# Am I expecting too much from a 9 1/2 week old? Advice??



## GRANBYsyztem (Feb 8, 2014)

I know he's just a baby.. but i cant lie, sometimes i get a little frustrated.

So far:
-He is, for the most part, house trained. He will ring a bell by the door to let us know he needs to potty.. *but i dont think he's quite figured out that outside is the ONLY place to potty.* So we keep an eye on him 24/7
-He knows 'sit' and 'down'. He's fairly consistent with that but when *hes too excited he wont always do it and if he does he just gets right back up*. 
-He knows stay but only for about 10 steps then he breaks stay. *Non-existent with distractions*
-*Recall in the house is a hit or miss depending on what his mind is wrapped around*
-He knows 'drop it' when we're playing tug with his toys.. but for some reason *wont let go of socks or other NON-toy items as easily.*
-He also knows 'leave it' *but it only works with food or treats. If he wants to get at the floor mat or socks or whatever else.. there is no stopping him.*
-He knows to sit and wait when I open his crate or give him his meal or water.
-He's very good on walks. Sticks right next to me and watches me the whole walk (up to 40 minute walks now). Even with barking dogs, cars, animals, objects on the ground, loud noises, etc.. he'll just glance over then keep following me. He'll sit with no command if i come to a halt *but he chews his leash if we're stopped for too long or if his leash is on him at home. All the 'drop its' and 'leave its' dont seem to work at all.*
-When he's out of his crate.. he is *on the go. wont stop, or slow down.. just runs around. Sniffing, chewing, biting anything he can and trying to crawl through every tight space and nook and cranny*
-I do bite inhibition when we're playing and leave the room. *Do I do bite inhibition when we're playing tug with his toy and he accidentally catches my hand? or if he nips me while I'm giving him a treat for doing something right? How do i do this? Leave the toy with him, say "ow" and walk out of the room? Wouldn't he just play with the toy?*
-*How do I do bite inhibition for nipping at pants and ankles? It's usually in the hallway so I can't really just say "ow" and walk away*
-He's good about getting his teeth brushed (cuz the poultry flavored toothpaste), doesnt squirm too much with brushing (with treats), *but when giving him a shower.. he doesnt even go for treats. Just tries to escape*. Will he just get used to it? Or will his hatred for showering just grow more and more?

Sorry, I know there are a lot of questions. Spring quarter doesnt start until April so I've been spending a lot of time with him... So I think i tend to get a bit frustrated as the day progresses. But I'm trying to get as much training done before I have to start school again. *So.. am I just expecting too much from him right now? Will some of these problems start working themselves out over time? Will there be a clear maturity difference as he gets older?* Thanks in advance for any feedback!


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

what are you expecting ?

he can't possibly know all those commands , and especially not a stay . 

40 minute walk for a 9 1/2 week pup is crazy . I had to go back just to make sure I hadn't misread the age , mistaking months instead of weeks. That pup should be sleeping the majority of the day . This way you are taxing his physical ability and his IMMUNE system. 

teeth don't need a brushing , and he sure doesn't need a shower or showers .


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## marbury (Apr 3, 2012)

You are absolutely expecting too much from your puppy.

Let him be a puppy. Give him a chance. You're asking for a senior thesis paper from a two year old.


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## boomer11 (Jun 9, 2013)

Poor pup


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## kakarot (Feb 16, 2014)

My pup knows and does (85% of the time) come, drop it, sit, down, shake, and stay around 9 1/2 weeks but 40 minute walk for that age is a bit much. Mine's going on 12 weeks and we've only briskly walked him for about 10 minutes, then made him run after a toy in the room until he didn't feel like running for a toy anymore.. then he'd just play on his own and eventually lie down and sleep for a bunch of hours. Also, I wouldn't take a pup out much until he's fully vaccinated..

He chews on everything.. I just tell him no and put something he can chew on in his mouth. Gotta keep an eye on him a lot of the times. He likes to eat fluff and socks. :\ I usually just tell him NO and he stops what he's doing and goes onto the next thing I can tell him no to, lol.

I don't fully rely on treats when he does something I want him to do. Before, I did treats consistently with the clicker.. then slowly faded them out/replaced a treat with vocal praise (yes, good boy, etc.) he can do sit, stay, drop it, etc without treats now.  With the stay command, like yours, he doesn't always stay.. or he breaks stay. Again, puppy attention span. I tell him 'no' when I see him break, and he usually goes back into the down position right back into stay mode.. I repeat the word 'stay', then I wait a few/take a few steps, click, reward. It takes a lot of consistency and patience, but they'll understand when they're older.

Puppies have a very small attention span and they get bored of repetition over a long period of time, so don't expect them to drop what they're doing and listen to your every command.  I literally only 'train' him for about 5-10 minutes a day, twice a day.

When I take my pup out of the crate, I immediately take him out to potty.. strict potty. He potties, we go back in, and he'll play on his own or try to get me to play with him. Doesn't slow down either, but if you're stuck in the crate for XX hours and you've been doing nothing but sleeping, it's typical you're gonna be full of energy. 

