Disipline?

[Ashley-Mileys Mom 0]

Miley is a really good puppy but occasionally she will do things that I want to stop while she is still young.

She will bark to get up on the couch or when she wants to go past a baby gate or something..I usually ignore her (she is darn STUBBORN however) other then ignoring her until she stops..is there any other things you do or did to kind of get them to stop?

Also, she will NOT stop running at my ankles or feets and biting them, or grabbing on my pant leg with her teeth and holding on. She has tripped me a few times and Im scared im going to fall on her or step on her. What is the best way to address this? She does it almost constantly.

Also she will get excited and has nipped my in the face a few times. I tell her no and put her down...but has one tried like..tapping there nose? I don't know if she would think I was trying to play with her still, or get more aggressive if I do that?

Any kind of tips on displine would be great!

[Sammy and Su Lee's Mom 1]

When they nip at you even in play don't even say anything to them , just instantly walk away and don't pay them any attention for 15-20 minutes , believe me they get it real quick, as they are such attention mongers. About the barking what really has worked for me in the past is Cesar Malans method, I just walk TOWARDS them with attoraty , point my finger and say shhhhhhhhhhhh, you don' t even need to say it loud, I was amazed at how well this worked to stop the barking. However it dosen't work if you try it from another room, you have to walk towards them and do it. let us know how everything works out.

Edited February 27, 2009 by Sammys Mom

[Seastar 44]

This breed is so sensitive; I don't even think a little tap is okay. You can try squirting with water (don't let her see you do it!) when she barks, or shaking a can with pennies in it.

[tzukeeper 12]

Even though she is a puppy she can still learn basic commands. Try using NILIF. It's a great training strategy and so easy to do. Even the youngest pups can learn....check out this video.

Here is a link about NILIF.

http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm

[Ashley-Mileys Mom 0]

This breed is so sensitive; I don't even think a little tap is okay. You can try squirting with water (don't let her see you do it!) when she barks, or shaking a can with pennies in it.

Yeah I agree, that's why I haven't tried it yet. I know with my Mom, she has a 65 lb weimaraner and the vet told her to try that when the dog was younger, but again..big dog. Miley is so tiny I don't want to hurt her.

I have heard of using the penny thing, so I think I will try that first.

[luvinpreciousntoby 0]

when precious was a pup, and would do unwanted barking, I would simply walk over to her and close her mouth and say hushhhhhhh... it only took afew times and she got the idea, and I was not hurting her in any way.. this also worked with our yorkie as well.. good luck

[mi_ku 1]

Ignoring her is a good start, but why not take it a step further. Have you tried time out? I would put her in her crate for 5-15 minutes, depending on what she did and how long it takes her to calm down. Don't make a big deal out of it, just put her in the crate/pen/different room and when her time is up act like nothing happened. NILIF is also a good idea. Don't get physical w/ her, but you're better off thinking of her as a "big dog." The reason "ankle biters" have the reputation they do, is b/c their owners treat them differently.

[MickiNRooney 0]

Withholding attention and squealing actually stops the behavior.

When Rooney nips me, I immediately turn around and fold my arms. I also squeal if he nips my toes. That stops him immediately.

Barking – I read that you should ignore it. It may be annoying, but if you respond to it, then they will bark whenever they want something.

I stepped on Rooney yesterday. I felt awful and I cried about it. But he has steered clear of my feet.

[kcsheperd 13]

IMO, Time outs only work for toddlers.. Ceasar (the Dog Whisperer) has said many times that we can't 'humanize' the dogs by making ourselves think they understand 'time outs.' All that will do is teach them that their crate is a bad place, and that they go in there when you are upset, or angry with them..which is not good if you are crate training..Because you want them to be happy, and comfortable in their crate or playpen area without putting up a fuss, and you want them to WANT to go in there.

