Re: Driving me mad! So am i better to just throw his ball outside and get him to bring it bk rather than playing a follow me game. I read it was good for recall to do this and helps when we start lead training. Gosh this is all so confusing!
Re: Driving me mad! [quote author=Lee Bell link=topic=9329.msg134320#msg134320 date=1420289433] So am i better to just throw his ball outside and get him to bring it bk rather than playing a follow me game. I read it was good for recall to do this and helps when we start lead training. Gosh this is all so confusing! [/quote] I think 'follow' is great and 'chase' isn't! Chasing could get out of hand, but following you is very much to be encouraged
Re: Driving me mad! Just wondering if the chase game depends a bit on the puppy's personality. I played it a lot with Inca when she was really small and still do sometimes in the park. She has never tried to catch me or be rough at all and just runs alongside. Maybe I've inadvertently taught her follow me instead? It was a really good way of tiring her out when she was small as we didn't want to try retrieving things too early or do too much retrieving.
Re: Driving me mad! My 19 year old daughter and I play chase with Harley and have done since day 1. We found it really helped teach her to keep her eye on us as we may change direction, plus it helped with recall when one of us would run off then call Harley to chase that person before being called to the other person she is now 17 months old and loves 'catching us' which means getting infront of us, stopping to get a reward
Re: Driving me mad! Bailey now 6 months has stopped biting unless tired or needs to go out and no ones noticed! I left him in the kitchen for a minute each time ! It passes hang in there x
Re: Driving me mad! Chase is good as part of training a recall. You're aiming for the dog to stop when s/he gets to you, so you run, they chase, and as they get close to you you turn around to face them, stop, and encourage them to you for a treat. Eventually you can build in a sit at the end. 'Restrained recalls' are fab - where person A holds the pup/dog, the other (person B) runs away, and, when the pup/dog is desperate to go, person A releases the dog. Person B calls 'come!!' as the dog is belting towards them, and then turns and gives a treat when the dog arrives. Then reverse roles and repeat I do agree that just running and chasing without stopping could end in tears...
Re: Driving me mad! How's the toilet training going? We keep taking one step forward and 3 steps back!! I'm setting my phone alarm and trying to be on it all day, :'( I've still got the whining and barking and the nice poo she does if I leave her for a short time, even f I'm just in the shower and she's just been to the loo. Ahhhh frustrating!! she's got so much more energy these days too, can't wait to get her out!!! She likes her rice bones tho!!
Re: Driving me mad! Its the same for Izzy. I can take her out for a wee and 5 minutes later she does it inside. And when i leave her to do something she barks and howls. The biting is still getting me down, the snapping and snarling are really quite agressive and im worried she will always be like that. Im leaving her alone tomorrow for a few hours and i feel bad saying it will be nice to have sometime away from her! Im such a bad mummy!
Re: Driving me mad! I feel your pain! Bella likes to lock on to my slippers whilst I'm walking around. I tried the ice cubes earlier and that diverted her attention, she seemed intrigued chasing them around and eating them. That and the rice bone, although she would prefer to nip me where possible I went out yesterday for a coffee and came back to barking, I'm also heading out again tomorrow as she needs to get used to it and I need a life! As of next week I'll be back at work but puppy sitter will visit her am and pm so hopefully she'll get into a routine. Slightly worried about toilet training though, I've started giving her a treat as well as all the fuss but after a wee earlier she did another in that house 5 mins later, other times she'll last 45-50 mins (and obviously longer if she's asleep) Ahhhhhh puppy stresses
Re: Driving me mad! Oh just to add, she's met lots of different people and is generally quite shy, yesterday my male friend came over ( who she's met before with no issues) she started barking at him every so often and trying to bite his feet and jeans ....... Embarrassing :-[
Re: Driving me mad! No Wendy, you are not a bad mummy. Just truthful. It isn't nice to be constantly nipped by a small creature or having to be constantly 'on duty' to make sure they neither harm themselves or your stuff.
Re: Driving me mad! I got so worked up this afternoon about her aggression that I told my partner we are going to have to get rid of her as I can't cope anymore. He thinks I need to be more stern with her and tap her nose but I don't believe in physical punishment. I don't want to give up but it's really upsetting me!
Re: Driving me mad! It's not aggression, it's really not. It's just the puppy biting stage. It passes.
Re: Driving me mad! Oh no Wendy hang in there, we are all in the same boat and it will all be worth it. You have put lots of effort in, once her injections are done we can take them out more and I think that will tire them. Can anyone else help? I know it's frustrating, can you keep putting her in time out, when it gets too much, she'll soon catch on? I got cross with Bella earlier with her barking and said no quite loudly and firmly and I think it scared her ... I felt awful afterwards but she stopped in her tracks. :
Re: Driving me mad! She's always in time out! I wish my partner would help but he told me from the start she was my responsibility and refuses to help! Maybe ill get rid of him! Looking forward to next weekend when she can go out properly, although as we live in a farm she has plenty of exercise now. Maybe I'm overthrowing her? All I do is moan about this poor little dog and yet I'm sat watching tv and she's lying on the floor asleep near my older dog and its such a lovely sight I could cry!
Re: Driving me mad! Wendy, I hear your frustration. And it is totally understandable. It will get easier as the pup gets out and about more and has more ways to get tired out. Right now all she has is you, all the biting and "aggression" is her attempts to get you to play with her. Your job is to show her what is unacceptable play and what you will allow. I can guarantee you that bopping her on the nose will not work, she will just see it as part of the "game" and it will just get her more excited. It's really a no win situation to go down that route. It's tedious and seems at times like the message is not getting through, but the best thing to do is to consistently apply the methods your fellow puppy-parents have suggested: frozen kongs, swapping toys or other chews for your limbs and clothing, brief time outs in crate or other rooms, acceptable play games, ignoring bad behaviour. Every day that passes is getting you closer to the day when "crocopup" disappears, hang in there! You will get there, don't worry!
Re: Driving me mad! Constant biting, sleepless nights, peeing here there and everywhere, high energy levels - it's normal to be driven mad and to feel like it's all too much. But it really will get better. It really will. Definitely try little time outs. When she's having a bitey episode, calmly say 'time out' and stick her in the bathroom or laundry (somewhere she doesn't normally go to relax or sleep). Let her out without a word 30 seconds later (or, if she becomes noisy, when you get a moment of silence). Time outs do work well and give you a moment to get your sanity collected again. Definitely don't bop her on the nose for barking or biting - I can almost gaurantee that this would make it worse. As Julie said, it's definitely not aggression. It's a normal puppy way of playing and getting to know the world (via the mouth). She's like a human baby - she doesn't know anything at all. But she will, and she will stop biting Promise Hang in there - but vent here anytime you need to!
Re: Driving me mad! My eldest springer Alice was the same when she was a puppy. I had to wear wellies in the house to protect my ankles from her ambushes. It is not aggression, I can assure you, Alice is now 7 years old and hasn't got a bad bone in her body. All puppies go through this stage, with some it is just a bit more intensely and a little bit more hard work.
Re: Driving me mad! Thanks everyone, I'll keep trying. In the meantime I think I'm gonna enrolled her in puppy training class. I hope this will help both of us!
Re: Driving me mad! That's a good idea! At the very least you'll meet others who can commiserate with you and give you more tips!
