Doghouse

All of the above Im afraid. Biting, nipping and mouthing should be put down at a young age and NOT TOLLERATED. If they dont get the hint from the growl, then roll them over onto their back, look them in the eye and growl at them (dominant pose for the alpha dog - YOU) and then if they cant get it, exclude them immediately from the pack (your family), time out as you will.. Tell the kids not to scream, run or yelp - it wont help. We have a 5YO and it has been an uphill battle, the next will be jumping and that can be just as bad as the nipping. it takes time, but you must perservere !!

We teach the pups in the shearing shed/any shed would do the basic commands before we let them out with the other dogs (for cattle training) on the other properties. From the shed we move to the home yard, then to the machine yard, driveway and then to the paddocks. If they dont get the idea with 500kg of hormonal cow with calf at foot, then they soon do (not even I hang around, the quad bike should be fortified !!). Liver treats work a treat so so strange commands that no one else understand apart from you and your dog... Lola (kelpie x) has just turned 6 months and has gone from a very well controlled dog into your typical 13 year old daughter,, what >??? Now ?? why??? Dad doesnt make me??? Go f*** yourself mum.. just when I thought I had it all sorted...

Please tell me that you have run away from this puppy as fast as you could???? If it has been to the vet for treatment, it should not be back in the window so soon... If its sister is in another shop there is a good chance that they have been left in the window too long and are moving them around the franchise to make the sale... The longer they remain in the fish tank the more little psycholical problems they and ultimately you end up with, Myf has just started to have the confidence to lift her ears when she trots about.. and that is nearly 5 weeks since we got her... Go a purebred... we are for the next one (which wont be for a LONG LONG TIME).

High levels of Co2 and carbon monoxide - no wonder he sleeps... Same sort of rationale used by the parents at the casino...

This is the most stupid thing I have heard all day! Never ever leave your pet in the car (same goes for children)! You also should know that in NSW you can be fined for leaving your animal in the car if someone reports you. Not being a bitch here but Jack@ is right, it is illegal - regardless of the the time, weather or conditions.. Like children !!! We see people leaving babies in their seats right out the front of this office and go to the butcher or newsagent for like 10 minutes !!!! Its nearly as bad as having small kids in the front seats of cars (not illegal here- is in some states of the US) - the implications of a side impact or front collision with a small child is horrendous (even worse when there are side or front airbags in place!!!) :rolleyes:

Hi, I had this problem with Lola. We are funeral directors and we have our residency attatched to the office, so when I dont have families in she tended just to hang with me and was ALWAYS UNDER MY FEET !! She would sit at the office door and cry if I was in there too long with a family and carry on and on and on. When the hearses and coaches returned she would try and run op to them and the men. Whilst it was nice and yes it makes me feel safer when here alone, it was getting too much... I had to start isolating her in the laudry when people came in, popped her with a bone and off she went. Took her about 2 weeks to get the hang of it and now she is fine. We now have two dogs, and this has helped tremendously, they just play in the garage and know never to come into the office without approval. Perhaps you could try the crating/isolation???

Are these the ones for Humans??? Thanks a million !! I dont know what the pups eat to make them stink .. usually the remains of days old lamb shanks that they have hidden... That could be it...

Myf has the same problem, we find she 'farts like a trooper' and one can see the corresponding stomach falling away.. Stinks like all hell. Oh calls her the Zepplin after a feed. We now give her 'controlled' feeds, three tablespoons at time to stop her gulping her food down...

We took Lola into see Myf when we got her.. We still have yet to have a problem..

Had both girls (both Amstaff or Staffy crosses) used to lead, collar and harness by 10 weeks. You do have to start early and make it fun for them, just the phrase 'Walkies' has them up and ready to go by the door sitting waiting for harnesses. Maybe get it used to wearing a collar or harness around the house for a few minutes each day, even if it is just walking it out to do its business. Perhaps bit by bit steps and reward treats to get them out and happy about being out? Lol Lola used to wet herself all the time when she met someone (strangely enough it was men !!!) she was worse than a granny at manpower !!!! She has grown out of it and rarely does it now, it was a not a fear problem, she just got a little ahead of herself,....

I was taught with horses never to sit near them, always stay on your feet so you can jump away quickly if need be, so I tell my kids the same thing around dogs. Because the ONLY time in 13 years that my GSD nearly bit a child was when he was lying down next to a sitting child and the child leant on his guts to push to stand up and he snapped up in the air next to her in pain. Ah, clarrification here, dogs were supposed to be OUTSIDE. 5yo let puppy in house (with daddy away we are having defiant stage). Puppies are not to be in the house between sun up and bedtime... 5YO is not supposed to let puppies in without approval. That is why all three were disciplined... Children and puppies are ALWAYS supervised, even thou the 6MO is the most protective creature around around the 5YO. More so than her errant father.....

