Mobezilla Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 So lately Link has been showing some behaviors that I would like to think are him being a teenager, and acting out. However I do not want to ignore these behaviors if they are signs of something.. so I'd thought I'd ask you guys here. First off, I have had Link since April, 2013. He is currently 19 months old. I am his third home. I practice NILIF training, he waits for his food, waits at the door, etc. We go bikejoring (just Link) every weekend, and go to the dog park twice a week. When I got Link, he was never vocal. Now just recently, and I mean in the past few days, he has started wooing. Which I am PERFECTLY okay with, Yuki is a talker and I love it! However he is moreso being a bratty kid. He woo's at me when he's frustrated and wants something. He was begging for my food and I told him 'no'. Rather than stepping a couple feet away like he normally would, he dived on top of me (while I was in my chair) and woo'd as loudly as he could in my face. To me, I perceived it as 'I don't have to listen to you, give me it, NOW'. He immediately got a time out, but I wasn't sure if I should have treated him that way. I don't want to tell him he's not allowed to be vocal, however the jumping on me was completely unacceptable When we go outside, lately he has started wooing at me when he starts to get rough, and will bite at my hands and arms. Nothing serious, just being mouthy. Again, I perceive this as him acting out as a bratty kid. I immediately shorten the lead and force him to sit until he calms down. But lately he seems to be doing it more and more. And today. I got up to go to the kitchen, and he was in my chair. I am not allowing him on the chair at the moment unless I say its okay because I am trying to up his NILIF training. Well I go to sit on top of him (which usually forces him to move) and he growled at me. I felt that this was a threat this time, him telling me no this is MY chair. I gave him a time out for that one as well. I'm unsure what to do in this situation, I do not want to punish him for growling as I want him to be able to give me a warning and communicate, however I need to express it is unacceptable for him to growl at ME for taking back MY possession. Can anyone tell me, does this sound like typical teenage behavior? I am perfectly okay with it, and I'm sure with NILIF training we'll get through it, but I am just wanting to make sure these aren't warning signs for underlying aggression that I'm ignoring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmscott Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 It doesn't sound like a teenage issues. However at almost 2 he is maturing more, and this can be a time when a lot of behaviors will be surfacing past the "silly puppy" mentality they have up until then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jbrown1028 Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 Hey Megan, (Not hijacking, just saying hi) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mobezilla Posted August 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 It doesn't sound like a teenage issues. However at almost 2 he is maturing more, and this can be a time when a lot of behaviors will be surfacing past the "silly puppy" mentality they have up until then. Sorry, so what do you mean by that? Is this going to get worse, or should it subside as long as I continue my NILIF training and not let him get his way? Hey Megan, (Not hijacking, just saying hi) LOL hi Jeff (and Maya!) ^-^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmscott Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 Just keep up with the training, but watch out for any more fluxes. It may just be a small backslide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mobezilla Posted August 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 Just keep up with the training, but watch out for any more fluxes. It may just be a small backslide. Okay, thank you. I know when they're teens they can often regress in training so thats why I was thinking maybe he was just acting out, but like you've said he's already 19 months. I'll keep an eye on him, just wanted to check with other husky owners before I let it progress too much and end up with a huge problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob & Juno Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 I would make him stay off of the chair, he will have a hard time knowing when its ok to be on or off the chair, so off would work out better, showing him You are the pack leader and its your chair....good luck they know how to keep testing us to see what they can get away with. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jbrown1028 Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 Hey Megan, I have only met Link once and from what I seen is a very happy and excited boy who wants to meet everyone and he is a little anxious to do so. The bottom line is you seemed to have great control and was monitoring him closely. I think your doing pretty darn good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jbrown1028 Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 I would make him stay off of the chair, he will have a hard time knowing when its ok to be on or off the chair, so off would work out better, showing him You are the pack leader and its your chair....good luck they know how to keep testing us to see what they can get away with. LOL That is a method and yes I have heard of others doing that, although Maya is welcome to be on the couch, chair, and bed. She has no issues if I say get down, move, or no. I don't want to disagree with Bob, but I just believe it is a different tactic. Like I said before, you were very alert, and intutive to Link's behaviour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mobezilla Posted August 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 I would make him stay off of the chair, he will have a hard time knowing when its ok to be on or off the chair, so off would work out better, showing him You are the pack leader and its your chair....good luck they know how to keep testing us to see what they can get away with. LOL I do get what you are saying, but he actually does know the difference between ok and off. He has no problems with waiting to get on the bed, he waits for my 'okay', its just the chair he is rebelling with right now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mobezilla Posted August 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 