For getting accidentally caught by his mouth, I dunno if even what I'm doing is right, but I tell him no and keep the toy out of his sight until he kinda 'calms down'. He'll sit and look at me.. then I initiate toy play again. I'm feeling he'll eventually get the idea that if his teeth touches my hand, I won't play. He's actually been better at not mouthing on me regardless. He can play around my feet and hands and he almost always never catches my hand with his mouth.

I haven't given my pup a bath yet.. he hasn't needed it since he hasn't actually been outside much or gotten into anything gross/dirty.. but he is starting to smell, so we're thinking about giving him his first bath really soon.. just to tone down the stink. We tried the pup wipes and those don't do anything. Vet says it's okay to brush, just don't use the chewable toothbrushy thingies they can eat.


BUT all in all, stick with a few basic commands that aren't too complicated. Sit, stay, down, shake, leave it/drop it, and come are pretty basic to me.. and I feel like it's enough for a pup that age to know or at least start knowing. When he grows, he'll have a better attention span and he'll actually want to please you by doing what you're asking. I plan on sticking mine in obedience training and socialization with people and other dogs once his vaccinations are good to go. I'm no professional, but this is basically what I've learned here on these forums and from watching this dude on YouTube (Training Positive). He has a lot of good obedience training tips and lessons. X:


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## warpwr (Jan 13, 2011)

What's that in dog years? 9.5 x 7 = 66.5.

Your pup is the equivalent of a 15 month old human roughly.

I know the 7 year thing is bogus but me thinks you are expecting things a little early.


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## kjdreyer (Feb 7, 2013)

Yeah, that is definitely too much to expect from a 9 week old - if you have all that by 9 months, you'll be lucky!

It sounds as if you've done your homework on a lot of the important things you'll want your DOG to do. And every interaction with your pup is training, so it's great that you're paying attention! 

But, a lot of what you're working on is really beyond what a baby is capable of. Until he's more like 16 or 20 weeks, your training can be more like games. Always set your pup up for success - a distance stay or a stay with distractions might not be reliable till he's a year and half old. So tiny steps, and always keep it FUN and positive. You can work on "come" and "sit" about a hundred times a day just in regular interactions. 

Have you watched any of the Michael Ellis videos? I also really liked The Puppy Primer by Patricia McConnell, and The Power of Positive Dog Training by Patricia Miller. Carmspack had a link to a video blog of a guy training a puppy for some kind of working, I can't remember the specs, but maybe she'll post the link again. It started with him just working on engagement, and how you absolutely had to start there before working on any kind of obedience. 

So good luck, and definitely keep working with your pup, but keep it fun and engaging, and if you're ever getting frustrated, give him a peanut butter kong and pop him in the crate!


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## Eiros (Jun 30, 2011)

Don't expect much at this age! He's tiny!! Everything at this age should be fun and games. 

Expect to spend a lot of time with him. He's a baby. He's going to get into everything, bite everything, put everything in his mouth, and have tons of energy. Lots of threads here about teaching bite inhibition... A combination of "no bite!" and ignoring the puppy always works for us after awhile, but there are lots of techniques. If he bites us, the fun stops. 

Also, just as a heads up, not sure how often you're "showering" him, but unless he gets into something, you really don't need to bathe a dog except a couple times a year. It's not needed and can dry out their skin. My dog hates baths too so on the rare occasion he needs it, I splurge on our clubs groomers! Lol 


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## GRANBYsyztem (Feb 8, 2014)

Alright, so a lot of these replies are somewhat reassuring. I see all kinds of articles and good reads on training but not a lot of them actually cover time progression. So I wasn't ever sure how fast we should be progressing. I always just kept going and adding on to training the faster he would learn or longer he would train. We got up to 40 minute walks because when I first took him out I just went on a quick stroll down to the corner and back. But when we'd get back home, he'd have all sorts of energy and still run around for hours. So I tried longer.. and longer.. and longer walks. 40 minutes (only yesterday) was the first time i saw him get a little pooped on the walk, get back home, play for a little bit then go back to his crate and crash. I'll definitely have to cut back on the walks though.

I have watched a lot of the Michael Ellis films on youtube but a lot of them seem so short, doesn't really get into any sort of specifics with the training and seems to just REALLY promote the dvd's. As much as I try to look up good books and dvd's it always seems as though for every training book/dvd out there.. there is another that says something completely different. So I've been having trouble finding "good" material. I have read and watched everything on this forums "FAQs For the First Time Owner" and copious amounts of various reads here and there. But.. still a newbie first time owner. I did help my cousin with her dogs (two Morkies) and boy... these GSD's are no joke. A much higher level of energy.. but the payout so far has been great. The level of intelligence is just on a whole other level.

