Puppy Koda is here to stay

Josh with Koda while he's sleeping

Tony brought Koda home on Thursday after work.  He left early and drove up to Logan to get Koda and bring him home.  He did really good in the car and did really good that night getting to know his new home and family.  He did good to bark when he needed to go out to go potty and did pretty good during the night.  He barked and had to go out about three times.  Not too bad.

Tyler pretending to sleep by koda

Then Friday he got more comfortable and enjoyed sleeping and playing outside in the shade and inside on the cool floor under the swamp cooler.  We found that he had peed under the kitchen chair when we didn't see and so that totally bummed us out.  Then he had a super hard night last night with lots of barking and (I think) just being lonely.  He missed his doggie family.  We were up a lot last night.  Tony got up each time to take him out and then had to sit with him a couple time until he went to sleep.  Add that with me having to pee three times a night and I just did not get much sleep.

"Soft Puppy"

So by Saturday he had peed again in the house and we just can't have him doing that.  It was our plan from the beginning to crate train, but since he was doing so good at first telling us when he had to go, we thought maybe we wouldn't have to use it.  Well, when he peed on the floor - it told us that he, indeed, needs to be crate trained.  So we started that today...and let's just say he's not a big fan.  He cried a lot...barked a lot...and I was tempted to let him out, but we know that he will get used to it and stop all the whining.  We take him out hourly to potty and play and then put him back.  He is actually doing much better now that it is later in the day.  Tony got out the fan and put it on him and he seemed to really like that.  He laid right down and took a nice long nap after that.  I can tell the poor thing is just super hot -- I totally understand how he feels.  He loves the shade and hates having to go outside when the sun in pouring through the back door.  I think that he will love the cooler weather even more then I will.
So far we all totally love him.  Many times we have to tell the boys to back off him, but they smother with love.  Koda has done well with the boys too.  He does like to chew so it's a good thing that we have lots of toys for him.  I think that it's going to be a little hard for a while, but it'll be all worth it.