Dog Trainers/ Breeders...Please Help

[BarkerChickens]

A lot of it sounds like dominance and insecurity issue to me. You need to establish yourself as the dominant one (the pack leader in dog terms), so he understands that YOU are the boss. As for the biting...dominance maybe? But, a soft muzzle is an easy fix in the meantime. The peeing in the house thing. Well, he's older and it may be that he can't hold it as well. Is it a new thing? Do dogs have prostates? Possibly incontinence (which is common in older dogs).

ETA: Rereading what I wrote, I think it comes across kinda short.

I didn't mean it that way at all.

I honestly meant it in a helpful sort of way...I had a similar problem with DHs dog when I first moved in. She thought she was the boss of me...not so! It's all better now though.

 

[wombat]

I've worked with helping people with nail trimming on some difficult large breed dogs. I just put a dab of peanut butter on their snout just above the nose, where they really need to work to get their tongue to the last of it.

I've only had to muzzle one.

As for the marking, I had relatives with a standard poodle that did that all the time too. I'd suggest getting some baby gates, and restricting the dog to only a small area of the house at first. If that doesn't start to curb it, you can either leash him to you for a couple months, get an electric collar and make sure you get him with it every time he tries to mark, or make an outside dog of him.

The mounting may just be a social dominance thing, he's in a new place and he wants to make sure the other dog is #2. Or not. Just a thought.

Separation anxiety might be normal at this point. He lost the only companion he's known for ten years. That's a lifetime to a dog.

Try stuffing a kong with kibble, dog biscuit, bread, carrot shavings or whatever, and just enough peanut butter to hold it together (to much and you'll have a cage to clean!). Freeze the kong in your freezer. It should keep him busy for a while getting this out when you crate him. If that's the only time he gets the frozen kong treat, he may look forward to "Crate Up!". This doesn't always work with separation anxiety, but it helps some dogs ... that and an established routine. If the kng trick works, keep several in a ziplock bag in the freezer.

Sounds like you have a lot of work ahead of you, though. He's had ten years to get like this.

 

[wombat]

Quote:
Marking would be different from incontinence. He'd either try to get to the door and fail, or he'd just spontaneously need to go in an instant if it were medical. If he's marking, he's going about the house marking things regularly as a dominance issue, either over the other dog in the house, or the owner. It wouldn't coincide with "having to go", or how long since he'd last "gone."

I had a relative with a poodle that was a marker. He'd mark every house he visited, and his owner would pretend it was due to "the long car ride" and keep taking him to visit people.

 

[ChickenToes]

For the grooming, try elevating him. We couldn't clip our dog's nails because she would squirm and run away. Now we put her on a table or the washing machine and she stays calm enough to let us clip her nails.

 

[Nana2KJS]

Quote:
Have you seen some of the reports on Comfortis? Groomer here recommended it, I politely declined. One of our poms came to us from the breeder with horrible sores on his belly just from the "standard" wormings and antibiotics and first shots they give all their pups. Because of that we've not gotten him any of the other vaccinations. He still has a few issues but we are working through them one by one.

 

[gaited horse]

1. This dog marks...on everything. He is potty-trained but refuses to tell me he needs to go until it's too late. He is saying this is my house not yours. I don't want you to tell me what to do.

2. He bites. If you try to clip him, trim his toenails, turn him on his back...he will bite and it's not a tiny bite either. It makes you bleed.
he is saying no I am in charge

3. He will only be around you when he wants something. He is a mooch...plain and simple. If he wanted to be around you to be around you I'd love it, but he doesn't want anything to do with you unless you've got something he wants, is jealous of the other dog or are leaving.
He is saying you must give me the alpha everything you have.
4. He apparently has separation anxiety issues? He whines. AWFUL. When you're leaving or coming back. Inbetween he is in his crate and is happy. He and the Shih Tzu share the crate.
He is saying you are he bottom of the pack you are not allowed to leave

5. He's a sneak...he'll sneak anything he can away from you.
He is saying you must give me the alpha everything you have.

6. He will RUN out the door and not come back until HE is ready. We have tried training, shock collars, invisible fences, door blockers....I'm at a loss as to what to do on him with this.
He is saying I need more walking.

I have gotten rescues through every dog I've ever owned. Why is he like this? He still enjoys humping my poor Shih Tzu even though he is neutered, so I have a feeling he was used as a stud dog.
I am the alpha. Let me remind you

 

[Fudgie]

1. This dog marks...on everything. He is potty-trained but refuses to tell me he needs to go until it's too late.

I agree....He is saying this is my world not yours. I don't want you to tell me what to do.I was going to suggest neutering but evidently he has been! You say this is a toy breed? WOW stinker pot!

