Playing next to you?

[Steven]

Hey All:

Cooper loves to play with his toys right next to me. I'll move a foot or so away and he'll come right up to me. I was wondering if that's normal and why he does it? It's sorta like he's using me as protection -- from what I dont know.

Also, should I be down the ground with him playing? It should probably half-and-half, huh? If I'm not on ground with him and I'm the couch, he’ll want to get up there with me and play. I think I've spoiled him. :eek:

One last thing, Cooper slept from 2 am until 6:40 am this morning! He probably would've slept longer if I didn't wake him up to go pottie...I was going to take him potty at 5, but slept way over. I checked his den and didn't feel any accidents. I praised him like heck. To bad, he didn't want to go back to bed until like an hour later! :( That was the longest time he had stayed in his den (crate).

[Dachshundrsq]

Steven,
How old is Cooper?? As far as the play goes, he is probably VERY attached to you already and just wants to be close to the one he loves. He may also be bringing his toy to you for you to play "with" him. He would probably be very easy to teach him the game of fetch, esp since he is so attached to you and wanting to be next to you. At first you just need to toss it a foot or two away, esp if he is really young. They don't follow flinging toys well when they are babies. As he gets the idea and gets older, then you can fling the toy further. Praise him and play with him with the toy when he brings it back and fling it again.
His crate training is going very well. How close is he to your bed or bedroom at night?? If he is within hearing distance, I would not wake him at all. Are you a night owl or did you get up at 2am to let him out?? I would keep him on your schedule, potty him before crating for the night then allow him to wake you for his next outing. Then you know he is ready to be up for a little while before taking another nap. He already knows that his den is not the place to go potty. When he needs to go....he WILL cry to be let out. As long as you do not sleep real heavy, you will hear him. As his bladder matures, the times he needs let out will get longer and longer until he is pretty well on a schedule as to how many hours he can hold it before he needs let out.
I think it sounds like you are doing a GREAT job with Cooper and it sounds like Cooper is very bonded to his new daddy.

[TessieMom]

I have to agree with everything Beckie told you. It sounds like he is doing really well and just is very bonded to you, which is a good thing. Before long he will be sleeping through the night.

Rena and the Waco girls

[Steven]

Cooper is 7 weeks old.

Actually, he's sort of gotten fetch. I'll throw his stuffed squirrel about 5 feet and he'll look at it...but when I say something or sorta nudge him in that direction he'll run for it and bring it back. Usually I'll say, "go get it" and off he goes. Praise in both ways.

Me and my mom played "come here" last night. At first it was just a few feet away and then I raised the challenge up more. I first moved about 10 feet from my mom and then when he got that, I moved to where he couldn't see me. A little calling and he found me! The last thing I did -- he got to tired/bored -- was to go in my room and call him. At first he didn't know where I was and then he headed straight for me. That one was probably to hard for him, but I wanted to test him. When he got to me, he didn't want his treat or maybe he didn't notice it; but he got loads of praise. He also had figured out that, "Go to them and get treat." So one or two times he went to the other person before they called him.

This past week he hasn't had one accident in this crate, although I haven't given him a chance too. I went to bed about 1 AM and he was already asleep. He woke up at 2, from sleeping since midnight. He also hasn't had an accident on my bed...again I wouldn't give him a chance and that's during the day when I'm relaxing. This is his thinking, "floor = pottie area, pad = secondary pottie area." Each time he gets up from nap, i'll put him on the pad and about 60% of the time he'll go on it.

All in all, a smart little furbaby.

[lotsadox]

I think you're doing an excellent job, Steven. Starting him out with "Come" at that age is good. It's very important, not only for convenience but for safety for dogs to know "Come" and come to you reliably. Good job.

[Patt]

Hey Steven, your doing great. When they are young pups you can make your training like a game. Cooper will be having fun and learning at the same time. They are also creatures of habit.

Keep up the good work ;)

[dutchman]

Congratulation on the good work. The trainers I've beent o with the boys say come is the most important command to learn and a sit stay the second most important. Following those a leave it command (ignore something on the ground). IF your dog can learnthose commands they can avoid many potentially dangerous situations in life.

Tom and teh boys (Frank, Tanner and Dexter)

[Steven]

Thanks all. It's funny his mood changes depending on the time of day....and how much sleep he has gotten that day. Like today and yesterday he slept a lot and then at night he played for like an hour! Some of that time was playing come. Sometimes he gets bored with the toys he has. I'll have to get some more and some nylabones -- he chews on those good when HE wants to. Just like a doxie I'm sure.

Once he's been vaced. I'll take him to classes at Petsmart. One to socialize and for him to learn more things.

[Juneysmom]

You might want to get a stuffed hedgehog. I know that Juney likes hers. She also loves anything that squeaks.

Once Cooper is vaccinated, you might want to find play dates for him with other dachshund owners that live near you.