Shih-tzu's love attention, but Payslee is so demanding that ignoring her didn't work..If she barks non-stop, she gets a spritz of the spray bottle and I say "SHHH".. Sawyer on the other hand is very tender-hearted, so a "NO" for him works..When he starts to potty in a place where he's not supposed to, I will say, "OOOOOPS OOOOOPS Outside!".. and he will stop immediatley stop and go to his potty spot outside.. As for the nipping and ankle biting..I would tell Payslee "NO" and if she didn't stop, she would get a water spritz..but to be honest, she outgrew this when she got about 16 weeks old, and it was no longer fun to her..I got Sawyer when he was 16 weeks old, and he never did the ankle biting thing.. So a lot of the irritating stuff they will outgrow..(Hopefully).. :baby:

Edited February 27, 2009 by kcsheperd

[TheShihtzuation 0]

The water bottle method has worked with all my past dogs, but silly Pokey actually LIKES getting spritzed with the water bottle. I've been trying the clapping really loudly twice and going "EH EH".. it sometimes works.. sometimes he just looks at me like I'm a moron.

OH! And KC is right.. you dont want them to associate their crate with punishment because they'll get super confused at night when you put em in for bedtime on if they did something wrong or not. I fed Pokey in his crate and let him take numerous naps in there for the first few weeks and by maybe the third week at dinner time he'd run right for the crate and be excited to get in to eat.

Edited February 27, 2009 by thepupstuff

[Cackle 144]

I wouldn't use the water bottle because you need to use them while grooming and you don't want tp associate the water bottle with a punishment.

I used to do a high pitched OW and make like a crying sound, it bought them up short and then I'd say NO.

[Stacey 7]

I dont use discipline. They dont understand it. But I do try to train them properly.

The only time I use the crate for what some people call negative behavior is when you take them outside to potty and they dont do anything, I bring them back in put them in crate for 30 mins then take them back out, but I dont yell at them for it, but it helps them learn hey I better go when I go, or otherwise I have to hold it and that bothers me lol

[Riquena 2]

I tried the water squirt thing on Chico, and he basically just licked his face..it didn't even phase him and here I was crying because he looked so pitiful with his face all wet...I think about it now and crack up!

This breed is so sensitive; I don't even think a little tap is okay. You can try squirting with water (don't let her see you do it!) when she barks, or shaking a can with pennies in it.

Edited February 28, 2009 by Riquena

[kcsheperd 13]

I just think you have to find out what works on Miley..and do that..The squirt bottle works on Pays, but I would never have to use that on Sawyer because he is just too tender hearted and a "No" works for him..but Payslee is much more stubborn and head strong. You will figure out what works best for her, and she will let you know..

[Seastar 44]

The water squirt isn't a punishment, it's to get their attention off the behavior. Lots of dogs do like it, but that's okay, if they get involved licking it off or wondering what the heck just happened, the behavior has been interrupted.

[enchantedmountain 2]

yes, these are all great ideas! I agree, not to put them in their crate for punishment. I have a problem with mine, jumping on me for attention, my poor legs get all scratched up. I am doing the turning around and ignoring them thing, hoping that it will work. I am aweful though, I want to love on them and pet them, becasue they usually do it, when I go down and let them out in the moringing. I want to give them loves and hug and sqeeze them, but they jump all over me and rip my legs to shreds. It's hard to ignore their cute little faces all looking at me so sweetly (I am such a pushover).

[Stacey 7]

I cant squirt bert he loves water too much... maci is scared of the water bottle when you pick it up she runs. Lea is almost like automatically obedient like maci she is patient and waits for things.... the only thing she does that bothers me is licking the face constantly.... so in order for her to learn not to do it, we blow in her face. It stops her dead in her tracks.

[Cackle 144]

maci is scared of the water bottle when you pick it up she runs

That's the point I was making, if the dog becomes scared of the water bottle it will make it harder to use one for grooming.

[Ashley-Mileys Mom 0]

Thanks for all the great ideas ladies. She is already getting better with barking just from me clapping my hands or walking towards her and saying "shh".

Working on the ankle biting thing, but she seems to learn quickly so I'm not too worried, plus I think that most of her chewing/nipping is mostly from her age, I just wanted to make sure she knew it's not ok. She doesn't seem to stop when we say "Ow" or anything like that, and when we turn our attention away from her she just tries harder to get it, lol. She's learning her name so now if I say it loudly it stops her..but not for long, lol.