STRESSED.COM

[Louisex]

We have a 21 week old Old english sheep dog x golden retriever who we have had for 3 months now. she's such a beautiful puppy but as a family we are running out of ideas to sort the following out;

She bites ; I know she is a puppy and she's teething/playing etc. but she goes mental and doesn't stop biting/scratching - she just will not give in - a very strong character indeed. So we have brought a muzzle which goes on when she gets too much for her own good and then we praise her when she calms down and then we remove the muzzle.

she barks constantly; My step dad has slept on the sofa since we have had her and it's getting ridiculous. She has a large pen which she goes in when we are out and at night time as she is still chewing everything and anything but she will bark for ages until the household is silent.

It just seems like the more we tell her no, the more she persists.

All and any information and help will be sooooo much appreciated because we are at a very difficult stage right now and just want to overcome/resolve the problem and not just get rid or pass it on to somebody else. We brought her to fill our quiet home after our beloved dog passed away in August at such a sudden incident and it just makes us think we've maybe tried to move on to quick for our hearts to catch up.

thanks for getting this far xx

 

[CorvusCorax]

Get to a good training class or get a trainer out to you, preferably yesterday.

No offence but I bet a lot of these problems are down to your methods or timing and she is running rings around you. A 21-week old should not need a muzzle. Jeez my fella is a total crusher and I would never have considered it.

She sounds like she has a brain and she needs to use it.

These should be easy things to sort out with the correct guidance, timing and patience.
If you don't start thinking like a dog and sort this now she is going to run rings around you when she is older and bigger.

You're not the first person to replace a quiet, easy dog with something completely different and then wonder what on earth has happened!

Please do not be tempted to over-exercise her to get the energy off her as she is a mix of two breeds prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, crossing them will not rule out the risk.
She will not be able to do any hard impact stuff/repetitive jumping and prolonged exercise on hard surfaces until at least a year old.
Tire out her BRAIN.

Only ever putting her in a pen when you go to bed or go out will heighten her anxiety - oh my God, that's the place where I go when they all LEAVE ME. It is supposed to be a fun den, not somewhere to shut the dog for convenience (see other long boring thread on subject )


Also, get The Culture Clash by Jane Donaldson, lots of tips about bite inhibition and other cool stuff for her to learn.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Oh, and read this not my work but saw it on FB and this post reminded me!

I AM YOUR PUPPY

I am your Puppy, and I will love you until the end of the Earth, but
please know a few things about me.

I am a Puppy, this means that my intelligence and capacity for learning
are the same as an 8-month-old child. I am a Puppy; I will chew
EVERYTHING I can get my teeth on. This is how I explore and learn about
the world. Even HUMAN children put things in their mouths. It's up to
you to guide me to what is mine to chew and what is not.

I am a Puppy; I cannot hold my bladder for longer than 1 - 2 hours. I
cannot "feel" that I need to poop until it is actually beginning to
come out. I cannot vocalize nor tell you that I need to go, and I cannot
have "bladder and bowel control" until 6 - 9 months. Do not punish me if
you have not let me out for 3 hours and I tinkle. It is your fault. As a
Puppy, it is wise to remember that I NEED to go potty after: Eating,
Sleeping, playing, Drinking and around every 2 - 3 hours in addition. If
you want me to sleep through the night, then do not give me water after
7 or 8 p.m. A crate will help me learn to housebreak easier, and will avoid you being mad at me.

I am a Puppy, accidents WILL happen, please be patient with me! In time I will learn.

I am a Puppy, I like to play. I will run around, and chase imaginary
monsters, and chase your feet and your toes and 'attack' you, and chase
fuzzballs, other pets, and small kids. It is play; it's what I do. Do
not be mad at me or expect me to be sedate, mellow and sleep all day.

