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!!
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!!