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Thread: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

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    Default Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    I got a 12 wk. (had since 8 wks.) old Lab/Rot mix...and he's SO hard headed.I wanna give him away or beat the mess out of him because he just is SO aggravating. At night, and mostly all die, i keep him tied up in the house (not in a cage) b/c he'll tear up everything and poop everywhere, but he doesnt go in his own little area where he stays tied up. Anyways, yesterday morning he got loose while I was sleeping, tore up my keyboard and mouse wires,ate DVDs, pooped EVERYWHERE, terrorized the cat (who also secretly terrozies him), let the bird out of the cage, and spilled his dog food all over the kitchen. SO, i decided if I cant get him trained myself(no classes,no money) Im dumpng him off on the next innocent 12 yr. old I see!! haha
    Any of you who had puppies, what are some tips? I love him, he's a beautiful and muscular puppy, but he stinks!

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    Featured Member georgiapeach's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    get a pen to keep him in or use a baby gate to keep him in a small area. a crate or anything like that is too small to keep him in all day. keep his food and water there. dogs don't like to relieve themselves near their food. take him out Very frequently. always after he eats and several times in addition to that. praise him a Lot when he goes outside. if he starts to whine or show any sign of needing to go out, take him out right away. as he gets better about relieving himself outside, you can slowly expand the area you keep him in.

    if he does make a mess in the house, you can only really reprimand him if you catch him in the act. even if you catch him 2 seconds later, he will have no idea what you are punishing him for. puppies don't think the way people do. if you do catch him in the process of making a mess, tell him no firmly and then take him outside. if he goes outside, Prasie him!!

    as for the chewing, make sure he has plenty of toys to chew on. puppies will chew on whatever they can get their teeth on. again, praise him a lot when he chews on his toys. say no firmly when he chews on something else and then give him a toy to chew on and praise him if he uses it. you can use a spray, like bitter apple or some diluted vinegar soultion, on your stuff. these sprays have a bad taste and will make him not want to chew things he shouldn't. and you can use a spray bottle with water in it to squirt him with if he chews on something other than a toy, jumps on furniture he shouldn't, etc.

    also, make sure he gets plenty of exercise. lots of walks and play time. puppies have a ton of energy and will use it destructively if they don't have any other way to burn it off.

    don't get angry with him; he's a puppy and he really doesn't know any better. correct him firmly with your voice (not yelling, just a firm serious tone) and praise the hell out of him when he does the right thing. be sure you make it very clear what is good behavior and what is bad behavior.

    if you're consistant and patient, he will learn. but you Must be consistant. good luck =)

  3. #3
    Darcy Foxx
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    Default Re: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    use a chain. that's how i trained my puppy. when they do something naughty, throw a chain on the ground next to them so it makes a loud noise and say "AAAAH" (or some other noise) loudly. do that every time they do something wrong.

    the best tip is to make sure that you do the same thing when they're naughty. if he chews something and you say "BAD DOG" and then he chews something else and you say "NO" they get confused. make him learn to assosciate one noise with doing something wrong and eventually, as soon as they hear that noise they'll back off. if my puppy is being naughty now, all i have to do is pick up the chain and she stops immediately. just the noise of me picking it up is enough for her to know that she's doing something wrong.

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    Featured Member georgiapeach's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    also, if you do decide to give him away, Please Please Please, make sure you give him to someone who will take good care of him. a lot of people don't realize how much time and energy puppies require. even if you do not want to keep him, you have a responsibility to make sure he is well taken care of. it is not his fault at all that he is doing what most puppies do.

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    Featured Member NatalieFRPhilly's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    My sister and I have recently started using water bottles to train our dogs. It really works because if you spray them when they are doing something bad, they get caught offguard. Now everytime I pick up the spray bottle they stop immediately.

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    Veteran Member Isolabella's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    Awe, I rescued a puppy a few years ago and was as frustrated as you sound. I found a great website and ended up teaching her hand signals before she was adopted into a good family home with a big yard. I can't find the site I used but this link might be helpful and is pretty on with what Georgiapeach suggested. http://perfectpaws.com/crt.html

    I will look a bit more and post the site if I do happen to find it. Good luck. It is a lot of work, but well worth it for you and the puppy.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Time is a precious currency. Don't waste your own, or steal it from others. No matter how much you think they have, or how little value you give them. - Me http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=isolabella

