Updates on Peanut. Might still need help. Haha.
Well. It's been a couple weeks now, and things with Peanut are good and ... annoying. At the same time.
We thought she was completely house trained, but she peed on the floor twice today and once yesterday. Not really her fault though. We canged her feeding and drinking schedule, therefore changing her bladder schedule, and kind of "tested" things like if she could be fed today when we got home before taking her out therefore going around having to take her twice. Sadly, that was not the case. But this is not where the problem lies ...
It's the fact that right now, she is small enough to fit under the couch is terrible. She can get under and behind it, even though it's blocked off from the sides and tries playing with the lamp wires. We can't stop her. There is literally nothing we can do. Another thing is the fact that she won't drop things. No matter how much we try to teach her to drop her toys or anything at all, she doesn't get it. Maybe I just don't know how to teach a dog how to drop stuff, but I dunno. She has an annoying habit of trying to get places she shouldn't be. Like blocked off rooms. She will scratc and scatch until she breaks in somehow. If you hit her and say no, it doesn't work. If you pull her away and give her a treat or something else, she still goes back. Nothing works.
I really do enjoy her, but she can be so frustrating I just want to toss her against a wall sometimes. (I'm very sarcastic, and would never do this, just saying) It's like ... is there any end to her not listening to us? We've taught her how to sit, which is something, I guess, but the rest of the commands just don't seem to be coming.
Another thing is she doesn't care for her cage. She won't just go and lay in it. She'd rather lay on the floor. We've even put her food in there when she eats to make it positive, but still nothing. Gah, I dunno.
Any advice? Tips? Anything? Haha.
We thought she was completely house trained, but she peed on the floor twice today and once yesterday. Not really her fault though. We canged her feeding and drinking schedule, therefore changing her bladder schedule, and kind of "tested" things like if she could be fed today when we got home before taking her out therefore going around having to take her twice. Sadly, that was not the case. But this is not where the problem lies ...
It's the fact that right now, she is small enough to fit under the couch is terrible. She can get under and behind it, even though it's blocked off from the sides and tries playing with the lamp wires. We can't stop her. There is literally nothing we can do. Another thing is the fact that she won't drop things. No matter how much we try to teach her to drop her toys or anything at all, she doesn't get it. Maybe I just don't know how to teach a dog how to drop stuff, but I dunno. She has an annoying habit of trying to get places she shouldn't be. Like blocked off rooms. She will scratc and scatch until she breaks in somehow. If you hit her and say no, it doesn't work. If you pull her away and give her a treat or something else, she still goes back. Nothing works.
I really do enjoy her, but she can be so frustrating I just want to toss her against a wall sometimes. (I'm very sarcastic, and would never do this, just saying) It's like ... is there any end to her not listening to us? We've taught her how to sit, which is something, I guess, but the rest of the commands just don't seem to be coming.
Another thing is she doesn't care for her cage. She won't just go and lay in it. She'd rather lay on the floor. We've even put her food in there when she eats to make it positive, but still nothing. Gah, I dunno.
Any advice? Tips? Anything? Haha.
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Comments
'Drop it' Command - How are you teaching this? You can't just say 'drop it' and expect a dog to understand you. Take her two favorite toys. Give her one of them and then dangle the other toy in front of her. When she drops it to grab the toy in your hand, say 'drop it'. Then pick up the toy she just dropped and do it again. Just a note - when she grabs the toy in your hand, say 'take it'.
Crate Training - You need to determine what will motivate your dog to go into her crate and that may not mean treats at all. It could be her favorite toy. Not all dogs are food motivated, but a high value treat might work.
Hitting - A puppy - ESPECIALLY Nihon Ken take hard work and patience. A good owner - much like a good parent - will find ways around physical abuse of a dog. As Jessica stated, Positive Reinforcement Training is the best option. Research into the Shiba (I assume Peanut is a Shiba) psyche would've been best beforehand. It would've given you the opportunity to see how stubborn and intelligent these dogs are. Read diligently though the previous posts about Shiba. It will really benefit your relationship and her future well being. There are many Nihon Ken owners who have tried and erred from lack of information about these group of dogs - myself included. Hitting Peanut could result in a reactive, nervous dog. Or, she might see you as unstable and therefore not worth listening to.
