Brooms, Dustpans, And Ballpoint Pens

[sandgrubber]

As a breeder I often run on pups. They live in the house with the bigger dogs and me. Mostly I get great manners and calm pups, cause they have lots of dog company and the older dogs apply minor discipline as required. They mostly respect my posessions. I can leave my shoes and socks lying around . . . no problems. But there are three areas where I have problems.

1. Brooms. I cannot sweep my floors without a puppy hanging on to the broom. I believe in positive reinforcement and avoiding corrections for young pups. But it's a big nuisance to have them attack the broom every time to sweep. Anyone have a better solution than locking them up somewhere when it's time to clean?

2. Dustpans. Both pups and older dogs seem to thing dust pans are chew toys. The obvious solution is to hang the thing up out of reach. But they're constantly in use. Does anyone else have this problem? Is there, say, something I can paint on the dustpan to make it unattractive?

3. Ballpoint pens. I think this is hopeless . . . even younger dogs seem to love chomping on them.

[Gretel]

Oh yes dustpans and brooms are very tasty I've had some pups who are fine when I sweep but others who are shocking. Having dogs with long ears and feathering I find it easier to shut them away though anyway. I've had a few who would attack the vacuum cleaner and I have used that as a training time. They come and sit for a treat instead of attacking. It makes it take a little longer and I always have to vacuum with treats in my pocket but they generally settle down a lot. You could try that when you sweep?

[labsrule]

As a breeder I often run on pups. They live in the house with the bigger dogs and me. Mostly I get great manners and calm pups, cause they have lots of dog company and the older dogs apply minor discipline as required. They mostly respect my posessions. I can leave my shoes and socks lying around . . . no problems. But there are three areas where I have problems.

1. Brooms. I cannot sweep my floors without a puppy hanging on to the broom. I believe in positive reinforcement and avoiding corrections for young pups. But it's a big nuisance to have them attack the broom every time to sweep. Anyone have a better solution than locking them up somewhere when it's time to clean?

2. Dustpans. Both pups and older dogs seem to thing dust pans are chew toys. The obvious solution is to hang the thing up out of reach. But they're constantly in use. Does anyone else have this problem? Is there, say, something I can paint on the dustpan to make it unattractive?

3. Ballpoint pens. I think this is hopeless . . . even younger dogs seem to love chomping on them.

I reckon that I could throw out all my current 7mth old lab pups toys and replace them with brooms, dustpans and brushes, ballpoint pens, plastic bottles, paper and cardboard boxes and he would be in heaven My bad knee was playing up on me yesterday after I had taken one of my boys for a walk, so I was using an inside broom as a bit of crutch and guess who was hanging off the end of it My lab pups have always LOVED the brooms and everytime I bring one out, there has been a lap pup attached to it :D If I sweep inside, pup goes outside, if I sweep outside, pup goes inside

If you find a solution let me know

Edited April 25, 2010 by labsrule

[SeeGee]

i would trade your broom and dustpan for my 5 pairs of shoes .....my fault for leaving them around though I know *sigh*

[Elsha_UK_AU]

I had to buy a new dustpan and brush yesterday as Porthos chewed the handle on the brush.... also shoes!!!! He loves them! We have about 20 pairs stacked near our front door.... over the weekend, I have 20 shoes...combos of lefts, right and whole pairs....on my loungeroom mat.... he goes through 1 at a time and brings them back. If we ever lose him...we find him sitting between the shoes at the front door. :D

[Clastic]

Would be tough with all the pups.

My little guy between 8 weeks to 10 weeks would attack the broom while I swept as well. As soon as he learnt the word 'no' I'd tell him that if he ever tried to pounce and play with the broom. But before that, I wouldn't even attempt to without having him somewhere else or have the OH watch him.

[Simply Grand]

Saxon freaks out over brooms and the vacuum cleaner! He jumps all over the place and grabs at them and does the weirdest little yipping/growling/barky noises! I can't quite tell if he's excited or scared - a bit of both I think.

I'm trying to teach him to stay calm and leave the vacuum cleaner alone - whenever he goes towards it I stop moving and turn my back on him, and whenever he moves away and focuses on something else I praise him and keep praising him as long as he does the right thing. It works but it's slow progress, I think because he only gets exposed to it once or twice a week. I should get serious about it and vacuum every day for a while until he's properly desensitized to it... it's so annoying though and it takes FOREVER to vacuum

I haven't even tried with sweeping yet, I just shut him away, much easier!

[sas]

LOL sounds like completely normal puppies!

