# Help me with my puppy



## CatMan900 (May 24, 2018)

I could really use your guys advice. I’m about ready to consider giving my puppy up because I just don’t think I can handle him anymore 

The problem is he never stops going. Even if I take him to the park and throw the ball for an hour he comes home and wants to play more. You can’t just let him out of the cage and ignore him he always wants to play and if you don’t play he bites you or destroys the house. 

The only thing that works is giving him soup bones non stop and that’s expensive. What ends up happening is I play with him for an hour until I’m tired of playing. Then I try to give him a bone. After the bone he comes back to play so I put him in the crate. Because of this he ends up being in the crate a lot and that’s not fair to the puppy. No matter how much I walk him or play with him it’s never enough. 

I just don’t think I have the time or energy to do more. I buy treats, bones, I train him every day, I play with him every day. I just don’t have more to give. I have college, work, bills to pay, other stresses. I put up a Christmas tree and he destroys it, I just can’t take it. Every day it’s chase the cats, bark at the neighbors, go potty every night waking me up, non stop play, never relaxes. Maybe I am not a good owner..I’m just pulling my hair out


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## CatMan900 (May 24, 2018)

Also the puppy is 8 months old


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## LeoRose (Jan 10, 2013)

Physical activity can become a double edged sword. The more you try to wear him out, the more fit he becomes, which means it takes even more physical activity to tire him out, which means he gets even more fit.... What are you doing to wear him out _mentally_? A few minutes here and there of obedience training and/or nosework can wear out even the most energetic dog.


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## Hellish (Jul 29, 2017)

From a post back in May - 


CatMan900 said:


> Op here
> 
> I just found out about the ddr working line.. would they be good for me or too aggressive?
> 
> ...



Talk to us about your training endeavors. 8 months old is right smack inside the adolescent brattiness stage of development.


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## CatMan900 (May 24, 2018)

In response to hellish:

I am committed to this puppy but I think that a German Shepherd was way more of a commitment than I anticipated. Even for my gf and I who jog a lot and go to the park a lot this puppy is just too much. I put a lot of time and money into this dog. 

I tried taking him to the park, hiking 2 miles, throw the ball 50 yards repeatedly as he full sprints, and even still he comes home and wants to continue playing

I try to mentally train him teaching him sit, down, stay. I do this for an hour every day. He does good with this but after he still wants more. I give him bones to chew on. I walk him every other day for a mile. I play with him inside doing ball throws for a few hours every day. I take him to the park 3 times a week for ball throwing or hiking miles. There’s not much more I can do. And it’s not his fault either.


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## CatMan900 (May 24, 2018)

He does very well with training. The problem is more when you are done he will not sit still. Let’s say I train him for an hour. When I go to sit on the couch he will go chew on the Christmas tree or pull a lamp down. 

And we try getting him more exercise. Going to a big field and off leash throwing the ball far as I can. He sleeps home but when he’s back in the house he’s crazy again 

The only thing that sort of works is hiking 3+ miles but he almost always gets ticks so we try not to do that


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## Hellish (Jul 29, 2017)

I must guiltily admit that we have not had a Christmas tree since we added the shepherd to our household. He will be two in March and I don't trust him with not touching it when alone while we are at work. 

Starting at 6 months of age we have been working with a trainer 1 on 1 every two weeks for the insights into what makes a working line GSD tick as we found him to be vastly different from the other working class dogs I have raised. NILIF training is something she is huge on and many nuances of eye contact and body language that I would have scoffed at before seeing the results first hand. 

Please dont give up on your boy without considering some professional guidance from a trainer that KNOWS shepherds thoroughly. Puppies in general can be frustrating. If you get past the hump of this age stage it will get better.


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## Bramble (Oct 23, 2011)

Have you consulted with a trainer? Simple exhausting a dog does not train them. You need to find a trainer that can help teach you how to train your dog to settled. What sort of mental activities do you do with your dog? Scent sports are good for mental exercise as are off leash walks or walks on a long line where the dog is able to move freely.