Pulling (away from a door) - Forcing a dog to do something is not a great idea either. You should use the treat or a loud silly noise to redirect her attention and hopefully get her attention on you. Especially with the Shibatude, you have to offer something MORE interesting than what's behind door number 1.
You've gotten a shiba - a smart dog with the will of IRON. There is no end to her not listening to you - thats kind of what every single shiba info site tells you when they say "shibas are independent". Thats what it means.
I STRONGLY suggest you consider her age factor in the housebreaking thing. No dog is 100% when they are puppies. How old is Peanut now? If under a year, she should be eating on a schedule 2-3 times daily but allowed several potty trips irregardless of its convenience.
About her crate - like Lindsay mentioned, she's probably very used to being in one, and it might present a negative for her to be in one now. You've got to set aside time and kind of lure her in with treats and praise and make it a POSITIVE, let her explore it, encourage it and don't put her in it and trap her, let her realize its a safe place.
Set you and your dog up for success - be positive and be creative. Work WITH her and not against her and search out a positive reinforcement puppy training class - YOU will learn so much and you'll be able to effectively communicate with Peanut, learning how to be on the same page during times when it matters, like when you say "leave it", she'll know what it means.
Get a clicker. Learn how to use it to shape the behaviors you want. Ignore things she does wrong. Soon she'll be spitting things out at you so she can get the treat.
Download Ian Dunbar's free booklet entitled "After You Get Your Puppy" and read it all. The link is on another thread here.
Get professional help. Get her enrolled in a puppy socialization class that uses positive training methods ASAP.
There will be no end to her questioning. Shibas rarely give anyone the benefit of the doubt. They are smart. You have to prove to her that it is worth her while. Set her up for success and make choosing the right response easy. Essentially, make her think it's her idea.
But, I will reiterate again, NEVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES HIT YOUR DOG. Don't even do something that you could mistakenly call hitting if you were in a rush and not choosing your words carefully. Peanut may be small now, but one day she is going to be fully developed and will have a jaw that can break your hand without much effort. Hitting creates fear and fear creates the potential for a bite.
I will also say, it sounds like you need to get some perspective. You didn't get a Lab puppy. You didn't get a GSD puppy. Or a Weinmaraner or Golden or....You got a Shiba. A breed known for their intelligence, independence, strong will, and like for *being* pleased---not to please. You are expecting things from your puppy that just aren't realistic for her at this, or maybe even any, age. It is disheartening for me to hear you say things like "get around having to go out twice". You should be setting your puppy up for success, not failure. At this point, you should be thinking the opposite to yourself "how can I take her out 3 times instead of 2."
I don't know what you expected when you got a puppy, or if you even expected anything. But it sounds to me like you, Peanut, and your relationship with her would be best served if you did some research on Shibas in particular, but also raising and training a puppy. If you don't recalibrate your expectations for Peanut and your commitment to raising her correctly, you will run the risk of raising a poorly adjusted dog. Nobody wants that to happen, I'm sure least of all you.
My apologies if this sounds harsh and judgmental. It's a bit of a sore topic for me as I see WAY too many dogs at the shelter that are "ruined" by people who don't put in the time or effort to raise and love them properly. You bought the ticket when you bought Peanut, now it's time to fully embrace the ride.
Peanut is only being a Shiba. Shiba are not normal dogs or puppies. Please look into Positive Reinforcement training.
My parents used to hit Toby when he was younger, and now he is super wary of hands -- even at the dog park. Never ever hit your dog. You will -regret- it when Peanut is older.
He has a 4x4 pen, which was plenty of space for him initially. Now that he's a bit bigger (he's at 5 months right now) and a teensy bit better behaved, we've been able to use it as a "fence" and give him more space, but still keep him away from anything electronic or important.
He did scratch a huge hole in our wall one day, but blocking off access to that particular area has worked wonders. Lots of toys will keep your puppy distracted from some of the more naughty behaviors a good bit of the time.
