Comments | dogsintraining: Introducing Murphy...

logicdamsel in dogsintraining

Introducing Murphy...

Jan 01, 2009 22:10

Murphy is my 8 week old chihuahua. I got her at 4 weeks old BUT BEFORE YOU START TYPING AWAY ABOUT HOW TOO YOUNG SHE WAS... I already know that. I didn't get her from a puppy mill, I didn't even get her from a breeder. I got her from my mom's eldery home health patient, her dog had puppies but the litter was too big for her and she started having ( Read more... )

puppy, biting, nipping, annoying puppy behavior, house training

Comments 31

miss_teacher January 2 2009, 04:39:41 UTC

Is puppy development basically about instant gratification for doing something good?

A dog of any age is all about instant gratification. If the reward is delayed the dog cannot make the connection (same with punishment).

Chihuahuas are no harder to house train than any other sized dog so don't stress, you will get there :) She's still very young right now so she's not going to be that great at knowing to go outside yet. It's hard for them to hold their bladder when they need to go.

Here are my house training tips which include using a crate during the day if necessary.

Make a puppy proof room and put up a baby gate so when she's biting and you go to leave she cannot follow and bite your feet. Or climb up onto a chair or couch and pull your feet up, don't look at her, etc. it's normal for her to be mouthy right now and she will be even more so since she does not have her littermates to teach her to be more gentle. Here are my nipping tipsYour praise is just getting her happy and excited and all she knows how to do to react ( ... )

rozae January 2 2009, 05:18:00 UTC

Also get her into a positive based puppy class right away! She needs the socialization with other puppies to learn bite inhibition as well as other doggie manners that she should have learned from her mom and littermates from 4-8 weeks.
Agreed! This is very important. And good luck with her!

oblivion_moon January 2 2009, 04:45:52 UTC

My dane is getting better with nipping at me.

She used to do the same thing, she's nip me I'd yelp and walk away but she'd continue trying to nip my hands as I left. So...enter the baby/dog gate, I go behind the gate and leave her behind. Not long, usually a minute or two but since she's rather attached to me she doesn't like it. Ever since I started doing that she's gotten much better about it.

Nip me...means I go away, and she would rather be near me.

ohshitsher January 2 2009, 04:48:12 UTC

This pup has missed out on the most important bonding time with her mother and littermates. I understand your circumstances and it is very noble of you to take her in.
Sorry I don't have any useful advice, but good luck with your pup.

decembertyger January 2 2009, 05:20:44 UTC

Having 2 Chi of my own I know both your joy and your pain. First I hope the patient was able to get the dog fixed so this doesn't happen again. It was very good of you to step in an help out though ( ... )

miss_teacher January 2 2009, 05:23:05 UTC

stich my finger in their mouth and press down on their tongue pretty far back in the mouth

This can make some dogs hand shy and become aggressive when hands go near their face. As with any punishment, there can be negative consequences with certain individuals.

logicdamsel January 2 2009, 05:30:05 UTC

Yeah that wouldn't work, the PetCo trainer told me to gently hold her mouth closed still until she gets still and calm, she doesn't get still and calm, she goes Cujo dog on me growling and what not.

Also, this is unrelated to the biting/nipping, she's picked up this habit of eating stuff off the floor, lint or fuzz or thread she's pulled from her toy, and chewing on the carpet. Am I not feeding her enough? I feed her 4 times a day every 4 hours a quarter of those meaty packs from pedigree, she gets a little bloated just from eating that much, I'm afraid anymore will make her sick.

miss_teacher January 2 2009, 05:34:22 UTC

the PetCo trainer told me to gently hold her mouth closed still until she gets still and calm, she doesn't get still and calm, she goes Cujo dog on me growling and what not.

Aarrrgh, it makes me so mad when another trainer, who should know better, gives this kind of advice. I thought Petco trainers were taught positive methods when they were trained for the job, but what can you expect when the training is only a couple of weeks long.

Nope...puppies are vacuums. They will pick up anything and try to eat it. Rocks, sticks, shoelaces, etc. Just like human babies put everything in their mouths, too.

Also, I would look into another dog food if I were you. Pedigree (despite what the commercials tell you) is not a high quality product.

Thread 17

logicdamsel January 2 2009, 05:44:21 UTC

Thank you so much for the advice! I tried to post the same kind of questions on Yahoo! Answers and all anyone could tell me was how ill-bred she was because I got her at 4 weeks and how horrible the person I got her from is for giving her to me so young, not helpful at all. I'm new to LJ and am already finding it very useful.

crysania4 January 2 2009, 13:10:37 UTC

Yahoo answers is populated with a bunch of, well, yahoos. LOL There are some people there that give great advice, but most jump to conclusions and get up on their high horse about nothing. Clearly this pup was not going to get what it needed from its mother. This happens from time to time. Sure it's ideal for the pup to stay with mom and littermates until 8 weeks of age, but it's not ALWAYS possible.

You'll get some great advice in this community.