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A strange puppy Tale. (Not tail)


Sunny1979
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1 hour ago, Tassie said:

And as for chewing things left lying within the puppy's reach … ummm…. I eventually learnt to pick things up and put them out of reach. … consistently.

yes!! It is up to the humans to keep things out of the way :D 

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29 minutes ago, persephone said:

I give the food on my fist one bit at a time ..pups don't get any food until they take their mouths off my skin  and sit .They mouth and wriggle ..but catch on very quickly :)

Here a Link to a version of Susan Garrett's famous It's Yer Choice Game … which is kind of an expanded version of what @persephone is saying.    You can play it sitting in a chair to start with .. which is easier, as you can anchor your elbow to your knee to stop you jerking your hand away if the pup starts mugging the food.   It's important not to do this .. just to keep your fist closed, and enjoy watching whata the puppy does next.   Jerking your hand away will encourage the puppy to grab at you.

 

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3 hours ago, Tassie said:

@Sunny1979, it sounds as though you're making good progress with Tuffy, and that you're starting to really enjoy him.   Just remember, he is still a baby, becoming a toddler, so some things he will learn quickly, others not so quickly, and like a human toddler, he will sometimes forget things, or make not so good choices.

 

Learning behaviours that we want, is an ongoing process, rather than a tick off list.   So it's helpful to think of each behaviour as a work in preogress, that you will gradually be able to grow and improve.    I'm thinking particularly of the "Wait" cue.   (Notice that in modern dog training, we use "cue" - a word and or physical signal that is attached to a behaviour and prompts the dog to do it.  We tend not to use "command", because that suggests do this thing or else ,,,,.     It's a small point, but it does tend to change our way of looking at our training, and assessing how it's going.)

 

So for the Wait .. think about what the finished behaviour will look like, then break it down into very small segments, and gradually build it up.   So it might be "can you wait in that place/or in that position while I move away from you ...maybe one step and then return - maybe only moving say your right foot, and then back .. mark and reward success.  Then you would very gradually increase distance, or duration in tiny increments .. not both at once.  You'd also start in a low distraction area, and gradually add more distractions as the pup begins to understand what you're asking.   So you will be progressively increasing distance, duration/time, and distractions, as Tuffy has success.   The basic rule is not to make things more difficult till you're having 80% or better success at one level.  You can also "yo-yo" around with distance and time .. some shorter, some longer, but with the average gradually increasing.      The wait will also become clearer to Tuffy if you are clear and consistent in what you are expecting.  If you are returning to Tuffy to reward, you will mark and reward when you get back.  If you are going to want Tuffy to come to you, than you need to make that clear by using his release word to give him permission to break the wait.    I use the same release word I use for permission to go out a door, get out of the car, etc.

 

The biting clothes thing will eventually go away as he gets older .. again, you just need to be consistent in the interrupt/replace with a toy … every time.    I think it took about 3 wees of that to get rid of trackpant tugging with my boy when he was a pup.

 

And as for chewing things left lying within the puppy's reach … ummm…. I eventually learnt to pick things up and put them out of reach. … consistently.

 

Thanx I will try this.  and let you know how it goes.

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1 hour ago, persephone said:

I give the food on my fist one bit at a time ..pups don't get any food until they take their mouths off my skin  and sit .They mouth and wriggle ..but catch on very quickly :)

We also don't give him any food while jumping,  when he sees us eating he gets over excited and would jump on a hot cup of coffee or tea , since he has become taller he would jump on us and try to go right after food. Usually it caused spills on dinner table or sometimes even our clothes.  Most of the time we will  get angry with this behavior  he gets  a loud "No " then he will try to run and still have a go at food. Then I have to stand up while having dinner and calm him down.  ( I am thinking of keeping him in leash or crate him while lunch and dinner times)  I am confused if I do that he will never learn to behave?

 

Also I wanted to ask you, is it ok to give food to dogs while we our eating? Is this encouraging bad behavior?

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2 hours ago, Tassie said:

Here a Link to a version of Susan Garrett's famous It's Yer Choice Game … which is kind of an expanded version of what @persephone is saying.    You can play it sitting in a chair to start with .. which is easier, as you can anchor your elbow to your knee to stop you jerking your hand away if the pup starts mugging the food.   It's important not to do this .. just to keep your fist closed, and enjoy watching whata the puppy does next.   Jerking your hand away will encourage the puppy to grab at you.

 

Funny thing happened with the link, So clicked on link and on top u get a screen shot to play the video, I am clicking that screen shot for last 1 hour trying to make it work :laugh:. ( i was occupied with some other work) Just few minutes ago i realized its a screen shot :D

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23 hours ago, Sunny1979 said:

We also don't give him any food while jumping,  when he sees us eating he gets over excited and would jump on a hot cup of coffee or tea , since he has become taller he would jump on us and try to go right after food. Usually it caused spills on dinner table or sometimes even our clothes.  Most of the time we will  get angry with this behavior  he gets  a loud "No " then he will try to run and still have a go at food. Then I have to stand up while having dinner and calm him down.  ( I am thinking of keeping him in leash or crate him while lunch and dinner times)  I am confused if I do that he will never learn to behave?

 

Also I wanted to ask you, is it ok to give food to dogs while we our eating? Is this encouraging bad behavior?

