Help Maniac Puppy!

[Bellbellsmum]

What is the best way to handle maniac puppy behaviour.  Apart from in the evenings when she's asleep and dosey, she spends her time using me as a pull toy, jumping on my head, barking at me and chewing the legs off furnature and people.

I've tried shouting, growling, water pistol, tapping her nose and ignoring her, shaking her by the scruff (as per monks of new skeet puppy book) but she just looks at me and barks her head off.  I ignore that, but she carries on until I grab her collar and chuck her outside, then she jumps up at the door scratching.  When she sits looking at me I let her in and it all starts again.

I've tried putting something in her mouth while she is fussed, but she prefers my hands.

My 9 year old spends her time sitting on the back rest of the sofa as its the only place she cant get her.

Should we put her in her crate until she learns to calm down?  HELP  

[Pammy]

Laura - do you the book The Perfect Puppy by Gwen Bailey? If not - then please get hold of a copy. Also have a look at the FAQ's on the forum here.

Then do a search for posts from Rusty. They had exactly the same as this and got lots and lots of advice and reassurance. You'll see from those how you need to handle this time and how it will end - honest.

Most puppies go through this puppy from hell periods. It seems impossible and never ending. You  need to learn how to handle your puppy. Rough handling does not work - that simply exacerbates the situation. Firm and consistent handling is what you need. Time out is good - for all concerned.

Sorry to hear you're suffering this - but it is usually normal puppy behaviour that you can and will come through if you do the right things.

hth  

[suki1964]

Laura, Pam has given excellent advice.

The threads started by Rusty saved my sanity. I too have been at the stage you are at, there were times I wanted to just sit and cry ( I did on a few occassions) but you do get through it.

Keep with it and you will come out the other end - eventually
 

[Tracey J]

Hi Laura

Please don't think you're alone.  There are many of us who have had devils in spaniels clothing .  We almost had Molly re-homed at 8 months because we felt at the absolute end of our tether with her shocking behaviour.  She ate furniture, walls, clothing, you name it she ate it.  My youngest who was 3 had to be permenantly carried around to save her poor little feet from puppy teeth .  But when she reached about 10 months she emerged from this phase into a fantastic little creature, so good that we now have Brodie (who's an angel   ).  We figured we could have coped with anything, no pup could have been worse than Molly!

Although she was horrendous for mouthing, jumping up, running away, wanting constant attention we could tell that she had a lovely nature (sounds contradictory but true).  She was NEVER aggressive or a danger to any other person or animal - quite the opposite.  It was just that she was so hyper.  We changed her food from Pedigree puppy to Naturediet and I think that helped calm her down.  Training has to be consistent and constant through this stage, make sure everyone in your household knows how to react to her when she is naughty.  Excluding Molly didn't really work for us as she just became more hyper when we let her rejoin us .  It felt like we couldn't win.  I would definately encourage Bella to use the crate though, give her a stuffed Kong or something to keep her occupied so that you get some time-out.

Good luck with everything, it will get better in time, honest ::   .

Let us know how you get on.
 

[Bellbellsmum]

I know what you mean about about the temperament.  We can tell that Bella has a lovely temperament under the devil guise.  When anyone comes to the house she sits nicely at their feet waiting for a fuss.  She looks up with a little seal like face ears flat and slides onto her side and then onto her back squirming in ecstasy at any attention   .  She is great on walks and when out of her hyper mode is totally edible.  I just hope I can last out long enough for us to see the true dog underneath.

I adore her and want to do the right thing, but am so frustrated by her cheekiness.  Its like a teenager answering me back!  she's 13 weeks not 13 years old!!

[Bellbellsmum]

Laura - do you the book The Perfect Puppy by Gwen Bailey? If not - then please get hold of a copy.

Have actually got this book.   Maybe reading it would be a good idea     I thought you were supposed to throw them at the dog !! he he    

[taniac]

Poor you, sounds like she's really trying your patience.  I promise you that she'll grow out of it and then you'll forget about how bad it was and end up with another dog!!!!

Jovi constantly eats holes in the kitchen walls.. We're trying to move house and my hubby keeps filling and painting so we can show people round, and Jovi keeps chewing and wrecking!!  He doesn't need long to chew a hole/skirting board... Usually between the time I let him out of the crate whilst I dress and go back to walk him!!!  And he has kongs, etc.

Neo grew out of this, and I forgot about it, so I'm sure Jovi will too... and then who knows what will happen (maybe a little black and tan   )

[Bellbellsmum]

Flipping dog!     Just reading posts on COL looked over and Bella had the newspaper stand over EATING my Perfect Puppy Book!!!!!!!!  CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!  I swear she is possessed by the devil and she KNOWS what i am thinking. Either that or she was on the computer while I was in the kitchen checking out what you were all telling me to do and trying distroy my friendly puppy taming companion...