Hi, Have to agree with all the other DOLS. But small children are not the best communicators with animals and the frequencey of the sqeals just makes matters worse. Time to get tough with doggie and really tough. He needs to get the message that it is not acceptable at all. Crate him or put him in the laundry of he bites/jumps, exclude him from the pack so to speak... he will get the message. Our 5 year old got in all sorts of trouble with the puppy of all things yesterday morning when she sat down, the dog jumped on her and scratched her, she squealed and the whole thing escalated, to the point the puppy was hyperactive and scratching and 5yo in a matter of 30 seconds has lost a fair amount of skin off her back - to make matters worse the other pup (6mths) started to defend the child... straight to crates and bedroom for 5yo. You will have to supervise more strongly..lol

Yep its normal,both our girls did it, the baby still does.. just wait till they fart in unison.. Lol

No chewing, one hole - call the vatican you might have a saint on your hands...

I dont know if this is any help, Lola chewed from 8 weeks (and that was everthing including the legs of a irreplaceable antique chair to my daughters barbies, toys, etc etc) all the way through to about 18 weeks (when her adult molars finished erupting) and then just confined herself to her shanks... The new puppy Myf is a big chewer and is only 13 weeks if she isnt chewing she is digging. lol. Taking a line from Charlie & the Chocolate Factory 'chewing, chewing, chewing, chewing, chewing, chewing all day long

BRILLIANT ADVICE We are doing the same and did the same with our 6 month old and now our 12 week old, and with the constant affirmations of 'not acceptable' worked an absolute treat...

Our girls are both stafford crosses and the constant and persistent reminders of NOT ACCEPTABLE works well and our 6 month old never ever bites, despite being pushed to the limits by our 5 year old daughter. She dropped the biting habit by 14 weeks, despite shredding half a dozen of my daughters dressess and we had bite marks on our ankles. But nothing since.. We lavished lamb shanks for lunch on both of ours and that is their chew toy for the afternoon, then there are pigs ears and all their chew toys. Consitency is the key, remember you are the boss, you are the Alpha dog and what you say for the most part goes !!

Have to agree with with last post the Poo thing needs to go to a trainer or vet. how old is your puppy With your pup what does she have to chew on? And is there an unlimited supply of this. Biting or mouthing is NOT ALLOWED. It has to be stopped immediately. A firm STOP or the DROP command can stop the thought pattern, I usually followed it up with a firm hand under the jaw, look into her eyes and super nannyish firm voice 'NOT ACCEPTABLE' , turn your back and ignore her.. she will feel excluded and should get the idea.

Thanks for the information on this topic, Lola lost her brand new adult fang at the gum line playing at Christmas with brothers Great Dane playing fast and hard in yard and her new tooth meets a concrete garden edging, we were told to wait for the embedded half to rot for a few weeks to help loosen the root. Have been worried about the price of extraction and the desexing all in one. Again brilliant information

Thanks everyone, brilliant advice. Off to the Vet today see if he has any of your suggestions otherwise shall get online. Miss Myf ran in this morning from the yard smelling like a crypt... a very pokey little puppy :shakehead:

Any ideas to what is the best shampoo on the market? My girls STINK at the moment, they have been busy destroying my award winning garden in biblical proportions (The OH calls it the AD and BC Garden Before Canine and After Dog). They have been in the fish ponds, compost and anything and everything that you can roll in or digest (and post digestion come to think of it). We are on the NSW central coast, 500m from the beach, so that is included in the factor - lots of salt and sand, it is humid and has been semi wet lately so they really, really stink. :D What do you guys recommend, for a shiny coat and something that makes them smell more neutral but not like the purfume counter of David Jones.

Just wondering, isnt the guardians/owners of the dog supposed the seen as the pack leader/s. and the dogs sort out the pecking order from there? When my two play really rough there are time outs enforced.. does wonders. Dog socialisation classes are very very important, particularly with the very little ones and the very BIG ones. Too many beautiful 'little' pups become possessive and nasty because the lines of demarcation (between guardian and dog, family and dog and dog and other dogs) are not drawn up at a very early age, and therefore is the high dumpage rate, when they go a little nutz... Poor little tykes !!!

My 6 month old sleeps most of the day and spends the rest either looking for food, something to destroy (with the able help of her 12 week old buddy), or just running rampant. Friend who is a vet says sometimes humdity can make them a little sleepy to at this time of the year (just like some humans). The girls were up at 5.30 and are now off chasing rabbits in their REM, the should arouse for the arrival of the postman and then back to zzzzzzz until the 5 year old wants to play in the yard. If you are worried take it to the vet.