Puppy help

[imjustagirl]

Yeah, mine came from Atlanta Humane Society. He came from a hoarder and in the past five weeks has had his eye removed, been neutered, had ringworm and diarrhea. So he's lived a hell of a life in his three months. It's why I hate to yell at him for anything.

I just wondered about the nibbling because it hurts like a mother****er.

 

[apeman33]

Yeah, mine came from Atlanta Humane Society. He came from a hoarder and in the past five weeks has had his eye removed, been neutered, had ringworm and diarrhea. So he's lived a hell of a life in his three months. It's why I hate to yell at him for anything.

I just wondered about the nibbling because it hurts like a mother****er.

I think it's some sort of thing where the dog is trying to feel something out. I don't know why Punky still does it at her age but at least I understood why my cousin's gigantic pup was doing it and I knew he wasn't trying to hurt me.

All I can think of is take your hand away and make some sort of noise that indicates to the pup that he's hurting you. Maybe walk away if you think you need to. This is basically Belle's problem with Punky. You can tell Belle doesn't like it but she just sits there and takes it, so I've got to step in and shoo Punky off.

 

[imjustagirl]

Yeah, I tried the yelping thing but I apparently don't sound like a dog. So I pull my hand back and make this weird buzzing noise, like if you miss a question on a game show, because my dad said the guy at PetSmart said to do that. He said that guy said "no" is in too many other words that you don't want to scare him off that word.

Problem is when I pull my hand back, he takes that as me playing and just grabs onto my leg instead

 

[apeman33]

Yeah, I tried the yelping thing but I apparently don't sound like a dog. So I pull my hand back and make this weird buzzing noise, like if you miss a question on a game show, because my dad said the guy at PetSmart said to do that. He said that guy said "no" is in too many other words that you don't want to scare him off that word.

Problem is when I pull my hand back, he takes that as me playing and just grabs onto my leg instead

Forgive me, but I'm laughing out loud. Sounds like a regular puppy.

And yes, "no" does have a sound like other words. But near as I can tell, my dogs don't confuse "no" and "go". Maybe its because I use the words for different things ("Go" to get the dogs to start walking again when our light turns green). But I caught myself using "Whoa" the first few times I walked Belle and then she'd try to keep going. Took care of that by changing to "Stop."

But now I'm stumped for what to do to make him stop nibbling your leg.

 

[imjustagirl]

Aside from coating it in .. oh hell, he eats everything at this point.

Side note: If you guys can find sojos biscuits ... he LOVES those. They were $4.99 for a 10-once package at AHS, and I got the bacon cheddar flavor. No preservatives, no additives. total list of ingredients: rye flour, nitrate-free bacon, cheddar cheese, canola oil, eggs, baking powder. And they're small, like puppy-sized snacks. They're his poopy treats now, because he got bored of the Milk Bones I bought him.

Oh, here's a stupid question: I realize hopefully he'll eventually be housetrained. But do they just one day start walking to the door? Or will they pick up their own habits to let you know? Because right now, he won't even walk down that hallway. I have to scoop him up, carry him outside and down off the deck, then set him in the grass. He usually just sits there until I get down with him and rub on him, then he'll walk behind me until he stops to do his business. He goes back up the stairs back into the house ... but I just don't know if what I'm doing is going to keep him from kind of finding his own way?

 

[Buck]

Do you tend to have a lot of barbecue sauce on your hands and legs?

 

[imjustagirl]

Not once I get done with it.

 

[Smash Williams]

At least with cats, nibbling is a "kitten" behavior, and I wouldn't be surprised if the same thing holds true to puppies. If he really likes snuggles and interacting with you, the best bet might be to tell him whatever your negative reinforcement word is then absolutely ignore him other than pulling away if it hurts. He probably sees it as play behavior, which is why he goes for your leg when you pull your hand back. If you don't play back, don't wrestle, don't use his name, don't engage him, he'll have to find other ways to play with you eventually.

 

[outofplace]

Aside from coating it in .. oh hell, he eats everything at this point.

Side note: If you guys can find sojos biscuits ... he LOVES those. They were $4.99 for a 10-once package at AHS, and I got the bacon cheddar flavor. No preservatives, no additives. total list of ingredients: rye flour, nitrate-free bacon, cheddar cheese, canola oil, eggs, baking powder. And they're small, like puppy-sized snacks. They're his poopy treats now, because he got bored of the Milk Bones I bought him.

Oh, here's a stupid question: I realize hopefully he'll eventually be housetrained. But do they just one day start walking to the door? Or will they pick up their own habits to let you know? Because right now, he won't even walk down that hallway. I have to scoop him up, carry him outside and down off the deck, then set him in the grass. He usually just sits there until I get down with him and rub on him, then he'll walk behind me until he stops to do his business. He goes back up the stairs back into the house ... but I just don't know if what I'm doing is going to keep him from kind of finding his own way?

It does sound like you need to break him of those walking habits. Is the floor in that hallway a different type of surface from the rest of the house? My cousin has a dog that absolutely refuses to walk on hardwood floors. Dog was abused before they got him and even though he is coming around, most likely he will always be a little off.

Once you have him outside, don't get down with him and play with him. Make him stay out there until he does his thing. Remember, dogs like routine. If you keep doing something, he's going to expect it to continue.

 

[imjustagirl]

My entire house is hardwoods (well, the two bedrooms that aren't are closed off for heating/ac bill reasons ) He's started walking down there. I got him out of his crate this morning, put the leash on him, and he walked down to the back door and outside. I carried him down the stairs.