Here are a couple articles about over exercising a dog:


https://paws4udogs.wordpress.com/2012/01/06/too-much-of-a-good-thing/


https://paws4udogs.wordpress.com/2012/01/09/the-superdog-syndrome/


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## WIBackpacker (Jan 9, 2014)

Challenging their brain goes further than a lot of mindless miles of fetch or running. 

Sit/Down/Come doesn’t make them think once they’re more than a few months old, it’s just repetition. 

If you get into a class with structured challenges and increasing difficulty (Nosework, Agility, Rally, take your pick of many activities), a 30-45 minute class will do more to tire them out than hours of zooming around. 

As the dog learns, the challenges increase, so you never end up with an amazingly fit athlete with a very bored brain. 

Foundation classes also tend to include elements of impulse control and/or crate games, skills that will transfer well to other parts of your daily life.


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## CatMan900 (May 24, 2018)

I won’t give up on him, I think I just needed to vent to people who understand haha 

I think I’ll take him to a trainer. I’ve been wanting to start ipo with him but I’ve been procrastinating but I think he really needs something to do that makes him be more involved


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Sounds like you bought a high drive working line for a house pet. 

Your young dog needs a job. At 8 months, you no longer have a puppy. And that young dog needs a job.


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## NaughtyNibbler (Oct 28, 2018)

*CatMan900:*
I can relate to a lot of your problems. My puppy, Cassie, is 5 months now. The collective members here provide a wealth of information that can help you manage your challenges.
*
CHRISTMAS TREE:*
I have to say you were very optimistic to get a Christmas Tree. I didn't even consider it, LOL. I'm thinking the only way to have been successful with having a tree would be to either have it in a room, where the dog can't roam or to have a tiny tree on a table (with an electrified fence around it). A virtual tree, projected against a wall, might have been an option.
*
TOO MUCH ENERGY:*
I've received advice from other members here, that sometimes you just have to give them a time out in their crate, or some other means of confinement. One member indicated she would tie her dog to the refrigerator. 

I was reluctant to crate much early on, but have grown to see it as a tool. Sometimes, Cassie is rowdy when I let her out of her crate (i.e. come home after 4 hours away). Other times, such as an hour or 2 before bedtime, it can serve to render her mellow for the rest of the evening. Generally, she sleep on my bedtop without much trouble. Some nights, I have to put my arms under the covers, so she won't use them as a chew toy, LOL. I always wake up to a bit of a battle, as when it's time to get out of bed, the "on button" engages and she goes into high gear. On most days, I engage in a little battle when I get up and both of us had a potty run. Then, it's in the crate she goes until I can make some coffee. 

Cassie is my 3rd GSD. I have to say, however, that she is quite a handful, in comparison to my prior two dogs. With my prior dogs, I was working and managed to raise the dogs without a whole lot of stress. Now, I'm retired and thought it all should be easier. It's been quite the opposite with little miss Cassie, LOL. On most days, she has multiple periods of time, when she is in high gear and very rowdy. When she is in low gear, she can be a lot gentler and sweet. It's almost like there are two personalities, LOL

My prior 2 GSDs liked to engage in herding activity with balls. One liked underinflated soccer balls and an Egge toy (shaped like a very large hard plastic egg). With the Egge, it was a herding activity. With the soccer balls, I'd eather kick them or launch like a volleyball and she would chase it and retrieve it. My other dog grew to like an underinflated basketball, I'd bounce it to her and she would bounce it back with her nose. These games can be fun for you and your dog. If you Google, "Herding Games for Dogs", you might find some helpful info.

Using a flirt pole can help drain some energy. I bought one a couple of weeks ago and it helps drain some energy. Some people like them, others don't. Best to read up on how to prevent injuries when you use it. 

