Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sam on August 19, 2009 at 7:19am

I will tell you that he will probably always be bold and independent. My guess is that his breeder letting him leave at 5 weeks of age didnt give him the opportunity to learn some very important lessons from his mom and siblings. For him and his beginnings this is very normal puppy behavior. Do know that at 9 weeks it is highly unlikely that he is near housetrained. You obviously have been diligent about his frequent outings. Good for you. Truly his body is not able to control his eliminations just yet. It is not too early to start training. Teaching sit is going to be very helpful in helping him focus a bit more on you. He needs a good amount of structured and unstructured activity. I can assure you that this pup could go on to be an excellent performance dog if you learn to channel his energies.

Permalink Reply by Lilo Bandit & Koda's mom Shannon on August 19, 2009 at 11:51am

I think you are right about his age. I was hesitant to take him when I found out they were 5 weeks old, but they were all completely weaned, healthy, energetic and seemed ready to go. They were vet checked and very well cared for, I did not think at the time about possible emotional consequences. ahhhhh, live and learn.

Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on August 19, 2009 at 7:57am

There is hope but it may take awhile...I have Bella that is so dear and sweet but it took her till she was almost 18 months to "learn" what I wanted she couldn't be any better now and then I have Livvy that would make an excellant agility dog...she is all over and very good except she also thinks "come" means anything but come...she is learning but it takes her 2-3 times as long for her to "get it" but she is getting it! I think dogs are just like people and look how different we are and how we all learn at different levels...all will turn out well ...patience ond consistancy is the answer...I think...remember this is normal and she's very young!

Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on August 19, 2009 at 8:36am

Sparty was that puppy! When scolded he barked back and raced around the house. Resisted all attempts to restrain or control him. At 6 months we went to obedience classes and it really helped me. We went for three sessions in a row and then have gone periodically over the years just for fun. He is ten now and is wonderful! Very smart and never gets into things. It did not happen overnight and he still has some quirks. All three of my corgis have been so different! He has been the only one with major attitude but he is a fun, fun dog. Before him I was raised with beagles, did obedience with a mild golden and had a standard poodle that loved to please so I really needed some training! Positive training! I love him more than any dog I have ever had and he has made me a corgi person forever. That which does not kill us makes us strong! LOL

Permalink Reply by Derek on August 19, 2009 at 9:17am

My puppy is about 5 months old (pound puppy so not sure of the age) and he is in the same boat. He is not dominant but he likes to test his boundaries. He was really bad at biting, I would have cuts and puncture marks on my face and arms from him. He just did not know better. He is getting better and I am sure he will be well behaved as an adult, it is a matter of repetition and showing who is in charge. The things that are "cute" will not stay that way.

With Morgan we have to get him tired BEFORE we train. Long walks and lots of exercise. When he is bad and I catch him I bring him to the area he was bad (because when you catch them, they run) tell him "No bad" and put him in the laundry room. The number of chewed items has gone down, and he is sneaky. He waits for me to go to the bathroom before he attacks something. Areas of interest: the rug on the stairs, boxes, my shoes, any socks, plastic, garbage can and contents there in.... endless list.

If you work with him and you keep working he will be a great dog. It can be frustrating, but it is a matter of proving to them they just cannot keep doing it.

Permalink Reply by Lauren + Winston on August 19, 2009 at 11:57am

Winston was a nasty puppy. He ate the drywall once (anyone ever seen Marley and Me?!), chewed up shoes, peed and pooped in the house, etc.. But he is now pretty well behaved. He still acts like a brat sometimes but trust me, they grow up eventually!

Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on August 19, 2009 at 12:15pm

Yes...someone suggested the dog classes...the 1st day Livvy went she would not come out from under the chair...all labs . etc. except for her and one other small dog. It took her awhile but she amazed everyone on how she changed and then she went into season 2 weeks b/4 we were done...I'm going to try another one this fall I hope but we have a 60 mile trip 1 way... definatly try to do if you can!!!!

Permalink Reply by Beth on August 19, 2009 at 12:16pm

My puppy ate a windowsill and several pairs of shoes. He was like a pirannha with the teeth. He always learned commands quickly, but he was barky and pushy and never got tired.

Now he's two. If he carries a piece of mulch into the house and I say "Jack, what's that? Leave it" in a normal tone of voice, he will actually use his tongue to push every tiny bit of chewed bits out of his mouth to make sure he left it all, and then look up at me to say "Ok, done." He can be left loose all day with no problem. He's a therapy dog and we get compliments on him wherever we go.

So yes, a bold energetic puppy can easily mature into a lovely adult. Just be patient. You've had him for a month but he's still younger than Jack was when we brought him home. Give him a couple weeks and I'll bet you anything you start seeing improvement. There was a thread around here somewhere about jumping and biting; I'll try to find it later....

Permalink Reply by Lilo Bandit & Koda's mom Shannon on August 19, 2009 at 12:32pm

Thank you, I laughed reading about him carrying a piece of mulch into the house!!
I do love this little puppy, I just want to enjoy life with him. :)

Permalink Reply by Simon & Anne on August 19, 2009 at 1:01pm

I'm glad you started this thread. Reading the answers makes me feel better about our three month old. It is frustrating when you try so hard to discipline and they are still wild! Good to know that puppyhood doesn't last forever.

Permalink Reply by Lilo Bandit & Koda's mom Shannon on August 19, 2009 at 1:10pm

A.M.E.N.!!!
I Love our little 'Rowdy', but he sure lives up to his name.
I just cant wait until he is older.
I think for the next one we get, I may just adopt an older Corgi... lol
Cesar Millan the dog whisperers book, 'Cesar's Way' is helping.
Good luck!

Permalink Reply by Nicole, Stanley and STELLA! on August 19, 2009 at 1:52pm

I'm glad you posted this, too. My puppy, Stella, is a smart and BOLD little girl! I often wonder how she'll be as an adult. I just continue to be persistent and consistent with my training and hope to see that it pays off when she's an adult. I also plan on taking her to classes. I think the difficult thing is that there are so many stages in a puppy's physical and social development that try your patience. Even though you've had Rowdy for a month he's still SO young! I didn't even pick up Stella to take her home until 9 1/2 weeks! As I've been training her, she's fluctuated in behavior in different stages. She listens for a while consistently, and then might regress. This is especially true for nipping and chewing things. She is responsive when I tell her "no" and has been for the past two months now (she turned 5 months old today!). She was doing great, but then entered into another intense teething phase and is having difficulty controlling herself. The poor little girl lost two teeth just yesterday--well, at least two that I found! And with other things-like walking on a leash-she does well, then tests boundaries again. But I've been working with her again and she's responding well.

I think that there are some dog personalities that make it easier at the beginning, and then once you have that experience of the one-in-a-million "perfect dog" it makes the long, puppy struggle with the non-perfect ones (at least from the beginning) more difficult. Actually, my parents just lost a scottie like that and can't bring themselves to get a new puppy because they think it will never live up to Dylan's perfection. Yet I can tell that they aren't happy without a scottie around. Dylan actually started out as my dog and my parents took him when I left for grad school. He was a "perfect" little guy-well mannered, reserved, a real gentleman. I guess it would be nice if Stella were that way, but she has her own personality. I love how bold she is and how she "talks" to me! I also see improvements and progress even though she's still a handful--but she's ONLY 5 months old, she's still a baby! I think that if I continue to be persistent with her training, Stella will turn out to be a bold AND well-behaved little girl! Hopefully this post will help you in keeping patience with Rowdy. I know how trying it can be at times. There's a reason why one of Stella's nicknames is "monster"!

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