Have a question regarding the training or behavior of your pet? Is he getting in the garbage? Barking all night?
We'd love to help! Submit your questions below and the answer will be published here on the site!
Please remember this is general information and all questions specific to your animal should be discussed with your veterinarian.
Click on the question for the answer, click again to hide the answer. If you have issues, please contact the webmaster.
Puppies, while still with the mother and litter-mates, are constantly being taught and reinforced in all behaviors. One of those early lessons is how much pressure is acceptable when mouthing or play fighting. Once a pup joins its human family, it's up to us to teach these lessons.
When a puppy bites you in play, you must let it know that this behavior is unacceptable. A sharp "NO" may be all that is needed. Although, any sharp, well timed noise will work.
Another trick is to fold the pups lip over a tooth, so that when it bites you, it is biting itself.
Remember, a puppy will not out grow bad behaviors, it will grow into them!
I have never heard of a dog acting like yours after being neutered. There are changes that take place however, but those changes are due to the removal of testosterone. Generally after being neutered, a dog will be less likely to fight, wander, want to breed and to become the pack leader. As for the dog chewing and not listening to commands, it has nothing to do with the surgery.
At your pups age, it may well be that he is entering into a rebellious period that in children is often called "the terrible two's". At this time, you must reinforce the commands, make sure that the pup understands that these are not requests, but commands!
The chewing is most often from boredom and a lack of physical and mental stimulation.
Do you let the pup out of his crate when he carries on ? If so, the pup has trained you !
Dogs (pups) are always looking for a way escape pressure or a situation that they don't want to be in. Crying is just one way the pup learns that it can control the human, and get what it wants.
The first few nights that I bring a new pup home, it sleeps in it's crate which I place next to my bed,this does several things.....
* first, it allows the pup to hear my breathing and smell me, as I sleep. It is comforted by knowing that it is not alone.
* second, it allows me to play "earthquake" with the pup. When he starts to cry or whine, I can shake the crate without even getting out of bed. It cries,...I command 'quiet' and shake. It does not take long before the pup learns that crying results in an earthquake, and quiet begets quiet. It has never taken me more than a few nights to get the pup well to settled in. It's also a good time to introduce the 'quiet' command before the earthquake begins.
During the day I will crate the pup often. It has to get used to the idea that the crate is a good and safe place. I also will always feed in the crate. The crate is never used for punishment. I use a squirt gun, or spray bottle to teach 'quiet'....ie., noise will cause a shower.
Remember, NEVER let the pup out of it's crate when it is crying. If you do, the pup will never forget that he can control the situation....good luck and enjoy the pup.
In general terms, dogs chew due to a lack of physical activity and mental stimulation. This is true for most destructive behaviors.
Although replacing the object being chewed with a doggie toy may help, as you have seen, it rarely solves the problem....he dog is still bored.
These are the things that I do to stop chewing issues...
First, see that the dogs gets more exercise. A 10 min. walk is not much exercise for a dog, he needs to run or at least get tired. If you have limited space or time to exercise, let him play fetch....
Second, don't give the dog free run of the house. If you are not in the same room as the dog, crate him...
Third, keep a water squirt bottle or water pistol handy. When he starts to chew, squirt him and command 'no', or 'leave it'. He will get the idea !
|