Dog Owner Chat V. 5

[lohikeitto]

Which technique did you guys use to teach your puppies not to bite?

I'm working on Nemo's puppy biting, but he doesn't seem to be getting it too well. Should I just persist or swap techniques?

That would depend on what technique you are using right now?

When Link was in his nippy puppy phase I always redirected him to a toy that he could chomp on to his hearts content. That worked really well for us.
To this day, if he's got pent up energy and wants to be mouthy, he will randomly pick up a toy and carry it around the house with him chomping down on it like it's chewing gum. It's pretty amusing to watch honestly.

That's the exact technique I'm using, but I feel like it just excites Nemo more.

[Skysong]

@Kolkagga

With My puppies I make a sharp noise loud enough to catch their attention. Typically it’s a sound that can come across as a “yelp” and they stop. I also taught them an “Easy” command, even though my fiancé is convinced the command is “Gentle”.When they chomp too hard, they stop biting altogether, or they bite easier, and lick the spot they bit as of saying “Sorry I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

[ᴍᴀᴏᴄɪғᴇʀ]

^^ Ruby learned not to bite with a sharp noise.
Now if she starts to get rough when playing, you just have to say "Ow" at any volume and she stops and starts licking where she bit.
I think I taught her by making a sharp noise so she stopped and then moving away and ignoring her, so basically she learnt that playing too rough means no more playing at all.

[B I R B]

I have a old dachshund, 13 years old, she has terrible teeth, and with me living with my parents still they think since she is so old it wouldn't be worth getting them fixed, I have tried regular toothbrushes with homemade tooth paste but her gums just start bleeding immediately, I heard healthy teeth help your dog live longer, and with me having such a strong bond with my dog I would love for her to live a few more years.... is there any at home things I can do without hurting her and getting the nasty plaque off, knowing its probably nearly impossible without a tooth sander??


More:
She also is very fat, 22 pounds, and with it being so hot my parents dont think walking her would be a great idea, she just got out of surgery yesterday or the day before, so she still has a cone, which is flimsy.... her eye had a small cyst, but she is already rubbing her face on the carpet and finding out how to get the flimsy fabric cone to fold so she can itch it better, I am requesting my grandma to let us get a sturdy one, but she always says, "Do you want to go tell the vet that?" I am just saying it would best to be putting on a plastic one during the day and when its night she can use the fabric one??

Please please please ask your parents to take her to the vet to get her teeth clean so you can start with upkeep again. There aren’t many products that loosen build up of tartar and plaque. She’s gonna be without teeth if you guys cannot do it and also could have infections and everything else. This is coming from a dachshund owner who follows many fb groups.

For the cone, you may just have to watch her, I haven’t found a sturdy one that isn’t the standard cone because an e-collar cone wouldn’t work in your case. For her weight, is she a mini or standard? My boy is 18lbs currently. You’d need to give us a photo to help gauge. Cut her food and add unsalted green beans, that will slim her down some.


Also, I ordered a stack box! Dachshund on display lol. He’s slowly realizing getting on it means treats. I want him more toned but it’s so hot.

I told my parents and they again said ( its too late...) She needs help and the picture I will try and get because I am on a laptop and camera quality is VERY bad

[lohikeitto]

@Skysong @ᴍᴀᴏᴄɪғᴇʀ

I'll give that a try, it's gonna be damn embarrassing squeaking everywhere. :'D

[Imzadi83]

I have 3 questions that I can’t/ am to lazy and busy to look for elsewhere.
I have one dog, Luigi, he is 7 years old and another one, Mia, who is 2. Both of them are shih tzus.

1. Luigi sleeps in the living room and keeps ripping holes in his bed. I have found how it is happening, We call it, “he is pretending it’s his girlfriend. Now, Luigi is a special needs dog. He is incapable of many things, but we are trying to find a way tha he won’t destroy his bed. If he doesn’t have a bed, he paces all night and only finally falls asleep when he crashes.

2. Luigi also Hates getting his teeth brushed but i need to find away to brush them. My last shih tzu I wasn’t as worried about it but his teeth got so bad that they were falling out. I have tried the sticks that brush as the dog chews on it but he just swallows those, I tried peanut butter tooth paste and that doesn’t work. I red to find a way to brush is teeth without him biting my fingers.

3. My other dog, Mia is a sweetie. She is perfect in every way, To me atleast. But every toy I have gotten her she destroys. I can’t get her stuffed toys anymore, or the fabric ones with squeakers or latex like squeek toys but she just won’t play with the toys without squeakers anymore. I just cant seem to find a toy that lasts. If you could help I’d be grateful. She is, as stated earlier a shih tzu, so she is small but she mauls those toys QUICK.

2. Start by trying other flavors of toothpaste. Let him lick some off your finger for a few days. Work on counter conditioning where you desensitize him to reaching for and handling his mouth. This will take time though so don't rush it.

Here are some options for you as far as products which may help...

