new owner, need help!

Juicebox · 12-10-2012, 04:21 PM

Hi, I'm new to the forum and also a proud new owner of a beautiful GSD. He is 3 months old and so far he has shown all the reasons in the world to own a GSD. He's smart, kind, and very charismatic, but he is very stubborn. I've had him now for 4 days a he does not show any signs of knowing his name. He refuses to come to me and he has the attention span of an ADD hummingbird. Can any of you guys give me advice? Is he just home sick and miss his parents? And do GSD puppies generally whine a lot while teething? Thank you for all the help

selzer · 12-10-2012, 05:40 PM

Bannish the word "stubborn" from your vocabulary. The puppy is 12 weeks old, he has to learn everything at this point. And right now he is still missing his dam and littermates. That's ok. He will get over it. Might take a few nights though.

Do not call the puppy to get it to come to you. Show it a big juicy piece of meat when it comes to you, say Good Come and give him some of it. Later on, you will affix a line to him and tell him to come, and maybe show him a treat and say Come. If he doesn't a little tug will help him.

Don't give your puppy a command you cannot enforce immediately. You have a couple of seconds. Calling him or telling him to come when you cannot immediately enforce it is teaching him to ignore you.

Use treats and praise to get the results you want. Right now everything should be lots of fun. He has a short attention span, keep training short. You will get a LOT farther with very short training sessions, than you will if you try to maintain the focus of a puppy beyond. Keep it a game, and quit when he still wants more.

Play, play, play with your puppy. Use his name ONLY for good things, with a happy tone in his voice. Do not couple his name with the words No or Bad. Max, Bad! Not good. Max is a good puppy. Use Eh! or No! alone when he does something you don't want.

Never, ever call the dog to you to chew him out or punish him in any way. If you absolutely must do this to make yourself feel better, go and get the puppy. If you call him, and he comes, and then he gets chewed out, he will know better than to come to you again voluntarily.

Motivate him with treats, toys, and praise.

Puppies do not lose their puppy-license with dogs until they are 4-5 months old. I think training is ok for puppies younger than this so long as it is totally positive. There will be plenty of time to get into corrections down the road. Keep it light, fun, positive while he is a puppy, and you will work a good bond between you and him.

Good luck.

Juicebox · 12-10-2012, 08:54 PM

Wow thank you so much for the input! I will put it to work in my house immediately! I really needed help with that one, this is my first puppy and I want to make sure that I do everything as correctly as possible.

As far as teething, do they normally whine as much while teething or should i be more worried about this?

selzer · 12-10-2012, 09:06 PM

Hmmm. They whine a lot when they are lonely and miss their dam and littermates. They whine for a lot of reasons I suppose. I have never noticed them whining for teething. But if you think that it is bothering him, a cotton rope toy, dipped in water and put in the freezer for a while and then given to the puppy can help. Also raw bones -- beef marrow bones, knuckle bones, etc, for him to work on will help.

Juicebox · 12-10-2012, 09:26 PM

I will try this ASAP. Thank you again for all of your help!

**JeanKBBMMMAAN** · 12-10-2012, 09:38 PM

You can try this with his name too: 100% RSRR course – Day 5 | Pawsitive Dawgs Blog! It takes a bit for them to learn their names. He is very cute!

Fynn&Vandy · 01-05-2013, 08:18 PM

Hi-
I have a three month old GSD. We've had her for a month. She's learned a lot through this last month! So try to be patient and consider the fact that maybe you're doing things differently than what he's used to or been taught. They learn (in my experience) very quickly. Time will help. They like consistency as much as they need it. A little whining is pretty normal. When I got my first GSD he was really nervous about the changes and, paced while whining for days. He eventually got into the swing of things and, couldn't be happier. All puppies are different. Our puppy has learned commands quickly but, still insists on picking EVERY stick and, leaf up on our walks. We instantly tell her to "drop it" EVERY time but, still she picks it up. Just take your little guys challenges as his quirks. Stubborn is absolutely a part of Vandy's personality as much as lazy is a part of Fynn's. Good luck! He's really cute!

