So I have another issue but this time it isn't with the puppy! My husband is too much of a softie and will open the crate when the puppy is barking. I keep telling him that he's not helping and he says he keeps forgetting, ugh!!! Plus whenever puppy is biting he just keeps saying stop it, no bite tries to give him a toy but will not get up to go put him in his "time out" spot. It is so frustrating because I feel like I'm doing all of this on my own and I'm getting so drained. I know he's trying but he's just not a very strict person. Will our dog ever be trained????
Many of us have had to struggle with less than cooperative family members while trying to train our dogs. It is frustrating to be sure. Keep up the communication with your OH to let him know why you are training the way you are, hopefully it will sink in sooner rather than later As to the biting, giving the pup something else to chew on is actually a good strategy, so I wouldn’t fuss too much about that one.
I agree with Lisa, that giving a toy to redirect biting rather than a "time out" is actually a far more solid strategy, sorry to say. Your puppy will learn that biting toys leads to interaction with the human, hurrah! By the time you've picked your puppy up, put him in his time out spot and walked away, he won't have any idea what he's being punished for.
Do you have a copy of the Happy Puppy Handbook? If so, has he read it? Sometimes helps to make sure you are both on plan together so sharing the training plan (to some extent )
I think many have been in your situation! I found that going to a puppy training class together really helped, as the first class was without puppies and really stressed everyone in the house being on the same page. He came to the classes every week, but I am the designated "trainer". It really helped in the puppy stage, but he went rogue again later on and still is...
I think the thing is... (and I say this sitting with a ripped top and a bloody great bruise on the back of my leg) NOTHING works all the time, it’s a stage of development - babies when teething chew their hands etc, puppies aren’t really that different it’s just they have sharp little torture instruments to do it with. I think the best we can hope for is to distract as much as physically possible. I have been reliably promised that this stage does end eventually... it just feels like forever right now
Yes it does, it is hard. I'm just confused, so others have said to have a "time out" area other than the crate for when they get bitey, but others are saying no, I don't know what to do. I will definitely look into that book though. I just feel at a loss sometimes as I'm trying my best with this puppy but feel others in my home are not as serious about it.
We do use the time out with Maslow - but when he won’t stop despite attempting to distract.. usually if I’m honest it’s when he’s absolutely shattered and over stimulated, 10 minutes in his crate and he’s unconscious and snoring. Usually a bout of training and/or a game distracts him nicely - doesn’t avoid that first bite before you get the toy out though
Yes, when your puppy is overtired no amount of training is going to get through to him. So a timeout as a consequence would also be pointless. Putting him in his crate with a happy voice, a nice kong or chew will have him snoring in minutes.
I had, and still do have, the same problem with my bloke. He feeds Maisy from the table - because "she is looking at me". This is before she has eaten and then she won't eat her own dinner because it probably isn't as tasty as that bit of pie he gave her. He won't use the same commands as me, then he moans that she is disobedient (because Maisy does not understand him). He expected her to come out the womb completely trained and moaned at me for training her while he was watching tv/reading the paper/whatever. I feel that I am fighting a losing battle sometimes and we were arguing so much because obviously I want the best for Maisy. Don't get me wrong, he loves her to bits and is so good with her but he is too soft. Then I read - I think on this forum - that it does not matter too much if other people give different commands/cues to your dog, that it will not affect how he is trained by you. So I relaxed a bit and got to thinking, Maisy does not beg food from me or anyone else (only him), she does what I tell her and is obedient with me, etc. If he wants the same then he needs to step up. I think I may have ended up ranting here but I think our problem is the same and lots of others have it too. I'm sure it will all fall into place for you, you can't be expected to train both, especially as men can be really obstinate. Dogs want to please you and men can't be bothered. Sorry, there I go again, I'll stop now. Good luck.
