10 week hyper puppy - tips on behavior and training

[sharmeenc]

Hello,
This is my first time ever posting on a forum but I figured who better to help than people with love for their fur babies and experience with them.
So...........
2 weeks back we got Romeo (our now 10 week mini golden doodle - half retriever half mini poodle).
We watched a lot of videos on bringing a puppy home, crate training, behavior training etc.
Since the first day, we gave him lots of love, hugs and affection but also trained him a bit (he can sit and down BUT ONLY WHEN HE WANTS). We took him for small walks and now try to increase the distance bit by bit. We also crate trained him.
He is simply wonderful with his crate. He will go in, sleep through the night and does not cry. But when outside, this is what happens:
1. He jumps and runs a lot, refuses to listen or come.
2. He bites on our hands and almost tries to get us even when we try to put his collar on for a walk.
3. He HATES going on walks and sits down refusing to budge. We have to drag him and a few steps later he walks well and then again just sits down!!!

We have realized that he is a smart puppy for learning tricks n just 2 weeks. Please help us on how can we channel his intelligence to a positive way.

Sometimes we attribute his behavior to just being a puppy but the constant defiance scares us as he is growing up soon and we dont want an unruly dog!!!
You help will be highly appreciated

 

[Elrohwen]

He's not defiant, he's just a puppy! Puppies have no idea what we want until we train them to do what we want. When you call him to come in, it's likely he has no idea what you're saying or what you want, so he just keeps running around. When he bites your hands he wants to play, and doesn't understand that you need him to be still so you can put on the collar, he just thinks you're playing a fun game where he gets to bite your hands.

How are you training him to come? How are you training him not to bite you?

For the specific things you mentioned, I would start with teaching him his name. Get some treats, get a clicker, and just say his name, click, and give a treat. Do this enough and when you say his name he will look to you for a treat. When you need him to come to you outside, say his name and then run off in the other direction like a crazy person. Puppies love to chase and he'll come running to you, and then you can take his collar and give him a treat, then release him back to play again.

If he bites when you try to put on his collar, then stand up and walk away and ignore him, then try again later. It can help to use a slip lead when they are little and potty training so it's easy on, easy off and you aren't messing around with a collar so much.

I would recommend signing up for a puppy class where they will help you with these issues, and show you how to train him to get the behavior you want. There are some good books out there as well, like "Perfect Puppy in 7 Days" by Sophia Yin, and "The Puppy Primer" by Patricia McConnell.

 

[sharmeenc]

Elrohwen- Thank you

Elrohwen,

Thank you for your response.
He knows his name. Always responds when we say his name. He knows the comands SIT DOWN and COME because we do some training with him when he is alert and responding well.
We have also signed him up for puppy classes

It makes me SOOOO happy to reaffirm that he is just being a pup.

Thank you for your tips and advise. Imma keep trying and being consistent

Any suggestions on how to have a no fight walk with him. He just sits down and refuses to walk. He couldnt be tired cause hes well rested, fed and its just a few steps before he sits down and refuses to walk?

 

[milos_mommy]

I think going to puppy classes will help you a lot!! It takes a lot of training and building up to a dog following commands, even ones they know, in a distracting environment like the backyard or anywhere outside. If you keep practicing and setting him up for success, he will improve!

Walking is a very unnatural behavior for dogs so it can take a bit for a puppy to get comfortable with it.

Start out with a lightweight leash, you can use treats or toys to lure him. Make sure he has a harness or collar he's comfortable in and if necessary, start him wearing it for short periods of time indoors til he gets used to it. You can even start by just rewarding him with treats for walking on the leash on your walkway or around the yard, back and forth in front of your house, to the neighbor's house, etc. 10 weeks is very young for a puppy to go on a real walk.

Also, depending on the climate, be sure the pavement isn't too hot for his paws!

 

[Elrohwen]

After only two weeks, I would say he probably doesn't know his name or those commands nearly as well as you think he does. He may understand them in a certain environment (where you normally train), and if you're using specific body language, but it takes a very long time and tons of repetitions for a dog to really truly understand a cue and generalize it to every location and distraction. When he's being "defiant", it's probably because he really has no idea what you want, and because he is trying to do what is the most fun and most rewarding. If you are more fun and rewarding, he will be more interesting in interacting with you.

For walking, it really depends on why he is fighting it. If he just doesn't like the leash, he could be pulling back because the natural instinct with faced with pressure (on the collar) is to pull more. I would put light tension on the leash and just wait him out. When he moves towards you, praise and give him a treat and let him know how great he was. Try this in the house first. You're not pulling the puppy, you're just teaching him to give into light pressure on the collar and move with you.

If he's afraid, it's a whole different thing. Don't force a scared dog, encourage him with treats and play.

If he's stopping in one specific area, then go to that spot and work on some tricks, or play with a toy, and then see if he will walk on. Use lots of praise and treats to make walking with you really fun.

I agree that it's entirely possible the pavement is too hot as well.