New Puppy Mayhem

[Mogda]

Thanks for the good advice. I have just put the chain choker collar on her today for the first time as I had to go to my daughters place for something to be delivered and I didn't want her jumping over the people.

I have not been confident to use this particular collar as I was not 100% sure of how to use it safely. The puppy classes I have been taking her to each week do not believe in using this type of collar as they say its cruel.

The link to that web page you attached was excellent. That trainer looks amazing I wished it was not so expensive and travel distanced and we would be there in a flash.

I will have a search later on this afternoon to see if I can see a good web article re correct leash/walking training.

Thanks for you info.

Mogda

[Simply Grand]

Hi Mogda, I know you're trying hard to do the right things, and as I've said before I think you're doing fantastically

BUT I absolutely do not think a check chain (choke collar) is necessary or even at all helpful in this situation. A check chain will not give you any more control over her while she's jumping around and in fact you could very easily hurt her if she's jumping around as the check chain will tighten on her throat. I really don't think anyone who does not have a really good understanding of how to effectively use a check chain should be using one (I certainly don't know how to use them effectively) but I do know that unless they are used correctly they are not a useful tool.

You can easily teach her all of the things discussed above with her wearing a flat (normal) collar. ETA - that came out wrong, I don't mean it will be easy to teach her the behaviours, just that a flat collar will give you just as good a result as a check chain, without the risks.

Edited December 13, 2013 by Simply Grand

[persephone]

Unless you are working with a trainer who has instructed you , please do NOT use a chain 'choker' on a baby puppy !! There are so many ways that using being inexperienced and using a chain collar can go wrong ..and there are already enough communication problems between you & the puppy ....

Chain collars used after being taught, and having experience can be a useful tool . They can also be cruel/detrimental when an owner doesn't understand their dog..or what exactly a chain collar 'says'/does.

My mention was a LEASH made of chain .. it stops pups getting a leash chewing habit .

[Leah82]

maybe a martingale collar could be a happy medium? It will tighten just enough to act as a correction but no more so you don't risk harming your puppy.

then again a training tool like that is only going to useful if you know how to use it effectively, this is where the help of a trainer will be a big benefit

btw did you end up getting a play pen for your puppy so she can be contained and play with her toys without having to go into the crate?

[Mogda]

Ok yes understand. I am especially glad to not use the chain collar. I only bought the chain collar when the breeder suggested that's what she needed but have always been reluctant to use it. If I was not going to be near a very busy and heavy goods being moved I would not have used it this morning either. Fortunately she only had it on for a couple of minutes and she just sat the whole time because she was scared of the traffic noise.

Yes a chain leash will definitely be a bonus as she does chew on her leash. And I will buy a better collar as this fabric type one she has just pulls over her head because it loosens whilst shes pulling so much.When I am walking her I now stop and pull the leash out of her mouth and will not move until she stops grabbing it and trying to walk me.

She is a very stubborn pup and just plops down and will not move unless going where she wants to, so I just pick her up and bring her back inside. I then take her back out again in 10 minutes and try again. But going for walks further then around the outside of our house is impossible at this stage. . . it would be me just dragging a pup along the ground behind me.

[persephone]

I think you mentioned emailing trainers(or was that someone else? ) When do get to have a consultation ?Getting someone good to teach you would be a great Christmas present!!

[Mogda]

Yes I was saying that I like the look of the K9 pro trainer Steve somebody who is in Kurrajong and does in house training over so many days.

Good idea I might just get money for xmas and see if that adds up to some sessions? :)

[persephone]

Yes I was saying that I like the look of the K9 pro trainer Steve somebody who is in Kurrajong and does in house training over so many days.

Good idea I might just get money for xmas and see if that adds up to some sessions? :)

That;s a good plan!! Talk to the family .. and it will be a bit like a Christmas gift for everyone, really :) Hope it will work out!! *crosses fingers* Steve is BRILLIANT ! :)

[Mogda]

Re puppy play pen I have not purchased one as yet as we have just been spending so much time outside, but also I am unsure about how it will stay in place with such a strong fast growing puppy? How do you stabilize them when using them inside without the dog pulling it around. I remember when my children were toddlers and they got to that stage where they could just move the play pen around with them. :laugh:

[raineth]

Thanks that sounds like a great idea. I have been suffering a silly reluctance with the crate and feel a great guilt when putting her in but I do know its for her best and that's how I came to use it as time out. I could see when she loses the plot she just cant help herself as she just simply cant calm down and her crazed behavior goes from bad to worse. I was always worried I might ruin the idea of the crate being a good place for her if I used it for punishment too and then she wouldn't settle in it at night.

But people have to be able to visit and not be harassed by our very enthusiastic and energetic young pup, so I will definitely put her in the next time someone comes and before I actually let them in. If once she settles in the crate I let her out . . do I then just put her back in if the behavior continues?

Mogda

You can use the crate as a time out, but not as a punishment sort of time out. It should always be a nice place, a place where nice things are, and where she can relax. So I would say its more of a re-direction.

But it would be best to pre-empt her arousal. So say the visitors have arrived, and she is calm in her crate so you let her out. Watch for her arousal getting too high and redirect her back to her crate before she comes cracker. You could let her out again later if she is calm again and just keep doing it.

Persephone said she might avoid being 'caught' and put in the crate. Which reminded me that I should say you use this technique once you have taught a 'get in your crate' command. You really shouldn't be catching her and physically putting her in there, it should just be her responding to your command.

Call out loudly to whoever is knocking on the door to let them know you'll answer the door in a minute, so you don't feel too rushed. Tell her to go in. When she does, close the door, praise her and give her a treat.

The crate idea is just an idea for you while you await the trainer's advice. So you can have visitors over without her learning bad behaviours :)

[sunny1shine]

Re puppy play pen I have not purchased one as yet as we have just been spending so much time outside, but also I am unsure about how it will stay in place with such a strong fast growing puppy? How do you stabilize them when using them inside without the dog pulling it around. I remember when my children were toddlers and they got to that stage where they could just move the play pen around with them. :laugh:

is our set up, the play pen is anchored to the crate with carabiner hooks. its also anchored to bookshelves with another carabiner hook.

Thankfully ours has never thought about trying to jump over. She did lean on the sides when people came around which pushed them down, but playing a game of 'no treat if your feet are touching the pen' for a few minutes each day works wonders.

while teething she didnt get a real bed as she would rip pieces of material off the bed and destuffing it. she's only recently graduated from an old blanket back to a real dog bed(covered in a polar fleece fora first line of defense)

The old saying of a tired dog is a good dog is true, but we found it really hard to tire ours out when a puppy as we were very strict about not doing too much running and no jumping to minimise impact on joints while she was growing. we ended up finding a dog pool and taking her swimming every few days when we needed a good rest.

ETA: everytime i see this post I think what a cute and prophetic name Mayhem (May for short or maybe Mr Mayhem for the SOA fans) would be for a pup.

Edited December 14, 2013 by sunny1shine

[Cosmolo]

I have an information sheet "So Your Dog Overwhelms your Visitors"- happy to send it to you if you email [email protected]

What has your puppy school trainer said about her behaviour? Are you going to get them to do an in house session or someone else?