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Is He Beyond Help?!


blue.amstaff
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Okay, here's my dilemma.

My sister in law just had a bad break up and needs a place to stay and the only people that have room for her in their home, is us. Only problem is, she owns one of the biggest pain in the ass dogs I have EVER known.. a 7 month old shih tzu.

This dog knows no commands apart from sit

He pees in the house

Eats the cat food

Barks uncontrolably when he's in a crate (he's been crate trained since 8 weeks old!!)

Just in general, won't listen!

She has tried to train this dog with everything she has, she has taken this dog to puppy school, had the dog do a private training course (very expensive one at that!)

Now I don't want to have to tell her she can stay but the dog can't but it's seriously crossing my mind. All she ever does it yell at him, he can never do anything right.

She also owns the most well behaved Rotti I have ever met. This is NOT down to lack of effort/training.

Can someone shed some light? I can see her getting rid of him, give it a few months at most.

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Wow blue.amstaff, that's a really awkward position for you! Sympathies from NSW

Not that I have any dog expertise, just putting my 2 cents in. If your sister in law is a good dog trainer (tested on her other dog) and has been doing everything she can including private training since the pup was 2 weeks old, and the pup has never had any really bad experiences to cause the phobias/barking (aside from being yelled at all the time), is it possible that the dog is a little sub-par mentally? I never really hear about mental issues with dogs, but I suppose they could exist :) . Did she get it from a breeder or a pet shop (could have been dodgy backyard breeding?).

Anyway, just a thought I had.

Hope it all works out for you

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Okay, here's my dilemma.

This dog knows no commands apart from sit

He pees in the house

Eats the cat food

Barks uncontrolably when he's in a crate (he's been crate trained since 8 weeks old!!)

If he pees in the house then why is he allowed access to the house? He needs to be treated like a baby puppy -ie taken out to toilet every hour and crated or supervised 100% of the time in between. He shouldn't get a chance to pee in the house.

Of course he eats the cat food - most dogs would given the chance. Again, why does he have access to it?

As far as barks uncontrollably in the crate. Well if he's doing that he's obviously NOT crate trained (which would = a dog who goes into the crate on command and understands that it is a place to relax.)

Just in general, won't listen!

She has tried to train this dog with everything she has, she has taken this dog to puppy school, had the dog do a private training course (very expensive one at that!)

What kind of course? Is she consistant at home in setting boundaries for the pup and following through?

Now I don't want to have to tell her she can stay but the dog can't but it's seriously crossing my mind. All she ever does it yell at him, he can never do anything right.

That could well be part of the problem. If she yells at him it might be making the bad behaviour worse. ie, pup pees in the house, she yells, pup hides and learns nothing. Pup barks in his crate, she yells, pup learns that barking gets attention. Pup runs away, she yells, pup won't come back... see a pattern there?

She also owns the most well behaved Rotti I have ever met. This is NOT down to lack of effort/training.

Can someone shed some light? I can see her getting rid of him, give it a few months at most.

You say it's not down to lack of training but it sure sounds like it :)

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Okay, here's my dilemma.

My sister in law just had a bad break up and needs a place to stay and the only people that have room for her in their home, is us. Only problem is, she owns one of the biggest pain in the ass dogs I have EVER known.. a 7 month old shih tzu.

This dog knows no commands apart from sit He needs to be taught

He pees in the house How has he been 'housetrained'?

Eats the cat food Cat should be fed where pup can't get its food

Barks uncontrolably when he's in a crate (he's been crate trained since 8 weeks old!!) Well, he's not crate trained

Just in general, won't listen!

She has tried to train this dog with everything she has, she has taken this dog to puppy school, had the dog do a private training course (very expensive one at that!)

Shihtzus are NOT silly dogs. I did flyball with one and have done obedience with another.

Now I don't want to have to tell her she can stay but the dog can't but it's seriously crossing my mind. All she ever does it yell at him, he can never do anything right.

Poor little bugger. Does yelling get her anywhere with him?

She also owns the most well behaved Rotti I have ever met. This is NOT down to lack of effort/training.

Can someone shed some light? I can see her getting rid of him, give it a few months at most.

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had the dog do a private training course (very expensive one at that!)

