Need ideas with basic puppy training ect

[Sue R]

Buy your bones at a reputable grocery store and freeze extras. Give her a bone to chew and if she doesn't clean off the soft tissue, you can always bag the bone and put in the fridge or freezer for tomorrow or another day. Once the soft tissue is chewed off (meat, external fat, and so on), the bone (non-poultry) will be fine. Poultry pieces and bones that aren't cleaned up should be refrigerated or refrozen.

 

Dog stomachs are not as sensitive as human stomachs to certain things. I know folks who feed raw to pups from a pretty early age with no ill effects. They are dogs, after all!

[gcv-border]

Crating: as someone suggested, make crating into a game. Think of it as a trick you can train your pup to do. Don't just keep crating time for naps, time-outs, etc. (although the crate is good for all of those.) Susan Garrett has a DVD called "Crate Games" that teaches how to train (in a fun way) your dog to crate. You probably don't have to buy the DVD if you search the Internet for the same topic which should allow you to pick up tips. I have a friend who loosely followed her method of "Crate Games" and now her dog will bolt across the room to his crate when she says "crate".

 

Purina One SmartBlend: Xena will probably do fine on that food, but it wouldn't be my choice. The ingredient list shows brewers rice as the second ingredient - which is an inexpensive cereal grain product and not considered a quality ingredient. The third ingredient is corn gluten meal. I prefer not to feed my dogs with any wheat, soy or corn - or any of their glutens. If I see any of those ingredients listed in the first five ingredients, I pass on that kibble. Having said that, I know that many other people feed such foods to their dogs and the dogs seem to be fine. That is a decision you must make for yourself. Have you considered expanding your kibble options by ordering on-line?

 

Raw bones: I have found that the smaller, and sometimes lower quality, grocery stores will carry the animal parts that are delicious to dogs. Or do you have an independent grocery or meat store within driving distance? I find that the chain grocery stores are sometimes too rigid in their meat offerings and do not sell the less desirable (to most people) animal parts. Definitely freeze any extra bones when you buy a package. You can also give them partially frozen as they tend to last a bit longer. (Feed outside or in crate. If feeding in crate, remove bedding while she chews, then clean up plastic pan. Easy peasy.)

 

Jovi

[OurBoys]

Being in a very small town a Walmart and a grocery store are the main places to get such stuff from.

Do you have any feed stores in your area? I don’t live in a town that is as small as the one you live in but the best place we have to buy kibble is at an independently owned feed store. They sell high quality kibble cheaper than the “pet boutiques” around here.

[Sue R]

Corn gluten as an ingredient is primarily a protein source, and an incomplete one at that. I avoid it because it's a cheap way to provide protein in a food without having to use animal protein.

 

Look for meat meal and/or meat as the primary ingredients (and meat meal is preferential because the water content of meat is so much higher than the other ingredients that once you remove enough water to bring it down to the other ingredients' moisture level, it is really a much smaller part of the feed than seems apparent by the ordering of ingredients on the label, while meat meal starts out with much less water in it). In general, avoid wheat, soy, and corn (and their components) as significant ingredients.

 

Animal fat preserved with mixed tocopherols is a good ingredient.

 

Some ingredients may have more than one name - I had someone the other day extol the virtue of a human food, saying that it had no added sugar. It has dextrose, which is a sugar, but that person didn't realize that if it ends in -ose, it's a sugar.

 

The internet is a marvelous tool for researching things out but there is also a lot of erroneous information there. You will find good recommendations in the many topics concerning what folks feed their dogs that have already been posted on these boards.

 

Pick something that sounds reasonable (and you've picked something that you could get readily), give it a try, and see how she does. That's how the rest of us have determined what we feed.

 

Good luck!

 

PS - And another issue is how long (if at all) to feed "puppy food". Many people never feed puppy formulations but prefer to feed a quality adult food; some feed it until the age of 3 months or 6 months at most; others feed it for a year. I'd guess most people here either don't feed it at all or only for the first three months, at least among the working dog community.

[Gary_and_Karen]

Don't feel bad about having to crate her often during the day. She is learning a lot of important lessons about life right now (if I bite Dad too hard, I have to stop playing; when I'm in my crate, I get a yummy chewy; it's OK to be by myself in the crate; etc.). I'm sure she is still getting plenty of interaction and exercise when she is out with you... probably as much as her little brain can handle.

