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New Puppy, Modern Training, Won't chew chew toys
Darkewolfe
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I've had a few dogs in my life, and I apologize to say that all of them prior to this were raised based on the old methods of training. Pre-Cesar, but still basically the same system, which involved a lot of rubbing noses in poop and shouting no.
So I've got a new puppy, I've read most of the new training material, I've decided to start out based on Dr. Ian Dunbar's methods outlined in "Before and After Getting Your New Puppy" and then move on to some other positive reinforcement training with a clicker, etc.
Fundamental problem: Everything I've understood about this relied on one simple truth that Dr. Dunbar takes on faith, which is simply not working out to be true: That you can feed your dog meals out of chew toys and use the chew toys as a primary activity to settle into everything (huge starting point: crate training). This dog refuses to chew chew toys. Even though he seems to be hungry and I've got chew toys stuffed with kibble, some smeared with peanut butter, some packed with freeze dried liver on each end, he shows absolutely no interest in them whatsoever. I've got a puppy kong, a small breed kong (slightly larger and harder) and another more ballish thing my some other brand that still allows for stuffing. He's licked at the peanut butter a bit, but then completely ignores them. He also won't go for a rubber bone, a stuffed toy or a bully stick.
I think part of my problem is going to be the previous owner. He's still a puppy, but growing up it looks like he didn't play with many toys, and those he did must've been pieces of paper and towels, because he WILL chew those. I don't want to use a towel longterm, I'd like to get him on proper chew toys so we can have longer meal times out of them, etc., which will also lead to getting him more comfortable in his crate. Right now he'll sleep in his crate if the door is open, but he goes full demon if you shut it.
It's been a long time since I've had a puppy. I thought I remembered more about dogs than apparently I do, and I thought I was prepped with all the reading I've done. Now I'm completely stumped. Halp.
And I'll post pictures when I can find the time to find the dang camera connector.
So I've got a new puppy, I've read most of the new training material, I've decided to start out based on Dr. Ian Dunbar's methods outlined in "Before and After Getting Your New Puppy" and then move on to some other positive reinforcement training with a clicker, etc.
Fundamental problem: Everything I've understood about this relied on one simple truth that Dr. Dunbar takes on faith, which is simply not working out to be true: That you can feed your dog meals out of chew toys and use the chew toys as a primary activity to settle into everything (huge starting point: crate training). This dog refuses to chew chew toys. Even though he seems to be hungry and I've got chew toys stuffed with kibble, some smeared with peanut butter, some packed with freeze dried liver on each end, he shows absolutely no interest in them whatsoever. I've got a puppy kong, a small breed kong (slightly larger and harder) and another more ballish thing my some other brand that still allows for stuffing. He's licked at the peanut butter a bit, but then completely ignores them. He also won't go for a rubber bone, a stuffed toy or a bully stick.
I think part of my problem is going to be the previous owner. He's still a puppy, but growing up it looks like he didn't play with many toys, and those he did must've been pieces of paper and towels, because he WILL chew those. I don't want to use a towel longterm, I'd like to get him on proper chew toys so we can have longer meal times out of them, etc., which will also lead to getting him more comfortable in his crate. Right now he'll sleep in his crate if the door is open, but he goes full demon if you shut it.
It's been a long time since I've had a puppy. I thought I remembered more about dogs than apparently I do, and I thought I was prepped with all the reading I've done. Now I'm completely stumped. Halp.
And I'll post pictures when I can find the time to find the dang camera connector.
What is this I don't even.
Darkewolfe on
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I don't seem to be getting anywhere with anything except exhausting him till he sleeps, TRYING to get him outside for bathroom time (cleaning when I fail), and dissuading him from destroying everything. He's starting to sleep in his crate because we sit there and play with toys and eat when I think he might get sleepy. Making progress, I guess.
some dogs don't have a high chew drive. when our dog was a puppy she wouldn't touch kongs other than when we stuffed them
yep thats the best way to train a puppy. just stay consistent
Also try other treats in the kong? My first puppy went insane for peanut butter but this new one doesn't like it at all. Maybe try cheese?
How long have you had him? I found with my second dog (adopted from a bad home) it took at least a few weeks before she started feeling even vaguely close to settled in. My first dog it wasn't quite the same, but I had visited her tonnes before hand (adopted from a family friend). A lot of it may be patience and calm for now, and puppy-proofing the place from having papers and other delicious non-chewables around.
