We have a lovely 20wk old schnauzer. we have four small children the eldest 8 and the youngest 3. so a large busy family.
he is a wonderful dog, but has a few habits that we can not or know not how to deal with.

1. he has just started scrounging and desperately searching for food, we feed him well and so he is not hungry as he does it even after eating. one instance he came straight out of the kitchen and ran to my 3 yr old dinner plate and stole her bread roll. he knows he has done wrong as he has the backward look thing. he has even started ripping the old bin bags and it is driving us crazy. he has been wormed regularly as well.

2. how do we get him to ask to go to the toilet. he seldom does any mistakes in the house, but the odd 3 a week. how can we train him to ask to go to the toilet, it is only because we have not been quick enough i know, but with 6 of us all being busy school and etc it can be hard, if only he asked. arrrrhhh.

3. we have been to training classes and he knows sit stand and down, but can i get him to do it when he is asked, he just gives me the big eyes and rolls his head, but as soon as you bring out the treats he is there.

there are other things like every time he sees you he jumps up to say a big hello, tail wagging at a dozen miles an hour, our instructor told us to shout arh at him, 2 weeks later and sore thorat no avail. he is cute though and i dont think we could of asked for a better dog with our young children especailly the 3 yr old how is so bossy with him, pull him around to sit and stand and he just takes it.

so any help from you guys and gals would be great, as i am sure he will turn in to a wonderful dog, but a few times we have thought, right he is going back, mainly due to his scroungeing and stealing food,

Sorry don't think I can help, he is not yet five months old and he is being a puppy. If the family can't cope with a puppy it is a pity you did not try for an older rescue. Unfortunatly the dog will go through all the sort of changes and difficulties that children do and you are not there yet and will not be for some time yet.

At 20 weeks he is still a very , very young puppy and hasn't learnt how to behave fully yet.

Keep up the toilet training ....much praise when he performs outside (you should be taking him out and not putting him out) just clean up any accidents quietly

When he jumps up at you , cross your arms and turn away ..make no eye contact ..completely ignore him until he sits quietly for a few minutes..it will take time but he WILL do it. When he sits quietly , then fuss him up. Make sure the whole family does this as well as any visitors to the house

Make sure all bins and bin bags are out of his reach. Get a kiddie gate and make sure he is behind it when the children eat their meals so he can't jump up and get their food.

Keep going to the training classes ..he will be learning and food bribes are an ideal way of training him

Buy a copy of The Perfect Puppy and read it

You have a puppy , he can no more act like and adult dog than your youngest child can act like an adult person yet

Melody

thanks for all that, its just strange how one day he can DO IT AND The other he forgets, he is helping me type now if you can to guess.

he is lovely even though he is up early. lol.

he is just like having a baby, u are right.

Hi

Just a quick word of support. My mini S is now 10 months and is still a little unmanageable at times, however she now sleeps through the night from 9.30pm to 7.00am (an earlier routine suits our family!). she is fully housetrained and pretty much fits into our life.

So good luck with it all I think a new few months will make a massive difference :-)

Best Wishes
Karen.