Unruly Puppy - won't listen!

[Kerry Hill]

Could someone please help!? I have an 11 week old bulldog (got her a week ago). She is very hyper (was after feeding and I'm weaning her off her 'rocket fuel' diet onto something very natural to see if that helps, but seems to be all the time now) and she constantly nips and hangs off of my 9 year old bulldog who is too docile to fight back. This is causing me a lot off stress as she also nips at me and although I've tried all the methods given, nothing is working. I can't ignore her and go into another room because she would still be attached to my foot! Water squirters don't work neither has making a loud noice (tried variety of methods) is not responding to any training or commands. Have tried putting her in a crate when I leave the house but I always come back to a very badly soiled crate and puppy. She happily goes in her crate unprompted at other times of the day and often falls asleep in there. I am using all the alpha techniques with the feeding, doors, etc but at the moment i am at my wits end.

Any advice anyone can give would be appreciated as I feel like I'm going mad and it's a very stressful time.

KH

[Todd]

Hi there and thanks for the question.

Puppies can be very frustrating but you are doing everything right. Seeing as you ahve tried all the basic methods i will try to mention some others. If they don't work come back and tell me and we can try some more.

Firstly i think we need to try and teach your pup that she will only get attention when being calm and relaxed.

When you arrive home at night ignore her for the first 15 minutes. That means don't look at her, don't pet her, and don't talk to her. After 15 minutes go to her and ask her to sit. When she sits then you can give her attention.

Avoid overexciting her - ie don't play rough or pet her so much she gets worked up. If she does ignore her until she has calmed down.

When you are ignoring her and she nips at you as you mentioned it is still okay to tell her off. Use a loud GRRRRR or AHHHHH and try a squirt with a water pistol.

If she is still a slow learner and keeps nipping she may require the same telling off as above but may also need a little tap on the nose to get her attention and let her know it is not okay. If she still doesn't get it a more firm tap may be required but don't be tempted to whack her.

This is the same if she is having a go at the other dog. Tell her off and then ask her to sit. If she does then calmly praise her.

When you are playing with her or feeding her try not to get her overexcited anymore than you need to.

As for the toileting issue - try getting home for lunch if you can or if this is not okay try and let her out right before you leave and as soon as you get back. This will hopefull help, but it may be something that may resolve when she behaves and can be left out with your other pet during the day.

Let me know how things are going and i will try to keep helping as i can

Todd

[arader]

our golden puppy was a nipper as well and we tried EVERYTHING they tell you...the growl, the spray bottle, ignoring, time outs, etc...Finally the one thing that got him off our hands was a taste of lemon juice! We put it in a squirt bottle and when he took a nibble, we gave him a squirt! We would tell him NO quite loudly. We were careful not to get the lemon juice in his face-just his mouth...he no longer bites us as if we were his toy.

Can't help you on the other issues but i have noticed that our puppy seems to have settled since we got the biting under control. We too followed the alpha dog suggestions and i think the combo is what he needed to put us back in charge.

[Laura Larson]

I too have a new puppy (he is almost 6 months old and we rescued him from the humane society - part shephard, border collie & husky) and he listens to us only when he feels like it. He is very hyper; likes to jump up to say hello, pulls on the leash when walking, jumps over our baby gates, cries the minute I leave the room and continues until I come back. He is pretty good in his crate during the day while we are at work and at night while we are sleeping. He treats me like a playmate, not the alpha, but yet doesn't like me to leave his sight. I have him sit before feeding, before going outside (I go out first and then call him) and the same with coming in and yet he doesn't view me as being above him. He too is a nipper, but only with me, not my husband. While I am trying to train him, he won't look at me and ignores me - makes training very hard and frustrating.

My pup and cat seem to play but he gets a little ruff and the cat hisses and bats, which is all a game to my puppy.

I need some idea, suggestions on how to get my guy to listen & pay attention to me & how to deal with his separation anxiety.

[cindyja]

We haven't had a problem with a soiled crate, but early in our puppyhood we've put bits of dog food in our pup's crate, both to ensure his comfort in it and to let him know that the crate is a place to keep clean. A dog will usually not soil the area where he eats.