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Lusticious

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  1. Thanks for the links!!! I've gotten in touch with few of them to see how it goes - One I looked into has short course which is 3 x 1 hour visits, but works out to be around $150 per visit which is quite pricey - Would you say these are well worth the price? (I mean I'm glad to pay it, but if I get not much out of it I might be disappointed!) He is actually behaving very nicely at home now - I have fixed his guarding problem with chicken neck! I think a lot of people here won't agree maybe with the method, but it was something I saw in Caesar Millan's video (Having said that, I don't feel comfortable with most of his methods to try it anyway). Whilst he was holding the chicken neck and guarding it (he wasn't looking at me - but growling lightly), I tapped him lightly on his chest with an 'Oi!'. He snapped out of it instantly, dropped the neck, sat down and looked at me and I straight away praised him and gave him another piece of raw chicken which he gulped. Ever since that first 'tap' on the chest, I didn't have to repeat it ever and it really only took that one tap. He now has strong 'leave it' command and will drop even chicken neck on the ground (bit cheeky though, he will try to finish chewing instead of dropping instantly - I'm happy with that). I do reward him everytime he drops it and he seems comfortable with the idea now! Other than that, he is behaving more and more nicer everyday (in the house). Still a lot harder to control outside especially with stranger though, brought him over to friend's place and nothing would go through his ears - The place had a huge backyard and a sandpit, not to mention friend was constantly distracting the puppy by throwing leaves sigh... Sometimes bit hard to tell your friends to leave your dog alone I've decided to not do visits and just do walks now and I'll be telling strangers not to give him any attention (One lady got offended though and told me that I should let puppies be puppies :/) Anyhow, if his progress at home is a sign of his progress outside eventually, then I'll be happy to see that happening! but like I said, curious if those home visits are still worth it?
  2. That'd be great! Especially if they understand the Spitz temperament! I live south of Perth CBD, close to Belmont area. ...'quite significant'?... the difference can be extrem! that refers to behaviour, needs, maturing, training, bonding, food requirements etc. etc... See, I mentioned that my puppy is a Spitz and they are more independent and stubborn than working dogs and my trainer told me that basic principals are the same (she's probably right) and I must be doing something wrong at home (then she suggested that she does home visit because she needs to see what the dog is like and that I'm probably misinterpreting his behavior - all fine but just a little hard sell especially considering she hardly deals with him in class) :/ Also she's never heard of Japanese Spitz before... Thank you Tassie! :) no worries!
  3. Omg, a lot of replies in only a day, thanks a lot everyone! A lot of people made a comment about my biggest mistake, not posting a photo... Here they are! (pics are from my instagram @slothicious :)) Another question before I quote everyone, I keep him inside the pen when I can't directly manage him (sometimes I keep him on the leash when I'm in the kitchen, but otherwise he's in the dog play pen) - which is a lot of times. Is this ok? I've let him roam in living room area a bit more last few days since I can kind of tell his toilet habits better now, but he still gets put in the pen otherwise. do I just keep doing this until he (and I) makes less toilet mistakes? (He peed in the kitchen while on leash today, I didn't pick it up fast enough!) - i think 9 weeks - last week! 13 weeks Heya Karen, I had a lot of chat with a lot of people regarding this including vet (two streets away) think as long as I avoid high traffic areas and stay on my street, it is fine and benefits far outweigh the risks! Yes it is quite full on This is daily! All the 'nap' times, I've left him alone and he seems to be okay so far, no signs of separate anxiety yet, but rather a drowsy, just woke up dog. I think the 'nap / alone' times at the moment are going to be quite similar to what it will be like when I'm at work - except instead of 3-3.5 hours, I'll be away for 4-4.5 hours (I'm coming back for lunch time walks). Can dogs of Japanese Spitz size eventually hold bladder for 8 hours normally or would that be sort of 'cruel' (I wouldn't want to risk bladder infection either)? I have indoor doggy toilet pad (piddle place) that I plan to get him to use eventually for wee. Thanks! Should I mix the times? I've been doing it this way as this will be quite similar to my work schedule! (I'm away for about 3 hours twice a day now, after each play / feed session) They sure are - I did read that the spitz types have different to usual 'temperament' but sometimes I think he's a cat! Thanks Di for the helpful advice! That is so me everyday haha. A lot of frustration, but I'm usually not angry at him! (I'm only human so every now and then...) I really would like to find a local trainer for a home visit but I don't know who would be suitable The trainer at my puppy class just ignores my puppy because he is hyper-energy and she always uses the labrador and blue heelers as examples. She shows those owners a lot of tricks and demonstrates it with their dog but she's not done it once with my puppy I kind of understand why she would do that but still, I can't help but be a little disappointed and think that she's not that great. When i asked her questions regarding my puppy, I was being sold 'home visit' sessions... I'm keen with it, except I haven't got full confidence the trainer will be money's worth. haha I try! but I want him to grow up into well behaved adult dog so I keep pressuring myself :) He doesn't have access to backyard unless I'm there to open the door for him. I've considered doggy door but the neighborhood isn't too secure so I don't feel too comfortable thinking about him being outside... I think I'll leave him for full night soon! I take him out at 10pm, used to go out every 3 hours at start, 4, and now I've pushed it to 5.5 :) Just wanted to do it gradually! Thanks! I'll watch the links you recommended :) I put him in the pen now when visitors are here, and he gets ignored until all 4s, then treats are thrown at intervals for being calm! then he gets the pats from low and below so he doesn't jump... it's just that I don't get that many visitors and it's sort of hard to do with strangers on walks hehe. I guess I just have to persist with what I've got? I only tried taking the chicken neck because the piece was getting small and I was worried he would choke. I tried other treats but he must've valued that as highest out of everything I've had at the time, bcz he wouldn't budge and would growl! This is where it gets very confusing, some advices say to never back off, and some advices say to never push it. it's like total opposite answers! Thanks for all the advice! I did read that spitz types were different to the working dogs, but is the difference quite significant?
