Urgent help

[SusieY]

Any update Pilki - I've been thinking about you a lot over the last few days

Barney's nearly 3 now and a joy to have although we're still trying to work on stopping his barking when we stop to talk to friends and neighbours.  I'd waited 40 years to have a dog of my own and the reality came as quite a shock especially the mouthing - because I was home with him all day on my own it seemed relentless.  I didn't post much but scoured COL for help and advice and slowly and surely we got through it.

I hope the behaviorist has been able to help and that things are a bit better for you now

Take Care xx

[c19unn]

Hi Piki
Just wanted you to know that i have also been in your position of having Diesel be an absolute nightmare at about 4-5 months - he would just sit and bark and was very mouthy and was so tiring but please give it a little more time as pup is still young ...

I cant give any advice with guarding as i have no experience of it, however some things that worked for me with mouthing when playing or mouthing in general is

1. when hyper and mouthing and barking at you intimidatingly, i would give diesel time out. this usually calmed him down and meant that i wasnt telling him off all the time.
2. when he would start mouthing my hand i would just say gentle and give him a toy to chew (i figured that as he knows that gentle means taking a treat gently and not grabbing that he may pick uo to be gentle in this way also)
3. when diesel barks at me when he got that hyper way i just got up and walked out of the room - it meant i wasnt showing any emotion (be it annoyance or frustratedness or fear) but it showed him that barking did not get a reaction from me.

All have worked for me and Diesel is 8 month however one thing i have learned is that in different circumstances and for different dogs what works in some wont work in others
These are just steps that work for me

With Guarding i would have no idea and so would defo seek out help at the earliest stage possible before it escalated, I dont take anything off diersel but always say 'no, mine' and show him his fave toy or a high value treat and say 'yours' at which pioint he drops what he has and makes off with his trade

With chews etc i wouldnt take them off him and only lift them if he has walked away and left it in the middke if the floor.....

Hope everything works out for you Good Luck xx

[Pilki]

well Christmas hasn't been to bad, Ollie as been OK haven't put myself in the situation as to where he growls at me.  He is robbing a lot of stuff slippers socks etc and taking them straight to is cage, but I'm just taking them from him by giving him a treat.  Although he has tried to keep the sock in his mouth and eat the treat at the same time.  I did phone 2 behaviourists and only one came back to me.  I have arranged for him to come out and see us on the 5th of January. 

[Top Barks]

who are you seeing?

[cazza]

well Christmas hasn't been to bad, Ollie as been OK haven't put myself in the situation as to where he growls at me.  He is robbing a lot of stuff slippers socks etc and taking them straight to is cage, but I'm just taking them from him by giving him a treat.  Although he has tried to keep the sock in his mouth and eat the treat at the same time.  I did phone 2 behaviourists and only one came back to me.  I have arranged for him to come out and see us on the 5th of January. 

Sounds like things haven't been too bad and I hope you have got a good behaviourist coming out - I wish you all the best with it

can I ask if you tire your dogs brain out? Is there a possibility he needs some stimulation (as in just doing 10 - 15 min of sit, down, recall in the house - throw a treat let him run and get it and then call him back, throw another treat let him run and get it and then call him back and sit, give another treat - you can use some of his kibble for this, he should get the treat everytime and when you ask him to sit or lie down as soon as he does he should be given one bit of kibble hence using part of his daily allowance of kibble ) Just some ideas for you to play with him and tire his brain out a wee bit and have fun with him.

Also agree with Helen that he could be teething

But you are doing the right thing getting a behaviourist in, however I would also take him to the vet for a MOT and to discuss the possibility of teething and they will have a better chance of looking in his mouth and checking this out than you

Even if you don't want to post on here PLEASE PM TopBarks and let him know which behaviourist you have coming out

All the best - think you are doing the right thing 

[Pilki]

Thanks all for your replies have found it hard to get on the comp over Christmas, will update you all with the out come from the behaviourist visit goes.  Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and happy new year to u all.

[PennyB]

well Christmas hasn't been to bad, Ollie as been OK haven't put myself in the situation as to where he growls at me.  He is robbing a lot of stuff slippers socks etc and taking them straight to is cage, but I'm just taking them from him by giving him a treat.  Although he has tried to keep the sock in his mouth and eat the treat at the same time.  I did phone 2 behaviourists and only one came back to me.  I have arranged for him to come out and see us on the 5th of January. 

I know the one I sent you details of has had a break over christmas period (for personal reasons) so that may be why she didn't get in touch - shame as she's good and works with a lot of poundies so sees the worst and the best in dogs (we work with her at four paws and so does hope rescue)