KayKayBazt Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Hi evryone I'm new here and having lots of problems with my Huskie puppy Bella. I got her wehn she was 5 weeks old about 5 months ago. I do take her for walks a couple times a week but she's very crazy and bites alot and doesn't listen very well. I also have alot of problems with her and my daughter Mercedes who turned 4 months two days ago (yay!) but Bella will jump on Mercedes and bite at her and it happens more when Mercedes crys. I think she's trying to be dominant over Mercedes but I don't know how to fix it??? usually I tie her up on our balcony outside for a while until she calms down (whish is never! LOL) also she seems to bark alot and the people downstairs are starting to complain. she seems to bark more when we're gone. I also have trouble teaching her to go pee and poo outside on the balcony rather than inside. it's not a really big problem yet because Mercedes can't really crawl yet but it's still gross and sometimes she does it on my couch and bed and i'd prefer to have that fixed. I've been using puppy pads but she only uses them sometimes??? other times she just goes wehn she wants to on the floor sometimes right in front of me. i mostly use diapers when my mom comes over because she gets upset over it. Plz help guys!!!! im not really sure what to do.. and shes really cute and i really love her. heres a picture! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KayKayBazt Posted October 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 oh! also wehn i take her for walks she goes really crazy! she almost nocked over the stroller a bunch of times and always ends up coughing. A lady at the pet store said huskies should wear harnasses so i bought one for her but shes still all crazy when we go outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kechara Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Welcome to the forums Sounds like you have your hands full! Would definitely work on her with your daughter, biting is no good. When she jumps on her, is your daughter running around playing? She might just be trying to play, but doesn't seem to realize she needs to be gentle. For a quick fix, let your daughter know it's not ok to run/flail around the dog. The time out thing works well as long as you're consistent with it, and make sure you take her out of the room right when she's doing it so she'll learn what it is she's being put in time out for. It sounds like she needs more exercise for one, is there a park around that you can take her out on a longer leash for her to run around? If walking is a pain, this might be a better option as well. There are many people here who have 50-100' long leads they got off ebay and their pups love it just wandering out in fields on it. For this a harness is good too, won't choke her. I would look into some of the training tips for walking here http://www.husky-owners.com/forum/forums/training-behaviour.38/ Might be able to find some info I used a pinch collar tool to teach mine, but I don't recommend it without having a trainer show you how to properly use it.. There's a few harnesses that hook in the front that look real effective and easy to use. As for the potty training, I would try starting all over, and definitely get rid of the diapers since it's only enabling her to go in the house whenever. I'll be honest, I can't help much here though, I've only had rescues and they all came trained to go outside lol :eek: The only thing I can tell you is be sure to praise/treat her when she does go in the right place! I'm sure someone else will be able to help you with more though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutsibe Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Ok! Do you have a crate to use for Bella? If not, I would advise getting one, and systematically crate-train her - teach her that it is a good place to be. It will take some work, as she isn't, I assume, used to being confined. This can make house training much easier. I would also advise taking her someplace outside, rather than on your balcony, to relieve herself - you'll want to do it every couple of hours (yeah, I know it will be difficult with a small baby around) on a regular schedule. She also needs more exercise - both mental and physical, to tire her out so that she is both quieter and more gentle with your baby. Her play behavior could too-easily hurt your baby, particularly as she gets larger and stronger. You need to step in - firmly - and tell her when she is doing something that isn't appropriate, and redirect her to a behavior that is. For example, as she's biting and playing too roughly with your child, firmly take her by the collar, tell her "NO!" sharply, and give her something that is appropriate to chew on - a toy, a rawhide chew... and as soon as she takes it, tell her "Good girl!" She may not want to stop - you need to persevere, and MAKE her stop. Stay calm, but firm - you are now her Mom, too! It sounds like she left her mom and littermates too young to learn bite inhibition. I'll post a couple of links below for you... http://www.doglogic.com/biteinhibit.htm http://www.doggonesafe.com/teach_puppy_not_to_bite http://www.crickethollowfarm.com/biteinhib.htm http://www.inch.com/~dogs/cratetraining.html http://www.the-puppy-dog-place.com/crate-training-a-puppy.html http://www.dogguide.net/mental-exercises.php A puppy obedience class might also be helpful, if you can get in to one! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KayKayBazt Posted October 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Thanks kechara! I guess i do have my hands full lol My daughter is 4 months old so not running yet, but she does flail and roll a bit i guess. i don't know if i can really do much about that though.But bella definitely seems worse wehn she crys or makes noises. she kind of runs and stops and trys to jump on her and sometimes trys to bite her, witch shes getting alot bigger and i don't want her to hurt her. so i should keep going with putting her on the balcony right?? she sometimes makes alot of noise out there by herself. any tips for that?? my neighbors would love you! <3 thanks for all the advice!! I realy really mean it. would it be hard to walk her on the long lead?? usually when i take her outside i have the stroller too so its kind of hard sometimes with both. thanks again!