So far I've had to rinse him off twice (once because he stepped in his poop and once because he sat in it) and hes had two actual showers. But I feel like in regards to showers. it comes down to each individuals interpretation of "clean". I, for example, dont wear my shoes in the house, vacuum and clean my floors once a week, run the roomba daily, dont wear the same socks twice nor do I use the same bath towel twice. Not a germa-phobe.. but thats just my lifestyle. So for my dog to be "clean" that will probably be showers every 2-4 weeks depending on activity. And brushing the teeth, I durno.. just seems right. Might be "unnecessary" as some say.. but I can hardly see it being a negative thing. And with so many vet recommendations, low cost of the toothpaste, and minimal time it takes to accomplish.. just definitely something i'll continue to do. Until someone convinces me thats its actually NEGATIVE. Not just... "unnecessary"

As far as the resting goes.. he pretty much only sleeps when hes left in his crate. He just never seems to tire out when out and about in the house. At least not before I actually have to do something where I can't keep an eye on him. So is this fine to be leaving him in the crate? I didnt want him getting all cooped up in there (hence the longer walks, so as to not have him be getting an exercise DEficiency.

I definitely do play with him as much as I can, and dont get me wrong, I love the little guy to death and want only whats best for him. I'll definitely ease up on him and try to just keep calm and carry on. Thanks for all the great replies and input!

Oh... and the kid doesnt go for peanut butter in the Kong toy. Just a few licks and he'll ignore it.. As a matter of fact... he's not very "treat driven" in general. Any suggestions?


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## robk (Jun 16, 2011)

Please give your pup a break. At 9 1/2 weeks the only expectations I would have would be for it to begin to learn its name.


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## Eiros (Jun 30, 2011)

How often I give my dog a bath has nothing to do with my own interpretation of clean, so I found that comment a bit rude. I'm certainly not a less clean person than you are because my dog doesn't get baths every two weeks for heavens sake. 

I bathe him when I think it's needed, for HIM, not just "because". Some dogs need it more than others, and some dogs don't get itchy from it as much as others -- but usually the case is that not only is very frequent bathing not needed, but also can dry out the dog's skin and coat. The winter air is drying enough on his coat, and he gets itchy just from that, so me bathing him all the time would just make it more uncomfortable for him. 

For the record, my house is spotless (professional cleaners) and I'm probably a bigger germaphobe than you are. 


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

there is keeping clean and then there is bubble boy clean , The Hygiene Hypothesis: Are Cleanlier Lifestyles Causing More Allergies For Kids? -- ScienceDaily

I truly understand the stepping or sitting in poo and wanting that to be cleaned away . Raw feed dogs wouldn't have much of an issue with stuff being stuck on them .

The frequent bathing will, strip the oils in the hair coat , rob him of protective mantle , may upset the natural living micro skin ecology ,( one of the things being examined in the baffling skin thread study) .

The excess exercise wires him for more and more and is not good for still developing ligament and cartilage nor for stress on joints and bones.

Billinghurst has some good recommendations in his Grow Your Pup with Bones . For behaviour as a preventive read Fired Up, Frantic, and Freaked Out: Training the Crazy Dog from Over the Top to Under Control: Laura VanArendonk Baugh: 9780985934927: Amazon.com: Books

and yes at this age , because you could not have had him more than a week , he would just be learning his name and where the door is .


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## HOBY (Aug 12, 2013)

*About the shower*

Try to be gentle about how you introduce your pup to large amounts of water. Some dogs don't like it. You could end up with a dog that won't go in the water for a swim or a bath. Trying to escape means he is being forced and maybe scared into something he doesn't understand yet. Introduce him to a plastic box big enough to bathe in and low enough to walk in and out of. Do not place him in the box. Let him find it. If he does more than drink from it and climbs in you should be good to go. Careful about over bathing.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

For training books I like the Ian Dunbar dog behavior stuff. He puts some humor in there that makes his books easy to read. As for which one is right. They all are and none of them are if that makes any sense. They are tools. Some tools work better than others. If one way doesn't work try a different tool. I use a combination of things I've learned over the years from different trainers and books. The things that work quickly and well, I'm more likely to use again, the stuff that doesn't gets put into my tool box to be dusted off and used if needed with a different dog.


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## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

GRANBYsyztem said:


> So far I've had to rinse him off twice (once because he stepped in his poop and once because he sat in it) and hes had two actual showers. But I feel like in regards to showers. it comes down to each individuals interpretation of "clean". I, for example, dont wear my shoes in the house, vacuum and clean my floors once a week, run the roomba daily, dont wear the same socks twice nor do I use the same bath towel twice. Not a germa-phobe.. but thats just my lifestyle. So for my dog to be "clean" that will probably be showers every 2-4 weeks depending on activity. And brushing the teeth, I durno.. just seems right. Might be "unnecessary" as some say.. but I can hardly see it being a negative thing. And with so many vet recommendations, low cost of the toothpaste, and minimal time it takes to accomplish.. just definitely something i'll continue to do. Until someone convinces me thats its actually NEGATIVE. Not just... "unnecessary"


What Eiros said. That is WAY too often to bathe a puppy. They don't need "showers" like we do, and it has NOTHING to do with cleanliness. It is damaging to a dog's coat and skin to bathe this often, especially a sensitive puppy. 

