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Andyrebee
Posts:5
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| 09/29/2009 10:05 AM |
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Hello Everyone,
Let me start by saying this is my first time posting but I have been really impressed with everyone's knowledge of GSPs on this site. I would have made three seperate posts but i figured this would be a better way to get answers. I have a 6 month old male GSP and he has some habits that quickly wear on a person.
1) Jumping - he jumps on everyone. we have done the can trick, the "hold the paws", forced him down (everytime), and pretty much all the "new puppy" techniques but all that has done is taught him how to be quick and jump so you can't do anything about it.
2) Barking - He doesn't really bark outside but when he's in the house and wants attention or wants something he barks at people. Most of the time were just sitting on the couch and he will start barking at one of us. We have tried ignoring it and putting him on timeout everytime he does it, doesn't seem to work.
3) Chasing - the worst one of all. What he does is grabs something he knows he not supposed to have and gets you to chase him. We have tried distracting with toys, tried not chasing him, and now we are trying a trick where everytime he grabs something and we get him we bring him to a mat, tell him "no" with the item he had. This has also just made him quicker and smarter.
4) Counters - He jumps up on counters like no ones business. I never allow him to do it and always either make him get off or bring him back to the spot and tell him no. All I seem to have seem to achieved is taught him to jump up only when I can't grab him instantly.
I realize that people have posted these types of problems before, but I have tried most of the suggestions with no avail. Also I really enjoy this site and don't want to go against forum conduct so if further questions should be split up please let me know. Thanks for taking the time to read this incredibly long post. |
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:7922
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| 09/29/2009 10:19 AM |
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At 6 mos with a male GSP you have your hands full which you already have figured out. My male is 16 mos so it wasn't so long ago that I was where you are. What I would do is tie that boy to you with a leash so he is never out of your control. I know this will be a pain, but you have to be able to stop him in the act. Otherwise, each success reinforces all the behaviors you describe above. For the jumping, put you knee in his chest. For the chasing, don't as that really reinforces the game and they love it. Be sure you keep things picked up that might tempt him to grab and run. Again a pain, but if you want to stop the behavior you have to remove the temptation and reward he is getting. For counters if he is attached to you he can't get on them. You also might try some mouse traps on the counter or something else that might startle or scare him a bit. Some have used water pistols successfully. With the barking, try refocusing him on something like a bone to chew on or continue the timeout in a crate.
Overall, my guess is this boy needs more exercise as well. Take him out and run him and I think you will find some of these behaviors diminish. Remember as is so often stated on this forum, a tired GSP is a good GSP. |
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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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pixie bee
MH
Posts:4474
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| 09/29/2009 10:26 AM |
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Welcome. I can say with all my heart I feel for you. I have been where you are many times and am about to enroll myself yet again into puppy terror next year.
All I can say is give exercise,nothing over the top, just exercise and train obedience. To say they out grow any of this would be wrong. They mature but a well mannered dog is raised not born. What you're doing is exciting him more then teaching him. Keep him on a leash tied to your foot. This way you can watch him all the time. It will cut down on many of your issues with him. Start teaching sit,heel,down,stand(whoa) and come. When he starts barking
train obedience for 10-15 minutes. This may wear him out.
BTW,it is not a GSP thing. It is a dog thing. You get what you train. So train good.
Francine
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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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pixie bee
MH
Posts:4474
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| 09/29/2009 10:26 AM |
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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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pixie bee
MH
Posts:4474
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| 09/29/2009 10:26 AM |
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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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Andyrebee
Posts:5
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| 09/29/2009 1:18 PM |
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Thank you for the replies.What i'm getting is that by chasing him it reinforces it. Secondary questions are 1) how long should I keep him on the leash? 2) what if he does get something that he cannot chew on (blackberry, earring..ect) will some sort of timeout work? |
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:7922
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| 09/29/2009 1:32 PM |
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I would keep him on the leash for a while, the length of time will depend allot on how he responds. With regard to getting something he isn't supposed to, trade him something he can have to chew on for the item he is not supposed to have. I also teach my dogs the leave it command. They catch on pretty quick. To begin with put food in the palm of your hand. Move it toward the dog, when he goes to take it close your hand and say leave it. When he backs off open your hand, repeat as needed. Once he gets to the point where he doesn't try to grab the food, take it with your other hand and give it to him and praise him. You will get to where you can set the food/toy/whatever down and tell him to leave it and he will. Also you might want to leave things out that he can have. I have tug toys, deer antlers, and other safe doggy items that my gang can get whenever they want them. They have a big toy box that is fair game. Works pretty good too.
I wouldn't use the timeout when he gets something he is not supposed to have. I don't think he would understand that he was in timeout because he got an off-limits item. Dogs live in the moment, so if you reward or punish it has to be instantaneous and something they can associate with what they did right or wrong. |
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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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MelB
MH
Posts:1217
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| 09/29/2009 6:22 PM |
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I can tell you what I've been doing with my pup which seems to work fairly well.
For the jumping I can anticipate when she's going to jump. For instance when I get home from work. Therefore, I come in and immediately get down to her level and before her feet can get off the ground I tell her to "sit" and I push her butt down. Only then do I actually pet her. If I stand up and she jumps I repeat the "sit" and put her in a sit. She's beginning to understand that she must sit if she wants me to pet her and see her when I get home.
for the barking for attention I simply turn my back to her. I refuse to acknowledge her demand for attention. If she continues I get up and leave the room giving her NO attention what so ever, then I return to the room. She's usually given up by then.
Chasing, Xara has tried the chase me thing. I refuse to play. Instead I will sit down on the floor and usually within 3 seconds she's over to me to see what I found so interesting on the floor. I then can take what she has away and she's ok with it. They aren't too hard to side track sometimes LOL. She will also so the "exchange" with me if what I have is higher value than what she has at the moment, the trick is to get her attention long enough for her to even realize I have something better.
She particularly likes the chase me game outside when I want her to come in. She's learned I pick her up to come in the house, so she will stand just out of reach. If I bend down she takes off. So instead I just open the door and walk in the house, that gets her attention real fast as she doesn't want to be left outside alone at this age and comes running to me. When she comes to me I praise her and tell her she's a good girl, I want her to learn that coming to me is GOOD.
Counters she can't reach yet, but we are already working on all 4 on the floor in the kitchen. She isn't allowed to jump on the cabinet faces, she must stay with all 4 feet on the floor. I am hoping that this early intervention works when she CAN reach the counters.......notice I said hoping LOL.
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