Puppy Problem - long

[JVL1018]

OOPs...that is something I am not doing. So what is "approved". Everything I see the dogs can eat so I just gave them a blanket.

I don;t know if it's approved, but my dog had a balnket, a dog bed, towels, and another dog bed one after the other in her crate. She destroyed them all-she used to pull them out of there and chew them apart.
A couple of months ago, I thought about a bath mat-perfect size for her crate, the rubber bottom makes it non slip, it can be vacuumed and best of all she has not even nibbled on it.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Our dog used to pull terribly. We took her to a trainer who showed us how to use a prong collar. They look barbaric, but when used correctly are not. She doesn't pull anymore and stays with me. The trainer told me that she didn't have to heel, but should be looking to me as to where to go and when I make a turn she needs to follow me. If her attention is directed to other things (squirrels, etc) then she's not watching me. She has improved SO much. She now realizes that I am alpha.

T&B

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Any tips on how ot train a dog to do that?
We have a black lab who was a year in April.
She will pull my arm out of the socket when we go for walks.
I think part of the problem is that we rarely take her for walks.

Yes, I am training 2 puppies. Not easy that is for sure.

Prong collar is better over the traditional chain choker, if he is a dog that pulls your arm "out of your socket". But don't go there yet. Try some basic training first, sit, stay, down... Labs want to please and can pick it up pretty quick. They also like treats.
Currently I am using just their collars. I am trying a "positive" approach, treats, toys, and praise. It is slower. I did start with the chain choker and it worked for one dog but the collie mix needs positive training approach so I have switched my method.

Also you need either a 4' or 6' LEATHER lead. Not nylon or Flexi's.

Dog is on your left side sitting. His legs are lined up with yours. He is practically touching you and looking up at you. Get his attention. Tell him "Good Sit" then treat/praise. Don't treat when you say "Good___" always after.
(The door is OPEN, he is waiting on YOU to LEAD him out)
Once you are out, I have them sit again so I shut the door. Once again, I have them wait, till I am ready.

Lead is loose never, ever tight. If it is tight dog knows where you are at. So you have loose lead in left hand, slack in right hand.

Only say the "Heel" comand when they are in the "heel" position only.

Give command..."Butters, heel"...Left foot out, he darts, pull him back and make him sit. Don't acknowledge the bad, you are training & this is new. Remember to praise, when you get him back in a sit. (Good sit)
Repeat process. Keep pulling him back and sitting him. Eventually he will pick up the fact that he doesn't get to walk under his terms.
Praise a good heel.

Remember to keep the lead loose at all times and yank him back when he starts (not is) out of heel position.
Yank, loose...make it quick. Always pull them "UP" to stop and back in position.

One dog picked it up quick (my lab mix) but he is an "alpha-type" and knows we are the "alpha" now & is cool with that and listens....The other dog, collie mix, is getting it but is slower. She wants to make friends and socialize.
She knows she is not the alpha and the lowest on the totem pole so really is a free spirit.

Think of the leash as your correction/training tool and your safety tool so they cannot run off. It isn't a walking tool (that is YOU!). Does that make sense?

 

[crazee4mickey]

Your puppy is making you feel guilty by crying when you first put it in the crate/kennel, I bet he isn't crying after 5 minutes and is probably sound asleep! The pup probably knows that if it cries it might get out, beagles are very smart dogs. I totally agree with using crate/kennel as their "safe" spot, it gives them a place that is theirs.
The invisible electric fence does not work, as beagles are similar to our basset hound we had-once they catch a smell they are off and running! They run right through with no effect as they are so focused on the scent but then when they try to re-enter the yard they get a shock.
We also had to use a prong collar as he pulled like crazy, choked himself terribly. He pulled once with the prong collar and that was it-he doesn't pull anymore, we still use it however. They look nasty but try it on your arm and it doesn't poke but kind of pinches slightly--I don't like anything that will hurt our pup and this saves him from hurting himself.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I was crying when I came to work today because I had to put our puppy in her kennel for the day. She is a 7 month old beagle/? mix and she weighs about 30 lbs. When we took her (my sister rescued her but couldn't keep her because of her living situation) we made it clear that she would have to be an inside dog - because of neighboorhood fencing situation. The first vet my sister took her to said she was probably a beagle/small to medium breed mix and would be about 20-25 lbs. Okay - great.

