Dear Miss Jane,
I need help. My 9 yr old neutered male, Lad, is entered in agility and he is slower than molassas in January. He doesn't work for food or toys - only rats, real ones, get any reaction from him and I don't think they're allowed. I did tell him once that I saw one up the dog walk and that did speed him up, but when he got to the tunnel he stopped and looked under the table, and the broad jump too. I have discovered that if I keep him away from class he will come back excited. Do you think I should try this with the competition? All he has to do is get this title and he'll get a versitilty award.

Thanks,
Pat Ray

Since Lad is enjoying agility but is performing it slowly, I say take a break for a few weeks, practice a little about a week or so before a show but not much and you should be able to recover him from his "burn out."

~Jane

Dear Miss Jane,
Help!!!! We have a male Westie, "Mutley," who is 5 years old and another male puppy
Westie ,"Dino," now 18 weeks old. (Just too Cute!)

The problem ...
The puppy is not yet house trained. He's maybe 3/4 the way there but seems to have "accidents" frequently. My wife is at home with them all day. Mutley took about three to four weeks to train. The Puppy seems to be taking forever in comparison.

We use a cage at night and throughout the day let the puppy outside. But he still doesn't seem to have understood yet. We make a point of telling him to go "wee wee" when he goes outside so he gets the command, and praise him on his return upon completion.

What do we do next???? Our carpets can only take so much!!!

Also how long would you say it would take for the two dogs to get along? Mutley is fairly easy going and apart from chasing up and down the fence line everytime some passes, enjoys the easy life. Now Dino likes to be a puppy, and basically pounces on Mutley at every given chance. Mutley being unappreciative of that fact, growls and will back away.

Any advice would be useful.

Regards,
Richard

Hello Richard,
Though Mutley and Dino are the same breed, they can not be compared in development any more than two children should be. Dino is Dino, plain and simple. Certain behaviours are going to be identical to Mutley's, and others, well, he'll just be adorable little Dino. Housebreaking should be done as a schedule of food/water times, and outside times. You learned this first with Mutley, but it has been five years and perhaps the memory has faded ever so slightly, and you may not remember that Mutley had his share of accidents too. By now Dino certainly should be getting the idea of the housebreaking routine firmly in his head. But you may have to take baby steps with him, as if he were much younger, and take him outside more often.

Is he drinking more water? Remember puppies that age are in perpetual motion and they consume and great deal of water. You may need to take him out every hour or thirty minutes if you notice he is drinking a lot. Clean the accident spot with diluted white vinegar or a product like Nature's Miracle. That will help dissipate the odor so he won't return to the same spot.

Make sure you take him out on lead, not just let him run in the yard. If he runs freely in the yard, he'll get distracted and forget what he's out there for, or he may pee and forget to poop. Pick a spot where you'd like for him to do his business and take him there each time. Also, dictate the times he has to go, don't wait for him to tell you. Take him out every hour, even though you don't think he needs to go. Put the leash on and take him to the designated spot. Let him sniff around a little to stimulate the bladder and bowels. Use a key word to start teaching him what he is to do, such as "go piddle," "go poop." If he doesn't go, take him back inside and either watch him carefully (he'll circle or sniff before he goes), or put him back in his crate. If you try to wait for him to tell you when he has to go, you may miss his signal, and he'll go anyway. If you dictate when it's time to potty, then he'll learn to wait.

Don't scold him for his accidents, or at least don't scold him too much. If he knows peeing on the carpet in the den is going to get him in horrible trouble, he'll start sneaking off to another room to do it, where you may not find it as readily. Bladder and bowel control gets better with age, and even though it seems like this period of housebreaking is lasting forever, it isn't, and before you know it, he'll catch on.

As far as Mutley and Dino getting along, just relax and let them sort out their pack order. Mutley won't kill Dino, I promise. And even though it looks and sounds horrible, the way Mutley reacts, this is how almost all Westies react when a new Westie pup comes on the scene. Mutley will put Dino in his place when he's had enough, all dogs do this, especially a mother dog when she's had enough of being trampled on, nipped at and bascially been turned into a giant chew toy. She'll growl and snap her warning to her pups to cool it. I would recommend giving Mutley a break from Dino a couple of times a day. Call it naptime and put Dino in his crate. After all, you wouldn't want to have to deal with a toddler for hours on end, with no relief in sight. Everything will work itself out, be patient and above all, have fun.

~Jane

Dear Miss Jane,
I have a five year old Westie that I have owned for three years. He is generally a well behaved dog, easy to live with, rarely barks and has never snapped at anyone. He is very attached to me as and this is the only problem. He seems to be TOO attached at some times, becoming jealous and barking when
any human shows me any affection. He has been known to try and jam himself between my partner and I just to keep us apart.

This is becoming a concern for me now as my partner and I are thinking about having a child. What sort of steps would you recommend in easing the entrance of a child into the household that includes a Westie? He has generally shown himself to be fairly tolerant of children, even a tiny toddler who tried to
pull his hair. As long as I am with him and reassure him he seems to cope with children very weel, even enjoying their company. I am more worried about any jealousy that may arise.

Thanks very much,
Georgi

Hello Georgi,
The jealously your Westie shows is actually a dominance technique. It sounds as though the line is a bit blurred over who is in charge or whom here. I would suggest that before you even think about adding a child, you need to diminish your dog's possessiveness over you. If he does not like for others to be near you, it will only get worse when you bring a baby into the family. In fact, he is more likely to start biting to "protect" his new member of the pack.

It is quite simple to reclaim your position of authority over him but you have to overcome a few human emotions. Your partner is just as much a part of your life as your dog, you are all a family. But the dog needs to be lowered back to the status of low dog on the totem pole, so that you can successfully enjoy a relationship with your partner and your baby, with the total acceptance of your dog as well.

An example of how to do this would be: Put your dog on lead, have a seat on the sofa, have your partner come along and sit down beside you, at which point you put the dog on the floor. You have the lead on so you have some control. DO NOT let the dog back on the sofa, because he'll only try to
separate the two of you. Have your partner ready with treats in hand to give your dog only when he remains on the floor. It is difficult I know, but your dog is already excluding your partner it seems, and will only get worse once the baby arrives.

You may also want to start practicing some time away from your dog, even when you are there. Dogs get such a jolt of emotions when their people arrive home with a bundle and suddenly no longer pay attention to them. People practice everything about bringing a baby home except the separation part.
This is a perfect time for your partner to establish a relationship with your dog. Have your partner take the dog for a walk while you stay home, this way, once the baby arrives, your dog will be used to his one on one time with another person, and his jealously will diminish.

Good luck!
~Jane

Copyright © 2001 Jane Fink and Westie World.