So here's another opportunity to think not just in terms of what you don't want, but in terms of what you would like to see Tuffy be doing instead.   This is where you could use your crate or your x-pen to help Tuffy be "correct" .. remember, make the right thing easy and the thing you  don't want more difficult.    So your meal times could be an opportunity for Tuffy to spend a little time in his crate - or his x pen - some confinement space in an area where he can still see you … with a nice tasty chew thing .. not sure what you could use .. but something like a frozen  chicken wing or a dog chew.     You will find after a few days, that as soon as he sees you all getting ready for your meal, he will start to take himself off to his "special place" to get his chew.     Think always of "can I get the pup to want to do what I want him to do" … think of how to build value in the pup's mind for that, rather than rewarding him  with attention for doing what you don't want..... yes, even though you think you're correcting him, in his mind, you're paying attention to him … guess who won..  

Again, if you can be consistent with this, your smart little man will learn in no time.

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2 hours ago, Tassie said:

So here's another opportunity to think not just in terms of what you don't want, but in terms of what you would like to see Tuffy be doing instead.   This is where you could use your crate or your x-pen to help Tuffy be "correct" .. remember, make the right thing easy and the thing you  don't want more difficult.    So your meal times could be an opportunity for Tuffy to spend a little time in his crate - or his x pen - some confinement space in an area where he can still see you … with a nice tasty chew thing .. not sure what you could use .. but something like a frozen  chicken wing or a dog chew.     You will find after a few days, that as soon as he sees you all getting ready for your meal, he will start to take himself off to his "special place" to get his chew.     Think always of "can I get the pup to want to do what I want him to do" … think of how to build value in the pup's mind for that, rather than rewarding him  with attention for doing what you don't want..... yes, even though you think you're correcting him, in his mind, you're paying attention to him … guess who won..  

Again, if you can be consistent with this, your smart little man will learn in no time.

interesting. Chicken wings here I come....

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Sad news. I hit tuffy again, he peed on couch. I am so sad and sorry for what I did. I have decided to give him away as I promised myself that I will never hit him again. Sorry guys not sure If I should have told u this.

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Very sorry to hear that @Sunny1979 but you know your own situation best. We can put you in touch with a good rescue in NSW who will foster Tuffy and train him to be a great family dog before rehoming him if you like.

Puppies are very hard work, pretty much like toddlers.

There are households where an adult dog, already trained, is a better option than a puppy. Only you yourself know whether or not your household is one of those.

Edited by RuralPug
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Ohhhh...

I am sorry you feel so unhappy  . Are you absolutely sure  you can't train yourself  ?   I am glad you told us ...These forums are SO valuable to folks just like you , who often feel  as if they are way out of their depth with a new puppy .... .

We can try & help you to stop feeling like the worst dog owner in the world ... you are not the first  to do what you've done ... and that you feel so bad  shows how much love you have for little Tuffy . 

If you really feel that you cannot trust yourself  and are looking for another home ... then , please ask ANY questions here  if you think the home might not be good enough for this little boy .
Would you like to give it another try ? 
It has more chance of getting better the older he gets - truly ....   

 

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19 hours ago, Sunny1979 said:

i am in india, i am talking to families near me who can take good care of him, Its not his mistake, I am punishing myself for hitting him.

Oops sorry! Did you realise that your thumbnail profile shows you as in NSW, an Australian state? You should be able to change that to read 'overseas' to prevent future misunderstandings. :)

Do make sure that any family you choose for Tuffy has successfully raised a dog from a young puppy before.

Edited by RuralPug
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Will keep u guys posted with updates. 

 

Tuffy Went for his first morning walk today. 

 

He was really Happy. He spent like 1 hour playing in grass and waited to come back home to poop :). This time I was not angry as before. At least he pooped in right place.

 

Tuffy has  Learnt Kiss command and he now rolls much better.

 

He is shedding his hair like crazy.

 

Poor guy is so scared of me that If I raise my voice he runs under the table.  Yes scary me!

 

 

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Ok guys , I found a new home for Tuffy, its 700 kms away from my place.  Hope his new owner will never hit him.

 

The new owner owns a lab, I plan to gift  tuffy's personal stuff  to the new owner, also would be sharing  his food habits, games etc. I want both of them to bond  together. 

 

 

 

Would it would be wise to keep tuffy hungry few hours before travel, and then new owner feeding him with hand first time? Would it create a bond that way?

 

Anything I am missing please let me know

Edited by Sunny1979
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7 hours ago, Sunny1979 said:

Ok guys , I found a new home for Tuffy, its 700 kms away from my place.  Hope his new owner will never hit him.

 

The new owner owns a lab, I plan to gift  tuffy's personal stuff  to the new owner, also would be sharing  his food habits, games etc. I want both of them to bond  together. 

 

 

 

Would it would be wise to keep tuffy hungry few hours before travel, and then new owner feeding him with hand first time? Would it create a bond that way?

 

Anything I am missing please let me know

I'm sure that you have researched the new owner carefully, if you haven't actually met them, and checked with their neighbours to see how they treat their current dog. If you have the new owners address, it would be simple to write to a neighbour or two. :)

Feeding by hand is not necessarily a way to create a bond - being kind, loving but setting firm boundaries is a better way!
Whether or not you feed Tuffy within a few hours of travel will mostly depend upon what type of travel, whether or not he will be accompanied and how long it will be from door to door. It is much more important to to see that he will have access to water at least every three or four hours during the journey.  Him traveling with his new owner by car would be the most ideal journey. In that case, you would not feed him within a few hours of starting the journey.

Edited by RuralPug
fat finger typo
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Puppies tend to puke when traveling on a full stomach (cars and probably train as well) .  With my first litter as a breeder I ended out paying a fairly large vet bill for a puppy buyer who thought the pup was sick because it vomited in the car.  

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