The Day of Many Time-Outs

Kai was being such a pill yesterday!  I'm realizing that we do need to discipline him more when he acts out.  It's hard to do it with such a cute, happy puppy, but I know that if we let certain behaviors go unchecked now we will regret it in the future, when he's bigger.  I am fairly certain that aversive training won't work with Kai, so we are trying this:

1.  saying NO very loud and sternly
2.  after several NOs, if he's still acting up, we say "do you want a time out?"
3.  if he doesn't immediately stop, he gets a time out.  At least one minute in the boring bathroom, more if he's screaming to get out.

Kai with his Kong brush.  I'm ok with him nomming on that.

Between Chris and I, we probably had to give him at least ten time outs yesterday for various offenses:  trying to chew shoes, harassing the cat, pulling things off the table and other areas of the house, tugging on the duvet cover, chewing on furniture, and mouthing.  Sigh.  It was a long day.  The good news is that he did seem to understand (finally) that I don't want him biting me when we play.  He didn't mouth me once this morning during feeding and play time.  So I hope that the discipline will work with him.  I guess I know how parents feel now when disciplining their small children.  Part of me feels really bad, but the other part knows that it needs to be done, that this small being needs structure and boundaries in his life, and that both he and I ultimately will be happier if those boundaries can be firmly established.  I also realize that Kai is only a puppy, and a Shiba at that.  I don't expect him to immediately come when I call him.  He just needs to learn to live by our rules.

I can't wait until we can start taking him out on walks.  I think that getting out more would help with his energy.  As for now, we'll take him to the gym again tonight, and I have no doubt that he will get tuckered out there!