[Jaylie]

So, we were all first time dog owners once, right? Some of us may have been more involved with dogs before we actually owned one, but for those of us who were clueless...Here's your chance to share stories of when you were clueless.

When I first got Jaylie, I had done tons and tons and *tons* of research; but there's only so much you can learn from reading. Looking back, I can't believe how UNBELIEVABLY stupid I was. It wasn't just ignorance, it was a lack of common sense!

One of the things I was most stupid with were the rules I somehow imagined there were. For some reason (I have NO idea why I thought this...I'm still trying to convince myself it was a dream!) I actually thought we were only allowed to use the leash given to us by GDA...And that thing got so torn up before someone finally informed me that we *could* purchase our own. I also was so stupid I didn't figure out that the bib (the jacket signifying that Jaylie was a service dog) actually went to bigger sizes. I was complaining about how small it was one day, and another puppy raiser just reached down and made it bigger. So embarrassing.

I also was nonsensical with the potty training. I should have realized that Jaylie would have to go every half hour, especially after witnessing just that, but somehow the fact didn't register in my thick head. It took a *looong* time to potty train.

The first time Julie had an ear ache, I nearly came unglued. What had I done wrong???? I was cleaning her ears every week, like Louise and all the books told me to. I didn't realize that she was, indeed, a lab...and that ear aches are inevitable.

Soo...Share your stories. Make me feel better about my absolute stupidity.

***DISCLAIMER***

I'm better now.

 

[BobSD]

I am a little confused here, are you a guide dog trainer now, or raise dogs for entry into the service by others in the training dept? I also do not know that labs needed to have their ears cleaned once a week. You may have caused the problem with the ear ache. Just how do you clean your dog's ears?

I know one of my dogs had a ear problem but it was from the female licking his ears, can cause infection.

now that I must have you totally POed at me to your question:

Many of us were in your possition and all the books you read will never 100% take the place of actual hands on experience. At a point you just have to take that plunge into the cold water and adjust. It helps if you are a person with alot of common sense, because things can happen fast and you have to make a good judgement call. And a lot of patients and do not lose your temper easily, really means alot with success down the road!!!

I was not prepared for our seven month old doberman to start teething on the siding of our house, nor changing our immaculate back yard into a battle zone with all these pot holes, destroyed flower beds, and yes all that poop, I did not realize could accumuate in a short period of time if you do not get after it ASAP! Books did not tell me about that one lol.

Accidents in the house, now that is a good one especially when you are going to use the bath room in the middle of the night bare footed and you step into something mushy and wet lol. Now you know why I love dogs

My wife just reminded me about our very pricy Ethen Allen Sofa that he dug a huge hole in the middle, good placd to store your lose changelol

 

[Independent George]

Let's see...

There was the time I left the pantry door open, with the (opened) 30-lb. bag of kibble at ground level. Or the time I rewarded a successful Leave It/Drop It with the object she just dropped/left. The time I took off her leash as soon as I stepped out of the elevator, and watched her run down the hallway into somebody else's apartment as they were leaving.

And, oh yes, there was the time I sniffed my dog's ass.

 

[Jaylie]

I am a little confused here, are you a guide dog trainer now, or raise dogs for entry into the service by others in the training dept? I also do not know that labs needed to have their ears cleaned once a week. You may have caused the problem with the ear ache. Just how do you clean your dog's ears?

I raise guide dog from the time they're about 7 weeks to 18 months old.

Yes, Labs *very* much need their ears cleaned out that often. Ear wax accumulates very quickly with Labs. It's not a full cleaning, just a baby wipe to get all the ear wax out.

No, I'm not offended or mad. I understand that you are just concerned that I'm still ignorant.

 

[Keechak]

I wish I had a fun story but I don't I've always been a dog owner never a first timer. I was born into a dog showing and training family.

 

[BobSD]

Well I learned something about labs, glad your are not offended!

I have to admit both my wife and I were very nervous when we got our first dog to the point we thought we were crazy for getting into this new realm of dog owner ship. And yes we bought from a BYB, what did we know?

Thinking back, we actually bought a baby play pen to house the pup, and put up sides after we seen how he could get his head stuck between the bars. He was good all day with us until bed time, he would cry and cry all night. He just did not want to be left alone in a room by himself.

But once he was house broken he got run of the house, that was a big mistake, too much too soon. But as I look back it was all worth it, our life was change forever because of him.....

 

[RottieMomx3]

Oh my, the stories...lol

Back in the day when I got my griff, many many moons ago. It was a disaster from the get go. We do trade shows all over the US and my BH was heading to one when his truck broke down, so I loaded up the kids and went to get him. Well, at the show there was a dog broker (didn't know that then) and she had the adorable puppies that my son had been playing with. Well at the end of the day one was left, and I convinced by BH that we needed him. No crate, no experience, no nothing. Hadn't had a dog indoors since I was younger. So, naturally when we got him home, he peed and pooped all over the place, everywhere. That was actually his only major problem, he did jump on people but he was 8 pounds, who cares right???? lol. He was great with the kids, only chewed on his toys and not the kids, loved to travel with us. He just wasn't potty trained. So I was told by my BH to get him trained or he was going to find a new home. So I hired a trainer to work with me. This is how I got into the working dogs, this trainer had working GSD's. And everything bloomed from there! It took 6 months to train my griff, he was over a year old at this point. I remember hating to put him in a crate, I thought I was a horrible person. My heart ached that night, and of course I didn't sleep because he was trying to get out and make alot of noise. Ahh back in the day.

 

[CerbiesMom]

I did pretty well with Cerbie, I've had big dogs before, and everything I'd read about heelers had me "on alert" that I was gonna have to watch him like a hawk.

Brigit, on the other hand, I was totally unprepaed for. I didn't know what to do with a tiny dog. I lost her behind the refridgerator the first night we had her. I cried, bc I lost a dog. It was terrible. I also had the mindset, "she's tiny, what damage could she possibly do?'. LOL. 100 pairs of socks later, and she's still a chewer. I guess Cerberus spoiled me, he didn't give us much trouble besides his distemper treatment, but no real behavior issues.

 

[Independent George]

Brigit, on the other hand, I was totally unprepaed for. I didn't know what to do with a tiny dog. I lost her behind the refridgerator the first night we had her. I cried, bc I lost a dog. It was terrible.

I lost my 40 lb. dog under the futon last week. I thought she escaped while I was taking out the trash, and immediately raced out into the hallways to search for her. When I went back into my apartment to get my cell phone, she came racing out from under the furniture to give me the usual 'Welcome Home' greeting - only this time, I hugged her back.

 

[CerbiesMom]

I lost my 40 lb. dog under the futon last week. I thought she escaped while I was taking out the trash, and immediately raced out into the hallways to search for her. When I went back into my apartment to get my cell phone, she came racing out from under the furniture to give me the usual 'Welcome Home' greeting - only this time, I hugged her back.

That's funny. I feel better since it's not just me. I lost a 2 pounder, though. And I knew she was inside, and I was so upset that I couldn't find her. I got her out with a can of food. LOL.

 

[Dog Tracks]

Good Lord! What we DIDN'T know when we adopted Mabel. She knew a lot more about people than we knew about dogs.

Dog fear aggression? What's that? Oh, that's what it is!

Is it permanent? Can it be cured? Yes, after a ton of chicken.

All in all, we were amazingly lucky to get Mabel. She's never destroyed anything in the house. She's happy to take a nap while we're gone. Her only "accidents" were submissive peeing in the first month.