New Puppy Amongst Two other Dogs

Question
QUESTION: Good Morning,
Just want to warn you that this might be lengthy.  Last week I got an 11 month old male Jack Russell named Phantom. He is a real sweetheart.  I have two other female dogs - Chloe who turned 9 yesterday and is a Cairn Terrier and Madison a 2 year old Jack Russell.  I got both dogs as puppies as well.  Chloe is pretty calm at this point in her life.  She walks well, goes to potty when she walks.  She's just greedy.  Madison is pretty much the typical Jack Russell.  She does a pretty good job of going to the potty but every now and then has accidents.  Phantom is sweet.  Since we have only had him a week he still hasn't got the whole potty thing down yet. He has pretty much stopped marking as a result of putting diapers on him for several days.  He still hasn't gotten the part down about pooping outside.  That has been a struggle so far.  He has probably pooped outside as often as he has in the house.  I am just wondering if this is a problem or if we are on the right track and how can I make sure all poopies are outside.  

Walking all three has been a challenge as well.  I have retractable leashes and that has been impossible.  All three are going their own way and getting tangled.  What would be your suggestions on leash walking them?  Also, Madison and Chloe potty well.  Phantom only pees and marks.  Sometimes I am fortunate and he poops.  

Lastly, I have an invisible fence.  I have not been able to successfully train Chloe and Madison on the fence.  I live in a subdivision that has homeowner rules that prevent unsightly things in your yard.  I have a white picket fence like everyone else in the neighborhood.  Well that is fine if you don't have dogs or have large dogs that cannot fit through the pickets.  So I got an invisible fence.  Because I work during the week it was tough training them as I should have.  Madison received the shock a few times and then refused to go back outside so I stopped using the collar.  Every now and then I will put it back on her when she starts to get too close to the fence and she stops.  I am thinking I just need to put it on her every time she goes out.  Now that I have Phantom, should I begin to train him now?  I want him to be able to go outside without me having to be out there.  What do you think about this subject?

I work during the day so Chloe and Madison are left in the house alone and not in crates and do well.  Phantom, because he is new is in a crate during the day.  We are gone between 10 - 12 hours a day.  On most Fridays I work at home and then naturally am home on the weekends.  I know this is not the ideal, but it has worked well with the first two.  I am hoping that I will soon be able to leave Phantom out of the crate when I am at work.  

Any suggestions or comments you can give me about what I've said here would be greatly appreciated.  I love my little ones!

ANSWER: Wow ok, lots of issues here. You have a pack problem in your home, and you need to dump the retractable leashes. Your dogs need to be power walked., (not a potty walk) for a good forty five minutes EVERY day. Get halti collars for them. They will end the pulling and the adjustment time is usually short. JRT's are smart fast learners.
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Potty training is not a part time job. Your dogs must be on a schedule, for eating (twice per day every day at the same time) drinking , pottying and sleeping. Dogs are very much creatures of habit. They should not be allowed free rein in your home, ANY of them until they are completely trained. ONE untrained dog will cause them all to potty in the house.
Now to the invisible fence issue. I am not a fan of them at all. And they should NEVER be used while you are not home. NO dog should be left outside unattended even in a regular fence but particularly not in an invisible fence. It may stop your dogs four out of five times, but the one time it doesn't can be fatal for them. JRT's are bred to be tenacious with high prey drives. It only takes one squirrel, one cat, or one other dog for them to go ballistic,encourage each other, and out the fence they'll go. Best case scenario, they never ever leave the fence, a strange dog is in your neighborhood. Does HE wear a collar? Nope. So when your JRT's challenge him do you think he will hesitate to come across that line and rip their little heads off? Of course not. Then there are the cruisers. People who cruise neighborhoods looking for dogs unattended under ANY circumstances. Those people will NOT hesitate to pick up your dogs and sell them to labratories etc. In most areas they get sixty to a hundred dollars each for dogs the size of your Jacks. It happens EVERY day in EVERY city no matter how large or small, or how safe your neighborhood might be. The next issue is that when potty training you need to go outside with your dog EVERY time. Take him to the same area, use the same keyword for pottying and LOTS of praise when he does the right thing. Ignore the accidents. And last but not least. Training to use an invisible fence. You don't just let the dogs out with the collar. You walk them out on a leash. Walk them near the fence and BEFORE they get there give them a loud high pitched OUCH or NO and take them away from that area. Do the ENTIRE boundary of the yard at least three times. Then allow your dog to walk close enough to the fence to get hit, but the key word being ALLOW do not PULL them into the area. When they hit the fence, repeat your behavior. a high pitched OUCH or on and move away from the area. Lots of praise when the dog chooses to avoid the fence. Do this EVERY day for at least a week before allowing the dog off lead in the yard. Hopefully you can get your situation under control. Unfortunately with three dogs., or even one dog, especially of this breed, ten to twelve hours away daily is a LOT. Make sure they have plenty of toys and that they are changed out regularly. And do not ever ever forget how important those structured power walks are.
good luck
Cindi