 

Think of it this way - if you want her to be the awesome, polite, well-behaved dog that you know she can be, she is going to have to learn that there are consequences to her actions, and that she can't just do whatever she wants. By giving her some time-outs in the crate, you are helping her learn this lesson. And once things start clicking with her, she will begin to earn more and more freedom by behaving nicely.

 

When I got my pup at 6 months old, she had to be crated a LOT at first. She was thinking about chewing stuff, and eating the cats, and bothering the other dogs, and all kinds of stuff. So, she had time-outs. Lots of them. But, as time went on, she began to earn more and more freedom. By 14 months (maybe even earlier?) she was able to be loose with the other dogs all the time, the crate got packed away, and she's even decent to the kitties. It took a bit of work, but she earned her freedom.

 

 

Also, I saw you say earlier that your pup is chewing on towels and stuff. I would stop that RIGHT AWAY. It's probably pretty adorable right now, and her little puppy teeth aren't strong enough to make any serious damage... but, give her a few weeks, and her new teeth will. By that point, if the habit is entrenched, you'll have an uphill battle to fight in breaking it... or you'll have to commit to being super diligent about keeping her away from fabric items (your towels, throw rugs, blankets, jeans, socks, etc.) Should you be unable to keep her from chewing on fabric, you run the (very serious) risk of her ingesting fabric and it creating a blockage in her intestine. It's both expensive and life-threatening. So, stick with dog-appropriate chew toys and bones, and you will all be happier. (The frozen kong is your friend. Buy a few more kongs so you can always have one ready to go in the freezer)

 

Xena is now about 10 weeks old and we love her so much and are being patient with her knowing she is being a puppy, but it is difficult having to crate her so often for nipping our hands when we try to have play time with her. Ocassionally she will have calm times without hand nipping, but somehow giving her a time out in the crate for nipping is just not cicking in her mind and she still nips afterwards.

 

Is this a very gradual processs or will she reach a point or age when a light bulb will go on and she'll suddenly realize "nipping is not ok" :-)

 

She used to chew on small hand towels (we stopped that) but usually not the larger ones she would lay on.

 

We want to get a blanket for her to lay on, but if you don't use a blanket what can you use to make a comfy bed in their cage ?

[gcv-border]

Xena is now about 10 weeks old and we love her so much and are being patient with her knowing she is being a puppy, but it is difficult having to crate her so often for nipping our hands when we try to have play time with her. Ocassionally she will have calm times without hand nipping, but somehow giving her a time out in the crate for nipping is just not cicking in her mind and she still nips afterwards.

 

Is this a very gradual processs or will she reach a point or age when a light bulb will go on and she'll suddenly realize "nipping is not ok" :-)

 

You don't have to crate her every time she nips. Have you also been trying the advice given by several people who recommended saying "ouch", then turning away and ignoring her for a little while? Even walking away from her? Then you can return to interacting with Xena. Rinse, repeat, ad infinitum.

 

If she is so oral, do not play with her with your hands. Try to displace her attention to a toy - maybe a fleece tug toy. She is still interacting with you, but not directly with your flesh. If she should still go for your hands rather than the fleece tug, do the same "Ouch" in a high voice, remove the toy and turn your back for 10-15 seconds.

 

Yes, it may take a while (weeks or months) of consistent feedback in this manner to get your message across. It all depends on the dog's personality and your training skills.

 

Xena may just be one of those pups that Looove to chew. Arm yourself with chew toys (Kongs, antlers) to satisfy the urge to chew. Save the stuffies and squeakies for when you are playing with her one-on-one. To this day (at 5 years old), if my dog is playing with a stuffy or squeaky toy and I am not directly interacting with him, he prefers to 'play' with his toy by hunkering down and tearing it apart. He is not the type of dog that likes to throw it in the air and catch it and run around with it - he prefers to destroy it. On the other hand, I don't have it as bad as my friend with Rottweilers who has to buy her dog toys from a zoo supplier who sells the balls and other toys that zoos will put in the cages of bears and tigers.

 

Jovi

[Gary_and_Karen]

You don't have to crate her every time she nips. Have you also been trying the advice given by several people who recommended saying "ouch", then turning away and ignoring her for a little while? Even walking away from her? Then you can return to interacting with Xena. Rinse, repeat, ad infinitum.

 

If she is so oral, do not play with her with your hands. Try to displace her attention to a toy - maybe a fleece tug toy. She is still interacting with you, but not directly with your flesh. If she should still go for your hands rather than the fleece tug, do the same "Ouch" in a high voice, remove the toy and turn your back for 10-15 seconds.

