Jigsaw

Thanks guys - so after that should I just put him back in his play pen? Is he going to be ok with that? Or should I play (at 4am) for a bit....

Aren't I re-inforcing the crying though? Or is that the no patting or anything .......

If he's waking up at 4am I'd just put him straight back, no playing but I would give a kong with a bit of peanut butter or something else for pup to keep occupied until he drifted off to sleep. Your pup will learn to settle himself down more easily then. There will probably be whining and crying but just ignore. If your pup wakes up and starts crying it is usually a signal he needs to go. If you don't console him and just take him straight out to the toilet and don't play no you're not reinforcing the crying, but he will learn that if he cries he gets taken outside and not played with until he toilets.

Some dogs like to chew and never grow out of it!! Do you make her toys high value? I mean when she chews on your shoes and stuff you possibly make a fuss about it so thereby reinforcing it to her so she keeps going back to them. Keep them out of sight as much as possible. Have food treats ready to hand to swap her with the stuff you don't want her to chew. Play with the toys so she thinks they're pretty good if you like them too! Dogs are naturally inquisitive (most of them) so they like to check things out, like anything you leave on the floor, if you leave a door open! It's like having a baby you've got to pick up stuff all the time. And of course they always seem to find something you've overlooked. Also try keeping a toy in your pocket (if you can) to offer to her when she's chewing something inappropriate. Will she eat chicken wings (try giving them frozen), bones, kongs (staffy ones - black), rawhide chews, pig's ears? Have you talked to the vet about it? Make sure her teeth are all OK? Does she chew things all the time or just at particular times? If just sometimes what do you think triggers it?

Her pics are very cute!

My pup eats crickets and cockroaches and worms! Not so much since we've had a lot of rain but before that we had a lot of crickets and she would chase them and crunch them in the dark before I could get there. I guess sometimes you just can't persuade them to let it go no matter what you offer.

Isn't it sometimes the best way to change things from the inside?

Thank you for that idea, I had toyed with it earlier, but will now work on it with her and hopefully it may have some impact on the barking!

My almost 5 month old koolie has just started to become aware of her territory. Unfortunately she has decided that the neighbours on one side - who have two children, a teen and a 4 year old - are people to be wary of. She is barking at them especially in the morning and the evening. They have come in once to complain about her waking the kids up in the morning (around 6.45 - 7am). She doesn't sleep outside this is just when she is let out for a wee in the morning and she stays out for a bit of air! I know she barks and it can be annoying!! However I have been observing her through the window to try and figure out why she is barking at them and these are my observations :

One I think it is the sounds, radio, young child's voice that might set her off.

Two she is uncertain about it as her ears are flattened and her hackles are up.

Three her barking is not the scare people off bark it is single barks, one after another.

I have thought about feeding her near the fence line so she becomes accustomed to the noises and they are associated with good things. She will "speak" on command, had to train her as she was barking a lot inside a little while ago, she only does a very quiet woof for this though! I don't know whether it would have anything to do with it but she does have some vision problems as well so maybe this makes her a little more aware of her territory???

Any other ideas?

BTW did tell the neighbours that she was a pup (which they knew) and it may get worse before it gets better but will try to not let her bark too early in the morning. Also heard the little one saying Be Quiet (when she was barking) when I was outside with her tonight so that's probably not helping my pup!

Depends what is triggering the fear? When does your dog start to fear the bath? When you run the water, when you take her collar off? If you can figure out the very start of her fear behaviour you may be able to help her. Some dogs don't like being lifted into tubs if you bath her in the laundry or bath - because you lift them up and then push them away from your body so they are not comfortable with this. Certainly don't reward her if she is fearful only when she shows a positive attitude.

As Pax said sometimes you just have to keep going through it, don't pander to it, keep positive.

The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnell. A great book and talks about the dog/human relationship and why we as humans (primates) sometimes have trouble communicating to dogs amongst other things including behavioural problems.