Even with my prior 2 dogs, I'd generally have the experience of getting in a good 3 miles walk at the park, the dog sleeps next to me on the drive home. Then, by the time we got home, the dog would be ready for a game of ball outside (either with a soccer ball, basketball or an Egge toy)


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

Where are you located? Look for a good trainer who does sports or a local dog club. We can help you find one. Even an active German Shepherd should be able to settle. Exercise isn’t enough. They need mental stimulation and they also need to learn to be comfortable alone. My WL was much more active as a puppy, but I made him learn to lie quietly next to me during meals or when I was on my computer. Now he can relax for long stretches of time. The more activity you train him to want, the more he will look for it. You have trained him to be that active without realizing it. It can be fixed.


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## Femfa (May 29, 2016)

I agree with everything posted above, but also just wanted to add that teaching a dog to settle is part of training. If it isn't something specific you asked for in the breeding your dog is from, there's a good chance your dog doesn't come from parents who naturally have an off-switch to pass down. Having a specific type of dog bed and teaching a "place" command can be a life saver. I did it for my girl, and I have a dog bed on every floor of my place. If I go into a room where there normally isn't a dog bed but need her to settle, I bring a dog bed in and give her the place command. I will intermittently reward her for laying there and relaxing. 

It exhausts her because she's so focused on getting a treat in the beginning, but as time passes it also forces her to relax because the only way she can get rewarded is by staying calm on the dog bed while I do my own thing. It also gives me freedom to move around without worrying about her. Eventually, or at least in my case, you end up with a dog who automatically looks for the dog bed in every space and lays down on it because it's their space.


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

To the OP ---


I'm going to be a bit more specific to something I haven't seen others being, well, terribly direct about. When you have worked your pup, when you have played with your pup ---- and when you need to do something else -- put the pup up! Crate time is a fine time. It sounds like your pup is getting plenty of attention, plenty of exercise and as you consider a specific sport for him, he will have highly structured time added to that then... ----- put him up, let him rest. He needs his humans to be game and they can't be game if he's consistently wearing them out. He needs crate time, you need crate time. Scratch the "not fair to him" stuff. 



Really, it sounds like you are doing great almost to the point of over the top with this pup. So - maybe give yourself a pass on the "unfair to him" regarding crate time.


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## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

One thing you can change right now is your perception of this issue. Try thinking about it as a good problem to have. It suggests your pup has plenty of drive which can really help with training once you learn how to use it. It suggests your pup is healthy and hopefully doesn't have any orthopedic issues which plague the breed. This will improve with maturity and you could end up with a very nice dog. If you have read many posts here, a lot have to with someone's dog lacking drive or being fearful, or having health issues. I'd much rather have your "problem." Also, I wouldn't do any jogging because your pup is too young. When he gets to be about a 18 months, he can run and bike with you, which can really help tire him out. If you live in a warmer area, swimming is a great way to provide exercise that won't pound his joints. What is the dog's breeding? Has he been crate trained/do you use a crate? If so, that is a place he can learn to be calm, but don't use it for punishment.


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## CatMan900 (May 24, 2018)

Thank you for all the replies everyone. 

I’d say my biggest concern was that because he never tired out and I have to crate him, that I’m doing something wrong as an owner. I feel bad because most dogs are out all day with their owners but maybe my puppy is too young and hyper for that right now? If someone could answer this that would be great. Because I try to keep him out all day but he just destroys or wants to play 

Also thanks to whoever said try to look at it as a positive. I never thought of it like that. It probably does mean if he’s this active that his hips and elbows will be healthy hopefully ?


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

Another vote here for more mental work, and especially tracking I find really takes it out of them in a good way. They are methodically working, it's low impact, and when they are done they are pretty gassed.

And another vote for teach your dog to settle and understand it's going to be hard at first because your dog is used to being in this constant go state so prepare yourself that it might be quite a job to teach him to settle. I've done it with a foster dog that had the same problem and it was kind of a project but we got it done. So when the first couple tries are an exercise in frustration expect that's normal and persevere.