Pretty much everything I've ever read puts 8 weeks at the magic number, but some folks say 10 weeks if the original owner is good with training. Most sources seem to indicate that 12 weeks is one of the big event points, and you need to get certain training and socialization ideas in before that.
I've only had him a couple days. He's still adjusting. My big problem is that I'd had everything around Dr. Dunbar's books, which swear up and down that the most important thing is stuffing Kongs with kibble and a tiny bit of treats to sweeten the deal. He'll gnaw on stuff, but he won't take to the kongs to get food out. A big part of Dunbar's stuff is keeping the dog occupied anytime he's got a few hours alone by having to work at chew toys to get at food.
And no, I haven't been shouting at him. Except the time he tried to eat a big branch of azalea leaves I wasn't aware I had.
your method relies on him having a huge food and chew drive, which he doesn't since food isn't this mega awesome reward why bother trying to figure out the kong.
11 weeks is really young for anyhting beyond sit, and down and maybe a few seconds of stay.
does he respond to treats?
have a favorite toy?
I had a hard time playing anything but tug when my dog was a puppy, just because she didn't seem to "get" anything else. I've heard bad things about playing that, but i think if you do it right, it's fine. basically, i was told that you have to initiate the tug game, and you need to teach them that it stops when you say it does.
Things are improving somewhat. The really big key for me with the chew toys was giving him occupational items for the times when he's going to be alone while folks are at work. It was also a big goal for me for getting him comfortable being locked up in the crate while we're at home once we use the crate for crate training. (Referring to locking him up when it's close to time for him to void, so that we can take him outside confident that he has to go, giving us the opportunity to praise optimal behavior, rather than trying the old method of punishing voiding in the wrong spot, etc.)
I think Than may also just have a gist of it. He's a smart, stubborn little bastard and every step is a challenge.
Right now he's just got a nylon collar and I was just going to try to work on that. I'd like to figure out a way to just train him not to pull at the leash.
I mean, we didn't have her on a leash very often (my parents have a large, fenced-in yard), but you'd still think she'd have eventually picked up on that. Nope.
also i recomend getting him used to stopping at every intersection. we did this with our dog and it paid off. we had some friends watching her while we were on our honeymoon and after getting droppped off at our house, she found a way out of our fence and proceeded to walk to the intersection of the busy road, stop, wait for traffic to stop and then walked across the street to follow our friends home.
http://www.sdhumane.org/site/PageServer?pagename=res_PuppyFunClass
The benefit of doing it with a humane society is you'll get lots of puppies to socialize your dog with, and usually you'll encounter experienced and forward thinking animal lovers. If you don't have the time for this kind of thing, I totally understand, but getting this kind of advice in person can be super beneficial. The guys at my old SPCA were also really easy to stay in touch with, but we were in a pretty small city.
I use a pinch collar for my dogs since they try to pull all the damn time, no matter what I do (they're a collective 15lbs, but still, it's annoying). My parents dogs always use harnesses since collars slip right off them, but they pull quite badly with just the harness. My parents tend to also put a pinch collar on them and somehow leash both together and that works for them, but I have no idea the logistics on that one. Personally I've found the pinch collar to be appropriate corrective without being horribly painful (I tested it out on my arm pretty hard it was just uncomfortable, not truly painful)
Also: where are the puppy pictures!?!?!?!
This.
And you mentioned ADD. That's also a terrier thing. They kinda march to beat of their own drum and like to get into any trouble they can find. It's kinda their thing. Keep at it. He may never be perfect but eventually he'll come into his own and mature and you'll learn to love him despite the fact that he's a little shit.
fixed that for you.
this will really depend on the type of dog and their body. if he is short snouted, the regular GL won't work as well. we had good luck with their EZ-walk harness. with either make sure you put it on correct and are using them properly
Even though a lot of people might dismiss him, Cesar Millan does point out very important things about dog's pack behaviours. My dad's a vet and he knew Millan when he was working with one of his colleagues in Culiacán, and he's seen the show and he vouches for a lot of stuff there.
I have a friend whose dog always jumps up on people, except on me, because I've made it clear I'm a "leader" with the dog. He actually follows me around when I go visit.