Puppy a bit on the wild side

[Sinthy]

Hi guys im pretty new to this forum so be gentle :D

anyway ive got a 9 month old male rottie who seems to be really hyperactive, if left on his own he will chew and tear all the trash bags in the garden and make a complete mess. Due to this ive been forced to tie him up unless i am around to supervise him. Hes been on a 3 week puppy training course and his behaviour has improved a lot since then, but its these issues (i.e chewing and tearing up anything it sees ) which is stressing me out.

Also when i take my dog for a walk everytime he sees a person walk past or even a vehicle he seems to lunge at them/it, ive got a choker but ive realised lately that this isnt as effective as it used to be. Althought the lunging (sp.) and jumping at people isnt violent as the only reason it does this is to play other people wont be thinking the same.

The last thing I want to say is my dog seems to run around like crazy and occasionly play bite my wrist or clothes , ive said no and corrected him on many occasions but he seems to be goin back to his bad ways.

Any help on these problems is much appreciated and sorry for the essay

Thx in advance

[Luvs]

Have you tried crating him instead of leaving him on his own? If there is something you don't want him to get into, make sure it is picked up and put away where he can't reach it. Putting him in his crate when he is unattended will ensure that he can't get into things he shouldn't.

Your puppy is more than old enough to understand that mouthing is NOT appropriate behavior. This should have been stopped long ago. You need to keep correcting him when he does this to you.

My girl used to want to try and chase cars when we were out on walks. When she was younger I would try and distract her when a car was going by. As she got older and the behavior continued on occassion, she would get a correction when she attempted to lunge after a car.

Keep your puppy in obedience classes! It is the best thing you can do for your puppy as well as yourself

[SABELLESMOM]

Well two things immediately come to mind. But do with my thoughts as you wish. First a crate when you're away would help your dog learn to self soothe. Kind of like an infant learns to play with it's fingers and coo until it falls asleep. Tying a dog generally does nothing in the way of calming. In fact he may search all the more for things to get into.

Primarily, he's bored. A 3 week puppy training course is far to little to (second) challenge his active mind and body. Is there a way you can provide more activity during the time you're home? An extra walk? A romp on a long line out in the countryside or park? Another set of classes to make him think and help you understand him?

Third, are you working with him every day? Dogs respond better to learning what they "can" do instead of what they cannot. If you teach a good "Sit!" you can use it when you think he might lunge at people. But even that will take time, patience and consistency. He won't pick up on it right away.

You can incorporate things into daily life, too. Like a nice "down" at your own mealtimes. I have 3 dogs, they all lie down when told and must stay there until asked to get up. Training is your key to a less boisterous, jumping, misbehaving dog.

[Sinthy]

Thx peeps for the ever so quick response

i was wondering how a crate would look like as it seems to be a good idea. would it be possible to make one myself?

also SABELLESMOM about what you said about a dog being more destructive after being tied up is totally correct. After tyin him up he seems to go for boxes and tears them open and makes a right old mess.

I have also taught my dog to sit but if theres a lot of distractions e.g. people around he seems to disobey.

Reading around this forum ive seen a lot of people mention that a pinch collar seems to be more effective than a choker. Would this be a viable alternative for me improve/train my dog ?

[brunie's mom]

Before you start changing collars...it seems to me your dog needs more training.
If he cannot even sit with distractions around...he needs alot more training.

It also seems to me that he is not getting enough exercise...a tired dog is a good dog.

Get into a formal obedience class, take him out for more walks, throw the ball for him and spend time training him 15-20 minutes everyday.

As far as a prong/pinch collar...I don't know if they are available in England. Crates should be...do a search for "kennel/crate".

Gina

[Sinthy]

thx Brunie's mom

many of the things u have mentioned i can associate with and i will be deff looking to get my rottie more obedience training :)

thx for the advice

[mannurse801]

As many people have told me, a tired dog is a good dog. Take him for long long walks, play fetch, frisbey, train train and more training, these guys can't get enough, they love to please you, even if the4y are acting "bad". Start a good long training session, walk, play. Everytime he bites your wrists, put your wrist far into his mouth, they hate it, and over time, it will stop. Is his teething done yet?

[Sinthy]

He is still teething as far as i know and also i do go joggin for about 30 mins wid my dog in the mornings but the problem is im dead at the end of it but hes just up for more .

i also have another big problem whch i failed to mention earlier, i tend to leave him lose in open fields but on occasions he rolls in other dogs faeces. due to this i keep him on the leash unless its a very clean open area . Any ideas how to combat this?

thx

[poohbearsmom]

Originally Posted by Sinthy

Thx peeps for the ever so quick response

i was wondering how a crate would look like as it seems to be a good idea. would it be possible to make one myself?

also SABELLESMOM about what you said about a dog being more destructive after being tied up is totally correct. After tyin him up he seems to go for boxes and tears them open and makes a right old mess.

I have also taught my dog to sit but if theres a lot of distractions e.g. people around he seems to disobey.

Reading around this forum ive seen a lot of people mention that a pinch collar seems to be more effective than a choker. Would this be a viable alternative for me improve/train my dog ?

Rather than simply try training tools you've never used, why don't you enroll in some training classes? A qualified instructor will teach you how to communicate with your dog more effectively, and actually train you to train him properly. In other words, the best training tool is your brain, and having a good understanding of the whys, the hows, and gaining realistic expectations of your dog. All training tools have a proper method of use, and if you do not have the knowledge to use them properly, you're likely to harm your relationship with your dog, rather than build the respect you so badly need to instill in him at this time.

It sounds as though this boy has grown up with relatively few boundaries... not a good thing with any dog, but especially with a rottweiler. These are pack animals, and need a clear and honest leader. The mouthing *should* have been taken care of months ago; please find up close and personal assistance in 'nipping' this problem.

Repetitive destructive behavior is brought about by self reward. This dog has nothing better to do, and doesn't know any better. I certainly hope that you're not correcting him for this behavior if you do not catch him in the act. It does no good, and quite frankly, is inhumane.

Tying your dog out will surely lead to frustration, and a whole new bag of bad behavior. This is a definite no-no if you're looking to live with a safe and predictable dog.

What your dog needs is good quality time with you, a SAFE area to be confined in when you're not at home (a kennel run, a crate, etc), so that he cannot be destructive to your property and possibly cause injury to himself. It's much more pleasant to come home to a dog that hasn't run amok during your absence, and sets a better tone for your relationship. This way, you can spend more time with your dog in productive ways, and less time cleaning up the path of destruction.

Hope this helps you some. Keep learning, and find a qualified trainer. Your breed club should have a contact or ten that you can choose from.

Good luck.