Brucey Mumma

Hi, I thought I would come back & update this discussion, in case anyone else is/was having the same problem as us. Our problem has improved out of sight. We went away on holidays at christmas time to my mums, we took Bruce with us, as Mum has a very social & happy little girl for him to play with & the difference in him having a friend to play with was amazing, the silly puppy jumping & nipping of the kids stopped, he was more gentle with the kids & less lunatic-like, I think because he had a puppy friend to wear off all of that puppy energy! So, I had dreadful thoughts of when we came home & he was back to just us & no furry friend & although he has reverted a little, back to being a nutcase (LOL) the kids seem to have gained a bit more confidence with him while away & are no longer scared to tell him to get down & 'be the boss' .. So we are working on that every day & they are feeding him & giving him his treats & bones etc & all seems to be getting easier, no doubt also because he is getting a bit older too & therefore losing a little of the puppy madness. Now ... seriously debating a puppy friend for him to play with ...

Me again I just wanted to clarify that I have always taken him for a walk every day, but am now taking him for twice a day & now he is older I have extended our walk to about 25 minutes, which he loves! Thanks!

Thankyou! Digging problem solved! I filled the holes in with poo & what do you know? No more digging, he hasn't even moved to any other spots. I also sorted a spot in the corner of the yard where he can dig, OH not so impressed with that idea, but I explained that it's either there or all over the yard & we came to a mutual agreement (ie; I won! LOL!) Oh & I also started taking him for two walks a day, so maybe, though he did have me around for most of the day, he also just had that little bit of energy not quite used up & digging was his way of exercising. Anyway, I thought I would update & say thanks Brucey Mumma

Hi Thankyou to everyone who has given me advice, I really appreciate it. My absolute last resort would be to re-home Bruce, I just adore & love him so muc, I love to take him for walks & he has the best cuddles ever, although the licking I could do without, I must taste mighty nice after a shower LOL but he is honestly just divine I have read though this thread & will try some of the suggestions. I think I was asking too much of the kids, I suppose I just get frustrated with them at times, as I know they want to play with him so badly, they are just too scared & they don't get that if they were calm & acted 'normally' he would get over it & go on his merry way within 5 minutes, but that is thinking like an adult & they (and Bruce) are just kids, with no known logic to be seen LOL. OH & I are definitely looking at bringing a trainer in to teach not only Bruce, but us as well, the best way to deal with him, I have no doubt that I am doing many things I shouldn't be doing Brucey Mumma

We have a 5mth old malt x & he is divine! But the kids are scared of him 6.5yo was wary at first but then ok & 5yo was fine, then they both were nipped within an hour or so of each other & since then nothing I can say or do will convince them that Bruce won't bite. I have tried to explain that he is a puppy & it's our job as his boss to teach him not to nip/jump etc etc. I've shown them how to do it, I've stood with them, but they just become hysterical. I have tried being hard assed with them & ignoring the carry on, removing Bruce to only have access to the back part of the house (kitchen, bathroom, my room), I have taken them for walks with him, let them feed him his dinner/breakfast (with my help of course) but nothing changes, they are fine as long has I have hold of him, but once I let him go, they go nuts. He can be bouncy, he's a pup for goodness sakes, but TBH IMO most of the issue is with the kids, every time they see him they start flapping their hands around, screaming & yelling 'bruce' 'bruce' like flipping banshee's and then wonder why he comes bounding over to them like a lunatic. I don't even know if this is the correct place to post this, OH & I have discussed getting a dog trainer out to our house to not only train Bruce a little, but maybe also incorporate the kids into it as well, do they even do that? We also have a 1yo who spends all day on the floor with Bruce with no worries, they play chasies, which is very cute & if Bruce does get motuhy the 1yo growls at him & just pushes him away!! Any advice? At this point, I am looking at re-homing the two older kids BruceyMumma (Sorry, I initally only posted half the post, due to 1yo & his keyboard magnetic fingers)

Hi again & thanks for the advice I think we'll try the poo in the hole trick, he has now decided that his two holes weren't enough after all & has added another two to say Husband is less than impressed is an understatement, added to that he digs a nice big chunk of grass up & then brings it inside & presents it to me like he is the cleverest puppy in the world LOL! It's funny, he doesn't dig in the front yard at all, just the back, maybe it smells extra yummy out there? Absolutely LOL for real at the icky poo stories, they are funny creatures these little furry friends BruceyMumma

I'm only learning with my little boy, so I can't help with your problem, but I just had to say, he is divine!

Our Malt x pup "Bruce" is 4mths old & has taken it upon himself to discover what exactly lies beneath our back lawn. There are two particular places he digs, I really don't think he is bored, he has lots of toys, has access to inside & outside & therefore to me all day (apart from school runs x 2 a day) we play, throw the ball, play chasies, he loves this, burns lots of energy LOL, he gets lots of pats & cuddles & I talk to him all the time. The lawn has been laid for around three weeks now, previous to that we had pavers down, he used to try to dig between the pavers too, the weren't concreted in, they were sand packed. How do I stop him digging the lawn? Husband said to put some cayenne pepper in the holes he digs in, but I would hate for him to get it in his eyes or up his nose! Thanks for any advice, Husband is getting a tad frustrated that his nice new lawn is under attack from Bruce the Lawn Destroyer BruceyMumma.

This thread has given me a giggle I have tried to teach Bruce that he has to wait until I go through a doorway before he is allowed to proceed through, the only problem now is, I leave the back door open for him to go in & out as he needs to, but he won't! He stands at the open door, looking at me, then at the door, then back at me, back at the door, back at me, like he's saying; "c'mon Mum I wanna do a weeeeee!!" after awhile if I don't notice or just can't get out the door, he'll stand there & do a wee, right in front of the open door! The idea of teaching I am the boss by my always preceding him through the door is all well & good, but I just can't go outside with him every time he wants to do a two second wee They certainly are much cleverer than we give them credit for I think.

Yes. Bruce is 9 weeks old & the first time I gave him a chicken neck he choked! I just about had a heart failure, but I managed to pull it out, it went straight in the bin! He was then cranky at me for taking away his treat & sulked at me for the next ten minutes! I also have a friend who's adult staffy died after choking on a chicken neck. I now give Bruce frozen necks & always while I'm there to supervise.