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Oh boy....

1K views 13 replies 6 participants last post by  Milliegsd 
#1 ·
Alright so my puppy, Finn (16 weeks), has been doing a lot better behavior wise at home. Calming down quicker not being so rough with the older one, still working on sit/stay down/stay and look (make eye contact with me) and also transitioning this outdoors.
But this weekend we had to go stay the night at my boyfriends dads house so we had to take the pups!

Oh jeez I'm so embarrassed over his behavior... I know he's young but it's no excuse to act that chaotic! Given he had to sit in a car for two hours and wanted to play immediately when we arrived. We tried to walk them a bit to stretch legs but Finn was acting up so bad. We tried to walk separately but he'd lunge and when she was out of sight he'd pull and bark and whine -.- could not get him to calm down. The older one wanted nothing to do with him lol so I could tell she was annoyed. I know it's a new exciting environment for him but omg. At least Millie was on her best behavior haha

We decided on a trainer were gona see him hopefully soon for an evaluation. Most likely gona board and train. But any tips to manage the chaos? I know what I need to work on its just the managing it when the chaos has started. I know he can behave lol but all he's done is whine this whole time. I try and take him out and he just wants to go find Millie or my boyfriend. (Not like this at home) I guess the new environment if either of them left his sight he'd have a fit
 
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#2 ·
At 16 weeks he is going to be that way. He wants to be with his pack specially in the new environment since he probably isn't comfortable there. To drain his energy I would let him run around rather than going for a walk. Is that a possibility? And you could always do some mental stimulation to get him tired.

Are you thinking board and train now or when he is older? Not sure what the general consensus is on boarding a puppy, but my personal opinion is that it would be better if the owner trains/bonds with the puppy till about 9-12 months, then look at board/train packages. Trainers can be tricky...I like the two places I have been with my boy. Both were VERY small operations, they are working kennels with only a few dogs in for training at a time. They are owner operated and have only one or 2 employees.

Good luck with your boy.
 
#3 ·
Yeah I understood that last night amongst all the madness he's still very young and everything is still very new. Unfortunately his dad lives in a condo and there was not anywhere to really set him free at. It was also late past bedtime. The hard also is that if I could of found an area to let him run at he would on wanted to play and run if Millie was there and at the moment Millie wanted nothing to do with him (he was going bonkers) so I didn't want him to play directly with her. However today were at his real dads house helping him move in. And I'm outside in the back yard with them both and he has finally let out all his energy! Mostly through trying to get Millie to play but she's continually ignoring him lol she'll play a bit and then she's done. But she's laying next to me and he's over in grass laying down. I was trying to play mental games with him. But he was so wired last night I couldn't get him to engage for longer than a few seconds.

The training bit we're not sure on the age. This guy runs his own small business not a big corporate place. I liked his background. He does live 20 miles from me so it is a bit of a drive. I think we'll talk about options with him I really just want to set up a good foundation to work from the start but I don't want it to have negative consequences if he's too young. If that's the case well just do private lessons instead and wait to board. He's just a big social butterfly lol
 
#4 ·
This is just being a normal puppy - not being "bad". Lots of stuff going on, and just too young to have that kind of self-control and awareness that there is a choice of behaviours.

There is nothing that a board and train is going to fix here - your pup just needs to mature a bit more, and as you have more adventures and experiences with him, you'll be better prepared to deal with this kind of puppy energy and have a plan to work and deal with him, like tiring him out well before a trip, bringing his crate to give everyone a break from his whirlwind activity level, planning on exercising him one-on-one instead of having everyone around so he goes bonkers, etc.

Honestly, if he is too much right now when you travel and visit, and is bothering the other dogs there - don't bring him. Better to board him for a day or get a pet sitter for a day than to send him away to training. Take that money and get someone to work with you so you can learn all the magic that you think a board and train will do.
 
#5 ·
He is still baby. Much too young for board and train. You need to work with him and bond with him yourself. Most obedience classes won't even take puppies younger than 5-6 months because they aren't mature enough to focus for long periods of time. Do simple exercises with him to reward calm behavior and tire him out mentally. Mental stimulation is just as tiring as physical exercise. He needs both. When my puppy was little, I hid toys or food and let him find them. He can still spend a long trying to get a toy out from behind a chair or under a piece of furniture. If he can't find it or reach it, I eventually push it to a place where he can get it.
 