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## CatMan900 (May 24, 2018)

The parents were ipo 2 and ipo3 so this is a high drive dog. Maybe I was naive to think it would be easy. This is my first dog and I think I jumped in the deep end and I just need to adapt! I’m used to my grandmas schnauzer which couldn’t hurt a fly lol 

I’m gonna start ipo with him I think that will help..

Also I seen someone said he could use a job, what kind of job?


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## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

Yes, your puppy is probably too young and hyper to hang out with you all the time. This will get better with continued exercise, training and maturity. High drive dogs are not for the typical pet owner, so you have to adapt and it sounds like you are doing a lot to meet his needs. Like I said, consider yourself fortunate. You could have a lot worse "problems."


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

CatMan900 said:


> The parents were ipo 2 and ipo3 so this is a high drive dog. Maybe I was naive to think it would be easy. This is my first dog and I think I jumped in the deep end and I just need to adapt! I’m used to my grandmas schnauzer which couldn’t hurt a fly lol
> 
> I’m gonna start ipo with him I think that will help..
> 
> *Also I seen someone said he could use a job, what kind of job?*




Shadow helps with the laundry. 

Seriously though it isn't about an actual job, it's about putting those little brains to work. There is no end to the tasks these dogs can be taught and it's easy to play to their desire to help with everything. I didn't teach Shadow to help with the laundry she simply watched what I was doing and figured it out, but teaching it would have been simple and once I realized she wanted to help me I played on that. So she learned to put her toys away and help with yard work as well. 
Find it is a great game to keep young minds active and engaged. I don't even hide things anymore I just tell her to find something she has not played with in a while. It could be several minutes before she remembers where she left it. I also do scent work with her, with old Kleenex boxes and scent pads or scent pads hidden throughout the house, and I play show me with a list of objects that I taught her to identify. So show me the truck keys and a reward for indicating the object, show me phone and a reward for indicating my phone.


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## Saco (Oct 23, 2018)

Start putting IPO foundations on your pup- focused heel work (so much to that, it'll keep you both busy), train him to go around an object, start IPO tracking, tug work, positions, stand in motion, sit in motion, there are ENDLESS training opportunities and tug and tracking in particular will wear him out quick. After training, put him up in the crate and let him rest. 

An off leash walk in the woods also does wonders. Let the dog sniff, run, and be a dog for a bit. Work on a very solid recall prior to letting him off leash, but if you can do this with him, I would be surprised if he continued to bounce off the walls after. 

Sounds like you have a nice pup. Take him out to an IPO club and I think you might be very pleased with what people have to say about him.


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## Natra (May 4, 2018)

Hi,
I think your pup/young dog is a "monster" like ours at that age! Ours too but we never thought of giving him up. Our pup Otto is a year old now (his BD was 12/15!). What we did to maintain our Christmas tree is to place the xpen around the Christmas tree and he is fine with it. He roams around the house and when he gets into his "crazy" mode, we close our office doors (since we work from home) until he calms down then he can go back socializing with us. "No" is used A LOT and consistently. It applies to anything he should not have access to. He does not allow to counter-surf or wreck any furniture around the house. Training and playing require a bit of dedication of time and patience... I train him to control his impulse using "Wait" and "Leave it" while giving out treats, food, or anything that he wants such as play time. He has to sit before I throw him a ball for fetching. Basically, he needs to "earn" before he can have what he wants. Hope this helps!


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## rhodesfilm (Aug 9, 2013)

My boy, Zu, just turned 6 years old, but when he was in his first year, I put him on a schedule. That way, he knew exactly what to expect. When I sat down to work, or watch TV, he knew it was down time. He's not crate trained. He loves his bed and that's where he goes. I still have him on a schedule and I think it keeps him calm because he knows what to expect from me. 

Walks are really good. I allow mine to sniff anywhere he wants to...it's his time, not training time other than to behave himself. It wears him out. 

The first year can be tough while setting boundaries. It's like having a toddler. You have to watch and correct much of the time. When Zu hit seven months, puberty hit and the training really clicked in. It just took being consistent. Zu has only destroyed three things, I've had him since 8 weeks old, and it was all in the first year. 

