Jena
SH
Posts:58
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| 06/01/2012 8:38 PM |
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Hello! We are new to this site and hoping for some advice! We are proud owners of a 13 weeks old GSP, Stella. AKA our little billie goat! (she tries to eat everything in sight!) For the most part she is a well behaved dog. We are currently having a hard time with her being sassy. She mostly sasses us when we are telling her "no" for trying to get on the sofa. She will bite, growl and bark at us. She also latches onto the sofa with her mouth and stares at us. We have tried using a confident voice telling her "off" and also motioning to the floor, tried grabbing her by her collar and guiding her off the couch, using a spray bottle of water and walking towards her (kind of like Caesar Milan does). Either way she does not like to be told no. We started her in puppy socialization classes where she can interact with other pups (shes the only one at home) and we can start a structured basic obedience program. She is very dominant in class - always being on top of the other dogs. My impression is she is the alpha female of her litter. (not sure how valid that is, but my guess). The trainer suggested we start doing "time outs" where we give her 3 strikes and she goes in her crate for 3-5 minutes. Once we let her out she is on a "one strike your out" method and goes right back in if she gets sassy again. Does anyone of any suggestions how we can move past this? I am hoping as she gets older she will grow out of it and/or learn her boundaries. Overall she is doing well. Her exercise schedule consists of 30 minute walk in the morning, 30-60 minute walk/free time in field in the evening and about 10-15 minutes per day of "practicing" for our obedience class. We try playing fetch, but she hasn't quite grasped it yet - she goes after it, but then takes the toy and lays down to chew on it. Sometimes we can get her to do it, but not consistently. Has anyone else had a dog that gets sassy, but has grown out of it? Maybe it is just a puppy thing? I want to make sure we nip this before she gets older and acts out later.
Sorry for the long winded posting - just need some advice 
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smatulewicz
Michigan
MH
Posts:1191
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| 06/01/2012 9:53 PM |
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Welcome! Love the name, Stella. Now, I'm no professional, but it sounds to me you have a pup who doesn't see you as alpha, or the leader... So who are you to be telling her what to do  I would suggest incorporating into your training ways to reiterate your alpha status. Especially if you have a dominant gal. Ways we do this with Bella is having her sit/wait for food, waiting at doors until we go through first, having her work for a toy she wants or a treat. And by that I mean just doing a sit or a down (or others as you train more) for something rather than just getting it free. This will make her realize you rule and control the house and its goods.
Obedience training will do wonders. Always end on a good note, and I would do it as much as possible. We incorporate training in daily living as much as possible (actual training sessions are short, but use what you train as much as possible). Many of the above suggestions are great ways to do this.
Also, I'm not sure how a 3 strikes your out would be as... Does a dog really understand the concept. I don't allow unwanted behavior period, So if it warrants it... She gets a several minute timeout that i put her in calmly and silently (she responds to this better than verbal corrections usually). She goes in a down and is
Given her stay command (for 13 weeks you may have to tether). I also wouldn't use her kennel for timeouts for
Bad behavior if you plan on kennel training because you want that to
Be her place she likes. I don't hesitate however using it for time outs in the sense that Bella needs encouragement to "shut off" so to speak.
Stick with it. Inquiring and getting into training means you care and have the drive to do right by her so you are on the right path. Try not to feel defeated or frustrated. They can sense our emotions like crazy |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3136
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| 06/02/2012 6:15 AM |
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I agree that with what smatulewicz said about the 3 strikes... I correct once and that is their first and last chance...
If she has the couch in her mouth grab her nose and squeeze don't be afraid to give it a good squeeze and also say "ah-ah!" she should let go... then give her a toy or chew she can have... also for nippy bitey you can grab their nose and catch the inside of their cheek on their ow tooth so they kind of bite themselves...
She sounds like she will be a bold dog and that she is testing you to see if you are going to be in charge or if you will let her be in charge...
with the couch if she gets up grab and set her off it and say "ah-ah!" don't ask or tell her to get down actually make her do it...
if she throws fits when she is scolded then she goes to the cage for time out....
alot of times pups act up like this when they are tired so the time out helps alot and they end up taking a nap...
I think your schedule is a nice one... not overly active and practice isn't long... |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3136
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| 06/02/2012 6:17 AM |
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I also want to add use "ah-ah" opposed to "no" or "off" we use no and off in our every day speech that it looses it's meaning...
I am always hollering at the kids no so if I used that with the dogs they would think they were in trouble all the time... however I do catch my self telling my kids ah-ah! |
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smatulewicz
Michigan
MH
Posts:1191
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| 06/02/2012 6:35 AM |
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I love ah ah, and I too did myself doing it with kids lol. I do school photography and I have to remind myself not to do the stop hand motion and say ah ah lol.
Ignoring your dog when he is doing unwanted things works great too. They hate being ignored |
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Jena
SH
Posts:58
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| 06/02/2012 7:30 AM |
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Thank you for your quick responses! I agree that Stella is going to (or already is) a bold dog. I will definitely give the nose pinching a try! We have incorporated some alpha components into our daily lives. So far this is how we are trying to establish ourselves as alpha:
- We eat before she eats
- She has to sit before she gets her food (sometimes she gets jumpy - if that happens I put the food away and walk out of the kitchen. I will return 10 minutes later and try again)
- She has to sit before she can go outside or if we have the gate closed for the kitchen and she wants inside, she has to sit before i will open the gate.
