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What have I gotten myself into?? LOL

3K views 17 replies 14 participants last post by  Redberry 
#1 ·
Oh, boy. Just need to make myself feel better about puppy-hood and talk out loud or vent to you all ;) Day five with the baby Agnes, and while overall, she's s typical puppy and we like her, she is a pill. Have raised a diva of a siberian husky for the past year, I am pretty used to bratty, pointy-eared dog behavior, but this one is a little LAND SHARK. Yikes. Bite, bite, bite. Working on teaching her a soft mouth,...walking away from play (she doesn't seem to mind this at all...still a bit aloof) and using "ouch" and that sort of thing, but the main problem is, the rest of the pack just lets her get away with it, so I wonder if it encourages her more? She and the husky play pretty darn rough, and she gets all worked up and the husky just will take it. ?? Kind of hard to play with her, as it's all biting and attacking us, so hoping for some game suggestions for shepherds ? She seems to have a very strong prey drive (which I expected somewhat) but she is attacking our feet alot. Ouch. How do you re-direct that drive?

Really hates to be picked up and/or held. Will pitch a real fit. Other times, she seems ok with it. Not sure why this is, other than we are new to her. But, she will sleep next to me and snuggle on and off...or will sleep on my feet and wants to be close...just don't hold her and she is fine. ? The first three days, she followed me everywhere around the house, and if I left her to go to another room, she would cry. She must be getting comfortable here, as she is not doing that anymore, but going to her favorite place to play by herself or nap. I know I should start very seriously crate training her, and should have from day one. Not sure why I am reluctant to do it. I have trained our last 4 dogs with a crate....

Definately has a stubborn streak in her. Seems she wants to think about things before she will respond...like, "hmmmm...let's see, do I want to come to you....well, ok, if I must!" Other times, "What's in it for me? Got any of the cheese???" "No cheese? Not coming until I see the cheese!" BRAT. ;)

there has been a major battle over the water bowl with the husky. Both want to control this resource. So, the baby will just pick up the bowl (yes, water and all) and run away with it so the husky cannot have it. It's comical and all, but enough is enough. Cannot leave the bowl down anymore. I spend all day offering water and/or cleaning up water.

I know it's only been 5 days, and all of this is normal new puppy stuff. Just
feeling a little unsure about things and hoping for just a little encouraging words and any words of wisdom!!
 
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#2 ·
Ha-ha Welcome to the typical gsd puppy hood it gets better with time I promise you, enjoy this stage as you will be in it for awhile.

And good luck ha-ha :D

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4
 
#3 · (Edited)
Every time I raise a new pup it is like I forgot how big a pain in the ass the last one could be until the new one reminds me. Funny how human memory can be selective like that. It's kind of like when you break up with a significant other and take some time apart and then maybe run into each other again and try to give it a second shot because you miss them, and then you're reminded of why you broke up in the first place. It's like oh yes now I remember why I hate you so much.
 
#4 ·
Lisl didn't like to be held either but she learned to tolerate it because I wanted to hold her. She would eventually sleep in my lap and sits with me on the couch.

She did that water bowl thing for about two weeks on and off but stopped.

Lisl still follows me everywhere in the house. We go everywhere together except work and she is very bonded to me. I like it that way. I bought her as a companion dog and that is exactly what I got.

Females can be more stubborn and pushy than the males, and bitchy too. They can also be a bit more aloof and distant.

Welcome to GSD puppydom. Enjoy it while it lasts because when she's
grown you will remember these times with fondness.
 
#5 ·
Any chance a second water bowl in a separate part of the house could help? My boys have two and I think it helped ease the transition with adding Finder that they each had their own bowls. Otherwise I can totally relate. I tell friends that my sibes were all ornery but my GSD was owie! lol
 
#6 ·
Puppies are always hard and I've found our smart high energy GSD pups are even harder.

There are tons of hints/tips on --->Welcome to the GSD/FAQ's for the first time owner - German Shepherd Dog Forums

But what will help the most is removing your GSD from the other dog and starting up with the one on one 'engagement' training and socialization. She's gonna bond with the other dog and not you because the other dog talks her language and it's easier. Why we need to split them up and teach them 'human' :)

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...191183-top-training-expectations-puppies.html

Click that link and let the fun training begin!

:)
 
#9 ·
I have a GSD and a high drive Lacy. I use the play time between the GSD and Lacy to tire each other out. I take them outside and let them run and play until they are both tired.

Then I'll bring them back into the house and one goes into a crate. The other gets one on one time. We play or work or train, sometimes I just go about doing housework and the dog will just follow me around. But I make sure it stays focused on me.

Then dog A goes into a crate and dog B comes out. We do the same thing as above. As long as it's one on one time. As long as the dog stays focused on me.

You know it's working when both dogs would rather engage with you than eachother.
 
#8 ·
Sounds to me like you have a good, drivey little pup! A fair amount of nerve, a sense of humor, brains... rather than inhibit biting, redirect it and start looking for a bity dog activity with which to work this one. A lotta people at a sport dog club would be somewhat jealous of so much drive in a pup.

(So what if you wanted a snuggly little pup - that's not what you got! It's best to work with what you got... )
 
#10 ·
Ha ha!!! Seriously, I like her personality. I get enough snuggle time with the goldens, so lying at my feet is fine by me! Love the drive in her. Just have to deal with it. I did order her a flirt pole today. She will love it.
Watched the videos from Micheal Ellis. What he calls engagement, we just call attention. She's good at watching me when I ask her to--just not sure yet how to keep that focus. Aftetall, she's just a baby. Span of a gnat. But don't want to start the habit of her getting bored and ignoring me either

One more question--are all GSD this noisey??? Man, she talks, carries on when she wants, hates, or needs something. Definately gets the point across!
 
