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| Author | Topic: Puppy attacks |
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Jamiya Member  Posts: 1392 |
posted 09-19-2003 07:38 AM
 
Hey all. Still having the same problem with my puppy getting totally out of control in the morning. She starts to launch herself at me and grabs my clothes in her teeth. Nothing works. Telling her OFF and setting her feet on the floor, looking up at the ceiling to ignore the behavior, nothing. It's hard to even get a hand on her because she thinks it is a game and is dodging around and trying to bite. This morning I chucked her outside, although she ended up scratching at the door to come back in and I hated to let her in while she was scratching (same principle as whining in her crate) but it was hard to wait for her to stop. She was a bit more subdued when I let her back in. She gets bored, though. She won't play fetch for very long, and she doesn't like walks in the neighborhood. I don't always have the time to drive her to the park to walk. Any suggestions? She is about 4 months old and something like an aussie, border collie, beagle, maybe terrier or lab or something mix (shelter doggie - we're not really sure about anything).
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lucidity03 Member Posts: 201 |
posted 09-19-2003 09:49 AM
This may be kind of a random suggestion. Have you turned your back on the pup when she starts to jump on you? I was told this by that behaviorist I hired(I'm summing up what I was taught): I'll compare it to playing: if you're holding a frisbee and the dog jumps on you for it, you put it behind your back. Once the jumping is stopped, the frisbee comes back out. The dog starts to equate the frisbee disappearing with the jumping. He shouldn't want to jump on you because it makes the toy go away. So, if you pup gets out of hand and hyper and starts to 'attack' you, and you turn your back on her... maybe she'd equate her activity with you not paying attention to her? That was just one thought. I hope it made sense! IP: Logged |
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Jamiya Member Posts: 1392 |
posted 09-19-2003 10:06 AM
Yes, I have tried that. I have the scars to prove it. Turning my back makes her hurl herself at me even more to get my attention. Maybe she would eventually stop, but by then me and my clothes would be in shreds. I tried going to the other side of the gate we have up to keep her contained in the living room, but then she hurls herself at the gate. If she ever manages to jump high enough to clear it - even once - that will be the end of the effectiveness of the gate. That's why I resorted to tossing her outside - it removes my attention without her hurting me. I'm afraid she will hurt herself scratching on the door, wanting to come back in. And I don't want to teach her that scratching on the door is an acceptable way to ask to come inside. I have also tried keeping a leash on her so I can use it to give corrections or step on it so she can't jump up, but she chews on it no matter what we put on it to try to make her stop.
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lucidity03 Member Posts: 201 |
posted 09-19-2003 10:32 AM
Sorry my advice won't work. Sounds like you have your hands full! I got my dog at 10 months so he was past that stage. I wish I had some good advice for you! IP: Logged |
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Lucky Member Posts: 77 |
posted 09-19-2003 10:37 AM
Hi, We have a word for that in our house. When our previous puppy did that we always would say the dog was doing 'crazy dog'. (Sounds better when you say it rather than type it The kids would lock themselves in the bathroom while the dog would run laps of the living room doing the crazy dog thing! Here are my suggestions. 1. Make sure your dog is treat trained for at least the 'sit' command. I found that having a treat and a firm 'sit' would calm her down long enough to re-establish control. 2. You have to take the dog out for a run - either before bed or first thing in the morning. The dog has mega -hyper -puppy energy and it shouldn't last too long - but it needs an outlet. If your dog has this much energy taking it to the park is just going to have to be part of a normal routine. 3. Have you tried putting the dog outside with a kong smeared with a bit of peanut butter. That keeps my dog busy and the mental concentration seems to relax her. IP: Logged |
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Jamiya Member Posts: 1392 |
posted 09-19-2003 10:48 AM
I have tried taking her out for a walk, but since she doesn't like neighborhood walks that doesn't work. (I am still hoping she grows into them.) Sometimes I can get her to play fetch, which is great. I will try the Sit and see if that helps. Sometimes I have to shake her by the scruff of the neck to get her to pay attention to me, but it does seem to get her attention. I will just have to build a park trip into my morning. I'll find one close by and run her around. (Can puppies be trained to run on treadmills?!) I put peanut butter inside a Kong once but she didn't seem to notice. Maybe I didn't put enough? I have biscuits stuffed in there now. Someone else suggested putting wet food inside and freezing it - do you think that would hurt her teeth? Did your previous puppy ever outgrow Crazy Dog? Or will I have a 40-pound Crazy Dog?!