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    Default Re: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    Wow, you have a handful! Almost like deja vu for me as I have a lab, and she was just like that when she was a puppy. Labs are very energetic and need constant stimulation. I did take my dog to training classes and it helped a little, but not with behavior issues. Those I figured out on my own. It would be in the puupy's best interest to get her a crate. If you do, DO NOT use this crate as a form of punishment when she does something bad, you put her in it. Make the crate a nice place for her/him by putting her toys and treats in there. When you go to bed or leave the house, put her in her crate with a treat she can chew, like a rawhide bone. Only allow her to have her bone when she goes into the crate. Make sure that the crate is large enough for her to stand, turn around and house a water dish. When you wake up or come home, immediately take her outside to relieve herself. Normally a dog will not mess where they sleep or eat. This will teach her to relieve herself outside rather than in the house. You can also google for training tips as well. Labs are smart, but very frusterating. Don't give up, this stage will pass as she matures, just be patient. Try and take her out for a long run/walk before you leave the house or before bed. This will hopefully tire her out some and she will rest while you are away. Or take her to a nearby park and let her run out her energy by playing fetch. Don't worry, she will calm down, it just takes alot of time an patience. Trust me, I've been there and done that!
    Have you seen Mike Hunt?

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    Default Re: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    Send him to the FARM.
    I loved going to strip clubs; I actually made some friends there. Now things are different for the clubs and for me. As a result I am not as happy.

    Customers are not entitled to grope, disrespect, or rob strippers. This is their job, not their hobby, and they all need income. Clubs are not just some erotic show for guys to view while drinking.

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    Default Re: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    The farm will send him back he's so hard headed! lol I love my baby though.
    Im gettin ready to take him to the park...he does have a lot of energy that i dont always let him get rid of. Thx guys. Maybe ill post some pics of him. he is sexy! haha

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    Default Re: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    OK first things....

    1-Get a kennel for the dog. Leave him in it when you are sleeping or out of the house.
    2-Provide him with LOTS of chew toys. I reccomend pigs ears, Nylabones, and cow hooves.
    3- Do NOT hit the dog ever.
    4-Be patient.
    5-Get a book on dog training and read it. IN fact, get several. Look for ones that do not reccomend physical punishment as a training method.
    6-Exercise the dog a LOT. Young dogs have a LOT of energy. The more you exercise him, the less of that energy he'll use wanting to tear things up. If he gets little or no exercise, he'll want to use that pent up energy in a frustrating way...by tearing things up. I'd reccoment a long walk first thing in the morning when you wake up, and another long walk at night/evening, and one more decent walk before bed time.
    7-A dog views you and the people it lives with as its "pack." It will, by nature, want to lead the pack. Your job is to demonstrate ALL THE TIME that you are the leader of the pack. You do this by a lot of ways...NEVER let the dog go into an opening like a door before you, you should always be the one going before the dog...on occasion, when the dog comes to you and wants attention, ignore it...but then sometimes when the dog is not wanting attention, go and get him and play (this shows the dog that you are the one who controls your time together)...when walking, don't let the dog pull the leash. If he does, simply stop walking until the dog stops pulling. This takes PATIENCE. I did this with my dog when she was a puppy, and I swear, I'd have walks where I'd take two steps and have to stop, take two more and stop...but now she's perfect. Always carry treats with you...but small ones (very small...I reccomend dog sausage, you can find it in pet stores. Use TINY pieces, it's the best way to traing dogs. I mean TINY, like less than a thimble size). Use the treats to reward good behavior. On occasion, be a little mean to the dog (DON'T beat it or hit)...hold it down so it can't move...there are more....you'll see them in books.
    8-Try to secretly catch your dog doing the things you don't like it to do (like chew a pillow, for example), and when this happens, do something loudly unpleasant like blow an air horn or bang a pot.

    I can tell you more...but the main things are...make sure you dog knows that YOU'RE the leader, be patient, and be consistent, and exercise the dog a LOT.

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    God/dess Nautilus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    sounds like your dog is inside a lot. rotties have a strong inherent sheep-herding instinct (believe it or not) -- so, like the other 'farm' dogs, these ones will keep wrecking your shit unless you exercise them until they're too tired to wreck stuff anymore. labs are also so into water and the outdoors that it doesn't make any sense to keep them inside.

    if it's not absolute necessity to have the dog inside, keep him outside. i know he's cute now (albeit destructive), but when he's a 30kg (60-odd lbs) monster you won't want him pulling his stunts inside. cables and things are far too squishy and alluring for any dog to resist. it would be cruel to crate a dog like this. a kennel outside, toys and a running chain are your best bet. give him lots of things he is allowed to chew, and keep them outside.

    if you live in the snow - or only have an apartment, necessitating he be inside, the sad truth is that you picked the wrong doggie.

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    Default Re: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    Watch the Dog Whisperer.

    Be the pack leader.