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tan J P Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 hi and welcome Bella is bored...she needs walking at least twice a day,a couple of times a week is not enough at all. As you got her so young that is why you are experiencing her biting and nipping at you,especially when excited because she hasn't had her mum or litter mates to teach her bite inhibition. When she does it,clamp her mouth(not too hard to hurt her) for a few seconds and say 'no bite' in a low firm voice this will need to be repeated EVERY time she does it........she will soon learn. as for the potty training....its back to basics i think for you....outside after every sleep/eat/play and/or every hr or 2 in between,and loads of praise when she goes have a key-word ie....''wee wee's'' and say it every time you take her out. you are going to have to work with her lots,putting her out on the balcony isnt teaching her anything,she doesn't understand what you are trying to tell her. finally,pee pads just tell her its ok to go in the house,stop using these and do the outside every hr or so. good luck you should see some improvement soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackDawn Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 My girl Bandit showed some of the same behaviours of biting and nipping, but hers was a result of enforcing my rules. I would tell the cat no, and Bandit would reinforce the rules(IE: no climbing on the table). Likewise with my niece, I would tell her not to run in the house and, Bandit would bite and nip at her until she stopped running. Kind of an intelligence thing in regards to my dog. I had Bandit on puppy pads as I live in an apartment, thats all we ever used. At first we had numerous pads scattered around the apartment. As she used them, she was rewarded with treats(Ironic.. she doesn't even like treats now). Eventually the only puppy pad not eliminated was the one by the door and, once she went for that one we would get her attention and take her outside. Took her a couple days to build up enough confidence to actually pee outside, but it did happen. Now all I have to do is open my door and Bandit runs down the steps and does her business. Most huskies love the outdoors and would prefer it to being indoors. You should really re-evaluate your balcony punishment as Im sure Bella is loving the outdoors. You mentioned Bella was 5 weeks old when you got her, at this time she is still young enough to have developed separation anxiety. I noticed Bandit whined when she was crated as soon as I was out of sight. Bandit has since recognized the routine of my comings and goings and has mini lick seizures when I return home. She stopped whining as time went on, the best thing for her when she whines/barks is ignoring her. Also Huskies aren't known to bark. Bella also appears to have floppy ears which is also not a Husky trait. Again though, to each their own perspective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollys_mum Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Hi evryone I'm new here and having lots of problems with my Huskie puppy Bella. I got her wehn she was 5 weeks old about 5 months ago. I do take her for walks a couple times a week but she's very crazy and bites alot and doesn't listen very well. I also have alot of problems with her and my daughter Mercedes who turned 4 months two days ago (yay!) but Bella will jump on Mercedes and bite at her and it happens more when Mercedes crys. I think she's trying to be dominant over Mercedes but I don't know how to fix it??? usually I tie her up on our balcony outside for a while until she calms down (whish is never! LOL) also she seems to bark alot and the people downstairs are starting to complain. she seems to bark more when we're gone. I also have trouble teaching her to go pee and poo outside on the balcony rather than inside. it's not a really big problem yet because Mercedes can't really crawl yet but it's still gross and sometimes she does it on my couch and bed and i'd prefer to have that fixed. I've been using puppy pads but she only uses them sometimes??? other times she just goes wehn she wants to on the floor sometimes right in front of me. i mostly use diapers when my mom comes over because she gets upset over it. Plz help guys!!!! im not really sure what to do.. and shes really cute and i really love her. heres a picture! Hi there, and welcome! I'm fairly new here as well, and like you, I am going through the 'learning curve' of puppy training. My 3 children have all but grown up now, but as a mother, 3 concepts that I know are an absolute must in relation to pups and children is 'firmness' , 'consistancy' and 'distraction' - easier said than done, as I am sure a lot of folk on here would testify to because 'context' often gets in the way! When I read your post my first thoughts were, 'crikey, a 4 month old baby is hard work for any parent; add a demanding puppy into the mix, and it'd be like being a parent of twins. That said, there are a few things you can do which will hopefully make things less stressful and therefore more manageable: 1. - don't panic! Being stressed out will get picked up very quickly by both baby and pup. 2. Establish, as best as possible, a routine - quickly. A simple one could be for your partner to walk the dog for 15 minutes early in the morning, and for you to bath/feed the baby. If your dog won't do its business whilst out, take her to the balcony as soon as you come back and literally wait for her to go. All dogs want to go to the toilet soon after waking, it's a matter of gravity so this is the most reliable point in a given day you can begin potty training. As soon as she does something, give her some praise and a little treat. Throughout the day, watch her (literally every few seconds) if she's sniffing around on the floor and take her to the balcony. A lot of this time will be wasted, but don't give up. 3. Don't let her on the sofa or the settee. This is a hassle you can do without right now. If you want to change your mind once she's potty trained, that's fine, but this is only providing her with more places to pee right now. Also, It's easier to watch what she's up to if she's on the floor.In relation to small children, ever heard parents say, 'you can't take your eyes off them for a second'? There's a lot of truth in that, and the same applies to puppies. 