Help Help HELP with puppy behavior

[dreamn_Disney]

I have owned dogs before and to be honest they were never well trained. I even went through training with them and still it was a barking, jumping, running off nightmare.

We haven't had a dog for five years and now my dd has a new puppy. The puppy is about 2 months old and I am at the end of my rope. I know she is still young but is she old enough to be trained. I tried to play outside with my ds on his new slip and slide and the dog was running and nipping at him. I tried to hold her color and told her "no" and she yelped and nipped at me. She chews on everything and is never ending with the jumping and biting of your ankles or pants.She goes to the bathroom all over the house and now is either in a small area of the back room, her cage, or the back yard. She does come at times to her name but that is hit or miss.

Again, I know she is young but I need to do something to correct the behaviors in order to have a well behaved dog when she is older. If some of this is just things she will grow out of great but if they are behaviors that need corrected how.

 

[MushyMushy]

For one thing, it sounds like she has way too much freedom and she's too big for her britches! The first thing you should do is tether her to you and don't allow her to go anywhere without you. I know that's easier said than done, but it works. I had to do that with one of my dogs because she was destroying the house. What a pain!

Have you tried crate training? I'm not familiar with it, but a lot of people have good luck with crate training.

Another thing to do to get her to do what you want is positive reinforcement with treats. I found this bucket of freeze dried liver treats at Petco (or you could poach or grill some chicken breast to keep in baggies for the dog) and kept a few with me all the time. If she peed outside, she got a treat. If she sat at the door before we went out, she got a treat. Every time she did any desirable behavior, she got a treat.

You need to show your dog what is expected at all times. My example of sitting before going out - they NEVER go out a door before me, unless I tell them to go first. But I have to show them what to do. I point to the floor and/or tell them to sit. I hold up my hand for them to wait, then I tell the okay when they are good to go. Even a puppy can understand once you teach them some very basics like sit/stay.

My dogs aren't the best behaved creatures in the world, but they can listen. You just have to start with some basics.

 

[poohlover]

Puppy and dog training takes time...time...and more time...
as well as Patience and more patience.

and you need to be consistent at all times.

A PP said somerthing about crate training, very good idea. Dogs like having a safe place of their own.

All puppys play as a puppy would. Nipping is what a pup would do with it's litter mates, in order to stop this you need to be consistent and firm, reward good behavior, if the pup gets too wild and becomes unmanagable put it in her crate, let her calm down.

All dogs have personalities, get to know this ones and you will see what winds her up, limit that activity. The less excited she is the more she will listen.

At 8 weeks of age this pup is too little for much training. When she gets older 4 months perhpas...
10 - 15 minutes per day of training EVERY day will do so much good. You will have a dog that listens and is fun to be with.

Read a good training book. See if you have any dog clubs in your area and if they offer puppy classes or training and what ages they begin.

Love your new puppy and work to make it a real part of the family. The time you put into her will pay off in the long run.

 

[dreamn_Disney]

Thank you both. I will keep her close to me or dd and when she is getting wound up in the crate she will go. She does seem to like her little area in the back room and when we are out in the yard I will make sure she is with me. I have been praising her for good behavior but will try the treats. I just felt bad when I had to take her out of the yard while ds was playing. But anyone moving around is a target for her and once my ds starts to run she gets very wild and excited. At least now I can put her in the crate and not feel like she will have to be there for ever when we are outside.

 

[minkydog]

Heavens, she's just a baby! It takes a lot longer than 2 months from a puppy to even recognize that they need to go, let along be predictably trained.

Two words: crate training. She needs to be in a small crate when you aren't actively working with her. Not very big because you don't want her to potty in one end and sleep in the other. Keep her in there when you're cooking or cleaning and can't really watch her. I'd limit her from going to other parts of the house until she's better trained or you're going to have urine and feces all over the place.

House breaking: Put a long string of jingle bells on your door and every time you take her out ring those bells. At this point she needs to be going out on a leash first thing in the morning, after every meal, every 2 hours, and last thing at night. I know, it's a lot. Just like a baby. Take her to the same spot every time and praise her to high heavens when she makes and give her a treat(a little cheese or chicken). In a few weeks she will happliy ring the bells herself to go out.

The best piece of advice I ever got when I was training our puppy was "put him on a leash, attach it to your belt, and keep him within a few feet of you at all times." It really imprints on the puppy that he's supposed to be with you, come when you call, and do what you want him to do. And when he's not on his leash, he's in the crate. It's not as bad as it sounds and most puppies just want to be with you anyway.