[Addicted to Dogs]

Sandgrubber

I'd recommend that you start introducing all the pups to the smell, sound and sight of the problem items (and lots of others if you aren't already) from as soon as you can - just at days or weeks old. Then the items should become less stimulating. Also you can get in and reinforce calm behaviour at that point. I can't see any harm in trying it and seeing if it makes a difference - and if it does just imagine how much happier your pups owners will be : )

For any older pups perhaps put a baby gate up and have the broom in sight. Taking each pup one at at time - get in really really quick with a marker (clicker or noise that has been associated with food) for anything that is an alternative to the behaviours you don't want. So if you don't want attacking, barking or jumping then anything that is not these gets rewarded. Start with just you being able to touch the items (or them seeing them) and then scale up to hold briefly, move slowly and build up. Then work without the gate starting from the beginning of the process - walk towards, then touch, move etc. Do each pup (and/or dog) individually and then try putting them together in pairs, and gradually build up until all pups/dogs can control themselves. A lot of work - but you did say it was getting to you....and with some dogs this structured approach can work in minutes, for others hours, days or weeks (and not continuous training for these periods - just short sessions periodically and never when you are stressed or angry.

Let us know how you go.

[cilabs]

As a breeder I often run on pups. They live in the house with the bigger dogs and me. Mostly I get great manners and calm pups, cause they have lots of dog company and the older dogs apply minor discipline as required. They mostly respect my posessions. I can leave my shoes and socks lying around . . . no problems. But there are three areas where I have problems.

1. Brooms. I cannot sweep my floors without a puppy hanging on to the broom. I believe in positive reinforcement and avoiding corrections for young pups. But it's a big nuisance to have them attack the broom every time to sweep. Anyone have a better solution than locking them up somewhere when it's time to clean?

2. Dustpans. Both pups and older dogs seem to thing dust pans are chew toys. The obvious solution is to hang the thing up out of reach. But they're constantly in use. Does anyone else have this problem? Is there, say, something I can paint on the dustpan to make it unattractive?

3. Ballpoint pens. I think this is hopeless . . . even younger dogs seem to love chomping on them.

I reckon that I could throw out all my current 7mth old lab pups toys and replace them with brooms, dustpans and brushes, ballpoint pens, plastic bottles, paper and cardboard boxes and he would be in heaven ;) My bad knee was playing up on me yesterday after I had taken one of my boys for a walk, so I was using an inside broom as a bit of crutch and guess who was hanging off the end of it My lab pups have always LOVED the brooms and everytime I bring one out, there has been a lap pup attached to it If I sweep inside, pup goes outside, if I sweep outside, pup goes inside

If you find a solution let me know

My labs all love the dustpan and brushes, they loved the brooms as young pups. I even buy them a dustpan and

brush each but they still seem to find mine!

[sandgrubber]

I brought the 'broom' problem up with a trainer I work with. She showed me how to 'claim the broom'. This consists of pushing the puppy off the broom, holding it very still (the motion gets the play drive in gear) and firmly telling the puppy no. You need to hold the still position for a minute or two, complete with fixed glaze and stiff posture, like a dog claiming its toy or bone. Much to my surprise it worked!!!! No doubt I'll have to repeat the act next time I sweep.

Edited April 29, 2010 by sandgrubber

[labsrule]

I brought the 'broom' problem up with a trainer I work with. She showed me how to 'claim the broom'. This consists of pushing the puppy off the broom, holding it very still (the motion gets the play drive in gear) and firmly telling the puppy no. You need to hold the still position for a minute or two, complete with fixed glaze and stiff posture, like a dog claiming its toy or bone. Much to my surprise it worked!!!! No doubt I'll have to repeat the act next time I sweep.

Funnily enough I was sweeping outside the other day and of course my pup got all excited when I got the broom, but once I put the broom on the patio, I told him sternly NO and SIT which he did and I started sweeping, and he went to stand and I pointed at him and said SIT again and he did and I was able to continue sweeping uninterrupted. However, it was only a small area I was sweeping and I know darn well that if I was going to sweep the entire patio, the temptation would be too great for him or he would be tempted to do the zoomies in and around the patio Then there is of course the temptation of the dustpan and brush, letalone the cylindrical outside rubbish container . Just a lot easier to put him inside or outside whenever I am going to sweep and I can then sweep in peace and leave dustpan and brush and rubbish container anywhere I choose and then put all away when finished before I let him outside again :cool: .

[BCPuppy]

I brought the 'broom' problem up with a trainer I work with. She showed me how to 'claim the broom'. This consists of pushing the puppy off the broom, holding it very still (the motion gets the play drive in gear) and firmly telling the puppy no. You need to hold the still position for a minute or two, complete with fixed glaze and stiff posture, like a dog claiming its toy or bone. Much to my surprise it worked!!!! No doubt I'll have to repeat the act next time I sweep.

:cool:

Tried this one and it works, well sometimes, and only for a short time, :D Marlin goes beserk when I touch a broom, I swear she can hear me pick it up from the other end of the yard, have tried distracting her with a treat or bone, but she will leave it as soon as I lay my hand on the broom even though she cant see me. Its now easier to get the vacuum out as she hates that, and the leaf blower for the yard, she hates that so much she got stuck behind the couch last time I used it. Or I wait until the OH takes her out.