One week in

Having a puppy is like having a baby, in fact basically everything with nannying applies with Graham, and I figured I should update you on our first week.



House Training:
Graham does not use the wee wee pad. All "incidences" that occurred happened near it, but never on it. The good news, when researching how to get a puppy to use the product I learned that they are actually counter productive to house training because, when a dog is praised for using the pad, he or she learns it is okay to bathroom inside the house.

Also, Graham isn't that bad with accidents. He makes it all day without any problems. The only issue we have is that, when he wakes up in the morning, he is excited to see people and play and he piddles. Until he learns bladder control this will probably continue.

Walks:
Graham loves walks! He still doesn't use the stairs but he enjoys sniffing and prancing around and, as Cavapoos are dogs who love to please, gets very excited when he is praised for using the outside as a bathroom. He no longer is scared to cross the street.

Sleeping:
The excitement leading to piddles when Graham saw humans thing meant that every time my father (who is the first person up everyday, but not the one who would be giving Graham his first walk) would get up there would be an accident. To rectify this situation and allow Graham to sleep later, training guides said the answer was crate training. Unfortunately Graham cried when in the crate so that was not going to happen.

The problem has been rectified by keeping him in my bedroom on his purple pillow. He sleeps through the night, unless I have to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, but then I quickly corral him back in. The adjustment was simple for him but it is odd for me as Britney and DJ never ever slept in my bedroom. However, since he's happy and (knock-wood) behaves all night, it is not a problem for me.

Toys:
Graham loves to play. I believe humans are actually his favorite toys but he also has a stuffed crayon which he likes to drag around sometimes, A stuffed squeaky cow that he loves to run around with in his mouth, a pink tennis ball that he (kind of) fetches, a big pacifier he mostly ignores, a squeaky sheep from my bosses that he throws around and hides, and a Miss Piggy head that he goes crazy for and often looses under furniture.