 

[JoiseyMom]

Your puppy thinks she is the alpha in your pack. You have to make her realize you are the alpha. Easier said then done. I just hired a trainer...and they are great. www.barkbusters.com

Worth every penney!!

 

[terri01p]

AAAAhhHH she's just a baby, be patience!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[surfergirl602]

you've gotten good advice. Try a gentle leader. It helped us out immensely!

 

[daisax]

That's not alpha behavior -- it's puppy behavior. All normal and controllable. Not worth getting any more upset about than when a baby grabs your hair or earring and pulls and hurts you --doesn't make them a serial killer, just a baby playing with the world around it! Sure you have to block it and work with it, but try to keep in mind you're dealing with the equivalent of a small toddler. Yelp in a high pitched voice ("Ay!") when the dog puts her mouth on you inappropriately, then walk away, or stop playing immediately -- that's the way her mother and littermates would relay that she had overstepped the line. You'd be surprised how most pups will immediately step back and look at you like "wow, really? Sorry!"

When the pup is in full psycho meltdown, biting at laces, etc., especially in the evening, it's like a toddler meltdown -- you know how when they're overtired they will fight sleep by going into overdrive? Same phenomenon. Take the pup out to eliminate, get a cookie and put her in the crate with a firm "good night" and chances are within minutes she'll be asleep. That was one of the best pieces of advice I ever got -- that what I was thinking was unwillingness to listen or settle down was a puppy who needed bedtime right away.

Think of the crate as a playpen -- if you can't supervise, or need a break, it's a safe place for pup to chill out and entertain herself (put a toy or two inside).

As people said, she should never get the opportunity to do anything "all over the house." Keeping a log of every time she goes to the bathroom for a week or so will probably open your eyes -- dogs tend to be really regular, so if you feed at the same times every day, you will soon be able to predict precisely when the dog is going to need to go. Some dogs (pardon the TMI) are what we call "double poopers." They will go once, but then need to go again a minute or two later. Taking them out and bringing them back in after the first time is only going to result in an accident in the house. However, once you recognize that they ALWAYS go twice, you stay out until they're done with the second time, then come in, and you'll know you're safe. ( i draw out a chart, but you could use a dayplanner -- something that will let you block out times when the pup is sleeping/peeing/pooping. Being able to see it across a week's time on one piece of paper will show you a pattern, so that you realize that between 1 and 2 every day the pup ends up pooping, so if it's 1:30 and the pup still hasn't gone, you had better expect it soon, or should put off that trip to the grocery store until it's taken care of.

Knowing your own dog's schedule will help, but if it still seems like a mystery, going out and giving the pup the opportunity (on leash) to go as much as possible (and that could be every half hour all day long on the weekend) will go far to helping prevent accidents in the house. The longer you go without an accident in the house, the more the dog's little brain will appreciate that outside is the RIGHT place. Dogs are pretty clean if given the opportunity to be clean.

And look for a good local training center where the pup can go to puppy kindergarten, play with other puppies and continue the socialization she had in her litter, and you can pick up tips, not just for training, but for the everyday living with a puppy stuff. Plus it's just plain adorable seeing all the different breed babies!

Avoid Petsmart and Petco type places -- they'll let anybody teach who goes through their course, and the stores are open to any dog off the street, so the likelihood of sick animals having been on the premesis is higher than a training facility that isn't open to the public.

One game you can play with the whole family is to stand or sit in the yard and take turns calling the puppy to you. You can give a little treat when the pup comes (very tiny - don't want the pup running on a full stomach! Something like a kernal of corn size is plenty -- the pup is just happy to get something). The puppy will think it's a blast to race from person to person and get a treat, and will simultaneously be learning to come fast when called, and also burning off a lot of energy!

 

[Alice1386]

That's not alpha behavior -- it's puppy behavior. All normal and controllable. Not worth getting any more upset about than when a baby grabs your hair or earring and pulls and hurts you --doesn't make them a serial killer, just a baby playing with the world around it! Sure you have to block it and work with it, but try to keep in mind you're dealing with the equivalent of a small toddler. Yelp in a high pitched voice ("Ay!") when the dog puts her mouth on you inappropriately, then walk away, or stop playing immediately -- that's the way her mother and littermates would relay that she had overstepped the line. You'd be surprised how most pups will immediately step back and look at you like "wow, really? Sorry!"

