Help Needed! I Messed it up!!!

[athosflorides]

Ok...hello there everyone. I'm a new member here and this is actually my first thread. I have two bullies - Sumo (4yrs) and Sarah (16mnths), which are not related. Sumo is a well tempered bully and I can say that he learned lots of things quite easily and fast. Sarah on the other hand is TOTALLY different from him.
Problem # 1:
We took her when she was 5 months old and she's still afraid of people and many objects that are not located in our house "territory" i.e. for example she's still afraid of my parents and when we visit them she just sits there shaking without doing anything. They've tried to approach her with treats but nothing, she doesn't even sniff or open her mouth. We asked an expert and she said that this kind of behavior means that she grew up in an environment just with her mother. How to solve this?
Problem # 2:
While at home she can go from energy 0 to energy 100...just in a sudden, especially when we try to say hi to Sumo. I checked her food but it's low in proteins.
Problem # 3:
She's unexpected on what she's doing. Yesterday we left home and we returned around 19:00pm. Like every time both of them are staying home freely to move around. When we get home we realized that she ate a mountain rock!!! Yep correct!!! as well as an electronic device which was on the socket. This is the first time she's doing such a thing.
Problem # 4:
While walking she tends to pull you. She's also grabbing any plant we find on our way. The good thing is that she obeys to commands like stay, go, and so on ...while on the other hand Sumo is trying to do his own thing. In addition to this, if we meet another dog on our way she will try to jump on him/her or if they are taller than her she will try to grab them from the neck.

Well I know it's too many things (I have a few more). Any help is appreciated...me and my wife we feel we are loosing control over them and that creates an intense and stressful situation at home. I sometimes tell that I will stop walking them since this has become no fun anymore.

I'm open to any replies or messages or comments.

Best Regards,

Athos.

 

[Vicaroo1000]

Cesar Millan says, "We don't get the dog we want; we get the dog we need." Indeed! I had a similar experience with my Bo. He's the exact opposite of Bea in every way possible!

Problem #1 is very easy to solve. Practice "no touch, no talk, no eye contact" whenever you're taking her anywhere. Your parents --- and everyone else in the house -- need to ignore the dog completely and wait until SHE APPROACHES THE HUMAN. What happens when you bring her in the house right? Everyone's like "OMG LOOK AT THE PUPPY" and freaking out. Ignore her. Explain to strangers wherever you go that your pup is in training for anxiety issues --- people will understand. Dogs will seek out companionship - its in their DNA to be part of a pack. And when she does, don't make a huge production out of it - just love her; good, positive energy only at first. All the attention is overwhelming her right now. She needs to find her own way in her own time. And she will!!!

#2 Part of what you describe sounds like what Bo does anytime anyone LOOKS at Bea. HE wants all the whatever-it-is she is getting; pets, cookies, attention, whatever. Bo is trying to manipulate the situation. I simply disagree with this behavior (so he knows what I don't like) and put a stop to his efforts by moving him away from where the "action" is via his leash or a sit / stay (which he NEVER stay in by the way LOL) Hey, we're a work in progress! LOL As for that sudden burst of energy; embrace it! I think "crazy dog" is fun!

#3 She's too young to have free roam in the house. That mountain rock eating could turn into an electrical cord and you'll have a dead dog when you get home.
Crate or exercise pen your pups when you cannot watch them. Put a puppy gate up in a "safe" room or something.

#4 Practice leadership on your walks. That grabbing them from the neck is NOT a good thing. You control the meeting when you encounter other dogs. If she's being dominant, turn her around and hold her butt so she's offering her scent to the new dog. I had to do this with Bo yesterday...not because of Bo but because the other dog (a friend's new rescue Puggle) was all hackles up, being defensive. Bo wouldn't have done anything --- I know that -- so it helped put the Puggle at ease at first and then they were fine. Bo is pretty balanced most of the time so I trust him in dog meetings. Bea is the one that can get snippity so I have to introduce them to new dogs one at a time; Bo first. Practice will make perfect -- with time -- and eventually, I won't have to do that.

Congrats on your new pack member!! I can't believe I ever had just one dog. Two is fabulous....three or four? Oh WHAT A DREAM THAT WOULD BE! LOL No, I'm not looking to add to my pack. I'm good with what I have.......

