Sibe Problems

[Just Midol]

Hey all.

I'd usually search first but I had to write this in notepad as I can only connect for a few minutes a day.

I have a list of queries, or problems if you must that I need help with, the puppy is approximatly 10.5 weeks old. I decided to get this puppy as his chosen owners couldn't take him - glad I did. Though I still want to get a younger one from a rescue and an older one but I have to wait a while to do that as Dad is still adjusting to a single dog, lol.

1. Biting
   My puppy is biting, or mouthing. I'd like to discourage this as much as possible and have tried a number of methods to discourage this.
   I have tried the 'yelping' technique where you yelp when he bites, all he does is look at me, lick me then bite harder.
   I have tried holding his mouth shut firmly and saying no, when I let go he bites me again.
   I have tried putting him in the room, but when I go and get him out he runs away from me and bites me when I finally catch him.
   The majority of the biting is done early in the morning, I think he is trying to wake me up (5.30am) and the majority of the time he is god with this.
   
2. Food
   He refuses to eat dry food, he did for the first few days (mix of mince and dry food) but now he won't touch it if it has dry food in, though he will eat a bit of dry in the morning. Is this alright?
   How about dog mince? It is alot cheaper than human grade mince and the butcher told me it fine for them as he just grinds up the older mince and stuff.
   He is always hungry, I just ignore him, should I give him more?
   
3. Cleaning
   Our property has what appears to be red magnetic soil. Can anyone recommend a shampoo which would be good for this as it is a hard job getting it out when he hates baths.
   
4. Excersize
   Right now, he gets walks and such but it seems he sleeps about 18 hours in the day, this I assume is normal as he is growing and needs rest.
   
5. Toilet Training
   He is mostly fine, though he has no problem using my sisters room as a toilet. He never really needed training as he went outside from day 1. Only done a few pee pees inside when I forgot to leave the door open. Is the best way to combat this just take him to his proper toilet place everytime he does it and say a firm no?
   
6. Shots
   I know I can't take him out till 2 weeks after his 2nd shots but he'll be about 15 weeks then. Can I let him play with other dogs if I know their full medical history and know they are not sick? or is that to dangerous? He has had #1 shots.
   
7. Training
   He won't respond to his name, he sits but when you call him half of the time he doesn't look up, only had him for 1.5 weeks though so is this normal?
   

Other than that he is great, already can see the prey drive. Imagine a 11ish week old pup chasing bush turkeys! He is getting better on his feet and is a royal pain in the arse at 5.30 am. He knows when he has done wrong and when he is doing wrong - sneaks up and chews on my dialup cord while watching me and as soon as I glare at him he takes off. So cute, gotta love their nature.

Anyway, will post pics at a later date (when we get broadband).

Thanks.

ps; if anyone knows any good obediance schools near mapleton/nambour let me know, also how old is he before he attends these?

Edited October 24, 2006 by Midol

[~Myschafis~]

[*]Biting

My puppy is biting, or mouthing. I'd like to discourage this as much as possible and have tried a number of methods to discourage this.

I have tried the 'yelping' technique where you yelp when he bites, all he does is look at me, lick me then bite harder.

First of all you need to understand HE IS A PUPPY....his gums hurt, his head hurts, to make this as pain free as possible, bring in lots of chew toys and some bongela perhaps...

The part I have bolded for you is very important..He did the right thing HE STOPPED...you need to be very quick with your praise, yelp, he stops, you praise. no more play, bring in a chew toy instead, he has done the right thing, you haven't been quick enough with your praise.

[*]Food

He refuses to eat dry food, he did for the first few days (mix of mince and dry food) but now he won't touch it if it has dry food in, though he will eat a bit of dry in the morning. Is this alright?

He is always hungry, I just ignore him, should I give him more?

He needs three meals a deal, breakfast, lunch and tea..If you feed him enough, monitor his weight, condition and all seems fine youare doing the right thing :D...