Well, she is now obviously going to be bigger than that. Although she is really sweet, she is the most willful dog I have ever seen! Even our vet said so. He told us an electric/invisible fence probably wouldn't work for her. My MIL and I were getting ready to take her for a walk at MIL's house. MIL slipped her leash under this wrought iron park bench type thing while she ran the mail in the house (she does the same thing with their full grown lab) and Maggie (the puppy) didn't want to wait so she managed to pull the bench off of their porch! I can't even pick the thing up it's so heavy. She strained so hard to do it that she left a little trail of poo behind her. She's been to puppy training and is really good about bathroom, coming when called, things like that. The problem is that she is absolutely destroys things when we leave her in the house - even with the baby gates up. Instead of knocking the gate over - which she probably could do - she chewed up the wall and the woodwork so she could squeeze through. So far she's totally destroyed a door, an antique chair, and about a million pair of shoes - yes, we have finally learned to put them up.

Any ideas? I can live with this if it's just a puppy thing that will pass. I just hate to have to keep her penned up in her kennel all day - I'm gone from about 7:45 - 3:30.

Help Dis experts!

I could list things Monty Dog destroyed when he was a puppy that would make you go

It IS just a pup thing and it will pass. JRTs like Monty and Beagles have a lot of the same personality traits. Both are high energy, both like to chew, both are stubborn as all get out.

Crating a dog during the day is not cruel provided when you are home with her, she is getting a lot of attention and plenty of excercise. Any vet will tell you that. Esp. at this pup's age, she is more than likely going to sleep most of the day. My boys are in their crate longer than that during the weekdays, and both turned out just fine. In fact, Monty got an A+ bill of health today at his annual check up.

Crates are a wonderful way to keep your puppy in your control and keep your things safe. But they also keep the puppy safe from her own curiosity. We started off not crating Monty, but we soon learned that we'd given him way too much freedom way too fast and taught him to use the crate.

Our routine now is the dogs go in the crates when we leave for work in the AM. Since they are now both old enough to sleep out of the crates when humans are home (usually the wind up in the people bed ) , they are out all night, all early morning, and we always come straight home after work and they go right out for a romp. Generally in the AM when we put them in the crates, Dodger runs in on his own and curls up on his blanket. Monty requires a little more coaxing, but only because he is always groggy in the AM. Usually I just pick the lazy bum up and carry him to his bed in the crate and he's sound asleep before we are out the door.

Monty is 2.5 years old now. I have had him since he was a 2 month old baby who peed and pooped all over my expensive down comforter and chewed a hole in my wall. He's eaten entire literary collections off my bookshelves including several art books priced at over $100 each. (I used to work for a publisher and got these books for free...no way I'd replace them after they were eaten). He's broken a few ceramic figurines. He's made a right mess of the furniture. He's torn apart over 7 different blankets/comforters and at least 2 throw pillows.

Know what he does most of the time now? Chases his favorite soccer ball around the yard, and sleeps. Then he sleeps some more. I dare say he has reached the end of puppyhood, and is the most mellow laid back dog I've ever seen.

Give it time. It will pass and she will mellow out with training and lots of love.

For now, use the crate. Only give her freedom where you can monitor her. Freedom in the house is something she needs to earn. Let her earn it in small doses.

Also, try using products like Keep Away sprays and Bitter Apple as deterrents. Combine that with rewarding her for just sitting and being good. Clicker training works fabulous for this.

At this puppies age, I think she is chewing things because she is either curious or bored. Curiosity is normal. She is seeing all these new things, and from her history it sounds like she was never taught any better when she should have been. But it also sounds like she is capable of learning. She will learn.

Good luck! aw:

Sheri, Monty Dog & Dodger

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I'm going to try to extend her morning walk tomorrow and leave a treat with her in her kennel.

Monty & Dodger each get 1/2 a Snausage for breakfast, although Monty doesn't usually eat his right away anymore. I think he saves it for later.

Also, we have fleece throw blankets in their crates with them to lay on. We only leave toys with them that we trust. By toys we trust, I mean solid, solid rubber toys that we know they will not rip apart and possibly swallow when we are out.

 

[2BigKIdz]

I agree that it is a puppy thing. All 3 of my dogs (only have 2 now as 1 passed last year) destroyed our house when they were puppies (walls, steps, furniture, remote controls, you name it they chewed it!). Once they got about a year old or a little older they stopped. They have free run of the house at all times and never bother anything (even shoes which I can't tell you how many of those we lost to them as puppies). I also would leave her in the crate while you are not home until you feel it is safe to leave her unattended. Good luck!