12-10-2012, 04:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
Juicebox New Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Hattiesburg, MS Posts: 3	new owner, need help! Hi, I'm new to the forum and also a proud new owner of a beautiful GSD. He is 3 months old and so far he has shown all the reasons in the world to own a GSD. He's smart, kind, and very charismatic, but he is very stubborn. I've had him now for 4 days a he does not show any signs of knowing his name. He refuses to come to me and he has the attention span of an ADD hummingbird. Can any of you guys give me advice? Is he just home sick and miss his parents? And do GSD puppies generally whine a lot while teething? Thank you for all the help

12-10-2012, 05:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
selzer Crowned Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Denmark, Ohio Posts: 20,815	Bannish the word "stubborn" from your vocabulary. The puppy is 12 weeks old, he has to learn everything at this point. And right now he is still missing his dam and littermates. That's ok. He will get over it. Might take a few nights though. Do not call the puppy to get it to come to you. Show it a big juicy piece of meat when it comes to you, say Good Come and give him some of it. Later on, you will affix a line to him and tell him to come, and maybe show him a treat and say Come. If he doesn't a little tug will help him. Don't give your puppy a command you cannot enforce immediately. You have a couple of seconds. Calling him or telling him to come when you cannot immediately enforce it is teaching him to ignore you. Use treats and praise to get the results you want. Right now everything should be lots of fun. He has a short attention span, keep training short. You will get a LOT farther with very short training sessions, than you will if you try to maintain the focus of a puppy beyond. Keep it a game, and quit when he still wants more. Play, play, play with your puppy. Use his name ONLY for good things, with a happy tone in his voice. Do not couple his name with the words No or Bad. Max, Bad! Not good. Max is a good puppy. Use Eh! or No! alone when he does something you don't want. Never, ever call the dog to you to chew him out or punish him in any way. If you absolutely must do this to make yourself feel better, go and get the puppy. If you call him, and he comes, and then he gets chewed out, he will know better than to come to you again voluntarily. Motivate him with treats, toys, and praise. Puppies do not lose their puppy-license with dogs until they are 4-5 months old. I think training is ok for puppies younger than this so long as it is totally positive. There will be plenty of time to get into corrections down the road. Keep it light, fun, positive while he is a puppy, and you will work a good bond between you and him. Good luck. __________________ RIP Arwen, CD RN CGC RIP Whitney, RN CGC Jenna, RN CGC & Babs, CD RA CGC HIC (not AKC) Heidi, RA CGC & Tori, RN CGC SG3 Odessa, SchH1, Kkl1, AD Ninja, RN CGC & Milla, RN CGC Joy, Star Puppy, RN CGC Dolly CGC & Bear Gretta Hepzibah

12-10-2012, 09:06 PM	#4 (permalink)
selzer Crowned Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Denmark, Ohio Posts: 20,815	Hmmm. They whine a lot when they are lonely and miss their dam and littermates. They whine for a lot of reasons I suppose. I have never noticed them whining for teething. But if you think that it is bothering him, a cotton rope toy, dipped in water and put in the freezer for a while and then given to the puppy can help. Also raw bones -- beef marrow bones, knuckle bones, etc, for him to work on will help. __________________ RIP Arwen, CD RN CGC RIP Whitney, RN CGC Jenna, RN CGC & Babs, CD RA CGC HIC (not AKC) Heidi, RA CGC & Tori, RN CGC SG3 Odessa, SchH1, Kkl1, AD Ninja, RN CGC & Milla, RN CGC Joy, Star Puppy, RN CGC Dolly CGC & Bear Gretta Hepzibah

12-10-2012, 09:26 PM	#5 (permalink)
Juicebox New Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Hattiesburg, MS Posts: 3	I will try this ASAP. Thank you again for all of your help! __________________ Companion to: Major DOB: 09-04-2012

12-10-2012, 09:38 PM	#6 (permalink)
JeanKBBMMMAAN The Rescues Rule Administrator Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 22,783	You can try this with his name too: 100% RSRR course – Day 5 \| Pawsitive Dawgs Blog! It takes a bit for them to learn their names. He is very cute! __________________ Help IMOM help Pets www.imom.org Help a rescue: wish some big dogs a Happy Howliday! www.bigdogsbighearts.blogspot.com Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight. Albert Schweitzer

12-10-2012, 08:54 PM	#3 (permalink)
Juicebox New Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Hattiesburg, MS Posts: 3	Wow thank you so much for the input! I will put it to work in my house immediately! I really needed help with that one, this is my first puppy and I want to make sure that I do everything as correctly as possible. As far as teething, do they normally whine as much while teething or should i be more worried about this?

01-05-2013, 08:18 PM	#7 (permalink)
Fynn&Vandy Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: South GA Posts: 53	Hi- I have a three month old GSD. We've had her for a month. She's learned a lot through this last month! So try to be patient and consider the fact that maybe you're doing things differently than what he's used to or been taught. They learn (in my experience) very quickly. Time will help. They like consistency as much as they need it. A little whining is pretty normal. When I got my first GSD he was really nervous about the changes and, paced while whining for days. He eventually got into the swing of things and, couldn't be happier. All puppies are different. Our puppy has learned commands quickly but, still insists on picking EVERY stick and, leaf up on our walks. We instantly tell her to "drop it" EVERY time but, still she picks it up. Just take your little guys challenges as his quirks. Stubborn is absolutely a part of Vandy's personality as much as lazy is a part of Fynn's. Good luck! He's really cute!

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