# Puppy demands attention



## aparanae (Sep 12, 2013)

My 5 month old puppy has now developed an habit when my husband is at home. When we are sitting watching a movie or something she comes, puts her paws on him and barks, if she gets no reaction, she goes on with the barking and pulls on my husband clothes. Sometimes she bites a bit too.

She does this mostly with him. My husband is not consistent with his reactions to this, but we also don't know how to correctly react. Sometimes he ignores her, sometimes he plays with her, sometimes he says no, etc.

How should he react? We go on walks 5 times a day (around 30 minutes each walk). On weekends she gets more exercise (one long walk plus the other 4, and playing with other puppies), and she still does this with my husband.


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## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

It's no big deal. If he wants to stop it he has to consistently not play with her when she tries to start a game. She realizes sometimes she can get a game started so that's why she does it.

The way I typically deal with this is to ignore or tell the dog to "off" which is basically a catchall command for stop messing with me. I will then ignore him for a minute or so, and then initiate play with him like it was my idea in the first place. The events occur too far apart for the puppy to realize he was giving me the idea to play. 

It is not something you need to worry about otherwise. Perfectly normal puppy behavior. Walks isn't really much of an exercise for a pup. It is easier to wear them out quickly with fetch, a bait pole, or tug or something a long those lines.


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## Kat Tastic (Nov 26, 2013)

I have a GSD mix who is five months. We correct him with the scruffing technique and a firm NO. Whichever method you use, consistent correction is the key to changing her behavior. I would suggest you correct her, wait awhile, and then have her sit, followed with play?

Although this is my first puppy in a long time and my first GSD, our boy has been coming along great with his behavior.


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## aparanae (Sep 12, 2013)

Yeah, I know consistency is important, we are mostly consistent with her, but this time we weren't sure what was best. At the beginning he often tried to ignore her, but she's really loud and that plus the bitting/pulling get pretty annoying.

Thanks for the tip about initiating play after a while. We will try it.


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## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

To some degree some of that was probably the storm before the calm. Before a behavior like that goes extinct they will bring out all their little tricks to try to get the desired effect from what worked before. I teach the off command early to avoid issues like this because once the dog knows what you are asking for things get a lot easier.

You pretty much take a fist full of treats the dog really wants and you put it in the dogs face and let her harass the hand. You then say "off" just once and wait for her to give up and leave the hand alone. Soon as it happens you mark and let the treat drop, and then repeat. Takes a while at first but she will quickly realize leaving your hand alone gets what she wants. Then after you get that down you start harassing her with the hand to get her riled up wanting to bite it. You then say off and when she stops she gets treated. Pretty soon whenever you just want her to leave you alone the off command lets her know what she needs to do.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

carmspack said:


> behaviours become ingrained when there is productive positive reason "reward"
> 
> the dog who pesters to a compulsive level .
> 
> person finally has a moment to sit down , have refreshment , read paper. dog comes and starts to paw person or nudge arm with his muzzle . person starts stroking the dog without thinking . dog is rewarded .dog keeps on doing it . anytime, everywhere . becomes a vicious circle. person gets annoyed with arm being shoved, newspaper being pushed , cup a something spilled . gets short with dog , who becomes anxious when something formerly rewarding works against him . continues and continues , escalates .


 not this please "We correct him with the scruffing technique and a firm NO. Whichever method you use, consistent correction is the key to changing her behavior. I would suggest you correct her"

that would create social anxiety , escalate into some compulsive problem . Dog is already doing it out of mild anxiety , wanting to be included . Punishing/correcting will make the dog more clingy. Best way to remedy is to teach dog to be happy in his own area . Time and place for everything .
Think of this as a baby who wants to sleep in parents bed and has to be "taught" to sleep in own bed . Be secure and comfortable . 
http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...gly/367202-7-month-old-getting-aggresive.html --


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## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

You know what they say. You can use multiple methods to train and correct a dog, but there is always a price to be paid for them. I don't know about you guys but I don't want to punish my dog for wanting to be around me and play with me even if its a quick way to fix a behavior I don't want.


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## aparanae (Sep 12, 2013)

Baillif said:


> To some degree some of that was probably the storm before the calm. Before a behavior like that goes extinct they will bring out all their little tricks to try to get the desired effect from what worked before. I teach the off command early to avoid issues like this because once the dog knows what you are asking for things get a lot easier.