 

Yes, it may take a while (weeks or months) of consistent feedback in this manner to get your message across. It all depends on the dog's personality and your training skills.

 

Xena may just be one of those pups that Looove to chew. Arm yourself with chew toys (Kongs, antlers) to satisfy the urge to chew. Save the stuffies and squeakies for when you are playing with her one-on-one. To this day (at 5 years old), if my dog is playing with a stuffy or squeaky toy and I am not directly interacting with him, he prefers to 'play' with his toy by hunkering down and tearing it apart. He is not the type of dog that likes to throw it in the air and catch it and run around with it - he prefers to destroy it. On the other hand, I don't have it as bad as my friend with Rottweilers who has to buy her dog toys from a zoo supplier who sells the balls and other toys that zoos will put in the cages of bears and tigers. :)/>/>/>/>

 

Jovi

 

We do the "ouch" thing, but when she is in her "rowdy" mood just ignoring her doesn't work as she will then grab your pants leg and start pulling or dash around trying to find something to chew on she shouldn't, and that is why crating seems the only option when she gets like that. (and saying "ouch" seems to have just a very slight momentary effect)

 

When I try to hold her nylabone for her to chew instead of nipping my hands she will bite on it but still try very hard to include my fingers with the nylabone :-)

 

(and sometimes she is extra rowdy to the point of seeming hyperactive, I take her outside for some exercise each day, but I guess she still has a lot of energy left over)

 

When she is in her nipping mood it is not just an occasional nip, but constantly trying to nip our hands, so we really appreciate the rare times when she will actually lay in the bed calm and relaxed and simply enjoy being petted, or allow us to hold her without nipping.

 

I had noticed when my wife is out for a few hours running errands and comes home that Xena wags her tail and do licks (kissies) instead of nips.

 

The nylabone and kong ball will entertain her for about a minute at a time then it's back to trying to get into mischief again :-)

[Gloria Atwater]

If she's going into overdrive puppy-zoomies, have you tried putting up two x-pens to make an area for her, then tossing toys in for her to mug? She's very very young, and its normal for them to play hard and romp. So, if she's just having bouts of wildness, maybe it's best to let her burn those moments off by herself, with her toys. Probably takes 20 minutes.

 

At that age, an x-penned area may be your best next bet. She needs/wants to play, but if she's doing it inappropriately, just give her a safe place where she can't pull down lamps or chew furniture.

 

Also, a mild rap on the nose, with the side of your finger, is not a bad thing, if she's being really severe. If she were doing that to a sibling, she'd get a pretty sharp nip in return!

 

And when you say OUCH, it has to be a BIG deal. Not a little squeak, but like you've just whacked your thumb with the hammer.

 

~ Gloria

 

 

We do the "ouch" thing, but when she is in her "rowdy" mood just ignoring her doesn't work as she will then grab your pants leg and start pulling or dash around trying to find something to chew on she shouldn't, and that is why crating seems the only option when she gets like that. (and saying "ouch" seems to have just a very slight momentary effect)

 

When I try to hold her nylabone for her to chew instead of nipping my hands she will bite on it but still try very hard to include my fingers with the nylabone :-)

 

(and sometimes she is extra rowdy to the point of seeming hyperactive, I take her outside for some exercise each day, but I guess she still has a lot of energy left over)

 

When she is in her nipping mood it is not just an occasional nip, but constantly trying to nip our hands, so we really appreciate the rare times when she will actually lay in the bed calm and relaxed and simply enjoy being petted, or allow us to hold her without nipping.

 

I had noticed when my wife is out for a few hours running errands and comes home that Xena wags her tail and do licks (kissies) instead of nips.

 

The nylabone and kong ball will entertain her for about a minute at a time then it's back to trying to get into mischief again :-)

[gcv-border]

We do the "ouch" thing, but when she is in her "rowdy" mood just ignoring her doesn't work as she will then grab your pants leg and start pulling or dash around trying to find something to chew on she shouldn't, and that is why crating seems the only option when she gets like that. (and saying "ouch" seems to have just a very slight momentary effect)

 

When I try to hold her nylabone for her to chew instead of nipping my hands she will bite on it but still try very hard to include my fingers with the nylabone :-)

 

(and sometimes she is extra rowdy to the point of seeming hyperactive, I take her outside for some exercise each day, but I guess she still has a lot of energy left over)

 

When she is in her nipping mood it is not just an occasional nip, but constantly trying to nip our hands, so we really appreciate the rare times when she will actually lay in the bed calm and relaxed and simply enjoy being petted, or allow us to hold her without nipping.

