Tunsafun Boxers Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 (edited) Hi Guys, We had a visit today from a friend of ours who has just purchased a siberian husky puppy. Sheeka is 5 months old and although beautiful, is totally out of control. She constantly jumps up at people, nipping at faces, hands, anything she can reach. She was sold because she was classed as too destructive. Poor baby was alone in the house 6 days a week for on average of 10 hours a day with nothing to do. i'd be destructive too if i was her. Anyway, my friend has owned dogs before, but has always gotten older rescue dogs and hasn't really dealt with puppies before. she's joined her local obedience club and has cleared it with her boss to take Sheeka to work with her during the week. Sheeka is likely to only be left alone for a couple of hours on a sunday while the son goes to play soccer. She used to go to soccer practice but wasn't content to sit and watch, she wanted in on the action. My question is this: My friend absolutely adores Sheeka, spoils her rotten, but is still letting sheeka exhibit acceptable behaviour. she still finds it funny when sheeka jumps up and bites at faces. today she was bitten on her chin, so maybe she'll figure it out. What can i tell her though? Its a shame she doesn't have internet access because this forum would be great for her. Sheeka knows her name, she knows 'come' (can be selective whether she actually comes or not), she's also been taught 'sit'. mainly for food though. she still doesn't walk too well on the lead, and is developing some rather dangerous habits. she bites at ankles when you try to go down the stairs, she rushes through doors, growls over her food bowl and complains very very loudly when you brush her, no matter how gentle you are. Ive suggested maybe training with K9 or something like that, but i was wondering if there was anything else that you guys could suggest. Sheeka wears a collar most of the time. usually as a form of control. gives you something to grab if the need ever arises. she isn't allowed to eat until she has been given her cue. is told to wait before going through doors etc and has been banned from going anywhere near the stairs. not just because of the biting at ankles, but my friend is worried that too much work on the stairs on such a young pup would be a problem. also, sheeka goes for a swim a couple of times a week, goes for short (sort of) walks (still doesn't walk well on the lead) and goes in the car everywhere. she's fully vaccinated, has been desexed and wormed regularly. any tips guys. sorry if i've rambled, i've got my friend here dictating to me whilst im typing. Regards Jenna Edited April 28, 2007 by Tunsafun Boxers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 Hi Jenna I'm only new to this forum and don't get much of a chance to post....but IMHO it sounds like Sheeka's new owner needs some training. As I am typing my five and a half month old male Dally is sitting quietly by my feet chomping on his toys. He has been an incredibly determined (some would say willful) puppy and my simple approach is to be gentle and 100% consistent at all times. He is already 21.5kg and very strong so it's a case of me being psychologically not physically stronger. From the day he came home, any behaviour he exhibits is evaluated by me: Do I want this strong, entire male dog doing this when he is 30kg+? Obedience classes are a fantastic idea but no good if you don't follow up at home. The dog will only get confused and become more destructive if they don't know what is expected. Perhaps you could point out to your friend that if her beautiful puppy bites a child on the chin like that, then it could well be PTS. Sad, I know, but that is the reality. If jumping up is the biggest problem, then Sheeka is simply doing it in order to demand attention. Whether she is praised or pushed down and told 'No' she is getting reinforced for her behaviour. When she jumps up, turn your back, fold your arms and look skywards....give her nothing for this behaviour. As soon as she has 4 paws on the ground, give her a pat or a treat...if she jumps up again...repeat the process. It may take some work to convince her that this behaviour is no longer appropriate but she sounds like a smart lass. All the inappropriate behaviours you mention sound like a dog that is simply getting her own way. It can be a very dangerous sign in a young dog and will soon escalate if it is not brought under control, particularly the growling over food and brushing. If the advice I have provided helps, feel free to PM me and I can post some more tips for your friend but there's not much point if she can't see a problem in the behaviour. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunsafun Boxers Posted April 28, 2007 Author Share Posted April 28, 2007 TSD, she has just read that over my shoulder. She loves your idea about the jumping, and was quite adamant that the nipping/biting MUST be stopped now. I believe that any training started will be followed through at home, she is very devoted to Sheeka. I think i've found the problem with the grooming. it seems that Sheeka's coat is quite dirty. although if you look at her coat from a distance she looks clean, when you actually spread the fur, she's got a lot of dirt there which i think is making her sore. she's off for a bath this afternoon. Sheeka has only been in her new home for 4 days, so everyone is trying hard to adjust. Thanks for the tips, and please keep them coming. Im actually printing them out for her to take home so she can refer to them when she needs them, hope you guys dont mind. Jenna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 (edited) Hello Jenna I'm very pleased your friend wants