#11 ·
I am going to fall into the same puppy trap again soon, am dreading it a little bit. So far it has happened with every pup I raised. two weeks into it, I always asked my self this very same question: "Why didn't I just get an adult dog?" But after a year of hard work, you and that beautiful young dog have something really special that you wouldn't trade for anything else.
In the meantime, hang in there, work her gently but consistently and once in a while step back when she sleeps and enjoy her cuteness.
She seems independent so I would limit her free time and keep her more with you, either tethered or engaged in play and/or training.
The good thing is that they do grow up fast.
 
#13 ·
LOL! Am I glad to be out of that stage! My girl was a HUGE landshark. She bloodied pretty much everyone! I tried EVERYTHING...nothing really worked. I feel like she just had to mature out of it and also learn that I was in charge and she needs to listen to "no", (the prong collar helped). Some are very dominant and stubborn, she actually tried to hump me several times. (WTF??) But she's a year now and we are good. Not perfect by any means but so much easier. My best advice, and I am no expert by any means, is exercise. Both physical and mental. A tired pup is a good pup as you've probably read everywhere. But it's the truth. I kind of feel like we have an understanding....I give her the exercise she needs and she won't eat me : ) lol. But seriously, get a flirt pole, do training, get that energy out, and she will be much calmer, but it takes time.
 
#14 ·
Thank you all so much-hearing all this makes it easier to take!
I gotta tell you, she is a smart one! This morning she and I were in the living room,
she started whining, so I figured she had to potty. Before I could even stand up, she ran off to the door. Did she go to the door? Nope, she grabbed the boots I slip into to take her outside (close to door), knocks them over with her mouth, looks up at me and starts whining again. Out we go, and yes, she pottied.
Scary smart. I don't think it was a coincidence. :)
 
#15 ·
I agree: no coincidence. My experience with the females are similar. They plan and manipulate and before you know it you are the one being trained. I assume you put on the boots and went outside :laugh::laugh:. Haven't seen this in my males. I think it is true for other species too.
 
#16 ·
You will be fine! They are quite a handful and I had so many issues with my Cheyenne I was almost in tears when she was so wild. Just looking at her today, at 2yrs 5 mths old and she is the sweetest, gentle, lap dog ( yes she sits in our laps at 70 pounds), and well behaved dog that I can hardly believe it is the same dog. By age 2 they really start settling down into the devoted, great dogs they are known to be. Patience and don't be too hard on yourself, they are active mischievious little buggers!
 
#17 ·
Ohhh, you're bringing back such memories! I have opened my home to rescues with the last 5 canines, starting with a wolf shepherd rescue, then the following 4 (including the current 2) have been GSD rescues. I MISS THE PUPPIES! but--at 66 I am not sure I have the energy for a puppy any more!

That being said, the boys are more snuggly than the girls. She will want to snuggle and have your undivided attention sporadically and for short periods of time. The boys--all the time!

My WORST puppy (which are the ones you remember and laugh about) was a female from STRONG working lines. At the time I had my first rescue canine, a tall wolf shepherd who had been with us for about 3 years (and had just lost his best friend GSD). Sarah, at 11 weeks, had been at our house about half an hour when she looked at Joker, the wolfdog, sized him up, ran at him and launched herself at his neck, slamming into him with the force of a heavyweight punch, I swear! It really surprised him and puzzled him, and he backed away. That set the tone for their relationship the rest of his life. A few days later I was sitting on the floor with my legs stretched out, her on one side, him a few feet away on the other side. I was watching her just as her eyes fixed on him. I could see it coming, and as her muscles tensed and she launched herself at him, I caught her in mid air, put her on the floor next to me and held her there for a few moments. That was the first time I ever saw a puppy temper tantrum, big time. She screamed and hollered and kicked her feet, just like a very bad child. It was hilarious! And she was a screamer. While I was obedience training her I took her to a trainer's class, particularly for the socialization. When she saw me grab the backpack with our gear, she would start screaming at the top of her lungs, not quiet until we actually got in the car. If I had had neighbors back then, they would have called 911, I am sure! I asked her breeder about the screaming, and she told me Sarah came from a long line of screamers. A German schutzhund trainer who worked mostly with rotties, asked her once if all GSDs screamed. She told him, "Only the good ones." Joking, of course.

She and Joker, the wolfdog, became best buds, by the way. They had this strange understanding. She was over him in the house, but outdoors, she was fair game. Don't know how they worked that one out! I worked with her on tracking, mainly to keep her mind exercised, and he was the distraction. He would do everything he could to tease her, pull her off the track, interfere with her--and she acted as though he didn't exist. They were so funny together. I miss them both, as I do all of them.
 
#18 ·
About the biting.. I got my puppy in the summer and I could no longer wear shorts or short sleeve that's how bruised I was.. Did tone of research, tried the "ouch" thing for weeks with no avail, finally came across an article that said to time out ur puppy every time she bites.. OUCH->if she doesn't stop ENOUGH-> if she doesn't stop pick her up and put in crate for 30seconds to 1minute saying TOO BAD.. it worked as a charm! And fast too!! Btw, it was my concern that i shouldn't use a crate as a punishment but she never stopped loving it so i guess the time being so short matters a lot ..just make sure u don't let her out when she's whining (and she will) I always told her to lie down and the minute she did I let her out..
About not liking to be petted or handled.. Still working on it lol yummy treats seem to help a lot.. Good luck to you!


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