We are extremely clean people and my dogs are extremely clean, and they get bathed a handful of times a year- usually, that's during allergy season and an oatmeal bath helps. Some need baths more, some less. My adult isn't oily at all and doesn't have any "doggy" odors, so bathing does more harm than good, typically.


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## sehrgutcsg (Feb 7, 2014)

Carmanspack, nailed it. Strip the oils from the coat is a bad idea and inviting problems. My dog and the pup are combed often, but water and soap are the enemy.

You can feel the natural oils - 5 baths a year - every now and then. Pools and ocean as well. Even water baths strip oils in my opinion. Rude no, informative yes !


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## kjdreyer (Feb 7, 2013)

It's kind of hard to put a schedule on training because it's so individual with each dog. And never mind all the days he'll act like he's never heard his name, never mind what sit means! But, you already know you're going too fast because you're frustrated! Your pup can't really know what your foreign language means, so take a huge step back, and focus on just maybe two things - getting the pup to focus on you, look to you for all fun and treats, and when he's unsure - you're going to make yourself his touchstone. While you're teaching him how awesome you are, you can practice come - baby steps, like when he's already coming toward you, call his name and throw a party when he gets there. I'm sure I'm telling you stuff you've already read. But you need to do this in a playful, fun way, s-l-o-w-l-y upping the game until he comes running from another room. For like a month! And then for like the next 12 years! They're so smart, it seems like you do something three times and they've got it, but they really don't - not until they can do it in all kinds of situations. And it's so important that you never try to teach him anything when you're frustrated - it has to 100% always be fun for you and especially for him. 

I know what you mean about so many completely contradictory training methods out there, but that's when it helps to have a whole forum to ask - it seems almost unanimous that the Michael Ellis DVD's are a worthwhile investment. You take what you're comfortable with, what your dog seems to enjoy, from any source you encounter that makes sense, trying to be consistent though. Personally, I made a ton of mistakes, but my dog forgave me and is turning out so great! She's 16 months old, and we're still in OB classes, still working on distance commands, etc etc. 

As he gets older, you'll see what his personality is like, if he's hard or soft, or more likely between that spectrum. I'm lucky in that I only have to deepen my voice and give Jedda a look and she's putting her ears back and asking forgiveness, but I didn't see that behavior till recently. There were plenty of times I over-reacted to her strutting by with my shoe in her mouth before we worked out our communication. And it took me longer than I'd like to admit to realize that the ONLY times she would not act right is when *I* was expecting her to do something she truly didn't understand. Or, exactly like a little kid, she was fishing for attention by deliberately strutting by with a shoe. Just now she's bugged because I'm tapping away on this black box instead of taking her for her Sat am hike, and when she went in the bedroom and I didn't hear her get in the crate and checked on her, she was on my bed. 

I didn't realize my puppy was acting like a complete bitey snarly monster because she was overtired, so you basically have to initiate nap time, just like for a baby. It took me a while, but I realized Jedda got this weird look in her eye, like she was forcing herself or something, not a playful look, and it was time for the crate. She'd fuss for a few minutes, then turn into coma pup. And it's absolutely alright to send him to his puppy cave - that's going to be both of you guys' best friend!

If he doesn't like peanut butter, you can try a lot of mushy things in the kong, Jedda really liked sweet potato and cream cheese, frozen, and canned puppy food, again frozen.

OK, this is a novel, but it's kind of fun to remember how hard it was with her in the beginning! It gets SO much better, and yes, so many things you're worried about will just go away as he matures. It's so hard to know the first time what to stress over and what to ignore, but when in doubt ignore the behavior you don't want and super reward what you want for at least the next six months. Good luck!


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## trcy (Mar 1, 2013)

The breeder recommended bathing the dog twice a year. I think weekly is to much. 

I didn't demand to much of my 9 1/2 week old puppy. He learned sit and down first and we built on it from there slowly making sure to keep it fun for the puppy.


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## my boy diesel (Mar 9, 2013)

when your dog is an adult id like to see you haul him into the tub 2x a month 
ours gets bathed more like 2x a year unless he gets super dirty 
gsds coats are naturally clean if left alone for the oils to protect it

eta: you are messing up the acid mantle of the skin thus allowing bacteria and fungus to gain a foothold
hows that for harmful vs. "not necessary"? 

the puppy at 9.5 weeks should not be bathed nor walked nor trained as you describe
he is a baby
let him be one
you can do more damage by forcing all these things than by letting him mature mentally and physically before adding all that other in


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

If you over exercise him to young you will damage his joints!


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## GRANBYsyztem (Feb 8, 2014)

Eiros said:


> How often I give my dog a bath has nothing to do with my own interpretation of clean, so I found that comment a bit rude.


