questions I have

[vaill]

It has been a while since I had a bully and only one of those was a puppy and she was very laid back from the word go.
Presley is different to put it mildly. lol.. She is very hyper, and especially agressive over food. Not her dog food especially but any kind of food she sees me eating or snacks. She is on a grain free food (the name escapes me right now--senior moment) lol.
I know bullies are like kids all have their own personalities and I can't expect her to act like the others but I need help in knowing how to teach her to sit and wait for a treat. My chihuahuas line up and sit for treats and I go down the line but I have to do it when Presley is outside (fenced yard) . Then when she comes in I give her treat in a bowl or she will take my hand off in her enthusiasm!! Any suggestions for me? She is five months old on the 20th of Nov. and is a big girl.
I promise to get some pictures this month.
Linda in E. Texas

 

[cali baker]

Hi, your Presley sounds like a very rambunctious puppy! My advice would be to be firm with her and not give her the treat til she settles down. If you give in, or if she snags the treat from your hand or the bowl, then she knows she doesn't have to listen to your command(s). You have to be consistent and persistent with this...i've learned myself! If she is hyper when you feed her a treat then she probably thinks it's okay to be hyper b/c she'll get rewarded for it. So, be strong and firm and don't give Presley the treat til she sits still. Good luck!

Oh yea, some pics of Presley would be cool!

 

[BruceP]

Con't help with puppy probs but to EBN. Those that have raised puppies will be here to help you soon. Thanx for joining.

 

[Hidapriscila]

Was she the runt? I fell in love with the tiny bundle of joy that was our Lily only to find out that by nature, the runt is always out to prove she can handle herself. You sound as though you've had bullies before, but I always try to impress on new owners that training is vital with bulldogs. They will grow up to be 50-80 pounds of solid, stubborn, rock-headed muscle. You NEED them to heed commands and have manners. They can hurt someone otherwise (including yourself). We used Petsmart's puppy classes, they have three levels. Yes, I know there are obedience schools with more respect and such, but our trainer was and is amazing. He handed out his cellphone number and told us to call when things were bad because when you're dealing with puppies, things do get bad. During that 4 month to 7 month-old Lily time, I called him plenty...in tears.

I know if you've trained your other dogs, you have some skills because many chihuahuas are rockheaded too. Consistent and near constant puppy pushups are going to be the way to bring Presley from the nippy snippy puppy to the well-mannered pooch you want her to be. Puppy pushups are where you bring her to a sit, then a lay, then a sit then a stand and you repeat. After she does it the second time, you have her sit again and gently take the treat. Keep the treat wrapped up in your hand while you're taking her through it and I can tell you, at times you're going to be munched on.

The key is, she needs to know that you're giving her commands and she must listen. We would do these 3-4 times a day for 10-20 minutes at a time. Over and over and over. Throwing in other commands that we were working on for puppy class at the time. Every person in the house needs to be involved and consistent with the technique and the tone of voice.

With Lily, she would aggress me. Shove me or push me with her bulk, nip and bite me, and refuse to obey my commands because at the breeders' house, she was the alpha. It took 3-4 months to break her. I finally had to bite her ear like a momma dog would. I didn't want to, but in the end, it was the ONLY way we found that would work with her. Just a nip til she yelped. Then I would sneeze for 20 minutes because I'm allergic Now, instead of nipping her ear (she's 2 years old now), I snap her into puppy push-ups when she's bossy. Sit, stand, down, by my side, down, sit then a treat. I also use wait with the treat. I can't recommend the training enough. With your other dogs, that training class can be the one on one time you need where you take a time out and focus just on her and build that relationship. We did the classes a second time when we got our second puppy a couple months later just for that reason. To make sure we would focus on just training him without the distractions of the house and the other dog.

Good luck and I'm sure she'll turn out to be a fantastic dog, our little wicked pooch did.
Priscilla

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

I agree..attend a puppy training class. We can give you tips...but what works for one might not help you at all! Presley sounds like my Jake..a ball of energy! Be consistent..firm..and go to school!! and we need pics!

 

[2BullyMama]

As [MENTION=2092]JAKEISGREAT[/MENTION] said.... we can all give you tips, but what works for one may not for another. Get enrolled in a puppy class, we also did Petsmart -- it is fine for the basic commands

 

[vaill]

I will do the Petsmart classes when I find one that fits my work schedule. Its only me in the house so she only has to learn to listen to me! lol
Thanks for the great advice.. I knew I would love this forum.

 

[cali~jenn]

Not much to add but yes consistency is key. It will pay off just keep at it. I have my newest Miila who is over a year and not very trained and very hyper. As bad as she can be I have gotten her to sit/stay for her dinner and since she was trying to get snippy at feeding times she now waits until both boys have eaten before she starts to eat. She sits there so patiently it makes me a proud mama.

 

[Lindathedogsmaid]

only allow her to eat out of your hand for now, one piece of food in your hand, make her sit,-close your hand, and make her slowly nudge it open, she must do this slowly=it teaches her to go slower. get a spray bottle with water, if she gets all excited. tell her sit, and stay,teaches, control!! she has none. open your hand of food, and allow her to eat as long as she is settled and quiet, if not close your hand, go back to sit, she will get it quickly because she is resource guarding her food--watch for resource guarding of toys, you , /people, food dish,-- make her sit and stay before food, and if she wants to be fast and furious, snatch it away--don't get bitten, make her go back to sit, then slowly put the dish back -while making her sit-this teaches control, and obeying of commands, you must be firm, and no giving in. in just a few weeks she'll be fine,

 

[Kippah and Da Mamma]

My Kippah is 5 months old TOMORROW (excited because I just realized we get to have a party! LOL) And I can't say enough for my local Petsmart trainers. I shopped around as I was waiting for Kippah to get old enough to go, and what I loved about Petsmart is the passion the trainers had, and the devotion. It was not a job for them, my trainer also gave out her personal phone number, and she calls us mid week, every week, to see how the 'homework' is going.
She is now in her 2nd set of classes. And in class with "smart" dogs like shepards and such. She is a star pupil. I don't think she has more intelligence, but I do KNOW that she loves the treats if they are the right ones! She also loves the attention.
Consistancy is important, starting slow and adding on. SIT was our first command, and we used the clicker so she immediatly knew what action was the right one. Lay Down is something she still struggles with, and from what I am told it is common for a Bulldog to not easily go from sitting to lay down. Kippahs idea of lay down is all 4 legs sprawled out of course.
In the second class we are working on "Wait" perfect for when you open a door, or dont allow them into a certain room, they learn the line that they cannot cross. We are also working on "Park It" which sends her to her daytime bed (not Kennel) to give her or us a time out. It's work but SO worth it.
The best--most important--command we have learned is "Leave It" saves things you drop that she runs for, saves shoes, saves my Boston Terrier, which is her favorite toy!
Anyway, nothing new to add, with the exception of another testimony to sign up for classes! Your Petsmart will probably have alot of new classes starting after the holiday, and they offer both day and night classes. Take pup rested and slightly hungry and I just bet you will see great results in less than 2 weeks