Oh here she comes, trotting up tail wagging with a sock in her mouth.  Butter wouldnt melt eh Bells???  Ahhhh bless her.

Now she's chewing the wicker paper rack again.  Shout No!!  Looks, at me and runs behind sofa.  Newspaper rack now on dining table. Bella now chewing dining table leg. ........  At least she's not barking at me.... oh spoke too soon.  Poked head round sofa and yapped at me. Ignoring her . now shes looking at me whining.   Wandering around.  Now chewing rug.  Shout no!   get up ....... pulled her away and gave her a toy.... Thats gone under the sofa and now shes eating the bottom of the sofa to get at the toy.  

I started this post 30 mins ago.   A little window into our life.  

Who said puppies were easier than babies  

Ahhhh, shes on my foot under my desk... chewing the wicker basket.......

[Shirley]

 My copy of 'The Perfect Puppy' has teeth marks in it too.  Everyone I lend it to just looks at me questioningly - as if to say "It works, then.....yeah??"

Don't worry, it'll pass!  Seems a nightmare just now but it won't last forever, I promise!    

[Becky]

Danny used to strip the wall paper off the walls and steal any food he could get near, but he's great now, and you can leave your dinner in reach and he won't touch it.  Maybe we've been lucky, because I wasn't experienced in training pups, but he just seems to be happier when we're pleased with him.  That said, Ollie has recently stripped the paper from the exact same spot as Dan used to.   And my teaching certificate has a whole corner missing where Dan got to it before I did.  I always accept "my dog ate my homework"excuses now!

I'm sure Bella will be fine, and give you loads of pleasure to make up for her nighmarish ways now.  

[ruth_2_hot]

hi laura just wanted to show you a bit of solidarity excellent advice from all who posted it was the only thing that got me through the first few wks , Honey wasnt too bad but ........ i think i forgot how much little babes need our constant attention ive got five lovely children all getting big now but oh my god bringing hun home was like havinga baby again , but as the others have said it soon passes they try it on to see how far they can go then it suddenly stops , bella is still only a little dot and will soon learn whats acceptable and whats not    said it before but it works get yourself some bach rescue remedy and lavender oil together they will chill you right out and maybe bella will chill a little if her mummy isnt so frazzled   love ruth n honey  

[Bellbellsmum]

Thanks Ruth, sounds like great advice    Does anyone think a DAP would help??

[Cob-Web]

Hi Laura

Just to add to the comments here - I know what you are going through, although thankfully, Molo is quite laid back, so we haven't had any major challenges, just usual puppy behaviour!

I don't have expeirence of DAP but understand that they are good at calming anxious dogs down and helping them settle. I am guessing that because Bella is such a little monster that she has settled in very well   , but  she could be acting out anxiety as destructive behaviour, what do others think?

[Lindaphills]

Hi Laura,

I do sympathise with you as Jess my first cocker now 15 months was a nightmare puppy for biting ankles and the kids.  My kids too used to perch anywhere that she couldn't get to them, and although she was a nervous pup where people were concerned and is still people shy now, she was quite dominant in our household if you know what I mean.

If I told her no for things, she would bite me harder and come back for more sort of thing.  They do grow out of this phase trust me, but I know how you feel.  I would say that Bella sounds like a very dominant pup to me.

I read 'the dog listener' by Jan Fennel and a lot of what she said made sense so I decided that Jess needed to know her place a bit more.  If you are dealing with a dominant pup I think you need to be a little more consistent and we did the whole thing of ignoring her when we came into a room and all the things that Jan Fennel advises and she became a lot better quite quickly. It was amazing in fact but it's very hard to implement with the kids around as they have to stick to it as well.  If she couldn't get away with stuff with us she'd go for the kids as she probably viewed them as more her siblings to try it on with

Get a copy and have a read it's really interesting.

Having known the puppy from hell when we got Jimmy I couldn't believe the difference.  He is an absolute angel, he rarely playbites us, probably cos he keeps it all for Jess  

Jimmy is very laid back and loving so it'sreally great for the kids cos I think they did miss out a lot with cuddles from Jess cos she is not a cuddly type of girl.

Best of luck Laura, it will pass but it seems never ending at the moment I know

Keep us posted

[suki1964]

One thing I forgot to add in my post, every human in the household has to treat her the same way else you are fighting a losing battle. I think both Rusty and I ran into trouble as we were doing one thing and our partners were doing another . Once we sat down and agreed on the rules the there was a major change with Alfie. Hes still a wee devil at times and is and will always be a dominant dog, but we have managed to curb his excesses

Good luck