A well adjusted puppy is enthusiastic about playing.
They are young, rambunctious and sometimes over-eager to engage other dogs in play. While it is not wrong to ask another dog to play, trouble can arise when they don't notice that the other dog is not interested in playing.
Young, playful pups are often too young to have learned how to read the intention-signals of other dogs, they sometimes get corrected.
Corrections from an older dog can be a learning experience, but owners need to protect their pups from getting harsh corrections. To minimize the risk to your pup make sure that they have LOTS and lots of playtime with puppies their own age.
Puppy classes are a great place to have your pup play with other puppies.
A good puppy class will be filled with ONLY other puppies of a similar age. Puppy play-time will cushion your pup's bank of experiences. Puppy-to-puppy play will likely be appropriate and fun and pad your pup from associating play with bad things (older, un-playful dogs). Lots of puppy-play will help your puppy associate an eventual correction with their actions or the other dog's body language.
When playing with older dogs, a correction is likely.
The older dog should have EXCELLENT play-skills and give LOTS of warnings to the puppy. When the older dog has finally had it and corrects the pup it should be a fast and timely correction. The puppy will likely yelp and it will be over. The older dog should not pin the puppy or keep fighting. There should be NO harm and the pup should shake it off quickly and be back to his/her bouncy self.
A PUPPIES ERROR IN JUDGEMENT
Meet the dogs...
The FOCUSED, OLDER DOG is played by K-9 ANGUS, FEMA Certified Search & Rescue Dog, CA Task Force 3
see videos of Angus @ work -CLICK HERE
The PLAYFUL & OVERENTHUSIASTIC PUPPY is played by JUPITER, 4 month old, male beagle
Opening Act: A polite invitation to play.
Act -II: Stop ignoring me. Don't you want to play?
Act -III: You can't resist me; I'm right here!
Act -IV: Knock it off pup!
Act V: Pleeeese, play with me.
Final Act: Too-bad, puppy; I warned you.
Second Show: Hey, who are you?
Even A Well-Behaved Dog Is A DOG!
Dogs need to do Dog-Things. Puppies, like children need to do everything and they have short attention spans.
A common behavior concern is chewing! Punishing a dog for being a dog is a sure way to ruin your relationship with your new pup. Dogs need to chew. They should not be punished for being dogs.
Puppies and inexperienced dogs see the whole world is an unexplored chew toy. There are endless places to find new chews and hundreds of ways to sneak a chew. If your dog isn't getting the chew-fun she needs from her toys, your dog will find something new to chew.
My clients are constantly frustrated and overwhelmed when they focus all their energy on catching their dog chewing forbidden items (table legs, tissue, clothes, remote controls, etc...) Make your life easier; make your puppies day. Put most of your energy into creating chew options, not just limiting them. Make toys and chew puzzles fun and exciting for your dog.
Then watch your dog! I spend countless hours just watching my dogs enjoy their chew-time. Their chewing pleasure is a site to behold. You too can learn to marvel at their canine abilities to chew, nibble, rip and dissect.
Just pick the items they chew on for them and make them worth their while so they won't want to waste time experimenting for better options. Then take some time to appreciate what they liked most, what they were good at chewing and how they can lull themselves into a near meditative state on the perfect chew.
1. Crate Training Your Puppy is the fastest way to have a completely house-trained pup.
Taking a puppy out for frequent potty breaks and rewarding the puppy for appropriate elimination is only 1/2 the battle. Crates teach puppies how to hold their bladder until they are outside the "den" and in the correct place.
2. Crate Training keeps your puppy safe.
Puppies can get into anything in a second. Sometimes it is just annoying when they chew things, but sometimes it is really, really dangerous. Wires, small ingestible items (I found a green thumb tack in puppy poop once), and certain foods can be dangerous for puppies.
3. Crate training teaches puppies how to settle down and stay in one spot for a reasonable amount of time.
If they never practice "chilling out" in one location when they are young, they are unlikely to do it later. Of corse they are young so they will need help settling down. Chews, kongs, and other food puzzles are excellent items to give to your pup in a crate.
OTHER THOUGHTS
Puppies can generally hold their bladders for only short periods of time.
A general rule of thumb is: 1 hr for every month of age. A 2-month old puppy will need to be let out of the crate for a potty-break somewhere between 1.5 - 2 hrs.
Do not expect your pup to hold it when they are running around.
A free-roaming pup might pee every 10-30minutes. Puppies will generally hold their bladder if they are in a small, confined space (your crate). At about 10-12 weeks I find that most pups can make it through the night without needing a potty-break, but this does not mean that they can "hold it" or be crated for that long during the day.
If your pup has just peed and pooped then spend time with them in the house.
Supervise them carefully and re-direct them onto their toys if they start to chew on anything inappropriate. After about 30-minutes your 8-10 week old pup will probably be "feeling the urge." At this point you can take them out again or crate them for 1hr. so that they have a chance to practice "holding it" until they are taken to the potty spot again.