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mrpvslilmrs New Member  Posts: 9 |
posted 09-19-2003 11:00 AM
My puppy has crazy dog, to settle him down,Ifirmly say no, roll him over on his back and hold him tightly repeating the no command.I repeat til he obeys then put him outside with a good old fashioned meat bone. he's usually ready for a nap by the time he's done chewing on it. IP: Logged |
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Lucky Member Posts: 77 |
posted 09-19-2003 01:44 PM
My puppy definitely outgrew her crazy dog stage! Don't worry! I also wouldn't worry about frozen food hurting her. I've been told frozen stuff (ice cubes, food, beef broth) feels nice on their gums when they are getting new teeth. I saw the picture you posted of your puppy. She is adorable! The only other advice I can think of is to make sure that you are alpha dog with your puppy. When she is calm, make sure that she will let you touch her paws, ears, etc. Make sure to pet her often on the top of her head. Make her sit before you feed her and wait for you to go out the door before she does. The usual stuff to assert alpha status. I think the only time that crazy dog becomes a potential problem is when the puppy starts to get a sense that she's the boss...but usually it's just a puppy being a puppy! IP: Logged |
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Jamiya Member Posts: 1392 |
posted 09-19-2003 08:21 PM
Whew! Thanks so much, everyone. I feel better now. *crazy dog is running around behind me* I do all the dominance stuff. I even feed the cats first so perhaps she will think they are above her in the order of things. My sister has a Golden and I learned very quickly that I needed more firm measures with my puppy than she used with hers. She says Goldens get their feelings hurt really easily. Sheesh!
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Glowing New Member Posts: 5 |
posted 09-19-2003 08:29 PM
I know EXACTLY how you feel, but times that by TWO!! I have two VERY CRAZY pug puppies!!! I also hope they grow out of this, among all the other bad habits they have accustomed themselves too!! *l* If you would like to see some pictures, I just uploaded them to my website... (hope that worked) [This message has been edited by Glowing (edited 09-19-2003).] IP: Logged |
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NewLabOwnr Member Posts: 169 |
posted 09-19-2003 09:32 PM
Jamiya, I'm glad to see we are not the only ones going through this. Max iS CRAZY DOG too. My goodness, some days it does get out of control. I came here to see if I could find any posts about teaching the OFF command because apparently Max doesn't understand it. And just like you I've tried everything. He is really smart (I know I'm just a proud mom) and he listens really well except for that command. Do you play fetch with your dog inside or outside? That was the only thought I had to help.. We play down our long hallway, whenver we are outside he seems to get too distracted by everything out there. IP: Logged |
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Jamiya Member Posts: 1392 |
posted 09-21-2003 04:15 AM
We play fetch both inside and outside. She usually doesn't pay attention for too long, but I've been taking her outside when she does crazy dog and throwing her frisbee and that seems to be enough (even in just a couple of minutes) to calm her down to sanity again.
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Shade Member Posts: 32 |
posted 09-21-2003 09:43 AM
Man, I have no advice to give as I've only ever had a cat with crazy, erm, cat. I handled him by 1) keeping a squirt bottle near by, and 2) resorting to taking my clothes to work to put on there. See, he figured out when he saw the stockings and skirt being put on that it meant I was going to be gone for 9 hours. I have no ideas for you, but I'm glad our 150 pound dog doesn't have crazy dog. Well, in some ways he does, but not to that extent. IP: Logged |
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Jamiya Member Posts: 1392 |
posted 09-22-2003 06:14 AM
Heh, I have not worn a skirt to work since we got the puppy. She LOVES clothes that hang - like my daugher's nightgown and my husband's bathrobe - so I am afraid to put on a nice skirt unless she is already crated!
