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- #11
Thank you all for your input! I really try to avoid the 'dominance' type training. About 95% of the time, it's fairly easy to work with him and give him positive reinforcement. There's just that 5% of the time when something gets triggered in him and there is no way to get him to stop jumping at me except to put him on his side.
We did get him a choke collar this weekend. So far, it's working great, when it's on. I walk him with a loose leash and the only time I pull is when he goes to nip me. The first time I used it he tried to nip my legs about 3 times, then quit and started walking politely. Normally it would have turned into him jumping up on me and nipping at me. Only issue I have now is when I let him off the leash, he does not listen. I'll work on that.
As far as him being chained up; We can't let him roam free now because he can't be trusted around the chickens yet. We had him in a pen (8'x24') when he was smaller but it was clear that wasn't going to hold him long and he didn't like it. We tried putting him in an unoccupied goat pasture (75'x75'), but it was clear he didn't like that either and he would dig out before long. So, we chained him to our front door as a temporary measure and he actually seemed content there. I'm guessing because he knows we are on the other side of the door and he can protect us. We walk him several times a day and let him run around for about an hour in the evening. If we're working outside, he's usually off the leash and hanging out with us. He won't run around during the day because it's usually too hot (he acts like he is allergic to the sun). He just runs to the shade and sits there. I've been contemplating letting him roam at night when all the chickens are locked up, but I'm not sure he's ready for that.
A couple things seemed to have come to light in the last week or so. I think I mentioned already but he is definitely teething. He's got a couple double teeth right now which I'm sure is uncomfortable.
He has also been having some stomach trouble. We took him to the vet Friday because he was refusing to eat all day. Turns out, he either really dislikes his food (Authority, grain free) or he has some kind of food sensitivity that is making him sick. We got him a new brand of food (Nutro) and given the choice, he chooses the Nutro over the Authority. If we mix them, he won't eat it. I still don't think he is too impressed with the Nutro either but at least he is eating it. If we give him some cooked rice and carrots with an egg mixed in, he inhales it. I'm hoping to start making all of his food but I want to do more research so I can make sure he's getting everything he needs nutrition wise. We are probably also going to get him an allergy test.
We did get him a choke collar this weekend. So far, it's working great, when it's on. I walk him with a loose leash and the only time I pull is when he goes to nip me. The first time I used it he tried to nip my legs about 3 times, then quit and started walking politely. Normally it would have turned into him jumping up on me and nipping at me. Only issue I have now is when I let him off the leash, he does not listen. I'll work on that.
As far as him being chained up; We can't let him roam free now because he can't be trusted around the chickens yet. We had him in a pen (8'x24') when he was smaller but it was clear that wasn't going to hold him long and he didn't like it. We tried putting him in an unoccupied goat pasture (75'x75'), but it was clear he didn't like that either and he would dig out before long. So, we chained him to our front door as a temporary measure and he actually seemed content there. I'm guessing because he knows we are on the other side of the door and he can protect us. We walk him several times a day and let him run around for about an hour in the evening. If we're working outside, he's usually off the leash and hanging out with us. He won't run around during the day because it's usually too hot (he acts like he is allergic to the sun). He just runs to the shade and sits there. I've been contemplating letting him roam at night when all the chickens are locked up, but I'm not sure he's ready for that.
A couple things seemed to have come to light in the last week or so. I think I mentioned already but he is definitely teething. He's got a couple double teeth right now which I'm sure is uncomfortable.
He has also been having some stomach trouble. We took him to the vet Friday because he was refusing to eat all day. Turns out, he either really dislikes his food (Authority, grain free) or he has some kind of food sensitivity that is making him sick. We got him a new brand of food (Nutro) and given the choice, he chooses the Nutro over the Authority. If we mix them, he won't eat it. I still don't think he is too impressed with the Nutro either but at least he is eating it. If we give him some cooked rice and carrots with an egg mixed in, he inhales it. I'm hoping to start making all of his food but I want to do more research so I can make sure he's getting everything he needs nutrition wise. We are probably also going to get him an allergy test.