 

I had noticed when my wife is out for a few hours running errands and comes home that Xena wags her tail and do licks (kissies) instead of nips.

 

The nylabone and kong ball will entertain her for about a minute at a time then it's back to trying to get into mischief again :-)

 

As you said, Xena is only 10 weeks old and you have had her for less than 2 weeks? Be patient, be consistent in training (it WILL eventually sink in) and be ready for the long haul - maybe another 2-3 months. Some pups are just wired.

 

As Gloria said, you have to mean it when you say "Ouch".

 

IMO, for a bitey puppy, a nylabone is too short - i.e. your hands are not far enough away from the toy - which is why I suggested a fleece tug toy (one that is about 18-24" long). You can also buy fleece tugs which have a ball attached to one end. Hold one end and wiggle the other end (theoretically you are trying to approximate a struggling prey animal) so hopefully she will attack the wiggly end. Then engage her in a short game of tug or whatever she wants to do with the toy. Yes, sometimes when she lunges for the wiggly end, she may get too close to your hand or even touch it. If she makes contact, say "OUCH" and turn your back and walk away - game over. Come back in 10-15 seconds and start playing again. There are many creative ideas on how to play with puppy - above is just one based on your feedback.

 

Have you put some food inside the Kong to make it more interesting? I will slather a tbsp or so of canned dog food or a little peanut butter on the inside of the Kong. By itself, the Kong is very uninteresting. You need to be creative and make it more interesting - either by playing with it with Xena or by baiting it with food so hopefully she will entertain herself for a little while and get some of the oral fixation out of her system.

 

How many times a day does she get outside to exercise? It sounds like you have a very energetic puppy (I LOVE that type.). If she needs more exercise than you find you are able to accomplish, I like Gloria's idea. Also consider buying an appropriately sized Jollyball for her to wrestle with. I have had a couple of dogs that like to body wrestle with Jollyballs or even cheap (soft) plastic wastebaskets or the 1-2 gallon plant containers from the garden store. The best toy my first dog ever had was a cheap $1 (25 years ago) wastebasket that she would jump on, roll around with and pick up with her teeth and throw around. All that pent-up energy was released on the toy instead of bothering me.

 

I love to cuddle with a dog too, but my current BC is not a cuddler. Maybe Xena isn't either. I mean, my dog will come up to me and loves to be petted and is willing to cuddle for about 5 seconds, then he gets restless, gets up and looks at me like he is saying - "now what? Let's do something."

 

Good Luck,

Jovi

[Gary_and_Karen]

As you said, Xena is only 10 weeks old and you have had her for less than 2 weeks? Be patient, be consistent in training (it WILL eventually sink in) and be ready for the long haul - maybe another 2-3 months. Some pups are just wired.

 

As Gloria said, you have to mean it when you say "Ouch".

 

IMO, for a bitey puppy, a nylabone is too short - i.e. your hands are not far enough away from the toy - which is why I suggested a fleece tug toy (one that is about 18-24" long). You can also buy fleece tugs which have a ball attached to one end. Hold one end and wiggle the other end (theoretically you are trying to approximate a struggling prey animal) so hopefully she will attack the wiggly end. Then engage her in a short game of tug or whatever she wants to do with the toy. Yes, sometimes when she lunges for the wiggly end, she may get too close to your hand or even touch it. If she makes contact, say "OUCH" and turn your back and walk away - game over. Come back in 10-15 seconds and start playing again. There are many creative ideas on how to play with puppy - above is just one based on your feedback.

 

Have you put some food inside the Kong to make it more interesting? I will slather a tbsp or so of canned dog food or a little peanut butter on the inside of the Kong. By itself, the Kong is very uninteresting. You need to be creative and make it more interesting - either by playing with it with Xena or by baiting it with food so hopefully she will entertain herself for a little while and get some of the oral fixation out of her system.

 

How many times a day does she get outside to exercise? It sounds like you have a very energetic puppy (I LOVE that type.). If she needs more exercise than you find you are able to accomplish, I like Gloria's idea. Also consider buying an appropriately sized Jollyball for her to wrestle with. I have had a couple of dogs that like to body wrestle with Jollyballs or even cheap (soft) plastic wastebaskets or the 1-2 gallon plant containers from the garden store. The best toy my first dog ever had was a cheap $1 (25 years ago) wastebasket that she would jump on, roll around with and pick up with her teeth and throw around. All that pent-up energy was released on the toy instead of bothering me.

