I didn't just come across this article I actually googled "i'm sick of people telling me their dog is a rescue" and this article was the first to pop up! That being said, "i'm sick of people telling me their dog is a rescue"! Here's why... probably 75% of the time when I ask an owner "what kind of dog is that"? they answer "its a rescue". It drives me crazy because they know I have asked them what breed they have but they insist in on first letting me know that they are a wonderful person because they have rescued a dog. Wait.... the question wasn't did you get your dog from a breeder or did you get your dog elsewhere (naturally if it didn't come from the breeder you have rescued a dog from somewhere, hence making most dogs rescues). But the actual term "rescue dog" is very misleading so I always ask them to clarify with the following question.... "Wow, a rescue dog, that is incredible, you must be so proud of him/her... I just read about this rescue dog that pulled a little baby out of a burning building.... what exactly did your dog do?

skatiero, I am so excited by your post! Most definitely you may use the picture!! I looked at your website a while back when you posted it and was so impressed, both by your work and at how great you look. You had been saying you thought you didn't look well and I can't remember whether or not I posted to you at the time, but I'll tell you now that I thought you looked great. And I am always in awe of those who can channel their creativity into such fabulous works as yours. I'm very sorry about your Maltese. It is so hard to lose a pet - you do have to go through a mourning period, I think. We lost our dog, who was 16, last summer and didn't really feel ready for another until now. I married my dh when Luke (the dog) was 9 years old, so this is my first experience with a puppy. What do you think about this new name? DH even agreed to it. Our 5-year-old suddenly came up with the name Cricket, and we really think it fits. I think we could still use Shortcake as an endearment, too. Believe it or not, it even ties into the girls' desire for a Disney princess name, as Cricket is one of Mulan's companions and is supposed to bring her luck :) Cricket/Shortcake now knows how to sit, lie down, and roll over, though that one requires a treat in the hand for prompting. We're still not quite there on housebreaking and I'm not sure what I might be doing wrong (if anything). She doesn't go in her crate, she does go outside when I take her, she tells me sometimes when she needs to go out but she sometimes goes again inside or she will pee outside and then poop inside. Luckily, the floor is hardwood, but I always said I'd never had a pet that pooped in the house. Hopefully, it's a temporary training situation.

Mc_hudd, Your dog is never going to get house trained unless you bite the bullet and use the crate. It seems to me that you have a "negative" towards crates, lots of people do. That said, you need to make it a "positive". Also think of the crate as a temporary training tool that is going to help you and your dog with this and other behavior issues. You really do need to completely start all over if you are going to be successful with your dog. He should have been well on his way with this by now and you are starting to miss the prime time of his life for potty training. You really need to commit yourself to a 9 month process, or this problem will lead to others and you will have a bigger mess on your hands. Following is a step by step system that I use for training dogs, it's worked for lots of my clients and me. *Potty training. Dont expect a "quick fix". To be successful with this and other training issues, you really need to crate train. Potty training correctly, is a very important issue for you and your dog. Lots of people get frustrated when their dog does not make progress. Commitment, work, consistency, treats and praise and are key to this issue. Potty training problems are one of the major reasons so many dogs wind up at the pound or back at one. Below I have listed 5 key steps to get your dog potty trained. It a simple procedure that has worked for me and lots of others. But first, some words about crate training. Numerous people have a negative attitude about crate training. They think that the dog will be uncomfortable when crated, or they donÂt like the idea because of what they have read, heard, or just think. If you have a negative attitude, you need to make it a positive. Crate training a newly introduced pup or even an older dog is one of the most important things you will ever do for you and your new dog. Pups and older dogs love the feeling of being closed in when they are in a strange place, especially if there is an old sheet over the crate, leaving the front open so dog can look out. If the crate has to much room for a pup to move around, put something indestructible inside to cut down on space so pup can curl up and feel secure. Leaving soft music playing when you are away pacifies the dog and helps prevent separation anxiety. Dogs of any age kept confined to the crate wonÂt get into trouble when you are away or canÂt supervise. The more room new dogs have to roam around in like a blocked off kitchen or bathroom, the more trouble they can get in to. If you have a pup, the crate should be in your bedroom at night to help the bonding process. It is not realistic to expect a pup, used to being around litter mates and mother