Help w/ my Puppy
Hi - I need to know if anyone has any tips for me. I currently have two corgi puppies. Reeses is my 10 month old tri and Rosalie is my 6 month old red/white. With Reeses, the only puppy issue we had was the nipping and constant chewing. We did puppy training classes with him as well.
Now with Rosalie, she's a sweet dog to us but when's pissed, she's pissed. We had potty training issues with her from the beginning. Now with Reeses, we had trained by 5 months but with her, I think she does it out of spite. She likes to pee on the carpet in the house even though we leave the door for her open to go outside. She'll go outside to poop though. While we're at work, she poops and makes a mess in her crate. We have to clean her crate every day and sometimes every morning.
She also wants to play with Reeses only on her terms. She's fine playing with him for a few minutes but when she's done, she gets very aggressive and bites him. He sometimes cry. She's very aggressive with food and toys. It makes me sad because Reeses is starting to get aggressive towards her as well.
At feeding time, they are both in their crates side by side, I put their bowls inside their crates. Even though Reeses can't reach her food, she growls at him like she wants to kill him.... :( Someone help!! :(
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Reeses & Rosalie (Owner: Jes) on
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This was obviously posted in the wrong section....
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Permalink Reply by Beth Walker on
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Sounds like Rosalie runs the household or a least thinks she does, this may also be the reason she is marking HER territory in the house by peeing on the carpet. You need to step in and correct her whenever she gets aggressive with Receeses and show her you are the boss and that kind of behavior is not acceptable, otherwise you may end up with a dog fight eventually. I would also move one of the crates, or feed Rosalie in her crate and Reeses in another part of the house. I have 4 corgis that all have the run of the entire house and no one shows any aggression, if someone gets to rough with another one they are corrected immediately, they also are fed in the same room and they all now the they are not allowed in anyone elses bowl until the other dog walks away from the bowl. The girls are a little harder to deal with than the boys, but if you keep after her aggressive behavior and let her know you are the leader all of these behaviors will change. Good Luck, it takes a lot of consistant work but the behavior can be changed!
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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on
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I have always found the girls take longer to potty train. Since she has been able to potty in the house you should go back to square one and keep her confined in a puppy proof place when you can not watch her. When she goes out (about every 2 hours the first couple days) have her leashed and praise her for doing it outside. I always use this time to teach a potty command (I use "go potty") it helps when they are older. Just say the command as soon as she squats. Google Nothing In Life Is Free for help with behavior. If I think the behavior gets too rowdy in the house and they don't stop when I ask, I leash the offender and have them follow me around awhile until they calm down. Having two puppies at once is really difficult and will require you to put a lot more training time in. She is young enough that these bad habits can be corrected easily. Remember: keep it fun and reward the behavior you want! (I would block their sight of each other while eating too).
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Permalink Reply by Sam Tsang on
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Hi Jes, potty training is in the FAQ, in a nut shell, too much freedom too soon, no dogs are reliable until 1 - 2 yrs, re-read it and re-inforce it. Feed them in separate place where they can eat in peace and free from each other, no dogs should eat under stress.
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Permalink Reply by Jane on
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I agree with what the other posters said, too much freedom too soon. Use babygates to keep her in an area where you can watch her, or even leash her to your belt loop so she can't be out of your sight. She should not be able to go on the carpet without you noticing immediately and correcting her. At 6 months old she's not being spiteful, she just doesn't know better. I would also move one of their crates or eating areas to another part of the house so they can both eat in peace.
As far as her messing her crate, I would be inclined to try an xpen with some newspaper down on one side and see if her natural instincts for not soiling her "den " area kick back in. Is her crate big enough for her to poop in one side and sit in the other or does she just lay in the poo? Was she confined a lot as a puppy maybe?
Definitely google NILF as Bev said and implement it immediately. It sounds like she thinks she's in charge instead of you. Is she aggressive with food and toys around people as well, or just dogs? Has she been through puppy classes?
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Thanks for all the advice. THey are usually in their crates separately when they eat but sometimes I have let Reeses out to eat cause he can roam free, He's pretty well-behaved for the most part.
