Gaston, I KNEW someone here wanted a Shiba. Today, I spoke w/ a long-time breeder in Wisconsin about a cream male puppy who might be available. Creams, although they can't be shown and shouldn't be bred - the color's a disqualification, have always been our favorite color, and this pup is supposed to be super sweet. Evidently, more breeders are breeding away from the wilder, more quarrelsome temperaments. I've heard some say that Shibas are competing in obedience! Amazing. Our Mitchy-Poo knew all the commands and politely took them under advisement and got back to us. Usually, the answer was no. Brooke, that's quite something to have judged Japanese breeds in Japan so long ago. Much about the AKC makes my blood boil - maybe it does you, too, but no need to go into it here. What breed(s) do you have now, if any? Whitecat8

There is still hope! I've been in touch with the rescue group that has her and have filled out an application with them. I'm not "local" to them, but they'll consider us with a strong vet reference. The foster mom said that she never broke out with parvo symptoms, so they plan to watch her for about another week just to make sure she is through the woods. Keep your fingers crossed!

Yes, but you'll never stop the people from buying them. Sure, we can educate some, but most people have no idea what a puppy mill is or why they shouldn't buy from them or the pet stores they supply. And, as we occasionally find out from people who visit this forum, some people are determined to buy the cute puppy they saw there no matter how many reasons you give them not to. Legislative changes and enforcement of the laws is the only way to bring about drastic change, IMO. If the laws make it less profitable to sell puppies, they'll find something else to sell. I live in the next county from Lancaster, and two weeks ago my own niece bought a puppy from an Amish farmer there. I'm sure she wouldn't have if I had known about it and could have explained why she shouldn't. She thought she had done a good thing buying from a nice Amish man. In this area, the Amish are a huge tourist attraction and they are practically revered, so people tend to think buying from them and helping them continue in their "gentle, simple" lives is a good thing to do.

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