Houston, we have a problem! Dog help please!!

[purr]

have DH take the puppy for rides in the car he'll love it and it will be bonding time

 

[Brindlebtch]

Have DH do something INTERESTING with the pup when he gets home. Take him for walks and play with him with nice interesting toys and start teaching him to sit and down with cookies. Going to an obedience class with DH will help, too, because the pup should find that interesting, too.

If DH wants the pups attention he needs to be the most interesting thing in the pup's environment. All those interesting toys are going to belong to DH and need to be put up when DH isn't playing with him. DH initiates the play and then puts the toy away while the pup still wants to play. Then a little while later they can play again, but the toy is put away each time and the pup may not have it if he demands it by barking. Time to do something else if he starts barking for the toy. Then they can play later once the pup has been distracted.

The pup should only have rawhide or other type chews available to him when DH is not there and then only 1 or 2 at a time. The FUN toys come out with DH only.

When DH is home the puppy can also be 'bound' to him, by tieing the pup's leash on to DH's belt. Anything DH does, the pup goes with him and DH will just have to be patient and gently move the pup out of the way with his legs. The pup should be bound to him all weekends and evenings for weeks or longer if at all possible until the pup is solidly bonded.

Another thing DH can do is teach the puppy to go with him someplace for socializing, like the local Petsmart or Petco or a park or the local feed store. I've even sat on a bench by a mall or grocery store entrance and asked people to pet my puppy as they go by. Pups usually love it. Keep an eye out for other dogs, though. Sometimes adult dogs don't like puppies.

The trick is DH is going to have to put some serious effort into being interesting and bonding with his puppy. That is usually the problem, guys don't want to go through the rigamarole and expend all the energy it takes to nurture a pup's mind (If that makes any sense. Sometimes you have to be me to understand what I'm saying). If DH likes to sit in a recliner and watch TV when he gets home why on earth would the pup want to pay attention to him? He is being boring.

When you were mowing the lawn you were doing something interesting that the puppy could 'participate' in. Or at least that is what the pup thought. DH should have leashed him and taken him for a little walk or started some other interesting activity.

Dogs do not get the choice of who they bond with, unless the owners prefer it that way. What would the police, army or other professionals that use and work with dogs do then? They bond with their dogs through working and teaching them.

 

[brodysam]

I have a gsd, same story except he was actually meant for me. I was home with him all the time so I was his favorite. However, my DH would come home and throw the ball around with him a few times and play with him inside. He loves us both the same now and he's about 7 years old. Didn't take long for us to equal out in his eyes.

 

[OlliOlliOlli]

I freaked out in the animal shelter because my Rottweiler was bonding with my BF and everyone was commenting on it. He realized that I was around a lot more than my BF because I'm off all summer, and things quickly changed

I think your puppy will bond to both of you in good time. If you avoid puppy, he might think he did something wrong

 

[gritsar]

Thanks y'all for all the helpful info. We've decided to split his care, since I will be home with him all the time and don't want to just ignore him.
He's doing some better today.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

You realize we need new pictures, don't you?

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Yes, and you shall have them sometime today. I'd love to get a pic of one of the cats showing the pup what their "stickers" are good for. Five swats and he hasn't figured it out yet.

Did you see where my DH finally decided on his every day name? Ajax or Jax for short. It suits him well.

 

[thebritt]

Quote:
This and purr's idea of car rides are both excellent suggestions. If DH is the only one who takes the pup outside the yard for a romp, and he's the one taking him to dog school, the bonding is sure to happen. Of course, you would need to use the same training techniques DH learns at school so the pup doesn't get confused from mixed directions.
I think everything's going to be fine. The pup probably misses it's mom and littermates, so it's hanging with you. That's OK. It needs to feel loved by the whole family!

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

I've kept GSDs for many years and it's been my experience that, unlike a lot of breeds, the GSD picks his soulmate, not the other way around. GSDs are working/protection dogs and are only happy when taking care of their people.

Sugar is my dog. Or maybe I should say that I am her human. She decided that the first minute she laid eyes on me. When I am asleep on the bed my SO better already BE in bed cause otherwise he isn't allowed in unless I wake up and say so. It's just how it is. Yet we are both home all the time. We both feed, exercise, play, etc. and she really does love us both--just not equally.

Oh, and don't ever get into an argument sufficient to make the GSD feels his person is upset, threatened, or unhappy because he WILL protect his soulmate, even if that only entails standing between the two of you.

Nor is this limited to GSDs. I've got a male Dobie that feels exactly the same way. Things can get interesting when they BOTH feel the need to protect me from anyone. Fortunately they both learned the commands "out" and "down" at a very early age.

Enjoy your puppy!

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Right now Jax's "soulmate" is having trouble getting her housework done. I can barely walk without tripping over my own two feet as it is, now I've got six feet to trip over - my two and his four!

He's in his crate right now so I can try to accomplish something. Best get back to it.