 

I love to cuddle with a dog too, but my current BC is not a cuddler. Maybe Xena isn't either. I mean, my dog will come up to me and loves to be petted and is willing to cuddle for about 5 seconds, then he gets restless, gets up and looks at me like he is saying - "now what? Let's do something."

 

Good Luck,

Jovi

 

Thanks for the ideas (and encouragement !)

 

I'll check into the fleece toy, I guess it is made safe so she can't tear off bits to swallow.

 

The jolly ball or simular thing sounds interesting too.

 

My wife has concern about putting stuff inside the Kong that can go bad and grow bacteria, how do we address that concern, are there recommended stuff to use as well as stuff to avoid putting in Kongs ?

 

Xena is a cuddler at times, it just that except for rare calmer times she likes to nip at the same time, she did not start nipping till after we had her for several days, in the beginning it was just the cuddles.

[Sue R]

There are no "fleece toys" that a pup can't chew bits off and swallow. There are no soft toys and probably no hard toys that a determined chewer can't get bits off and swallow. Pups and dogs should play with toys, particularly the soft ones, under supervision. Toys like Kongs are close to indestructible and can be played with without supervision.

 

My one dog was getting sick about once a month in the morning before he ate. He finally chucked up a wad of indigestible material - stuffed animal shell and stuffing, rope toy strands, bits of plastic of all sorts. He's a swallower, and he kept swallowing a little bit here and a little bit there, until he had a wad the size of a large knockwurst in his stomach.

 

That day, I removed all of those sorts of toys out of reach and they are only played with under direct supervision. The only "toys" my dogs have access to all the time are once-chewed beef bones, Kongs, indestructible rings, and such.

 

There is nothing that is ever, totally, 100% safe - choose wisely to improve your odds of having the safest toys available for your pup.

 

Good luck with her!

[gcv-border]

What Sue said.^^^ No toy is indestructible. Luckily, I have not had any torn-off toy bits get caught up in my boy's system, but I have had some fleece pieces go all the way through. You know that you should keep a more watchful eye on the fleece toy playtime (i.e. don't let the dog play with it himself) when you start seeing bits of lime green or orange or purple fleece come out the other end.

 

You will be surprised how far down the dog can put his tongue when he is trying to lick stuff out of a Kong, and subsequently, how clean it gets. Since Xena is a puppy, she may not get the Kong as clean at first, but practice makes perfect. If you wish, there is nothing wrong with soaking and brushing out the Kong in hot water to clean it up. If you use soap, just remember to rinse very thoroughly since soap can cause diarrhea.

 

If Xena nips while she is up in your lap, then put her down on the floor and ignore her for a few seconds. To increase your chance for "cuddling success", don't try to cuddle when she is wired. Wait until you have tired her out, then try to cuddle.

 

Jovi

[Carson Crazies]

My ex-husband's dog is (we think) border collie X some sort of hound - we think beagle. Bree was BY FAR the wildest, bitiest, rowdiest, naughtiest puppy I've ever had. She was actually our first puppy - and I wasn't entirely sure we were going to survive her puppyhood. She was actually the reason I found these boards, and she led me to getting my first real border collie (who thankfully is nothing like Bree).

 

The "Ouch" thing with Bree did nothing for her... she'd just bark at me and start back up. At the time I didn't really use a crate like I do now, and I think, in retrospect, that had we used one when she was out of control it would have made her easier to deal with MUCH sooner. She bit hands, pants legs, whatever she could get her tiny little teeth on.

 

My ex-husband DID let her chew on his hands a little, but I couldn't take it. If she started in on me I'd just get up off of the floor, or put something else in her mouth (like one of those rope toys or a fleece tug). That was my answer for her chewing on anything she ought not to - take the inappropriate object away, and give her the thing she was allowed to chew on.

 

Bree stopped with the hand biting around 12 weeks or so, I'd guess. Maybe sooner than that. We didn't make a huge deal about it, and we didn't worry about it too much. If they want to bite on my hands I just don't put my hands where they can get their mouth on them. If they're chewing on my pants legs I remove their little mouths... and if they're hanging off of my pants legs I either pry them off, correct them verbally, stop walking, or ignore it and drag them along with me. Depends on the dog and the situation. I have yet to have an adult dog do any of these things, or a pup to do any of them past about 12 weeks, so it's working out fine so far.

 

Take a deep breath - it'll all work out. Cut yourself some slack - you're doing a fine job, and this is supposed to be FUN. Enjoy the time you have because she'll get big fast.

