Smylinacha
Connecticut
MH
Posts:1208
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| 02/25/2011 6:43 PM |
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Tonight is a bad night with Windsor. It poured today and he didn't want to go out so no walk or yard time until I got home. My husband is lucky - he is calm during the day. At night he seems to act up. Normally, I'd come home, we'd immediately go for a walk, I feed him, then I eat and we play for a while. But he got zero exercise today but husband said he behaved. I come home tonight, I am shot from a very long, late week at work, walked the dog, he pulled tonight. The harness worked because I think I'd be on the ground if I didn't have it. We got home from our walk and he kept whining at the door. Can't even count how many times he went in and out . Rain stopped and we are having a wind storm right now. He has been whining STRAIGHT since we came back from our walk which was around 6:30. I was hoping to relax tonight and for once got out on time from work. Clingy, whiney, I checked his ears - they look okay (cleaned them also and no gunk). Got to the point where I had to leave the house to take a ride, just to get away from the whining since I can only take so much. This wasn't "conversation" - it was, and is, whining and howling. I did not play with him tonight, don't feel like it since my nerves are shot. How do I deal with this behavior-wise? I read things like "ignore him" or lock him up in his crate. I can't lock him up because he howls and then by the time I let him out, he's raring to go again. Could it be that he is spoiled and I pay too much attention to him? I'm with him all night long. I get about an hour of peace before it's time to go to bed. It's not every single day but it seems like when the weather is bad and he doesn't get out during the day - then I get the brunt of it at night time. Any suggestions? |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3136
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| 02/25/2011 6:53 PM |
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Sounds pretty typical behavior....they get very used to a schedule and they don't know what to do when weather is bad...
Even when you are beat and the day has been hard or the weather bad they still want and need their exercise and play time...on days like this you either find ways to play with them inside and do some mental stimulation with them or you listen to them whine....they are a lot like having toddlers who need attention and care at all times...
Even though you want to relax when you get home the best way to to really tired him out right when you get home so that you can relax the rest of the evening...
I'm not sure what kind of area you live in but if you are close to a pet store on rainy yucky days you can take him for a car ride and then a walk around the pet store...that way you get the walk and some mental stimulation to tire him out... |
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pixie bee
MH
Posts:4452
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| 02/25/2011 6:54 PM |
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A few things.
Teach him to heel and to walk on a loose leash.
Teach him 'place'. In this place he is to lay down and not get up.
He has expectations and when those expectations changed he became demanding.
What you can try is to go to bed. cCose the lights,maybe keep a lamp on for reading or watch TV. Dogs will naturally be quiet in the dark.
It's easy to loose your cool but don't.
Sleep well. |
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"Time with my dogs clears my mind, renews my faith, and lets me see the world as it is. My only regret loving dogs as I do, is the misery of their early departure." Robert G. Wehle
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3136
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| 02/25/2011 7:01 PM |
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I like what pixie has said....
when I typed mine I was watching TV too and when I read yours I thought you said you didn't want him in his cage cuz then when you let him out he wouldn't be ready for bed and would want to play...but you said he howls in the cage...
Maybe if he doesn't like the cage then you can get a rug and teach him that is his quiet spot or time out spot like pixie said...thing is teaching this will take some time, so no rest till then.... |
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Smylinacha
Connecticut
MH
Posts:1208
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| 02/25/2011 7:14 PM |
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| Thanks for the responses. He has a rug which we call his spot - right next to me as I am on the couch typing this. He won't go on it - still pacing and howling. Even some nights I can play with him for a good hour and he wants to keep going. That is why I wonder if I spoiled him or if I kept him on "too much" of a schedule so he can't adapt to an evening with different stuff going on? Bedtime is bath time. He'll jump on the bed and bathe and then figit for an hour before he finally passes out. Normally that doesn't bother me as I fall asleep to the TV going but something tells me he's not going to be behaving when it's bed time. I have no idea how to train him how to walk with a loose leash. I tried stopping and going the other way when he pulls but he doesn't seem to mind going the other way. I've tried just stopping but then it's non stop whining. Really can't afford a trainer. That is why I got the halter so it would stop him from pulling which is did but he has never walked by my side - always in front sniffing the ground. |
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therozypozy
MH
Posts:471
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| 02/25/2011 7:17 PM |
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They do get used to a routine. I have trouble with whining too. Mine is now whining in obedience too wanting the treat that I may have or she may get. So I am working on quiet in other places so that she understand what I mean. She will whine for me to open the door, so I have my hand on the door and will not open it until she stops. Sometimes it is taking me a while before I can open the door. But it is working that she understands what I mean when I say quiet.
