...But I'm working on #23 and the weekend :)

#23 - Set A Strict Schedule for Puppy

I know this isn't my dog blog, but its kind of hard when they are like the 3rd most important things in my life right now (God, Work...Dogs).

After 4 puppies you start learning some tips and tricks of a little thing called potty training.

• Consistency. You have to do the same thing, every day the same way. 
• Go out the same door to go potty, to the same spot...always sit to eat, or to go outside, or to get a treat etc..
  
• Confinement. Letting a 8wo puppy roam the entire house is ASKING for accidents.
• Mr.Pompeii is limited to my kitchen unless I'm going to get off the computer/stop whatever I'm doing and watch him. Right now I'm using baby-gates, but have purchased an x-pen so that he can have his area, with out confining the dogs that have earned their freedoms. And so I don't have to do the crazy baby-gate-hop every time I need to go into my kitchen!

• Crates - What would we do without them?
• With my first 3 pups, I struggled with using the crate, just because if felt mean. Now? Not so much. This morning I woke up, took Mr. Pompeii out to potty, than put him and his food in the crate while I got dressed, and fed the other dogs. Most puppies have to potty immediately after eating, and  I knew I couldn't get him out that soon, so in the crate ya go.
  

On the days I'm home, my day gets to be broken down into 30 minute increments. Which for someone who has such a hard time focusing is actually a good thing. So when I get home, it'll go something like this:
The dots represent 30 minutes
(Hour 1)

• Pottying, Exercise and Play time 
• Potty,Crate Games/Nap Time/Hang out by yourself time
  

(Hour 2)
HOPEFULLY SLEEPING

• Potty, Indoor Playtime
• Potty, X-Pen Time/Playtime 

 And Hour 3 - 12 - Repeat

I know a lot of you are going OMG, that is too much work..well ok don't get a puppy than, and two you don't HAVE to do that.....but its a WHOLE lot easier later on if you do. Think of all the stuff you are saving, and the valuables that won't get chewed up.

I have actually upped that schedule to giving him an hour of free time in the room with me, and than napping however long he will in his pen, however long he will. Which as it turns out, he's put himself on the 30 minute schedule, so even if I don't pen him, he's crashed by the heater or on a bed, or under something after about 15-30 minutes of playtime.

The only thing with having him loose, is that I have a greater risk of having my carpet peed on if I don't see him as soon as he gets up.

But ok enough about the dogs. That's what my other 4 blogs are for.....

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5 days till school starts.....

And its the weekend. Finally! I have survied my first week of 2010! Let's hope the rest of the year doesn't go this  "well". I think about 80% caught up on my sleep. Pompei is not screaming his way to tiredness anymore, but is still getting up in the middle of the night.

Since it started snowing on Thursday, I had to cancel all my puppy classes at the kennels today, due to the road conditions, so I got to spend the entire day at home with my puppies.I wanted to take a nap...that just didn't happen. Even still I'm planning on going to bed at ..10:30PM.
 
Yeah wish me luck, I'll need it.  I am a night owl if there ever was one.

Something that makes early morning classes detrimental to my grades....and so do early job schedules...though some how I rarely miss those!

But I did get the majority of my To-Do list down. (YaY Me) And Scrapbooked Pompei's first couple of days with done....

 And I think I might be ready for next week.
Anyway I trust you all had a great weekend, I'm off to wash dishes and go to bed.

TTYL