Raising a puppy (1st time dog owner)

cjdew

What your describing is standard puppy behaviour. I mean this in the nicest possible way, but up coming is not particularly amazing. Puppies and young dogs are incredibly hard work. Regardless of breed. Teenage months are very very tough and when most dog rescues recieve dogs. Collies as other posters state are highly intelligent energetic herding dogs. If you don't get the early year(s) right they often develop behavioural problems. They are also very destructive when bored, whats your plan when you return to work? Are you full time? 

I don't mean to be overly negative by saying the above, just trying to realistic with you. 

 

Katiehound

She likes pooping on the sofa.
You are allowing her to do it
result: she will carry on doing it.

 I suspect that area smells right because she has used it so many times.
 You need to find a cleaning product that will completely get rid of the smell. Remember dogs have much greater sense of smell than humans. Collies will react to scent too- one reason why they are used in search & rescue.

Lots of very experienced dog owners have given you advice on here, and links to various websites etc. 
have you managed any research?
I'm curious about what the breeder said, and how helpful they were.

As I said before: she is training you. A successful owner is one who is more determined than the dog.

Puppies are very hard work. I don't want one. I am happy with more mature rescues- hounds can have their moments... but puppies have many more!

dekaspace1

Charjohndew said:

What your describing is standard puppy behaviour. I mean this in the nicest possible way, but up coming is not particularly amazing. Puppies and young dogs are incredibly hard work. Regardless of breed. Teenage months are very very tough and when most dog rescues recieve dogs. Collies as other posters state are highly intelligent energetic herding dogs. If you don't get the early year(s) right they often develop behavioural problems. They are also very destructive when bored, whats your plan when you return to work? Are you full time? 

I don't mean to be overly negative by saying the above, just trying to realistic with you. 

 

I am part time and currently maybe in office once a month, twice at most at which a friend takes care of her.

Katiehound said:

She likes pooping on the sofa.
You are allowing her to do it
result: she will carry on doing it.

 I suspect that area smells right because she has used it so many times.
 You need to find a cleaning product that will completely get rid of the smell. Remember dogs have much greater sense of smell than humans. Collies will react to scent too- one reason why they are used in search & rescue.

Lots of very experienced dog owners have given you advice on here, and links to various websites etc. 
have you managed any research?
I'm curious about what the breeder said, and how helpful they were.

As I said before: she is training you. A successful owner is one who is more determined than the dog.

Puppies are very hard work. I don't want one. I am happy with more mature rescues- hounds can have their moments... but puppies have many more!

I have tried using enzyme cleaner on the patches she goes on, have used carpet cleaning machine with pet carpet shampoo, and even used vinegar.

At one point I even soaked the sofa with the enzyme cleaner, another the vinegar, at which points she didn't go near the sofa for about 3 days and even then she went outside more.

I'm doing research at moment, trying tio find a local dog training class but may have to settle for online ones.

I didn't get her from a breeder, I got her from a farmer who's dog had 5 puppies, she had proper vaccinations and records and microchip done and a checkup from my vet.

I am assuming the wee has soaked through onto the cushion inside which is why she still goes, the covers can be washed but im not sure at what temp to not damage them but still get out the smell/stains.

EDIT - I decided to take off the covers of one side of the sofa (its a sofa that is in 2 parts) and remove the cushion covers, the covers did have a faint smell to them, one of the cushions was fine, zero smell, another had faint yellow lines but that may not be what you think and a very faint smell so I sprayed enzyme cleaner then vinegar on them.

I do own a steam cleaner, would that be wise to run them on it before I put the covers back on?

sheramber

A collie from a farmer is meant to be a working animal and will need lots of mental stimulation. You need to take measures to prevent what you don’t want. The more a behaviour is practiced the more it becomes  established behaviour. If you cannot prevent it while a puppy what will you do when she is an adult and still doing it. It is up to you to find ways to prevent the behaviour and praise/ reward the behaviour you want. For example. Cover the sofa with a plastic sheet and a sheet so the sofa is protected and you can wash the sheet. Do not leave her alone unless she is in her crate. You need eyes in the back of your head with a puppy. Tether her to you with a lead so she cannot go anywhere without you. That way you can interrupt any behaviour you do not  want. If it happens then hit yourself over the head with a newspaper for allowing it to happen. You say she goes to the toilet at certain times so you can anticipate these times and take her out until she goes. You need to  work to her schedule. 

Ido not know if your cushions can be steam cleaned but try a small area underneath first. 

