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Steve + Nanook
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Steve + Nanook is offline  
Location: Surrey
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 36
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26-05-2010, 06:19 AM

Puppy misbehaving

My pup is now 10 weeks old. The first two weeks, he was very receptive to his recall, would follow commands very easily (such as 'leave') and his bite inhibition was coming along very well. Even housetraining was getting under control.

Now, he's like a completely different dog. He doesn't do recall very well, despite going back and starting from scratch again, he ignores leave, which has now been changed to a new word which is 'stop' and thats not moving along as quickly.

I've also had to look after a pretty old Border Collie Cross, which I had hoped would help him socialise better. I've had her for almost a day now and he just won't leave her alone. He'll assert complete dominance over her by trying to block her movement, he's tried to place his paw on her back a few times which I have had to intervene with and when she's sleeping, he'll nip at her back leg like he's herding her. She's snapped back a couple of times to tell him to sod off and he gets the message, retreats for 5-10 minutes and then repeats his process all over.

I've had to seperate them as its getting too stressful for the BC x, I do have somewhere, where I can send her away until the owners get back, but I really would like to get my pup under control and socialise better with the dog as it's important he won't be a tyrant around other dogs in the future, so looking to nip this in the bud now.

Anyone had similar experiences who could dispense some much needed advice would be very welcome.
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Double Trouble
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26-05-2010, 06:24 AM
Sounds like the pupster is testing the boundries, Your message reads as though you are handling the situation well and I don't think you need me to tell you to continue being firm but kind. I am not a crate person myself, but would it be possible to use a crate whilst youhave the older do in your care?
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Steve + Nanook
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26-05-2010, 06:31 AM
I have a crate, but he howls the house down when he is in it.

Although, he is already howling the house down being shut out of my room and away from the other dog.

I know he's testing the boundaries, it just seems like nothing is sinking in, no limits are being reached in his eyes when I do remove him from the situation when he starts getting too much for her. He just comes back in and does it all again.

I've had very little sleep and I am just getting more and more frustrated because there are no apparent improvements.
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montysmum
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26-05-2010, 08:38 AM
As someone who has a 13 week old pup I feel I know where you are coming from!

My pup Bobby can have days when he just is as good as gold and I think I have cracked it - he has become the perfect dog, then he changes and becomes the pup from Hell, tearing up my plants and biting the ankles of dogs we meet in the park!

I am a novice, muddling my way through the puppy stages, but I have found that when I reduce the training even a little bit, he takes over.

I now am much more focussed with the training and obedience right from the time I get up in the morning. I take it right back to basics - sit, down, etc right through the day (with play times too of course), to keep him focussed on how to behave, otherwise he goes back to 'Hell' mode

When he misbehaved with other dogs I put him back on his lead so he wasn't able to just do what he wanted.

I also reward everything he does well with a treat - he is a greedy pup and so this is an easy way to get his attention, he responds so well to food!

I think if I had another dog in the house, it would be a lot harder to do this successfully - the distractions would be that much greater, 24 hours a day.

I think I may have cracked the heel biting habit (fingers crossed) - the last two dogs he met he behaved well with, but it's early days.

As for the crate, I don't know if it will work for you but this is what I did with Bobby. He always settles in it better if he has one of my T shirts in there with him. I always put food in there with him - a stuffed Kong, chopped carrot (a real favourite) hidden in the bedding etc, so he has something to entertain him for a while.

To get him used to it initially I just would put the food in there with the door open and then gradually shut the door, even if just for a few seconds and then gradually increase it.

Dont know if any of this helps at all, but hope you manage to get things settled.

Oh the joys of having puppies
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ClaireandDaisy
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26-05-2010, 09:00 AM
This sounds like a totally normal puppy! In a couple of years or so, you`ll look back with fond memories - maybe. Pups are pre-programmed to test and explore because that`s how they learn. Maybe you could use safety gates to give the old dog some peace?
I suggest you visit a friend with small children. After a couple pf hours of tantrums, incontinence and random violence you`ll be glad you`ve got a puppy rather than a toddler. If you don`t have a friend with kids available, visit this website http://****mykidsruined.tumblr.com/ only type in tihs backwards instead of the asterisks!
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youngstevie
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26-05-2010, 09:45 AM
Sounds perfectly normal puppy to me, I think giving time out for the older dogs peace of mind would be wise.

Also when another dog is in the house puppy ''listening'' tends to go out the window....after all the other dog is far more interesting then listening to you
These are things that just need to be gone over again and again, I have one here....typical puppy, listens one day and ignores you the next

In time you'll look back at this and laugh
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Labman
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26-05-2010, 10:11 AM
We went through this a number of times when we had an older dog. Once past 3 years old, many dogs don't want anything to do with puppies, their sharp little teeth, and their biting games. You need to teach the puppy to leave the older dog alone. As soon as the puppy starts to focus on the older dog, give it a sharp ''Ah, ah, ah!'' and offer it a chew toy.

You also need to get control of the puppy. Work on obedience. It is earlier than I would take a puppy to a class. You can work at home out of a book. His attention span is very short. Limit sessions to a few minutes. He will learn very quickly at that age.
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1cutedog
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26-05-2010, 10:12 AM
Originally Posted by ClaireandDaisy View Post
I suggest you visit a friend with small children. After a couple pf hours of tantrums, incontinence and random violence you`ll be glad you`ve got a puppy rather than a toddler.
Sorry, can only say what the others have said re your puppy.

at claireanddaisy's post above. Love the website you suggested also.
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Bo's mum
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26-05-2010, 10:27 AM
Hi,

I sympathise! I've a 5 month old BC pup and at 13 weeks (when I got her) she was a nightmare. I've got an almost 10 year old BCx and I'd forgotten what the puppy stages were like.

Meg (the pup) also hated her crate and howled for hours, especially if she knew I was in the house but not with her. And like you I was pulling my hair out. It's hard when you're where you are...but like others have said it does seem to be normal puppy stuff and testing the boundaries.

The old dog will teach it manners. You have to be there to ensure that it doesn't get out of hand, but the odd snapping (as long as it doesn't end up nasty) is the older dog teaching. Dogs do learn better I think from other dogs. I'd supervise but let the older dog tell the puppy off.

As for the crate, I started by putting Meg in it with the door open saying "bed" and stayed in the room initially, working up to leaving the room after a few days. She is a strong willed little b**ch and would constantly try to come out - it was consistency and perseverance which helped. It sounds like the pup doesn't want to be separated from you and has to learn both that, he has to get used to it and that it's not frightening

Also, tire your puppy out. Not with walks obviously at 10 weeks but with playing and the odd bit of training thrown in. Mental stimulation can be exhausting for them at 10 weeks.

Good luck and bear with it - you will come out the other side!
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Steve + Nanook
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26-05-2010, 08:56 PM
Same techniques and if anything, he's gotten worse. He's now snapping at her and I have had to reprimand him several times today. He's just spent the past 40 minutes shut away in the kitchen after snarling and then snapping at her whilst she was coming down the stairs. Picked him up and shut him away, which was a noisy 40 minutes no doubt.

He's now in the corner of the room, she's in her bed on the otherside of the room. If she stirs, his eyes will fix on her again and then he'll either go over and investigate (which will lead to growls from both) or he'll just bark at her and she'll get all stressed out again.

Is this seriously going to get better?

Just to add, I had a younger dog over earlier, and they spent a good 10 mins play fighting and rolling over on top of each other. Surprisingly, the other dog also played with the old 20 year old cross as well. So both are keen to play with other dogs, or at least get along with them, but not with each other...
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