#6 ·
Awh yes. You're right. I think I just got too stressed about it last night. I guess I thought he was ready. We've taken him on a couple trips before and did well but I forgot that those trips were without the older one. We did bring his crate. I guess all in all it was just bad timing arriving so late and should of just left him home and let my brothers watch him. He does well at home when we have company over. I guess this was just over stimulation for him especially with the older one here. yeah I think I'm gona go for the private lessons and learn the skills. I'm up to do it! I was just having a sad moment this morning. Thanks for all the advice. He's doing good this morning relaxing in the back yard got all his zoomies out so at least today has started off on a better note.
 
#7 ·
And you're right about the board and train bit. I really wasn't considering doing it until he was older. But I think I'll just do lessons for now and work on our bond. Should I separate the two more? Finn doesn't affect Millie's training at all she hardly pays him any attention. But Finn loves her to death. I'm glad they have a good bond but would it be more effective to limit his time with her? Or make it worse?
I've tried to wear him out more on our own together but most of the time he just wants to go back in to play with her. He has a small interest in tug more than Millie did so I've been working on that more outside with him. But he'll only do a few small tug sessions and sit or lay down and wait for me to take him in
 
#8 ·
It's better to keep them separated more - you don't want to Finn to get too attached to Millie - Finn is getting obsessed by Millie, and that's not good. You should be the center of his attention, - he should look to you for play and interaction.

I kept Gryffon and Keeta separated most of the time the first year I had him. They had daily play sessions, and we sent for walks and outings together, but I also had Gryffon with me almost everyday where I could manage it - like taking him to work with me and leaving Keeta at home, or just taking Keeta somewhere and leaving Gryff at home. I had one day a week designated as "Gryffon Socialization Day" were I would take him into town and just the two of us explore and see the real world (since I live in a very quiet rural area, just being in town with the traffic and people was good exposure for him).

When Keeta and Gryff would be playing and they were in an all-out chase, and I called Gryffon to me, and he'd break off the chase and happily come to me, I felt I had achieved what I was trying to do. If we went somewhere, Gryffon always tried to engage me in play first, and if I ignored him, then he went and tried to engage with Keeta - that is what you want to aim for.
 
#9 ·
Hm ok yeah I'll have to set up a system at home. I think it'd be for the best. If I get his obsession with her under control I think things will be a lot better. He really honestly could be a lot worse but I just want to nip this in the butt before it gets out of hand. I do his training in a closed off room so just me and him and he does great picks up commands very easy. Just need to work more engagement games. If he's tired enough he can handle his training sessions with Millie in the same room. And then we'll work just me and him outside and it's getting better. He's picking up things but just need to wait for the maturity and don't let his relationship with Millie get out of hand. I know we do have some sort of bond because if I'm in my room with the door open he'll come lay down by my bed next to me for awhile even if Millie's out in the other room. So I just have to keep building on it
 
#10 ·
I'm a "strict" puppy mom and expect a lot of good manners from my dogs - probably because I raised a Guide Dog pup when I was 18 and I know what dogs are capable of - but I encountered the same thing when I traveled recently with my puppy, about the same age as yours. I had her on leash about half our visit. I wouldn't stress about it - they are still pups and as long as you set some reasonable boundaries it's ok if they don't have the discipline for it that young - there's too many distractions. Do your best with what you can at the time.
 
#11 ·
I wouldn't board and train. I would do everything I can to bond with the pup. A tired pup is a good pup so try to exercise him as much as you can. Don't let him run too much but an ex-pen is a life saver. You can just put him in there with a bunch of toys and let him go nuts in there.
 
#12 ·
Thanks for all the advice and support. I just needed to hear it. I know all dogs are different but my older one was by far easiest puppy hands down she never barked or whined never jumped on anyone. Best manners. But that's her. So when we got Finn I loved his goofy personality and how different he was but boy is it a challenge I set boundaries for him like I did Millie but he will fight them. So just need to stay consistent and firm. But yes I really value good manners so seeing him loose his marbles was hard to watch lol but he's young and there's things I should do differently with him. He definitely was able to get his energy out today which is great!:) much better today!
 
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