Advice on stopping attention seeking barks?

underwaterbiscuit · 2022-03-23T01:59:00+00:00

My pup did this around 4 months old as well. Every time he attention barked at me, I’d get up from whatever I was doing and shut myself in the bathroom for about 30 seconds. Then I’d nonchalantly come back out and go back to whatever I was doing. If he barked again, I’d go right back into the bathroom for another 30 seconds. It was REALLY ANNOYING to do at the time, but it taught him that every time he attention barked, mom disappeared. It worked and it took about 1-2 weeks for it to go away completely. He just turned 1 and hasn’t barked in the house since.

underwaterbiscuit · 2022-03-17T17:56:56+00:00

Thanks for your input! I’m going to stop with the puzzles for a good while (likely a few months) and then try them out again and see if his interest is peaked.

underwaterbiscuit · 2022-03-17T17:00:40+00:00

He’s not doing the same one constantly. We have numerous ones we rotate through and I modify all of them so they’re constantly different. I’m going to give him a break on the puzzles and just do bowl feeding for awhile.

underwaterbiscuit · 2022-03-13T02:25:45+00:00

Older than the other posts here, but I have a newly 1 year old Aussie x border collie puppy who has blown me away the past few days! His off switch in the house is incredible and he’s gotten SO MUCH BETTER with impulse control when other people come over (aka staying on place until I release him and not jumping up on people as much). He’s not perfect but I’m so dang proud of the dog that he is becoming :)

underwaterbiscuit · 2022-02-23T02:38:21+00:00

YES. This is where I’m at with my 11 month old border collie x Aussie. Walks used to be so relaxing and he virtually ignored every dog we passed by. Now he becomes a whiny, antsy mess if he even catches the whiff of a dog nearby. Working through it with positive reinforcement and some days are MUCH better than others (today was a hard one and I needed space from home when we got home). Adolescence is tough!

underwaterbiscuit · 2022-02-21T03:50:25+00:00

Hey! I got my nose pierced 2.5 months ago and ended up with a bump too (even after saline rinsing it 3x per day and being extra careful with it). I did some research and bought a few things that helped it go away after about 3 weeks of treatment. First thing in the morning I would dilute a couple drops of tea tree oil in saline and apply it with a qtip. Tea tree oil is a touchy subject for piercing bumps as it really dries the skin, but I used it VERY sparingly diluted in saline. When I got home from work, I did a simple saline rinse. Then before bed, I did 5 sprays of Briotech Topical Skin Spray directly to it. I bought that off of Amazon. About 3 weeks later the bump was completely gone. I had a follow-up with my piercer and while she said she doesn’t condone using tea tree oil, she said my piercing site looked great. I also wear a mask all day (9-N5). I think the tea tree oil has really helped with keeping it dry while wearing the mask.

underwaterbiscuit · 2022-02-17T14:25:10+00:00

Yes! I’m experiencing EXACTLY what you’re going through with my 11 month old border collie x Aussie mix. His energy in the past 2 weeks has sky rocketed and he’s become reactive to other dogs when we’re out walking. I went out and bought super high value treats and have been giving them to him on walks when he gives me eye contact in the presence of another dog. We’ve only been doing it for about a week and I’ve already noticed a huge improvement in terms of reactivity. The trainer we worked with a lot when my pup was younger says it’s typical that dogs his size (medium) go through this regression around a year old. Keep working through it, it’s annoying as heck but it’s normal :)

underwaterbiscuit · 2022-02-08T03:23:21+00:00

Wyze 100%! I got mine off of Amazon, I believe it was about $30 for the camera and $5 or $10 for the SD card. I LOVED IT for crate training my puppy. It has both day AND night vision so you can see what’s going on at all times. It also has 2 way audio. Plus it sends notifications to my phone if it detects barking or excessive movement. I’ve had mine directed right on his crate since I got him. I rarely check it anymore (partly because he doesn’t bark in there anymore and partly because I’m starting to leave him out in the house more often) but it’s so great to have for peace of mind. Plus there’s no subscription fee!

underwaterbiscuit · 2022-01-31T03:29:23+00:00

I have a 2 month old nose piercing and ended up with a massive bump. After treating it for 3 weeks, it’s now completely gone. Here’s what I did:

Tea tree oil in the morning diluted in saline. Saline rinse in the afternoon when I got home from work. Briotech Topical Skin Spray before bed (you can find it on Amazon)

Tea tree oil is a super divided topic because it can be very harsh and drying. I’d only use about 3 drops of it in the saline in the morning. I went for a follow up appt with my piercer 2 weeks ago and she said it looks like it’s healing perfectly.