I always have chews when the weather is bad. Keeps them busy. In addition, I purchased a ball that is made of wool. They have them a cleanrun.com. This an agility site, but they have some really cool toys for anyone. It is soft, can throw it in the house and it will not destroy anything.
I agree too with pixie bee, if it is dark, they do tend to settle down and relax.
Hope the weather gets better and work is not so hard for you and Windsor can get the workout he needs. |
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Jdog
JH
Posts:31
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| 02/25/2011 7:23 PM |
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Whining is kind of like a baby's cry. There are different reasons why a baby will cry so it's more important to sort out "why" (hungry, dirty diapers, hot/cold, pain, wants attention, etc.).
Seems like a lot of GSP whining falls in some common categories:
1. Frustration--as in not having enough exercise
2. Separation anxiety--fear of being left alone
3. "Puppy whining"--a kind of separation anxiety that usually occurs the first few nights a pup is away from mama. (obviously not the case here)
4. Anticipatory whining--an excited whine, like when seeing a squirrel. The pup can't wait to do something
5. Fear--sometimes fireworks or thunderstorms could cause this type of whining.
6. Attention seeking--a vicious cycle where whining results in attention that causes more whining.
So what do you think is happening? Each reason for whining requires a different solution or plan. I dunno, but it sounds like Windsor is frustrated and wants more exercise. Any chance he could use a treadmill for those days where the weather is miserable? How about playing fetch from the top of some stairs? Are there any open indoor places available? How about evening obedience classes?
Good luck. Let us know what you find and how things shake out. |
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Smylinacha
Connecticut
MH
Posts:1208
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| 02/25/2011 7:30 PM |
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| Thanks for the website - some cool toys in there! Problem - he destroys everything he gets - except for antlers and bones and his premier brand toys. Boy do I get the whining when he sees me getting ready to go for our walk! I will try the quiet thing - I won't open the door until he stops whining. He finally went to his spot and is snoozing but I'm afraid to get up because he'll get up to follow me and it will start all over again. Feel like a prisoner in my own home today. Not a good feeling but I'm hoping this too shall pass - he has his good and bad days, same as people I guess. Also he was in other homes before we got him. The breeder, this couple who got divorced (and I was told by the foster home that the woman did not work and was home all day and kept him locked up all day long until the husband came home - could be why he doesn't like his crate door shut), the foster home and then us so I think he might have some anxiety going on. He was horrible when we first got him and he's gotten better but he seems to be pretty needy. Trying to figure out if I am enabling that behavior and how and what I can do to stop it if I am doing that. This is my first GSP, nothing like my lab who was real mellow after he grew out of puppyhood. |
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gharner
Middletown, PA
MH
Posts:565
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| 02/25/2011 7:33 PM |
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| With "place" training, I keep a leash on them and put them on their bed/carpet/mat or whatever you want to use as their place. I give the down command, and then put him in a stay. If he steps a foot off of the place I correct with verbal correction and put them back on their place. If he steps off again I give a no and a leash correction and guide him back onto his place. If he is staying in his place I reward with a piece of food and tell him how good he is (calmly though...try not to be too excited and animated with this). It takes a while and although Dax knows what it means when I tell him to go to his place he still needs reminded often that I want him to stay there until I say he can leave. Its not a short term fix, but should help in the long run if he knows he's expected to stay on his place when told. I have issues with mine whining too, and its especially bad during the spring when the weather first starts getting nice. It gets better though. |
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Smylinacha
Connecticut
MH
Posts:1208
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| 02/25/2011 7:39 PM |
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JDog - it's gotta be whining out of Frustration due to lack of exercise on bad weather days or attention seeking (I am at fault for that because I have a hard time ignoring him when he wines - I always cave in).
I love the ball down the stairs idea! Great bad weather thing to do!
OK, he's barking now - told him to be quiet and he growled at me and tried to nip me - that is something new. He might need to be locked up tonight and I might have to go sleep downstairs in the kids room..... with ear plugs. |
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gharner
Middletown, PA
MH
Posts:565
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| 02/25/2011 8:27 PM |
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Hmm, yeah...lots of energy. And it seemed to have now turned into a temper tantrum. Bed might be good, start new tomorrow haha. Like Jdog said, treadmills are great for the dogs. Dax has been treadmill trained since he was a puppy. He loves it now and its great for rainy/snowy days. Treadmills aren't just nice clothing racks  |
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MainCreeksRemi
Wisconsin
MH
Posts:824
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| 02/25/2011 8:41 PM |
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Ahhh man I'm sorry you are having souch a rough night with Windsor.
