Terrible Twos?

[TheShihtzuation 0]

The first 5 months Pokerface was the ideal puppy. All of a sudden he's turned into a terrible tike! Don't get me wrong, I still love him to pieces .. but what is going on? Is this the "terrible two" stage?

Some main problems:

- He will NOT stop terrorizing Klepto. Klepto snaps at him.. and Pokey just keeps pawing Kleptos head more.. Sometimes he'll run and jump on Klepto when Klepto is just laying there. Klepto has bad teeth and I know it hurts Klepto everytime he snaps (he never actually nipped Pokey yet but has come awfully close and growls like mad when Pokey nears him). I do the loud "EH EH" to Pokey or shake a coffee can of nickels and it doesn't phaze him. He still keeps up with the terrorizing.

Is it ok to give him a time-out for this? I want him to learn that it's NOT cool to do if Klepto isn't in the mood to play. I feel bad because Klepto before could just jump on the couch to get away from Pokey.. but now Pokey can jump up there too.

- Accidents! I was just standing in the mirror getting ready to leave.. and Pokey out of nowhere comes over stands by my feet (which is normal) but then he peed on my foot!!!!!!!!!!! WTF?!?!? I said "NO! BAD!" and put him on a peepee pad but of course he's just like huh? He also apparently had an accident the other day right in front of my mom.

- He's turned into a vulture!! When I give them treats he doesn't even bother with his... he'll try to run to get Klepto's right away and THEN his. He realizes Klepto eats super slow and Pokey totally takes advantage of this. Also they eat their meals separately but as soon as Pokey's done eating in his playpen he starts barking like mad to get out.. First thing he does when he take him out of the playpen? Runs to Klepto's bowl to lick it! In the mornings when I get him from the playpen to take him outside.. he will pull to go back in right away.. And the first thing he does? Run for Kleptos bowl looking for crumbs!!!

- He'll also just stop walking on the leash. He would do it randomly before but now we'll be walking for not even a minute and he just stops refusing to move.

---- There's more but of course I can't think of it right now. We start back training again on the 23rd so I'll be sure to bring these to the trainers attention.. but geesh!! LOL! He was a handful when he was a good boy.. but now he's 2 handfuls in one!

--- I should add - I realize these are all probably the norm with puppies. I guess I'm just alarmed because he never used to act out like this. I think it may be partial to my mom spoiling the stuffings out of him... he's starting to think he can get away with bad behavior. Or he may not even realize it's "bad" yet.. but .. arghhh!!!

Edited March 18, 2009 by thepupstuff

[My2Cuties 0]

Is he growing in his adult teeth?

This causes alot of bad behavior. Potty training goes in reverse for a bit and they will sometimes pee in random areas.

You will notice strange things getting chewed up that he didnt chew before. They will have a constant need to chew.

They will also eat more.

When Dixie was a puppy and her adult teeth were coming in, she would constantly stop while walking on a leash. This was around the 5-6 month age mark.

Molly is 5 months, but her adult teeth have not started coming in yet......I am not looking forward to it :kiss1[1]:

Edited March 18, 2009 by My2Cuties

[kcsheperd 13]

I think they all have their 'moments'...I also think that as they get older, they start gaining more confidence, and less fear. I wish I could help you with the Klepto thing, but seriously, my only solution to stop Payslee from terrorizing Rally---Another puppy! Which I know is just not realistic for some people..But how about a visit to the dog park to play with other dogs who don't hate him? Payslee quit bothering Rally when we would go to the farm because Bear always wanted to play with her..so she loved that. Rally STILL does not tolerate Payslee, and she has learned that if she wants to play, she better find me or Sawyer, because Rally is OUT. Even if Sawyer & Rally are playing, Rally still will NOT play with Payslee..ever.

Payslee did GREAT with Potty training..like Poke, but 2 weeks ago she was on the bed, and suddenly just pee'd all over my pillow! Outta no where! I was like, "WHAT! Payslee!" and she of course ran outside.. but she hasn't done it since then, so I think that might just be a 'testing' phase, or a true accident..

Pays is also a vulture..If there are treats involved she wants ALL the treats. Hers, Rallys, and Sawyers.. Whats awful is both my boys usually let her have them! Sometimes Rally will grown and be like, "not today little girl" but Sawyer almost always gives it to her and then cries because she has it. To stop this I just give them their treats and watch Pays..if she tries to steal, I take her back to her own..and just keep doing it until Sawyer has eaten his. Mine all 3 eat together..no trouble there because Rally is very good about sharing, so if the babies go to his bowl, he just moves over to theirs. They all eat the same things so its no trouble, and they all never eat ALL their food..so what if you tried feeding them by each other so they can just trade off bowls and eating until they are both full? Or would Klepto be mad about this?

As for the walking..you saw Sawyer's response to exercise.. Laying in the road..refusing to move, letting his leash go all the way out. I just let him sit there for a minute and then try to get him to go again, "Come on Sawyer! Good boy Bubba!" and usually he will start up again. When he stops again..we repeat, and if I still can't get him to move then I'll offer him a treat to move forward..so when he moves I give him a treat..

Don't know if I'm helping at all here..but maybe something will click with him. Once they are past 16 weeks old they start having less and less fear, so this is the time when we really have to be the 'pack leader' or they learn to walk all over us.. Payslee is smart, and already figuring out ways to manipulate situations to suit her..I have to watch her the closest because Sawyer & Rally are very easy-going, and sweet..Payslee (without dicipline) could turn into a terror VERY quickly.. lol..

