This is Ruby. She is the cutest little puppy ever. She has brought new life into our home and into our 'grandma' dog, Porkchop. We all simply adore this dog. There's only one problem: Ruby is a brat. This is hard for me to admitt...No one ever wants their baby to be spoiled.The truth is this. I need help. I have had many dogs in my 37 years. I have never had a dog as smart, or as bad as Ruby. She is in to everything. She has toys, whole toy box full, but she still wants the toilet paper, our shoes, our socks, my bra (can't believe I just wrote that..I am trying to be brutally honest), the toilet brush, you name it. As I am writing this, Ruby has somehow managed to wrap herself in two plastic bags. She's wearing them like mismatched rain coats and running through the house. The puppy training isn't going so well, either. I know all of the tricks, but I just can't get her to go outside. We can sit out with her for an hour, when we come in, she goes on the floor. ( It might just be me, but I swear, she smiles as she does it ) She bolts out of the house when the door is opened, and has almost been hit by a car. Twice.
SIGH. Help! I am appealing to my friends for advice. I'll take any.
I have to go. I can hear Ruby in the bathtub...........
20 comments:
Call the Dog Whisperer?
No really. I think he would say something about being the leader of the pack and walking her.
Walking her? That's another thing at she WON'T do.. Seriously, I know how to walk a dog, how to train a dog, I do. It just doesn't work with her. I wish I knew a dog whisperer....
Valium? And if it doesn't work on her, well then...
Just kidding, I'm not too sure but, for the worst dogs, I've found treats work the best. Keep some in your pocket at all times, it may take a year to wean her off of them.
I also saw a show on how you need to establish yourself as the 'alpha' dog before training. To do that they insist you eat first, before feeding the dog. I guess that means, have breakfast (ignoring her) then get out the dog dish, be really dramatic about it, or well, at least they did on the show....
your little puppy has seem to won taking control...that's why she's being a brat as you say...she knows now that she can get away with almost everything because she's not being disiplined properly..now it's time that she knows who's boss...is it you or her....
be persistant and yes taking her for walks will help her learn that it's outside we goo pee and poopoo not inside..and when she does do it outside tell her she's a very good puppy and say peepee and caca outside then give her a treat imediately, but you have to be persistant all the time ok...
you can trust my advise because I myself have dogs and it's allways been me who trains them and I never had one after three weeks who never asked for the door....three weeks SUCCESS TOTAL...
I have no advice on dogs, but Ruby sure is cute. We had cats, and they were all spoiled.
Spoiled cats just don't ruin your life like a dog though!
YOu nailed it Biddie- she's smart. Smart dogs are harder to train. I also think now that small dogs get the better of us more than big dogs. Partly for cuteness, partly because they have more to prove.
YOu've had more dogs than me, so I don't feel I deserve advice, but, I have some ideas from the Pug:
-make her sit and wait for the food. This is hard. I had to get one of the kids to hold him and say STAY then OK and let him eat.
-leash her and make her sit before you let her outside. Get her to sit with a treat if you have to.
-I know this sounds harsh, but maybe it's time to reprimand her for messing in the house. I don't think at this point that she'll feel ashamed and try to hide it. She might be old enough now that she'll get it: "When I do it in the house, I get told WRONG but when I do it outside I get GOOD GIRL."
-I'm actually against this, but, have you tried bribing her to walk with you by carrying treats? I'd like to think a dog will walk without that but maybe that's what it'll take for a while. Walking her might help; she's getting older and stronger and might just have extra energy.
-don't be afraid to say NO! I know she's little and fragile and you are a sweet person with your critters but she just can't ruin your home. It's too late to crate her but it's not to late to tell her that she can't play with stuff that isn't hers. It'll be exhausting but my god, puppies are, arent' they!
I've spent time thinking about this because I know you were having problems. Just remember she's smart and she's sweet- she is not an evil dog. She just needs to be reminded that Mom is the Alpha Female!!!!!!! I also know how hard this is when you're feeling low. You've done this before. You can do it.