 

[kazzy220]

Cesar Millan says, "We don't get the dog we want; we get the dog we need." Indeed! I had a similar experience with my Bo. He's the exact opposite of Bea in every way possible!

Problem #1 is very easy to solve. Practice "no touch, no talk, no eye contact" whenever you're taking her anywhere. Your parents --- and everyone else in the house -- need to ignore the dog completely and wait until SHE APPROACHES THE HUMAN. What happens when you bring her in the house right? Everyone's like "OMG LOOK AT THE PUPPY" and freaking out. Ignore her. Explain to strangers wherever you go that your pup is in training for anxiety issues --- people will understand. Dogs will seek out companionship - its in their DNA to be part of a pack. And when she does, don't make a huge production out of it - just love her; good, positive energy only at first. All the attention is overwhelming her right now. She needs to find her own way in her own time. And she will!!!

#2 Part of what you describe sounds like what Bo does anytime anyone LOOKS at Bea. HE wants all the whatever-it-is she is getting; pets, cookies, attention, whatever. Bo is trying to manipulate the situation. I simply disagree with this behavior (so he knows what I don't like) and put a stop to his efforts by moving him away from where the "action" is via his leash or a sit / stay (which he NEVER stay in by the way LOL) Hey, we're a work in progress! LOL As for that sudden burst of energy; embrace it! I think "crazy dog" is fun!

#3 She's too young to have free roam in the house. That mountain rock eating could turn into an electrical cord and you'll have a dead dog when you get home.
Crate or exercise pen your pups when you cannot watch them. Put a puppy gate up in a "safe" room or something.

#4 Practice leadership on your walks. That grabbing them from the neck is NOT a good thing. You control the meeting when you encounter other dogs. If she's being dominant, turn her around and hold her butt so she's offering her scent to the new dog. I had to do this with Bo yesterday...not because of Bo but because the other dog (a friend's new rescue Puggle) was all hackles up, being defensive. Bo wouldn't have done anything --- I know that -- so it helped put the Puggle at ease at first and then they were fine. Bo is pretty balanced most of the time so I trust him in dog meetings. Bea is the one that can get snippity so I have to introduce them to new dogs one at a time; Bo first. Practice will make perfect -- with time -- and eventually, I won't have to do that.

Congrats on your new pack member!! I can't believe I ever had just one dog. Two is fabulous....three or four? Oh WHAT A DREAM THAT WOULD BE! LOL No, I'm not looking to add to my pack. I'm good with what I have.......

Well crap! I had all my answers to your questions and find that [MENTION=2614]Vicaroo1000[/MENTION] said them already.

It just doesn't sound like she was ever socialized at all!!! She will eventually learn to trust and love but it will come slowly as she realizes there is nothing to fear. When you crate her make sure it's a safe, secure happy place that she will want to go to. As for the jumping on other dogs I would also say that comes from fear and no social skills. You may even want to walk them both separately so that you can work with their own individual and unique problems.

 

[cali~jenn]

I have nothing to add, great advice above already. I do agree crat or pen or something while gone. Chewing on a cord is deadly and have known of bullies who have died this way, very sad.

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

Vic has it covered!!!!!

 

[Lucy-licious]

Can I add one thing....BREATH xx now that you have asked for the help it can only get better. Vic has given you some great answers...only thing I might add is to help with the stress in the short term maybe take them for walks seperately for a while xx

 

[Davidh]

Yap, you have some great info above, just remember, you have to stay calm and it will be passed on to your baby, especially when you let her meet other dogs on your walk. Practice the advise above and before you know it she will be fine.

 

[bulldogs4me]

excellent advice from Vicaroo1000 like kazzy220 I had my thoughts all ready to type and read it had already been taken care of LOL I do however have 2 things to add ... while she is starting out if she will wear cloths without being afraid or uncomfortable wearing a vest or shirt that says "In Training" sometimes helps, people see that and are less likely to overwhelm her with attention. also as she gets more socialized you can also have treats for people that she meets so they can drop one for her, stick with the No Touch No Eye contact and No Talk method but as she starts to pay attention and show interest in the person they can drop the treat still not looking/talking/touching but drop the treat down on the ground for her in time she will realize that paying attention to people is a good thing.

 

[Vicaroo1000]

You may even want to walk them both separately so that you can work with their own individual and unique problems.

YES!!!