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    Default Re: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    ^^^^^
    Yep...you have to be the pack leader. I sucked at it.
    We had a staffie pup. One of the most headstrong breeds. He was such a little shit....my husband kept him in line by roaring if he did something wrong. Really loudly really authoratively. It's like a bark from the pack leader. YOU MUST BE CONSISTENT with everything you teach the dog...otherwise he will not learn.
    He is now an awesome dog. He still mucks up occasionaly (terriers are shits) but it's rare and he knows what he should and should not do.

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    Senior Member FireTiger's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    Here are some excerpts from Pets 911 letters by Cesar Millan (the Dog Whisperer).

    Based on my experience, it appears your dog is not yet ready for complete freedom in your home. For now, try placing her in an open but limited area (like the kitchen or bathroom) where she can't hurt herself or demolish objects in the house. Don't set her up for failure by hoping she won't cause damage, but instead, create an environment where she will have no chance to fail. Usually, destructive dogs are frustrated dogs. To release some of her pent-up energy, make sure you exercise her every day before leaving her alone for an extended period of time. Since it is too soon to give her full freedom without supervision, stick to a structured program of creating clear rules and boundaries before allowing her the run of your home.

    Cesar Millan

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    Default Re: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    I cant handle this puppy, I shouldnt have got him. I love him to death, but Im not able to play with him like he deserves.I called the shelter and set up an appt. for them to come get him... I finallyfound a home! Then she said "you should know, we dont adopt out a rot mix....he'll be put to sleep. NEVERMIND! so im looking for a home again. Anyone wanna come to Florida and take him home with you??? lol

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    Cally
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    Default Re: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    Im so sorry to hear I would take him but im all the way here and its illegal to being a rot mix to Canada

    Maybe make a craiglist ad? That way you can screen the applicants?

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    Default Re: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    Quote Originally Posted by Xiomara
    I cant handle this puppy, I shouldnt have got him. I love him to death, but Im not able to play with him like he deserves. lol
    Why would you take a dog that you can not care for in the first place. I know you had a thread about your cat getting pregnant too. Get the dog fixed before you dump him off on someone else. Please do not rough house with this dog, nor punish him by hitting him. This would make him a dog who thinks rough housing is acceptable. This combined with his breed is what will make him unadoptable. Call the no kill shelter or other local pet rescue groups which you can find on the internet. I hate to say this but I say it with genuine concern. Xiomara if you are not ready to care for a dog nor a cat what makes you believe you are ready to care for a human baby???
    "Can we read it on the Smoking Gun? "

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    Default Re: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    I *definitely* suggest using the methods of Cesar Millan. (He has a show on the National Geographic Channel called the Dog Whisperer.) I haven't ever found a more effective way to teach your dog the appropriate way to behave! </animal behaviourist>
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    Default Re: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    I never hit him...I would never hit an animal,much less a puppy. When I got him I thought I could handle him, till I realized I really dont have the energy for his playfulness,plus Im going to have a baby soon. I want a clean,fresh smelling home...not one smelling like a dog that I dont have time to housebreak! A friend of mine has a boyfriend whos been begging for this dog,but he has pits who fight,and i didnt want this one getting hurt or yelled at and shit.
    I walked over to the pet store for dog and cat food, and told the owner that I was looking for a good home. The girl who works there said she would love to take him home with her! She has a big yard and has not much to do. And this way I know where hes at and I can get pictures sometimes!
    And I never had a puppy,I didnt know what to expect.
    And Misha,Ok.

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    Featured Member georgiapeach's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    Quote Originally Posted by Xiomara
    The girl who works there said she would love to take him home with her! She has a big yard and has not much to do. And this way I know where hes at and I can get pictures sometimes!

    that's great! i'm so glad you found a good home for him

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    Default Re: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    "" Xiomara if you are not ready to care for a dog nor a cat what makes you believe you are ready to care for a human baby???""

    I can handle my child,thanx.I am raising one girl already and shes happy and healthy.She has nothing to do with a dog.
    I said I dont have the time to run around the yard,and clean up after him, or teach him how to not use the floor as a potty. He needs more time and energy than I have since all my time and energy will soon be going to a newborn.I thought I could handle him,and I cant. So I found him a good home where he can run around and play...like a responsible pet owner would. Excuse me for putting my childs needs before a dog who is happy with another owner.
    And my cat is fine. Spoiled and very well taken care of. Nowhere in my posts did I say I cant take care of her.
    Anyway...
    Last edited by Xiomara; 09-11-2006 at 06:44 PM.

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    Default Re: Tips for training a hard headed puppy??

    I kinda miss that lil terrorist. hehe o well, he's happy now. I guesss we can close this thread. Im finished here.

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