Sorry, I didn't mean to offend anyone. I wasn't trying to say anyone was a clean or dirty person. Just trying to converse with my fellow dog community. Sorry if that came off rude. But I figure thats what these forums are for. To pick each other's brains and ask questions and vent and learn new things and just talk to fellow GSD owners.

BUT,* how often you bathe your dog actually does have a DIRECT relation to your interpretation of clean*. Maybe not necessarily to your own home but in regards to your dog. Of course it does. You can wash your dog twice a year and consider that clean. I can wash MY dog twice a month and consider THAT clean. *That right there, is precisely the individual's interpretation of "clean". In this regards, cleanliness of a dog*. I think you should wash your dog as much as you want as long as your dog isnt showing any issues with his skin or hair. If you wash him twice a month and you see problems, then cut back, and cut back and cut back until you find that balance of clean and healthy. *Its just like a human's hair. Its healthier to not wash it so often.* That doesn't mean we wait until it gets greasy and smelly before washing your own hair. Same goes for your skin, it's much healthier to wash only about once or twice a week. *We don't wash our kids once a week just because it is better for their hair or skin.* I'd feel sorry for that kid who is teased for being the stinky kid at school. The fact is, a dog who is only being bathed once a year, twice a year.. whatever it may be, is without a doubt going to be "dirtier" than a dog bathed once a month (obviously depending on activity and time spent outdoors). *YOU may consider him clean, YOU may think he smells fine, but others might not.* And you're going to allow this dog who has not been bathed in 6 months near children, in restaurants, and in your lap before you crawl into bed? Then that's your choice. I wouldn't wash my gym clothes or works clothes... or ANY clothes for that matter twice a year. *So yes, that IS my "interpretation of clean".* And trust me, I'm far from being a germaphobe. When im dirty im dirty, when its time to be clean, im clean. I wouldn't have made it through 8 months of Afghanistan, 3 deployments and 6 years in the military if I was a germaphobe. When I leave to go into the field and train, I leave clean and i come back dirty. Theres no problem with that. But when I return dirty, I don't REMAIN dirty. I return myself to "clean".

But like I said, *I'm just a new owner looking for whats best of for my dog and I. *I'll look more into the the dangers of frequent bathing, definitely going to ease up on the training and try to focus more on just relaxing and having fun and enjoy these puppy years before they're long gone and never coming back.

And thanks kjdreyer, I'll check out some of those books and *he actually does go crazy for sweet potatoes*! I coincidentally found that out when i baked some last night. Looked it up to see if its ok to give, got the green light... And after he sniffed and took his first bite... he went completely bonkers for it!

Haha, anyways, Im truly sorry if anything I say comes off as rude or obnoxious. Not what I'm trying to accomplish. Just chattin  Thanks!


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## glowingtoadfly (Feb 28, 2014)

Can't do anything about rude comments... People here are like German shepherds themselves... Intense lol


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## my boy diesel (Mar 9, 2013)

*The fact is, a dog who is only being bathed once a year, twice a year.. whatever it may be, is without a doubt going to be "dirtier" than a dog bathed once a month*

you are viewing your dog as you would your car or your clothing or even yourself
thing is they are dogs with outer coats designed to repel dirt quite easily
odors should not be an issue at all as they are naturally clean 
if odors are an issue you have a health problem going on

in fact you destroy the acid mantle of the skin and take away the coats oils which are designed to protect the dog from the elements

these are not cars, or clothing, and they aren't humans
even humans if let go long enough would balance out and not be greasy or stringy because the more you strip oils from hair 
or a dog for that matter
the more the body produces oils to replace what has been stripped away and can overproduce creating a whole new health situation

perhaps this site would help explain
Maintaining Your Dog's Skin pH | petMD


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## boomer11 (Jun 9, 2013)

Op you sound like you don't know much about dogs at all so when multiple people give you the same advice maybe you should listen? 

If you wanted a dog that is "clean" and doesn't get into stuff maybe you should've gotten a tiny purse dog?


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## glowingtoadfly (Feb 28, 2014)

OP don't give up on your puppy! He'll get there!


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

do not give up.

Do ease up though


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## GRANBYsyztem (Feb 8, 2014)

from the link my boy diesel provided:
"One bottle can last a year, even if you only shampoo your dog once a month." I get it, dont overwash your dog. But even so, find that balance. Not washing your dog for 6 months.. a year.. 2 years.. if thats your cup of tea, and it doesnt bother you. Have it.