I have never used vinegar and not sure if that will negate the enzyme cleaner. I only ever used the cleaner. I know disinfectant  leaves an ammonia smell, which is the same as urine. 

dekaspace1

sheramber said:

A collie from a farmer is meant to be a working animal and will need lots of mental stimulation. You need to take measures to prevent what you don’t want. The more a behaviour is practiced the more it becomes  established behaviour. If you cannot prevent it while a puppy what will you do when she is an adult and still doing it. It is up to you to find ways to prevent the behaviour and praise/ reward the behaviour you want. For example. Cover the sofa with a plastic sheet and a sheet so the sofa is protected and you can wash the sheet. Do not leave her alone unless she is in her crate. You need eyes in the back of your head with a puppy. Tether her to you with a lead so she cannot go anywhere without you. That way you can interrupt any behaviour you do not  want. If it happens then hit yourself over the head with a newspaper for allowing it to happen. You say she goes to the toilet at certain times so you can anticipate these times and take her out until she goes. You need to  work to her schedule. 

Ido not know if your cushions can be steam cleaned but try a small area underneath first. 

I have never used vinegar and not sure if that will negate the enzyme cleaner. I only ever used the cleaner. I know disinfectant  leaves an ammonia smell, which is the same as urine. 

Thanks, I have heard many people say this and sort of knew this as had a rescued collie from a farmer as a kid, used to walk her multiple times a day.

I was thinking of plastic sheet but not sure exactly what to look for or where to get it, my other idea was to get carpet cut offs and place them under blankets so it won't soak through and "easy" to clean i.e I can run my carpet shampoo machine over the pieces if need be.

I heard about tethering puppy to me but people say thats when you first get them, she only has access to rooms I am in normally i.e all doors are closed.

I know the time slots she goes in but not the exact times so I take her out she does nothing, I keep an eye on her and she goes at random..

What I have noticed though is when I have caught her in the act i.e stopped her just in time and took her out she just doesn't want to do it in garden, then comes in and does it.

There must be a reason why she suddenly doesn't want to go inside, it came out of nowhere as literally overnight she went from going at specific times always i.e when she first wakes up, to shortly after food, to around mid morning which meant she never had accidents then, to even first thing when she wakes or even middle of night to go outside, do nothing then come in and do it.

Though I admit it's likely me letting things slide probably didn't help, and maybe she picked up on my unhappiness, i.e when I took her out in middle of night and she did it before I had a chance to get her out, I just cleaned up and took her back to bed, when she did it on sofa I looked at her and made unhappy sounds.

Ok something strange tonight, I moved the sofa to clean the cushions and rather than jump on the other half of sofa she did her business in the same spot as usual but on the carpet itself, could she have just decided thats the place she wants to do it (give or take a foot or two to left or right)

elsien

Have you read any of the guides that you have been linked to yet? The dog training one has resources around toilet training and dogs that keep weeing indoors. But if you’re not wanting to read anything that might help, it’s not going to change.

cjdew

I realise other than pointing out the reality of your situation I should offer constructive advice. 

Toilet training- our breeder said to crack toilet training at 9 to 12 weeks old everytime they play, wake up, eat take them outside. I did this and by 11 weeks completely dry. BUT they cannot hold their toilet for more than 2or3 hours til 16 to 20 weeks. 

I wonder if you need to go right back to basics like this. The toilet smell inside 100% in encouraging it to continue inside.

Chewing-teething is likely to be occurring at the age you puppy is so freeze a wet flannel into a cylinder shape and allow them to chew it for comfort. Re freeze repeat. Cold long carrots also.

Training at this age is a joy as they listen, in the teenage months they reverse themselves. You should be able to get a few basic instructions right now like 'sit' 'down' 'leave it' 'look' 'touch'.

Lastly, please please take the dog to puppy school. My very large passive dog has been bitten 3 times by unsocialised dogs, and alas 2 were collies. Collies are so so intelligent and are named "farm dogs" for a reason. They nip because its their nature. An unsocialised unfriendly untrained collie is a nipping danger.

At puppy school you can do all the training and get tips, but also get the socialisation in. They train you and your dog. Good schools do supervised playtime for 10mins with puppies matched on temperament and size. They cost between 8 to 14 an hour. One hour a week. 

Lastly, if a farmer bred and gave you the puppy, the farmer should be taking responsibility. Ask for training tips, assistance in order to hone in on the collies natural abilities and use his/her rolling fields for exercise .... 😉

Katiehound

On line training might be better than nothing but you need local dog training- to help train you, the owner. it's then up to you to put the advice into practice.

ladyholly

I think you have reached the stage where you firstly need to invest more time in training. With a puppy it is relentless and some prffessional help. Has she been to puppy classes if so it may be worth talking to the trainer and signing up for more.

sheramber

Read the thread

The OP has excuses as to why all the suggestions are not possible for her.

But, there is no magic word or easy solution. Puppy training is hard work that requires constantly watching the puppy and preventing situations that you do not want.