Elberta, AL
FEBRUARY 4, 2009, 11:27 AM
- You are NOT chasing your dog. I agree, he would think that is fun.
- You are approaching him casually and TRYING TO TRADE TREATS for the ITEM.
- You have supplied your dog with HIS OWN TOYS.
The motivational issue.
The management issue.
A possible health concern.
My major suggestions would be:
Create a BACK-UP PLAN.
- Have some really amazing treats (steak comes to mind).
- Set your dog up. Deliberately leave an old-expendable sock in a steal-location, or drop it "by accident."
- Say, "TRADE YOU!"
- Then go to the fridge (yep walk away from your dog) and get the goodies.
- Without saying anything more, toss (stay as far away from your dog as you can) the yummy-steak treats AND WALK AWAY.
- If your dog appears WITHOUT the ITEM... Praise your dog like mad and give MORE TREATS.
- Tether, crate, or confine your dog and then go recover the item.
Do this until the dog spits out the item as soon as you toss the treats.
DO NOT touch the item or try to take it if your dog is still holding it, or standing over it.
Continue to work DROP with the tug toy, then try DROP with a sock that you are holding.
A STORY.
The other day at the park, I saw a woman walking her dog. They were walking casually and every once in a while the woman would stop, bend over, pick up a ball and toss it. Then the woman with the dog started to chat with a friend. The dog sat quietly at their feet, staring at his ball.
After a minute he began to whine. He whined louder and louder until his guardian picked up his ball. As soon as she had the ball in her hand, he got really, really excited and barked. She threw the ball anyway and resumed her conversation. When her dog returned, he dropped the ball at her feet and barked immediately. This happened 3 or 4 times.
Eventually the woman tried to reason with her dog. She bent down with her hands on her hips, looked right into his eyes and yelled, "Frankie, Stop-it!" To this Frankie replied with an barrage of barks, yelps, yips, and a "Woof!" The woman, shrugged, looked defeated, waved good-bye to her friend and continued walking her dog and tossing the ball.
I giggled and thought I bet the next time she even tries to stop and chat her dog will take the shortcut to the most effective behavior... "Pitch a barking fit and mommy stops chatting and does her job!" In the story above Frankie did what worked. Barking got him what he wanted. He will do more of it.
Sometimes we don't give big rewards at all -we "ignore" the bad behavior. However this only works if you IGNORE the dog COMPLETELY. This is too hard for most people, they crack and give in like the woman in the story above. Or, they unintentionally give hints that they might crack and give into the dog's requests.
When we bend down, look at, or talk to dogs we are telling them that they might get what they want soon. We don't do this on purpose. Its just that 99% of the time, right before we give a dog something they will LOVE, like food, walks, toys, pets, play-time or lap-time, we look right at them and talk to them... "Oh, boy Zip. Here comes....." So EYE-CONTACT and WORDS aimed at the dog become predictors of wonderful stuff. In dog-nerd-speak, we call these Secondary Reinforcers.
When the owner in the story bent down and looked at Frankie to say, "Stop-it" She might as well have said, "Do you want me to throw your ball?" Frankie, in that context (she'd already been rewarding his whines with a ball-toss) was anticipating that she would repeat the action. When dogs think they know what is going to happen, they don't really listen to the words you say.
If you don't believe me pick up your dog's favorite toy. Then use your goofiest voice and tell your dog how bad and stupid they have been. What did your dog do? Yeah, mine too -just staring at the toy wagging and panting. "Oh, boy, oh boy, she's gonna play squaeky-frisbeeeeee, with meeeee! Oh, boy, oh boy!" And I think he's a rather clever dog, but he is a DOG!
So, if poor Frankie wasn't really paying attention to her exact words. When his owner bent down, looked at him and talked to him (instead of her friend) he got REALLY EXCITED and barked back," YES, YES! Throw the BALL!"
Apply this to your situation. If your dog is crying and you get up and try to give him a toy, food, or attention, then you are giving A HUGE REWARD. If when your dog whines or cries you look at her and talk to her, you are giving a hint that you MIGHT give them something -this is a type of reward.
Regarding the appetite and "SPOILED-DOG" issue. If the dog is getting a balanced diet and your vet says your dog is in good health, then I don't care if you cook for your dog, or if they never eat food from a bag or can or bowl. However, if your dog is only eating junk food then the diet is not balanced and your dog will be unhealthy. To address the issue you will need to:
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Stop feeding your dog all kinds of cookies, treats and junk-food! Dogs can't shop or cook, so if they are eating badly, someone is providing the food and/or the opportunity.
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Get tough! Put down the food your dog is suppose to eat and if they don't eat it, pick it up and try again at the next meal. Unlike cats, dogs cannot get sick from not eating. Your dog will not stave herself. She will eventually eat!
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Be reasonable. If the food in the can looks bad, smells bad or you have a hard time looking at it or touching it, pick a better looking, tasting high-quality dog food. In general, high quality dog foods come from pet supply stores, not a grocery stores.