And boomer11, I dont think you've got any say as to what breed of dog I own. I dont understand why a comment like that would be necessary? Maybe a lack of self-confidence that causes you to lash out on the internet against someone who is sharing an opinion. I guess you're that guy on every forum who goes around being the "subject matter expert" of all things and strut your stuff as if to try and add some sort of meaning or value to your life? Take your attitude elsewhere, bud. I got a GSD because one of them kept my squad alive on several accounts in afghanistan and then got blown up saving a good buddy of mine. I developed a respect for the breed and a strong desire to one day own one as family. So i find you saying maybe i should've gotten a "purse dog" (though really there is nothing wrong with that either) highly obnoxious and somewhat pathetic. So basically, yea.._(no pseudo/swearing)_


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## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

You're missing the point in terms of dog bathing. Dog coats are sort of "self cleaning"- the natural oils repel dirt, grime, etc. The oils in their coat are not the same thing as human hair greasiness. When you strip away those oils, you actually invite all kinds of crud to stick to them. It is NOT the same thing as washing human hair, human skin, etc. Nor is it the same thing as washing dirty gym clothes, so I'm sort of confused how you're equating the two. And when you tell experienced owners that bathing their dogs twice a year reflects on their level of cleanliness, and go on and on about how clean you are- it's not going to be received well. Bottom line- dogs do not get "dirty" like people or objects do. Stop looking at it that way. 

Dial back your expectations- on all fronts. Stop anthropomorphizing the puppy- remember that he is a toddler at this phase. Your relationship will suffer greatly if you expect too much- so ease up on the puppy, and on yourself


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## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

GRANBYsyztem said:


> from the link my boy diesel provided:
> "One bottle can last a year, even if you only shampoo your dog once a month." I get it, dont overwash your dog. But even so, find that balance. Not washing your dog for 6 months.. a year.. 2 years.. if thats your cup of tea, and it doesnt bother you. Have it.



My dogs don't smell. At all. I HATE HATE HATE dog smell. I can run my hands through their fur, and they don't stink. I am a neat freak germophobe (I'm talking, I clean every surface with a toothbrush and bleach), and no, my dogs being naturally clean doesn't bother me. I get that if this is your first dog, it's hard to wrap your head around (I didn't get it either, until I experienced it with my dog... 'hey wait, he DOESN'T get dirty...")... but wait and see.


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## GRANBYsyztem (Feb 8, 2014)

LoveEcho said:


> My dogs don't smell. At all. I HATE HATE HATE dog smell. I can run my hands through their fur, and they don't stink. I am a neat freak germophobe (I'm talking, I clean every surface with a toothbrush and bleach), and no, my dogs being naturally clean doesn't bother me. I get that if this is your first dog, it's hard to wrap your head around (I didn't get it either, until I experienced it with my dog... 'hey wait, he DOESN'T get dirty...")... but wait and see.


Thanks! Yea.. like I keep saying, first time owner. It could very well turn out to be one of those things i'll look back on and just... "sigh... I was such a noob" haha


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## boomer11 (Jun 9, 2013)

Lol someone's got their panties in a bunch. 

You're the type that goes on a forum to ask questions and when people who are much more experienced then you say something you don't agree with, you argue like you know it all. Isn't it time to give your pup another bath?


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

First, because a poster is rude, doesn't mean one should follow suit and fire back

Second, I haven't bathed my girl since last summer, and she sure isn't dirty

I do however, have a metro air force blower, that I use on her atleast once a week/weather permitting. 

You might consider one, no bath needed, just blow them out, this way your not stripping the oils in fur.

Let me ask, what are you going to do when the dog is an adult and sheds 24/7? and bath or no bath, they do shed ALOT

Check out the blowers, they do the trick for mine and I've had this one for over 14 years


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

boomer, we were posting at the same time,,

so I will say this ONCE.

BOTH OF YOU KNOCK IT OFF...Go back to your corners


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## GRANBYsyztem (Feb 8, 2014)

JakodaCD OA said:


> First, because a poster is rude, doesn't mean one should follow suit and fire back
> 
> Second, I haven't bathed my girl since last summer, and she sure isn't dirty
> 
> ...


Awesome. Ordered the 4.0 HP Metro Air Force blower from amazon a couple days ago and its on its way!


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## my boy diesel (Mar 9, 2013)

*and it doesnt bother you*

like others said you are missing the point
the dog is *not dirty* so no, it does not bother me
if he was dirty or reeked yes it would and he would get a bath but he isn't

anyway it is up to you 
we have all had gsds for years 
diesel is my 4th gsd in the past 13 years and he like those others before him gets a bath 2x a year or so unless something weird happens and he gets filthy


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

thats the one I have, I swear I probably bath Masi once a year, (unless of course she decides to roll in mud or something , highly unlikely,,because I blow her out all the time. 

Sometimes I'll spritz some "mink oil"' (you can buy it for dogs/grooming section),,gives her a nice sheen, and then blow out, or after I blow out


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Blowers are fantastic for keeping your dog fresh.
Just make sure you don't scare your puppy with it, as they are very loud.

Thank you for your service.

You will gave a wonderful dog if you save that enthusiasm and start those things in a few weeks.
Right now all he needs to do is bond with you and think you are the best thing on the planet. Keep things short, fun and positive.


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## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

Sunflowers said:


> Blowers are fantastic for keeping your dog fresh.
> Just make sure you don't scare your puppy with it, as they are very loud.
> 
> Thank you for your service.
> ...


:thumbup: Yes! On all points.