When the pup is in full psycho meltdown, biting at laces, etc., especially in the evening, it's like a toddler meltdown -- you know how when they're overtired they will fight sleep by going into overdrive? Same phenomenon. Take the pup out to eliminate, get a cookie and put her in the crate with a firm "good night" and chances are within minutes she'll be asleep. That was one of the best pieces of advice I ever got -- that what I was thinking was unwillingness to listen or settle down was a puppy who needed bedtime right away.

Think of the crate as a playpen -- if you can't supervise, or need a break, it's a safe place for pup to chill out and entertain herself (put a toy or two inside).

As people said, she should never get the opportunity to do anything "all over the house." Keeping a log of every time she goes to the bathroom for a week or so will probably open your eyes -- dogs tend to be really regular, so if you feed at the same times every day, you will soon be able to predict precisely when the dog is going to need to go. Some dogs (pardon the TMI) are what we call "double poopers." They will go once, but then need to go again a minute or two later. Taking them out and bringing them back in after the first time is only going to result in an accident in the house. However, once you recognize that they ALWAYS go twice, you stay out until they're done with the second time, then come in, and you'll know you're safe. ( i draw out a chart, but you could use a dayplanner -- something that will let you block out times when the pup is sleeping/peeing/pooping. Being able to see it across a week's time on one piece of paper will show you a pattern, so that you realize that between 1 and 2 every day the pup ends up pooping, so if it's 1:30 and the pup still hasn't gone, you had better expect it soon, or should put off that trip to the grocery store until it's taken care of.

Knowing your own dog's schedule will help, but if it still seems like a mystery, going out and giving the pup the opportunity (on leash) to go as much as possible (and that could be every half hour all day long on the weekend) will go far to helping prevent accidents in the house. The longer you go without an accident in the house, the more the dog's little brain will appreciate that outside is the RIGHT place. Dogs are pretty clean if given the opportunity to be clean.

And look for a good local training center where the pup can go to puppy kindergarten, play with other puppies and continue the socialization she had in her litter, and you can pick up tips, not just for training, but for the everyday living with a puppy stuff. Plus it's just plain adorable seeing all the different breed babies!

Avoid Petsmart and Petco type places -- they'll let anybody teach who goes through their course, and the stores are open to any dog off the street, so the likelihood of sick animals having been on the premesis is higher than a training facility that isn't open to the public.

One game you can play with the whole family is to stand or sit in the yard and take turns calling the puppy to you. You can give a little treat when the pup comes (very tiny - don't want the pup running on a full stomach! Something like a kernal of corn size is plenty -- the pup is just happy to get something). The puppy will think it's a blast to race from person to person and get a treat, and will simultaneously be learning to come fast when called, and also burning off a lot of energy!

This is very good advice (and saved me from having to type it all out myself-lol)!!! The only thing I can add, is if you do look for a trainer, please make sure they are truly a positive re-enforcement trainer. Lots of people market them as such, but they use things like prong, choke, or remote collars. Those are NOT positive re-enforcement tools. Remember dogs are dogs and we are asking them to do a lot of things that are not natural for them and play by a lot of rules that are the complete opposite of what is okay in the dog world.

A great book to read would be "The Culture Clash." It explains really clearly why dogs do the things they do and how to train them.

 

[dreamn_Disney]

Again thank you everyone. She is sound asleep in her crate now. She has been spending a lot of time outside the last several days. I have a fenced in yard and have just been leaving her out in the yard or in her little area of the back room. I was just upset today because I wanted to spend some time with her but all she does when we try to play or pet her is jump and nip. Ds is 5 and spends all his time trying to get away and being scared she will nip him. I am not as worried about the potty training as she is so small yet. That was a part of her being confined when in the house. She just had to many accidents in the living room. I just needed to hear that she can be broke of the jumping nipping thing and that I am not mean for having to put her in the crate to let us enjoy some time in the yard.

I am going to read over the posts again and put into practice some of the techniques. I will try and find a good trainer in this area as well. I just want her to be a happy involved member of the family.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I just needed to hear that she can be broke of the jumping nipping thing and that I am not mean for having to put her in the crate to let us enjoy some time in the yard.

You can. If you don't have a nice leather leash, go get one. Have the pup on it all the time while he is out of the crate that way you can correct negative behaviors, show him the boundaries, rules of the house etc....