Zu is of Czech bloodlines...they're bred for border protection. He is very independent, doesn't cuddle, won't sleep in my bed...he's all about guarding. It's in his DNA. He even "clears" packages delivered to the house, though he's never had any training for that. It's who he is and I try to find activities that cater to his skills. He loves to play hide-n-seek, frisbee, ball, tug and he has a mountain of toys for any mood.

I also had to figure out how to communicate with him. He gets "no" and "go" confused so I use "off" of many things. He only absorbed "down" for lie down fully, but not to jump up. I tried to really watch his reactions to words. I use hand signs, too.


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## Hobie1 (Oct 10, 2013)

lol...i have raised several GSD pups and they drive my wife crazy but i love their craziness. What works for me is a decent yard to run, dig, chase, bark etc. we also have an adult GSD to play with and discipline pup. A well trained adult will model for pup. GSDs are *not* apartment dogs. They need space to run and play. Also, you must train pup to be still, wait and stay. My 6mo female is the Alpha, very alert and active yet i trained her to be still, not 30-60 seconds but for 5 minutes. feed time she must wait for my signal (2-3 minutes) to eat. Then she chows down in less than 2. GSDs are very high on intelligence scale so you must mentally challenge them. Good luck


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## JewelLaverne (Aug 2, 2018)

I don’t think anyone mentioned tie-down stations. They are just another option for semi-confinement when you don’t want to crate him. Attach a long leash or cable to a couch leg or something heavy and the other end to his collar. He can move around a bit, isn’t in a cage, is inside with his family, but can’t get out of your sight. I do this sometimes, with some toys he can reach while I do laundry or dishes. Just make sure you supervise him, as he could get caught somehow in the leash and be injured if left alone. Also, use something he can’t chew in half! I learned that the hard way when I used a cheap nylon leash, and it took Siggy about an hour to chew through it and free himself! (He could have done it faster, but the rascal only chewed it when I wasn’t looking!)


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

CatMan900 said:


> Thank you for all the replies everyone.
> 
> I’d say my biggest concern was that because he never tired out and I have to crate him, that I’m doing something wrong as an owner. I feel bad because most dogs are out all day with their owners but maybe my puppy is too young and hyper for that right now? If someone could answer this that would be great. Because I try to keep him out all day but he just destroys or wants to play
> 
> ....



I thought I did. So I will shout CRATE YOUR PUP. It is OK TO CRATE YOUR PUP. Get him out, "work" him, play with him then put him up so you and he get a break.


You are doing fine by this guy except you forget that crating is OK. Not constant. But "when not in use". It Is OK To Crate Your Pup more than just at night.


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## Boone4911 (Sep 15, 2018)

Our five month old German Sheppard is a beast also! She likes to play constantly but has already learned when it is quiet time and is very content to lay next to me until she can play again. It took some doing to get her to learn to lay quietly but giving her a toy of some sort to chew on helps keep her contented. The wife just recently started taking her to a puppy training class so she could intermingle with other dogs. She loves that very much and learns things quickly. Our older Sheppard was also very trainable. They love to learn! Our biggest advantage is we also have a eight year old German Sheppard that loves to play with her but she also wants her quiet time. They’ll play tug-of-war .. chase each other around and they love to play-fight with each other. The older one will put her in her place when she starts getting out of line and the pup responds very well to that. I’ve been very impressed with how much the puppy is learning from just watching how our older dog does things! From what I recall with our eight year old I believe it was about when she was a year and a half old when she started settling down and became the best dog we ever had.

Sheppards are not your typical quiet type dog but if you are patient and keep working with him he will become your best friend. They also love kids! Our older dog can’t wait until she gets to play with the grand-kids.


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## CatMan900 (May 24, 2018)

Thank you everyone 

I called up my ipo club and he is going to start training soon!

I also used the advice of someone telling me to teach him to go get things like if I say “ball” and he gets the ball. It’s working wonders!

