that is still to much freedom. ONe could quickly potty on the floor while you are watching the other. Keep them in an area small enough to watch them, or leash them, or crate them. The only time they get to run around (still supervised) is after going potty.

Puppies MUST be supervised or crated at all times. No exceptions. Puppies must go out to potty after eating, after a nap, after drinking a lot, and after playing. People usually miss the playing one. But if they are playing hard and then slow down it is potty time! Bring treats outside, and as soon as one potties you give it a treat. Don't wait until you get back inside, that would be giving a treat for coming inside and soon you would have a dog that goes out and then wants back in right away to get a treat. If you see an accident happening just say "oh No" briefly to startle them, but don't make a huge deal of it. If you punish harshly when the dog potties in front of you in the house they dog may think "oh no, I shouldn't potty in front of them" and then when you take the dog out it will hold it because it is afraid to go in front of you. That leads to the dog waiting until you are not looking, sneaking behind furniture, etc to potty. (which the owner usually interprets, wrongly, as the dog knowing it is doing wrong). If the puppy has an accident and you didn't catch it in the act roll up a newspaper and bop yourself on the head, saying "puppy must always be supervised, puppy must always be supervised". You can't take the dogs out too often at this point. Seriously. Take them out constantly. They wil initially potty outside just by accident, but the more often that happens the quicker they develop a preference for going outside. Every accident in the house leads them to have a preference for going inside.

Twice a day to potty really isn't good...long term like that it can lead to urinary infections.

Not most, but a lot more than it used to be. I don't like them much either. I feel like you learn more about a character with a 3rd person perspective....first person means they character can only tell you/show you what they know about themselves...so many small mannerisms go unnoticed by the person doing them. I just finished a book and found it dissatisfying for that very reason. I greatly prefer 3rd person. (although....are the Anita Blake Vampire Slayer books 1st person? I do like those books..but that would be the exception to the rule.)

Yes, still pregnant. No, no plans on inducing. Had my biophysical profile yesterday and passed with flying colors. Everything is perfect, he just isn't quite ready to come out yet. Also saw the chiropracter, and the midwife. I'm still 3cm, very soft and squishy, very effaced, and baby is well engaged and in a great position. Just waiting. And honestly, I'm in a pretty good mood about it. At this point I know it will be any day,and I get a bit of a kick out of freaking people out when they ask when I'm due :)

I would say something like "well, I've seen you do better, but it was still pretty darn good!".

sounds perfectly fine to me, and quite sweet. I seem to have the same approach as you do to these things.

oh my, take him in NOW NOW NOW! Corneal abrasions/ulcers/scratches can be very serious. If not treated he could lose his sight. He is NOT being dramatic, those HURT!!!! Yes, they will give him medications to use many times a day to help it heal, prevent infection, and help with pain. He will also be light sensitive, keep him in a dim room.

Wow, so much wisdom in this post!

Sounds like door manners need to be taught. If that is the only issue, that is actually not so bad!!! You need to practice with him on a leash, with just the family. Get him totally "ho hum" about the door opening and people coming in, Then work on it with other people, but again, you need a trainer to walk you through this process. But this is a fixable problem!

Am I the only parent that is thinking..if I spent a ton of money on a new bedroom set for my kid, and they didn't like it, I'd want to know so I could take it back or exchange it for something they did like? Why on earth would I want them to keep an expensive furniture set they didn't like? How does that make anyone happy? Now, I'd want to be told in a polite way, but I'd want to know. And I know my parents would want to know too! If that had happened to me my mom would want to hear something like "Wow, it's really a nice set, really quality stuff...but to be honest it is a bit much for my tastes...I really do prefer simpler/brighter/more modern/etc"

Well, I'm 41 weeks 2 days today...and my last baby was born 41 weeks 5 days, so I don't know that I'm much comfort. Remember, average length of gestation is 41 weeks 1 day..you aren't even to the average point yet. Also, please look at this website about "big" babies: http://www.pregnancybirthandbabies.com/Big_baby.htm

Or...he has a new stress in his life and is acting out because of it. Doesn't have to be about pack leader stuff..not everything is.

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::iagree:

Any of these books would be great...read the description to see which fits your needs most. They are not religious, and focus on reidentifying what drew you to each other originally, finding new ways to draw closer, etc. Very practical, not touchy feely. http://marriagebuilders.com/graphic/mbi6000_bookstore.html

I found what is important is to give them the RIGHT way to say it. I can't just say "don't be so rude" I have to give him exactly which words/tone were wrong, then model what the right way to ask/say/etc was. That is the ONLY thing that has helped.

:iagree: Same here, and same thing, where he was a late reader. Worked out really well.

Bleach is what kills norovirus, the stomach flu virus. You have to use diluted bleach. Lysol and such don't touch it. Wash anything you can wash on hot water and in the hot dryer, every solid surface gets sprayed with diluted bleach water. Pillows are ok unless they were vomited on. It is spread from the vomit and feces, not from breathing on things.

I see your point...i kind of skimmed over the working dog aspect as I have always had working dogs so to me that is just normal, lol. (weims from field lines, border collie, etc)

No, not transmitted. But the normal bacteria on the outside of the body can be stirred up by the vigorous nature of TeA making, and get kind of worked back up into the urethra. Urinating before and after tea was the advice they used to give sailors on shore leave to prevent infections. But when we have middle of the night TeA i just get up and use the bathroom afterwards quick. No big deal.

What you would do is take him to the park, but stay OUT of the park. Hang out near the fence, and feed him some treats and have him sit and stay and such. Stay far enough away that he is relaxed and calm about it. If you hubby is having to repeat commands a lot, the dog is panting and freaking out, won't take the treats, etc you are too close and need to back up. The idea is to find the threshold where he can handle it well, practice being relaxed, then move forward a foot or two. Repeat. If he is getting worked up you do NOT continue, as that is practicing getting worked up. You want to practice calm. You can't force calm. Does this make sense? Feisty Fido is a book, and I think a video too, that is about this kind of thing.

we are doing level III physics, with my 13 year old, and he really enjoys it.

hmm..for 15 minutes no, I wouldn't. I do it at the dry cleaner, and at the gas station, but both places I can see the car from inside the store, and i'm in and out in about 3 minutes.

how many nights are you there? Can they alternate?

I have it some, and mine seems to be caused by the tail bone being out of place, which pulls the pubic bones out of place. Totally weird, but TeA actually helped...i think all the moving around in that area put the tail bone back in place. When we were done I could roll over and get out of bed without pain! Might be worth a try. I told him I should pay him instead of the chiropracter.