Problems with crazy puppy

[JoMichelle]

Thank you guys.

I've had a stressful few days, plus the temperature here in the UK is into the minuses and our heating has been broken since Tuesday, so I must admit I'm not the happiest of people at the minute. Even my kids have been getting it in the neck

At the minute she's not getting off leash exercise (other than our back garden) as she only finished her vaccinations this week, so she has another week to go until she is safe. I think I've been walking her too far up until now as she knows when we are on our way home and drags me the whole way back.

Thinking about it, it makes sense that she would be over-tired. She tries to sleep during the day but every time I move away from her to do something she follows me, so never sleeps for more than 20 minutes. I've put her in her crate now and plan to leave her for 2 hours, followed by a walk. Hopefully it will work.

As from next week when she can go out, do you think it'd be a good idea to make an exact schedule for every day (apart from the two days I'm not home) of naps and exercise for her? We have a park a 10 minute walk away so I'm sure she will love it there when she can go. I'm nervous of other people's dogs being out of control though. She's still very wary around people and especially dogs.

[Oskar der Drachen]

Originally Posted by JoMichelle

Thank you guys.

I think I've been walking her too far up until now as she knows when we are on our way home and drags me the whole way back.

She tries to sleep during the day but every time I move away from her to do something she follows me, so never sleeps for more than 20 minutes. I've put her in her crate now and plan to leave her for 2 hours, followed by a walk. Hopefully it will work.

Those are the dilemmas I found too. I had to take Bear out for at least two walks a day, and I timed these formal walks for morning before breakfast and just before bed.

I'm not sure what "too far" is, everyone seems to have a different opinion. I know when Bear is tired because just like you he starts to lean into the leash or try and lay down when I asked him to sit.

He is mostly trained out of pulling now by me going off on a different direction every time he pulls on the lead. What that means is you have to plan your walk to not be too far from home or you will never get there! Every time Bear pulls, he is either made to sit or go a different direction so I stay in charge of the walk. Our first MONTHS of walks were very frustrating for me as I wanted to GO SOMEWHERE. The payoff is that I can now walk my 40lb four month old with a finger through the loop of his short lead. We will see if that lasts through the Six Month Window.

Bear has a blanket that covers most of his crate that stops him from seeing out, but he is rarely in his crate while we are in the house other than at night. In my experience, when a puppy is tired they will crash out and sleep. A scheduled nap works for a toddler though, should work for a pup!

[JoMichelle]

We're still learning as we go. We've had her for 4 weeks now. The days I am home with her most of the day, are lovely days. I enjoy learning from her, teaching her tricks (my kids just got me to teach her to high five, which she has down perfectly).

But the 2 days I am out all day and the dog walker comes to see to her are a nightmare! She is all over the place when I get home, biting everyone - generally doing everything we don't want her to do! We play in the garden, followed by a walk, still she bites everyone! And the bites are getting harder. She had her mouth around my arm the other day and slowly bit down really hard, whilst looking straight into my eyes. I didn't know what to make of that - it was almost as if she was testing my reaction.

I still don't know what to do when she bites. I feel terrible when we're in the middle of a game, or training - she bites because she is excited and I end up crating her because NOTHING else works. But when I do crate her, even in the midst of excitement, she goes straight to sleep. Regardless of if she has already had a nap or not.

On a lighter note, we have ears up! (Well apart from one tip, yey!)

[Bear L]

Your post is the post I was going to post! My female GSD is 11 wks and she is crazy first thing in the early morning till almost noon and again after dinner. She will drag anything at that time, including a dog bed with my other dog sitting in it. She also bites, runs and jumps all over the place. Barks at my other adult dog to engage the adult dog in play which my adult dog find extremely irritating.

As some posts already suggested, I started to take her to a nearby baseball park to let her run, first thing in the morning before work. Except she only wants to follow me so I've to run/walk with her off leash. Then she gets a walk around noon time, on the leash. In the evening, I try to play tug with her. All this seems to help, though it doesn't "cure" the crazy in its entirety. I'm guessing only passage of time will.

For biting, I'm not sure if you saw this on another post that I found. Some people might find it harsh, but it's the only thing my dog comprehends. If you grab her lower jaw every time she bites, it may help. I did it and it has been quite effective, cured about 50% of the bites which translates to at least 200 daily bites avoided. I'd use a cue word, "off", and if she doesn't right away, grab her lower jaw (so it's not closed with the upper) and she'll automatically turn on her back, or if she doesn't I help her into that position. The first day I did this (initially for what must have been 20 times within a 5 min window) she started licking me instead or act like she was going to bite but changed her mind. On the 2nd day, I don't have to do it as much. I don't think "no" is as effective for biting since it can be overly used. This way she can relate a word to an action. Just my 2 cents.

I've lost weight since getting her and it's only been 2 wks. I feel you totally!

[JoMichelle]

Oh thanks for those tips about the biting Bear, I will try that! That's one thing I haven't seen before but I'm willing to try almost anything!

I keep reading and being advised to only walk her 5 mins per month of age, which is 15. But to be honest, this seems like it is nowhere near enough. I've been walking her for around an hour twice a day the last few days. It's calmed the crazy down in the house somewhat, but when she's not sleeping, she's still crazy. I literally cannot get anything done when she's awake!

What is it about dragging dog beds?? Winter had ripped apart her two new beds that I bought her, the cats bed, and the cats scratching post! I spend a small fortune on chews and toys for her, but she wants empty coke bottles, catnip mice that i get for the cats, and beds.