SHe is only food and toy aggressive with Reeses. I can stick my hand in her food and take away her bowl and there's no aggression.
I'm just afraid she might hurt Reeses one day so this agression really scares me.
When she gets aggressive, what is the "correct" measure to take? I don't believe in hitting dogs but I usually yell at her, grab her by the back of the neck and put her into her crate. Sometimes I hold her mouth shut which makes her cry. I don't want to be negative towards her. I do praise her when she's eating well and not being aggressive. I always try to praise her when she's good cause I feel guilty for being negative when she goes potty or is aggressive.
I guess I'm asking how I should discipline her for her aggression without being aggressive towards her.
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A trainer may have some good tips but I use a leash to end aggression. For example my older corgi, Sparty, does not like our doberman and I have really had to work with him since she moved in with us. Not long ago we started letting the dobe sleep in our bedroom at night and Sparty was pretty unhappy about it. So at bedtime I leashed him and he walked around with me while I got ready for bed. I only let him loose after things had calmed down and Misty was in her bed. If meal time is an issue try leashing her just before, during and for a little while after. As long as you are there if she growls at Reese you can firmly say no with a tug on the leash. Otherwise you should remain calm and matter of fact with her. It is not really a punishment as much as a way for you to have control. A leash at my house means a walk or being petted while walking around in the house with me. It just helps you distract the dog a little easier.
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By tug, I really do mean a tug. Just light and it changes the focus. Reward brings faster responses.
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Hi Jes, yelling doesn't work, stay calm, be the leader, simply take over and control the situation. Don't make a big deal out of it, don't negotiate, a higher volume doesn't mean you should be taken seriously, a leader simply step in the situation and take over.
Never use the crate as a punishment, a crate is a happy refuge, a safe heaven for food and sleep.
Control your anger, remember your dog wants to please you, believe in that and help them help you. Never hold her mouth shut, discipline is not about overpowering a dog, your dog needs to know you are there to protect them, you are someone they can trust, protect them, use your body to block, guide and take over. Be confident, take it, claim it, the dogdom is yours. Be the hero that your dog wants you to be.
Having 2+ dogs and teaching them well is very different from having 1, my suggestion for you is get private in home help, someone who can observe you and pinpoint what needs to be fixed, it is much cheaper than vet bills. Yes you can afford it and you need to do this while they're young.
Choke collars are not the answer to aggression / behaviour problems, otherwise there's no need for professional trainers. Learn to use your collar correctly, adjust it to 2 fingers space, remember you need to adjust it everytime before a walk, short leash, lift up behind the ears. In the mean time, you need to amp up your daily on leash outdoor walk to 60-90 mins rain or shine. Exercise, discipline then affection. In that order. No, fetch / backyard roam doesn't count.
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Thanks I like the leash idea. I'm considering a small choker, not to be aggressive with her but only when I have her leashed and she misbehaves... Thoughts?
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Permalink Reply by Stephanie on
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Sam's right (as usual) Lots of exercise, discipline (positive) and then affection.
Have you looked at Victoria Stillwell's website? She has TONS of ideas for positive training.
As a middle school teacher and a dog owner I find negative training useless - I think it demeans the dog and doesn't teach him or her the behavior you actually WANT, it just crushes their spirit and confuses them.
Anger and misbehavior in animals (and children) is usually caused by confusion and frustration. Watch your dogs carefully - what could be frustrating or scaring her? there could be some subtle signals that you're missing.
When she's leashed with you and she misbehaves - have her sit, shake, etc. for positive attention and distraction. Don't "jerk" the leash, she has no idea what that means. By having her do tricks for you when she's misbehaving, you're showing her what behaviors you want to see.
I ran into the same confusion when Goldy was a puppy - she was a biter - not a nibbler, a biter. She bit me and drew blood, she bit the vet when she was 7 weeks old and drew blood. I asked the same question over and over - what do I do IN THE MOMENT when she's aggressive? What I learned was, through training and practice the aggression just disappeared...and I didn't have to do anything in the moment.
Hope this helps.
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Thanks for all the suggestions. I will check out the sites....
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