- We go through the door first. Sometimes she darts, but most of the time we get through first. I have noticed she actually hesitates to go through the door and waits for us to move first.
- If I can tell she is about the jump on the couch I tell her "sit" and she does. Only to be followed 2 seconds later by jumping on the couch.
- I tell her sit or down (we just learned down this week) before she gets a toy thrown, or a toy period and before she gets a treat
- We do the "swap out" if she is chewing something she shouldn't be then we swap it for one of her toys.
- If she is acting out or jumping I get up and walk away. She always follows.
She is the first female dog for me. I had a male yellow lab who I had no problem establishing dominance with. Maybe it hasn't "clicked" yet with Stella.
I definitely think she can sense my emotions. It is so hard to turn those off sometimes. I need to work on that.
Splat - I think you might be right when you say they act out when tired. As I am sitting here typing I am thinking of her activities we've done up to the point of her jumping and sassing and she very well could be tired. She doesn't know when to stop and from reading this forum it sounds like GSP's could go all day if you let them. When we put her in time out she sometimes falls asleep or cries until she gives up and just lays there.
I think we just need to keep moving forward and incorporate some additional training pieces. She will be a great dog with some persistence and hard work. |
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smatulewicz
Michigan
MH
Posts:1191
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| 06/02/2012 8:44 AM |
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| Sounds like you are doing great. People on here are great, and you always have an understanding realm of peeps and I think with consistency you guys will have a good and happy girl! |
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smatulewicz
Michigan
MH
Posts:1191
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| 06/02/2012 8:44 AM |
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| Sounds like you are doing great. People on here are great, and you always have an understanding realm of peeps and I think with consistency you guys will have a good and happy girl! |
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:7844
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| 06/02/2012 9:37 AM |
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You got some good advice from the others. I would definitely incorporate some crate time into her routine during the day and if she gets sassy with you. Even when they get older if they get overly tired they get a bit crazy. My second oldest GSP was the worst when she got tired. I even have a phrase to describe her behavior when she got tired the has stuck. I called it the crazy Halos (my girls name is Halo). When she got tired she got wild and crazy, so I just started putting her in her crate for 15 to 30 minutes until she got older and learned to control herself. Worked great.
The other thing I would add is having a routine and being consistent are very important with shorthairs, some more than others. My male is very determined and if I give even a little with him, he takes 10 miles. So he always has to work for everything and he never ever gets a second chance. I would also add they do learn to count, so if you are giving multiple commands for something they learn very quickly that you are not going to correct them until you give the command the third time. So, command and they get a second to respond and if they don't you just help them respond and do NOT give the command again.
With puppies training should also be short and fun, and don't forget the fun. The more training you incorporate into play the better. You have to become the center of their universe and that is hard when they are puppies as there are so many distractions. So, remember that you have to work hard at training and reward them for correct behavior. That can be play or treats or anything they love. To many times people also forget to let the dog know when they are doing something right. So if you are getting the behavior you want whether training or just around the house remember to let them know that. Reinforcing good behavior is really more important than correcting bad behavior. Many times I say nothing when they are misbehaving and just distract them with a toy and when they start playing with the toy then they get more praise. Much of the time that is more effective with puppies than a correction. Of course, there is a time and place for correction too and you will have to use your judgement.
Good luck and post some pictures of your pup when you get a chance. And absolutely welcome to the forum. |
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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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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3136
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| 06/03/2012 6:04 AM |
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| It sounds like you have a good grasp on things... the sitting and waiting for food and waiting for you to go though doors first is a very good thing to start.... we did that from day one, they catch on super quick! |
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pixie bee
MH
Posts:4450
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| 06/04/2012 4:40 AM |
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She sounds like a great puppy.
If I were to say there is a problem it would be that she is oly 3 months old and manners have not yet been established.
I don't think she is being dominant - I think she is testing the waters - exactly what she should be doing.
Manners can be a big pill to swallow if the owners are not consistant and repeating enough.
There is teaching then there is training.
When the 2 get confused so does the dog.
I'm not in the boat about the alpha stuff with this puppy.
At 3 months old - you can't expect too much.
Attention span is what- 5 seconds????
I don't believe in the 3 strikes and you're out bit.
Either anticipate and prevent or you're dish out the no-no the first time.
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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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smatulewicz
Michigan
MH
Posts:1191
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| 06/04/2012 8:03 AM |
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| Though, I don't think establishing yourself as leader is always about dominance (case and point my dog who doesn't have a dominant bone on her body, but we still are established leaders). If your pup was was still with its mother, she would be learning her manners from her, her clear leader. Even a puppy needs to know who to look to for behavior and expectations, and who is in charge of the pack. Otherwise, they are forced to attempt to teach themselves and learn on their own. If she is seeing you as, say, she would have her littermates, that is why I say to her, who are you to be telling her what to do. You most definitely need to teach manners and expectations, but I'm not convinced she would warrant much anything you attempt to teach her if she doesn't understand and accept that you are the justified one to establish those things |
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