Archive through December 22, 2001

The ClubHouse: Archives: DOGS: Archive through December 22, 2001

Moondance

Sunday, October 28, 2001 - 11:24 am Click here to edit this post
Cats own everything!!!

<Moon runs... VERY fast>

Neko

Sunday, October 28, 2001 - 12:01 pm Click here to edit this post
Run Moon Run!!Go visit Mahrajah's House in the Members Room. He's getting Lonely in there all by himself!

Spygirl

Sunday, October 28, 2001 - 12:06 pm Click here to edit this post
From what I know of Mah...I'm doubting he gets too bored alone

<SpyGirl runs very fast out of the room, too>

Neko

Sunday, October 28, 2001 - 12:18 pm Click here to edit this post
No!!Come back!!I won't hurt you!I'm a nice kitty!!

Grooch

Thursday, December 20, 2001 - 11:30 am Click here to edit this post
Hey, I can legally post in here. :)

Santa came early (Sat) and I now owned by a 12 week old baby pug named Rocky.

Jeep

Thursday, December 20, 2001 - 12:48 pm Click here to edit this post
That's great Grooch! You now have you own Pugita! I am sure you will have great fun together!

Have a Happy Holiday!

Wink

Thursday, December 20, 2001 - 12:54 pm Click here to edit this post
Congratulations Grooch. Santa must REALLY like you. Merry Christmas to Rocky and Daisy too.

Babyruth

Thursday, December 20, 2001 - 01:43 pm Click here to edit this post
Congrats on the new love in your life, Grooch!! I hope we get to see a pic soon!

Willi

Thursday, December 20, 2001 - 02:04 pm Click here to edit this post
Congrats Grooch. You're in for a lot of fun with a puppy & kitten running around. :)

Moondance

Thursday, December 20, 2001 - 02:21 pm Click here to edit this post
Yeah!!!!!! G's Pugita!

Grooch

Friday, December 21, 2001 - 06:56 am Click here to edit this post
Actually, Rocky is a boy. So he would be my Pugito. :)

Grooch

Friday, December 21, 2001 - 10:27 am Click here to edit this post
I need some obedience training help with Rocky.

Today he started with grabbing my pants leg and tugging at it and growling. He thinks its a game and I know this is probably one of those alpha dog tests that he is doing. I could not get him to quit. Even when I walked away, he kept lunging for my pants leg.

How do I get him to knock it off. He is not easily distracted.

I plan on taking him to obedience school, but it won't be till after the holidays.

Karuuna

Friday, December 21, 2001 - 10:35 am Click here to edit this post
Grooch, with my puppies, I usually use a correction, "NO", followed by giving him something he's allowed to chew on -- one of his toys. If he doesn't let go when you "growl" NO at him, slide your fingers over the top of his little puppy snout (do pugitas have snouts? :)) until you can slide your fingers in and gently pry his mouth open forcing him to let go. While you're doing this, repeat the growled NO, and then follow by giving him his toy and saying "good dog".

It takes lots of repetition, but it works and works humanely. Also, the better you can growl your 'no', the better it works -- use a very low, kind of gravely voice. You need to convince him that you're the alpha male.

Babyruth

Friday, December 21, 2001 - 10:37 am Click here to edit this post
Redirect him with another toy that is appropriate. Praise him when he plays with it.

Try not to pull away your pant leg--that only engages him and reinforces his behavior. Have the appropriate toy ready (a little tug toy) and distract him with it and try to get him to play with it instead.

The key is to consistently ignore the undesirable behavior and reward the desired behavior. You should also reward the behavior any and every time he does it, i.e. if he goes to play with his toy on his own, praise him and play with it with him.

This is how we taught our dogs what's ok to chew and play with, and what's not. It works!

Karuuna is right about the alpha male stuff, too, though. Every dog is different. Ours responded really well to our method, but a terrier type like Rocky might need the domination.

Grooch

Friday, December 21, 2001 - 10:44 am Click here to edit this post
Karunna and Babyruth. I kept trying that and it wouldn't work. He is stubborn. I finally took my pants off for about 1/2 hour. As soon as I put them back on, he went straight for them again.

SO I gave him the cat to play with. I don't think Daisy was to happy with me.

Thanks. :)

Babyruth

Friday, December 21, 2001 - 10:47 am Click here to edit this post
Have you tried a sock with a knot in the middle? Those are good homemade tug toys. Poor kitty!!!

Karuuna

Friday, December 21, 2001 - 10:52 am Click here to edit this post
Then Grooch, you have to get out the big guns, just like the mama dogs too with their more strong-headed pups. If you ever watch a mama with her pups, she's not at all shy about growling and snapping at them when they get too aggressive.

When you grab his snout to disengage him, give it a little shake as you do it, and then get right in his face with the meanest look you can muster, and say "NO!" (Again, use that really low, tough voice). If he keeps playing, grab him by the scruff of the neck, and shake him again, saying NO! Keep increasing the ferocity of your shake and the loudness of your voice until he sits down and thinks for a minute.

My beagle was like that too -- very stubborn, but just a few times of doing this got the message across. And now he's the best trained dog I've ever had, and the most cuddly.

