Puppy Lifting Dilemma

[UlrikeSE]

Ever since we've gotten our Jack Russel "Jack", me and my sisters have bitterly fought on how to handle Jack.

Jack is a plump little rocket who jets around our house. If you approach him he runs away, if you feign disinterest he knows and keeps his distance. This is a problem when it comes to disciplining him, he knows he's done something wrong , and he knows if he stays away from anything with two legs he won't be punished. In the very rare occasions we manage to corner him he's like a greased pig! When I do catch him I usually grab the only part of him that's available, the large patch of loose skin on the back of his neck/front shoulder blades. I then lift him to my chest and hold him there until I cant get him to where we need him. This action alone is enough to drive my sisters into a fit of screams and protests.

I get scolded for picking up this pound of sausage the "wrong" way (only way available), which only really occurs for about 3 seconds or however long it takes to get him under control. Maybe if I picked him up by his hind legs and hammer threw him into the back yard i'd deserve this sort of reaction, but not this. Even Jack shares my feelings, he just stares blankly and indignant as I lift him, if he was hurt he isn't showing it and our dogs milk every ailment that happens to drift into their pampered lives.

I try to justify my actions to them, trying to explain how mammalian mother's pick their young up by the very area I grasp. This morning I even saw a Panda mother on television pick up her child, who weights about 5x more then jack, and drag it for more then a minute. I can even come to to level ground with them about how such holding could cause damage if done frequently, violently, and over prolonged periods. But no, i'm automatically wrong for even trying.

Am I really wrong?

 

[RedyreRottweilers]

I would say yes, you are, on several levels.

#1) Chasing the dog teaches him to run from you. You have obviously taught him this lesson well. Now it's time to teach him something different. Look on the training forum for my piece called "The Recall Game", and try this with your pup. I would also be having this little guy drag a line in the house so that I could get him if I wanted him without playing the chase game. BE SURE to only let him drag the line when you are directly supervising him. It can be very dangerous if he gets it entangled, so never leave it on him if you are not watching him.

#2) What is the puppy doing to be disciplined, and how are you doling out said discipline? With many dogs, and esp. TERRIERS, you get much better response by rewarding what you want than by punishing what you do not want.

#3) I would recommend you get in a good puppy training class as soon as possible so that you can learn good positive techniques for shaping your puppy's behavior so that he can be more of a joy to live with.

 

[Fran27]

I agree... Obviously this pup is scared of being next to you because everytime you try to catch him you hurt him. You really need to change that to teach him that being next to you is good and to stop hurting him. It really doesn't do any good to physically discipline a puppy either, because most of the time by the time the punition is inflected the puppy has already forgotten what he has done and thus has no idea what he is being punished for... especially in your case if you have to chase him.

So teach him some obedience training, and especially how to come when you call him. Dogs shouldn't even require you to lift them at all. How would you do with a larger dog?

 

[Rhino]

I have two Jack Russells, and I'm an obedience trainer. The thing you have to realize with this breed is that "training" is a concentrated mix of asking and persuading. Telling them, or forcing them will result in a revolt.. which is what you have. They are a cunning little dog and require a special handler.

Furthmore, some dogs just don't like being picked up. Just like some children don't like being picked up - respect that. You also don't need to pick a jack up in order to handle/dicipline them.

My favorite theory for reducing, and eliminating bad behavior all together, is not set the dog up for failure. A puppy should NOT have acess to a whole house. If your puppy is "jetting around the house".. he has WAY too much freedom. Using crates and baby gates to gain some control will be VERY beneficial to your sanity and the dogs safety. Using a crate will allow you to monitor EVERY activity and behavior that your puppy does in the house. For example, all bathroom trips outside are on leash, and when you return to the house the dog is allowed to roam in a small enclosed space. This provides you with the opportunity to catch bad behaviors before they start.

Giving your puppy PLENTY to do will also decrease unwanted behaviors. This is a breed that is notorious for being destructive when it is bored and unsupervised. Having raised two puppies within a year of each other, I can proudly say that I don't have so much as a chewed table leg. Why? Because I supervised EVERYTHING they did, and when I couldn't, they went in their crates.

If your child stuck its finger in a light socket.. what would you do? Chase it around the house and try to "dicipline" your child, or would you remove the temptation by "child proofing" your house and teaching your child what is RIGHT? You can't punish a puppy for something that they don't know is wrong. Allowing a puppy to roam around the house gives them the impression that they can do what ever they want, because face it, a 6 pound puppy in a whole house can do a lot behind your back! It's unfair to then chase it down and grab it by the scruff when it was simply out having fun and being a puppy.

If you show your dog through examples and interaction what is right, and prevent them from doing wrong... you will seldom have a problem.

In the mean time, work on building a trusting relationship with your puppy. Use your puppy's name to get them responding, and don't forget to RWARD REWARD REWARD everytime your pup acknowledges its name.

 

[Julie]

I agree most of what was said in the previous posts.

I will just add:

You are not the dogs mother, when you chase the dog, you are making matters worse. Do something to make the dog come to you, then reward and then pick the dog up if you must. A drag line for training helps alot, but never punish, always praise and treat when you use it to gain control.

And never give a command that you cannot reinforce. Such as calling his name while in chase. Only call for him if you can use the drag line to coax him in and then praise him. Or only call his name when you know he will come for a treat.

I think a main thing is to never give a command that you don't expect the dog to follow or cannot reinforce.

Best wishes,
Julie.