to like being left alone, especially at night. They get frightened and confused and make all kinds of noise. If whining is an issue, with the sheet over the crate, gently tap on the top and firmly say "stop". This may need to be repeated a few times, but soon dog will associate your command with the crate tapping. When whining stops, give praise and treats. When you are home, practice the crating experience. A major mistake people make is allowing dog out of the crate when they are home for long periods of time. Then, when they leave, all of a sudden the dog is crated. This can cause major separation anxiety issues because when dog all of a sudden realizes you are gone, it getÂs frightened and may think you are not coming back. Practicing the crating experience and using tons of praise for anything dog does that is right, even laying around doing nothing, reinforces the fact that dog can please you. Always make crating a positive experience. Newly introduced dogs must earn your trust and their unsupervised freedom from the crate. Lots of people try to do this to quickly. This confuses the dog with to much space to roam around in. To be successful with your dog, initially you simply must supervise every second when dog is out of the crate. Dog should have a leash on when out so you can easily grab it and take the dog out when you need to or to keep it out of trouble. Frozen Kongs stuffed with cheese or peanut butter or other toys that donÂt splinter should also be available for dog to chew on. Never leave dog alone with a small chew toy, it could get lodged in the mouth or throat. Keep in mind that dog is looking at you and an alpha dog figure for guidance, not a human. It is your duty to provide this. When dog is house trained and you can start to trust the way things are going, weaning dog from the crate can start usually at around 9-10 months. This also must be done gradually so dog wonÂt get confused. About 10 minute intervals without a leash over the course of about one month or more is essential, depending on how well dog is doing. When dog is good give tons of praise and perhaps a treat. While dog is out of the crate, give lots of praise for anything good done, like drinking water, laying around, chewing on a toy, etc. Anything dog does that is positive should get recognition, this builds confidence and lets dog know that it is able to please you. To get dog used to your absence, leave the house with dog outside of the crate for only a few minutes. Leave the crate door open, return inside and give tons of praise and treats if dog has been good. If dog has gotten into only minor mischief, state your displeasure by firmly stating that dog was bad. Dogs are very visual creatures, only minor scolding and the look of your face should get the point across. Gradually increase time when dog is alone over the course of a month or so depending on how well things go. HOUSE TRAINING **When house training a dog it is very important for you to pick a system and stick with that, rather than switch if things are not going well. Switching will only confuse you and your pup. If you are not having success, you need to back up and start over, only go slower. House training is the first major step dog is going to take in earning your trust, this is simply a must for any indoor dog. If you have an older dog that needs to potty trained, you need to treat dog like a pup. Here is a simple step by step method for potty training that worked for me. It also has worked for others. Keep in mind that *teething *chewing & *potty training, are critical behavior issues, what I refer to as a foundation for other future training. These are also critical steps dog must have under control to earn your trust and eventual freedom from the crate. 1. First you need to realize that not all dogs are the same in this category. Some get it within a week or less, others take longer etc. How you might ask do I know so much about potty training?? I rescued a 4 month old Shepard/Hound last year, my fourth dog in 16 years. (I have two others that were a snap to train). She took about 5 months to potty train. This is an unusually long time, I had to back up numerous times and start over. I dug into her past and found out that she was traumatized by her experience before I came along. She completely missed the prime time of her life to be potty trained. I was really forced to take small baby steps forward after very minimal progress. MOST dogs wonÂt go in their crate. If pup does, remove blankets or padding. This should cure that problem. If problems persist, increase time when no padding is on the floor. 2. You need to start potty training by taking dog out immediately after dog comes out of the crate. Then, gradually increase length of time to regular intervals (gradually increased over the course of one-two months depending on how successful dog is doing). Get dog used to the commands "go poo" and "go pee". These commands should be a must, they are incredibly helpful when the weather is bad. If dog doesn't do anything, that's fine, if it does, give tons of praise and give a treat, preferably one used just for training purposes. Consistency is the key to all of this. Dogs are creatures of habit and depend on a schedule. This is no time to skimp on excessive praise and treats when you are house training. Pup needs to associate yummy treats with doing itÂs thing. Boiled or baked chicken liver is a great training