4. For the safety of your baby, keep her out of reach of the puppy. As much as I love animals, I would never trust anything that can scratch, bite or smother a child. Do you have a bouncer chair or car seat that you could put the baby in that'd be out of the reach of the dog? I use to put my bouncer on the kitchen table (at a time when I spent most of my time in there) just because my daughter was then 'eye -level' with me. Doing 3 and 4 will also help with the puppy jumping up when visitors come around. 5. When visitors do come around, ask them to ignore the dog initially. Sounds harsh but over excitement will lead to unwanted weeing/biting and jumping up. Once she is sat nicely, she can then be stroked and gently praised. 6. Distraction: when the baby cries distract the puppy with something tempting - like a juicy bone. Molly's dad buys ours a carrier bag of chicken carcasses and bones once a week from the butcher's for £0.50p and she has one a day. I usually save it until I can see her getting bored (usually mid - afternoon). It's a god send for those occasions when I'm really busy and can't give her any attention because I'm cooking, cleaning or on the phone. 7. Share the load. You can't manage this on your own without getting stressed - right now you need 'all hands on deck'! 8. Realise that this won't change overnight. I have had all of the puppy problems you've experienced, and still have them, although she is so much more manageable than she was at 3 months. In the scheme of things, a lot can change in a month. Occasionally, Molly will still wee where she shouldn't, jump up, and use her mouth to get my hands/arms to go in the direction she wants, but it getting a lot less frequent, and because I'm not tearing my hair out anymore, the whole situation is far more manageable. Hope this helps. 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Mollys_mum Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Lol! Just realised that I have spent nearly 1.5 hours writing this post (keep going away from laptop) and another two posts have appeared. Agree, more walking needed. Any chance someone in your family could babysit so that the pup gets some training time on the lead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kechara Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 What I meant about the long lead thing - if you can take her to an open field or park on one, you'll find she'll do most of her exercising on her own just running around exploring, and you can just wander about but not really have to worry about "walking" her so to say. If she likes fetch or something you can play with her a lot easier out there than a furniture filled house or short lead as well. You can also do training things on it to give her some mental stimulation, like the very handy recall training! Would not recommend trying to walk her down the sidewalk and such with one, would be very hard to control her and keep her safe from traffic etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sid_Wolf Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 if you're only walking her a couple of times a week then no wonder she's a bit hyper! Sibes are a high energy breed and need a lot of exercise, at least an hours walking every day, regardless of how busy you are, what the weathers like, or how badly she behaves on a walk. She must be walked EVERY day. Start walking her more and i expect a lot of your problems may get better very quickly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed #1 Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 I use a pinch/prong collar for walks...my daughter is a bit older (oh the joys of toddlerdom) and in order to manage her and our two on walks it's necessary, particularly because at this point in time I'm essentially due next week and running/being drug down the street with a toddler in tow just isn't an option. Do make sure that you have someone who knows what they're doing show you how to use it, and read up on it if it's a route you choose to take...there are also harnesses designed specifically to reduce pulling that you may want to look into if you opt for not using a pinch collar. Crate train her...seriously you'll thank yourself and she'll thank you for it. Some people may suggest that it's cruel but we've found that the opposite with ours is true. It ends up being a place you can take with you anywhere that your furbaby associates with being safe and comfortable and for any trips we take them on they have something familiar no matter where they are. Puppy pads are a disaster...Do you really want poop and pee in your house on the floor even if it is in a designated spot? Diapers? Yeahhh ummm if it bothers someone visiting enough for them to be rude guests then quite frankly they should put their helpfulness where their griping is...ie, watch baby for a few minutes whilst you take Bella outside for a quick run, or walk... Don't leave baby alone unsupervised with baby. Do not let ANY dog bite, mouth or otherwise have oral contact with baby...especially since you know that Bella doesn't have bite inhibition and she really does need more training. You may want to consider making a recording of you baby fussing...and play it at random times throughout the day...reward her when she doesn't react or seek out baby or the sound...even when its just for a few seconds...better yet, provide her with an alternative activity... Also consider Husky Prey drive and what crying/fussing babies sound like compared to other animals... N8VLHQAQeVM Read through the other threads that have been linked for you to read...there's tons of great information there and alot of it will be useful. Mental stimulation will also help with calming her down...if she's bored she really is going to be like a crack head toddler bouncing off the walls bored...even if it's just two five minute training sessions a day...you will start to see a difference Above all, be patient, and as others have said it's not going to happen overnight... