Puppy Chow

I love my puppies. They are cute, cuddly, and up until this week, I thought bright. Now I'm not so sure.

I've been trying to housebreak the pups. They don't do too badly, as long as they get let out regularly, including at noon when my son comes home. It just dawned on me the other day that son is going to be graduating from college this summer's end. Doh! (It really isn't such a stretch for me to forget this, seeing as he's been going to college for about 7 or 8 years.) At any rate, he will be moving out sometime after that and the pups won't be getting any visitors during the day. This became a problem for me to try and figure out a solution to. Ah ha! I got it! I'll litter-box train them! That is what daugher is going to do with her new puppy as they live in an apartment and it will be best.

So...I go last weekend and get all the supplies. I introduce my pups to the litterbox. They proceed to EAT the LITTER. Huh? I sprayed the "training aid" on it... the stuff that is supposed to make them think this is where to pee. I sprayed it again. They kept on eating. No. No. No. I removed the litter box. I make a trip to the famous pet store with all the solutions to all your problems. I spoke with a trainer person. Never heard of such a thing as the dogs eating the litter. Okay. This isn't good. We discussed things to do, including spraying litter with special "bitter deterrent" that is supposed to make dogs not eat, lick, or otherwise ingest whatever is sprayed.

Home, I spray litter with new special spray. I put the litterbox back in their pen. They start snacking down like I've brought them a new treat. NO! NO! NO! ICK!

Yes, for those of you who are asking... the puppy food bowl was full of yummie stuff. The 'treat' bones and snacks were in plain site and easy to go for. WTF? Why are they eating these rolled up recycled newspaper pellets that have been sprayed to smell like pee and/or are bitter tasting?

I've tried (per the trainer's suggestion) to put their own pee and poo in the box. I've tried the great "code word" (Potty - yea, original, I know) and placing them in the box. No go. They aren't eating the poo, or where it's been peed on, just the pellets.

Called daughter this morning. Told her not to buy a litterbox or litter for her new puppy yet. I have one she can have. Guess I'll just have to pen up the pups when I'm not going to make it home. Maybe they're aren't the brightest pups in the world... I'm crushed.