I’m going to try the tie out method inside putting him on a leash next to the couch 

Also I think from talking to you guys I’m realizing I just got a really high drive gsd and that’s what I wanted but I think I’m still learning how to deal with a dog like this. You have to be very firm and consistent and cater to his drives as someone said... and It’s about me learning to be a good teacher as much as it is about him learning to behave. I’m having fun now! This nightmare is now my dream dog and I think you guys helped me change my thinking and gave me ways to deal with him I didn’t know before and he is behaving much more accordingly now! Still a hyper beast but now I can give him things to do and crate him without feeling so bad about it!


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## Kari01 (Sep 7, 2018)

I'm so glad you've taken the advice given and now feel much more positive  Your experience is really quite normal for anyone that owns a higher energy adolescent GSD puppy! Myself included! I have an 11 month old GSD and trust me some days I want to tear my hair out with her level of constant energy and need for attention (the other dogs also feel the same! So it's not just us humans lol).

I'm glad you are going to try the tie-down method. My girl is crate trained, however, I find it doesn't work as well when I'm still in the house as she does find it hard to settle in there. Instead, when I'm relaxing on my chair I hold her leash in my right hand or tie it to the side of my chair so I can correct, then after a period of protest she relaxes and puts her head down on the floor. Once she relaxes it's the perfect opportunity for me to reward her and give her a massage and help us both bond in a more calm way. After a bit of repetition and remaining consistent with it over time, she now really 'gets' it and she understands the difference between time to play and time to lay down. That being said, with a puppy, I do need to remind her of this fairly often, haha!


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I am sorry you are having this problem. But, you have gotten some good advice, and some not so good advice. You have to consider carefully the source and what might work for you. 

If you persevere with this puppy, you will have an awesome dog, and you will have learned much more about puppies and dogs, leading, managing, and training them, than if you got a dog that was more appropriate to your experienced and lifestyle. 

Good luck with your puppy.


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

CM900 Thanks for the update. It is always rewarding to hear that things are working out.


Really is.


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## deedeearmstrong (Sep 5, 2018)

I adopted a five year old GSD, and I take her out,we got to the river and dog park(I got an E collar and it works great. I got on Amazon for $45.95 but if you have prime there is a coupon for $6.00. and this one has viberate which I use, Shock which I don't use and sound it beeps which I also use. It is called Brefac , go on you tube , put in Brefac E collar and there is a video. The instructions say to charge for 2 hours and mine ran out of charge so I asked the guy on the you tube video how long to charge and he said over night)but what I was gonna say is the previous owner gave me my dogs treadmill and that does help, my kitten was watch my dog on it and he did it too.


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## deedeearmstrong (Sep 5, 2018)

They are high energy, I have a 5 year old and is a ball of energy, and you have a puppy? You have along road a head. You probably should get a chuck it, tread mill, and very durable toys. Sounds like your pup is bored, obedience classes are a must, it teaches them manners and obedience. Also I watch a lot of you tube videos on Dog training.These are the 2 I like.https://youtu.be/ia5xjO2y_fkhttps:// www.americascanineeducator.com/


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## CatMan900 (May 24, 2018)

Update: my puppy is doing much better. I’ve started walking him once every day no matter what, sometimes twice. And I’ve added in trying to walk past people or sit and watch traffic so he can take in more new experiences to tire his mind.

However I need help correcting 2 behaviors that I’m not sure are bad or if I should or shouldn’t be concerned.


The first thing is my puppy does not bite at all EXCEPT when he is on our bed. That’s the only place. It’s strange. However He is exceptionally bitey and playful on the bed. This usually is where he jumps after I let him out of the crate. After I let him out he immediately jumps to the bed where he is being calm wanting love and I’m giving him pets then after he’s satisfied with love he gets hyper and starts to play bite. This is something he does every single time. It’s a daily occurrence. We always correct him but he never seems to stop when it comes to the bed. He bites a LOT on our bed. I’m not sure if it’s bdcause he’s hyper after getting out OR if he’s trying to be alpha on our bed?

