So I have this beautiful berneese/pyrennese puppy and I have two problems. 1). She desperately needs better training. 2). when the guys fixed our pool pump they left beer cans scattered in our back yard and before we noticed she was able to have consumed minimal amounts of the beer! What do I do about these things?!?!?!?!
Needs more training- We found our local ASPCA to be a good resource. They had suggestions, websites, and local trainer info. Beer consumption- Not sure if it's safe or harmful and in what quantities. Whenever my DH is having a beer, he shares it with his 40 lb dog without problems. Not an advocate of this but just a little reassurance that he's ok
The training part is easy, bit if you don't know where to start, ask around for a referral to a good puppy class. And continue to work on her even when not in class! Dogs need continuing education and lots of consistency and praise! The beer shouldn't really harm her if she drank a little. I remember I once left a mug of beer on the table while I went to go answer the door. I came back to a dog who had her face jammed in the mug slurping away. It isn't like it is hard liquor, your pup's liver should take care of that little bit. I know my dog was a little mellow that night..
Pick up and toss the cans and work each day with her. What does she need help most with? Like my young dog pulls on the leash and gets too crazy to come when called at times because she's busy running and running. So obviously I am working with the dogs to stand at the door or sit and wait while I open it before I give them the command to go out because they get so crazy they will knock me and the kids down at the door...so each time we have to go through this and some times it takes longer than others but I refuse to let them rush out all crazy. Yes going outside is exciting but good golly they don't have to kill everyone to get out. I had to get a choke chain to walk her and I walk her on a short leash because I am supposed to be the alpha dog...so the dogs are to walk beside or behind me...never in front...according to all of the dog experts....but Molly acts like a sled dog and wants to pull pull pull...so it's been a lot of work but she seems to be doing better but some days it's like everythings gone out the window...especially if she see's one of our outside cats who is skittish and runs....so I can predict now when Molly gets a slight bit tense if she spots her and I already give her chain a yank and say firmly, "Leave it." and I'll have to do this multiple times and get in the dogs line of veiw from the cat or walk the other way so she isn't focused on the cat and will relax and not pull.... She definately is more work than any dog I have ever owned...but it requires pateince and consistancy. The dog whisperer and It's me or the dog--Victoria....the shows have been beneficial for me to watch for similar behavioral issues and how they have come to train them. Molly jumps on me when she's excited...so I have to put my knee into her chest to knock her down and turn my back to her and ignore the behavior and make sure I'm not reinforcing it by petting her or giving her attention. That behavior gets snubbed right away...it's too dangerous for her to jump with her sharp claws and her weight could push someone like my kids or my mom down or me if I am caught off gaurd or on the steps... I tell ya...she's a handful but I love her and it's up to me to figure out how to train her. What problems are you having with your dog? Oh so she got the beer cans...ok, well....she needs a chew bone to replace the thing she isn't supposed to chew on...the cans or what have you. Molly will get the girls stuffed animals...I take them away and tell her "No." and give her one of her toys or bones to chew on. I have rawhide and I give her soup bones at times with the marrow in it...she eventually gets out all the marrow but the soup bones are good for her to just sit there and gnaw on...especially if I'm out of rawhide because the soup bones don't really get chewy and eaten...once they chip into peices if they do... I toss them...but mostly they don't. And walks....dogs need walks...it's inherent to thier nature...I need to walk mine more...that will help them from getting bored and relieve thier basic instinct to wander. ...and I hope this wasn't hired help that drank while on the job and left trash all over. That's inexcusable.
We have already picked up all the cans and what she needs help with is well being less defiant and walking well and not knocking over the little ones! She knows what the commands mean and occaisionally she will actually do the the moment you say them but often she will just stare you down, however she always gives in first. We have a semi choker which means it half cloth and half chain so it willchoke but not as hard as a full choker. we have toys for her but she doesnt like any of them! I will get her some new ones at Pet Valu, but I can't figure out if she doesnt like toys in general(like my old dog) or if she just doesnt like her current ones.
You know...part of it I think may be part of the breed she is... I know pyreneese at least are not known for ?whats the word? so much as in obediance training as they are in protecting the flock... so doing some research on both breeds may help you understand her behavior too. The dog may just not like toys. I have a dog who could care less...he'd rather walk and explore or play with our other dog. My young dog has lab/dalmation/german pointer in her and by gosh she is full of energy and runs and runs and runs....but then I was told by a trainer that thats the dalmation in her. I can totally emphathize with the jumping on little ones. The command should be "OFF" as opposed to down because that will be confused with down as in lay down. And just like my dog wants to run at the cat...you can predict they are going to do it so jerk the collar and say "OFF" right away and they should eventually get it.
He is strong willed, independent and somewhat reserved Strong-willed: a more commonly used word is stubborn. If you are looking for a dog for obedience competition, you dont want a Pyr. Many a Pyr owner has been humiliated in the obedience ring when his perfect at home Pyr decides not to come on the recall, to go over the high jump in only one direction or to lag six feet behind while heeling. However, obedience training is absolutely necessary if only to prove which of you is the more stubborn. It also builds a common language for the two of you, teaching him that he must grant you some degree of control if he wants to go on ride, walks, and have house privileges. The character of independence is vital for a working dog that spends hours or days alone with the livestock it allows him to make his own decisions based on his experience and best judgment, and not wait for a human to tell him what to do. He also frequently exhibits an independence of a need for a particular human. It is extremely rare for anyone to describe their Pyr as a one-man-dog. Rescue personnel describe Pyrs as easy to re-home they rarely mourn their former owners. Once past puppy hood, Pyrs are usually somewhat reserved around visitors. They may choose to greet a visitor on their terms, when they are ready to. This is not to be mistaken for shyness, but is rather a lack of attention-seeking behavior. Once introduced, a Pyr will never forget a person; that doesnt mean that person is automatically welcomed, however. Each visitor seems to be subject to an internal checklist before that happens. Out in public, the well-bred Pyr will permit petting by strangers, but never solicits it. http://sonic.net/~cdlcruz/GPCC/library/temperament.htm (quoted from this link) ha ha ha! There's the word I was looking for... "stubborn."
