Really down about puppy's behavior
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Anonymous
| We have a 16 week old puppy. He is very cute but extremely difficult and not responding well to training. He is still not completely housebroken and has to be watched every minute, he nips and chews things, but the worst is his behavior toward strangers and other dogs. He is fearful/anxious and barks/lunges aggressively at people we encounter on walks. It is awful. He is not a large dog (about 13 pounds now and will mature to around 20-25), but obviously the aggressive behavior and obnoxious barking is problematic no matter the size. I feel like we have tried everything. We did our best to socialize him from the time we got him, although that was made a little more difficult with Covid. We had a dog trainer come to our house for private lessons, and then we got so desperate that we sent him to puppy boarding school for a week, where he worked with a trainer and other dogs every day. On their recommendation, we are trying a remote collar to correct bad behaviors like the barking/lunging, but nothing seems to be working. My DH has to physically work out of the home, so most puppy care has been on me (and the kids - they do help as much as they are able). My three kids love him tremendously, but if it weren't for their attachment, I would be about ready to rehome the dog. I feel like he has taken over our lives in a negative way and at this point I feel very resentful. What can I do? Has anyone successfully addressed this type of behavior? |
Anonymous
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My golden was a lot like that, except he used to lunge to play with kids and humans. The puppy school did not work at all. So much so, that trainer was acting like I am a moron, and then I said, here, you do it. This was pre covid. She could not do it! He would do the trick and start pulling to play with other people. She had him train outside with one other dog, and I did better than her. I never had a dog before this one! He is now the best-behaved dog on any walk and in the house sits in his spot.
I think, from what you wrote, that you did way too many things with the puppy. (just like we did, we moved when the pup was a week old)Training, going away from a new house from him to be somewhere else for a week. Dogs don't like change; it is my opinion that you contributed to him being insecure, in addition to his regular behavior. I would try, as if with a baby, routines at home. Early morning walk, mid-day walk, and evening walk. He is a small dog, so it will not take insanely long walks for him to tire. I think most of this behavior will go away when he is properly tired. Now, you did listen to "pros," but honestly, I think doing a proper walking routine might work better with one person doing the training. I recommend not stopping; if you are, when you see another dog, keep walking, don't stop. IMO, the best thing is to keep walking, look straight, and keep him going with you. No action or acknowledgment of the other dog at all. No need for any shocks. Keep the leash tight when approaching dogs, and have him walk by your leg. Don't tense when you see another dog, but be watchful to spot other dogs on time. This worked for my spastic and he is now admired by all other dog owners, and I get "sorry, my dog has no manners," on the walks. Good luck. |
Anonymous
| Re-home the dog. It will be good for you AND the dog. Sometimes things don’t work out. Bad match. No quilt. There are people waiting to adopt dogs right now. |
Anonymous
I was you. I sent our puppy back to the breeder at 6 months old. We were sad for a short while but life is now good. |
Anonymous
| How long have you had the dog? I have a 16 week old puppy and feel like it’s a bit too early to expect these behaviors to disappear. We’ve had our dog a month and thankfully don’t have those issues but we’re still just getting some basics down. |
Anonymous
+1 even if they got the puppy at 8 weeks,(which is really too young) they can't have had it more than 8 weeks. A little patience goes a long way, and dogs really thrive on consistency. It sounds like the op tried a bunch of different things, but didn't stick with any of them long enough to see if it was working. The poor puppy is confused and insecure about its position in the family, of course there are issues. |
Anonymous
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I think you have unrealistic expectations. Sixteen weeks is still so young! Some dogs aren't housebroken until they're almost a year old, OP. The nipping will stop soon, but the chewing might last until he's 2!
I don't believe in aversive training, so I'd tell you to never use a shock collar. Look for a class for reactive dogs; if in VA, I recommend you go through Lead with Fun, the Animal Behavior Wellness Center, or Woofs. Best of luck to you. |
Anonymous
| This is why we went with a breeder this time. Our rescue dog of the same breed is no comparison. A lot happens in those first couple of months. |
Anonymous
| OP, what breed dog is it? |
Anonymous
Bad attempt at a PSA. It is a longtime myth that only shelter pets have behavioral issues. This is so untrue. PP: Please educate yourself before expressing yourself. My PSA: ↪️ Please do not breed or buy while shelter pets die. |
Anonymous
| The house breaking and nipping and chewing are totally normal. That's why people are talking about your unrealistic expectations. You just have to continue to work on those and be patient. Some dogs do take a little longer than others and some pups are nippier than others. If you are consistent, that stuff will come. I wouldn't mix those totally developmentally normal behaviors with the barking and lunging. I have a five month old pup who is very fearful, which is also really tough. I am working with a private trainer and things are getting better, little by little. In your case, I would keep working with a trainer who specializes in this kind of behavior issue until you get to the bottom of of it and you see improvement. |
Anonymous
| 16 weeks is very young. At 8 months he may still have these behaviors or they may get worse. Puppies are hard. |
Anonymous
Second the first comment: 16 weeks is so young! That's around the age when many people first take the puppy home. Sounds like your puppy may have been separated from his family too young. Maybe that's a factor here, maybe not. I understand how discouraged you feel right now, but PP who went through something similar gave you good insights and advice. You can definitely turn this around. |
Anonymous
Just the opposite for us! Breeder dogs are not what everyone thinks they are. |
Anonymous
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My puppy is 22 weeks old now and just housetrained. I was surprised too. I'm a long time dog owner but I always adopted adult dogs, and they were easy to house train. I know it's stressful.
If you can afford it, doggie day care a couple of times a week is a great outlet for energy and helps with socialization. I don't know where you live, but Dog's Day Farm does evaluations of pups and then can match them to similar temperament dogs while they are there playing. I don't know if any other day cares do that, but I'd ask. Your Dogs Friend is a nonprofit dog training organization in Rockville with many online classes. But they also have in person "puppy parties" based on weight, and that's a very controlled environment where they can let puppies play together under strict supervision. They are such a great resource. They might have some great insight for you. As far as "not responding well" to training, it might be a time thing. I sit and train my puppy 2-3 times a day in 5-10 minute bursts. I also use treats outside for every good behavior. It's a lot of work, no doubt. And I only have older teens so they are autonomous enough that I actually have time to do this. I realize not everyone does. Just putting it out there in case you aren't....and somehow think you might be able to do this. Here's Your Dog's Friend's website if you want to browse it. https://yourdogsfriend.org/ |