If my high energy level is too much for you, maybe you could consider
an older rescue from a shelter or Rescue group. My play is beneficial,
use your wisdom to guide me in my play with appropriate toys, and
activities like chasing a rolling ball, or gentle tug games, or plenty
of chew toys for me. If I nip you too hard, talk to me in "dog talk", by
giving a loud YELP, I will usually get the message, as this is how dogs
communicate with one another. If I get too rough, simply ignore me for a
few moments, or put me in my crate with an appropriate chew toy.

I am a Puppy; hopefully you would not yell, hit, strike, kick or beat a
6-month-old human infant, so please do not do the same to me. I am
delicate, and also very impressionable. If you treat me harshly now, I
will grow up learning to fear being hit, spanked, kicked or beat.
Instead, please guide me with encouragement and wisdom. For instance,
if I am chewing something wrong, say, "No chew!" and hand me a toy I
CAN chew. Better yet, pick up ANYTHING that you do not want me to get
into. I can't tell the difference between your old sock and your new
sock, or an old sneaker and your $200 Nikes.

I am a Puppy, and I am a creature with feelings and drives much like
your own, but yet also very different. Although I am NOT a human in a
dog suit, neither am I an unfeeling robot who can instantly obey your
every whim. I truly DO want to please you, and be a part of your
family, and your life. You got me (I hope) because you want a loving
partner and companion, so do not relegate me to the backyard when I get
bigger, do not judge me harshly but instead mold me with gentleness and
guidelines and training into the kind of family member you want me to
be.

I am a Puppy and I am not perfect, and I know you are not perfect
either. I love you anyway. So please, learn all you can about
training, and puppy behaviors and caring for me from your veterinarian,
books on dog care and even researching on the computer! Learn about my
particular breed and it's "characteristics", it will give you
understanding and insight into WHY I do all the things I do. Please
teach me with love, patience, the right way to behave and socialize me
with training in a puppy class or obedience class, we will BOTH have a
lot of fun together.

I am a Puppy and I want more than anything to love you, to be with you,
and to please you. Won't you please take time to understand how I work?
We are the same you and I, in that we both feel hunger, pain, thirst,
discomfort, fear, but yet we are also very different and must work to
understand one anther's language, body signals, wants and needs. Some
day I will be a handsome dog, hopefully one you can be proud of and one
that you will love as much as I love you.

Love,
Your Puppy

 

[Dobiegirl]

CC you mentioned the c word.

 

[splashgirl45]

CC that is absolutely brilliant and should be given to everyone who has a new puppy to make them realise that they are BABIES and need guidance and not harshness.....thankyou....

 

[CAYLA]

It does sound like you could benefit from someone coming in and meeting the puppy and having a word with the family.
You also need to find your "voice", with the biting rather than muzzle why not just remove yourself from the situation and take away what the puppy wants most "your attention/presence" simply get up off the floor (a good reason not to allow pups on the chair) and sit on the chair and ignore him, end the attention given the moment it his behaviour becomes of the "unwanted kind" or give him time out "by removing him from your company" to maybe the kitchen for 5 mins, so that he knows there is a consequence for his actions.

I have a puppy guide if you think it will help it covers chewing and teething and crate training.
I definately think a training class or some experienced outside help is warranted though.

I once dealt with a puppy spaniel that displayed this behaviour, the girl was in tears and had marks all over her face, hands and arms, I initially disbelived her as she was making this pup out to be a savage beast and it was only 13 weeks old I soon changed my mind when I saw a video clip of the pup in action making a lunge for her face
I visited the house and the puppy never displayed the behaviour infront of me, I did ignore all of her advances to interact till she sat quietly and I raised my voice once when she tried to jump up at the chair but it was almost like she regarded me asoon as I walked in, she swiftly lay down in silence, I came to the conclusion her owner was more than a force to be reconed with and she has no control or respect from this puppy as she was to busy babying it, it treat her more like a litter mate to amuse it's self with. She learnt how to toughen up and lay down some rules and boundaries and more importantly her and her OH learn to treat the puppy the same as she was baby'ing and he was not, he got respect and she did not.