Ok, yes.. I said it first! I won't make everyone scroll back through posts on this topic.. but I DID have a growling, non sleeping, hyper, non-loving dog. Today I don't.. and I thank all of you for the help.
Problem one: food guarding dog.. solved..
told you I was an idiot! Seems.. when we got Bernie.. he was an infant.. and didn't play tug with anything. In fact he's still got Mooey the cow he came home with, and still carries around.. poor stuffy is.. crunchy.. but in one piece. As Bernie got older.. he grabbed a sock.. instant tug toy. (he's only ever been allowed the one sock, and he now has other tug ropes etc). Today as I was going to pick up the slimey, icky dog food bowl after his breakfast, I hear a growl and a pounce on my hand. Guess who thinks more than socks are tug toys??? Took the rubber skid thing off the bowl, and presto, not a sound as I took all sorts of things out of his bowl while he ate. Put greenie into dish, he took it, and again allowed me to take it from him while he sat beagleeyed waiting.. ok.. we haven't tried bones yet.. but I am stupidly impressed. I didn't realize that no matter what he has, he now thinks we're tugofwarring.. gone are the tug toys for now til he gets a little more.. dumb like me.. lol (NO we never ever played tug with his food dish.. don't get me wrong)
2. Non sleeping.. solved..
Moved crate to quiet space as was suggested by OC Spirit! Silence.. apparently is needed for a non speaking hardly barking.. quiet kinda guy.. lol Slept 16 hrs yesterday, and 15 today.. much better than 10.. can ya hear me smiling.. lol
3. Non loving.. yes you were ALL right..
some dogs don't love the same we expect.. and Bernie is one of them.. Butttt... with me waiting for him to come to me, and not interceding with offering, giving, playing.. he brings ME things to play with.. well today anyways.. and rounding up the cats isn't the most loving thing he could do.. but heck.. he'll learn the hard way!
4. Hyperdog..
seems this is called puppyhood, and too much peanut butter in his kong (1 tbsp usually) Didn't really think about the type of peanut butter, but it seems that the organic natural, just crunchy peanut butter with nothing.. sticks to the roof of the mouth better lol...and doesn't zing him up so much. He wasn't getting a lot of kongs?? lol.. per day.. but sometimes 2, and 3 days ago he had 3... and was a pardon the pun.. nutcase. I've also not added the left over carrots or potatoes or other "sweet" things, and just added some canned wetfood, crunchies, and some real peanutbutter... and he's suddenly calmer after his treats!
Now.. I can't say I'll never have another problem, but I do thank you all for being there when I was at the end of MY leash.. lol
To the two people that thought it was necessary to privately email me, and flame me for being a bad owner for not knowing what I was getting myself into, please feel free to contact me here on the boards, and take your issues with me public. Hiding in a mailbox, hurts me, and I won't hesitate to post your names and emails publicly next time you decide I am a horrendous person.
Again to all, thank you :hail: Kym, and a calmer Bernie!
Problem one: food guarding dog.. solved..
told you I was an idiot! Seems.. when we got Bernie.. he was an infant.. and didn't play tug with anything. In fact he's still got Mooey the cow he came home with, and still carries around.. poor stuffy is.. crunchy.. but in one piece. As Bernie got older.. he grabbed a sock.. instant tug toy. (he's only ever been allowed the one sock, and he now has other tug ropes etc). Today as I was going to pick up the slimey, icky dog food bowl after his breakfast, I hear a growl and a pounce on my hand. Guess who thinks more than socks are tug toys??? Took the rubber skid thing off the bowl, and presto, not a sound as I took all sorts of things out of his bowl while he ate. Put greenie into dish, he took it, and again allowed me to take it from him while he sat beagleeyed waiting.. ok.. we haven't tried bones yet.. but I am stupidly impressed. I didn't realize that no matter what he has, he now thinks we're tugofwarring.. gone are the tug toys for now til he gets a little more.. dumb like me.. lol (NO we never ever played tug with his food dish.. don't get me wrong)
2. Non sleeping.. solved..
Moved crate to quiet space as was suggested by OC Spirit! Silence.. apparently is needed for a non speaking hardly barking.. quiet kinda guy.. lol Slept 16 hrs yesterday, and 15 today.. much better than 10.. can ya hear me smiling.. lol
3. Non loving.. yes you were ALL right..
some dogs don't love the same we expect.. and Bernie is one of them.. Butttt... with me waiting for him to come to me, and not interceding with offering, giving, playing.. he brings ME things to play with.. well today anyways.. and rounding up the cats isn't the most loving thing he could do.. but heck.. he'll learn the hard way!
4. Hyperdog..
seems this is called puppyhood, and too much peanut butter in his kong (1 tbsp usually) Didn't really think about the type of peanut butter, but it seems that the organic natural, just crunchy peanut butter with nothing.. sticks to the roof of the mouth better lol...and doesn't zing him up so much. He wasn't getting a lot of kongs?? lol.. per day.. but sometimes 2, and 3 days ago he had 3... and was a pardon the pun.. nutcase. I've also not added the left over carrots or potatoes or other "sweet" things, and just added some canned wetfood, crunchies, and some real peanutbutter... and he's suddenly calmer after his treats!
Now.. I can't say I'll never have another problem, but I do thank you all for being there when I was at the end of MY leash.. lol
To the two people that thought it was necessary to privately email me, and flame me for being a bad owner for not knowing what I was getting myself into, please feel free to contact me here on the boards, and take your issues with me public. Hiding in a mailbox, hurts me, and I won't hesitate to post your names and emails publicly next time you decide I am a horrendous person.
Again to all, thank you :hail: Kym, and a calmer Bernie!