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## GRANBYsyztem (Feb 8, 2014)

JakodaCD OA said:


> thats the one I have, I swear I probably bath Masi once a year, (unless of course she decides to roll in mud or something , highly unlikely,,because I blow her out all the time.
> 
> Sometimes I'll spritz some "mink oil"' (you can buy it for dogs/grooming section),,gives her a nice sheen, and then blow out, or after I blow out


See... If you think of me as a puppy in terms of being a dog owner, I guess i just needed to be redirected instead of harshly corrected. Thanks!


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## glowingtoadfly (Feb 28, 2014)

GRANBYsyztem said:


> See... If you think of me as a puppy in terms of being a dog owner, I guess i just needed to be redirected instead of harshly corrected. Thanks!


Lol don't jerk my collar nooooo


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## kjdreyer (Feb 7, 2013)

GRANBYsyztem said:


> See... If you think of me as a puppy in terms of being a dog owner, I guess i just needed to be redirected instead of harshly corrected. Thanks!


Bwaahahaha, awesome!


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## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

GRANBYsyztem said:


> See... If you think of me as a puppy in terms of being a dog owner, I guess i just needed to be redirected instead of harshly corrected. Thanks!


Just relax, and go with the flow! You remind me very much of myself when I got my first puppy (and I pretty much ruined that dog). If you set high expectations, you're going to overwhelm and confuse your puppy, and feel disappointment all the time... you'll miss all the milestones.


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## GRANBYsyztem (Feb 8, 2014)

Sunflowers said:


> Blowers are fantastic for keeping your dog fresh.
> Just make sure you don't scare your puppy with it, as they are very loud.
> 
> Thank you for your service.
> ...


Thank you. And this is what got me sold on the HV dryer:


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## robk (Jun 16, 2011)

I do have to admit that I bathe both of my dogs at least once per month with soap free dog shampoo. They are raw fed and generally don't have a doggy smell, however, they do get a funk to them from being outside so much that I cannot let them go for and extended period of time with out a bath.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

GRANBYsyztem,

There is much to say, but much has already been said, and I am not going to go into the brushing of baby teeth, or over-bathing the coat. I agree that the length of walk is a bit much for the age of the pup, and dangerous, both to the joints, and because your puppy may not be fully protected against diseases -- too much parvo and distemper going on. Just because your pup has had a set of shots DOES NOT MEAN IT IS PROTECTED. 

But I want to mention some stuff about how you are training your dog. You are expecting a lot from a baby-puppy. Beyond that, you are training your dog to ignore your commands. 

All you need to do is play a few games, using treats. Tell the dog ONE TIME, to SIT or DOWN, and use the lure to get the dog in the proper position. Then praise and give the treat. If the dog does not do what you want, help him. Do not give him the opportunity to not follow a command. If the dog is off lead, and you want him to COME, do not tell him COME. Call his name, show a treat, get excited, act like you want to play, be more exciting that the distractions. But if you give him a command you cannot immediately help him comply with, then you are training him to ignore you.

If you give your dog commands at this stage that he is unlikely to comply with, then you are setting your pup up to fail, and require some form of correction. It is much better to set your pup up to succeed and praise him for it. 

Definitely, down the road, you will train with distractions, and expect your dog to comply with your commands, but first train the commands, then when your dog is excellent without distractions, start adding the distractions in. If you train in such a way that you only give commands that you can immediately enforce by helping the dog into the position you want, then you are teaching the dog, that when you say something, he needs to do that something, every single time. 

If you repeat your commands, then your dog will learn to tune you out until you reach the level and pitch that means business. This is totally unnecessary. 

If you allow your dog to comply 30% of the time, 70% of the time, when there isn't anything more interesting going on, than your dog's percentage of compliance may improve or it may not, with age, and maturity. 

In summary:

Set your dog up to succeed and then praise.

Give a command one time, and then help him get into the position. 

Do not give your dog a command if you cannot enforce it immediately while still learning. 

Never, ever call a dog to you to correct them. 

Teach the command first, then practice the command, the increase the distance, length of time, distractions, expand the meaning of the command (i.e. Gentle with my fingers, Gentle with the baby -- first train him to take a treat gently out of the open palm. When he is good at that with many repetitions and practice and some time, make it harder, partially close the hand, and reward for licking but nothing for anything that is not gentle. Continue to remind him, using the word, gentle. Praise him, Good Gentle. After practice/repetitions and time, make it harder and put the treat between the finger and thumb -- he has to take it gently every time, continue to praise, and use that word gentle in both reminders and praise. Then, when he is solidly taking it gently, and specifically being gentle, start expanding the term, Gentle with my fingers, Gentle with the baby. Gentle with Grandma.)

Do this with other things. First train SIT, then add STAY. Start by just moving in front of the dog. Move back and release. Good Boy, Good Stay! When he is good with that, move a step or two away. Move back immediately and praise and treat. Good Stay. Slowing increase the distance, Slowly increase the time. When he is good at 5 feet, go back to 3 feet and bend down and touch your shoe. Add distractions. Etc. 

