Looking for advice on how to find a dog to adopt

[ToriLia]

Haven't posted for a month so figure I'll give everyone an update...

Short version...i'm going to adopt a pug in a week!! Super excited and having fun looking at and buying the things I need to prepare for the pug.

Longer version...I found the pug while looking for a good mixed breed dog at one of the largest adoption forums in Japan. Came across the posting for the pug and clicked on it since I don't usually see pugs up for adoption. Contacted the rescue group and visited them to meet the pug directly. According to the rescue staff, the pug's previous owner had kept him locked in the crate for the whole time so he's never been walked or even gone outside. But the moment I wanted into the room, the pug was looking at me and snuggled up to me right away. Even though he was abused by his previous owner, he still loved people. Right away he climbed on my lap and couldn't stop licking me. When I was talking to the staff and patted another dog there, I felt the pug's paw on my back almost like he was saying "hey man...you came here to see me!" The rescue group said they have a lot of applications for the pug so will consider and get back to me later. I got the call from them a couple days later saying that they approved our application.

As a first time owner, I'm trying to do everything I can to prepare for the pug as much as possible. I'm sure I will need a lot of advice from everyone here so let me say thank you beforehand.

[JudyN]

Congratulations! It sounds like the pug chose you rather than the other way round!

[Nettle]

Great news! Pugs are lovely.

[Suzette]

Congratulations, ToriLia! I love when our pets choose us!

I wish you many years of joy and happiness with your new furry friend.

[Sweetie's Human]

How exciting! We'll need updates and plenty of photos of his squishy face too!

[emmabeth]

Oh yep, we neeeeeeeed photos! Great news, I am really pleased for you!

[ToriLia]

Thank you everyone for all your well wishes!
Ordered the last things I'm getting for the boy now and picking him up this weekend! Very excited and can't wait to bring him home!

Here's a couple pics of him from when I went to meet him.

[Sweetie's Human]

Oh he's gorgeous!

[emmabeth]

Ohhhhh hes cute! Too cute!

[ToriLia]

So I picked up Rocky (his new name ) and we've started the trial period to see if he would be a good fit with our family, the cat, etc.

The cat is much less problem so far than expected. Right now Rocky is mainly in his exercise pen or on leash sometimes when we are home around the house. The cat generally watches or goes to another room. She's slowly moved closer to Rocky and seems to be pretty curious what this other creature is.
This is the kitty looking at Rocky after one of Rocky's post walk FRAP sessions.


The major things that I'm trying to deal with now is Rocky might have a bit of a separation anxiety. Anytime we leave the room or go out of sight he would start to whimper, whine, bark, and pounce on the exercise pen. We've been working slowly to try to get him to get used to our going away and to reassure him that we will come back. We're also taking him out on walks, some basic training (sit, stay, etc), and using Kongs. The first night I had to sleep right next to the exercise pen but every night he's slowly gotten better (last night...didn't wake me up until 6am and no potty accidents!).

Yesterday I left him alone at home in his exercise pen when I went out to get lunch for about 30 minutes and again later in the evening for an hour or so. Both times he barked/whined a bit and pushed the exercise pen from a rectangle shape into a trapezoid shape but no accidents until I got home (when he peed). I'm looking at all of the other posts on the forums on separation anxiety and hope I will be able to figure out how to help Rocky or I will post in the dog training advice section for help.I took a couple days off work earlier this week so today is the first day I'm back at work and Rocky will be mostly alone during the day. I'll go home at lunch to check on him quickly so hopefully that will make his first day a little easier...

Other than that still working on Rocky's house training (indoor toilet primarily due to the lack of space in Tokyo) and basic obedience training (seems to work sometimes for some things so not sure if I'm doing it right...). Either way...it's a long term process and hoping I can give Rocky a good forever home.

Rocky's exercise pen with toilet area in the back.


From yesterday's morning walk. Love that smile!


I'm also updating and posting more pics of Rocky on his Facebook page...hope this isn't against the forum rules to post the link but if it is please let me know and I will remove it right away.
https://www.facebook.com/RockyPugInJp

[Sweetie's Human]

It's great to see him looking so happy and relaxed. I love those puggy smiles!

I also adopted an older pug almost 2.5 years ago. However she is my first dog and I'm certainly no expert. But so much of what you wrote rings true with us as well.

Unfortunately, I'm no help with the anxiety-while-we're-in-another-room issue - that's not an easy one and I'll leave it to someone more experienced.

However, we made headway very quickly with anxiety-when-we-leave-completely. To the point that Sweetie listens for the hairdryer in the mornings, then expects me to turn up in the laundry about 10min later (trouble if I don't ) smelling of perfume. This is her cue to get excited because she's going to get a kong full of frozen meat! She actually gets excited about us leaving the house - suits us fine because it has to happen almost every day. We've covertly come home to check and asked the neighbours and she definitely settles. Pugs think with their stomachs and even though some may disagree with this approach, we constantly have two kongs on rotation in the freezer with meat or sardines in them. If they are frozen they'll keep her occupied longer. So I just factor it into the amount that we feed her.

