daily routine for a 17 week old

[Mel]

hi everyone !
I was just wondering today what the average (if there is such a thing !) day would be for a 17 week old doodle.....

we are still feeding 3 x a day and he poops maybe 4 or 5 times
sometimes will need to go out once at night but not often.
Sleeps from 10:30pm until around 6 am.
Still biting and jumping on everyone, working on that.
Goes for walks on the leash 2 x a day if weather allows, otherwise plays in the yard a lot.
about 95% potty trained but i think that will change when we allow him the run of the downstairs (still in the kitchen). i can imagine we will take a few steps back with that.

So what was / is your routine for your 17 weeker ??

[lindamarie]

OHMYGOSH! It's so hard to remember!!
Thinking back to Bogart being about 4 months, he was totally housebroken.......ate 3 times a day until he was a year old.......I let him have run of the bedroom side of the house around then and woke one night to him chewing on the wooden leg of my dresser!............so we crated him again fo awhile........he was sleeping well through the night 8-10 hrs.......his jumping and biting (mouthing) had stopped because of obedience classes.........went for long walks and played at a few dog parks........but in all honesty, he still had to be watched..........they're still puppies at 17 weeks!
So, it sounds like you're on the right track! Have you started any classes? I think that's a must!

[Mel]

we did start puppy classes but he has missed 2 of them for different reasons.
Hopefully the 'mouthing' will get better...ripped clothes are not something i want to deal with for too long !

[tonicrawford]

hey there...we have a 12 week old...she is housetrained...sort of...we take her out and she goes but never asks to go out...but the jumping and biting is driving us nuts. She is in Obedience and the instructor just says that is puppy behavior...yet I worry. What are you doing to train yours not to jump and bite?

[Nikkiey]

17 weeks, that feels like eons ago!! But yet it was only 5 months ago for us. I just remember how naughty he was - or we thought he was. Everyone kept telling us that once we got him neutered that he would calm down - well apparently Juneau didn't get the memo because he was just as naughty a few months later. When we noticed an actual change in his behaviour (actually listening, not jumping, not being a crazy ball of fur) he was around the 7 month mark.

Here's what we experience with Juneau on a day to day basis now:

- still eats 3 times a day (he's 9 months now) and most likely will continue on that path until he's 1 year old since we had so many stomach issues (especially with excess stomach acid).
- been house broken (100%) since we introduced the bell around the 4.5 month mark.
Sleeps from 10 pm till 6 am every week day and usually for about 10-11 hours on the weekends (we wake up to him jumping up on the bed and staring at us cause he has to go out)
- His biting has dissapeared, however, he does not have a soft mouth so we still have to be careful when giving treats (and of course we are still working on that too) and the jumping is few and far between now. He gets very excited very quickly so if we don't correct him in that split second then he will jump up. He's SOOO much better than before though.
- Juneau also goes for two walks a day when he stays home crated and only once on the days when he goes to doggie daycare and on the weekends.

[deepnite10]

by the 16th week Toby was house broken and used the the doggie door..

4 small meals a day..now down to 2..or a small snack and a meal befor going to bed..during this period we experiment d with different dog foods..
he seem d to like just about everything we put down..its only after turning 1 yr. did he start getting real picky..

don t spoil him rotten, like me..if he does nt eat..pick the food up after 15 mins..

daily brushing and combing..the result is that he now take s it as a act
of affection..and allows me to clean his ears, brush his teeth, and clip
him with no problems..

his early months, the weather was cold and wet..but, we did go out and he spent alot of time with the neighborhood kids and their dogs..between
the kids, dogs and our dogs..he had alot of time socializing..

in the home we work d on basic commands daily until he entered his first
obedience class..

we never really got him to stop chewing on things..we just provided chew toys and put away shoes and other articles of clothing..it appears he eventually out grew that stage..Bitter Orange & Apple worked early on..eventually he seem d to start enjoying it..

[lindamarie]

WELCOME TONICRAWFORD & DOODLE!

The mouthing and jumping are normal at 12 weeks. WIth training, this will go away. Have you started obedience classes yet? I have tips, but I'd have to do a video..

[Linger112]

You mentioned the bell for housebreaking. I too am planning to use a bell when my doodle comes home. I can't decide between the tell bell (like a bell on a counter) or the usual bells on the ribbon that hang from the door or hook. What do you use? I also have a dumb question. If you train them to the bell, will they hold it if you aren't home and they aren't in the crate and ring the bell? Just curious.

[Nikkiey]

We use sleigh bells (We got Juneau November 1st so all the Christmas stuff was out). It's a leather strap about 12 inches long and it has 5 bells attached to it at different heights. We chose this one because as he grew there would always be a bell at his height. We really had to watch him in the beginning because he would try and steal the bells from the door and run like a mad man with them!

And don't worry, that's not a dumb question, I'm wondering about that too now! We don't have to worry about it for Juneau yet as he goes straight into his kennel when we leave, but I'm not sure.

[Linger112]

Thanks Nikkiey. Maybe someone else will post about the bell training and we will both find out!

[M&Tdoodles]

Originally Posted by Linger112

You mentioned the bell for housebreaking. I too am planning to use a bell when my doodle comes home. I can't decide between the tell bell (like a bell on a counter) or the usual bells on the ribbon that hang from the door or hook. What do you use? I also have a dumb question. If you train them to the bell, will they hold it if you aren't home and they aren't in the crate and ring the bell? Just curious.

Use the bell on a ribbon, it is easy way for them to be able to ring so you can hear, this is what we have used.

As far as the other question about holding urine, if no-one is home and your pup is in the crate , he will not be able to ring any bell, and should hold the urine until you get home as long as it isn't more than 6 hours, if the dog is not in a crate there is never a guarnetee, and your pup may have to go and do so anywhere... Urine will be held for 2 hours if only a young pup ( 2 months of age), and the crate is not too large, if too large they will find a spot to pee in ...and only if they have no other choice...most pups can learn the crate well, and many learn that the crate is their own space, if it is comfy they will crawl in and nap in because this is a guarenteed safe haven for them..I wish you success in your doodle bell training..