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honeybear Member Posts: 926 |
posted 09-22-2003 11:00 AM
Jamiya I had a crazy pup and she grew out of it at about a year later. just an fyi, please continue to work with your commands. most puppies dont learn overnight and it can take months of training (probably something you dont want to hear) Good luck, your pictures of her are so cute. and if she is part aussie, she will be high energy! IP: Logged |
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jeminn Member Posts: 166 |
posted 09-22-2003 11:41 AM
Jamiya- how about another dog??? The thought of that probably overwhlems you at this point, but your aussie mix probaly would burn off a lot of her crazy dog behavior if she had another dog to play with. Just a thought! Another thought is that you may have a very high maintenence dog on your hands that could develop into a great agility or flyball competitor if all that energy could be channeled into appropriate outlets. I would start looking into that - they usually do not start working dogs on agility until they are around a year old, but now would be the time to really focus on obedience and training in group settings with other dogs. See if you can find any local agility clubs, flyball events and take your dog to an event to watch, and talk to other owners of these types of breeds. Talk to trainers and have them take a look at your pup and see if they can offer some advice. Aussie and border collies usually have a lot of drive for this type of fun and it gives them an outlet for all that energy. It gives them a job to do and could be lots of fun for both you and your dog. [This message has been edited by jeminn (edited 09-22-2003).] IP: Logged |
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Jamiya Member Posts: 1392 |
posted 09-22-2003 12:05 PM
As far as another dog goes, last time we had dogs we got two littermates and it was a disaster as far as training goes. Perhaps when she is a year old we would consider another dog (or I would - I can't speak for my husband). She is in obedience classes and I am working with her every day. She learns very quickly. She saw some dogs doing agility at a local demonstration and she was watching them very intently. I do intend to train her to do some agility when she is a bit older - I feel she should get some basic commands under her belt first. Can non-purebreds compete in agility or flyball? I know you can get a limited registration for a dog that is of a breed but not registered, but I have never heard of doing that for a Heinz-57 dog. As far as it taking a year - I had already set my sights on a year before we can trust her to be housetrained and reliable with commands when distracted, etc. I know a lot of people who seem to think if a thing can't be done in a few weeks then it's time to give up, but I assure you I take the long view! She was ULTRA crazy dog this morning. I took her out 3 times to toss the frisbee - she doesn't actually catch it, and half the time she doesn't even pick it up. She just shoots over the top of where it lands and then sprints around the yard. When she flopped down to chew sticks I brought her back in and then she was tearing around the house bouncing off the walls (literally) so I took her back out again. Finally I filled her Kong with some spray liver stuff I found in the store this weekend so I could take a shower! I don't mind the tearing around - it's the jumping all over me and biting my clothes and my fingers and calves that bothers me. Letting her run off steam outside and tossing her out for a time out as a last resort seems to be working, though. My poor daughter. I think she would be a lot happier with a kitten, LOL. Thanks for all the advice, and keep it coming!
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Jamiya Member Posts: 1392 |
posted 09-22-2003 12:10 PM
Wait! What do you think about an adult dog? Would that help her at all (rather than another puppy)? I *have* considered fostering dogs. I didn't know my husband would have been amenable to it until AFTER we already got the puppy. It's a nice idea because it's a shorter commitment than owning another dog, you get to know some new breeds, and you're doing a needed service, all rolled into one. I would not foster a very needy dog, though, or one that had been abused. I don't have time to combat huge behavior issues, but dogs that are given up because the owners are moving or have passed away is another matter. What do you think?