Now is not the time for all of this. Now is the time to just play with the puppy. He has the attentions span of a flea. Everything should be fun and a game. 

Have fun with him.


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## GRANBYsyztem (Feb 8, 2014)

Thank you Selzer, a lot of great information in that post. I have definitely been repeating my commands.. will make sure to cut that out. It seems i gotta just relax and bond with the kid. I think I OVERthought everything and started creating worries for myself. "oh no, what if this becomes a habit or it becomes harder to fix later if i let it continue" type of mindset. Wasnt quite sure of what his boundaries should be at his age. But it seems the general consensus is to focus more on just having fun and building the bond.


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## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

GRANBYsyztem said:


> Thank you Selzer, a lot of great information in that post. I have definitely been repeating my commands.. will make sure to cut that out. It seems i gotta just relax and bond with the kid. I think I OVERthought everything and started creating worries for myself. "oh no, what if this becomes a habit or it becomes harder to fix later if i let it continue" type of mindset. Wasnt quite sure of what his boundaries should be at his age. But it seems the general consensus is to focus more on just having fun and building the bond.


What always helps me is stopping myself to ask, "would a toddler know what I am expecting?"


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

That was a lot of loose hair on that poor dog! And they were scaring the poor thing, too. 

I sure hope it had something in its ears to muffle the noise. I have the blower at the door and use it while the dog is still outside. When he is wet, it is really neat how the water flies off him. 
The blower gets rid of dander, dust and loose hair, and airs out the fur. Very good dog freshener. 
Freestep is a groomer and she posts here. I think one time she posted how to use the blower and get the dog accustomed to it. Let me see if I can find that thread.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

GRANBYsyztem said:


> I think I OVERthought everything and started creating worries for myself. "oh no, what if this becomes a habit or it becomes harder to fix later if i let it continue" type of mindset.




That is a good mindset to have -- when the dog is older. 
The time to get serious about training is about 5 months old. Until then, enjoy that fuzzygator. Be the best thing ever, in his eyes.


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## ZoeD1217 (Feb 7, 2014)

GRANBYsyztem said:


> Thank you Selzer, a lot of great information in that post. I have definitely been repeating my commands.. will make sure to cut that out. It seems i gotta just relax and bond with the kid. I think I OVERthought everything and started creating worries for myself. "oh no, what if this becomes a habit or it becomes harder to fix later if i let it continue" type of mindset. Wasnt quite sure of what his boundaries should be at his age. But it seems the general consensus is to focus more on just having fun and building the bond.


I'm in the same boat as you and have Pretty efficiently stressed myself out. Obviously I have no advice but I definitely feel the pressure to give my Zoe every opportunity to succeed. It's hard to find the right balance at times. 

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Ah-hah! Found it! Here you go:


Freestep said:


> First thing you need to do is tie her to something sturdy so she can't run away. Don't let her get into the habit of bolting every time something scares her. Then, put cotton in her ears.
> 
> Then, turn the dryer on the lowest setting and let her get used to the sound of it. While the dryer is running, scratch her rump, right above the tail, this is a "magic spot" for dogs and should calm her down.
> 
> ...


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

GRANBYsyztem said:


> I think I OVERthought everything and started creating worries for myself. "oh no, what if this becomes a habit or it becomes harder to fix later if i let it continue" type of mindset. Wasnt quite sure of what his boundaries should be at his age. But it seems the general consensus is to focus more on just having fun and building the bond.


I've had dogs for 30 years up to 5 at a time. I currently have a puppy and I often have to stop take a deep breath and remind myself. (He's just a baby) When he gets extra bite-y or over excited. I will crate him and gee in less than 5 min he is asleep. I tend to forget he has to have naps and when he's cranky and over excited and stops listening it probably means its past his nap time. BTW my puppy just turned 16 weeks.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Hey lucky me sometimes it's best to stay quite and let cooler heads prevail!


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

what you aren't understanding is that, instead of being "clean" with frequent bathing, you are going to increase the chances that your dog will smell and have skin issues.


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## Mishka&Milo (Jan 4, 2014)

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4854201

Here is what my girl was doing. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## GRANBYsyztem (Feb 8, 2014)

Sunflower, So I actually read that post somewhere on here when I first started looking into HV dryers! I actually got it in the mail yesterday and start training with it already. Right now its in my bedroom plugged it (pointed up into the ceiling.. cuz geez, this thing was knocking down all my stuff!) So far what I've started doing is turning it on every time i walk into the room, every time i give him a snack, a bone, a toy, etc. I'm hoping he just starts to associate the sound with a good thing. Then from there i'll probably start following Freesteps post! Thanks for finding me the post!


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## Lark (Jan 27, 2014)

I have to confess that I brush my dog's teeth too. I have done it since he was a puppy, and he seems to not mind. I don't do it every day, but a few times a week.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

oh yeah, I may have forgotten to mention the blower will blow your house apart inside LOL...

I actually started using the vac cleaner,,my dogs were all used to the vac, and actually liked being vacuumed, just transitioned it to the blower


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