I forgot to mention Paxy likes buckets!! She carries them around, breaks off the handles (plastic ones) and wow another toy. She slides up and down our paved area in the bucket - one paw inside the bucket and sometimes her head too! She throws the bucket, she pushes the bucket. Makes a lovely loud noise too!!

My pup wouldn't even look at the puppy pee pads. Are you using a verbal command to help your pup understand what you're asking her to do. Go outside with her rather than watching through the window (I know it's cold!) keep saying your command "do wees", "do your business", "toilet", whatever you want until she toilets. Then immediately tell her what a good dog she is and give her the treat (must be within 3 secs). If you are giving her the treat when she comes inside you are too late she would have no clue that the treat is for going to the toilet. You don't say how old your pup is so she may not have figured out how to go out yet through the doggy door and do wees and besides at night it's a scary place out there when you're a baby!

It takes a while for pups to get it - they are babies and lots of encouragement and no punishment for accidents inside. Use an enzyme spray like Urine Off to get the smell off from where they have toileted previously on the floor. You must be really vigilant for watching signs pup needs to go, sniffing the floor, circling, looking for the door outside. Take her outside straight after a sleep, straight after food and don't play with her until she's been to the toilet then you can praise, treat and play!

If she's just flopping on the ground get her interest in the grass by pointing to it, putting your fingers in it, moving it, talking in an excited voice to "do wees" so she gets her nose down and starts sniffing. Take her to the same spot each time so she smells her urine in the grass and she'll get the message with time. Just be patient, she'll get there!

I was told many years ago that one reason most dogs won't use their kennels, beds etc is because they are usually put in a place out of the dog's line of sight of our (human) doorways. Dogs like to know what we are doing, even inside a house they usually position themselves so that they can see where we are going inside the house, watching our every movement! So it is possible that even though we think we've done the right thing and put their kennel in a nice safe place under cover etc our dog might still go and sit right at the back door waiting for us to come out if they can't see it from where their kennel is. How many of us trip over our dog lying in the doorway?

So probably unless you pen her in this area Noodle might still be drawn to wait for you at the back door until she gets cold and wet and sense enters her brain! Or perhaps she just likes the rain as opposed to a bath, I know one labrador who tries to catch the rain in her mouth - very funny to watch and makes such a funny noise to!

I try and offer something of higher value to my pup - a treat, biscuit, dry cat food or sometimes find one of her toys and pretend to play with it! Most of the time it works. If it doesn't if I go to walk inside the house she usually drops it pretty quick to come in with me.

Edit - I also like to use a word like "phoey"! Sounds stupid but it helps this primate!!

Toilet rolls, tissues - there must be something so satisfying in the ripping of toilet paper and tissues and then not having to clean it up!!!

I'll have to try it one day and see if I can find the fascination, as long as someone else gets to clean it up!!!

Love the photos!! What size ie toy, min or standard?? I used to have a toy poodle - he was a faded apricot, lol - he was called Bluey! So much love from him. Great name Noodle!!!

My pup isn't that keen on peanut butter so I use cream cheese inside the kong. Only about a teaspoon - I put dry kibble inside and block it up with the cream cheese. Keeps her quiet for a little while! What about a pig's ear in the car? I used them to get mine used to being in the car - it distracted her from whining and barking!

Paxy's favourite toy's are anything she can put in her mouth, socks, bras , any clothes, balls, fluffy toys, squeaky toys, ropes, ropes with balls, treat balls (yes she picks them up and carries them), the cat's toys. She often has two in her mouth at a time!

Any stomach noises, bloating? You could always skip a meal too and let her tummy have a rest or if you don't want to skip a meal really cut down on the size of the meal - tiny portion. As long as you have water available and pup is drinking is the main thing. I've never offered tomatoes to any dog except when they've eaten them off the bush! But definitely go to the vet if it keeps happening - no recent vaccinations or worming that may have triggered it? Watch that your pup is not eating something she shouldn't in your garden too - little buggers pick stuff up so quickly.

Love the photos! I grew up with cockers - beautiful natured dogs. Loved them to bits. As for biting my pup is 4 1/2 mths, still very excitable, still tends to nip but is definitely better than she was. Has got a bit worse with teething at the moment but distractions are the best thing and frozen chicken ice blocks and bones!