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jodi Member Posts: 25 |
posted 09-22-2003 01:27 PM
Jamiya, you and I are going throught he same thing. Our 14 month old lab has so far put holes in two of my t-shirts and my night shirt....oh, and a pair of pull-on shorts. Luckily, I have an office job that I can wear bluejeans too, so my wardrobe of really nice closes is limited. We're working with him every day to try and get the jumping and nipping under control. He starts obedience class on October 30, two weeks after he is neutered. Right now he is being "crazy" dog running in my kitchen like a maniac, so I'm going to go try and calm him a bit...... Jodi IP: Logged |
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jeminn Member Posts: 166 |
posted 09-22-2003 02:20 PM
Jamiya I think in time you will see your dog settle down, and you seem to be doing and trying everything you can to get things on the right track. You are in the thick of it right now- the hardest months in puppyhood, and I think with patience and continued training you will see it pay off eventually. It just takes time. I would recommend getting some books on herding breeds so you can get to know and read your dogs actions and natural instincts and learn how to work with them, so you can bring out the best in your dog. There are several good books out there, even if you buy one on Austrialian Shepherds or Border Collies, you will find that your dog, being the mix he is probably still has many of the personality traits of these other breeds. "All About Aussies" is a good book, by Jeanne Joy Hartnagle and her husband has a book called "Austrailian Shepherds" by Joesph Hartnagle- I am sure there are other good ones on herding breeds and I would read up as much as you can about how to work with their "crazy dog" behaviors, as well as their intelligence. Herding breeds in particular, have the intelligence to literally "think outside the box" and will predict your actions, behaviors and outcomes and before you know it, the dog is the one who is training YOU! I think you will have a great dog once you get some basic training down and a little maturity in your dog- he sounds like a real character with lots of personality, and his drive to have a "job" is coming out in many other ways. He needs you to teach him how to "work" and you need to teach him to "work" for you, his master, for attention, praise, rewards. It sounds like he is getting a lot of mixed messages, and much of that is puppy related, but still- getting some good books on herding breeds will help you understand what is going on in your dogs head. As far as getting another dog- or an older dog, I have an old husky that is not much fun for my aussie, but in many ways, she has taught my aussie good doggie manners and she will not tolerate much from her as she is definitetly an alpha female husky. It was good for my aussie come into this kind of environment, we also had two cats she had to learn to contend with. All know their place now, but it took a good couple of months for everyone to settle into their rank, and plenty of training, and socializing from me, our family, etc. It is work. I think it helps to have other animals when you have an extemely high maintence dog- but you may feel you have your hands full enough as it is. Read up on these breeds and see what you have going on here with your pup, what you will be working with in the future as he gets a little older. I plan to get another Aussie as soon as my Husky is gone because I do think two are better than one, but it is a good idea to let your pup get a little older, I think and get some training established. Hang in there. IP: Logged |
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Jamiya Member Posts: 1392 |
posted 09-23-2003 07:48 AM
I will find those books - thank you! You think I am giving her mixed messages? How so? I certainly don't want to do that! She definitely does have a LOT of personality. She is so funny how she has to watch everything, too. And about HER training ME - I have had to modify our obedience teacher's instructions because I really think they weren't working for Nala. She catches on very quickly and she learns to "work the system." The last few days whenever I give her a Greenie, she wanders around looking for a small place to stash it in for later. It is hysterical! I tried explaining to her that no one will steal her bone, but she didn't listen. She is learning to get along with the cats. I have stopped scolding her for chasing them, but I am chastising her for play-biting them the same way I do when she does it to us (holding her muzzle shut and telling her NO BITE). I have caught her and the male cat (who will defend himself, but he is declawed so he can't hurt her) sitting about two feet away from each other, staring at each other. This is a big improvement over the norm! She is learning her commands quite well. I have the urge to speed up the pace, so she doesn't get bored, but I don't want to confuse her. When she has the basic obedience down, I intend to keep teaching her anything and everything - agility, tricks, anything I can think of. I am definitely going to teach her to clean up her toys. I would love to teach her to help me with things like cleaning the mouse cages - carrying parts to me, etc. If she ever stops chewing!!
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jeminn Member Posts: 166 |
posted 09-23-2003 11:41 AM
Jaymia-I was only referring to the "mixed messages" in my earlier post when I was re-reading your first few postings as you were trying different things. It sounds like things are improving and you are getting lots of good advice here on these boards. She sounds like a very smart dog, which can make any type of training confusing because they are watching your every move. We learn a lot by trial and error, and so does your dog, so it just takes some time and experimenting to see what is working for you both. I did not mean to imply that you were actually confusing your dog- sorry about that. I think you are going to end up with a great little companion- just hang in there! [This message has been edited by jeminn (edited 09-23-2003).] IP: Logged |
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