Hello. I just joined this group yesterday and I just adopted a chi-terrier mix
from a shelter last week. It is my first dog although I have had multiple cats
for years, years, years.
Manny is a very nice, positive-attitude little dog and they estimated he's
around 5 years old. I really think I couldn't have asked for a better-fit
first dog for my household. He is very well socialized with all ages/genders
of people, loves other dogs, does not seem to be a barker, a chewer or a crier
and he knows how to navigate his way around the two cats. The shelter had
classified him as (I don't mean to sound facetious) "clinically depressed" but
that seems to have gone away within the first day he was home.
I am trying to house-train him and although he's progressing real well with
that, he is still averaging about 1 accident a day. (No big deal). I was
wondering about the puppy pads. I assumed that their purpose was only to
protect your floor/corners from the dog's accidents so that's what I've been
using them for. Do they have some sort of scent or something that encourages
the dog to go on them? His accidents take place mostly around his kennel
which I guess is because the cats keep trying to go in to it.
Also, Manny does not seem to like dry food very much. Is it OK to feed him
mostly canned? Right now he is a little underweight so over-feeding is not an
issue for the time-being. And--(I guess this is 3 questions), he came home
with a bad kennel cough type cough. I wanted to wait to take him to the vet
until after he's neutered this Friday. (The shelter is doing it.) Should it
be looked into right away?
Thanks for your help.
Joanie M.