Has he gone poop & pee...does he have a reason to want to be outside so badly?
It seems like to me when Remi is especially wound up he has a reason to be.....he needs to relieve himself, or he really needs some exercise.
In the 5 months that I've had him....I've learned that I can't really miss too much exercise. He needs to be outside and have some sort of stimulation everyday or he is unbearable! And that might mean that we take a car ride, go into work after hours and let him tear around there....or a trip to grandma & granpas to visit so that he gets some extra attention. My labs are perfectly fine if we miss a day due to weather or whatever, but Remi not so much. I have gotten really creative over the last few months! LOL
I do make him quiet down before we do anything. He gets especially excited when he sees his coat come out which means we are going to the lake or out for a walk. He has to be sitting and quiet before we put it on.
I do like to keep frozen kongs on hand or marrow bones for times when its just impossible to get out.
When we need the dogs to quiet down for the night, lights go out. I find that if we leave even our nightstand lights on Remi is restless. Once lights are out he settles down.
I hope Windsor settles down for you soon. |
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Loved by Kelley:
Remi (7/3/2010) GSP
Morgan (5/17/2008) Choco Lab
Nallah (8/6/2006) Black Lab |
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:7863
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| 02/25/2011 9:06 PM |
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Sounds to me like Windsor has learned how to get his way by whining, and he is frustrated now because the weather has messed with his routine. I think a good dose of training and mental stimulation would probably do the trick. I would start a routine where you come home every evening and do some training with him for 15 minutes. There are allot of good books out there to help with obedience training. Work on sits, downs, recalls, stand stays, heeling anything you want to. You will accomplish two things, you will be giving him some good training and mental stimulation. Also, you can do this no matter the weather. Then when the weather is nice, take him on a walk, and when the weather is bad play some inside games with him. I love to use rainy days for proofing or playing hide and seek games. Lot's of things you can do, you just have to get creative. It is relatively easy to tire a dog out with mental stimulation. Additionally, if he whines remember he does not get his way. You need to do things on your terms not his. At first it will be noisy, but he will eventually get it. So, grit your teeth and just hang on, it won't take that long for him to realize the whining will get him no where. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna)
Yellow Rose GSPs
   
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato |
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singltrak
Las Cruces, NM
MH
Posts:1149
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| 02/25/2011 9:50 PM |
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Yet another thing that Marcia kind of touched on is them being very much like toddlers or young children...say first or second graders. Most often when there is a barometric change, particularly a big storm coming in and before the barometric pressure starts back up again, the kids are restless (and so are the dogs). They get antsy, can feel the changes coming (much like animals can anticipate an earthquake or seizure disorder). So, that combined with his age and the weather could be making him extra crazy tonight.
Its tough dealing with the whining, I know.
One thing I would like to say about the halters, and I know many people use them and are very happy. I cringe when I see GSPs wearing them (or most any dog for that matter). The key is training, use a prong collar along with a regular training collar (choke), and switch out the rings, so the dog will not know which you are using. Go for a walk...with a prong collar, it is like adding a power steering unit to your dog, but it must be used correctly. If you are turning and going the other direction and your dog keeps going the way you were headed originally then something with the technique is incorrect. Give a quick pop to the collar (be sure it is placed correctly with the still ring coming from underneath and the sliding part of the collar over the back of the neck) and release as you turn. Say, this way and mean it. Don't, as an old instructor of mine used to say, "haul in the tuna"...iow, not continuous pressure on the collar...they will resist. I would too.
Good luck, tomorrow will be better. Put him in his crate and cover the front, put on your earmuffs and go get some rest.
Phyllis and the Singltrak furtribe |
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Look to the Past, Breed for the Future |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3136
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| 02/26/2011 6:13 AM |
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Yeah quick corrections with prong and choke collars...
You mentioned that you don't know how to train a loose lead walk....I think maybe you need to go way back to the basics and work on the loose lead either in the backyard with no distractions or in the house...once he is getting it in those places then you can take him on a walk down the street/around the block...
So maybe if you take away walks when you get home and do some sit, stay, down training...then do some loose lead in house and or back yard....after that if he still needs to run....then play in house or yard games with a ball...like fetch or hide n seek...
Once he has some more well rounded manners and is walking on his lead right then start some walks back up...
I would even work on putting him in his cage sometimes when you are working around the house like cleaning....start out by putting him in his cage and cleaning the room the cage is in....when he does well with this then move to a room where he can still see you but it is a different room and when he is good with that then you move to a room where he doesn't see you....this helps with separation anxiety...you don't have to use the cage you can use a time out mat but it is harder to make them stay on that... |
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pixie bee
MH
Posts:4452
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| 02/26/2011 6:18 AM |
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Have you considered he was a little hungry?