[longhairshepmom]

I'm sure it won't be the popular answer around here, but there is nothing wrong with a FIRM and quick correction to the biting.
Yes, most times re-directing and stuffing a toy in their mouth or a timeout will work, and should always be attempted first, but sometimes those little ones just go on and test their limits.
What do you think happens when they do this to their mom or other adult dogs ? They get put in their place, thats what. And it won't be that they get a timeout or a toy stuffed in their mouth, but they get a very quick and meaningful correction that shows them they went to far.
I have raised and trained many dogs and none of them have ever had temperament problems or ended up being anything but lovely dogs. They have gotten corrections when they were over the top and wouldn't stop testing. Sorry, but I do NOT put up with endless biting and them getting worse and just looking in my face.
When it gets to bad I grab the scruff and give a HARD and quick shake, enough to get my point across and make them whelp. It has to be done right. At the right time AND with a verbal command at the same time. I tell them "no bite". They learn it quick and when they get into those "crazy ways" I give them a chance with verbal "no bite" and you can tell they know it, but sometimes they just have to push the limits, then there is a correction along with no bite. The correction has to be quick and firm enough, but right afterward act as if nothing happened. It shouldn't be done in anger or with a lot of emotion, as not to feed into the pups hysteria (lol).
If the correction is done, but not firm enough, the pup just gets crazier as its seen as nagging and they nag right back. You do have to make your point. I'm not saying to "abuse" but make them feel that they have gone to far.
They are dogs. If you "speak" their language they will understand.
I always find it very strange that the people that say you should never discipline your dog with a physical correction are usually the ones that complain loudest how spoiled rotten our children are today and how back when one still spanked their children, they were so much better behaved.
AGain, I'm not saying you should go around and hurt your dog, or constantly pull, yank or shake them. That doesn't work. Teach them "no bite" give them a chance to heed it by verbal correction and re-direction. But if the pup is clearly testing its limit and simply ignoring you and seeing how far it can go (going way to far) there is nothing like a quick "nip" in the bud. If done correctly.
They will still try sometimes, but it will get a LOT better and usually the "no bite" command will do the trick. My pup knows "no bite" and when he is all wound up and can't help himself, you can just see how he tries hard to comply, he will then gently grab my hand, not biting down, but I will tell him again "no bite" and he will cut it out completely, then I give him a toy or chewie. He is a very happy dog, well behaved most times, knows no stranger and a super temperament. Not headshy, not aggressive, not crazy. Can just be a typical annoying brat when he gets the "zoomies".
Anyway, its your dog and your decision, but I prefer them to learn limits early on, in a way they understand. I have to do this correction a few times only before they catch on !

[JoMichelle]

Thank you, but I've tried that and doesn't work. Not a single thing I've tried has worked, or even a little bit. She thinks everything is a game. I'm exhausted at the minute, I can't do a single thing whilst she's up in the day. She had to have all my attention and if she doesn't have it she reigns down a torrent of playful attacks on me, that actually freaking hurt!

It's no longer playful puppy nips, she is BITING, still in a playful way - I don't mean aggressively. My hands and arms are covered in scratches and puncture marks. My clothes are ripped, there are even bite marks on my legs from where she has bit through my clothes.

I don't think she realises that my clothes have me underneath, because she really does bite hard and rags my clothes about.

We go for 2-3 walks a day, plus playtime in the garden, plus playtime in the house for half of the day, plus training. My only break used to be when she napped in the day but she now refuses to sleep at all in the day. When will this craziness end???

[JoMichelle]

Wasn't sure if to post this in a new thread but I've made so many lately I don't want to bug people so I'll just post here.

I love spending time with Winter, but it has gotten to the point that she demands my attention ALL the time. I have to study, even just a few hours a day and I can't do this at the moment because as soon as she doesn't have my full attention she starts biting me and jumping up. I try stuffing Kongs for her, giving her bones, she has a million toys and chews. But they only keep her enterained for 10 minutes before she wants to play catch again (her favourite game, which we've played for around 6 hours today!)

Am I being mean? SHOULD I be spending every waking second with her? We have plenty of walks and playtime. She is 3 months old, is she okay to play by herself for a while? And if so, how do I get her to give me some space without crating her? Or should I crate her? Her walks are around 20 minutes long twice a day, sometimes she doesn't seem very tired afterwards but I don't want to overdo it. Should I walk her for longer?

[llombardo]

I have found the only time I have any "peace" is when she is in a crate....I have other dogs that she plays with and she plays fine by herself but I don't trust her potty training skills yet, so I'm constantly watching her and making myself nuts. I think the crate is helping her for her control issue with the pee pee also...so two birds with one stone--I will hopefully have the perfect dog in the next couple months. I do want to add that she doesn't bite me or chew anything which I consider a blessing.

[JoMichelle]

How often do you crate her? And do you wait until she is tired (as I do, because she will not sleep anywhere but her crate)? I always feel bad for putting her in the crate unless it's night time or I have to go out, but I'm really feeling like we have to establish some kind of daytime routine (night time is perfect), where I have some time to spend on other commitments too.

I am worried that these month are important in her development and I don't want to ruin things by shutting her away too much. You are so lucky with the biting and chewing! I thought it was bad a month ago when it was gentle nipping, now it is ridiculous! lol

The toilet training is good, I can pretty much let her roam between a few rooms and know that she will use her puppy pad in the kitchen (which is slowly working it's way outside).