 

I should also say that Bree turned out to be a perfectly nice adult dog. A bit hard-headed at times, but nice.

[Gary_and_Karen]

What Sue said.^^^ No toy is indestructible. Luckily, I have not had any torn-off toy bits get caught up in my boy's system, but I have had some fleece pieces go all the way through. You know that you should keep a more watchful eye on the fleece toy playtime (i.e. don't let the dog play with it himself) when you start seeing bits of lime green or orange or purple fleece come out the other end. :D/>

 

You will be surprised how far down the dog can put his tongue when he is trying to lick stuff out of a Kong, and subsequently, how clean it gets. Since Xena is a puppy, she may not get the Kong as clean at first, but practice makes perfect. If you wish, there is nothing wrong with soaking and brushing out the Kong in hot water to clean it up. If you use soap, just remember to rinse very thoroughly since soap can cause diarrhea.

 

If Xena nips while she is up in your lap, then put her down on the floor and ignore her for a few seconds. To increase your chance for "cuddling success", don't try to cuddle when she is wired. Wait until you have tired her out, then try to cuddle.

 

Jovi

 

 

Good ideas, thanks, I remember seeing cans of stuff made just for squirting in Kongs, are they ok ?

 

I have heard some mention smearing peanut butter inside, but what are the chances of a dog having a serious peanut allergy, is that rare or is it enough of a concern not to take a chance ?

 

We use dry dog food so no can stuff to smear inside.

[Gary_and_Karen]

My ex-husband's dog is (we think) border collie X some sort of hound - we think beagle. Bree was BY FAR the wildest, bitiest, rowdiest, naughtiest puppy I've ever had. She was actually our first puppy - and I wasn't entirely sure we were going to survive her puppyhood. She was actually the reason I found these boards, and she led me to getting my first real border collie (who thankfully is nothing like Bree).

 

The "Ouch" thing with Bree did nothing for her... she'd just bark at me and start back up. At the time I didn't really use a crate like I do now, and I think, in retrospect, that had we used one when she was out of control it would have made her easier to deal with MUCH sooner. She bit hands, pants legs, whatever she could get her tiny little teeth on.

 

My ex-husband DID let her chew on his hands a little, but I couldn't take it. If she started in on me I'd just get up off of the floor, or put something else in her mouth (like one of those rope toys or a fleece tug). That was my answer for her chewing on anything she ought not to - take the inappropriate object away, and give her the thing she was allowed to chew on.

 

Bree stopped with the hand biting around 12 weeks or so, I'd guess. Maybe sooner than that. We didn't make a huge deal about it, and we didn't worry about it too much. If they want to bite on my hands I just don't put my hands where they can get their mouth on them. If they're chewing on my pants legs I remove their little mouths... and if they're hanging off of my pants legs I either pry them off, correct them verbally, stop walking, or ignore it and drag them along with me. Depends on the dog and the situation. I have yet to have an adult dog do any of these things, or a pup to do any of them past about 12 weeks, so it's working out fine so far.

 

Take a deep breath - it'll all work out. :)/> Cut yourself some slack - you're doing a fine job, and this is supposed to be FUN. Enjoy the time you have because she'll get big fast.

 

I should also say that Bree turned out to be a perfectly nice adult dog. A bit hard-headed at times, but nice.

 

Thank you so much for sharing all that, it really really does help encourage us, and help us to realize she is being normal for a puppy and will get past it (as far away as that may SEEM right now

[Cynthia P]

I've not heard of a peanut butter allergy in dogs; Cream cheese is another alternative; you can put some PB or CC and than some kibble and freeze it.

 

To clean just soak and/or get one of those bottle brushes to clean it out. Dogs can handle WAY more bacterial than we can. As well sticking it in the dishwasher usually gets it fairly clean.

 

They get very good at cleaning it all out! And it provides much longer than 1 min of enjoyment.

 

Dont' worry so much! (says she who has raised 14 puppies and 7 rescues, plus added adult dogs)

 

Cynthia

[rushdoggie]

Good ideas, thanks, I remember seeing cans of stuff made just for squirting in Kongs, are they ok ?

 

I have heard some mention smearing peanut butter inside, but what are the chances of a dog having a serious peanut allergy, is that rare or is it enough of a concern not to take a chance ?

 

We use dry dog food so no can stuff to smear inside.

 

 

Freezing is your friend.

 

With a puppy with ongoing GI issues, I would avoid too much PB or cream cheese in that Kong. That stuff is fatty and could make her gut feel bad.