  4. PS - I have looked at the 'puppy development calendar' thread but still wanted to hear from some people regarding when their puppy was 15 weeks old! Hello guys! So I got my first puppy after a year of contemplating on breed and looking for a breeder (I'm in Australia) - A Japanese Spitz! (I believe they're not recognized in USA, but closest would be American Eskimo Dogs?) Throughout the year, I watched a lot of youtube videos and researched reads for living with a dog, but nothing prepares you for the real thing like.. well.. like the real thing! I've been to puppy class last three weeks, and the other puppies (Labrador and Blue Heeler) seem so much more well behaved than my puppy who is now 14.5 weeks old. Problem I have with him are as follows, and I'm curious if these are quite 'normal'? A) Hyperactive and Very Excitable He is very excitable about strangers and guests! I have been trying to ensure to tell the guests to ignore him until he sit / downs and to take a step back if he jumps on them - but I can't do this with everyone, especially random people at the cafes or on the street! Does this behavior eventually tone down or go away on its own? He doesn't jump on me because he knows it is inappropriate (I've done the ignoring thing a lot, or distracting him with a toy). Also in puppy class, first 15 minutes is me just stepping on his leash and standing still while watching other obedient puppies. Because he just wants to go to every other dog or their owners to greet them! It's kind of embarrassing if I must admit it - I realised no amount of trying to get his attention will help and trainer said best thing is to just step on the leash until he is calm, which takes about 15 minutes then he is better (he starts listening to me for last 20 minutes of class). The labradors and blue heeler puppies are so obedient so I feel like I must be doing something wrong! Dodgy Recall Not as concerned for this, but his recall is pretty good at home (with treat or toy), getting better in backyard (with treat or toy), but pretty much none existent outside - I'd imagine this is pretty normal though until he is used to everything that could distract him. I get the basis of the recall training, but I'm really not sure where 15 week old puppy should be - should it be near perfect? or is it ok to be still dodgy? :) Some signs of 'dominance' I've been curbing it slowly, but at the start (9 weeks) he was behaving very 'bossily'. Like nipping at ankle to play, GROWLING when I try to take his high value treat (I've fixed this with bully stick now, but not sure if he still does it with chicken neck bones, haven't checked that one lately). I feel like occurrence of this is decreasing, but just last night, he growled at me when I tried to lift him to take him to potty when he was sleeping in the middle of the night. I woke him up first, his eyes were open but still lying down so he was still half asleep - Quick 'clap' to make slightly louder noise woke him up fully and the growl disappeared. Are these behaviors normal? :[ The high value treat aggression issue was my fault, I gave him way too much freedom in the first week without significant obedience training. I feel like teaching him sit / down / leave it command kind of solved that problem (but still too worried to try it with chicken neck haha) I have taken 2 months off work, and last one month has been like this everyday. 8:00am - 8:20am: walk in the neighbourhood, using treats to direct him as much as possible and make him stay near the heel - not going well to be honest. Also using leash to stop moving and change directions when he pulls, but I don't know if he is getting it! I've been doing it for last one week (he is still not fully vaccinated so I need to be super careful what he sniffs), I'm not really sure if he's getting better or not... some people have said it took their dog 3 days 8:20am - 8:40am: play time in backyard, some freedom time, and some short burst of 'obedience training' time mixed in between (his sit / down and 'leave it' is pretty good now!) 8:40am - 9:00am: breakfast time, short bursts of 'check-in look at my eye' training, tbh he rarely looks at me for check in outside still I also feel like I've said his name far too much and he has just learnt to ignore it. 9:00am - noon roughly: nap! best time! 12:00pm - 12:30pm: Visit to local cafe! he sits on my laps and see people and cars go by. A lot of people say hi, which he gets really excited about.. too much maybe 12:30pm - 1:30pm: come back home, and repeat of backyard freedomtime + training time + lunch! 1:30pm - 5:00pm: nap in the pen and his own time with toys 5:00pm - 7:00pm: play with him inside the house, short burst of training, and getting him used to different parts of the house outside the pen. As for training method, I see that there is division between the 'traditional' method and 'positive-reinforcement' method! Whilst I think 'traditional' method is harsh, I do see behaviours that could be explained by this whole 'alpha' business. I've been sticking with positive reinforcement, but I do raise my voice or I do pick him up to calm him if he is totally out of control (Haven't had to do much of this especially recently!). With the annoying bites / nippings, I can't just 'leave' him in the room (I tried and he pee'ed) so if I'm inside, I quickly lift him to put him in the pen and walk out. or I use leash so he can't 'approach' whatever he wants to nip at until he calms down. I also try to distract him but sometimes that doesn't work too well.. Any tips would be appreciated, if I'm doing something wrong, or if you could maybe give an insight on what your puppy was like at 12-18 weeks of age, it'd be great!
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