My girl already knows the off command, although she doesn't always obbey the first time we say it. Sometimes my husband uses that command in this situation and she stops but just for some seconds, then she continues.



carmspack said:


> Best way to remedy is to teach dog to be happy in his own area . Time and place for everything .


How do you suggest we do that? Is there any good exercise to teach this?


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Since he just wants to PLAY, I think to over correct and scruff is a bit of an overkill reaction......

Think he's growing up so you need to ALSO up the training (classes are by FAR AND AWAY the easiest way to do this...) and exercise (harder to do in winter but really key for a pup the first year) during the day and before it's time for everyone to chill at the end of the evening.

If your pup is well exercised and you have been able to really interact and play already with him during the day, I'd teach him a 'Go Lay Down' or a 'Place' command. So have his crate or a dog bed somewhere in the room and teach him to be in it when you are watching tv. I'd fill a Purple Squirrel or kong to have him be able to be in place and chill/calm down and be rewarded for doing a good thing.

The lazy and easy way to train is punish/correct/punish. And to do this when your wonderful young pup just loves you so much and is inviting you to play is not really the correct method for my dogs. 

So teach a 'go to your ?' command. Reward when they are there with something to chew/eat. Then enjoy your evening and the fact you are TEACHING not punishing your dog into being a wonderful pet.

Easiest if you've already started clicker training... http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...0-intro-clicker-training-perfect-puppies.html





 




 

LOVE the Purple Squirrel Dude, this one shows how you can snip off one of the 4 prongs if it's too hard initially for your dog to get the treats out..They make them big for our big dogs, I can get about 1/2 cup kibble in the Large one.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Great post MaggieRoseLee!!!


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## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

aparanae said:


> My girl already knows the off command, although she doesn't always obbey the first time we say it. Sometimes my husband uses that command in this situation and she stops but just for some seconds, then she continues.


When she stops you have to redirect or follow up with a new command or task. Otherwise she will do exactly what you are seeing. Stop for a second stare at you and then go right back to what she was doing. It's like ok I did what you said? That it? Ok back to trying to get you to play now! You could also teach her duration to this command.


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## aparanae (Sep 12, 2013)

MaggieRoseLee said:


> If your pup is well exercised and you have been able to really interact and play already with him during the day, I'd teach him a 'Go Lay Down' or a 'Place' command. So have his crate or a dog bed somewhere in the room and teach him to be in it when you are watching tv. I'd fill a Purple Squirrel or kong to have him be able to be in place and chill/calm down and be rewarded for doing a good thing.


She already knows the "go to your bed" command. She actually goes automatically when she sees the Kong or a big treat. The problem is that she normally doesn't stay there after she gets the treat (she uses to play with big treats first and then eats them). She also knows how to "stay" but not in exciting situations like this. I guess I will have to work on it. Btw, I also use clicker training.

The other problem is that she is fast with Kongs, normally filled with homemade pastes. Lately I've tried frozen fillings but she gets bored after a while.

About the classes, she goes just once a week, and she's totally exhausted after that (for some hours). I will try however more playing and training at home, maybe it is really not enough activity.

Thanks for the videos, I didn't know about the Squirrel Dude. I think I know now what she's getting for christmas. 



Baillif said:


> It's like ok I did what you said? That it? Ok back to trying to get you to play now!


:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: 
Sorry, I had to laugh  I imagined the scene. You're totally right


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

I can't use Kongs either, dogs get the treats out in about a sec so useless to keep them engaged for a bit.

Definitely up the exercise during the week. They change and need more during the first year than when they come home at 8 weeks.

You see all the tips in this? --> http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...191183-top-training-expectations-puppies.html


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## aparanae (Sep 12, 2013)

I did a quick test 30 minutes before my husband arrived, and played ball with my pup. I also used it to teach my dog to put the ball on my hand  but I focused the time more on the fun than the training. She was then a lot more relaxed afterwards. There was just a moment where she kind of wanted attention but then I distracted her and practiced some quick tricks for a minute or so  I did this like 3 or 4 times until she gave up and lied down in a corner 



MaggieRoseLee said:


> You see all the tips in this? --> http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...191183-top-training-expectations-puppies.html


Thanks, I already saw some of those links when I was exploring the forum. Gonna check the others later


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