 

Suggestions: chicken (or whatever the primary meat in her kibble is) babyfood, mixed with kibble, then frozen. Get a can of whatever kind of food she is eating, and use a spoon in the Kong. Mix kibble with a little water, mush it in there. Try a small amount of plain yogurt with the kibble.

 

Make your life easier...invest in a few Kongs. You can fill them at one time and stick them in the freezer, then you will have a supply to use when needed. They can be washed in the dishwasher. Its so much easier to have one to grab when you need it and filling 3 or 4 only takes a few minutes longer than filling one.

 

You can give her a good % of her daily kibble like this, making meals last longer and keeping her amused.

[Gary_and_Karen]

Anyone else experience this senario -

 

Xena, our 10 week old puppy, has been behaving pretty good for the most part during the daytime hours, but it seems like every evening lately she gets into an extreme rowdy mode - almost constant most of the evening - running around biting at everything she is not supposed to, including us, the methods for trying to train her out of that seem to have no effect, and so lately during the evening, as much as I hate to do it, I have to crate her the better part of the evening just to keep her under control, then she whines and barks and we don't get 5 minutes of peace the entire evening. The only thing that seems to settle her is a peanut butter filled Kong, but that only lasts for about 5 or so minutes and I don't like overdoing it with the peanut butter all evening.

 

One thing that just now happened, I thought that maybe she was hungry so I gave her some food and she was hungry. I don't like feeding her this late at night, but for some reason I guess she did not eat enough during the day today to last her thru the evening.

 

Now whether just being hungry makes her extremely rowdy every evening or if there could be some other reason I don't know.

 

QUESTION - Are there any reasons why a puppy would get extremely rowdy just mainly in the evenings ?

 

Anyone else go thru a simular senario ?

 

We are so hoping it is just a matter of time and she matures out of this (and soon we hope :-)

 

ADDED NOTE (about 15 minutes after original post above)

 

Since she ate some food she settled down to sleep, so maybe for now I'll keep a bowl of her food out for her in the evening to see if that keeps her from having extremely rowdy evenings. I heard it's not preferrable to feed them in the evenings, but for now if it makes for a peaceful evening I'll do it for now till hopefully she matures out of it. The next few nights will tell whether that solves our rowdy evening problem.

[puppytoes]

Your puppy is tired, probably even exhausted and that is why she is behaving manically. I have young children and they are the same way. One of the most important lessons for a border collie pup to learn is how to chill out. They need to be taught. As others have mentioned, the crate is good for this. If you do not teach your puppy to relax you will have a manic dog forever. They are the type that never want to miss anything and if they beleive that something amazing may be happening at any moment, they have to be on constant alert. That is exhausting.

 

Here is a slightly off topic example. My dog has never been fed at the table in almost 5 years. But i have a baby that has just started eating solid food. Orbit has realised that if he sits under the high chair, food falls from the sky. Now whenever we enter the kitchen with the baby, my previously completely uninterested dog, is pacing around and scoping out the best spot to lie down and wait for manna to fall from heaven.

 

One thing that i knew i didn't want was a dog that bothered me in the house (throwing balls at me, staring at me etc.). Orbit gets lots of off-leash walks and fetch outings at the park or tricks in the back yard but we do not play in the house. Ever. Others may disagree but i have found that this allows him to really relax as he is not constantly assessing whether this or that sound indicates i might be getting toys to play with.

[Sue R]

It's very natural for pups to get the zoomies in the evening, and general rowdiness - as pointed out, it's like a small child who is tired but is fighting bedtime. This will pass with age but it's normal now.

 

We did nothing about it except to reprimand the unacceptable behaviors. Channel the energy if you can into something worthwhile, like playing hide-and-seek games or trying your basic obedience. If she's too "zoomie" for that, just enjoy the show (after puppy-proofing the room). If you have a fenced yard (and I don't think you do), that would be one place for her to work off that fighting-sleep energy.

 

Do not leave out a bowl of food. Puppies, like all dogs (and people, and I'm a hypocrite about this with regards to me), should be eating an appropriate diet. If you want, take some of her regular ration of kibble and use a food-dispensing toy to occupy her at this time. There are many good ones out there like the Squirrel (I think that's what it's called), where the pup (or dog) has to play with and work the toy to get the kibble to trickle out. It's a great bit of mental stimulation, also some physical activity, and occupies a busy mind.

 

If you crate her at night, let her work off some of that energy and then it's bedtime, maybe with a toy or chew bone that will occupy her for a few minutes as she settles down.