Hey Megan, I have only met Link once and from what I seen is a very happy and excited boy who wants to meet everyone and he is a little anxious to do so. The bottom line is you seemed to have great control and was monitoring him closely. I think your doing pretty darn good Haha that was one of his bad days too, he was so excited to smell everything! Thanks Jeff, I'm hoping I'm doing a good job with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnmw1208 Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 Yeah Pongo did this around that age too. It got really bad on walks he would start jumping up and biting for no reason, maybe because we weren't going the way he wanted. We actually had to show him who was "boss" again. We basically turned our backs to him, made him sit then lay down (he had a huge prob with laying down at this time). Then when he calmed down, we continued. I agree with what others said, keep up with the training and he should be OK. Pongo will still shake his head no sometimes when we ask him to do something lol but he will do what we want in the end. Definitely don't give in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goingsolo Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 Solo was approx. 2 yrs old when we got him and he did try the 'no' a couple of times but I'm more stubborn! The only probs we still seem to have with him is putting on his harness (he likes the game, which is me waiting him out ) and him sitting on Rob when he wants something but we are getting there and you will to x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 As others have said. Keep up the NILIF. He's testing his boundaries and seeing if he can push your buttons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydiamond Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 I'd say keep up with the NILIF training and yes, send him on a time out. You're right on that one. About the begging thing, I'd suggest pretending you don't see him when he starts wooing and paying too much attention to your food. If he gets too close, tell him to back off. If he jumps up and tries to steal the food, it's either a "no!" in a very serious tone or a time out. Begging is a highly intolerable behavior in my pack. Diamond is not even allowed to follow people who holds food. The thing is, even if he's not trying to steal the food, that is still begging. I don't want to confuse him by not allowing him to beg in a certain way and allowing him to beg in another way. Begging in every possible way is not allowed. He still follows guests who holds food or eats too close to him, but stops immediately in one "no". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mobezilla Posted August 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 Yeah Pongo did this around that age too. It got really bad on walks he would start jumping up and biting for no reason, maybe because we weren't going the way he wanted. We actually had to show him who was "boss" again. We basically turned our backs to him, made him sit then lay down (he had a huge prob with laying down at this time). Then when he calmed down, we continued. I agree with what others said, keep up with the training and he should be OK. Pongo will still shake his head no sometimes when we ask him to do something lol but he will do what we want in the end. Definitely don't give in Okay just making sure its normal Thanks! Solo was approx. 2 yrs old when we got him and he did try the 'no' a couple of times but I'm more stubborn! The only probs we still seem to have with him is putting on his harness (he likes the game, which is me waiting him out ) and him sitting on Rob when he wants something but we are getting there and you will to x Thank you, glad to here someone around his age acted similarly As others have said. Keep up the NILIF. He's testing his boundaries and seeing if he can push your buttons. Thanks Andy, I know I'm probably over-worrying but I'd like to make sure I'm not ignoring something that sounds like 'something more'. I figured it'd pass but I'd rather but safe than sorry and ask ya'll!! I'd say keep up with the NILIF training and yes, send him on a time out. You're right on that one. About the begging thing, I'd suggest pretending you don't see him when he starts wooing and paying too much attention to your food. If he gets too close, tell him to back off. If he jumps up and tries to steal the food, it's either a "no!" in a very serious tone or a time out. Begging is a highly intolerable behavior in my pack. Diamond is not even allowed to follow people who holds food. The thing is, even if he's not trying to steal the food, that is still begging. I don't want to confuse him by not allowing him to beg in a certain way and allowing him to beg in another way. Begging in every possible way is not allowed. He still follows guests who holds food or eats too close to him, but stops immediately in one "no". Yes he knows he's not allowed to beg. Like I was saying in my first post normally when he starts begging I say 'no' and he goes a couple feet away and lays down. But that time he decided to not listen to me, so he got a time out. I've had no issues with him listening to me before ^.- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnmw1208 Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 Just curious, what does NILIF stand for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mobezilla Posted August 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 Just curious, what does NILIF stand for? Nothing in life is free training. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 Nothing In Life Is Free It means for everything they want they have to perform an appropriate action. If they want to go out walkies. They must sit and wait patiently by the door. If they want food, it;s put down for them but they must wait until given the ok to eat. All about training Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osinn11 Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 Megan...Link just sounds like...well a husky! Keep up what your doing. They love to let us think we are in charge then show us who actually is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mobezilla Posted August 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2013 Megan...Link just sounds like...well a husky! Keep up what your doing. They love to let us think we are in charge then show us who actually is! thankies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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