Buster is finally here!! and it has been a crazy day!

[JAKEISGREAT]

You do what you need to! No negative comments here! Everybodies situation is different and nothing works the same for everyone! You can crate train a full grown dog..so I am sure he will be just fine! Just relax and enjoy him!!

 

[MissPennyLue]

I think Penny was storing up all of her energy those first month or so we brought her home. Now, it's party all the time.

Enjoy the sleeping! That phase doesn't last long!

 

[GatorRay]

I am with @jakeisgreat, do what you think is best. Just be prepered to clean up some messes. Lol

 

[AMart79]

yea i'll be ready lol. But i'm actually pretty surprised he's doing great with his potty training. He still has his accidents when we forget to take him out or he's not being watched but he seems to have it down that when he's outside he needs to go. Now he does a great job at going anytime he's taken out and not playing. Hopefully that keeps going well.

 

[AMart79]

I also almost forgot, i have more pictures As you'll be able to see, he likes to sleep in some odd positions.

 

[pdac1975]

haha, great pictures. He actually reminds me a lot of wally with his stripes! I can tell you our experience with crating and you can take what you want from it:

When we got wally at 10 weeks, we were very strict about putting him in his crate at night. During the day we did what others mentioned and put treats and toys in the crate to encourage him to go in there. We also, however, let him nap on the couch which made it a bit tougher at night to get him in the crate. At first we would put him in there and have to stay with him for about 20 minutes until he calmed down and went to sleep and then sneak away to bed. He would then generally sleep until about 4 or 5 am and we would take him out. Our (my) problem was that once he was in the crate, that was it. Any noise woke him and he would whine. I tend to be a night owl so it was very difficult.

Right around when he turned 5 or 6 months old we decided to let him sleep in the bed to see how it went and we've never really looked back. To us the negatives have been greatly outweighed by the positives. I'm out of town 4 nights a week and it seemed silly for my wife to have to spend time trying to get him in his crate at night and then sneak around the house so as not to wake him. He now sleeps in as long as she does, there is no getting up at 7am to see if he needs to go outside. He will basically just stay in bed until we forcibly carry him out of it. To us, it was really nice just having him in the room with us and not worrying about whether he was whining, sleeping, peeing, whatever. He has never had an accident in the bed.

Our other reasoning was that we keep him in the crate during the day when we're not there (with walks every 4 hours) and hated coming home, taking him out of the crate and then putting him right back in at bed time.

So, basically, having a dog sleep in bed with you may not work for some but it has worked for us. The good part is that it has had no impact on crating him during the day. We have never once heard him whine in the crate during the day. He only does it if he knows we're there, otherwise he gets in there and doesn't even play, he just goes right to sleep.

Sorry for the long post, but i hope this helps. I kind of feel for you guys as the first several weeks were TOUGH! Hang in there though.

 

[AMart79]

thanks a lot, this is some good stuff. We're basically looking into what the best option for him would be at the moment. Our impending move is slowing the process down a bit, but friday is getting closer! haha

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

yea i'll be ready lol. But i'm actually pretty surprised he's doing great with his potty training. He still has his accidents when we forget to take him out or he's not being watched but he seems to have it down that when he's outside he needs to go. Now he does a great job at going anytime he's taken out and not playing. Hopefully that keeps going well.

Lol..most of their "mistakes"...are really OUR mistakes!! Love..love these pics!!

 

[AMart79]

haha i'm glad you like them! I do have a question to pose for everyone...how often do you give your little guys baths? Buster hasn't had one yet and I'm wondering when and how often I'm gonna to need to bathe him.

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

haha i'm glad you like them! I do have a question to pose for everyone...how often do you give your little guys baths? Buster hasn't had one yet and I'm wondering when and how often I'm gonna to need to bathe him.

Bet everybody is different..I really like to give him one once a week..good time to do general maintenance too!!

 

[GatorRay]

I like to bathe once a week or so. I have gone two weeks at times. You can whenever he is dirty.

 

[cowsmom]

aw how cute is he. i know im late but wanted to say hey and i give my bully a bath every week. My dog sleeps with me in bed as well but she is 4 years old. i tried with sleeping on the floor around my bed but she will keep me up all night with her nails on my hardwood floor pacing so i just put her in bed and she sleeps fine no accidents. I also recommend a fan. I couldnt live with sarah with out fans. I have one in the bedroom pointed right at her with the airconditioning on also. fan in living room to even with air on sometimes. a fan is my best friend besides her. lol. have fun with your bully they are so great.

 

[AMart79]

does anyone have any recommendations for chew toys? Buster is getting a little curious and has started trying to chew on some things he shouldn't. First, id like to get him a new and good chew toy. I got him a teething bone but he doesn't seem to have to much interest in it most of the time. If anyone has a good one they recommend, please let me know. Oh and does anyone have an experience using those sprays that they sell that make things they shouldnt be chewing on taste bitter? I don't know if thats a good idea, it was just something I'd heard of.

I was also wondering if anyone has any recommendations for treats for him? I think now that he's startng to understand the concepts that we're teaching him, I think it may help to reinforce his good behavior them with.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

Hi! Hope all is going well...for him now..I would get nylabone chews..great and they can't destroy! When he's older get him some deer antlers..these are my dogs all time favorites..there are some threads on these here..for treats..when Jake was Busters age..I was given some natural balance training treats..they come in limited ingredients..like salmon..bison..etc..they are small and shaped like tiny little bones. Worked great to teach him to sit..etc. A friend who has had bulldogs for years gave them to us in a "new puppy gift pack".. He loved them. All the kong chew toys are good too!

 

[AMart79]

Thanks! I'll look into those. I think nylabone is the brand of the one he has now, I'll have to check. Maybe his teeth aren't hurting much if he doesn't use it often? I assumed maybe it was just a preference/taste type of thing.