# bratty and disobedient....HELP



## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

Hello,

The last couple days Jake has been really a brat. I exercise him three times a day (flirtpole and walks when he won't bite leash) and we play all the time. I am having a lot of trouble with leash these days....

I am home with him 24/7 and I beginning to think this is bad thing. If I don't give him 100% attention he begins to act up....trying to get into things he shouldn't. When I tell him to "leave it" etc....he barks and me and tries to bite my feet,legs and keeps after whatever I said to leave. When we do training sometimes after I ask him to sit etc....he whines and barks at me (sometimes tries to playful bite) and then eventually he does the command, I click and treat. At times he KNOWS he is disregarding me and I am not sure how to respond. 

I have him in puppy class and he goes everywhere possible with me, we go somewhere every day. 

My concern is, is he getting to attached to me and SPOILED or is this just testing boundaries already...I am seeing some bad bratty behavior that isn't even cute at 14 weeks....HELP!


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i say he's testing you. be consistent
in your training, socializing and corrections.


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## bianca (Mar 28, 2010)

Renee, I am /have been in the same situation as you describe....it does get better! I am also home 24/7 and have had the same issues with Molly. She is coming up 7 months old soon and she is so much better. I agree with doggiedad, just keep up with your training. Also try and tire him out mentally as well.....food trails, treat balls etc. Keep positive!


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

jakeandrenee said:


> I am home with him 24/7 and I beginning to think this is bad thing. If I don't give him 100% attention he begins to act up....trying to get into things he shouldn't.


Yes, I think 24/7 attention is not good. Do you have a crate? I would start crating Jake periodically through out the day. It doesn't have to be long and it does not only have to be when he acts up. You can start slow: 10 minutes, 20 minutes, and go from there. 

Put the crate in a quiet part of the house. Put him in there with a few treats. Put a blanket over the crate and just him chill for awhile by himself. 

Puppies needs to learn that the world does not revolve around them and we are not there to entertain them 24/7 and from time to time they are going to have to spend sometime by themselves. I feel this is a lesson that you have to teach early or else there is a good chance you are going to get a dog with separation anxiety down the line. Get them used to spending time by themselves. At first they might not like it but if you are consistent with it, soon enough they will learn going to the crate to chill is no big deal. It's not the end of the world. 

Also, a pup is like a kid. They have short attention span and low stamina. They can only go so long before they get tired and NEED a rest. But the things is they don't know that and they don't want to rest, so they putz around, go stupid things, get in trouble, act bratty, etc. When they are young, you have to MAKE them rest.


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## kensbuns1 (May 19, 2010)

I introduced Chewey to toys at a young age. He was only allowed to play with his things. When he got into something he was not allowed I re-diredcted his attention to the things he was allowed to play with. I always corrected any kind of biting or mouthing with his toys.


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## Wolfiesmom (Apr 10, 2010)

Jason L said:


> Yes, I think 24/7 attention is not good. Do you have a crate? I would start crating Jake periodically through out the day. It doesn't have to be long and it does not only have to be when he acts up. You can start slow: 10 minutes, 20 minutes, and go from there.
> 
> Put the crate in a quiet part of the house. Put him in there with a few treats. Put a blanket over the crate and just him chill for awhile by himself.
> 
> ...


i agree. I am with Wolfie all the time too, and I noticed the brattiness. A lot of it is just puppy stuff, but lately I have been putting him in his crate and going to take a shower, then I stay in my room for a little while and read a book just to give him some alone time. I also put him out in the yard for an hour alone, and crate him and go to the grocery store once a week. He has calmed down more, and has learned to play with toys or chew a bone without hanging all over me.


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

Crate.  I'm a firm believer in periodic crating throughout the day. I prefer to let my dogs out of the crate and play, play, play for 20-30 minutes outside, then bring them inside from some quieter outside time and then back in the crate for a nap.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

He is in his crate to sleep and when I can't give him 100%, however lately he has picked up the pace with brattiness! I am a firm believer in crate training so no worries there! 

Just seems like all of a sudden he hit a stage one his way or no way AND follows me everywhere or at least has to be able to see me....


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## GSD MOM (Apr 21, 2010)

I agree with doggiedad. He is testing. Stay firm.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

jakeandrenee said:


> Just seems like all of a sudden he hit a stage one his way or no way AND *follows me everywhere or at least has to be able to see me....*


 
Is that not normal? That's the only thing I've ever known. Sinister is up my WaZoo. He has to be near me at all times. I cannot go to the bathroom alone, the toilet my suck me in  I'm not allowed to go anywhere by myself :crazy:


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## patti (Apr 7, 2010)

Same issues with Bo! I am also with him 24/7, but I do crate him numerous times during the day, as I have outdoor chores to do. Glad to see I am not the only one. I can tell he is testing me. Also, I noticed in the evenings about 9:30, he gets really bratty, and I have figured out that he wants to go to bed. I put him in his crate, next to my bed, then go back to living room till I am ready to go to bed. There he sleeps till around 6:00 am.


