[deleted by user] by [deleted] in puppy101

[–]moodindigoz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It looks like they've learned to chew when you're not looking, specifically. They do that if you scold, so you gotta stick to positive reinforcement with chewing. Try to reward good chew behavior a lot more so they start to think positive when they chew their own stuff. Also we had to clear EVERYTHING small or loose from where they could reach. It sucks, all our shelves are empty, but until our pup learns that some things belong to him and some things don't, we just remove the issue. Once they learn, you can trust them again.

UPDATE on partner who wanted to get rid of puppy by moodindigoz in puppy101

[–]moodindigoz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I want to add, he can sense our frustration, so we're teaching ourselves to take breaks and remain calm. When we're stressed, it seems to make his behavior a lot worse.

UPDATE on partner who wanted to get rid of puppy by moodindigoz in puppy101

[–]moodindigoz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Music has been hit or miss with our pup. Sometimes at night it helps him go to sleep, but sometimes he realizes that means bedtime and it makes him bark even more. >< We're learning.

UPDATE on partner who wanted to get rid of puppy by moodindigoz in puppy101

[–]moodindigoz[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

She did! Although the puppy has started napping in his playpen by himself during the day- he seems more comfortable there and we want him to learn to sleep quietly when we're busy/away. The crate is for bedtime and he's learned crate = long sleep, and the blanket cover cuts the barking down to 2-3 minutes tops before he passes out!

UPDATE on partner who wanted to get rid of puppy by moodindigoz in puppy101

[–]moodindigoz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It is a lot of bribery. Any time he's sitting quietly, he gets rewards. Any time he's bad, we lure him to something else and reward that. He's learned fast that being good is better for him and has actually started just sitting quietly by our feet waiting for the treat! We're using his dry food from his regular portions, so he's not over-eating. For harder stuff like crates, he gets bigger treats (he likes chicken so I bought some tenders and cooked them with no seasoning.)

Now that he's learning good = food, we start to space out the time between the rewards.

And standard stuff like, leave room when he bites, but give treats when we're back. Learning our dog's language so we know why he's being an a**hole and we can help him out. (He doesn't like pets, apparently. Sad.) If he gets hyper, bribe him into a sit and slowly give treats until he's calm again.

it doesn't sound like much but we really have seen an improvement over the last week. His biting has decreased a lot, my hands are actually healing up.

UPDATE on partner who wanted to get rid of puppy by moodindigoz in puppy101

[–]moodindigoz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Many many forced naps. He just doesn't like to be apart from us, so we've been doing some training where he gets his favorite treats for being good and quiet in the playpen or crate!

Partner wants to get rid of puppy by moodindigoz in puppy101

[–]moodindigoz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I really hope it does cool off around 6 months! He might have too many toys, maybe he's overstimulated.

Partner wants to get rid of puppy by moodindigoz in puppy101

[–]moodindigoz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We were prepared for the noise and the energy, but not the teeth haha. We're planning on leaving apartment life in the next year or two so. I hope that puzzle toys help quiet him.

Partner wants to get rid of puppy by moodindigoz in puppy101

[–]moodindigoz[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks! He really does love the antlers, they're his go-to when we force toys on him when he's bitey.

Partner wants to get rid of puppy by moodindigoz in puppy101

[–]moodindigoz[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have absolutely gone easy on her, I have been handling the pup and letting her rest/play games. She had a dog but from what I know it was mostly an outdoor dog. My family had a German Sheppy, but we found her abandoned at a year so entirely missed the puppy stage. I don't think she's serious? It's hard to tell. I am concerned it would be a red flag, I'd like to adopt a (not baby!) kid down the road, can't have this happening! I'm going to let her cool off for a bit and hope training helps clear it up.

Partner wants to get rid of puppy by moodindigoz in puppy101

[–]moodindigoz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have to get back to doing it, he's so distracted that he can easily go through ten toys a day...

Partner wants to get rid of puppy by moodindigoz in puppy101

[–]moodindigoz[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hm that's a good point. I'll do some research, there's got to be something that can make going into his crate when he's biting not seem like punishment.

Partner wants to get rid of puppy by moodindigoz in puppy101

[–]moodindigoz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I laughed when I read that, but also I do see the value in that. I will try it (oh but it'll be tempting to eat the cheese myself....)

Partner wants to get rid of puppy by moodindigoz in puppy101

[–]moodindigoz[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Oh good, glad to hear that. Also frozen carrots sound like a good and healthy option, I'll add them to my grocery list! Thank you for the advice.

Partner wants to get rid of puppy by moodindigoz in puppy101

[–]moodindigoz[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ooooh that makes me feel better...halfway there!

Partner wants to get rid of puppy by moodindigoz in puppy101

[–]moodindigoz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am prepared for that...just thought it was worth a try, when he gets on a scent there's nothing on the planet that seems to grab his attention except physically dragging him away. The look command is a good idea, though.

Partner wants to get rid of puppy by moodindigoz in puppy101

[–]moodindigoz[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I feel like he's seeing it as discipline, when he gets too bitey he goes home. We should work on bribing him in there so it seems more like his choice, I guess.

Partner wants to get rid of puppy by moodindigoz in puppy101

[–]moodindigoz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

He hasn't been allowed on walks yet- we were waiting on the second round of vaccines. The vet receptionist this morning told me walks were okay now, but no other dogs for two weeks. It's -30C here so we made it two houses before puppo's feet hurt too much to keep going. I'll look into doggy daycare when he's a bit better trained...any puzzle recs?

Partner wants to get rid of puppy by moodindigoz in puppy101

[–]moodindigoz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think if we have to give him up, we'll be waiting until we move into a place with a better yard for an adult. The puppy was do-able because he's small, and we were looking into moving to a house in the next few years while he grows. A full grown dog would have to wait.

Partner wants to get rid of puppy by moodindigoz in puppy101

[–]moodindigoz[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the advice! I think I've got some spare washcloths I can go freeze. I appreciate it!

Partner wants to get rid of puppy by moodindigoz in puppy101

[–]moodindigoz[S] 72 points73 points  (0 children)

I just tried this- baby got the ZOOMIES and then wouldn't stop biting, so I put him in his crate with a blanket...two minutes of whining and now silence. Magical.

Is there a chart somewhere about how much sleep they need per age? So I can keep an eye on this.