This is a method taught by the monks of New Skete, who are infamous for training German Shepherds. And while it sounds a little rough, it's really important to establish your dominance early on, so you don't have to get really rough later on! You might want to get their puppy training book, I found it really helpful.

Babyruth

Friday, December 21, 2001 - 11:06 am Click here to edit this post
Yes! That's a great book!

do pugs have snouts? LOL

Grooch

Friday, December 21, 2001 - 11:08 am Click here to edit this post
Karunna, I will try it. It does sound mean, but I will be tough. I was afraid to growl back at him because I thought that that was a bad thing to do.

Thanks again!

Karuuna

Friday, December 21, 2001 - 11:41 am Click here to edit this post
LOL, Baby -- I guess they do. :)

Grooch, it does sound mean, but the really tough pups don't take it hard at all. With a sensitive animal, you might send it scurrying away whimpering if you did that. But with a tough-minded little guy, he'll just kind of blink and sit down and go "huh? what just happened here?" (but don't laugh, cause he'll just jump up and think you're playing again!)

Wink

Friday, December 21, 2001 - 12:46 pm Click here to edit this post
Grooch will laugh. Guaranteed.

Backhome

Friday, December 21, 2001 - 03:22 pm Click here to edit this post
Squirt bottles are wonderful tools for correcting behaviors in dogs (and cats). A short squirt aimed at the head combined with a growly "NO" has been the method of last resort for correcting stubborn critters in our house. Usually only takes once or twice before they get the message. It's so effective that all it takes is getting the squirt bottle back out after months of not using it and they suddenly remember their manners!!!

Good luck Grooch -- You've got your hands full!!!!

Fruitbat

Friday, December 21, 2001 - 03:31 pm Click here to edit this post
Grooch.... It is not mean. Dogs growl and bark at each other. That is their only means of communication and they respond to this. I never said "no" but made a sound....a very sharp AH sound and take his face gently but firmly in your hands and remove him anyway that works. Then heap praise that he has done (even though you made it happen)what you asked. Praise for positive reinforcement is an important part of this.

Gail

Friday, December 21, 2001 - 07:52 pm Click here to edit this post
Grooch - I found good puppy kindergarten really helpful!! They teach you how to show puppies who's the boss with some simple dominance exercises and also some very basic obedience. Mine learned how to sit and lay down by the time they were 10 weeks old.

A really good dominance exercise is three times a day for a couple of minutes, sit down on the floor with your puppy - no distractions, and then kind of roll him onto his side and gently but firmly hold him down. (I usually held down near the rump and shoulders - this takes both hands) He will really resist this alot at first but it is important to get him to relax and lay still - the lesson here is that you are a lot stronger then him and you are the "big dog" and the dominant person in the household. If you have kids, have them do it too once you have get the hang of it.

Hold him until he stops wiggling and whining and then count to about 10 and release him and tell him "good dog" Do this about 3 times a day for about a week - try extending the "down" time to 15 seconds, then 30 seconds, up to a minute by the end of the week. This really comes handy later when you need to brush his teeth, clean ears, go to the vet for shots, trim nails, etc. By the end of the week, he won't wiggle or whine at all and you can just use the opportunity to talk to him or very quietly pet him, or even try brushing him.

Another important lesson at this age is to show him that you can take away things and he can't bite you. Give him a chew toy of some kind then take it away. If he growls or snaps, grab the scruff of his neck and give him a firm shake and a loud "NO, Bad dog". This is easier to do when they are really little and impressionable then when he is full grown.

Most important lesson with puppies, do no leave them unattended and don't let them wander - a fact of life, they will chew - they don't care if it is your best pair of shoes, your brand new carpet in your brand new home, or your really expensive sofa. Puppies chew - it is up to you to keep them from doing it - depending on how fast they mature, they enjoy chewing anywhere from 1 year old to 18 months - (some big dogs even longer).

I kennel trained my dogs - meaning when I went to work, I put them in their kennels - their food was there, and so was their water and I came home for lunch every day. I knew they would be safe and alive in their kennels. I started putting them in kennels the day I came home and found Maddie had chewed through a heating pad - thank goodness it was not plugged in.

I don't keep them in kennels these days but when I leave the house for more then 5 minutes I keep them in "their area". It is the laundry room and I have a child gate up. Their food, water, lots of pillows and blankets, toys, etc are all there. This way I know they can't get into mischief. Even when I am at home and they have run of the house, they like to go to their area because it is quiet and comfortable and safe to them.

Another thing - don't play tug of war yet - never play with your socks (he can't tell good socks from old socks). Wait til he is older - maybe 5 - 6 months before you play tug of war - and NEVER let him win - kind of makes him think he is stronger and builds that agressive side back up.

I am able to take bones and treats away from my dogs and I have no worries with either of them being near a baby or toddler and hurting them.

Willi

Saturday, December 22, 2001 - 10:16 am Click here to edit this post
The very loud & sharp "Ah" sound worked like a charm with our very stubborn Golden Retriever when she was a puppy.

Good luck Grooch!