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks so much for your response. From this response, I have my work cut out for me.  I don't want to give them up.  I will go and putchase halties for my two Jacks.  The cairn terrier is fine.  Do you have a suggestion with regard to the length of the leash?  I am thinking no longer than 6 feet.  Would you suggest those multi dog leashes or separate leashes?  I am a little confused with regard to the invisible fence.  You are not a fan of the fence, but yet suggested how I should train Phantom and Madison on the fence.  Is this because I have the fence already installed?  

Thanks again for your help!

ANSWER: I would use separate leashes. And as for length they need to heel, so length is not so important. They should either go potty before, or after your walk, or both. But when you walk, WALK , you know? Heel them and power walk.
Yes I suggested training methods because you already do have the fence installed. I'm hoping you will never leave home alone, or unattended while you're inside, for very long at a time. I've heard so many horror stores. Since you DO already have it though, I thought it would help to know how to teach your dogs to respect it. :)
Yes you do have your work cut out for you. But you seem to be a caring, loving , responsible owner so I know you can handle it!
blessings,
Cindi

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Well Cindi, things are progressing along.  Phantom, our newest puppy is getting used to things.  We still struggle with the pooping outside.  I think we have figured out that he only goes poopy after he eats and not before and it is usually about an hour after he eats.  So we are making adjustments for that.  He does better walking alone than with the other two but there will be times when the tree of them need to walk together.  Phantom is also crated at night.  The first night he barked a lot when we put him in and he got up pretty early (4:15 AM) the next morning.  I took him for a long walk and he only peed.  Brought him back in, feed him and got ready for work.  When I took him out before I left for work he pooped.  I praised him, walked for another 10 minutes and brought him in the house.  Is there anything I need to be doing differently here?

Chloe, the oldest and my Cairn Terrier is very good.  She walks on the new leash, she pees and poops on the leash.  She's just very good and older as well.

As for Madison, my 2 year old Jack Russell, she is not liking the fact that she can no longer sleep with me and is now confined to their gated area on the main floor at night.  I miss her next to me, but I know it is the right thing to do.  Madison also hates the new leash.  She acts scared of it and won't walk.  She now walks behind me with her tail between her legs.  There are times I feel like I am dragging her.  Both days she was on leash she peed and only one day did she poop. I am concerned that she will not get used to the leash and she will not be her usual happy self when we take our walks.  Not sure what to do about this.  I know going back to the retractable leashes is not the right thing to do, but I am concerned about her being so fearful of the leash.  Any suggestions?  

Thanks in advance for your help!
Karen

Answer
Hi Karen
Let her wear the leash when you're not walking and give her lots of praise when she is. Try walking her and using treats and patting your leg to get her to come up closer. Don't pull or tug her. When she does move up closer , lots of praise. She'll get it, don't give up you're doing great!!!
Cindi