Top Dog

[Katherine]

Barnaby has been here for almost three weeks now and I have a horrible feeling that he is getting a bit above himself. When he first came, he was quite nervous, but now he has started barking at people and the cat :evil:
We think he believes that he is the most important thing in the world. We have stuck to the book but I don't think its working. We are very worried that when he is bigger we won't be able to control him.

Help please!!!
Katherine                    

[KellyP]

Puppies are very nervous for the first few weeks of life in a new house - but as you're finding once they've found their feet there's no stopping them!

I would say that the best thing for you to do is to continue re-inforcing that this kinda of barking behaviour is unacceptable by using your command for stopping unwanted behaviour.

Of course dogs will always bark when people come to the door - Millie still does at 15months and Lucy at 7 years .. its just  natural 'defence' type mechanism - I think I've yet to meet a dog taht doesn't bark at the door knocking (someone will probably post and prove me wrong now! hehe   )

with the cat - he probably is trying to engage it in play - again just keep on reinforcing with that 'no' (or whatever word you use) - and make sure that everyone in the household does the same .. even older kids and visitors.

others will probably be along shortly with some more advice for you

HTH
                     

[Shirley]

Hi Katherine

I found with Morgan that it took months rather than weeks for the commands to be effective every time you use them.  Morgan is nearly two and even now, he still tries to push the boundaries sometimes,  if he's excited or is due for a walk and has lots of energy.  It's in a cocker's nature to push their luck  :wink:

It's all a matter of being more determined than him.  Sounds like your doing everything by the book so I'm sure it will all work out in the end  

[/b]                    

[pwhite48]

Hi Kathryn

As you've probably seen from my threads, Honey is exactly the same, and has been from day 1.  She's very headstrong, and will certainly make it clear when she's not happy about something or if she doesn't want to do something.  She will growl and bark, so constantly needs knocking down a peg or two!

I've been really worried that we've taken on a monster, but lots of people on COL have experienced similar - I think it's a puppy thing.  Honey is having her final injection tomorrow so hopefully in a week or so we can start taking her for walks and getting her socialised with other dogs.  I'm hoping this will calm her down at bit :wink:

Good luck with Barnaby - the photos of him look great.                    

[Silver Surfer (indiesnan)]

 mechanism - I think I've yet to meet a dog taht doesn't bark at the door knocking (someone will probably post and prove me wrong now! hehe   )


HTH
 [/quote

 Hi Kelly, ive just come on to prove you wrong,  :wink:  Nell never barks at the door,  come to think of it, she never barks at all!!

  I think thats why my neighbours all love her!!  :wink:                      

[bluesmum]

Hi Katherine,

We had a very simalar problem with Blue, but through no fault of his own  :oops:  (we made him top dog!) :wink: ,

He was very spoiled and just like a child - needed a bit of discipline, so i went and got some advise from a dog trainer who told me not to tell him off in my "every day" voice :?  but to use a "growling voice" when he was very naughty and i have to say that although i did feel very silly doing this :oops: it did work and we dont do a whole lot of growling anymore!  just our silly high pitched doggy voice that seems to have come from nowhere!!!!!!    

_______________________

  Maria & Blue                    

[Colin]

The weeks between bringing a puppy home and being allowed to take it on walks can be really hard work, all that energy and no way to propely expend it.

Misty was a right pushy little madame at first and I was told to attempt to exert my authority over her by teaching her not to expect things she wanted instantly..... make her wait patiently and then reward her for this.

One way of doing this is when feeding to not let the pup tuck in straight away, make it sit and wait until you give permission. Obviously this takes time but start off by telling the pup to sit before going to put the bowl down. Keep your hand on or near the bowl and if the pup doesn't sit then lift the bowl up and tell it to sit again. Several goes of this and the pup will eventually get the message. Gradually once the pup has understood the commands of "wait" and "leave" you can build up the time it has to wait whilst the bowl is already down, it will eventually wait automatically for you to give permission. Well that's the theory, Misty got the hang of it within a couple of days as she is  such a little piggy !

You can do the same re going for walks etc, anything the pup enjoys. Make it wait until it's calm and quiet before putting the lead on or opening the door. Silence, standing still and not making eye contact is the best policy whilst you wait for the pup to step into line , they hate that.                    

[Mary]

Of course dogs will always bark when people come to the door - Millie still does at 15months and Lucy at 7 years .. its just  natural 'defence' type mechanism - I think I've yet to meet a dog taht doesn't bark at the door knocking (someone will probably post and prove me wrong now! hehe   )

 

Meet Lottie :roll:  

She only ever barks when playing or waiting for her dinner :roll:                    

[KellyP]

bah!
  to Mary and Indiesnan  with perfectly behaved dogs!                            

[claire1]

Hi katherine,
Try reading 2 books by Jan Fennell - 'the dog listener' and 'the practical dog listener'. They are very good and reassess how we approach dog training. they make sense!
Claire (not long now til we pick up our pup x )                    

[PennyB]

Hi Katherine,

We had a very simalar problem with Blue, but through no fault of his own  :oops:  (we made him top dog!) :wink: ,

He was very spoiled and just like a child - needed a bit of discipline, so i went and got some advise from a dog trainer who told me not to tell him off in my "every day" voice :?  but to use a "growling voice" when he was very naughty and i have to say that although i did feel very silly doing this :oops: it did work and we dont do a whole lot of growling anymore!  just our silly high pitched doggy voice that seems to have come from nowhere!!!!!!    

_______________________

  Maria & Blue

Am glad someone else does this as well