You're right on the playing. I just get frustrated when I leave my job, even when I work from home on weekends, to take him out and he just wants to sit there for 10 minutes. But I'll work on that.

 

[Boom_70]

I have a German short-hair pointer. I feed her Naturally Wild.

Hey Buck maybe we're related through our dogs. I have 2 GSP's.
Do you hunt her?

 

[beanpole]

I think you're doing a great job. Having a pup is tough, but they're so damned cute. My guy is 6 now, a beagle, and he goes everywhere with me. We're best buds, but it took a lot of work when he was a puppy.

 

[outofplace]

My entire house is hardwoods (well, the two bedrooms that aren't are closed off for heating/ac bill reasons ) He's started walking down there. I got him out of his crate this morning, put the leash on him, and he walked down to the back door and outside. I carried him down the stairs.

You're right on the playing. I just get frustrated when I leave my job, even when I work from home on weekends, to take him out and he just wants to sit there for 10 minutes. But I'll work on that.

Oh, I know it's rough. Just trying to point out some potential problems I've seen either from things I've done or things I've seen others do.

Just be glad he's doing ok with the cats so far. That can really be trouble. Dogs of all ages can be rough. I remember we had a Dachshund, Angel, who was my mother's dog. They were inseperable until the day that dog died.

My father wanted another dog so we got Nicky, a Basset Hound puppy who was a nightmare to train. Damn dog pooped EVERYWHERE. But that wasn't the main problem.

When we first brought Nicky home, Angel would drag him around by his ears. Sure looked like it hurt, but he didn't seem to mind. Then he got bigger and started drag her around by a leg. Also peed on her once. That was the last straw for my mother.

Nicky did very well in his new home.

 

[BrianGriffin]

Yeah, the big problem I've had in correcting my dogs, especially the Boston mix, is that they're sneaky little effers who have learned to pee and poop while I'm out of sight so I can't catch them doing it. And supposedly, you can't punish the dog for doing something bad unless you catch them because otherwise, they'll have forgotten what they did that you're upset with them for. It means no rugs in my room because the Boston mix can pee as she walks, so she'll just track it onto the rug, anyway. I have to lay out three pee pads in a row to account for this habit of hers.

The rat terrier is very good about peeing on the pads* as she should but sometimes poops in the bathroom. I guess she's somehow figured out people do that in there so she thinks she should do it in there.

Pics o'dogs: Punky the Boston mix on the left; Belle the rat terrier on the right. And the names fit. Punky's a tomboy, basically, and the only better name for Belle would have been "Diva."

.
This is from the time Belle was recovering from being attacked by a mastiff (at the old house, which is why there is carpet. The new room at the new house has a hardwood floor).

* - The pads are only for when roomie and I have to be out for long periods. They both love to go on walks and the new place is less than a block from a walking path (an abandoned railroad right of way), which also has a triangular-shaped vacant lot caddy corner from the new house.

But you are right, IJAG, in that the pup won't change overnight. We've had the Boston mix for over a year and we're still dealing with issues from before we got her. She is very skittish around strangers and unfamiliar dogs. Now we've learned that she's not good with babies at all, so we have to put her in my room when roomie's grandbaby comes over.

Here's what I love about my dog: Since I got her as an already house-broken six-month old, she has NEVER peed and/or pooped in the house. Not once. However, she peed in my brother-in-law's living room and she peed in my mother-in-law's foyer.

She's a terrorist, but she takes care of her own.

 

[Boom_70]

Using the crate properly is key to training. Whenever you take him out of crate always take him out right away. Do not let him find spot in house.
If he does have an accident clean it up right away and pour some white vinegar on spot to reduce smell. If you leave odor that will become his favorite spot to pee.

If you see him sniffing around, he is looking for spot to go. Drop everything and take him out.

 

[imjustagirl]

If you see him sniffing around, he is looking for spot to go. Drop everything and take him out.

Yep, learned that one the first time.

 

[Buck]

I have a German short-hair pointer. I feed her Naturally Wild.

Hey Buck maybe we're related through our dogs. I have 2 GSP's.
Do you hunt her?

No, she was a year and a half when we got her. Previous family were not hunters, and I'm not a hunter, etiher.
I'm not opposed to it. I've just never had an interest.

She points naturally and is immune to explosive noises such as fireworks.

 

[Boom_70]

I have a German short-hair pointer. I feed her Naturally Wild.

Hey Buck maybe we're related through our dogs. I have 2 GSP's.
Do you hunt her?

No, she was a year and a half when we got her. Previous family were not hunters, and I'm not a hunter, etiher.
I'm not opposed to it. I've just never had an interest.

She points naturally and is immune to explosive noises such as fireworks.

Hah spoken like a man who has been asked the question before.
I get asked all the time if I hunt them. It's a dilemma of GSP owners.
If you say "yes" you come off as an NRS nut. If you say no you come off as a left wing pacifists. I used to provide the safe in between answer too but found it took too long. Now I just say yes.

 

[beanpole]

Best thing I did to housetrain my dog is take him outside as soon as he woke from naps, and as soon as he ate (or started sniffing around). Didn't say a word to him when we were outside until he squatted, and then I said, "Go Potty" over and over in a happy voice. Pretty soon, he started associating the "Go Potty" phrase with the actual act, and it became a command to do his business, already. And of course, we celebrated like he won the Super Bowl as soon as he was done with his business.

 

[beanpole]

I used to live next to a horserace track and a trainer told me that they use the same trick on foals -- a trainer will whistle as soon as a young racehorse starts relieving himself, and the horse quickly learns the association and the whistle becomes a trigger. A handy trick when you want a racer to void his bladder right before a race or workout.