Dry food is not crucial, forget it, he doesn't need it, if he doesnt want it dont give it to him, but dont leave the food down long enought to create a fussy eater so, give him a certain amount of time to finish his meals and then thats it!.

[*]Cleaning

Our property has what appears to be red magnetic soil. Can anyone recommend a shampoo which would be good for this as it is a hard job getting it out when he hates baths.

Warm water perhaps, with sard soap, be very careful with the shampoos you use on a young dog, some a too strong for them.

[*]Excersize

Right now, he gets walks and such but it seems he sleeps about 18 hours in the day, this I assume is normal as he is growing and needs rest.

Yeah all normal, he really doesn't need any structured excercise just play time at this age.

[*]Toilet Training

He is mostly fine, though he has no problem using my sisters room as a toilet. He never really needed training as he went outside from day 1. Only done a few pee pees inside when I forgot to leave the door open. Is the best way to combat this just take him to his proper toilet place everytime he does it and say a firm no?

No, take him to the proper place to go to the toilet and when he goes LOTS of praise, no negative reinforcement but positive, ignore the bad, ask for the good then praise it.

[*]Shots

I know I can't take him out till 2 weeks after his 2nd shots but he'll be about 15 weeks then. Can I let him play with other dogs if I know their full medical history and know they are not sick? or is that to dangerous? He has had #1 shots.

I personally would leave it, and just wait and CARRY him around places, shopping centres etc, dont let him on the ground.

[*]Training

He won't respond to his name, he sits but when you call him half of the time he doesn't look up, only had him for 1.5 weeks though so is this normal?

Siberian ALL over, they are not dumb, or ignorant or disobediant, they are smart the know they dont HAVE to do what you ask, you need to be smarter. My sibes come to me because I give them something they want.

On the weekend I was running my bitch around the ring before the show playing, the clip fell off and she could've ran out onto the road, I didn't chase her, I fell on the ground and played with the ground, the grass whatever, this was interesting and she wanted to investigate, she came over, I praised her from coming, we played some more and that was that.

She came because I had something she wanted.

Best of luck, they are a gorgeous breed

[♪♫LMBC♫♪]

1. Biting: The yelping thing doesn't work on all puppies. Try to avoid holding his mouth as he may think of it as a game. Try squirting him with water when he bites. Again, this doesn't always work but its worth a try. Apart from that, you can try growling at him.

2. Feeding: Are you feeding him special puppy food? If you aren't already you could give it a try as its easier to digest and comes in little puppy sized pieces. If he's already eating puppy food, maybe try getting a different flavour and alternating so he doesn't get bored. If you have the time, you can try feeding him a home made diet, but this tends to be more expensive and you have to be careful to make sure he gets all the nutrients he needs.

3. Cleaning: Normal dog shampoo doesn't work? Don't use human shampoo as this can cause skin irritations. Not much else I can say about that. Doesn't liek baths? Are you bathing him outside under a hose? If you are, you can try bathing him in warm water in the laundry tub or bathtub. Just make sure you have lots of towels handy and shut the door if possible. You don't want him to escape adn make a big wet mess all though the house. Also, try a rubber mat on the bottom so he doesn't slip/

4. Excercise: You shouldn't walk your dog outside until he has had all his vaccinations. You're right, sleeping a lot is normal. For excercise, it may be more suitable at his age just to get involved in some active play (teach him to fetch maybe) but only for short periods at a time because he might get tired.

5. Toilet training: You seem to be on the right track. However since you are leaving the door open all the time, it seems your puppy doesn't know what to do when he can't get out. Maybe you could try closing the door sometimes, and just taking him out yourself when you think he migh tneed to go (after waking up, eating, drinking or playing). This way he learns that you are the person with the power to let him escape, and he will learn to come and get you if he can't get out on his own. When he has an accident, just ignore it. Clean it up and be sure to remove the odour (pine'o'clean is good). Don't punish him. He didn't do it on purpose. Just be sure to praise him when you do happen to catch him going in th right place.

