Question for dog owners...

[gr8heart]

I am glad I dropped by to read this!! I have a new puppy (just under 17 weeks) and man O man.. I don't want my pup to act like that! I think this has renewed my drive to really social and train her well so she's lovable and not a pest! Thanks for posting on this topic.

Yes, if I ever have a puppy, I will definitely train her, too. I just wish my friends would see training as a good thing. Instead they see training or obedience classes as a punishment.

Puppy is not happy. She needs so much attention and she is not getting any because my friends are never there. I stopped by to feed her last weekend and she just wanted to play (while I wanted to shop!) I didn't spend too much time with her, but I felt so bad for her.

 

[gr8heart]

Thanks Cindi for your insight...I think you make a very good observation. I do not think my friends think I enjoy Puppy's behavior, but I do not tell them or show them I absolutely hate Puppy's behavior. ush: I am so afraid of hurting their feelings, although this has to stop.

Everyone's suggestions and insights have been so helpful!

Thanks Vanessa for suggesting the crate training as I will definitely look into that and will emphasize to my friends how training will only help Puppy become a good dog...etc. You are right, it's not Puppy's fault.

 

[asark]

Dogs do not think like people, so people have to try to think like dogs... this being said, I find many similarities between dogs and children as far as "testing" goes.

Just like with kids, you do not want to reward negative behavior. A reward is giving a dog what it wants - it does not have to be food. I find dogs most often ask for attention (eg., jumping, barking, whining), and acknowledging this behavior encourages a repeat of the behavior. You must be more stubborn than the dog and you will be rewarded with the unwanted behavior stopping!

For discipline remember that dogs generally do not understand us. Voice tone is key; High-pitched and smiley happy for reward, LOW, SHARP and CORSE (sometimes loud) for reprimand. Keep eye contact to prove you are the boss. Smacking a dog is never ok… none of you would ever dream of that anyways


...I would avoid the house for a good few months - by the time the dog to be two it should start to settle down some, making it safe to visit again.

 

[~*Sassy*~]

Honestly, some people just don't care about their pets behavior and are not as sensitive to it as other people. My dogs have always been taught not to chew on anything that's not a toy, no jumping on people, no sniffing etc.. We have some good family friends that have a very fancy, purebred Golden Retriever that is the worst behaved dog EVER, and they don't care at all. Slobbers all over you, jumps on you, hair everywhere, constantly barking and whining. These people have tons of money, have extremely $$ furniture and rugs that the dog has destroyed (we're talking Louis XIV chairs and couches), terrible bathroom habits..but to them, meh, whatever. Don't want to take the time to deal with it. Some people. Sheesh.

 

[gr8heart]

Honestly, some people just don't care about their pets behavior and are not as sensitive to it as other people. My dogs have always been taught not to chew on anything that's not a toy, no jumping on people, no sniffing etc.. We have some good family friends that have a very fancy, purebred Golden Retriever that is the worst behaved dog EVER, and they don't care at all. Slobbers all over you, jumps on you, hair everywhere, constantly barking and whining. These people have tons of money, have extremely $$ furniture and rugs that the dog has destroyed (we're talking Louis XIV chairs and couches), terrible bathroom habits..but to them, meh, whatever. Don't want to take the time to deal with it. Some people. Sheesh.

Sounds exactly like 'Puppy'.

I'm having a serious talk with my friends soon. They have to know that their behavior is not right and they are hurting others as well as their dog.

 

[fayden]

even if you paid for the obedience classes... it may not help at all because if the owners do not see anything wrong with their dog, the classes will be pointless. because the owners have to put just as much effort into the classes as the dogs.

 

[Charlie]

You need to tell them they need to teach the dog how to behave, if you are friends with them I dont see why it should be a problem. It seems to me that puppy is very spoiled, just like a little kid, is not her fault, it is "the parents" who won't educate the "children"

 

[Odette]

We got a puppy last Thanksgiving and she was a terror to train! I always warned people before they came over that we have a puppy and she likes to jump and be on your lap and if they were uncomfortable with that, they let us know.

Now that we have our house and she is a bit older, she has calmed down. When people come over, she usually gets excited, but if I tell her to stay down, she will. Distracting her with a Kong (toy you can fill with treats), filled with peanut butter, is usually what will keep her occupied long enough to calm down. We also have to walk her everyday, otherwise she just has way too much energy. And if people are uncomfortable around dogs, I keep her in a separate room. You have to respect that some people either have allergies or aversion to pets in general...not everyone is an animal lover.

Labs are very social dogs and very high energy dogs, so they need to get out that energy in a positive way. Chewing on people's shoes and jumping all over guests is just rudeness on the owner's part. I would stop going over there until they can control their pets.

 

[gr8heart]

^^^I appreciate your comments, fayden, crylater3 and ImASadGiraffe!
Thank you!