If you can't keep an eye on her at all times, the expen is the way to go. It'll give you some peace and quiet too, and relieve some of the stress and frustration.
Snf
We thought she was completely house trained, but she peed on the floor twice today and once yesterday. Not really her fault though.
-----You purchased Peanut at the beginning of January and a 13 or 14 week puppy from a pet store will not be house fully potty trained at this point. What is essential is puppy-K. Get to a decent training center.
We canged her feeding and drinking schedule, therefore changing her bladder schedule, and kind of "tested" things like if she could be fed today when we got home before taking her out therefore going around having to take her twice. Sadly, that was not the case. But this is not where the problem lies ...
-----Don’t wait, take your puppy out first thing when you return for the day . Playing around with a potty schedule and not immediately taking her out after arriving home is not only confusing and cruel, but a bit lazy on your part. You will not get good behavior without consistency and diligence on your part. Puppies need to go out often, every couple of hours. (I also would not limit water intake too much your dog needs to have appropriate access to fluids throughout the day.)
It's the fact that right now, she is small enough to fit under the couch is terrible. She can get under and behind it, even though it's blocked off from the sides and tries playing with the lamp wires. We can't stop her. There is literally nothing we can do. Another thing is the fact that she won't drop things. No matter how much we try to teach her to drop her toys or anything at all, she doesn't get it. Maybe I just don't know how to teach a dog how to drop stuff, but I dunno. She has an annoying habit of trying to get places she shouldn't be. Like blocked off rooms. She will scratc and scatch until she breaks in somehow.
-----Yes, You can do something about it! Use an x-pen or crate as others have suggested. No puppy should be left to roam without supervision and no one can watch a dog 24-7. Also, chewing is absolutely expected at this age. Get a kong, buster cube or Orbee dice and fill it to keep your pup occupied while in the crate or x-pen. Shibas love to crawl on, under, and over stuff. Many are power chewers. These characteristics are inherent to the breed.
If you hit her and say no, it doesn't work. If you pull her away and give her a treat or something else, she still goes back. Nothing works.
---Under no circumstances should you hit your puppy, it is pointless and you are only giving in to your anger. Shibas are headstrong and have a one track mind when they want something. Also inherent to the breed.
I really do enjoy her, but she can be so frustrating I just want to toss her against a wall sometimes. (I'm very sarcastic, and would never do this, just saying) It's like ... is there any end to her not listening to us? We've taught her how to sit, which is something, I guess, but the rest of the commands just don't seem to be coming.
----Your pup is very young and in its current development process it pretty much has no clue. It takes awhile to get great responses, it does not happen overnight. It takes time and a lot of work on your part. Just like toddlers in human years puppies explore their world through their mouths for a long time. If you feel so frustrated that you can not cope, then you need to take a time out by placing your pup in its pen and you in another area for a breather. While you are doing that you need to call a good training center and get your puppy enrolled in puppy K. Not to be harsh, but if you can not afford training then you really did not plan appropriately and you should not have brought her home. You now have an obligation to work through this limitation....Get on the ball and save yourself future grief, get yourself and your puppy to training ASAP!!!!
Another thing is she doesn't care for her cage. She won't just go and lay in it. She'd rather lay on the floor. We've even put her food in there when she eats to make it positive, but still nothing. Gah, I dunno.
----In early stages puppies can be a pain in the butt in general (as you now know) and most do not like to be confined. Confinement means they don’t get to do what they want and more than anything Shibas like to control their world. Don’t cave to that. When you can not watch your dog it must go in the crate or x-pen to prevent harm to itself and prevent destroying of your property. Most certainly it is unrealistic to expect perfection and discipline from puppies. It does not work that way for a long time and not without training assistance.
I’ll say it again get yourself and your dog to a training center that uses positive motivation as the means to assist its clients. Try http://www.trulydogfriendly.com/blog/?page_id=2 they have a list of trainers and lots of tips too on their web page. Also many dog training clubs have training too at a nominal fee. Look at AKC.org to find dog clubs in your area that assist with training. When selecting a center ask for classes which use a clicker to train since it really is the best way to go.
With all that being said, please let us know how the search goes. I am sure there are probably some good trainers near you.