I know it because I did it and remember how much I cried when I got the Pug? As much as I loved him instantly he just wore me out. He's still tough believe it or not. I have to always remind him taht he has to listen to me.
oh and also, remember this: At least your kids arent' brats!!!
Um, I can't believe I am writing this in public... when you need to assert your alpha-ness...growl. Just try it. It would drop Maggie's attitude down to zero if I growled, and I do mean growled, for real. Mean it when you do it and don't use it otherwise. And though it seems mean, sometimes if we really had an issue about something(as hounds are nototiously good at NOT listening), I would put her on her back and hold a bit of her neck skin(not hard, not to hurt) and just GROWL like her mama would have done. It was usually enough to get her to remember who the big dog was...In 14 years, I only had to resort to that a very few times...that's my only advise. Maggie trained herself to go potty outside and never had an accident indoors since the very first day. She was pretty brilliant but could always be bribed by treats so I was pretty lucky.
Ok...I am using treats as bribery, sometimes it works. I do leash her before I take her out, but she bolts when the door is opened. She has actually been locked out a couple of times.
I don't know HOW to make walk on the leash. Carrying treats is great, but do I make her GO?
I think that I might try the growling,it can't hurt.
I am saying, NO, and firmly. Sometimes it works. I am trying to let her know that I am the alpha dog. Yeah. Still working on that.
I do use words like peepee and poopoo when I take her out, and I do make a fuss when she goes outside. Sometimes that works, too.
She has gotten better at some things. She doesn't (usually) beg for food, and she will sit on command - for a cookie.
If I had Valium, I would take it..although have considered drugging her...
I'm going to try all of the ideas that you have given me today. Thanx for the help and wish me luck.
You're on the right track. She's not stupid, and that will work against you sometimes but hey, at least she's not stupid!
I forgot about the growl. I put my ears back at my horses y'know. I bare my teeth at them. Nice visual eh?
YOU are the alpha female!!!!
I am the Alpha female, I am the Alpha female, I am the Alpha female.....
National Geographic has a show called The Dog Whisperer. The guys works wonders, really. Anyway, his website is:
http://www.dogpsychologycenter.com/
About the walking, you probably don't want to hear my reaction, which goes something like "If I drag that little bratty puppy long enough, it'll evenutually walk" See, I told ya you didn't wanna hear! ;-)
Really, bratty dogs can be so life impacting. I have stories! I am sending you good luck vibes! Feel them?
I will check out the web site, I have seen him on TV. If dragging worked, I'd do it. I could drag her for a mile, it wouldn't matter.
Thanx for the good luck vibes. I need'em!
You know what? I think I need to bring the Pug over again. Maybe Ruby will chase him down the sidewalk while leashed and then accidentally find herself walking!!!!
This is so worth it. I know it's frustrating but she's worth it.
You are the Alpha Female!!!!!
go on be tough, but i know i couldn't with such a little cutie, good luck!
her indoors -That's the problem! She is so happy, and good natured, and so freaking cute! She really does have a great disposition, and I hate being anything that even resembles mean. She is smart, though. Hopefully most of the problem is just her puppiness. Hopefully...
Heidi- the Pug is exactly what we need!!! She is worth it, without a doubt. She is such a great little dog, she really is. I don't know what I would do without her.
I can't stop laughing about this... Really, I'm not being evil. It's just that some of the comments read as funny as your post. I secretly wish that you video tape some of this and post it via YouTube....
I haven't had a dog since I was 12, so I have no advice. My cat is the fat, spoiled one in my house. Based on his life, I'm sure I would fail as a proper dog owner.
I know, I know, Ruby is our comedy relief. She reslly does crack me up,and I wouldn't change a thing about her...except maybe going outside...oh, and eating my bra...
I ate somebody's bra once. Can't remember why but it was one of those edible things. Rasberry I think. I don't go outside either. Sorry. Not much help this is it? When I had a Westy I rubbed his nose in it and took him outside. That seemed to work. He looked very pissed off but confined going to the garden or the park after that.
4d- you always crack me up. While I have never eaten a bra, I have had my nose rubbed in it a few times...
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