My cat stands her ground usually and belts the poor pup!! However when she has had enough of being mouthed and pawed and cornered she will make a run for it. As long as your cat has an escape route - somewhere high and out of reach and a safe haven she should be fine. I have taken the course of letting them settle it themselves but my cat is a "dominant" cat and they can now share a room or backyard without making it a boxing match every time - well not all of the time at least! If your cat runs every time she sees the dog and is showing signs of stress, ie not eating, over grooming, diarrhea etc you need to make sure that your dog learns that it must be calm preferably in a drop position and on lead when they meet (as stated by others). I was also advised by a very experienced trainer to feed the cat first and make sure that the cat is fed in a higher place than the dog. It is very hard though especially when the cat has had the run of the house prior to the pup. We have used baby gates to give the cat a safe haven when she's had enough of the pup!

My dog under distraction will not take treats either, instructor remarked at her first obedience class that she had never seen a dog "so turned on"!

Staffy's I've met (never had one) have been very vocal - they have their own special voice - very loud and persistent at times! As everyone's said you've got to be consistent and persistent. It's like the shampoo add - it won't happen overnight but it will happen!

Wow that's a sad and sorry looking dog. So glad he's on the mend for you. Your post helps make us all aware to be careful to note any change in our dogs whether its physical or temperamental as a sign of illness. Hope he makes a full recovery soon.

When was the show on?? I missed it!

Do you know if the parents were sensitive to stimuli as well? This could have some influence over your pup. You probably just have to take it easy with him, let him take his time and look at anything new with lots of positive encouragement. You can also teach them to "look" and "sniff" this can also help. If he really barks his head off teach him to speak, it's what I've had to do, although she still goes off her nana at the broom and likes to kill it!! But she loves whipper snippers! Go figure! :rolleyes:

As a suggestion only why not try a game of Go To (?), sending him to and from people in a small group close together maybe two or three people (giving kisses!) using the clicker and reward when he goes to someone. Increase the distance btwn people gradually, then introduce the jump between the people (but put the people close together again and gradually increase the distance), then maybe try the next piece of agility equipment before the person and wean the "go to" person out gradually. Just an idea on working on something he likes - giving kisses at first - if that's his drive work on it! Can't remember where I read about this type of game - also used as practice for recall or training to go to people by name, but maybe it might work to increase his cling distance and confidence.

Congrats on your koolie puppy!! Hope you've joined the koolie forumhttp://koolie.net/exons/index.php?act=idx. I've got a koolie that is 5 mths old and I've had the same problem, well still have to some degree, she is much better than she was a couple of months ago but still inclined to jump first if I don't get a "sit" in first. Koolie's are such social dogs they love people, love kids.

As other posters have said you really have to work on getting them to do alternative behaviour. Asking them to sit before they get any attention and then giving them a reward for sitting. The trouble is getting everyone to ask the dog to sit! Some people just want to love the puppy putting all your hard work backwards.

At 14 wks it is still probably a little too early to expect pup to come every time when you call, particularly if you are outside his territory, although it should be happening when you're home. Having a good reward (food or toy) and using your voice for encouragement will help. You have to be more exciting/interesting than whatever the dog is doing at the time!

Can't access the link to The Bite Stops Here for some reason.

Thanks for the tips NoodleNut. I have been giving her pig's ears and bought some pig's trotters today but noticed they have some small bones in them which she politely left outside at the back door! She has chewed one of the kitchen chair's rungs (fortunately the only piece of furniture) and she has a box of toys to chew or chase and she is very good at sorting through for the one she wants! Am going to try and teach her to put them away! The frozen football/kong is a good idea. At the moment she only gets her kong when in her crate with cream cheese of course so I might look for the football thing again - I actually gave one to a friend the other week for her GSD as it was too heavy for Paxy. She had the same problem with getting stuff out of a kong it's often still in there if I stuff it. Haven't tried the greenie bones either - shall get some next time at the store! Your Noodle looks gorgeous!