Growing Into His Own

[Cyndy Penate]

Well Vinny has turned into a big bully as he's gotten bigger and any advice would be greatly appreciated. He uses his weight to push us around and will lay on you or sit on you even if you don't want it. He's still pretty mouth with hands and feet, even though we've tried the hand down the throat and even tried tabasco  sauce. He is getting ready to turn 8 months and we don't "allow" this behaviour, but the nightly wrestling or pushing matches are getting tiring and at times we end up walking away with war wounds. I know part of it is with this heat he is not getting out as much as we'd like to get rid of some of h is puppy energy.

[Tracy Bassett]

Have you tyaken him to any training classes?  Perhaps enrol in one as the mental stimulation in particular will be good 'exercise' for him and it will help teach you some skills to get his behaviour under control. Mental stimulation is just as important, if not more so, than physical exercise and will help you channel that energy into more appropriate activities.  In addition, go to www.lgd.org and in the 'Library' section look at the links on behaviour - in particular the ones of alpha boot camp and NILIF

[Cyndy Penate]

He went thru a 5 week course when he was younger for obedience and we are going to go back thru one for citizenship and therepy when it cools down here. I think we just let him get away with things and are now paying for it forgetting that he was going to be so big ( 8 months and almost 100 lbs ). The biggest annoyance and problem we have is the mouthing. Even though its less painful since he's lost the baby teeth....he still gets us good with those adult teeth. Someone recommended putting hand in mouth, we've tried that and doesn't phase him, just encourages him more it seems and now we've tried hot sauce, shakes his head and comes back. He only does it when he is excited and wants to play, but he usually decides he wants to play when your playing with my grandson ( a bit of sibling riverly )...so gets hard because he's grabbing at your feet and hands while your trying to play with Alex ( who's a year and a half ).

[pat ramapuram]

Yep you created this problem, like so many  of us do cause it is cute when they are little babies!  I aghree with some structured activities like obedience classes  I also would use a squirt bottle when he mouths and use of the word NO!  A few well timed blasts of water in the face will make an impression and start getting some control over this boisterous behavior.

[Cyndy Penate]

Well over the last few days we've refused to let him sit on us ( while we are sitting on the couch ), or lay on us ( if you lay on the floor ). And he seems to have gotten the idea that he is welcome to lay on the floor by our feet ( when on the couch ) or lay next to us on the floor, but not ON us pretty well ( though he still tries ). So half the battle there, I will try the spray bottle, though i have to be honest ....he thinks he's a water dog and if you get the hose out loves to be sprayed down with it and even tries to fight it....so takes full face blasts quite often. Yet hopefully with the strong forceful NO he will get the idea. Thanks for the advice.......

 

[pat ramapuram]

Add some lemon juice to the water

[Cyndy Penate]

Had not thought about that. Been doing some reading in the library and reenforcing to the others in the house that if they do not stand their ground with him then they will be living with this forever ( or till he's to old ). We've had a pretty productive weekend and my daughter has been working on getting him to lay down when he gets out of hand with her. Thank you for all the advice.....