Patience!

OK, bit of a rant I guess but more just me sounding off.

As most of you know we are having some behaviour issues with Woody and are working to resolve these with a behaviourist.

The trouble I am having though is my lack of patience! How do you guys solve this if you're the same? At the moment I just want to cry and am sooooo fed up I could scream!!

I love this little ManCub to death and will do whatever it takes but on the same side I just want my life/marriage back!!

Being patient is difficult hun for all of us, afterall we're all human, and these things are time consuming. We all have those times when we just want to curl up with hubby and think of nothing but having abit of peace.

I think the trick is, when you feel your patience is coming to a end, give it a rest, tell Woody to go on his bed/crate whatever you use and make him stay there.

I have my patience tested from time to time....ie I have just spent the last two weeks stopping bruce from jumping up people, only to find my Foster Son teaching him to jump up this evening so Foster son was sent to his room for 20 mins and dogs were told to ''go in the kitchen.....then I sat down with a nice cuppa and ignored everything.........just gathering my thoughts. If you can manage to stay calm, things will drop into place....

I find a diary helps.

You can look back at the really bad days and feel better. Becasue change is often quite slow you do not always see the benifits until you really look back.

Without knowing how/what you are doing and the problems it is causing I can't really give you anymore help.

Other than maybe to ask a member of the family to look after the dog for 24 hours and spend some quality time with the OH.

Good luck and know that we have all experienced that Teenage stage and it can feel like it is lasting forever - take some rescue remedy...no forget that and just have the brandy

Aw Pidge mate..hang on in there hun it will get better.

I am sorry I don't have any advice as my wee man seems to have been a perfect teenager apart from the agression which Auntie Shona sorted quicksmart (or rather she sorted my handling of him)

Your wee mancub will drop the cub and be a man soon until then come on here and rant away. Me and Ben will aways offer hugs x

I think it helps to take a step back and look at what you are frustrated with. Is it his lack of progress...or just what he does?
He is still so young, still a pup...still learning and a total victim of his hormone fluctuations right now.

Just keep on remembering 'this too shall pass'...

Give him time.
You don't need patience...you need understanding. I am the worlds least patient person in all respects...but I have found with kids and dogs, a little bit of understanding goes a very long way.

Awww Pidge, don't despair Woody will get there. People often ask me where I get my patience from with my eight dogs and three kids (one teenager, one about to be a teenager and a 7 year old) and I don't know the answer. I try not to worry about things. Be positive. If I get a little fed up with some behaviour or another (be it kid or dog) I just think, it's only a phase, they'll soon be all grown up "tomorrow's another day" as they say You just have to take each day as it comes and before you know it, he'll be out of what he's doing now.

What I would say though, having a dog gives you a little idea of what it's like to have a baby, only you can't crate a baby and go off for an hour or two to have a break (unfortunately ) so a dog is easier in some ways

To me, Pidge (could be wrong) you seem to be very hard on yourself. Try to relax and not worry so much, if you can A medicinal glass of wine will go down a treat

Sorry guys, I know I'm being a wally, I'm just so tired.

The main things we're working on are:

1. Settle in the home - leading back to a blanket with a long line when becomes restless and naughty to teach to be calm.
2. Food aggression - much , much better - Thank God!!]
3. More mind stimulation - which I've spent all day on and he's still restless and acting up.
4. Comfort zone - using the crate ALOT more to help him feel settled in there, hence it's in our room and he scrabbles to get out and keeps us awake!!

But most of all Neil seems utterly insistent on doing it his own way even though it's not the way we've been shown and we're justy arguing about it!! We're both tired and I'd planned a nice night tonight but so far we've spent it arguing, me crying and Woody being an absolute punk.

I just need a night off, but there isn't anyone at all that could have him as all our friends have cats and my family have horrid beagles who are frightened of him and his family are scared of dogs!!

It's like having a dysfunctional child that you've reached the end of your tether with but are also desperate to help and make things right.

Pidge, can't you crate him for a few hours and go out for a meal/drinks (when you haven't been to work that day) whatever, just spend some quality time and chill. You're a newly married couple and you need time to just be together. Woody will cope for a few hours

Hugs Pidge.

You know...you can try toooooo hard.
The more you try and do with him the more hyper he will be. If you relax and chill so will he. If he understands that evenings are for chilling...he will do just that. Relax...tell him no if he bugs you...ignore him..pop him elsewhere...he will soon learn.

Do you ever reward him just for lying still? Or for being peaceful in his crate? Woody sounds like a dog who is high energy anyway...perhaps you need to focus on teaching him how to be calm....??? Just a thought?

Not really. We're very short on cash and too resentful of each other to relax and enjoy life right now.

That sounds crap doesn't it.

I just wish he would stop trying to assert his authority over Woody and do it properly. I'm sat here watching him lead Woody back but he's dragging him and Woody is kicking and screaming but Neil wont listen to me that it needs to be calm and assertive.