Bad Behaviour!

[squirt80]

Hi all ,

I posted this in the training forum but I thought I might try here as well. We are having a few issues with our BB pup, We attend obdience training once a week and I practice with her for about 10 mins a day, she is great on the lead very obiedent, she will sit on command and drop when she is on the lead, When off the lead her recall is ok and she will sit no probs but won't stay and she will only drop when she knows there is a food reward and still won't stay down. She is only six months so I am expecting this will improve with practice.

My concerns are that she jumps up on people, she barks for attention and will bite at your heels and feet to gain attention, she was originally going to be a mostly inside dog but she chews everything and won't settle when she is inside unless you have a major play session 1st (this includes after she has come in for a walk), so this has meant that she is often relegated to the yard when she gets over excited as time out which happens regularly. She has also started humping my leg, no one elses.I would really like to stop her nipping and biting peoples feet and barking. What I would love to do is train her so that she can come in and lie down on her spot and be with the family without trying to gain everyones attention. She does get heaps of attention already!!. Any advice would be appricated

[cavNrott]

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Edited June 7, 2009 by cavNrott

[Tonymc]

Squirt, it seems the problems you are mainly concerned with right now are the chewing and jumping on People.

Firstly the Chewing. I would split things into two groups. The two groups being things she can chew and things she cannot chew.For the things you do not want chewed try this.Get something like a Cotton Ball and coat it with say Vicks Vapor rub.Take the Cotton Ball to the Dog so she gets a very strong hit of Vicks, which will be unpleasant to the Dog.Then smear Vicks on the things you do not want chewed.

With the things that it is ok for the Dog to Chew such as Bones,Toys so on, smear them with a bit of Peanut Butter.You can also reinforce the behaviour you want by putting a collection of things on the Floor.In the Collection have both things she can chew and things she is not allowed to chew.Have vicks on the non chew things and Peanut Butter on the I can chew things.Stand close by.When she goes to the things that she is allowed to chew,praise her and make a big fuss of her.

Squirt,I am assumng here that the jumping is when people come to visit and happens inside and outside.These situations require your Visitors to comply and follow what you suggest regarding the Dog.If outside I would start by having the Visitors turn and walk away from Her and ignore her if she starts jumping up.Only when she has calmed down go back to her.

Inside I would advise your visitors to make no fuss of her when they enter and ignore her completely.She will of course try it on, but everybody has to continue to ignore her.Or as soon as she starts jumping immeditately take her from the Room into another area.Leave her there for a while then bring her back. If she starts jumping again take her straight out again and she will get the Idea.

With the Feet nipping, you could try distracting her with a loud noise, or give her something she can chew on to break her focus away from Feet.You can of course remove her as soon as she starts nipping then later bring her back. Tony

[squirt80]

Thanks for the advice!!, Tony she usally jumps up when people are sitting down, She is still only small and she is very cute so people tend to make a huge fuss of her all the time, They tend to come in and go right down to her level to play and fuss over her even when we are out walking people do this but on lead I have more control of her, should I have her outside and then introduce her to people on lead 1st, do you think that would help??

CavNORT I will try the lead thing cause she is supervised at all times when she is in the house she usally won't leave the room we are in but she does try and chew furniture and my sons toys and she has started to try and pul things off the lounges (like newspaper and cushions) so I think having her on the lead would actually help alot as she responds well when she is on the lead.

[Tonymc]

Squirt, you have a People Problem as well as a Dog problem.The key to changing the Dogs behaviour is getting your visitors to comply with your wishes.

I know getting people to do what we want can be a problem at times.I would put it to them in this way."I want my Dog to be a well balanced and well behaved Dog as that will make life better and happier for both the Dog and I.I know you are a good Friend and I would like to ask you a big Favor.I would ask you,when you visit to please follow what I suggest inregard to my Dog.I know you are a great Friend and will not mind helping me out and it will mean a great deal to me and the Dog!!!!"

Squirt, once you have the visitors onside then explain to them that when they enter the room and sit down, they must ignore the Dog initially.No eye contact no nothing.The Dog may well of course jump on them and try it on.Still ignore her and if she persists take her out of the room for a while.Then bring her back in and try again. Tony

[bulldogues]

She sounds like a typical 6 month old Bullie to me. They behave like naughty 2 year old kids. The girls are worse than the boys. One of my girls does the attack the feet thing only with me ( I have tried everything to stop her but she considers it our game) and another does the chew up plastic and fluffy things. She can destroy a dog bed within an hour and is gradually working on her kennel. Both girls are 20 months old.

Crate training will help. Bullies are not the easiest dogs to train as they have a mind of their own. My girls are angels in the showring but devils elswhere :rolleyes:

I have just started 2 new pups in the ring the boy is fine but as soon as the girl gets in the ring and sees the open area she thinks its playtime lots of work to do with this one too.

Good luck with your girl I am sure she will settle down with age.

[Monah]

Squirt, you have a People Problem as well as a Dog problem.The key to changing the Dogs behaviour is getting your visitors to comply with your wishes.

I know getting people to do what we want can be a problem at times.I would put it to them in this way."I want my Dog to be a well balanced and well behaved Dog as that will make life better and happier for both the Dog and I.I know you are a good Friend and I would like to ask you a big Favor.I would ask you,when you visit to please follow what I suggest inregard to my Dog.I know you are a great Friend and will not mind helping me out and it will mean a great deal to me and the Dog!!!!"

Squirt, once you have the visitors onside then explain to them that when they enter the room and sit down, they must ignore the Dog initially.No eye contact no nothing.The Dog may well of course jump on them and try it on.Still ignore her and if she persists take her out of the room for a while.Then bring her back in and try again. Tony

Tony, who ever you are, you are sooo clever. Always reading your advice and using it so thanks. I agree with tony, squirt. the first words ANYONE hears at our door are, IGNORE the dog, ignore the dog ignore the dog!! THis fixes the people problem and hopefully the dog follows suit. It worked for us but took a while,(except with my mother who doesn't listen to me, but then mothers don't)

[Tonymc]

Monah,thank you for your kind words. Tony

[squirt80]

another does the chew up plastic and fluffy things. She can destroy a dog bed within an hour and is gradually working on her kennel.

I have to clean the backyard up daily as whenever she gets new toy it is destryped within 24 hours sometimes 10mins have learned to get tougher toys . Thanks Again Tony I can see now that we really do have a people problem , I am sure I can get people to comply!! thanks Again keep you updated

[Tonymc]

No worries Squirt, it will be interesting to see how you get on. Tony

[squirt80]

Been a while and we have worked hard so I thought I would update, She has improved so much!!!, She is no longer nipping at peoplee feet the loud ahah usally stops her if it didn't she was put out she does not do it anymore YAY, we tried the Vicks thing Tony and it worked a treat on stuff we could put it on, Of corse Our sons toys were still annissues so when she is in the door to his room is shut and I ordered a create so we can start create training. so I just wanted to say thanks again for the advice and we are going to continue working on the jumping on people cuase she has eased of a bit but only when she is only on the lead!

[Tonymc]

Squirt, good to hear that things have improved for you and the Dog.The Vicks as you saw is a good deterrent. Tony