SHE needs to do a training course!

I think this poor pup has been sadly neglected,apparently.His 'problems' seem to me to be just an untrained puppy..and that is NOT HIS FAULT.

perhaps when she had the rottie as a pup she was much more stable,and had the time to spend with it? My guess is ,if she is just split from someone...things have been rocky for sometime..and puppies ,like little kids, will not be happy campers with so many bad vibes floating around :coffee:

She probably didn't put the work into him either...cos he's 'just a little dog'.

Rehoming him may indeed be a good option for the dog... as soon as possible ...so he can be somewhere stable..and begin to grow as he should.

Edited by persephone
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I agree this sounds like a dog that hasn't been trained/effectively trained. I think if she wants to keep him then she needs to commit to his training (particularly as it sounds that you don't want to put up with his behaviour - nor would I!!), or she needs to lookat rehoming him with someone who will train him or put up with his behaviour. I sort of think of it as what sort of life would it be for me if every time I did something I got yelled at (and I didn't really know why I was being yelled at, I was just doing what I always do).

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I agree with what others have posted, this pup is in a bad place... stressed out owner that appears to have little idea on what is expected when training a dog, sorry.

Just curious... this Rotti, did she own it from a pup and was it her that put in all the training? I am guessing this is either unlikely the case or she was more relaxed and had more time then or she doesn't realise that every dog is different and needs raising differently.

I think she should rehome the poor pup.

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I agree with what has been said here, it seems likely this puppy hasn't had a stable household to learn in while this bad break up has been evolving. Puppies are like little children and your poor sis-in-law has probably been very stressed the whole time she has had this poor dog. With so many bad vibes it's not been an ideal situation or environment to learn in has it?

Edited by LizT
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After reading the comments I now agree that it most likely is down to her not training him properly and yes she does yell at him an awful lot.

Unfortunately I am going to tell her this dog is not welcome in my home, not only because I can't stand him but due to the constant yelling and carrying on that goes on. I am expecting my own puppy on the 21st of this month and that's not the kind of thing I want him surrounded by.

I 100% agree he would be better off in a new home with an experienced owner who can work with his issues/fears.

My head must have been in the sand to be blaming the dog for his actions, I'm glad I posted this thread and thank you all for the replies. :rofl:

And yes she did have her Rotti from a puppy, 9 weeks old.

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Can I just add at 7 months, I would not expect a puppy to be an angel. Add the upheaval of the move, this dog could be acting out.

It sounds like she is not putting any work in at an important time in the dogs life. She's got to engage with the dog or find someone who can.

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No I don't think so.

Has she had the pups hearing checked ? Can't obey if it can't hear her properly.

If she yells a lot it may just be nerves that panics the pup, it doesn't understand what she wants.

Peeing may be due to confusion, urine infection or hormones if he is not desexed.

It may be best that she re homes the pup while it is still young.

Does not sound too serious or drastic overall. Sometimes one can expect too much.

Like children they have varying milestones in achieving things & some pups are just silly & scatty & then suddenly it all just clicks into place. Others seem to be smart & get it really quickly. Obviously this one doesn't but it will with patience.

Sounds like she has ran out of them.

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No, she never had his hearing checked.

And yes he is entire, I have lost count how many times I have recommended desexing him, why anyone would want an entire male unless he's for breeding is beyond me..

She called me tonight and said she wants to rehome him and get another Rotti pup.. :laugh:

Well, whatever, just not in my house. :)

God help her if she stuffs the next one up.

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Aren't those breeds meant to Shit's You?

(sorry..couldn't resist)

On a serious note.. all the responses here are spot on. I hope you can help your SIL train this little mite while they are with you.

Edited by HugUrPup
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I would suggest to her that another pup would best wait until she has her own home again!!

If she is planning to rent one Rottie is going to be hard enough to get past a real estate agent!

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He has been rehomed ALREADY

He went to an ex breeder of Lhasa apso's (spelling?) hopefully he is in good hands.

She wasn't too impressed regarding no more dogs until she has her own place, but in all honesty, I don't have to have her in my home, let alone a menagery of pets that aren't even mine.. :)

One large Rotti is quite enough :laugh:

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