guardians adoption program has saved 163 lives in 2014, including this little puppy.


Rescued!
Adopted!
Loved!

Happy Endings are all that Matter

Happy Endings are all that Matter
Indigo hospitalized for Parvo

Indigo hospitalized with Parvo

As March drew to a close, the Texas Animal Guardians’ team was elated. In one week there were six adoptions! There was a sense that all was well with the world. Then everything went topsy-turvy: Recent arrivals of puppies were infected with Parvovirus.

Canine Parvovirus is a familiar bane to all rescue groups. In 2011 it hit many organizations particularly hard. This is partly due to the hardy nature of the virus: It can survive for months outside the body. It’s also due to the ubiquitous nature of the virus: It’s pretty much everywhere! Texas also suffered a long drought in 2011. With no rains to dilute the virus, concentrated pockets remained in the environment.

Any dog or puppy with a weakened immune system is going to be in danger of contracting it. Shed through feces, the virus incubates in the body of a Canidae for a period of three to ten days. The virus enters any member of the Canidae family (this includes coyote, wolf, dogs, foxes) orally. Symptoms show up as lack of appetite, lethargy, vomiting and severe (often bloody) diarrhea. The survival rate of an infected puppy is very low.

Fischer -- held by Megan -- at Canyon City Animal Hospital

Fischer held by Megan, Canyon City Animal Hospital

In the case of our new arrivals, they were naturally stressed. So it’s not surprising that their immune systems were weak. Initially, two puppies displayed symptoms. These were rushed to our veterinarians at Canyon City Animal Hospital. They were immediately admitted. (A third puppy did not make it to our veterinarian in time. Sadly, she died on March 25.) The virus does not succumb to antibiotics. No amount of treatment will eradicate it from the body. The only hope is to support the organs with fluids, anti-nausea medications, and antibiotics to protect against secondary infections. All we could do was hope and wait.

In the meantime, we worried about the rest of the puppies. There were a total of seven puppies (of various ages) with our group. Although they were pulled at different times, they were all removed from the same shelter. Each group of pups was kept isolated from the rest but still; there was a high probability that they had all been exposed to the virus.

It’s plain to see that Missy wasn’t feeling well.

Thankfully, the two hospitalized pups were responding well to their treatment. After four days they were released into our care. We named them Indigo and Missy. They were still very ill. Indigo ended up with secondary infections: puppy strangles and demodectic mange. Both pups, particularly Missy, continued having intestinal problems.

Shortly after their release, another group of three puppies came down with Parvo symptoms. As before, two showed symptoms while the third lagged one day behind. So, two more pups were hospitalized, the third (who was not as sick as the other two) was treated at home by the foster mother. This time, the symptoms of the two hospitalized pups worsened. At this point, our hope was waning. The pups’ fate hung in the balance as we waited for them to turn the corner towards recovery. With daily visits we checked on them, monitoring their progress with anxiety.

As the days ticked by the pups remained in a state of limbo. Finally the veterinarian, Dr. Keith Leakey, allowed us to bring them home. The third puppy was responding well to her foster mother’s care. But according to Dr. Leakey, the two placed in his care were hit with a particularly strong strain of the virus.

While Missy and Indigo were moving along with their recovery, the two ill pups had only just begun their journey. They were kept in strict isolation. At this point we still did not name them, fearing the worse. There were many setbacks, numerous visits to the vet’s office, and long nights nursing them. Eventually, we were seeing two puppies recovering their puppy hood! At last we could name them: Fischer and Cierra.

As an organization, this incident cost us, not only monetarily but also emotionally. We were literally drained. It was as if this insidious virus had infected the organization, causing the demise of everything we worked so hard to build. But the real trauma wasn’t the organizational cost; it was the damage to innocent puppies. Naturally, we were grateful that the outcome was good. We might have lost all the puppies! Instead, only one lost her life but that was far too many in our opinion.

We weren’t certain Cierra would recover.

The difficult decision was made to halt pulling any new puppies. According to our vet’s recommendation we would need to wait a minimum of 9 months. The Parvovirus affected our group in another way. It was evident that we were not equipped to handle such large numbers of animals. As much as we wanted to, it was simply too risky to shelter so many dogs together at one time. This could be considered a wake up call. We now needed to concentrate our efforts on securing these little ones great homes.

Thankfully that was the easiest part of this whole ordeal! Something short of miraculous happened. Fantastic families stepped forward almost immediately and scooped the pups up. You would have thought they were waiting in the wings for this exact moment to adopt a new puppy. A negative turned into a positive, at least for these little guys. We could only be grateful that they had survived the worst ordeal a pup could ever go through. Now they are living wonderful lives with people who love them.

Many of the animals received into our adoption program need expensive medical care. Your tax deductible contribution helps pay for this. Won’t you please consider a small donation to help needy animals get well? This gives them a chance at adoption and a new life. Thank you in advance!