Breakthrough Moment in Puppy Training!

I apologize if my posts are a bit random. I have lots of things I want to write about, but also want to keep each post to a short, single subject. Okay, so today's might be about two :-)

Our newest foster pitbull puppy, Lexi, is an absolute sweetheart. At 6 weeks old & only 5 pounds, she brings so much joy & laughter into our lives. We are by no means professional dog trainers. I don't think we even qualify as amateurs! But in fostering, we can provide the basics; food, shelter, love, lots of human & canine contact & socialization & the beginnings of simple training like housebreaking, crate training, sit, etc. until we find the perfect permanent home for them!

Crate training Lexi has left us with several sleepless nights in the first week of having her. She has trained us (well more specifically, my husband)! Lexi knows if she cries long & loud enough, someone will rescue her from her crate. Yesterday I found on the internet a simple solution that worked WONDERS! A simple walk (with her short little 4 inch legs)of about 6 blocks tires her completely. All it took was 10 minutes out of my night last night & this morning & not a peep from the peanut gallery! And as an added bonus, she is learning to walk off leash superbly. What a great feeling of accomplishment! Cesar Milan, here we come!

Tomorrow I will be picking up another foster whom we have named LeRoy (in honor of my deceased grandfather). I feel as if he will be our first 'true' rescue. He was slated for euthanization after being found as a stray. He was terrified & shaking in his cage & did not approach, bark, or react as people walked by. This alone got him on the euth list to make room for more marketable pups, as the shelter is severely overcrowded. I noticed he was extremely skinny & when we coaxed him out of his cage with some wet food, he randomly gave me his 'paw' without being asked. It was then that I knew this boy was meant to come home with us. I have since spent a few hours walking & playing with LeRoy & he truly is a GREAT, possibly near perfect dog. He flourishes outside of the shelter setting & seems to be housebroken. He is highly treat motivated & is very attentive to commands such as sit, stay & paw.

Tomorrow will begin a new adventure. 4 dogs at once will be slightly chaotic, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I hope LeRoy complies in his crate and allows everyone to continue with the first of many good nights of sleep. If not, I will be walking a bit more than 6 blocks to tire this big boy out. He's full size (I'm guessing about 60 lbs with some weight to gain) & about 3-5 years old.

'Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole'.