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 welcome to the pack i agree with all of the above specially the walking more - if mine get a walk even half hour later then normal they get really hyper n start messing around n playing up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KayKayBazt Posted October 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 thanks evryone OMG BingBlaze LOL i just spent like five minutes staring at my screen trying to squich a fruit fly before i figured out it was your siggy LOL!! so i'm just a bit confused, is Bella not trying to be dominat with Mercedes?? or is she trying to play with her?? a friend i have whos prety good with dogs said to roll her on her back wehn she tries to go after Mercedes. or should i keep leaving her outside on the balcony?? i don't think she likes being out there by hersself very much. she like cries and sometimes hops up at the door. i started to get worried because my railing isn't very high so some of my friends cam over and tied some big plastic cardboard barriers up and now I tie her to the door. shes ripped off a bit from the bottom but i dont think she can fall through the bottom. i wish i had somebody to help me walk her maybe becuz it's just me and Mercedes. my mom comes over twice a week to help with laundry and cleaning and stuff and thats usually when i've been taking her for walks becuse the last couple times i went by myself she knocked the stroller. so this way i can go with her and i know my mom is there with Mer. she won't walk my dog though. but I think next time my mom is over i'm going to try the long leash. i can roll it up and walk her to the park and then just let her run around and get tired because when i usually take her for regular walks its like i cant really walk fast enough for her she always pulls. sorry again guys i relly am thankfull you guys are helping me. ive never had a pure husky before, shes my first dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed #5 Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 KayKay, I may have missed it - but my impression is that you live in a city, probably in a highrise? Seems as if the crowd here leave it up to me to ask that you pin yourself on the member map http://www.husky-owners.com/forum/memberMap/ other than just letting us know where you are, it often helps when people think about offering suggestions to be able to offer location appropriate suggestions. So, okay, you've learned - among other things - that you need to get this bundle of fur out more so that she can get some of her massive energy load taken care of. Personally, I'd be very concerned with a 5 month old puppy and a 4 month old baby being in the same room with any interaction - even the gentlest pup is going to get excited and we know you don't want the baby hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luna's Mum Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 I have to be totally honest & say it sounds as though you didn't know what you were getting yourself in to. Taking on a new baby & a puppy at the same time?? Huskies, even puppies, need to be walked daily atleast twice a day. Puppies are unpredictable, if they're not getting enough exercise they will be desperate to play, almost constantly. Your puppy can't tell that the baby isn't a suitable playmate, you need to gently train him. Good luck, its not going to be easy but if you can do it your husky will be yours & your baby's best friend xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sid_Wolf Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 no she's not trying to dominate her, the dominance theory is a load of bull, you dog is not trying to take over the sofa, your house or the world. Pinning or rolling you dog is only going to wind her up, she will think its a game and get more excitable, in the worst case scenario she will think you are going to hurt her and attack you in self defence. When she messes with your daughter remove the dog from the room until she is calm then reintroduce her, it may be an idea to keep a trailing lead on her for the time being. As for walks, get yourself a walking belt, that way the dog is attached to you waist and you dont need to hold the lead, meaning you can keep both hands of the buggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KayKayBazt Posted October 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Hi Al Jones! I added myself to the map yea, i'm in a high rise on the 11th floor i really want my daughter and bella to be friends so i was hoping theyd get along but i guess i need to teach them how to. that's a good idea about tying her to me Sid_wolf! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tan J P Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 please dont keep leaving Bella out on the balcony it makes me cringe being 11 floors up:eek: and she'll think she is getting punished for something. get her out walking twice a day and you'll see a difference in her behavior....she is bored and needs some stimulation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Mekhdjian Posted October 20, 2011 Report Share Posted October 20, 2011 HI, First thing I would say is take control now while its still young ages of a pupp... never to late to train them. your dog must respect and trust you so it can listen and obey you command. walking wise, relax, body posture and way you hold the leash will channel through the leash to your dog, your dog will feel the energy you provide. firstly: get rid of the harness, as husky are sled dogs, you need to use a proper collar, don't use the harness, and never pull back to your dog, it triggers them to do more... seems like you need to do heaps of training.. let me know if you like some specific training that helped me to calm mine as Mya was the same when a pupp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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