My dogs are 3+ and I use the leash daily because we have to right now, however I have learned how is it your best tool.

 

[Christine]

Find a dog school in your area (not Petco--I think there are too many distractions with being trained in a store) and sign the puppy up for classes. The classes are really for YOU. Once you and your puppy learn the basic commands and those roles are established in the class, you are going to have a LOT more control at home.

Look in your phone book for dog trainers or places that do doggy daycare. They usually offer 6 week training sessions. They are a life saver.

 

[kacaju]

what kind of dog is she??
You can also buy an exercise pen so you can keep her outside with you, but she will be contained.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

It's really as simple as letting the dog know you're in charge, as well as a hearty dose of common sense.

There's no reason the pup can't join in the fun, but you need to have control over it; guide it along. No biting. Period. Correct the dog, or let him carry a ball or stick in his mouth, etc.

Don't give a two month old pup access to anywhere you don't want it to go to the bathroom. Simple. That's something he'll earn over time when he can control himself. (Right now his bladder's about the size of a grape, or smaller.)

If you haven't watched The Dog Whisperer on National Geographic channel yet, you need to tune in, set your DVR, etc. Within a few shows, you'll get the idea. Many of the problems people experience with their dogs are directly attributable to people reinforcing this behavior without their realizing it.

The book I give to friends with new dogs is Good Owners, Great Dogs by Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson. It's the type of book you read over and over and refer to along the contiuum of the dog's lifetime.

Good luck. Puppies at this age are absolutely a challenge. Just let the dog know you're in charge now, and you'll be off to a better start. But you need to educate yourself a little bit first.

 

[mousetravel]

Have you ever watched "It's Me or The Dog"? I love that show. Here's the site from the Animal Planet, which has a lot of good info and message boards.

http://animal.discovery.com/tv/its-me-or-dog/index.html

 

[clh2]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is to exercise your pupppy. I hope I'm not giving bad advice here, I've never had a puppy...take your puppy on long (for them) walks.

**We adopted our dog when he was 8 years old...so no puppy shenanigans for me!

The other thing I would recommend would be if you are outside, and your dog is out with you...there are going to be times that you just do not want them underfoot, chasing the kids etc...TIE THEM UP. We did this to our dog yesterday and today. We were working in an area of the yard that had been newly seeded/fertilized. We have a corkscrew thing that goes into the grass, and we put it in close to us, but also where there is shade.

***We NEVER tie our dog up unless we are outside...NEVER. Really, honest, we do this when it is a safety issue.

 

[donaldbuzz&minnie]

Start watching "The Dog Whisperer"!! Decide now that you are the calm, assertive pack leader. Remember your puppy understands "dog", not "human", so treating it like a human baby will confuse it. Try to see the world from a dog's point of view, and assume the dog wants to fit into your world. It just needs to understand what you want, which it can only do if you "speak" dog. Educate with love and confidence: don't grimly "train", expecting the worst. Reward good bahavior with lots of praise and treats.

You can do it!!

 

[ElizK]

I have a 6 month old puppy, and I totally hear where you're coming from with the biting. She's just playing, but I sure am tired of being chewed on!

The book "How to House Break your Dog in 7 Days" was recommended to me by another Dis'er 4 years ago when we got our other dog. It teaches how to house break using a crate. Works GREAT. Just make sure the dog never thinks she's being punished when you put her in there. Give her a small treat when she goes in. I'd ask our puppy, "do you want to get in your bed?", and she's start looking around for her Cheerio! That's what we always gave her when she went into the crate.

So we have a housetrained pup that still likes to chew on us. She's a work in progress. Good luck! Don't give up. She'll be a great member of the family once she understands what you expect of her.

 

[Dee & Greg]

Routine, Routine, Routine!!! that's the best advice for puppies! They eat at the same time, then go potty, then play time, potty again, and then they are ususally ready for a nap!
Make their crate their den... don't use it as a punishment. They will equate the crate with "bad". Always give the puppy a treat or a toy and cheerfully say "nite nite!" (it's really not that different from "real" kids!)
If your child is running from the puppy, than the puppy sees that as a game of "chase". He doesn't understand the difference. The Dog Whisperer has several books about "be the pack leader", and it works with the children too! Children are terrific pack leaders...and it gives them confidence when they use positive energy with the puppy. I highly recommend it!