Something that worries me about Holly

[juliefurry]

There is one thing that really worries us about Holly. Holly is 5 months old and still we don't trust her about as far as we'd be able to throw her (don't worry we won't really throw her). We let her out about every hour but god forbid you are don't let her out exactly every hour because if you don't she'll just go potty whereever (unless she occupied with a bone or something). She's been getting the runs for a couple nights and one night she woke us up whining but Saturday morning after I went to work she had went in her crate (I had taken her out before leaving for work as well) and didn't make a noise didn't whine or anything. She was sick but I don't see why she wouldn't whine or anything before or after she went. Last night as well we started her on raw and I woke up at about 6:30 and figured I'd let her out seeing as she hadn't been out since 2 am and I was worried about her getting sick. Well she had went a little in her crate but it was watery and she was just laying in it didn't make a peep or anything. So instead of cleaning the crate and putting her back in there I cleaned the crate, let her out, and then just put her in our shower and had her stay in there because it's easier to clean than the crate. Well she went in the shower and made no noise or nothing. I mean she didn't lay in it she laid in the other side of the shower (we just have a stand up shower no tub). I just don't trust her at all and I know she was sick so she does have an excuse for having an accident but it just worries me I guess that she'll never hold it like Hannah does. I just get the feeling that she thinks someone will eventually come and give her a bath and clean her up so why bother holding it. I know she's just a baby but still I guess these things worry me. The breeder assured me that she wasn't over crated and I do trust the breeder.

 

[PFC1]

Julie, as a fellow Berner owner, I always make a point to check your posts to see how things are going with Holly.

I am a bit surprised that she is not a little better about her potty training. Ours was well on his way at five months.

One question about her crate-- how much space does she have in it? If the crate has too much space in it, puppies can sometimes use one corner, and hang in the other. You probably know all of this, but it is the only thing that instantly comes to mind, other than the illness that you noted.

As far as digestion goes, our boy seems to have a sensitive stomach, too. Accordingly, we try to keep his food regular-- Innova adult formula only. He didn't do well on the Evo (lots of soft stools), so after a few moths, we were back to their regular adult formula. He is back to being regular.

 

[juliefurry]

Julie, as a fellow Berner owner, I always make a point to check your posts to see how things are going with Holly.

I am a bit surprised that she is not a little better about her potty training. Ours was well on his way at five months.

One question about her crate-- how much space does she have in it? If the crate has too much space in it, puppies can sometimes use one corner, and hang in the other. You probably know all of this, but it is the only thing that instantly comes to mind, other than the illness that you noted.

As far as digestion goes, our boy seems to have a sensitive stomach, too. Accordingly, we try to keep his food regular-- Innova adult formula only. He didn't do well on the Evo (lots of soft stools), so after a few moths, we were back to their regular adult formula. He is back to being regular.

Thanks. Well her crate is only big enough for her to turn around and lay down. She will lay in her mess and not really care. Outside of her crate she still will not signal she has to go she used to go to the baby gate but has stopped doing that. We have a bell and she won't use that either. She doesn't really have accidents (well except now that we're switching her to raw her stomach is really upset) but it's just she'll go like a week without having a single accident and then all of a sudden she'll just pee on the floor. As for food she started off her on the Innova adult and got really sick from that, then we tried the Eagle Pack large breed puppy formula and it seemed that just went right through her. From there we attempted the Canidae chicken meal and rice formula and that seemed to work for awhile and then she would get sick agian so we decided to try raw. Our trainer is just telling us to give raw a couple more days before going back to kibble but is baffled because usually she says puppies don't have this much trouble transitioning over to the raw diet.

 

[showpug]

Wow, I am a little surprised you expect her to hold it like Hannah at 5 months! LOL! First of all, labs are really good at "holding it." I wouldn't compare your berner to your lab. My bulldog puppy is 6 months old and still needs out every hour. If I don't make it in time, she will go on the floor. She will also have accidents in her crate on occasion. I know she will outgrow this and just needs time. I think Holly just needs time as well. Some dogs take a long time to get full bladder control. If she is having loose stool, it's not easy for her to gain control. I would give her a full 2 years before she's fully trustworthy, but that's just my opinion...

 

[juliefurry]

Wow, I am a little surprised you expect her to hold it like Hannah at 5 months! LOL! First of all, labs are really good at "holding it." I wouldn't compare your berner to your lab. My bulldog puppy is 6 months old and still needs out every hour. If I don't make it in time, she will go on the floor. She will also have accidents in her crate on occasion. I know she will outgrow this and just needs time. I think Holly just needs time as well. Some dogs take a long time to get full bladder control. If she is having loose stool, it's not easy for her to gain control. I would give her a full 2 years before she's fully trustworthy, but that's just my opinion...

No, I meant Hannah, as a puppy. Sorry, I should have explained more . Hannah, as a puppy, learned really quickly and even when she was really young would hold it above and beyond what she was suppose to hold it. Yeah I know she's just a baby and needs more time I just get worried because I know Hannah at this age was trustworthy as all heck. Thanks, Showpug, you really did sort put my mind at ease.

 

[showpug]

No, I meant Hannah, as a puppy. Sorry, I should have explained more . Hannah, as a puppy, learned really quickly and even when she was really young would hold it above and beyond what she was suppose to hold it. Yeah I know she's just a baby and needs more time I just get worried because I know Hannah at this age was trustworthy as all heck. Thanks, Showpug, you really did sort put my mind at ease.

Yes, but Hannah was better at holding it as a puppy because she is a lab. That is my opinion anyway. Labs are just really good at holding it. At least the ones I know are. As far as Holly going in her crate and not crying, I think that some dogs just don't mind a mess as much as others. My pugs have never wanted out of their crates or made any noise if they messed themselves. They would just sit in there with a dumb little look on their faces, LOL. I think some dogs just have better hygiene. I do think that once Holly's system calms down things will get better. She seems to have a sensitive tummy and has been through a lot of change. Once her digestive tract matures and her diet settles down, I think you will see a change. Hang in there!