I'm so glad to hear you acknowledge it as a long term process - you are dead right. Just go gently and slowly. It sounds like you've already got a new best mate, but it will take a good few weeks or months before he settles completely and you see his true personality. But you're in for a lot of laughs and a lot of love and fun. They are hard work but they are more than worth it.

If you think I can help given the similarity of our situations, feel free to PM me. But you'll get a lot of good advice on the boards here regardless.

Keep posting the pictures - can't get enough of those little smooshy faces!

[Sweetie's Human]

Should just add that the 'in the laundry 10min later' isn't the first time she's seen me all morning. She gets a walk early and then we have some play time before I get ready for work.

[ToriLia]

Hi Sweetie's Human

Thank you very much for your advice. It's only the first week so I know it's still way too early but I can't help feel frustrated sometimes. Like you I'm a first time owner as well (technically our family had dogs when I was a wee lad but I didn't do anything to take care of them then).

I'm happy to say that Rocky has gotten better at night and anxiety when we leave him alone parts I think. The night part especially is almost a daily improvement I feel (though I'm still sleeping in the living room sofa close to him and haven't tried sleeping in the bedroom yet). Leaving him alone when we're in other rooms he is totally fine sometimes for 10-20 minutes but sometimes start getting hyped up even if I'm just around the corner.

As for the leaving completely bit, I'm trying with Kong and it works to a certain extent. I can't stuff a too difficult Kong or else Rocky seems like he will give up. Right now I've only tried stuffing the Kong with his dry kibbles (works great but lasts for 1-2 minutes tops) and with wet kibbles (usually gives up pretty quickly leaving it half full). I think I might try using dry kibbles with the opening closed with cheese or something similar and freezing that to see how he reacts to that. I tried stuffing a jerky-type treat with dry kibbles in the Kong this afternoon and that kept him at it longer. I think I just need to try out other ways to give distract him/reward him when we are out of the house. Open to any more ideas

The big thing I worry about is if it's hurting the process when we leave him during the day. I just tried setting up a camera today and saw he howled and barked a bit along with urinating after he finished his Kong. I don't want to do things that would make it harder for him. I also don't know if this is part of his getting used to the new life or if this is a "real" anxiety problem...

The other thing I'm scratching my head on is the indoor potty training. Most of this I think is just my fault for not anticipating his potty time though.

Once again...I thank everyone here on the forum for their support and advice. It's a looonnnnngg road and it's good to know there are others out there that have walked the same road.

Here are some more pics of Rocky

Him and the kitty checking each other out


From this morning's walk


Also this morning's walk

[Sweetie's Human]

It's only the first week so I know it's still way too early but I can't help feel frustrated sometimes.

You'll feel frustrated plenty of times . But he'll be worth it.

In terms of the kongs you leave him with, two things:

1. In the early stages, give him some super special kongs (see 2, below) while you are around. This will get him used to eating them and he won't associate them with the stress of you leaving. Sweetie now associates them with us leaving, but it's no longer a stressful time for her because she focuses on the kong - something we got her to do quite quickly by giving them to her while we were home.

2. Make the kongs super special! Something to really get his focus, like stinky sardines or raw meat. Freezing them makes them more difficult and they last longer so you need to put something really exciting in them. And, better still, it tires them out mentally and physically so he'll be more likely to sleep than pine for you once the kong is empty.

I'm sure you've read all the other threads about varying the length of time you're gone, etc.

It looks like he's doing well on his walks. If you're not already doing so, try to give him a long-ish walk before you head out so that he's tired.

I'm not much help with potty training him, sorry. I'm sure someone else will be able to help with that. I know there are some very good threads in the training section that you might like to check out.

Good luck. He's got the best puggy smile!

[ToriLia]

Thanks for the advice!

Over the weekend we worked on getting him to enjoy the Kong and some desensitization work for departure cues. I noticed that he does fairly well at night (out of room and overnight) but during daytime he seems to be more sensitive so we focused the alone time work during daytime. We were able to leave him for 3-4 hours or so on Sunday afternoon and looking at the video footage he howled a little bit once (on Friday afternoon he howled multiple times in short bursts) but overall he seemed to be taking it fairly well. When I went home today at lunch to check on him he was chilling on his bed and not too overly excited when I got home It's great seeing him improve almost daily (at least I think he's getting better)

Following your suggestions on giving him the Kongs beforehand as well as freezing it worked very well! I only freeze the Kong with a little bit of water to help keep the kibbles together and to offer a slight challenge but he seems to be fine with that. Just wondering but you mentioned sardines and raw meat. What kind of diet do you feed Sweetie? I'm feeding Rocky dry kibbles right now but eventually thinking about mixing in some raw food as well.

I aim to take him out on walks twice a day (haven't been sticking to it 100% though...) for at least 30 minutes to 60 minutes each time. Last night he was completely pooped from the walk and rested through the night. Still trying to figure out how to deal with the post walk zoomies but tried longer walks + giving him chew toys to work out any extra energy he might have left.

Rocky sitting at the park with kids screaming and running around him. The distractions don't seem to bother him too much (still need to work on recall though)


Enjoying his Kong filled with kibbles and small pieces of hot dog


Sitting in front of the train station entrance. Rocky seems to be pretty good at holding his sits even without the "Stay" cue at intersections but not as well in other places