6. Shots: You're right about not taking him outside until he's had his shots. Its great that you are concerned about socialising him. not enough dog owners do these days. You should be ok to let him play with other peoples dog's in your own yard, provided that you know they have al their shots too. This means he may end up playing with dogs a bit older than him, but I'm sure he won't mind. After the shots, you can take him to puppy preschool to make friends.

7. Training: Its perfectly normal for him not to know his name yet. Jus t be sure to say his name a lot, and use it before commands, ie 'Fido, sit.' Soon enough he will learn to pay attention when you say his name. To teach him to come when you call, try this:

Get a friend to restrain your dog. Position yourself about 3m away, and call your dog using his name and the 'come' command. Try to sound really enthusiastic. Your friend lets him go, and when he gets to you, give him a treat and get really excited. Then have your friend call him and reward him when he comes. Repeat this, gradually increasing the distance between you, over a few training sessions. After he has got the hang of it, only reward him randomly so he doesn't always expect a treat. At this point, you can try callign him outside of training sessions.

[Just Midol]

Thanks guys - mum let me pop back on.

So when I yelp, if he stops I praise then stop playing and just give him a toy? Will give that a go. Water doesn't help, he thinks its fun to be sprayed with water.

He has been good today, following me and recalling, sept when I walk towards him and he thinks its a game and runs!

He is only walked on the property right now, isn't allowed off it and only just around the house.

I have some dog shampoo but it doesn't work, was spose to be for puppys I'll get the name later. It cleans most off but over time the bit it doesn't is building up on his head and he is turning red. The breeder has the same soil and said it is a pain in the arse.

He gets bathed in the bath or laundry, warm water. I sit in with him and he holds onto me howling the entire time but he LOVES buckets and clam shells, he is a strange fella.

Anyway gotta bail so will answer the rest later.

[~Myschafis~]

So when I yelp, if he stops I praise then stop playing and just give him a toy? Will give that a go.

As soon as he stops praise him yup

You can keep playing but if he does it again repeat the process, but its better to give him something like a toy to play with instead of you directly...

Tug-o-war is a great game, just make sure he never wins and your not too rough...

[Just Midol]

I get scared when playing tug of war as it looks like his teeth are getting stuck but he is mighty stubborn Doesn't like to loose at all.

I ordered some more toys today, a kong ball with some treats to go in it and some of that stuff in the can and a few chewy toys as I've noticed when he bites he is more trying to chew, he has lots of toys but he seems to loose them all.

What bones can the fella eat? He is on chicken carcasses now and loves them but how often should he get one? I give him one every 2nd day now but I'm happy for him to have 1 a day if they are alright. Bit boring watching him eat as it takes a good hour for the carcass to dissappear.

Ohh, and he has spewed twice now, first time I guess I know why - he stole two of my chops which had been spiced with chilli, pepper and some other hot herb. But he tries to eat his spew... I stopped it these two times because if it didn't agree with him the first time I can't see why it would a second. Is it right to stop him eating it?

Edited October 25, 2006 by Midol

[articpower sibes]

Hi Midol you've been given excellent advice just remember small puppies have small attention spans so small training sessions often and end with something fun.

Toilet training as a general rule take him outside as soon as he wakes up, after play, after dinner, before bed and if he's an in door dog he'll need to go through the night when you take him out and he does his business lots of praise play with him a little before taking him inside.

You can play tug-a-war with out being rough I find it's a good game for dogs to play with humans I played the game with all my puppies no problems but be gentle if you think about it dogs play with their mouth so this is a good human-dog game where his mouth is no where near your arm or hands.as Mickatie said you never lose the game you must always win.

I agree with pitty lover with the biting growl at him that's what his mum would do.

With his food don't be too concerned when he's hungry he will eat if you keep offering different things you'll have a fuusy eater I've got one believe me you don't want one, good puppy kibble chicken carcases/wings/necks are great and the mince is good also.

