Puppy changed for the better

[RivetLikeWhoa]

Usually our 14 week old mastiff sleeps in the bed with my girlfriend and I. (I know we really shouldn't let him do this, because he's going to get used to it and kick us out of the bed and it can cause him to have some behavioral issues.) A couple nights ago, we all went to bed like normal and when we woke up he wasn't in the bed anymore. So my first thoughts were "oh no, I didn't hear him cry and he went and made a mess somewhere in the house." So I get up to go find the mess, and find him sleeping in his crate, as happy as could be. That really suprised me, because when we have tried putting him in the crate, he wont stop crying and howling until my girlfriend takes him out (im trying to break her of her bad habbits, seems harder than breaking the puppy of his, lol). Then, after work when I get home, I find that he's behaved himself very well all day long, didn't have a single accident, hasn't been mouthing hard and did all his tricks for his food with no hesitation or struggle. Then I notice that once of the cats is sleeping on the ground a few feet away from him, and he notices it too. Normally, when he notices the cat's sleeping where he can get to them, he has to go harrass them. This time, he just looked at the cat and went and found something else to do.

I am still in shock, at how drastically his behaviour changed over night, for no reason what so ever. Maybe, he just sensed that I registered for this forum and that I had the help of tons of experienced pet owners to help me guide his training or something, lol.

I just thought I would share this with everyone, because of how shocked I was. I still have no idea what caused the change, but he's been like a new dog the last few days.

 

[wishbone]

Great, and hope it will last for good!

Your baby deserves some yummy treats!

 

[Barb04]

So glad everything is going well.

 

[Renee750il]

Sounds like maybe Argo's been logging in while you're gone

Enjoy it - but don't be surprised if you have some relapses when he hits adolescence :rofl1: Seriously. Fun times . . . if you can keep from losing what's left of your mind. It will pass, though, and he'll return to his version of normal and the teen months will be a memory

 

[bubbatd]

How great !!

 

[Gempress]

That's great news! I found that how it was with my dogs, too. I despaired of ever breaking them of their bad habits, then one day they were suddenly--gone. Maybe that's how dogs do things. Who knows?

 

[RivetLikeWhoa]

Update:
I noticed that he is being very well behaved when it's just my girlfriend and I at home. On a sad note, I've noticed that because of the way our room-mate interacts with the dog, he is aggressive towards our room-mate. Last night, argo's had an accident inside, and my room-mate was right there and said he would clean it up. (I was in another room taking care of my sick girlfriend) Then I heard a loud yelping noise and yelling. So I immediatly ran out to see what was happening, and I find my room-mate holding the puppy by his throat yelling at him, and tapping in on the side of the face. Needless to say, I grabbed the dog up and put him in another room, and let my room-mate have an ear full, and let him know if I ever catch him doing anything even close to that again to my dog, he would have 30 days to find a new place to live.

Hopefully, after correcting my room-mates behaviour, we'll see that argo's is much more mild tempered and a much happier puppy. Needless to say, I am still very upset with my room-mate and am still thinking of kicking him out over this. I just can't believe that he would do something like that, over an accident in the house, especially since there haven't been any accidents in a week or so no.

 

[TheGoldenRetriever]

Maybe, he just sensed that I registered for this forum and that I had the help of tons of experienced pet owners to help me guide his training or something, lol.

Maybe Argo senses that he better shape up or those forum people might start suggesting NILIF. :lol-sign:

Seriously though ... it could be just that his "lightbulb had switched on" ... that's when the pup first starts to really understand the behavior you want. It's one of the most rewarding parts of puppy-raising.

Last night, argo's had an accident inside, and my room-mate was right there and said he would clean it up. (I was in another room taking care of my sick girlfriend) Then I heard a loud yelping noise and yelling. So I immediatly ran out to see what was happening, and I find my room-mate holding the puppy by his throat yelling at him, and tapping in on the side of the face. Needless to say, I grabbed the dog up and put him in another room, and let my room-mate have an ear full, and let him know if I ever catch him doing anything even close to that again to my dog, he would have 30 days to find a new place to live.

:yikes:

Sounds like your roomate is one of those people who still believes the way to housebreak is scream and hit for any mess found after-the-fact!

Good you gave him an earful, but in a calmer moment it might help to point this person in the right direction about modern humane (and far more effective!) training methods. In the meantime, YOU and your girlfriend take exclusive care of the puppy ... including cleaning up any messes no matter what the situation. It may have seemed "nice" that the roomate offered to help, but he obviously has no clue how to raise a puppy ... and the last thing you need is an adult Mastiff with aggression issues.

 

[Renee750il]

Does your roommate have any clue just how big and strong Argo is going to be? You can't bully a Mastiff of any type and expect anything good to come of it.

 

[Bunny82]

Update:
I noticed that he is being very well behaved when it's just my girlfriend and I at home. On a sad note, I've noticed that because of the way our room-mate interacts with the dog, he is aggressive towards our room-mate. Last night, argo's had an accident inside, and my room-mate was right there and said he would clean it up. (I was in another room taking care of my sick girlfriend) Then I heard a loud yelping noise and yelling. So I immediatly ran out to see what was happening, and I find my room-mate holding the puppy by his throat yelling at him, and tapping in on the side of the face. Needless to say, I grabbed the dog up and put him in another room, and let my room-mate have an ear full, and let him know if I ever catch him doing anything even close to that again to my dog, he would have 30 days to find a new place to live.

Hopefully, after correcting my room-mates behaviour, we'll see that argo's is much more mild tempered and a much happier puppy. Needless to say, I am still very upset with my room-mate and am still thinking of kicking him out over this. I just can't believe that he would do something like that, over an accident in the house, especially since there haven't been any accidents in a week or so no.

Poor Argo.

You are far kinder than I am. Roommate would have been on the street that night. The one thing I don't tolerate is mistreatment of animals or children.

 

[RivetLikeWhoa]

I think part of the problems, is just that he has never owned a big dog, and hasn't owned a dog since he was a child. So he thinks that the old "rub his nose in it and yell at him" thing is going to work. I've tried to explain to him, that any mistreatment or agression towards the dog is just going to make the dog not like him when he grows up. He knows that the dog is going to out weigh him, and be much stronger than him. His comment is always "I'm trying to show my dominance over him, so that when he's old he wont try to bite me" and I try to explain to him, that the dog is going to remember all this "dominance" and it's just going to make him want to dominate him when he gets older... and he will dominate him, lol.

 

[Renee750il]

You can't "dominate" Argo's sort of dog without just begging to be challenged at some point . . . and you'll lose one day. Fear is a dangerous goad, especially to a Mastiff breed.

You have to earn their respect. Respect lasts a lifetiime.

 

[Barb04]

I hope you can get through to your roommate about how to train Argo the correct way. If Argo has accidents in the house, it's because the human person has to be trained still. My "x" was like your roommate. Thankfully for Chaz, my hubby & I learned the right way to train & treat our pets.