to address these problems. Sheeka sounds like she has had a rough start but now has hopefully landed on her feet. A couple more things to work on: Food: if she is fed dry food you can spread her entire ration over the day so Sheeka only gets a piece of kibble when she performs an appropriate behaviour - e.g. sit, 4 paws on ground, lying down quietly, not barking, not biting, standing quietly while being groomed, greeting a new person or child or dog nicely, coming when called....anything you can think of. Everyone in the house can do this, including visitors. Don't let this turn into begging behaviour though, which can be just as bad! Doors: If you can close all the doors in your house, then do so. When you go to walk through a door and puppy wants to come, then ask for a 'sit' or 'wait'. Open the door very slowly and if she tries to bolt, then close it again and calmly ask for a 'sit' or 'wait'....then walk through the door and give puppy a release command such as 'ok' or 'free'....getting through the door then becomes the reward. If you have to put her on lead at the beginning, then do so. Leave It: Teach this command so that if puppy grabs anything like clothes or goes to dig or wants to play with the cats (our current challenge!), you can say 'Leave It' very calmly....if puppy stops what they are doing....HEAPS of praise! They soon get the idea. I hope that helps for a start. Sheeka's probably very bright and the more you work her brain the less destructive she will become. If she likes to scent, you could try one of our latest games...I hide a 'high value' toy in the house and Ziggy has to search for it after being shown which toy I want him to find. It's heaps of fun and leaves us all laughing and wanting more! Ziggy included! Edited April 28, 2007 by The Spotted Devil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunsafun Boxers Posted April 28, 2007 Author Share Posted April 28, 2007 Thanks TSD, Ive just printed it out for her and she's gone off home. doG im exhausted! That pup has serious energy lol I'll keep you updated on how they go! Jenna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonymc Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 quote from Tunsafun. My friend absolutely adores Sheeka, spoils her rotten, but is still letting sheeka exhibit acceptable behaviour. she still finds it funny when sheeka jumps up and bites at faces. today she was bitten on her chin, so maybe she'll figure it out. Theres the Key to this whole Matter,your Friend and her approach!!!This is another People problem.I would be getting your Friend to read,learn and experience as much as possible about proper Dog Leadership!!!Humans can make or break a Dog. Your remark from above does not make sense unless its a typo? "but is still letting her exhibit acceptable behaviour"I do not let my Dogs exhibit acceptable behaviour,I ask for it and get it by treating the Dogs as Dogs. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
First Time Puppy Owner Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 Try areoguard for the biting seems to be working for others! Good luck!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunsafun Boxers Posted April 28, 2007 Author Share Posted April 28, 2007 quote from Tunsafun.My friend absolutely adores Sheeka, spoils her rotten, but is still letting sheeka exhibit acceptable behaviour. she still finds it funny when sheeka jumps up and bites at faces. today she was bitten on her chin, so maybe she'll figure it out. Theres the Key to this whole Matter,your Friend and her approach!!!This is another People problem.I would be getting your Friend to read,learn and experience as much as possible about proper Dog Leadership!!!Humans can make or break a Dog. Your remark from above does not make sense unless its a typo? "but is still letting her exhibit acceptable behaviour"I do not let my Dogs exhibit acceptable behaviour,I ask for it and get it by treating the Dogs as Dogs. Tony Oops, yes it is a typo. it was supposed to read 'unacceptable behaviour'. reading it back, it sounds wrong Thanks for picking it up. My friend has been in touch with a sibe breeder who has offered to give her a hand in training Sheeka, she's also enrolled in obedience classes and is looking into K9 training as well. Thanks again Jenna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmolo Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 Sounds like she needs some serious one on one training to get the serious issues resolved asap!! I would suggest that this pup needs more than just general obedience in a club situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kodiak Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 Sibes can be a handful, especially when you get one that hasn't been well socialised and trained. I am glad your friend is getting help from an experienced Sibe owner . I would also suggest (from my own experience with the breed) looking at the posts in the training section on the NILF (nothing in life is free) and TOT (Triangle of Temptataion) http://forums.dogzonline.com.au/index.php?showtopic=64101 .... I know I read the NILF one last year.... but can't find it now (am on dialup so have given up looking!). Both these methods help establish leadership - it definitely sounds like this husky needs it. Sibes tend to be very heirachical in their approach to their "pack" and it sounds like this pup thinks she is the top dog. The idea of NILF and TOT is to give the dog the idea that they are lower in the pack than the humans. I am by no means an expert but am speaking from personal experience. Aggression is best handled by an animal behaviourist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunsafun Boxers Posted April 28, 2007 