Hello everyone, yet another question for you!

I walk a six year old neutered male lab and a 6 month old doberman bitch. On the advice of people on the board I walk them separately as the bitch is quite uncontrollable on the lead when the other dog is loose. She's still not quite got the hang of the doggy manners thing and she's getting to a size where it could get quite dangerous (she's nearly knocked me down the stairs a couple of times but I've not told her owner yet- hoping I might be able to get her a little more under control and not have to).

She is kept in a crate during the day while her owner is at work (she doesn't sleep in the crate so it's also difficult to get her to go in as she associates it with being left alone). I come in at lunch time and let her out- she gets very distressed (screaming and barking) until I open the crate. I've tried teaching her "quiet" before I open the cage but I have to weigh it against the fact that she might soil herself and her owner's house if she gets too distressed. As soon as she gets out of the crate the first thing she does is leap on the lab's head and start biting his face and ears. She then alternates between jumping on him and jumping up on me (until I eventually get her on the lead and out the door). The lab gets very upset and growls and barks and she will occasionally take a submissive position but I think she mostly sees it as a game- she steals his toys and literally runs rings round him. I turn my back and push her off me with a firm "no" or a "down" but it doesn't have much effect- she doesn't learn to stop doing it. In fact, she will jump on me, I deny her attention so then she jumps on the lab who goes ballistic and then she comes back to me for attention again. Even saying her name is enough to make her take a run up and launch herself at me! She's also VERY mouthy when she jumps up and keeps trying to nip and lick my hands and face (apologies to people that like dogs licking their faces but I really can't stand it).

I think the main problem is the jumping up (and maybe the fact that she terrorises the poor lab- I'm a sucker for the underdog, to an extent I understand that the mouthing is normal puppy behaviour)... Her owner will be taking her to puppy classes in March I think but at the moment the dobe is very highly strung and I can't trust her off the lead. She's now taller than the lab and while not quite as heavy she is very strong so I'm just wondering if anybody has a magical way of stopping her jumping. Food isn't a good idea as she loses all focus and just sits staring at your hand (I think she's been trained to sit to get a treat). And toys are an even worse idea as she'll start a tug of war and the lab will get jealous and want to play too and then the fight starts again... (I have no way of separating them without taking one of them outside making training slightly difficult). Ho-hum. So yes, quite the conundrum. I don't know if I'm maybe doing something wrong. I try to be assertive and firm without shouting but while the lab is good as gold, she can be a terror. I don't know how well she behaves with her owner (I think she can be controlled to a degree but she can't be trusted if you get what I mean).

Thanks for any help at all.

I turn my back and push her off me with a firm "no" or a "down" but it doesn't have much effect- she doesn't learn to stop doing it.

Just a quick reply, hopefully somebody else will come along with more advice -but PUSHING her off is rewarding her as dogs LOVE it, it's the physical contact, it equals play, so the more you push the more they will jump up.

It sounds to me the main problem is she's under stimulated and crated for too long -bored so when she comes out she just explodes.

I would agree with goldmali.  That is one frustrated wound up over excited puppy letting off steam.

I would let her straight out into the garden to blow off steam when you first let her out, with a tug toy or a large ball, and have the Lab in another room.

Once she is a little calmer then let them play a short while and only then attempt to take her for a walk.  It is not fair to keep her on lead while th lab is free in her presence as that is just More frustrating.

If I couldn't let her off lead then I would road walk her with the other dog.

As the others say, this is a normal reaction from a puppy who's bored witless and literally bursting with energy.

Both you and her owners have to deal with her behaviour in the same manner. Whatever you are doing in the short time you have with her will not make any difference if her owners are  not responding to her in the same manner. Whatever way you use to change her behaviour it has to be consistant - both you and the owners have to use exactly the same method and always react in the same way.

Hi,

Just agree with others really, bored puppy wanting to let off steam.  When you are are using a cue for her to not jump at you, you said you either use 'no' or 'down', choose one and stick to it, don't chop and change, probably 'off' is better as most people use 'down' for lie down and 'no' tends to get used for so many various things that it doesn't really mean anything to most doggies!  I would use whatever word in conjunction with turning your back on her as soon as she has all feet on the floor praise her, if she gets excited, turn your back again etc. I wouldn't be trying this until like others have said, she has let off some steam in the garden.

Karen

Hi everybody, thanks for the advice.

I understand that she's just excited so I'll turn my back in future and praise her when she stays on the ground. It's a shame you all said let her run in the garden as her owner doesn't have a garden. D'oh! There is an area of grass I take her to but it isn't enclosed and there are cars nearby so I can't let her run riot for 5 minutes on her own. The owner's house isn't that big so there isn't much opportunity to take them into different rooms- plus the pup gets distressed when the lab is out of sight (unless she needs to go do her business in which case she charges out the door and forgets all about him). It's a bit of a catch 22 because she's not my dog but I'm going to try my best and see what her owner does. And as for the command words, I was originally under the impression that it wasn't so much what you said (when telling a dog off) so much as how you said it that mattered but now that you've explained it to me using one command makes more sense. I try to be fair when it comes to giving the two dogs attention but if I take the lab out for a decent walk on his own then she gets very upset and I can't take her out for long to let off some steam because she's only a pup. I'm just worried I'm going to do her more harm than good by confusing her. They're both totally different dogs (both are much more obedient and relaxed) when the other isn't there. Anyway, I'm sure I'll be fine for now. If she does manage to knock me down the stairs then I'm sure I'll post a message from hospital to let you all know!

So if there's no garden, when does this pup have an opportunity to run about freely out of doors?

>I can't take her out for long to let off some steam because she's only a pup.

At six months she could manage a half-hour walk at lunchtime, especially if it's on-lead because she's been crated for some hours and has no garden to run in. I feel desperately sorry for this poor pup. I know she's not your dog and you're doing your best, but it sounds as though she has a miserable and frustrating existence. :(

And sadly it will only get worse as she grows older and stronger and more energetic. :( Can't help wondering what breeder sold to a home like this. Sounds like the wrong breed for the circumstances.

I get the impression that the pup gets a lot of free running at the stables (the owner has a horse in livery) in the mornings and the evenings with the other dog. Her recall isn't great but her owner manages when she has both of them running free as she'll call the lab and the dobe will stick with him and come when he is called (if you get what I mean). I don't want to let the pup off the lead without the lab in case she runs off and I can't catch her... but if I take them both out (with the pup on the lead) then the lab runs away as quick as he can and gets selective hearing so I don't know if I could trust him either- given how much she winds him up in the house then I'm worried he might just scarper and I'll have to chase two dogs. It's not a terribly busy area but there are cars and more importantly there are cats to chase and the pup is a little spooky (she barks at anything unusual near "her territory"- be that cats, cars, neighbours or schoolkids- is that a typical dobe thing?). Maybe some of the problem is that I lack confidence- I'm so worried about things that might possibly hurt the dogs that I'm scared to try something different.

how about using a long line then you can give her some freeish excersise and work on her recal at the same time?

Do you take food rewards with you? often if you use some liver treats, or chicken, the dogs will listen to you a tiny bit more and you can use it to train for a more reliable recall :)

If you use along line, use it with an ordinary harness - you can get them fairly cheap :)

Lindsay
x

I would try involving some mental stimulation on her walks and around the house.  Would the owner mind you teaching her some obedience or some tricks.  Hiding things for her to find and like someone else said exercising her on a long line.
She just sounds bored out of her face and needs to be occupied.