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Puppy in a household is hard, actually - commiseration and tips, please!

TStaelTStael Member Posts: 861
Especially if it is not your own ideal.


The person I like got a drever pup. It sort of means we got it, where I feel like the parent whose kids beg for a puppy and "they'll look after it" - only for the parents to end up taking the dog for walks.

I appreciate the individual pup is probably beyond exceptional as far as individual character goes, but this breed only has a given master or mistress; and obviously it should be the one that will take it to hunt, and not me.

So whereas the puppy follows him pretty well on a leash to woods where it can be set free, I had to condition it with knackwurst to get over from sitting on its bum, or alternatively my carrying it.

This has worked quite well - only the dog today protested by getting under my feet when I chose a narrow path, and nibbling on my pant legs to demand for more.


Indeed: I'd never choose a dog for myself, but I did not reward the bad behaviour, but tipped the puppy on its back until it stopped biting, telling it to be nice on a "disappointed cum commanding" voice.


For a breed greedy but not keen to please (par maybe one) - do you have tips?

I hate this leadership struggle which I needs must win, for sake of us both.

Comments

  • ArdanisArdanis Member Posts: 1,736
    edited July 2018
    Normally I'd recommend to not feed it for a couple days and give it a hard slap if it tries to bite on purpose, but if, as you say, it's a specialist breed with inherent authority issues, then maybe you should have a very serious talk about responsibility with your friend, especially if you plan to stay together for long.
  • GallengerGallenger Member Posts: 400
    edited July 2018
    Breed behavior is a lot like reading a horoscope. Sometimes it'll coincide with reality, and sometimes the glove only fits when you *really* want it to. Puppies are a handful - doesn't really matter the breed. Specialized training for working purposes should start early, but if the intention is to also have the dog live inside then you're unfortunately going to be roped into training it to behave properly indoors.

    Puppies are going to nip and play-bite, it's what they do, just find a toy for it to chew up instead, and hope they don't eat an entire couch one day while you're away (this happened to me lol). It's handy to buy several and just leave them around so that if they get to feeling ornery you can play with them that way (that's supposed to be the fun part). Some dogs will nip and bite more than others and you either have to distract them from the abhorrent behavior or learn to live with it - they'll eventually calm down.

    Puppies can also be exhausted fairly easily if you find a form of play they enjoy - they should spend quite a lot of time sleeping so as to grow.

    If the intention is to use the dog for hunting such toys can be rubbed down with the scent of the intended prey too which only aids in the training. I would limit giving treats strictly to reinforcing desired behavior (house-breaking, trick performance, etc). If you just give them treats seemingly at random they'll assume you're just a dispensary and will act out when you fail to act as such.
  • TStaelTStael Member Posts: 861
    @ardanis - I don't think I could be quite that cruel calculatedly, and know some favour the idea of mimicking "canine pack authorita" - but to me, humans are not that sort of leaders by default

    I've noted that this now 3,5 months old puppy does not even as of yet manage to read the social signals of its own kind: it tries to play with either disinterested or fearful dogs; and becomes fearful of either over-excited or defensive barking.

    The most punitive reinforcement I'm able to do is to take a hold of the neck while saying "no" (or variant) vigorously. With this one, I think in the over-excited (iltavilli in finish) pup is taking it as participation. But making the animal fear me is not an option.


    I've been once or twice successful with the "soothing hands" sort of method - from an American dog lover, will try and track her video back. But yea, thx US dog lover!

    There at the beginning of a potential nipping spree I take the dog unto my lap, and very gently caress it - ears, cheeks, along the back, legs by the muscles etc. The first time I was successful, the dog pedalled me with its paws and took its blanket unto its mouth. Total, blissful regression to its mother's teats.

    This made me realise how much of an animal infant it is, and that there is probably no grand malefic design to the nipping and biting thing - just instinct, frustration, and a bloody nightmarish problem for me.


    Dreever is by all accounts a great breed: friendly for a working dog, and non-aggressive, if stubborn with all but one person.

    I do feel unsupported with my dog handling probs, coz the dog does behave quite differently when its primary master is around.

    But to have a "serious talk" as in = "ultimatum about the dog" is like having a serious talk with me about my gaming hours: quite unfair. The dog is like my gaming rig: hobby enabler.


    While having that responsibility for a whole weekend, say, irks me at best and intimidates or infuriates me at worst, this somehow should be at the core of human solidarity.


    And in this spirit, I hope for tips here!

    And thx for your input @Ardanis - I do appreciate it, just I am not cut out to be such a pack leader. I need to be able to motivate positive behaviour, even if at times of nipping sprees it feels there is none to be had... :disappointed:
  • TStaelTStael Member Posts: 861
    Gallenger said:

    Breed behavior is a lot like reading a horoscope. Sometimes it'll coincide with reality, and sometimes the glove only fits when you *really* want it to. Puppies are a handful - doesn't really matter the breed.

    Puppies can also be exhausted fairly easily if you find a form of play they enjoy - they should spend quite a lot of time sleeping so as to grow.

    I would limit giving treats strictly to reinforcing desired behavior (house-breaking, trick performance, etc). If you just give them treats seemingly at random they'll assume you're just a dispensary and will act out when you fail to act as such.

    Thx @Gallenger - and I'd lovingly would have you come and tire this little Arttu dreever of a pup, coz it's super hot now here in Finland, and it just would want to go and go and go. My stamina will deplete first, and the bad energy over-drive stay put.

    Already earlier when it was only moderately hot, I was wondering if the 1+ hour outing would be bad, where the dog was making it longer by dashing to and fro, would be bad. It slept an hour and was ready for more.

    I hope I am firm with treats, which should be there to motivate or reward desired behaviour - but I do despair when it feels there is no good behaviour to reward

    Just an overexcited, nibbling gremlin.... Sigh...
  • ArdanisArdanis Member Posts: 1,736
    But making the animal fear me is not an option.

    Ugh, I certainly wasn't suggesting to instill fear or hit it, or otherwise practice animal cruelty, just "Dude, are you freaking nuts?? You *can't* bite your owner!" Kind of like you slap a person to bring them back to senses from hysterical fit.

    This made me realise how much of an animal infant it is
    I guess kids are always the same, regardless of species :D
  • TStaelTStael Member Posts: 861
    Ardanis said:

    But making the animal fear me is not an option.

    Ugh, I certainly wasn't suggesting to instill fear or hit it, or otherwise practice animal cruelty, just "Dude, are you freaking nuts?? You *can't* bite your owner!" Kind of like you slap a person to bring them back to senses from hysterical fit.

    This made me realise how much of an animal infant it is
    I guess kids are always the same, regardless of species :D
    "Hard slap" - this is what you said.

    I do dislike the American "Dog Whisperer" style of scheit, and should have called it out upfront, even when I appreciate that I am hardly a dog handler.
  • TStaelTStael Member Posts: 861
    PS.
    Thou I view myself as a non-dog person, still, I do see the pleasure of teaching a dog something that has been yours to teach.

    My circumstantial cum tactical response to play-biting when taking the puppy out has been to teach it how to hunt blueberries, which remains our common hobby as long as the berries last.

    First I fed some berries to the dog, then turned the twigs to highlight the berries and now it goes for them independently; working the dexterity while at it, methinks!

    If I want to supress the ankle-grabbing behaviour, I have been able to focus on blueberry picking tactically, instead of reacting to the dog, while it finds berry picking more motivating naturally, coz it involves eating.


    I know this is tactical, but still - glad to have it. And still find puppy-time to be more labour intensive than charming, perso.
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