Author Share Posted April 28, 2007 I just got a phone call from my friend, poor Sheeka is at the vets at the moment. She's been vomiting all night, has chronic diahorrea (sp?) and is listless. I haven't heard back from her yet to find out exactly what is wrong but the vet seems to think that she's either swallowed something that has gotten stuck, or eaten some form of bait. I'll be ringing her back soon so will have more news then. Sheeka apparently also bit my friend yesterday afternoon. And according to her, it wasn't just a nip, it was a 'drew blood' bite. She got growled at for it and sent to time out which apparently caused a lot of whining and complaining. it was when she was quiet that Kate went to let her back into the lounge to find the huge mess on the floor. Sheeka is still at the vets, has been since 9pm apparently, so will give you an update when i get one. Kodiak, i'll find the other thread and print it out for Kate so she can read it. Keep your fingers crossed guys that all is well for Sheeka eh? Jenna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kodiak Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 I found a link for NILF on the K9 Force website... http://www.k9force.net/index.html?row2col2=nilif.html Everything crossed that your friend's pup is okay and that these issues can be ironed out. My first Husky drew blood when I took a bone from her. I hadn't thought through what might happen and while I didn't smack her at all I put on a really gruff growl which scared her immediately it happened... she never did it again. It was rather accidental (and I had learnt a lot more about food behaviour around dogs by the time we got our second and third pups) but it taught me to be careful around dogs and anything they perceive as rewarding. Haven't been bitten since! Biting can be very serious -- I really think a session with a dog behaviourist would benefit this puppy hugely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunsafun Boxers Posted May 2, 2007 Author Share Posted May 2, 2007 Hi Guys, First time i've had a chance to really sit down and give you all an update on Sheeka. She went off to the vet in a big hurry, and thank god she did. It appears that Sheeka had feasted on some sort of towel. a tea-towel, or bath mat or even a facewasher, because she had a terrible tummy upset. The vet had to surgically remove towelling from her gut and bowel, and she has also had to have a portion of her bowel removed due to it being twisted and apparently dead. I haven't got all of the details as yet, im hoping to get fully informed on the situation on sunday so will update you guys again soon. I know that Sheeka came home this evening, and is allowed very very small, soft meals and water. she's on quite a lot of medication, including antibiotics, a mild anti-inflammatory and painkillers. She's got to go back to the vet on tuesday for a checkup unless anything untoward happens, in which case she'll be rushed off in no time at all. Anyway, just thought i'd fill you guys in, and please keep your fingers crossed that this little darling makes a full and speedy recovery. Jenna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kodiak Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 Poor Sheeka . Everything crossed here for her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KOE`VU Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 I suggest that your friend gets a 'raising a siberian husky' book.. they are rambunctious pack animals that are going to be destructive. You cant train it out of them.. the nipping is not on tho. Do a google on the general breed description. They are generally not recommended for first dog owners. they have strong personalities and will test you all the time. Just ask any of the sibe or malamute owners on this board! ANything that they do not want Sheeka to get, will have to be moved from her reach. NILIF is very highly used with my pack.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunsafun Boxers Posted May 2, 2007 Author Share Posted May 2, 2007 Hi Koe'vu, She's gotten a book from her vet about raising sibes. according to the vet, its likely that sheeka swallowed it either the day before, or the day that sheeka went to her new home. whenever it was though, doesn't really matter now. i went over to her house yesterday and we puppy proofed the house. that took some doing lol i wasn't aware just how many things are enticing to a puppy of that size. here we were thinking certain items were safe until we got on the floor and looked up. from a puppy's point of view, all the stuff supposedly out of reach is pretty enticing! lol Jenna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peibe Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 Something quick to add My 2 Pei where a pain in the proverbial butt at soccer game, but as we are very sporty people I wanted them to learn to sit and behave. So I took my good metal crate and a water gun The dog sat in the crate and whenever they made too much noice they got a squirt from the water bottle They both come to soccer now and wait Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KOE`VU Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 You could google some husky sites and print off some information for her... its really important to get it right the first time with this breed! If they don't want her doing something, they must stop it and stop it every time. I know with mine, I let them on the lounge once because I thought it was cute that they could now reach it.. but its REALLY hard to keep them off it now. Good luck with the puppy and pics would be lovely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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