I adopted a 10 month old greyhound-pit bull mix from the local shelter
on Tuesday. He's got a lot of puppy energy, and needs to redevelop
some manners since he was at the shelter for four months. I've been
doing some things that I'm not sure if they're right or not. He begs,
so I just completely ignore him when I eat. When I'm done, I put a
carrot in his treat bowl. He's not allowed to eat anything that I
haven't given to him directly, or put in his food or treat bowl. Same
with toys, he can't play with anything that I haven't given to him
directly. Is this helpful, or am I just being a meanie? The real
reason that I wrote here is about what happened today. I'd been
walking him 3 times per day and giving him a lot of outside time. I
was sick today, and it was really cold, so we didn't go outside. He's
really needy, and he won't stay outside, or anywhere for that matter,
if I'm not there. As a result, he was super hyper from lack of
exercise. I tried to put a dog sweater on him, and he put his mouth on
my hand. I stopped trying to put it on him. Later, I was petting him,
and he did the same thing, only he seemed like he was trying to play
with me like I was another dog or something. Each time he did this, I
said no and acted very disapproving. I put him in time out too, but I
don't know that he got it. Was he playing, or warning? This is
totally unexceptable to me either way. He's going to be too big of a
dog to pull a stunt like that in my opinion. Also, his old family
obviously let him on the couch. Thats fine with me, but I'm not a big
woman, and he steps on my rib cage and it really hurts. Is there a way
to teach him a code word for scoot over, or get off, or you're hurting
me? Also, a woman can do just about anything to him, but in most
encounters with men, especially unkempt, grey haired, white men, he
ends up pulling away when they pet him and growling and eventually
barking. I don't know why, but I'd like to stop that behavior as well.
We're going to go to obedience class, but it doesn't start until May
23rd, and I don't want him to develop any permnant bad habits in the
meantime. He's a really sweet dog, who loves people and other animals,
but he needs a lot of work and I don't want to mess it up. I'd
appreciate any help you could give.

In rec.pets.dogs.behavior alpha.bob© wrote:
Best advice I can give is PLEASE quit cross posting.
--
Bob & Trouble

Dunno which group you are in but the cross posting originated from YKW.
Too bad that was the BEST advice you could give.

--
Diane Blackman
There is no moral victory in proclaiming to abhor violence
while preaching with violent words.
http://dog-play.com/ http://dogplayshops.com/

On 6 May 2006 17:42:44 -0700 whittled these words:

snip

We're going to go to obedience class, but it doesn't start until May
23rd, and I don't want him to develop any permnant bad habits in the
meantime. He's a really sweet dog, who loves people and other animals,
but he needs a lot of work and I don't want to mess it up. I'd
appreciate any help you could give.

Sounds like you are basically on the right track. I don't know what you
are doing to change his behavior to the grey haired guys. Make sure you
(a) don't correct by something the dog views as negative (b) do get him
around those kinds of people BUT stay outside his reaction zone. And make
good things happen when those people are around. Manners and obedience
must be developed but fear isn't made better if bad things happen when the
frightening thing appears. Also you want the dog to be free to express
fear, otherwise you get no warning before a bite. The structure you are
providing in other ways is fine.

--
Diane Blackman
There is no moral victory in proclaiming to abhor violence
while preaching with violent words.
http://dog-play.com/ http://dogplayshops.com/

What a great suggestion. Thank you so much.

On 6 May 2006 17:42:44 -0700, wrote:

Regarding the mouth on your hand, it's hard to be sure without having
been there to see it, but I strongly suspect you're right and that it
is just an attempt at play. I think the program you outlined is just
fine. But, you might want to look into ways you can play with this dog
so that you do have an outlet when you can't go for long walks or play
in the yard. Tug games are great for satisfying the rough-and-tumble
urge. If you're not comfortable with tug games, or even if you are,
how about hide and seek nose games? There is something wonderfully
involving about nose work for dogs. They enjoy it and it seems to calm
and settle them as well. Another rainy-day game could be, teach a
retrieve, and do directed retrieves of objects.

Hopefully your instructor, when you get into obedience class, can help
with the nervousness around men issue. Typically you would want to
expose her to the people who make her nervous, at a distance, to
desensitize her and make her realize that they are not shapeshifted
dragons just longing for a fricasee of greypit. There are places on
the internet where you can read about doing this, but it's so much
better to have someone explain in person, AND someone to help you both
through it. Someone with a good understanding of dogs who can keep it
calm and who won't push too hard too soon.

Regarding the crossposting, we have an individual who posts
frequently, at length, and largely incomprehensibly. Most of us didn't
realize he'd gotten involved becasue we use filters. When he jumps in
he tends to change the message header (followups-to so ALL posts in
the thread are sent to several other groups. If you feel you must
reply to this individual (we've found it's not particularly
productive, but of course you should make your own decisions about
that) you need to learn how to set followups and reset what he's
changed in the thread.

If you have an interface that doesn't allow filtering, well, I hope
you still read this -- without filters this group is very frustrating
to follow. Please consider using a news agent that allows filtering.
There are unfortunately some areas of usenet which are very slow going
if you can't filter out the known garbage.


--------------------------------------
If you really need to email me, mow the lawn.

On Sun, 07 May 2006 23:35:36 GMT, alpha.bob©
wrote:

You ARE ****ing crossposting to the following groups:
rec.pets.dogs.behavior,alt.animals.dog,alt.pets.d ogs.labrador,alt.pets.dogs.pitbull,rec.pets.dogs.r escue

As are you.

Pull your head out of your as and learn how to post.

Same to you. Since you presumably do know "how to post," why do you
crosspost to everywhere in your reply?



--------------------------------------
If you really need to email me, mow the lawn.

In rec.pets.dogs.behavior alpha.bob© wrote:
I'll give you the same advice.... Quit cross posting, and if you don't
like the **** wizard then kilfile him.

I don't see him, just you.


--
Diane Blackman
There is no moral victory in proclaiming to abhor violence
while preaching with violent words.
http://dog-play.com/ http://dogplayshops.com/