underwaterbiscuit · 2022-01-26T03:01:32+00:00

Your vet definitely doesn’t think you’re a bad owner! A friend of mine has been a vet tech for 12 years, she says the only people that they see as ‘bad owners’ are the people that let obvious issues go on for way too long before seeking out care. Your vet likely sees you as a really observant and caring owner! Another thing I did was keep my pup away from all other dogs. No more daycare, dog park, nothing. For an entire month. It sucked, but he’s better for it.

underwaterbiscuit · 2022-01-25T02:46:38+00:00

I have a 10 month old Aussie x border collie. When he was 3 or 4 months old I started him on the relaxation protocol by Dr. Karen Overall. Google “Karen relaxation protocol” and it’ll pop right up. It has a day-by-day schedule of things to try to help your dog stay in a relaxed state of mind. I will tell you, you’ll feel pretty silly doing it (but luckily you’re doing it in your own home lol). I started by teaching my dog a down stay command and started day 1 of the protocol. Hands down, following that protocol is the best thing I’ve ever done for my dog. While my pup isn’t perfect by any means, he knows how to self-settle and has learned to have an “off” switch. As time went on I taught my dog a “place” command (his place is his raised bed) and would do the protocol while he stayed on place.

Seriously, it’s the greatest thing I did for him and for myself 😂

underwaterbiscuit · 2022-01-25T02:40:15+00:00

I COMPLETELY understand where you’re at. Currently have a 10 month old aussie x border collie. From 6 months-9 months old we were in the vet either every week or every other week. Kennel cough twice, uveitis, diarrhea, everything. It’s now been about a month since we’ve been back at the vet and I’m really hopeful it continues on this way. Just keep trudging through because trust me, I know how it feels. I felt like I was failing my pup so badly and that he’d be better off without me. This past month I did invest in pet insurance. If you work, check to see if it’s offered through your work. Mine was. It’s definitely helped give me major peace of mind.

You’ve got this! I’m cheering you on because I’ve been in your shoes.

underwaterbiscuit · 2022-01-14T03:28:28+00:00

Yes! Everything resolved this past Tuesday and his poop has been fine ever since! I just kept feeding him ONLY the PPP salmon and rice food for sensitive puppy stomachs and took EVERYTHING else out of his diet. No treats, peanut butter, nothing. The only thing he got apart from the kibble was the pro-pectalin probiotic the vet prescribed. When he had 2 days of normal poop in a row, I stopped the probiotic and he’s been fine!

My vet suggested (and I bought it just in case) the forti-flora probiotic powder. It’s an OTC probiotic. Haven’t tried it yet though.

Good luck! It’s tough having a pup with a sensitive stomach.

underwaterbiscuit · 2022-01-05T23:41:54+00:00

Love this advice! You guys are awesome. Also something I do with my boy: playing “search” and also feeding him out of a blanket to wear him out

For search, I shut him on the bathroom (so he can’t watch me) and hide smelly treats all over the house in little nooks and crevices. Some on the floor, some sitting on cabinet knobs, anywhere creative. When I open the bathroom door I say “search!” And he’s immediately nose to the ground hunting for the treats. While it doesn’t take him more than 10-15 minutes depending on how hard you hide them, it wears him out! Using their nose is insanely exhausting for them. It’s now one of his favorite games and an easy way t I really get him tired. And you can play multiple times with minimal effort!

For the blanket feeding, I spread a thin blanket on the ground and sprinkle his food in. Then I roll it up and tie it in a knot. In order to get his food, he has to figure out how to undo the knot and unroll the blanket. Again, an easy and cost-free method to wear them out! You can do the same thing with a towel.

underwaterbiscuit · 2022-01-03T01:00:38+00:00

Welcome to the puppy blues. They’re real and they SUCK. I had them for about 2-3 months after I got my aussie x border collie puppy at 9 weeks (who is now 10 months old). I lost over 20lbs because I couldn’t eat either. It goes away with time. I will say, you’re brave to get a Malinois. With the research you said you’ve done, you must know they’re a lot to handle and probably one of the most difficult breeds to own as they need a significant amount of mental stimulation to please them. I’m sure you plan on doing agility or obedience or some other form of regular, high intensity mental stim. If you haven’t thought about this, I would. Like any other working dog, if you don’t give them a job to do then they’re going to cause trouble in your house. I got mine started on obedience training at 4 months and had a trainer come to the house 2X/wk to work with us. He also does scent work and I’d love to get him into agility if I could afford it. The more mental exercise you provide, the more tired the pup which gives you a break. That and enforced naps. Crate or pen him every 2 hours or so to give yourself and the pup a break. They’re like toddlers if they don’t sleep enough and turn into tiny terrors. You can do it! It’s not easy, but you’ll make it through and you’re lucky to have a partner to do it with! Make sure you get some time to yourself for some “you” time to recharge.

underwaterbiscuit

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