The second thing is if he’s out roaming the house being *good* and we are sitting on the couch he will sometimes bring toys to us to play. This is fine except sometimes he will not take no for an answer. He will jump his front legs on you and drop the toy on your lap. It’s cute but if you just walked him for 2 hours and don’t want to play anymore it gets annoying. I try to tell him no and correct him but he just does not give up. He will keep coming back over and over until you crate him. I want to show him only to play when it’s play time and I’m not sure if I should correct this behavior or how I should corrrct it. Also I don’t want it to seem like I never play! I play with him a lot. Even after I play with him for a few hours he will still do this as soon as I sit down to relax, that’s the problem! 

Other than this all the tips I’ve gotten have made for a much better behaved pup and I understand him more now and I can feel our bond has become much closer. I feel like he’s MY dog now.. I mean he always has been but now I feel like he’s part of me and like a son almost. Hopefully I don’t sound crazy! Haha 

Thank you


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## Aly (May 26, 2011)

You've gotten lots of great suggestions and advice so far and you seem to be incorporating it to good effect. I've got one global suggestion and a couple of more specific ones. First, consider changing your perspective a bit. IMO, raising a puppy is more about shaping behavior in the direction that you want to see as s/he grows up and less about correcting undesirable behaviors. There are obvious exceptions, but I'm speaking generally here. I'm not suggesting that you ignore undesirable behavior, but that you consider thinking about it differently (e.g., "How do I turn this into what I want vs. focussing on endlessly correcting what I don't want?") which will lead you to alternate approaches/interventions. At base, from the moment the puppy/dog walks in the door, you're thinking about the adult that you want it to become and actively shaping those (desirable) behaviors in your daily interactions. 

Here's a less cerebral suggestion. In my world, all dogs must learn good manners _and _develop self-control. It's a gradual, age-based approach, but they have to learn and we have to teach it. In your bed jumping scenario, one of my rules is that dogs cannot come up on furniture (beds included) without invitation. Period. If the puppy comes up uninvited, I say 'Off' and remove it from the bed/sofa/chair. Then (and here's the shaping bit), I immediately give the pup a command that I can _positively _reinforce. I might tell the pup Sit, Settle, Place or Crate --- depending on what it already knows. Once s/he complies, I say, "Yes, what a good girl," give a treat, and continue whatever I'm doing. Rinse and repeat for however long it takes.

Since being on the bed/sofa with you is too exciting right now, why not start with something more basic (e.g., learning NOT to come up without invitation) on the basis of which you can later shape what appropriate bed/sofa behavior is? There's no Doggy Bill of Rights in my world. They have to earn certain privileges and coming up on the furniture is one of them. Play is wonderful and a great basis for training, but only when _you _initiate it --- at least until the pup has learned better self-control and can ask politely. IMO, he's being a bit of a bully at the moment. 

Second, I'm assuming that you've gotten a crate which I heartily endorse; if not, do so ASAP. Crate training is a great way to teach the pup self-control. So, try this approach after walkies, formal training sessions or any activity that revs him up. As soon as you come in (or the training/play session ends), give him a drink of water, and send him to (or put him in) his crate with a toy or treat. Tell him he's a good boy and* Leave Him There* for at least 15-20 minutes while you do whatever. It's not a correction, he won't be destroyed by the experience and he'll learn that fun times and activities are followed by quiet periods. Again, you're shaping the adult behaviors that you want to see. If the rambunctious behavior happens when you let him out of the crate, *Put Him Back In* and wait a minute or two. Only when he's calmer (and your standard for this should increase as he 'gets it'), do you try it again. Again, rinse and repeat for as long as it takes. 