Petzlife - oral care comes in a spray or gel you can use without brushing http://www.petzlife.com/catalog/oral-care-products.html

Healthy Mouth - This comes as a gel you can use a long cotton swab to put on their teeth or as a liquid you can add to their water

Dog toothpaste is enzymatic so even if you can just get it on the teeth it can help. That being said you should continue training with the goal of your dog eventually accepting brushing, but take your time and make it a fun experience for your dog and it will pay off for a lifetime.

And I second that you should go to your vet (or a animal dentist if there is one in your area) to get your dog's teeth professionally cleaned if they need it. Starting from scratch will help as if your dog is already suffering from dental disease then it will be even more reluctant to let you approach their mouth.

[Barnes&Rogers]

i don't think i've posted here before, but it seems like a valuable resource lol

a little over a year ago, i adopted a belgian malinois cross from my local shelter. she was so gentle on the lead, and we only realised about two weeks after taking her home, that she had only been so gentle and calm because she'd just been neutered, and still had stitches. she's very well behaved out on walks, but as soon as she sees a cat or dog, she goes mental trying to get to them. her tail is always wagging though, and if she gets to say hello, she calms down straight away. its not ideal to have her lunging and jumping and pulling on the lead though, and its really difficult to communicate with her when she gets that over-excited. we've started a new style of training, but its not quite as effective as i was hoping.

i've been looking into socialisation and training, and i was wondering if anyone had any information on head-collars? i've heard they're really good, but i don't want to just go ahead without any info. any help is appreciated

[Imzadi83]

i don't think i've posted here before, but it seems like a valuable resource lol

a little over a year ago, i adopted a belgian malinois cross from my local shelter. she was so gentle on the lead, and we only realised about two weeks after taking her home, that she had only been so gentle and calm because she'd just been neutered, and still had stitches. she's very well behaved out on walks, but as soon as she sees a cat or dog, she goes mental trying to get to them. her tail is always wagging though, and if she gets to say hello, she calms down straight away. its not ideal to have her lunging and jumping and pulling on the lead though, and its really difficult to communicate with her when she gets that over-excited. we've started a new style of training, but its not quite as effective as i was hoping.

i've been looking into socialisation and training, and i was wondering if anyone had any information on head-collars? i've heard they're really good, but i don't want to just go ahead without any info. any help is appreciated

I personally do not like head collars, they can cause injury if your dog continues to pull while on them over time or acute injury if your dog suddenly pulls or you have to pull them away from something. Also they are not a substitute for leash training, as many dogs will walk on a loose leash while using a head collar but will pull when off of it.

I would recommend training your dog to walk on a loose leash. If you need help because of how powerfully your dog pulls I would recommend a front clip harness to give you some added leverage until your dog is better behaved. They have ones that are just a front clip and ones that are both back and front depending on what your needs/wants are.

Remember to practice training in calm environments, like your living room. Also since your dog wants to greet other animals use that as a reward, if she pulls you walk away from the other animal, if she walks on a loose leash you can let her greet them (provided the other animal's owner and the animal are okay with your dog saying hello). Never allow her to greet another animal while she's pulling as you're only reinforcing the pulling behavior.

Here are some videos to help you out...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFgtqgiAKoQ&list=PL7287C737FB745168 - there should be a whole playlist here of loose leash walking videos.

[ᴍᴀᴏᴄɪғᴇʀ]

[Edited]
My dad took the dogs out in the car with him all day without giving them any water.
Winston came back and he didn't eat all his dinner, which is very unlike him because he's a big hungry boy most of the time. But he drank a lot, so much that I had to lead him around with the bowl because he was drinking too fast. And (this may be a little tmi) he was yelping slightly while passing his bowel movements, which I'm guessing is just from dehydration. Note that he's only done this twice and very little came out, mostly just a water-like clear liquid so I was guessing constipation.
He was sick at my aunt's house at the weekend too since him and the other dogs got into one of her herbal remedies and knocked themselves all out. (The other 4 dogs are all fine now, just gave them an upset stomach)

It's very late so the local vet is closed right now, but if he carries on crying while passing and not eating properly tomorrow, I'm going to look at getting my dad to book him into the pdsa.

[Imzadi83]

My dad took Winston and Ruby out with him all day and my poor baby Winnie has come back feeling not well at all.
He didn't eat all his dinner, which is very unlike him because he's a big hungry boy most of the time. My dad told me he was panting a lot and he didn't give him any water (that was just stupid) so he drank loads when he got back. And (this may be a little tmi) he was crying/howling while doing his bowel movements, which I'm guessing is just from dehydration. He's also been guarding the water which I guess is also because he wants to drink it all, but it's weird that he guarded it from me as well since he doesn't do that.
He was sick at my aunt's house at the weekend too since him and the other dogs got into one of her herbal remedies and knocked themselves all out. (They're all fine now, just gave them an upset stomach)

If he carries on crying while passing and not eating properly, I'm going to look at booking him into the vet.

I would take him to the vet immediately, do not wait.