Need some more puppy advice??

nygirl07 · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 9:06 am Post subject: Need some more puppy advice??

1.) Like some others have posted our puppy has problems with not listening about getting on the couch...we only let him up once in a while and now he wants it all the time, and when we push him down and say NO he keeps doing it?

2.) He's a big puller on the leash...he's getting better and we constatnly pull him back and he has to sit before we leave the house and enter but he just wants to pull when we get moving...we don't want to use a choke collar but what's the best way to train him not to pull? We pull him back and say no and if he's out of control we keep turning in the opposite direction or making him sit and relax before we start up again

3.) We changed his eating to 2 a day and most times he's been eating almost 2 cups both times...the last couple of days I've noticed he has had a tough time pooping...he does go but it seems like he's been a little constipated and it's like little rabbit poop (yeah gross i know)

any advice would be appreciated

Thanks

DoubleTrouble · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 11:01 am Post subject:

Have you done obedience with your puppy? It was so helpful for us! One thing I learned was only using "no!" in emergencies and when the dog is being really bad. We were taught to use another word "oops", "sorry", etc. when we've told the dog to do something and the dog isn't listening. A lot of the time, my dogs are too excited to settle and listen, but when they know they have to do what I want to get what they want (walk, go out the door, whatever) because I say "oops!", they tend to behave.

Does your dog have something to do on the floor? A designated place to sit? Something to play with? For mine, that makes all the difference. Sometimes, they'll bug me and bug me and bug me to get on my lap because they have nothing to do or they aren't tired enough, but when they have another option, a bone or a toy or they are tired, they'll settle. I haven't tried it, but I know a lot of people use spray bottles or cans of change in addition to saying "OFF!" to scare the dog.

Hope this is useful!

DoubleTrouble · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 11:07 am Post subject:

Oh, I forgot to say, about the pulling, when one of ours pulls, we don't go so far as to pull back or make our dogs sit, but we just stop, say "oops!" and wait until the dog stops pulling. If the dog doesn't, then I take a step back and keep doing that until the dog stops pulling. I've only heard bad things about choke collars except for from people who are very knowledgable about training, but I know prong collars and haltis (head collars) have helped some people a lot. We only use the prong collar when we're out fora long walk and if we don't, it will be an hour of stopping every ten seconds. I like it, but if Josie is determined enough, she can pull through it, too.

nicwithcandy · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 12:13 pm Post subject:

I'll tell ya what we just started yesterday, WATER BOTTLE!! With 2 dogs the lawn in our yard has turned to mudd! My husband is trying to fix some parts of the yard so its half way decent so he put down seed and this recycled paper stuff on top, of course Luca keeps eating it, so yesterday we got out the water bottle and boy it worked!! Maybe you can try that with the couch . . .

weim2mom · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 1:30 pm Post subject: Re: Need some more puppy advice??

weim2mom · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 1:30 pm Post subject:

and like nicwithcandy said... the watter bottle WORKS!

shouseholder · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 4:01 pm Post subject:

Our obedience trainer had us switch directions every time they pull, that way they learn that it doesn't get them anywhere. We spent many walks not making it down the driveway and looking like fools, but she got much better.

We finally did resort to a prong collar. I was completely opposed to it at first, but even with a flat collar she was choking herself pulling. She instantly walked almost perfectly with it on. Best decision I could have made and we are going try to ween her off the collar this summer.

Maybe the changing directions will work with your pup (ours is pretty stubborn).

hoochmamas · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 6:58 pm Post subject:

1. decide if you want him on the couch, or not.. they don't get the "sometimes" thing, unless you do like some others on here and put a special blanket on the couch for him to lay on.. and he is only allowed up when he is invited, and his blanket is laid out.
2. i use a sporn mesh control harness for pulling. it worked great at first, but like a lot of training tools, he got used to it and it is mediocre right now on it's own, but in conjunction with the changing directions or just stopping all together, it helps, and i am not pulling on his neck.. i also want to train him to get his CGC and you can not use any training collars for this test..
3. try adding a tablespoon or so of canned pumpkin.. not pie mix.. straight up pumpkin, to his kibble.. it's a great neutralizer. also, he might have eaten something that is blocking him.. hopefully it will resolve on it's own if that's the case, but watch him.. scary.. but i had to throw it in there..
i think everyone else is right on with their advice, as well. you have to figure out what works for your pup..
good luck!