tool, dogs crave it and you really have their attention when you use it. 2. Daily walks at least twice a day (about 20-30 minutes each in the same area) are essential for dogs and getting them house trained. Walking gets things moving, dogs love it and it gives them something to look forward to. Try and feed a pup prior to the walks. Never free feed unless your vet says to. Pups have a high metabolism. Soon after it eats or drinks, it will need to go out. 3. Pups drink huge amounts of water. In theory yours should be able to hold it for (one hour for each month) up to about 9 months. In reality, if a young pup has been playing, it will gulp down lots of water, and just won't be able to hold it for that long. After pup drinks, keep an eye on it. Take it out in about 5-10 minutes and offer it relief. Soon pup will go to the door when it need to go out. 4. Your pup won't be considered house trained unless it has no accidents for at least 9months! Also, as I learned, there is a HUGE difference in a dog that is 4-6 months old and one that is 9-10 months old. They grow inside and out, they mature. Once they reach 9-10 months, their bladders are larger and able to hold it longer. 5. Piddle pads and newspapers should never be used. Some have suggested them, and have had success with them. If you start to use them and dog gets accustomed to doing itÂs thing on them, you could have a very difficult time getting dog to go on grass or even get dog outside. Some people see these pads and papers as a short cut to potty training. It is not. Dogs really need a natural area to relieve themselves. Because dogs are creatures of habit, they will associate the pads and papers with relieving themselves and you may find yourself starting all over in the potty training department, which would make for even more work for all involved. In other words, when was the last time you saw a wolf (dogs closest cousin) use a pee pad? Good luck ! SG

When a kitten or cat that has never made a "mistake" of that sort suddenly pees on a bed, you need to think, "There must be something wrong." You are right to first consider what recent changes in its life could be upsetting it. So, in addition to litter and food, which you note haven't changed, please check the following list. (1) If none of the following questions make you think Yes and you can't think of any other relevant changes, then you should get the kitten to a vet soon because it could have a health condition that is causing the problem. For instance, a cat with a urinary infection will experience a stinging sensation when it pees, and it could blame the place it pees in for the pain, which could lead it to try out other locations. (2) Has some new, possibly unpleasant to a cat, fragrance appeared in its surroundings? There are odors that people love, but that could upset a cat. (Citrus scent is one, and there are others.) (3) Has a new person or pet joined the family? Is there anyone in the family that might be annoying the cat? (For instance, a young child might just be "playing" with it, but to the cat, those attentions could be upsetting.) Has a family member that the cat is fond of moved away (child gone to college, for instance)? The presence of a "new" cat may also upset the current resident cat, leading to bad behavior for a while. I have even known nervous humans to cause a kitten to pee in the wrong places: A 3-month old kitten went to a new home where it was the only pet; but the owners--a young couple--were away for most of the day, and when the kitten peed in a corner somewhere (in its original home, it had never once made a mistake), they made a great fuss. Pretty soon it was peeing here and there in the apartment, but not in its litter box. Finally, they called the breeder of the kitten, who told them to get it checked by the vet. The vet scolded them for scolding the kitten and said they should act very calm and if they caught it in the act, simply put it in the litter box and tell it pleasantly that that was the right place. Overnight, the kitten stopped peeing inappropriately and never did it again. (4) Do you wash or shampoo the cat? (Unlike dogs, cats wash themselves so well that most can go all their lives without a human doing it for them, and they still smell good! [A male, un-neutered cat may be an exception to this, as they sometimes like to use their urine to declare their territories to other males, and it has a strong odor.]) A cat should only be washed when it has gotten into a harmful substance, or too much of even something not harmful, which the cat can't wash off with its own tongue. Being bathed is very upsetting to most cats. I hope one of these suggestions will turn out to be helpful to you. As I wrote about the female cat that started peeing on a silk comforter after I got married, this problem can generally can be fixed, although perhaps not "overnight." Don't feel too upset and don't give up. A cat, even when a tiny kitten, is programmed to do its business in the same place all the time and that is what it would prefer. Most never make a mistake their whole lives unless senility or illness confuses them, so it is very likely that your kitten will not make a regular habit of peeing on the bed. However, do make sure that you thoroughly wash the bedding and/or use some enzymatic pet scent remover to get rid of any lingering scent that would tell the kitten, "Yes, this smells of your urine, so it's the right place to go."