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## GSD MOM (Apr 21, 2010)

LaRen616 said:


> Is that not normal? That's the only thing I've ever known. Sinister is up my WaZoo. He has to be near me at all times. I cannot go to the bathroom alone, the toilet my suck me in  I'm not allowed to go anywhere by myself :crazy:


I didn't even see that part. Yeah... Nellie and Ace are up my butt. Everyday. They have spots in the kitchen where they have to lay down to stay if they want to be in there because I trip all over them.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

wanting to be with me is one thing, BUT being a BRAT is another...


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

Wanting to be you is fine but you have to make sure the pup/dog is not going to throw a fit when he can't be with you, when he has to spend sometime alone. There is a fine line between a velcro dog and a dog with separation anxiety.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

So HOW do I AVOID separation anxiety?????


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

When I'm wandering the house, I want my puppy in the same room I'm in.

If I'm sitting in a room and my puppy won't rest, I can give her a time out in the crate. I'd just put the crate in the same room though. AND I would toss in something for her to chew. This isn't punishment, it's just teaching her to entertain herself. This is ANOTHER great reason to crate our puppies in our bedroom at night. So they are 'alone' but not really cause the crate is right beside the bed. Easing into the independence we want. And this is the same crate we have them in when we do have to leave the house for awhile. 

And you aren't exercising enough. I have to pack my pups in the car, drive somewhere new. Meet new people, places, friends, other dogs (pups from dog class make GREAT playdates...). 

The main way I exercise is with off leash hikes. If I do this every other day, I have a practically perfect puppy in the home!


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

What MRL said above


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

We drive to woods every morning and go for a hike 45min, then nap....walk around neighborhood, then nap....most evenings we use the flirtpole ......He gets TONS of exercise!!!!!!!!!! TONS sometimes I worry if it's too much......

Did I mention almost everyday on our way home from hike we stop at shopping mall, Petsmart or a friend? And he goes to puppy class every Saturday????


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Mix the fun time with the down time. I'd just make sure to crate him at night. Crate him when you go out. And crate him during the day when you need a break. 

Never as punishment. Always with treats. Maybe even start up games with him like the DVD Welcome to Dogwise.com

Our puppies need structure in their day. So a good mix of run, games, training, exercise and down time. If he won't relax on his own, then just crate him with a kong full of treats, and go about your day.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

> When we do training sometimes after I ask him to sit etc....he whines and barks at me (sometimes tries to playful bite) and then eventually he does the command, I click and treat. At times he KNOWS he is disregarding me and I am not sure how to respond.


Instead of using the clicker every session, mix it up a bit with a ball or tug toy as the reward, he sounds to me like he is bored! Even with all the physical activity, he needs to be mentally challenged too.
I find that if I mix up the rewards in training my pup responds better. So a session may have click, treats, tug, a bit of two-ball thrown in and he doesn't lose interest or check out as long as I keep the sessions fairly short. Do you ever give him a fresh knucklebone to chew on? That is a good way to get a break, and he'll wear himself out chewing!


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

onyx'girl said:


> Instead of using the clicker every session, mix it up a bit with a ball or tug toy as the reward, he sounds to me like he is bored! Even with all the physical activity, he needs to be mentally challenged too.
> I find that if I mix up the rewards in training my pup responds better. So a session may have click, treats, tug, a bit of two-ball thrown in and he doesn't lose interest or check out as long as I keep the sessions fairly short. Do you ever give him a fresh knucklebone to chew on? That is a good way to get a break, and he'll wear himself out chewing!


Good idea to add the toy.

But you also may not be clicking fast enough or often enough for a puppy. Or you may be having to long a training session. Puppies need that clicker clicking alot, or they get confused and start barking. The point of the clicker is to break things down so they understand or at least are throwing out and offering behaviors. So it should be sounding like a machine gun in frequency when initially training, you only click less frequently once they DO understand and are 100%.

Puppy One Hundred (and thirty five) | Susan Garrett's Dog Training Blog

Idea List for Shaping | Susan Garrett's Dog Training Blog

While Waiting Until He Grows Up . . . | Susan Garrett's Dog Training Blog


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## Phoenix122 (Apr 23, 2010)

are knucklebones ok when the pup is teething??


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