I got my Skipper about a month ago. The Kijiji ad was titled Boarder Collie/Lab mix puppies. She actually looks like a confused terrier. I'm hoping there is Boarder Collie in there somewhere. My daughter's dog(Angel) is mixed with this breed and she is soooo smart, picks up things very quickly, it's almost like she understands what your saying to her. Skipper has difinitely learned the word NO! And after a few puddles she has figured out a way to let me know that she needs to go out. We are lucky in that department, it can be difficult to trian a puppy in the winter months because of the cold, some don't like to go out but she loves it outside, actually sometimes we have trouble to get her to come in. I try to keep her to a routine, I get up about 15 minutes earlier then I did before we got her so I have time to get a short walk(on leash) before work. After work I take her to the back yard(off leash) so she can have a run around before supper. Hubby is off work(for a few weeks) right now so he's home to let her out during the day. After supper I take her on a longer walk(weather permitting) to help use up some of that puppy, terrier energy that she has so much of. She has been a sweet puppy so far and I'm really glad we found each other. I know we haven't had her long but there are a few things I'm having problems with and since so many of you have dogs I'm hoping you might have a tips to help with her training and my paitence. She (in play)bites my hands(alot) when I try to pat her. A friend told me to hold her muzzle closed while scolding her. It kinda works in the short term. I checked on line one site said that I can't stop her from doing this, that it is something learned from her litter mates and the mother dog and if it's not in check by the time she's 4 months then forget it, she'll always bite. I can't believe this is true, there must be a way to curve this trait. For those of you that didn't meet her before this is Skipper...
The best way I've found to train a dog is a spray bottle filled with vinager and water. When your dog bites or does anything bad give her a squirt and say NO. Pretty soon if she even see's you with the squirt bottle she will tow the line. Everyone I have told about this that has tried it has had great results.
Border Collies in particular have an instinctual response for using their mouths - they use that instinct when herding stock. When Jake & Elwood were pups they chewed on me alot - people at work were always asking me why my hands were all marked up. They outgrew it and I'm sure Skipper will too. I kept (and still do) plenty of chew toys around and kept reinforcing what was chewable (toys) and what wasn't (me). Be firm with the "no" and quickly provide something that is OK to chew. Keep Skipper well-exercised and that will help. It will get better!
I'm hoping this to be true. But I don't want to wait until she is grown to try and curve it then. She does have a few toys and I replace them with something that she isn't suppose to have, like my slippers. I am frim with the NO when she chews or tries to chew my hands and she seems to get it but she goes right back to biting after awhile. Maybe I'm rushing the process??? She has so much to learn and she has come a long way in a month. Thanks for the tips guys. I have used the spray bottle idea with my cat, never with vinegar. It can be a handy deterrent.
She's still a baby - I bet 6 months from now you won't have this same problem. Hang in there Fannie! Skipper is so dang cute!
It doesn't matter what she does, she is SO cute!!!! What a great looking little pup. She can get away with anything looking like she does
I've never used viniger and water, but have used lemon jiuce with water....but that's when as a pup it came to no barking at the fence. All dog breads are different when it comes to "whats, what and how it's done" with the bread you have....and mine, and theres..... Rascal and his Husky Shep x is still blowing our minds All I can ad to your question about playful biting is, and it's worked for all ours is...... Yell "OUCH" as if you ment it! Pups do learn fast when it comes to....OMG, I Hurt My Master....:sorry:.....A LiL" guilt goes along way We also with the guilt thing always say (and say it alot)..."Gentle". After some guilt and gentle treatment, "Gentle" is the word we use alot.....mainly when friends come over with young kids......IMO, the pup, any bread will follow there masters reaction......they feel the, what your feeling Griffin, this X-Mas..... although he has met children, he never has met a young'n...... This X-Mas he met a 2.5 year old at our house...The first few minutes just to be safe I had a death grip on him...... Wel talk about Love after a few .."GENTLE...gentle....aw heck, let the baby play wih the dog. And it was love I have to ad though, Rascal got a big hug from baby and.......melted, and would not come out of the kitchen
glad to hear your enjoying your new pup. when our shepherd was small she would chew on her tail till there was no hair. somewhere my wife read about putting coins in an empty soda jug and shaking it whenwe said no. just the words" i'm gonna get the jug" or shaking the jug stops her in her tracks. maybe something like that can work for you ps she is a puppy and may chew for a while toys or bones may help
Yes, forgot to mention....after the guilt thing s a starter, just the words" is enouph weather barking, biting................But my old man Kirby, he only learned the hard way when it came to stealing food..... last thing he stole was a steak of the BBQ as a pup, poor bugger 'mut' have burnt his mouth, after that he never stole food again perioud, EVER
Fannie, she's a sweetie. The work NO works, and add the OUCH. Terriers are, sometimes, the fastest of learners. My first dogs were a pair of "Perriers". Sounds so much better than terry-poo, doncha know. The male took all of 3 days to paper train. They were so small, and the snow was so deep, outside was a ride in my pocket. No way was I taking a pair of dogs, each under 1 pound, and 3 inches tall, out into 1 foot of show! Besides, I had to wait until they were 6 months old for the smallest kitten collar to fit! You will find the right words that get through. My fist male beagle never did learn "Sit". His sit command was "Park it". It worked. Who was I to argue. Good luck and enjoy the pup! Have fun with her.
Thanks guys she does seem to be getting it...s.l.o.w.l.y. I had been holding her muzzle closed while saying NO! But now I find I just need to say NO! and give her a toy to chew on instead. I had her to the vet this A.M. for her second needles. The vet said she is difinitly no older then 4 months old because she still has all her baby teeth and she will probably start teething and loosing her baby teeth as early as next week. I said what do you mean start teething!? Also, because we never actually saw the parent dogs we had really no idea how big she'll be. The vet was able to give us an idea by using a growth chart. Rrrrrr(drum roll) Skipper will be about 35-40 pounds and a bit taller then she is now. She is acually already as tall as my daughters dog, Angel. Well, she also has a nasty habit...she...well she...how can I put this??? She tidies the cat box for me...as heplful as this is it is really disgusting. I'm thinking about hiding a mouse trap under the litter, but that might be a bigger surprise for the cat. So anyone have this problem and why do they do that??? yuk!
Thats a good size for a dog, I think. Our 14 year old golden retriever (90lbs) is a pretty well behaved old dog, but he likes to pick up things and sometimes chew them- he prefers empty toilet paper rolls from the bathroom trash can, but he seems to like the taste of junk mail, too. At least he has NEVER messed the carpet like the little dog does. But we have to keep him out of the garage, because he loves to munch on kitty crunchies fresh from the litterbox. Your dog may never get over that attraction either. I have usually been happier with female dogs, but Cabot is such a sweet, loveable old guy.....
it is a never ending quest to stop our dogs from eating the cat's tootsie rolls wish i had an answer for you and me. we just lock the litter box in the laundry room
We have a lot of junk mail I could forward to Orlando. We have no pets except, squirrels, coons, deer, crows, and other wildlife. But there is a small black cat that's been living in my old easy chair on the back porch. He looks in the kitchen window waiting for my wife to bring him scraps. Wife's been complaining about him/her/it jumping up on her legs when she goes out. Afraid she might get tripped. I told her about the squirt bottle thing. She's amazed all of the important station wagon things I learn here.
cat as in CatModelT????....Aw heck, put a mouse trap in his litter box, it would be good entertainment!
