Sudden personality change in puppy
So I've had Charlie for a week tomorrow. He's almost 15 weeks old. Like I said in my other post, he's my first puppy that I've owned myself - so sorry if I'm being a bit naive!
The first few days I had him, he was the biggest sweetheart - giving me kisses, snuggling me, following me around, listening to me, going potty correctly outside. Now he's getting really rough and "sassy" with me… AKA he just will not listen unless I get to the point of screaming.
I tend to pick him up a lot, because even though he'll go up some stairs (two or three at most) he won't go the whole way, and he won't go downstairs. Usually I pick him up and hold him like a 3 year old - puppy arms over my shoulder, secure holding - and he hasn't minded it until now. If I lower him a bit, he attempts to bite my face. He's bitten my lip and my cheeks and left marks already. He does during play time, too. Every time he does it I yell "NO." and (if playtime) walk away/(if holding) set him down. The second I play/pick him up again he'll be right back at it though.
He also lunges at me if I attempt to give him any sort of kisses, so I've stopped. It's getting really frustrating.
Another thing is he knows how to go potty outside. I know he does - he's intelligent. Now, when it's overcast or at night, he just will not go, even if I walk around the yard with him (not playing). He hasn't done this again until yesterday and today. I'll stay out there for an hour and he will NOT go, but the second we go inside he'll go potty. When I pick him up mid-potty (when I catch him) and put him outside and tell him to go, he won't. Sometimes, if I yell at him (the stern "NO." or "QUIET." while he's barking while somebody is sleeping or talking) it seems like he purposely goes and goes potty somewhere where I'm going to step!
When we DO go outside and he does go, he just won't listen to me now. I'll call out "Charlie." in a stern voice and he'll look, then continue doing what he does.
He also is starting to resist going into his cage. He used to go into it and sit while I told him good boy, but now he struggles and resists and bites me if I try to put him in the cage. Everything is clean - and I plan on washing the bedding again just in case.
I feel like I'm doing something wrong, but I don't know how to fix it. :( What can I do?
Thank you everyone!
Edit: Forgot to mention that he does the squirm/bite when I attempt to brush him...
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Natalie & Stanley on
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This sounds pretty right for a 15 week old corgi. Stanley was all love and fun when we first got him and then he started mouthing and getting a little sassy/defiant with me. It's pretty normal. Puppies go through stages where they try to assert their independence by being defiant and other things. Keep up the obedience training steadily and it will help. I would even enroll in a obedience class where your puppy will get to meet other people and dogs and you'll have an instructor who can help you with these issues.
As far as the mouthing is concerned, that's totally normal but you should work on it. Stanley mouthed/bit me a lot when we first got him. It wasn't because he was mean or angry or anything. It's just how puppies explore the world and play with other puppies. The difference is that puppy skin is thicker than human skin. With Stanley I used the following to train him out of it:
Whenever he bites/mouths you, yelp loudly like a puppy does when it's hurt (even if it doesn't actually hurt). Then turn your back on him and ignore him for about 30 seconds. If after doing this he mouths again, go through this process again.
The point is for him to believe it hurts when he mouths you. When dogs yelp when they're playing, the others know the dog is hurt and that they need to stop what they're doing. It's the same concept. Ignoring the puppy for about 30 seconds works because puppies want to play and have fun with their surroundings. If he learns that mouthing leads to you being hurt and not playing with him anymore, he then will stop mouthing because it gives an unfavorable result.
I did this with Stanley for a couple of days before he pretty much just stopped mouthing altogether. Since then the only time he's ever mouthed anyone in the past year was when he reacted to his paw being touched when it was hurting severely because of a medical issue. Otherwise he's the most gentle and friendly dog you could meet.
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Permalink Reply by Brooke & Charlie on
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What if he doesn't respond to me yelping? I've tried doing it before to no avail.
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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on
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He is still an infant, so remember while he becomes a little stinker (also known as adolescent/toddler) you need to remain consistent and positive. It will all click eventually! For the biting I also recomend the instant very dramatic,high pitched yelp and if it continues a brief time out in a puppy proof room. Do this every time his teeth touch your skin. For crating, I use a Kong with a little cheese smeared inside. It is soothing to lick it out and makes the crate something to look forward to. Potty training, in my case, has always involved many walks and high praise for success. I always say "go potty" the second the puppy squats which results in a grown dog that goes on command. Always go out with him at this stage. Walks will help a puppy eliminate better than play in the yard. Every couple hours at first and then taper off. They all seem to catch on to this part but it can get frustrating. I try to remember that it takes human babies 2 to 3 years to get control of their bowels! Helps me be more patient with a puppy. Try small treats while brushing and keep the time short at first. Your puppy is adorable!
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Permalink Reply by CorGeek on
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Ah...the teenage years. Be firm (NILF maybe?), be consistent, don't flip out. Your boy will be back soon. :)
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Permalink Reply by Jane on
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Yep, sounds typical for that age. I would highly recommend a puppy class if you haven't taken one yet.
I wouldn't pick him up unless absolutely necessary until he learns some manners. I always carry mine in front of me, one hand around/under the chest and the other around their bum. Carrying him like a baby might work for now, but eventually you're really not going to want a muddy/dirty/wet corgi belly draped all over your shirt lol. And if he's biting at your face it would probably be best not to carry him where he has the chance to bite you.
The high pitched yelp in my case only made Henry more crazy, so a 5 minute time out in a puppy safe room is what I used. It worked quite well for us as the thing he really craved most was attention. As for the potty training, if you take him outside and you know he has to go but refuses, I would bring him back inside and put him in his crate for 20 minutes. Then take him out again. Repeat. Make sure you're assigning a command when he does go so he learns to go when you ask.
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Permalink Reply by JoAnn Harrison on
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re: brushing. Our little girl is the same way. We use a treat bone (hollow middle) and put peanut butter in it. She doesn't mind the brushing or dremel on nails as long as there is peanut butter. We do short sessions frequently and she is allowing longer and longer sessions after the peanut butter is gone. Just takes time.
Also regarding the assertiveness, our vet told us to flip the dog on their back, look them straight in the eye and in very soft tones tell them to settle down. They can get down when they stop resisting. This shows them you are the alpha dog. Always praise a lot when they relax and you put them down.
This also was hard the first few times, but now Zoey knows when she is in trouble and settles right down. Sometimes now, I can just give her "the look" and she drops right to the ground and stops what she is doing. It's like magic.
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Permalink Reply by Edison on
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Everyone has made good points so far re: puppy training. :) One more thing to remember, however, when yelling at a dog. A good yelp when you've been bit is a good warning signal, but after one loud noise, you should ignore the puppy for about 30 seconds. Hell hath no punishment (for most dogs, who are naturally intensely social animals) greater than being ignored. Another thing to remember is that barking is a group activity for dogs, and yelling at a dog for barking sounds like you're joining in on the fun.
As for the general obedience stuff, treats are your best friend! Treat him for going to the crate voluntarily. (Don't always crate him just before you leave, otherwise he'll associate it with loneliness and up the resistance. Crate him for a few minutes just because, and then let him out again.) Treat him for coming to you. After a while, you can let off on the treats, giving treats every other time. (There's a psych name for this training pattern, which our dog club calls "jackpot treating", and somehow it is more effective at establishing desired behavior than regular treating patterns. I think it's like humans playing the lottery.)
Corgis are extremely intelligent, and if you're not careful, they'll end up training you. :) It sounds like you have a clever one, and you'll spend the next year or so working all this out. But once you have good patterns set, you'll have a great companion, definitely worth all the trouble you're going through now. :)
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