Our first few days with Sunshine

[taipantoo]

When I first went to pick up Sunshine and she was let out of her crate, she was bouncing off the walls.
She did calm down a little bit with the attention I gave her and then being put out on her leash while we got her stuff together and I put the crate in the van.
She really hates the crate and she cried the whole time she was in it on the ride home.
When we got home I gave her free run of the house and just followed her around.
She explored and stuck her nose into everything.
She wanted to jump up on the couch, but I said no and that seems to be the end of it.
She hasn't tried since with me and only once with Joyce until she said no also.
Sunshine appears to be a quick learner.
I had to take the van to the garage about 2 miles away, so I took Sunshine with me and we walked home.
She has never been trained to walk on a leash so that is something we will have to work on.
She seemed pretty mellow for the rest of the day until it was time for bed and I put her in her crate.
Well, she really worked herself into a panic and it appeared that there was not going to be an end to it, so I got up to let her out.
She had pooped and peed in the crate and made a real mess, so I tied her out and cleaned it all up.
When I let her in and cleaned her up we went upstairs and she stayed in the bedroom.
I got up to two messes and a puddle in the kitchen.
I tied her out while I cleaned everything up and was making coffee when I heard her at the door. so I let her in.
And in she came with just her short leash.
I had tied it to the 25' teather that I put her out on, but I guess the knot was not very good and it came undone.
She is the first dog that I have ever had that did not head for the hills as soon as they knew they were free. YEAH!
I think my wife and I both fed her the day before which was the reason for all the extra poop.
Today her food was measured.
She gets one cup of Nutro Large Breed Puppy Formular three times a day with a continueous supply of water.
I've been taking her out every two hours and so far there have been no accidents.
We walked back to the garage to get the van and went for a ride.
Although she doesn't like getting into the van and scrambles for the door every time one is opened, she appears to like riding and has a good sense of balance.
When we picked my wife, Joyce, up from work we went to Petco.
There she met some other dogs and their owners.
She seemed to handle that very well.
We got her some training treats, a brush, a nylor-bone(SP?), and a sleeping pad for inside the crate.
The crate is now in the bedroom, but she will not sleep in it.
I'll probable just break it down and put it away until it's needed.
She slept all night beside our bed and this morning we woke up to no messes.
I took a few pictures to post, but I couldn't get too far away from her to compose them.
I guess we need to work on stay.

I'm usually not this long winded, but I'm excited.
Can you tell?

[wallacethegreat]

Yeah...too much good food and excitement when they're stressed will definitely provide you with some extra messes to clean up, but see? The next night, she already was a good girl! Hurray for Sunshine!
She sounds just wonderful and she's so lucky you found her.
Well...you know the drill now...more pics please!!!!

[CoraP.]

What good news! Sunshine sounds like she's going to be a really good girl. Yes, pictures would be great!!

[Dogdad]

Wordiness is wonderful, It sounds like she had a good day despite the accidents.

David

[flyinzx11]

I never had to crate train or potty train Kaycee. We got her at 6 wks and she never once went in the house. From the first day. She also is never on a leash unless we have to go somewhere that would require it. She has always stayed within a 3 ft radius of me. For 13 years it's been that way.

I love my Dog.

[Judy Fox]

I am so glad you are happy with her. I am sure you will find that she will soon settle down and Chow Chows are very clean in the house.
We got Milly Ching when she was just 6 weeks old and that first night, she slept in a little box I fitted up for her, in our bedroom. I put newspapers all around it and the first night she did get out and spend a penny but after that I heard her on the paper and I would get up and take her out. That happened for a few days and after that, she has never messed in the house.
When Mabel came to live with us at 6 months old, she never messed in the house - only in the kitchen when she had a UTI - but they are so clean.

[Auddymay]

Oh my...you have a quite serious case of Chowling love. It sounds bad, too. I had it severely once myself. Congratulations!

The bone you got is a nylabone, These are excellent chew bones. You may find her chewing on it occassionally literally years from now. My Lily is going to be 4 this year, and I can see hers tucked under the entertainment center as I type. Everytime she puts her mouth on something you don't want her chewing, give her that bone.

Good to hear she didn't run. Encourage that behavior, and you could end up with an excellent stay at home Chow. It sounds like you have some canine experience, still, Sunshine would benefit greatly from a basic puppy class, such as the petstores offer for 10 weeks. The socialization is wonderful, and it gives you a chance to pick up a few training tricks along the way. I had to giggle. She has trained you to put away that awful crate. Good hooman, good! If you think you may use it in the future, I would put it back up, and leave it open all the time. Toss a treat or a toy in front of Sunshine every now and then, and walk away. I left a rug in Lily's, but she never needed it after her chowling months.

I look forward to stories!

[Sirchow]

I agree with Auddymay about keeping the crate set up. When we got Bramble we were told that she was a "free range" chow and would never take to a crate. I decided to feed her in the crate and by day two began closing the door for a few mins and gradually extended it. I threw tasty treats in and let her go in and out. By night six she was quite happy to be shut in which was just as well because by then she had discovered that the cat flap wasn't just for cats but could not get back in again. Luckily our garden is chow proof. It has been quite useful to have her crate trained specially as my daughter has a friend that is scared of dogs. I bought her a lovely soft bed but often as not she pushes it all to one end and prefers the metal base. strange animals chows. Thats why we love them.

I too have fallen in love with chows having waited 40 years for one! I would love to see some pics of your baby. How is Sunshine settling in!

[Mia]

I must have missed this post - but it was wonderfully described. As Dogdad says, we love wordiness. Most of us get the same feelings when we get a chow. If I had had this board when I got Mia, they might have thrown me off for all my wordiness. Instead, my friends all got an earful.

Sunshine seems like such a smart and lovely girl. And the best part about it is that as she gets used to your family and vice versa, it gets even better and better.

Congratulations!!