Here's another example: I work from home most days and spend an ungodly amount of time on the phone. I can't have dogs harassing me while on a conference call. When the Wild Child was a baby, into the crate she'd go (with a chew toy) before a call started. At the end of the call, I'd take her out of the crate and we'd go outside for a potty and/or kickball break or, time permitting, a quick stroll. She not only got the point ("It's Quiet Time when Mom's on the phone"), she also learned that as soon as I said "Bye," I was available for potty breaks, a scruffle or a stroll. Now, I never consciously taught her that; she figured it out all on her own. I call it collateral training. LOL. 

Overall, it sounds like you're doing a good job; congratulations! It also sounds like you're well on your way to becoming a_ dog person_, so kudos to you. Is that crazy? Some folks might think so; I don't.


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## Max Rockatansky (Dec 16, 2018)

CatMan900 said:


> Update: my puppy is doing much better. ....... d we are sitting on the couch he will sometimes bring toys to us to play. This is fine except sometimes he will not take no for an answer.


Great to hear you're doing better together. 

In regards to him insisting on playing with toys, I'd keep the person-dog toys away from him when you're not using them. Why not just kick them in a cupboard? If he continues being annoying put him in his backyard /kennel/pen/crate.


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## CatMan900 (May 24, 2018)

Thank you for the advice aly! I will try to think of it that way, I never thought of it like that. I’m still so new to all this 

Also max I will try that. I do crate him when he’s overbearing but my biggest thing is I hate crating him! I know now there’s nothing wrong with it. In fact he loves his crate. But I just hate putting him away because I like spending time with him. It’s always we play or walk, try to relax, puppy won’t stop being crazy so we crate him. it’s just he can never really relax and sit with me. but I’ll keep working with him as I’m the one responsible to teach him ? I know he will keep getting better, he’s only 8 months and sometimes I forget that because he’s so big!!! He’s a little kid in a big boys shoes ?


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## CatMan900 (May 24, 2018)

I just want so badly for him to be out with us all day and sleep outside the crate and NOT destroy stuff and not have to constantly watch what he does

Currently he sleeps in the crate every night

I’m going to keep working and working with him until this is possible! I know it’s ME as a trainer and not him. He’s a very good listener and even if he’s a wild pup I’ll keep molding him like you said ?


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## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

Did you or your dog pay for the bed? The bed, furniture, toys, etc. are yours. You allow him to play with your toys. Letting your dog on the bed and the furniture will just create problems. You can always get down on the floor with him. As far as your dog not taking no for an answer regarding him bringing you the toys, he has learned that from you. If he brings you toys and you don't want to play, make him invisible. This will get worse before it gets better because your dog will experience an extinction burst. It is kind of like when you put some money in a drink machine and always get a drink and then one day nothing comes out. You are likely to act out and kick or hit the machine. You are probably providing intermittent reinforcement which actually strengthens the behavior. In that case, you ignore, you ignore, you ignore and then eventually you give in. This is how slot machines make so much money for casinos. Also, let him drag a 10' section of light clothes line attached to a flat collar so you have control and can provide a correction if necessary and teach the "leave it' command. But never leave him unattended with a collar on, as he can accidentally hang himself.


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## Aly (May 26, 2011)

CatMan900 said:


> I just want so badly for him to be out with us all day and sleep outside the crate and NOT destroy stuff and not have to constantly watch what he does


Those are manners-based privileges that he has to EARN. Best way for him to EARN those privileges is for him to learn SELF-CONTROL/MANNERS. Best way for him to LEARN self-control/manners is for you to TEACH him. It really is that simple. 

I've never heard of a mannerly adult dog that popped out of the womb that way. I suppose it's theoretically possible, but I've never heard of it. Some pups are certainly harder to train, others are much easier. But they all have to LEARN and we have to TEACH them. Otherwise they invent their own (mis)rule. You're seeing that now. I guarantee that it'll only get worse unless you intervene and start teaching him.

Consistency is key. I see lots of repetitions in your future...

ETA: Consider investing in a second crate so that you have one for the bedroom and a separate one for the living room/study/family room --- wherever you spend most of your time. That way, you ARE together during the quiet times.


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