irishrose

Like Nancia, I like having two dogs together. I like for them to have another heartbeat in the house when I'm not home and I think they like the company of another animal. I'd say 'of their own species', but I've had cats and dogs get along very well and play together. Two isn't much more trouble than one, but three is a different story. BTW, she is a little doll.

Neesie

Congratulations, on your new love!

I taught my dachshund to ring a bell, when she needs to go outside. Very simple, to do. Just get either a large jingle bell or several smaller ones, and a bit of rope or old leash. Tie the bell(s) to one end and make a loop, in the other end. Hang the loop over the doorknob, with the bells at about nose-level to the dog. Whenever you go outside to take her to potty, give the rope a swing and ring the bells. After a few times, hold Maggie and help her push the rope/bells, with her nose or paw. ALWAYS do this, before taking her out to potty. Before you know it, she'll be ringing the bells, on her own. This is where the fun starts! She may be ringing them, constantly (before the novelty wears off) but try to take her out EVERY time she rings them, even if for just a minute (I would say, "Go potty" and if she didn't do anything within a few minutes, just take her back inside). If she's just been out and rings them again, take her out but keep the leash very short. That way, she'll be able to potty but not just use the opportunity to go exploring.

BTW, do NOT give a treat, when she rings the bell . . . or she'll start ringing it, just for the treat!

burchquilts

We've used pinch collars, Gentle Leaders & now we have a Gentle Harness (at our trainer's suggestion) & it works really well with Leo. He doesn't seem to like things on his head so the harness really works well. The other day, I saw a really neat one at Doggyloot.com. It was made out of a mesh & I wonder if it might be good for summer.

I'm glad your new baby is doing better. It sounds like you guys were just born to be her parents!

Grammie Sharon

Our beagle Toby has us trained. He will sit by the door and hit it with his paw. When its time to go to bed, (His bed is upstairs in our room) he will start pacing. We have a gate across our dining room entry to family room and he will come to my chair and back to gate. We usually go up before hubby comes to bed. He'll bring Toby and molly a treat. They get 3 small biscuits. on the last he'll say that's all and time to get in your bed and off they go. Before mollie came to live with us We had a english spaniel retriever. When she passed toby was so depressed and wouldn't eat for days. We finally took him to the vet. He was mourning Over Maddie. Once we got Mollie he became his old self. Even though she rules the roost. Enjoy your new doggie.

burchquilts

I think dogs (& I'm sure other animals, too) do mourn. When we still had Yankee, his pal Edgar died suddenly. Yankee went right over to where they had buried Edgar (all on his own), threw himself down on the ground & let out a howl that you couldn't believe. He sounded like his heart was broken. Then we wanted to come straight home. He laid on the bed with his head hid all afternoon. It was so, so, so sad.

Dolphyngyrl

Too noisy for me. but a few have stolen kisses from me as I did their TPR's for surgery at the shelter. I call them secret kissers because they get you from out of nowhere right on the face. The funny thing is half the time these are the ones that are marked as super aggressive, and I'm like what did they lick someone to death because they are aggressively friendly

-k

have you considered an invisible fence? my daughter has one for her beagle & it works great at a fraction of the cost of a traditional fence. good luck with your new family member, and God bless.

LeslieFrost

Well, that is certainly interesting! I assumed that an invisible fence would not work for a beagle -- that a beagle would dash across the line if it got a good scent, no matter the cost.

Well, first we're getting a harness, then we'll try a tie out line in the yard and see how we do.

We're feeling very lucky -- she is such a good dog. She apparently never learned to beg for people food! She sits and looks at us as we eat, but never begs. And she has not yet barked in the house, or even much outside either, except when she senses something really wonderful that she wants to chase. Then she yowls a couple of times.

This afternoon she'll be alone in the house, in her crate, for the first time. My DH has a last minute call to a court appearance, and I have a haircut appointment, so Maggie will be alone for a little while. An experiement!