Really irritating puppy!

Clodagh

Clodagh

Playing chess with pigeons
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17 August 2005
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Pen is really tormenting Tawny, we mainly walk them apart but tonight, for instance, we take them all up the field together. Pen constantly barges into Tawny and bites her neck. T will not do a thing to stop it, but ends up walking next to me to keep away from her.
I really don't see why a horrible pup should ruin anyone elses pleasure. If I was ever close enough she would get a slap (sorry all positive only people) but it happens well out of my reach.
Suggestions on how to stop it? I wish T would give her a good hiding but that is not going to happen. If I shout 'no' she does stop but then T comes back to me as well.
 
call her back to you for a reward- means she learns to focus on you rather than the other. dogs diving on other dogs the best thing is to give thems omething else to focus on, be it call back for reward, a toy etc etc.
 
Although Millie lurcher is about a year old she is the same - she rags Hoover (aged 11) incessantly, it drives us (me and other half) absolutely mad as he (Hoover) is too much of a gentleman to tell her off :(

We use distraction techniques to divert her, together with a very firm 'no' and a good smack on her bum if we can get near enough!
 
I've never managed to solve this one fully after making the mistake of telling off big dog for disciplining the pups. I thought he would hurt them, when he was probably just putting them in their place.

It's evolved into Zak nudging him to get his attention (because big dog's deaf) and Bear play bowing at him. I hope Pen grows up quickly for T's sake!
 
Good idea about the treats, trouble is any time I have tried treats with them (labs) they all walk next to me looking like finalists in the Crufts obedience comp waiting for a biscuit.
I will certainly give it a go. T is slowly learning that if I bellow 'Pen' it doesn't mean she (T) is in trouble.
It is partly a dominance thing, the way it is done, not just playing, she never does it to Brandy who is so far bottom of the pack she doesn't count.
 
Does she like retrieving and carrying something? Get her a special toy or dummy that is only brought out on walks with the other dogs, have her retrieve it a few times and see if she will then carry it. Otherwise have it in your pocket and if you see her honing in on Tawny, call her and throw the dummy. I would rather use a toy than treats with a dog or breed that is likely to become over greedy.

Failing that, if she charges at Tawny I would charge at her and give her scruff a good shake and see how she likes it. We have had to resort to that with Moss, the collie pup, who constantly hangs off the neck of one of the other collies and it has worked most of the time.
 
My friend's labrador would do this to my springer and although they were both around the same age the lab was so much bigger my springer couldn't move. The only thing that stopped it was a by using a deep growl noise that distracted her. Took a while hut she did learn to leave my springer alone.
 
My younger dog used to do this too. I used it as an opportunity to practice his recall and heelwork - I could tell when he was about to start being a pest and called him back to me and asked him to heel for 30 secs then released him. He used to do it when over excited (like he was redirecting his excitement onto older dog) so usually asking him to focus for a minute made him less likely to do it again. It wasn't an immediate cure but it definitely helped, he only tries it on very very occasionally now and I just call him over straight away.
 
WorkingGSD said:
Does she like retrieving and carrying something? Get her a special toy or dummy that is only brought out on walks with the other dogs, have her retrieve it a few times and see if she will then carry it. Otherwise have it in your pocket and if you see her honing in on Tawny, call her and throw the dummy. I would rather use a toy than treats with a dog or breed that is likely to become over greedy.

Failing that, if she charges at Tawny I would charge at her and give her scruff a good shake and see how she likes it. We have had to resort to that with Moss, the collie pup, who constantly hangs off the neck of one of the other collies and it has worked most of the time.
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Trouble is with a retreiving pack of dogs I really can't. I can throw a dummy and get just one to go for it but that requires organisation! I also don't think I could scruff her, she is timid and gets very neurotic if you get really cross. A single bellow seems acceptable, anything stronger can be the end of the world. I know I am slamming all the suggestions, and really don't want it to look that way. Sorry.

Quagga - if I call her back they all come and heel. Same with the stop whistle, they all park their bums! Sorry again. I am heading out for a walk now and will see. Mum took them for me this morning as I had to work early (they had single 'working' walks first thing) and she said after two bellows it was OK. I have never shouted at dogs and hate sounding like a fishwife!
 
You can make tawny,s collar autocorrect Pen..
Put tawny in a soft collar..eg canvas...rub in Vicks vapour rub or a few drops of eucalyptus oil on the collar...
When pen comes to mouth the neck of poor tawny the smell alone should dissuade Pen..
We used this system on a leather lead to stop our rottie pup,the queen of mouthing ,from chewing and hanging on her leather lead in the early days...she was cured of the habit in days and never reverted.
 
Clodagh said:
Trouble is with a retreiving pack of dogs I really can't. I can throw a dummy and get just one to go for it but that requires organisation! I also don't think I could scruff her, she is timid and gets very neurotic if you get really cross. A single bellow seems acceptable, anything stronger can be the end of the world. I know I am slamming all the suggestions, and really don't want it to look that way. Sorry.

Quagga - if I call her back they all come and heel. Same with the stop whistle, they all park their bums! Sorry again. I am heading out for a walk now and will see. Mum took them for me this morning as I had to work early (they had single 'working' walks first thing) and she said after two bellows it was OK. I have never shouted at dogs and hate sounding like a fishwife!
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I was going to suggest just roaring at her.
I was out walking the other day and shouted a very longwinded nickname at my dog (the equivalent of mummy yelling a child's full title including middle name) when he was dawdling. Didn't notice the cyclist behind me who must have thought I was mad....
 
CorvusCorax said:
I was going to suggest just roaring at her.
I was out walking the other day and shouted a very longwinded nickname at my dog (the equivalent of mummy yelling a child's full title including middle name) when he was dawdling. Didn't notice the cyclist behind me who must have thought I was mad....
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Floofy isn't a long name surely? :D :D
 
CorvusCorax said:
I was going to suggest just roaring at her.
I was out walking the other day and shouted a very longwinded nickname at my dog (the equivalent of mummy yelling a child's full title including middle name) when he was dawdling. Didn't notice the cyclist behind me who must have thought I was mad....
Click to expand...

But it is so undignified!! (But effective, I think we have nearly stopped it now...hopefully not too much more screeching required.)

LOL at shouting silly names at the dog. I was once singing 'How much is that lurcher in the window, the one with the curly tail...' to my Sashy longdog and walked out from behind a hedge to met footpath walkers who must have been parallel to me for at least two whole renditions. I think they were more embarrassed than I was...
 
I REALLY wouldn't suggest any retrieving work for any two dogs when there's any perceived form of 'contest' if only from the pup. I'd suggest that with Pen the time may be here when you INSIST that she listens to you, that she learns what a dose of verbals means and then with a carful eye, catch her just before she launches at T. With pups, the scolding voice should be enough backed up by the glare with an accusatory pointing finger!

Both dogs understand the word NO, and it will have a negative effect on poor old T too. When dogs are out as a pack, I always use the individual name, and find that seems to work best, for me anyway.

Alec.
 
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