I carried my puppies around until they've had they're shots take him to busy places and encourage ppl to pat and talk to him socialization is very important for a young puppy, puppy preschool is fabulous.

Keep having fun with him you're on the right track,

Cheers

[my_sibe_owns_me]

Just one thing to add on bitting.

When he bites your hands place your thumb on his tongue and press down. Also if hes still doing it as he gets older close his mouth and look him in the eyes and say "NO" and let go of him when he looks away.

some sibes are just mouthy even as adults. I tried everything but even now when hailey gets happy to see someone she starts to nip...its just a sibe thing...some are just that way but you have to remember to correct it everytime no matter the age or reason.

Also try giving him bones and frozen toys to chew on.

Try adding water to his food. Just keep in mind he's a dog so he will NOT strave himself.

As for the not coming to his name....hes a sibe... he KNOW his name! he just choose not to listen. Hailey knows her name and will still ignore me.

Congrats on your puppy!!!!!!! Post pictures!!!!!!!!

Good luck and have fun!

Edited October 27, 2006 by my_sibe_owns_me

[Just Midol]

He has met one other dog, all he did was hump it and play. The mouthing has gone down considerably just after meeting this dog

[my_sibe_owns_me]

We got pictures!!!

Aww he looks soo happy to be with his bestfriend

Hes a VERY cute puppy!!!!!

Howd you get a cuddly sibe?

[~Myschafis~]

oooh nice....

The sibe's cute too

[Just Midol]

Haha.

If he hasn't had much exercise he isn't as cuddly, but will eventually come and lie next to me but will sit at the bed crying as he has trouble jumping onto my bed. Lol.

And in the morning, if I won't get up at the crack of dawn to play with him he goes to get a bone, puts it on my pillow on crunches it... he learnt how to get me up quickly - can't stand that noise.

[my_sibe_owns_me]

Haha.

If he hasn't had much exercise he isn't as cuddly, but will eventually come and lie next to me but will sit at the bed crying as he has trouble jumping onto my bed. Lol.

And in the morning, if I won't get up at the crack of dawn to play with him he goes to get a bone, puts it on my pillow on crunches it... he learnt how to get me up quickly - can't stand that noise.

What good is a sibe if its not a bed dog?

When Hailey wants me up she digs off the covers and goes to lick/bite my fingers and slap me with her paws........you got lucky with the bone chewer!!!

So does your little boy have a name yet?

[Just Midol]

Yep - Axel.

He used to chew my ears and pull my hair to get up, but after sticking him outside a few times he got over that idea fast!

Last night he was wasted though, and went to bed before me. Stole all of the pillows and he was to cute to wake up so I had to sleep with none

[my_sibe_owns_me]

Yep - Axel.

He used to chew my ears and pull my hair to get up, but after sticking him outside a few times he got over that idea fast!

Last night he was wasted though, and went to bed before me. Stole all of the pillows and he was to cute to wake up so I had to sleep with none

Glad i didnt have a hair pulling, ear chewing puppy!!

Great name for the pup

I know how it is. Hailey steals my covers and pillows all the time...and well shes staying out of trouble and being very cute when shes sleeping...why ruin a good moment :p

[KOE`VU]

How did I miss this thred!!

Axel is too darn cute.. can I steal him

It sounds like you are really keen on learnin how to get your puppy on the right track which is good as sibes are a very clever breed and can quickly become too much to handle...

One thing I am not bummered about is the lack of photos more more more.. he is way cute!

[Just Midol]

Forgive the size please.

I just need to use a tripod, sisters camera is a point and shoot.

[huski]

re: shampoo, the best one I have found is called St Bernards. You can buy it at Coles. It is all natural etc and has oatmeal in it. It's fantastic. It was recommended to me by my sibe's breeders. The one thing I can tell you when you have a sibe is to always make sure he knows who's boss - sibes are so smart that they know when they can get away with something and they will only do something if they see a point (next time I should get a dumb dog... it might be easier! )