Introducing Puppy

[DaveS]

Hello,

I know there are other threads that I've read but I have a few questions, I am getting a ACD puppy in 3-5weeks (when he is ready) and will be living with my Mothers Jack Russell X Foxy, He isn't to bad with dogs (Not aggressive etc) but because my mum has babied him as a puppy he doesn't have as good manners that I want him too. So I'm wondering even with my dog getting obedience trained etc will He get bad habits from my mums dog? (EG - Jumping up on furniture and strangers)

Dave

[persephone]

So- your pup will be living with your mum and her spoilt dog, and not you? or do you have the spoilt dog at your place?

[DaveS]

Sorry I should of explained, He is living with me and is MY dog but he will be living with me but will also be around the spoilt dog.

So- your pup will be living with your mum and her spoilt dog, and not you? or do you have the spoilt dog at your place?

[SeeGee]

So- your pup will be living with your mum and her spoilt dog, and not you? or do you have the spoilt dog at your place?

where's ur sig - i like your dogs they pretty!!!

[persephone]

Oh Ok

well, while he is around the spoilt dog- it is your responsiblity to keep him on the straight & narrow :D It can be done... just do not let him do things when he's little & cute, that you do NOT want him to do when he is built like a brick S#!thouse !!

[W Sibs]

Teach your pup the rules and manners... keep your pup in line... take him away from spoilt dog when things get to much. Or, even try to teach spoilt dog manners too?

[corvus]

Good question.

Dogs do what is rewarding. If you don't want your dog to pick up bad habits, make sure your pup doesn't ever find them rewarding. So if he jumps up and down to get your attention, make sure you don't give him your attention. Easy.

What's hard is when not all members of the family are on the same page. It's very difficult to teach a dog that something is not rewarding when someone else is teaching him that it is. You might have to have a chat with your mum about how you would like to bring your puppy up and how she can help. Remember that if you're having trouble because other people are rewarding your pup for bad behaviour, the best way to combat that is reward them for NOT practising that bad behaviour. And reward them really well, with lots of attention and treats and games. As an example, if your pup is jumping on you, reward him heaps for sitting and then ask for a sit when he wants to jump. He can't jump and sit at the same time, so as long as sitting is more rewarding than jumping, he'll sit.

[DaveS]

The problem is that I do try and teach the spoilt dog the rules but then when I'm gone if he does the same action to my mum she doesn't discipline him so even though I'm building repetitions up when mums with him it goes back to square one. He dominates mum, but he doesn't dominate me.

Edit : Sorry posted when you did Corvus, that's exactly what I mean. Mum's on a different page.

Edited September 14, 2009 by DaveS

[Rach...]

Be careful, ACDs are already a fairly dominant breed and putting a dominant small dog and an ACD together could be a recipe for disaster especially if the older dog has no boundaries

Well thats my experience with our girl, she knows the pack rankings very well and since my stepbrother didnt listen to me when i told him what he had to do with her when she was a pup (chasing games, biting games) she is now above him in the pack and he cannot be around her without someone who is higher ranking in the pack other wise she asserts her dominance too much with him. An ACD who thinks they are boss is not a good thing... I don't know how this helps? But I thought I would post, my girl is my first ACD and we are both very much learning