[tzukeeper 12]

Hubby and I were talking about this very thing last night. Munky just turned 2 years old and he is really behaving badly. Pebbles went through something very similar between 18 and 24 months. I've read that this is the age that dogs reach social maturity and it can be a trying time. I used the NILIF training strategy and it worked wonders. It's my opinion that dogs don't have the ability to understand the time out thing. You should try NILIF. It's very easy. Here's the link. It's a 5 minute read and you can see a difference in your dog in a very short time. Munky and I are working hard to regain some of the sanity in our house.

http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm

[TheShihtzuation 0]

THANK YOU ALL! You were all VERY helpful!

How can I tell if the big teeth are coming in? (Uh, duh.. let me answer that myself.. try looking in his mouth maybe? haha) I know the vet mentioned that if he doesn't have all of his babe teeth out when he gets neutered (in the middle of April) that they will have to take them out while he's under.

KC - I keep using you as an example to my mom and saying how Pays started to leave Rally alone once Sawyer came into the picture. She started budging for a few days.. but then no deal. haha. I just dont get it.. when will Pokey learn that "gggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" or "snap i almost bit you!" means "get the h*ll away from me!"

When walking thats what I do too.. I say "c'mon good boy.. c'mon! LOOK! Where's Klepto going?" sometimes it works.. sometimes not. I'll start bringing cheerios with me to lure him.

I think in the beginning they may have been able to eat next to each other.. but now.. Pokey eats so gosh darn quick (and usually eats every last drop) that I know he would just taunt Klepto while Klepto was trying to eat. Marc and Klepto used to eat in the same room.. and Marc was a vulture too.. as soon as he'd finish he'd run over to slow poke Klepto's side of the kitchen and wait for him to finish. Of course, Klepto growling at Marc made Marc back up.. but especially if food is involved, I'm afraid just how vicious Klepto would actually get with the Pokemobile... so I'll leave them separated for now.

I'll definitely check out the NILIF method.. I've never actually even heard of it before! I figured a time out would do no good. The other night when Pokey peed in front of my mom.. she immediatly put him in his playpen. When I went in the room and saw this she claimed he was just "taking a nap".. but I know she thinks she was punishing him by putting him in there - which we all know, is the wrong thing to do when it comes to peepee training and such. I swear - she's the hard headed stubborn husband in this mom/daughter/roommate situation.. lol.

[kcsheperd 13]

I think a lot of the Payslee/Rally--Klepto/Pokey thing has to do with age and temperament. I mean I seriously don't know what I was thinking when I thought, "Hey, I bet my 10 year old dog would love an annoying, wild shih-tzu puppy girl!".. I just thought Rally would enjoy the company since he had lost Pandora.. Well he does enjoy the company..OF SAWYER.. because Sawyer and Rally are on the same wave length..Laid back..relaxed..not all crazy and wild like Miss Pays..BUUUUUUUUUUUT.. Hindsight is 20/20 and I had already brought Pays home, fallen in love with Payslee so I was determined to make it work.

He now tolerates her..and sometimes he will let her lay by him..I also think it will get better when Pays and Poke get out of their 'Puppy' moods..and calm down a bit. Then they will all be more even keeled..

As for the walking.. Uh yeah.. Sawyer laid in the road 5 times today.. damn.

[TheShihtzuation 0]

LOL kc - that's exactly what I thought. I figured Klepto was lonely and wanted another buddy after we lost Marc. Klepto was NEVER ever this mean to Marc (Marc was the meanie! haha). Today Klepto was laying in one of his beds (one of 4 beds, haha) by my computer and Pokey just wanted to lay near him - but Klepto just kept up with the snapping and growling. Pokey was able to get his head on the bed with Klepto.. and Klepto just dealt with it.. but from the very very end of the other side of the doggy bed.. haha. It was cute.. but sad.

I think my next video's background music will be "Why Can't We Be Friends?" . :)

[kcsheperd 13]

You should! That would be hilarious! It made me sad too, because you could tell that Payslee was like "PLEEEEEEEEASE PLAY WITH ME!!!!" and day after day I would watch Rally be mean to her. In fact he's growing at her now.. lol.. He just doesn't like her.. I know others on the board have talked about some of their tzu's being able to live with one another, but never truly liking one another, and I think thats what I'm up against with Rally..

Although tonight I am dealing with Payslee having temper tantrums, whining, fussing, and fighting Sawyer.. Man! What little personalities they have!

[TheShihtzuation 0]

LOL! Why haven't they started a "Dogs of Our Lives" soap opera yet?!?

Pokey was being a good boy today.. no accidents, but then again I did increase how many times I took him out. It's amazing watching them grow up.. its like the little things you notice. I can now walk by Pokey's playpen at night without him waking up, jumping trying to get out. He just looks at me like "I hopeeeeeeeee you don't think you're gon' bother meeeeeee!" and goes back to bed.

Rally looks like such a love muffin.. I can't imagine him being mean to Pays - but it definitely sounds exactly to our situation here. It just pisses me off because when its convenient for Klepto (ie.. after dinner and he feels frisky) THEN he wants to be Poke's friend. Also - he's fine when we take walks together. Klepto still even lets Pokey pull his leash. I just don't get it.

Edited March 20, 2009 by thepupstuff