Canesisters 2023 journal - turning my Disasters into Delights

[Mini Horses]

Why put something in front that she can stand on to attempt to jump OVER the boards and out??? I'd be tempted to tape something across window about 10" above ac. Block the view. Maybe she just needed to go out to pee.

 

[canesisters]

Why put something in front that she can stand on to attempt to jump OVER the boards and out??? I'd be tempted to tape something across window about 10" above ac. Block the view. Maybe she just needed to go out to pee.

Well she DID pee on the rug
I spot cleaned it as best as I could & have covered it in baking soda with towels above & below

I picked a bunch of lemon balm this afternoon & blended it up with boiling water. In the morning I'm going to strain it & diffuse the water. It's supposed to be really good for anxiety. Also used as a sleep aid. I'm looking for things to help us get through these first few weeks until a good, solid routine can be established..... hopefully with minimal renovations.

 

[Baymule]

AC looks great. You did a good job!

 

[canesisters]

Tiny little Marilyn checking out the sleeping 'monster'

 

[farmerjan]

I am thinking maybe she wanted to go out.... maybe to pee.....

I know this is controversial.... but what about a chain/cable dog "run" for when you are at work? We had dogs that would go out on their chain when no one was home so they were not in the house and had an accident that they really could not help.... The weather is warm, you can position it in a place where she would have shade... she would be able to use the bathroom outside and so not a problem there...
Are any of the stalls where you could shut her in while at work? We used to lock the female dogs in heat in a stall in the barn when I was a kid... and yes, we managed to keep them from getting bred...
Not as a punishment, and not like locking her in a small crate where she is feeling insecure...

Sorry, but there is no way I would expect an animal to go 6-8-10 hours without a chance to go pee....

 

[SageHill]

I think the two of you are just figuring things out. Her life has been a jumble for awhile and she doesn’t know that it has changed into something good. She’s trying to be good. just starting to learn the new rules.

 

[canesisters]

I am thinking maybe she wanted to go out.... maybe to pee.....

I know this is controversial.... but what about a chain/cable dog "run" for when you are at work? We had dogs that would go out on their chain when no one was home so they were not in the house and had an accident that they really could not help.... The weather is warm, you can position it in a place where she would have shade... she would be able to use the bathroom outside and so not a problem there...
Are any of the stalls where you could shut her in while at work? We used to lock the female dogs in heat in a stall in the barn when I was a kid... and yes, we managed to keep them from getting bred...
Not as a punishment, and not like locking her in a small crate where she is feeling insecure...

Sorry, but there is no way I would expect an animal to go 6-8-10 hours without a chance to go pee....

I've considered tying her out, and eventually I'll be able to just leave her loose in the yard. But for the next week or so I think it's probably best to keep her confined. As of the window incident, it had only been 48hrs out of the shelter. I'm not going to count any "misbehavior" against her. Being a boxer, her neck is as big as her head, so slipping a collar is a good possibility unless it's VERY tight. Also, with the current heat & humidity and VA's 'tethered dog' laws, I would be going back and forth with tying out one day, and unable to tie out the next.
I'm also going to work on how I can lengthen her time out in the AM. Maybe we can walk to the mailbox and back (.25mile). This morning I left her out alone while I took care of the cats, but she just sat on the porch and watched me.

STILL reminding myself... it's only been a couple of days...
If she was a cat I'd be expecting her to still be hidden under the sofa or something.
If she was a horse or a cow she would still be being kept someplace small and secure - small paddock or stall with lead walking exercise.
We'll get there.

 

[Mini Horses]

My inside dogs were much smaller but, trained to a piddle pad...in case. Maybe something like that in a shallow pan, or shower....thinking volume & clean up.. At some point, maybe a doggie door will be a thing that works there once "new home" there is in her mind.

Hey, nothing bad about Eva & Blossom -- so seems the hot wire fix took care of their wandering

Birdie and you will get it worked out, also.

 

[farmerjan]

I think she is scared of being abandoned and that is why she sat on the porch.... and I think that maybe the peeing was just because she couldn't hold it?
I do think you will get it worked out, she is not tearing things apart overall... would have been a little better if you had some vacation time or some 1/2 days of work to get her settled in a little easier...
I have heard of the piddle pads for "inside dogs"...
I get the thick neck and slipping a collar... what about a harness? Just throwing out random thoughts... I just think a little time...

 

[canesisters]

My inside dogs were much smaller but, trained to a piddle pad...in case. Maybe something like that in a shallow pan, or shower....thinking volume & clean up.. At some point, maybe a doggie door will be a thing that works there once "new home" there is in her mind.

Hey, nothing bad about Eva & Blossom -- so seems the hot wire fix took care of their wandering

Birdie and you will get it worked out, also.

YES!!! The bovine beauty queens have very politely stayed put since the new charger and fence repairs. A BIG THANK YOU to you all for the encouragement during THAT crisis!!!

I could still smell the spot that she peed yesterday so I put a giant puppy pad under the rug & upside down over the damp spot to absorb more - and another one on top in case she needs to go again and feels like that's an ok spot.. with the smell and all.
I keep the great big pads for putting under my litter boxes - sometimes one of the cats will 'miss' and it's easier to change out a pad than to move everything and mop the floor.