I wouldn't be concerned about the barking and nipping you. I wouldn't let it continue but it is not a sign of an aggressive dog - only a dog trying his darndest to get his message across.
He is in desperate need of obedience training. This takes time and can be frustrating- you take 2 steps forward and then 1 step back at times.
Obedience is a life long process - it requires maintenance.
We all have vocal shorthairs. Don't think you are alone in this.
You are in good company.
I call them opera singers.
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"Time with my dogs clears my mind, renews my faith, and lets me see the world as it is. My only regret loving dogs as I do, is the misery of their early departure." Robert G. Wehle
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Smylinacha
Connecticut
MH
Posts:1208
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| 02/26/2011 6:41 AM |
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Thanks gharner - I really need all the tips I can get. I'm going to try this - it's mental stimulation for the dog and in time it will get him to do as I tell him. He is good for the most part but as that old nursery rhyme goes "When he was bad he was horrid". |
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Smylinacha
Connecticut
MH
Posts:1208
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| 02/26/2011 7:01 AM |
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Thanks everyone for all the advice! I'm going to try everything I can. To answer about him being hungry - if he is hungry he'll whine and keep going to the cabinet where his treats are or stand in front of closet where his food is kept. He had his meal (3 cups kibble, 1/2 can wet food, yogurt and carrots) then had some treats about an hour later. Then I gave him a large pigs ear so I know he was good foodwise. I used to do 1 1/2 cups food for breakfast and he stopped eating it a while back so now I do 3 cups food for dinner with the other stuff added.
I thought it could be another ear infection but cleaned them last night and there was no gunk or discolor on the cotton pads.
Yes, there was a HUGE barametric change last night - we had a cold front come in and the winds were howling. And I do notice he is worse when this happens. I was grateful the rain stopped when I got home. It turned to snow but I was able to get him out for a walk. He tracked a bit but was mostly whining on the walk with his nose in the air so probably all the scents driving him nuts.
I will try more command techniques at home inside and I do need some obedience classes - going to try and find some.
Husband thinks the dog is dominant over me and I need to correct this. Dog is relatively calm with him but not with me or my motherinlaw on certain evenings. I just thought it was his windup time and maybe it is but for some reason I am not helping matters so need to look at myself and how to correct this.
All excellent suggestions that I will try. Husband used to GSPs as he's had them growing up. This is my first one, and yeah, it's like having a two year old little boy running around the house. Actually he reminds me alot of my son when he was two - always screaming and can't sit still!
So now I have a question about prong collars - are some better than others? I think the one we got was just a cheap one we picked up at Petco. |
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singltrak
Las Cruces, NM
MH
Posts:1149
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| 02/26/2011 9:03 AM |
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Not necessarily cheap on the ones from Petco. It depends more on the size of the links in the prong. There is a "mini-pinch", with tiny links that many experienced trainers use, as well as the 1-1 1/2 inch prongs and then a bigger size. I would suggest the mid-size.
Be sure it fits the dog (the links are removable or addable as needed). It should fit right at the mid point of the neck and with the prongs just touching the haircoat. Tighter and he's got a constant correction...(oh well, she's gonna get me anyway so I'll do what I want) and too loose and it takes too much time to make a correction. Remember, QUICK pop and release. The dog goes...argh, what was that?... at the next second the correction is gone and you are saying..."ah,what was that...this way!" in your brightest and best tones. It will take work...timing is everything, but you'll be amazed at the instant reaction that indeed, YOU are the Alpha dog in his life. |
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Look to the Past, Breed for the Future |
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:7863
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| 02/26/2011 5:10 PM |
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| I get my prong collars from J&J Dog Supply online. They make a regular collar and a quick release. I like the quick release, but I know allot of folks don't like them because they worry they will release unexpectedly. I have never had that problem with them. I also get the small and buy extra links. It works great, even with my big boy. As for when to use them, I only use them if I need a bit of reinforcement when I am training loose leash walking (not heeling). I do competition obedience, so I make a distinction and when we go for a walk I never require them to heel, but I do want them to walk with a loose leash. I suspect you need to go way back to square one and train the loose leash walking from the beginning. He does not know what you want and I am betting that you probably keep the leash tight all the time on him. If that is the case you are setting yourself up for pulling from him and the tighter you keep the leash the more he will pull. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna)
Yellow Rose GSPs
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato |
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