Puppy Training 4:15 a.m. 9/12/06

Note the time that I began this post.

So hubby and I were reading some puppy training material about the importance of crate training, especially at night and random times during the day so that the puppy doesn't associate you being gone and her going into her crate. It also suggests that for the first few weeks, before the puppy completely earns your trust to wander around your home, to leave the puppy on a leash at all times in the house. The puppy learns to lay quietly next you and you can watch the puppy carefully to quickly learn the dogs cues for going to the bathroom and it keeps the puppy out of trouble. The puppy can't wander into another room and tear into your closet while you are zoning in front of the television.

So at 3:43 a.m., I feel a tug on the leash and hear an excited yawning pup sretching out and abruptedly jumping to her feet, on our bed, yes, golden crate training rule number 1 broken, but yes, I did have her on a leash for above said moments. I was prepared. This was her second night sharing with us our Queen sized, Searly Posterpedic pillow top delux, wicked comfortable bed, and of course, Lily joined the party that night as well. Full house. I told hubby that we were going to need a King. But what I was unprepared for is the following...

The moment we leave the apartment, my eyes glued shut from amazingly bright hallway lights, Nika begins to squat. "NO, NO, NO!!!" My sense of urgency to drag her out the door still squating was no match for her sense of urgency not to defecate on the hallway rug under the bright lights. Finally we reach the outside grass and it's more squating for another 10 minutes. Nika's struggling, I feel horrible, the ordeal is over, let's go back into the apartment.

I open up the door to the building, HORROR, runny puppy sh@& has been dripped from our door to the outside door. I'm panicking now because I have to get this cleaned up before 1. someone sees it; 2. before someone who works here sees it; 3. before it sets into the new rug that they installed. Did I mention that Nika is to remain undetected until our move to Dale City in the next 2 weeks. Oh, yes.

I ran into the kitchen looking for the Clorox Cleanup wipes. Damn there are only two. They will have to suffice. Run out to the hallway and start picking up as fast as I can. Not enough. Run back inside. Grab an old towel, begin to slice and rip into rags. Fill up Clorex Cleanup wipe container with hot water and found carpet cleaner under the sink, sent from God. Run back out to hallway. Scrub like the dickens.

Now I look at my work. I have 9 to 10 huge wet spots in the hallway. I need to dry some of this up or something. Run back inside and grab another old towel. By the way, before the puppy came into our lives, I was about to throw the towels away or give them up to the Salvation Army. They are perfectly fine towels, we just have about 30 from years of Christmas presents.
At this moment, I am grateful for having these towels. I run back out. Trying desperately to dry up the spots as good as I could so that they would dry before an employee walks through the hallway later in the morning.

Hopefully mission accomplished. I have an eye appointment tomorrow morning and will be leaving here at 6:45 a.m. Umm, 2 hours from now. Keep your fingers crossed. What a nightmare.