[Covelo Dogs]

You mentioned then when you crate xena she makes a lot of noise. Where is the crate located and can she see out of it? Is she sleeping at night in the crate quietly? I start my pups in a crate appropriate to their size which normally is a pretty small crate. If they make noise I cover it with a towel or blanket. I also do not interact with them, as in talking or looking at them, when they are in the crates.

I have found one of the fastest ways to stop inappropriate behavior , if it is directed towards me, is to stop all of my movement and not look at them. If you are talking to her and making eye contact you may be inadvertently giving her positive reforcement for behavior that you do not want.

Suki

[Dana Nichols]

You've gotten lots of good advice about zoomies at night, but one thing you said gave me a bit of pause. It sounds like you might only be feeding her once a day? Like Sue said above, you shouldn't leave food out, have a regular feeding time. With most dogs I feed twice a day - once in the morning and once at night. With young puppies, I'll often feed them a small meal at lunch too. There are certainly quite a few people who feed adult dogs once a day, but I think most would agree that puppies are usually better off eating smaller meals more frequently during the day.

[Gary_and_Karen]

You've gotten lots of good advice about zoomies at night, but one thing you said gave me a bit of pause. It sounds like you might only be feeding her once a day? Like Sue said above, you shouldn't leave food out, have a regular feeding time. With most dogs I feed twice a day - once in the morning and once at night. With young puppies, I'll often feed them a small meal at lunch too. There are certainly quite a few people who feed adult dogs once a day, but I think most would agree that puppies are usually better off eating smaller meals more frequently during the day.

 

Thanks, I've had food available for her several times during the day, sometimes her appetite is better and she eats well, sometimes she'll just nibble a little. I guess they eat according to how hungry they feel at any given time.

[Gary_and_Karen]

You mentioned then when you crate xena she makes a lot of noise. Where is the crate located and can she see out of it? Is she sleeping at night in the crate quietly? I start my pups in a crate appropriate to their size which normally is a pretty small crate. If they make noise I cover it with a towel or blanket. I also do not interact with them, as in talking or looking at them, when they are in the crates.

I have found one of the fastest ways to stop inappropriate behavior , if it is directed towards me, is to stop all of my movement and not look at them. If you are talking to her and making eye contact you may be inadvertently giving her positive reforcement for behavior that you do not want.

Suki

 

Her crate is close to my side of the bed. Thanks, I'll try your suggestions, it makes sense that if we respond to her whines it will reinforce her to continue it.

 

I am getting to where I can tell better when a whine/bark is because she might need to go potty so that is when you would want to respond :-)

 

ADDED NOTE: 8:35 PM update - Xena got where her toys were not enough to keep her out of trouble, she started pulling at the sheets on the edge of the bed, so having the crate covered as you suggested so she could not see us she settled down to snooze within about 10 minutes of putting her in there.

 

(but we'll be glad when she outgrows the puppy rowdyness and we can have her go in her crate to sleep on her own when she chooses to after she had enough playtime :-)

[Gary_and_Karen]

It's very natural for pups to get the zoomies in the evening, and general rowdiness - as pointed out, it's like a small child who is tired but is fighting bedtime. This will pass with age but it's normal now.

 

We did nothing about it except to reprimand the unacceptable behaviors. Channel the energy if you can into something worthwhile, like playing hide-and-seek games or trying your basic obedience. If she's too "zoomie" for that, just enjoy the show (after puppy-proofing the room). If you have a fenced yard (and I don't think you do), that would be one place for her to work off that fighting-sleep energy.

 

Do not leave out a bowl of food. Puppies, like all dogs (and people, and I'm a hypocrite about this with regards to me), should be eating an appropriate diet. If you want, take some of her regular ration of kibble and use a food-dispensing toy to occupy her at this time. There are many good ones out there like the Squirrel (I think that's what it's called), where the pup (or dog) has to play with and work the toy to get the kibble to trickle out. It's a great bit of mental stimulation, also some physical activity, and occupies a busy mind.

 

If you crate her at night, let her work off some of that energy and then it's bedtime, maybe with a toy or chew bone that will occupy her for a few minutes as she settles down.

 

Thanks for the ideas, and ESPECIALLY the encouragement - "It's very natural for pups to get the zoomies in the evening, and general rowdiness - as pointed out, it's like a small child who is tired but is fighting bedtime. This will pass with age but it's normal now."

 

.......It really does help to know that calmer times are ahead :-)