2. He bites. If you try to clip him, trim his toenails, turn him on his back...he will bite and it's not a tiny bite either. It makes you bleed.

Bite him back on the ear or lip if you feel brave and do it while you are towering over him and say NO loudly. Hold your teeth on his lip if necessary so he "GETS" it. You don't have to bite hard just till he yips. (and don't y-all tell me that is mean and you want to turn me in. I have only bitten a dog once and they lived through it, no blood, and are the nicest doggie you could have.) YOU are the boss, not him. Just be ready for a retaliation. I had a dog that would bite and i bit her on the ear and she immediately stopped it.

3. He will only be around you when he wants something. He is a mooch...plain and simple. If he wanted to be around you to be around you I'd love it, but he doesn't want anything to do with you unless you've got something he wants, is jealous of the other dog or are leaving.

You need to follow the 6 week training our 4-H dog leader has the kids do with their dogs. It is AWESOME. I saw a completely idiotic bounce off the wall Labrador turn into a nice well mannered, well trained dog.

4. He apparently has separation anxiety issues? He whines. AWFUL. When you're leaving or coming back. Inbetween he is in his crate and is happy. He and the Shih Tzu share the crate.

My cockapoo does this and I don't have a clue what the issue is here!

5. He's a sneak...he'll sneak anything he can away from you.

Whats mine is mine whats yours is mine! again, tether him to you with a long cotton rope and if he goes for someone's stuff yank him off his feet and back to you immediately, he will yipe but it will not hurt him one bit. Make sure you use a chain slip collar that will loosen immediately.

6. He will RUN out the door and not come back until HE is ready. We have tried training, shock collars, invisible fences, door blockers....I'm at a loss as to what to do on him with this.

EXERCISE EXERCISE EXERCISE and tether him to you. Make him behave all the way out the door and if he tries to bolt yank him back to your left side and make him sit. He will soon get the idea he needs to wait for the master to approve of him running off.

I have gotten rescues through every dog I've ever owned. Why is he like this? He still enjoys humping my poor Shih Tzu even though he is neutered, so I have a feeling he was used as a stud dog.

TRUE he is saying I am the alpha. and Humping is just normal hormones gone wild. He is not hurting anything. Want to borrow my cockapoo for a while she will snap him right out of that one. She will eat his head off if he comes round her rear! Whats hers is hers and don't mess with it!

Honestly ROPO if you want me to send you that 6 week program (it is just a paper copy) I sure will, just PM me your address and I will send it off. It is simple, brainless, common sense but we don't think of it till someone tells us effective things to do with your dog to make them be aware that YOU are the ALPHA dog not them and they need to pay attention to YOU. Sometimes they may need a refresher course but they need to listen to YOU. As to why he cannot be like the Shih Tzu, they are completely different breeds you cannot compare them.

One thing I would do is remove all places he can get feed and or water. YOU are in control of him getting fed and watered and YOU put his feed and water bowl down when YOU know it is time for him to get fed. A sharp NO when he tries to get to someone elses food or cabinet surf needs to be there. I agree with tethering him to you and if he goes for someone's food yank him back to your side Immediately and say NO sharply! When he realizes that you control everything about him, he will start to calm down and wait patiently for his.

 

[Fudgie]

OH for cliping his nails, put him in the tub and give him a bath, first that makes him clean, second, his nails are softer. BE Careful, i would say he has had his clipped too short at some point. Use the clippers that have a protector plate on the back so the nail cannot go to far through. That will help loads!

 

[Goose and Fig]

My step-father was a truck driver, and had a treeing walker hound that traveled with him for 5 years. My step-dad died suddenly and the dog was left with my mom. He started biting, marking and being downright awful. He was never like that when my step-dad was alive. She ended up having to put him down after he bit a neighbor. It has to be some kind of anxiety. Vets will prescribe valium for dogs. It might help.

When my mom took the dog to the vet she was completely distraught at how they treated her & the dog. If they know you have a "biter", they can inadvertently make you feel like a criminal. Don't take it personally. It's just routine.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

I guess I'm just thrown for a loop with him.

My labs, shih tzu, (deceased St. Bernard) were EASY to train compared to this one. It's simply as though he really doesn't care what I do to him.

But I think you're on to something with the dominance...he only seems to do the humping when I turn my back.