First Up on the Training To-Do List?

January 23, 2008

Granted they are totally cute and we totally love them, but it's still hard to find a pet owner who doesn't have at least one gripe about her fluffy darling. While teaching even the most stubborn pet (and stubborn owner) change is possible, getting started can be rather intimidating. North's jumping is by far my biggest obstacle but what about you? If you made a doggie-training to-do list, what would be your number-one thing to tackle?

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17 Comments

5n4k3 5 years 16 weeks

housetraining...definitely!

mlmoreno47 5 years 16 weeks

Dallas has separation anxiety. She whines when I start to change my clothes and will jump on them and try to bite them out of my hands so I can't put them on! She also follows me into the bathroom and if I don't let her it she will sit right at the door with her nose pressed up to the bottom of it!

pixelsugar 5 years 16 weeks

I can deal with puppy bites, but I think dogs need to learn at a young age that they can't jump on people. I hate when they do that. My dogs know jumping is out of the question, we're still working on the barking thing with one of them. :)

kiwitwist 5 years 16 weeks

Housetraining is my #1 priority BUT... behaviour wise it would be barking/whining.

aembry396 5 years 16 weeks

I'd say housetraining....but other than that basic commands of coming and staying (those seem the hardest with our little one--she would rather just come and go as she pleases)

Lourdan_Hazei 5 years 16 weeks

I had a beagle as a teen and even though he was smart as a dickens - I just could NOT get him to stop digging. Ugh! It was insane. Hopefully we won't have THAT problem with the new pup when we adopt one after the big move.

baltimoregal 5 years 16 weeks

Well of course housebreaking but that takes time. But out of the group, mouthing/biting is important to correct before they get stronger and really hurt you!

JessNess 5 years 16 weeks

dreamlover- next the dog bites you even if it is playing or accidental, immediately stop doing whatever you were doing and respond with an ow or something like a yelp. They recognize that sound as the same of what a dog would make if hurt. I would then make the puppy sit and stay for a little while before taking back up the activity. Even if the dog is not biting but you think playing to rough then stop the activity until the dog calms down. When you resume the activity if the dog bites again then stop, make the dog go lay down and stay, and stop the activity altogether. I have done this and it really helped with my dogs. Even now if they accidentally bite me I do this so that they learn to be more careful. Just be consistent with your correcting of the problem

CanadianInVA 5 years 16 weeks

Mouthing/Biting and then the jumping up. It's just good doggie manners to not do these things :)

JessNess 5 years 16 weeks

I would group mouthing/biting and chewing together. Specially if you have a herding breed you have to nip that instinct to nip and herd fast. My german shepherd/ collie mix had a big nipping problem. Also chewing is bad specially when you wake up in the morning to find that the puppy has chewed up your entire book or when you think that the puppy is quietly laying down to only find out she has been secretly chewing on the table :oy:

Jillz1128 5 years 16 weeks

Housebreaking!! I have been fortunate in that that was never a problem with Dolce, nor was chewing anything that wasn't hers or digging or biting. She does jump on people. It doesn't bother me as much as it does visitors, so we are working on that.

SugarKim4203 5 years 16 weeks

dreamlover I once read that if you do a loud "yelp" when your dog bites (even if they're playing around) it'll help. I don't know if this is true since I never had to deal with biting. I wish Roxy would stop jumping on other people. My husband and I call them her hugs because she only hugs us when we first get home so we're not exactly helping the situation out. Good thing she's a pretty small dog.

grrlyrebel 5 years 16 weeks

I have a lab mix that, when she was a puppy, LOVED to chew. I can't even tell you how many things around my house ended up with "love bites" on them. Luckily with training and age she's grown out of it. Jumping is still a little problem sometimes, though she's learning. Oh god, and potty training! Let's just say I'm glad my dogs aren't pups anymore ;)

dreamlover823 5 years 16 weeks

Fendi play "bites"... ITS SOOOO ANNOYING... and it scares others...

Cher 5 years 16 weeks

Wesley is so stubborn that he refuses to come when called. He knows the "come" command and he hears me.. but he likes to do his own thing. I would change this if I could!