New family member

[SumitaSinh]

Ruby is small, so she jumped up a lot. I would just guide her head to all four paws on the floor & treat her. She learned pretty quickly that she’s never fed unless all four feet are on the floor.

Good idea

 

[thedogtor]

She's already learnt sit and lay down. Please tell me how to teach her to relax in place and not jumping up!
Thank you so much for your valuable advise

It’s just a game of statistics. The behaviors that are rewarded are more likely to continue. Ignore (not just don’t reward, even negative attention can be rewarding) the behaviors you don’t like, and reinforce the ones you want to see again. Catch them being good and reward it - have treats on you at all times. Ignore all bad behavior, and manage the environment to prevent it from occurring (he can’t chew your shoes if they are put away, etc). If the puppy is jumping on a child and the kid makes a big deal of it, it’s likely going to happen again - puppies don’t generally understand the nuances of human behavior, they just know that they got someone to react and that was cool. For kids, it helps to teach them to “be a tree” if the dog is jumping. Stand tall, and don’t react. Reacting (even with displeasure) will be rewarding and even running away can incite a game of chase. Stand there and do nothing until the puppy has all 4 on the floor, or even better, sits. Then praise. I’m fairly certain the book I recommended also talks about “sit to say please” to encourage manners and impulse control.

A note on extinguishing behaviors such as jumping or howling in the crate. There will be a period of time while you’re ignoring or being a tree that the behavior intensifies. This is called an extinction burst. This is the last hurrah before they give up and try something new. Do NOT give in during this time, it will only prolong the process. For example, you’re crate training and the puppy is howling. After 20 mins the howling gets worse and you get up and go comfort them. Puppy now knows that they only have to howl for 20 mins to get your attention. Next time it will take even longer to get the behavior to fizzle out. Also applies to birds screaming.

Same thing with teaching to relax. Don’t try to force them into relaxing when they aren’t ready to. You catch them in the act and reward it, but without disturbing them. I recommend Karen Overall’s relaxation protocol. https://www.karenoverall.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Protocol-for-relaxation_Overall.pdf

If you haven’t already, sign up for puppy class with a positive reinforcement trainer.

 

[SumitaSinh]

It’s just a game of statistics. The behaviors that are rewarded are more likely to continue. Ignore (not just don’t reward, even negative attention can be rewarding) the behaviors you don’t like, and reinforce the ones you want to see again. Catch them being good and reward it - have treats on you at all times. Ignore all bad behavior, and manage the environment to prevent it from occurring (he can’t chew your shoes if they are put away, etc). If the puppy is jumping on a child and the kid makes a big deal of it, it’s likely going to happen again - puppies don’t generally understand the nuances of human behavior, they just know that they got someone to react and that was cool. For kids, it helps to teach them to “be a tree” if the dog is jumping. Stand tall, and don’t react. Reacting (even with displeasure) will be rewarding and even running away can incite a game of chase. Stand there and do nothing until the puppy has all 4 on the floor, or even better, sits. Then praise. I’m fairly certain the book I recommended also talks about “sit to say please” to encourage manners and impulse control.

A note on extinguishing behaviors such as jumping or howling in the crate. There will be a period of time while you’re ignoring or being a tree that the behavior intensifies. This is called an extinction burst. This is the last hurrah before they give up and try something new. Do NOT give in during this time, it will only prolong the process. For example, you’re crate training and the puppy is howling. After 20 mins the howling gets worse and you get up and go comfort them. Puppy now knows that they only have to howl for 20 mins to get your attention. Next time it will take even longer to get the behavior to fizzle out. Also applies to birds screaming.

Same thing with teaching to relax. Don’t try to force them into relaxing when they aren’t ready to. You catch them in the act and reward it, but without disturbing them. I recommend Karen Overall’s relaxation protocol. https://www.karenoverall.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Protocol-for-relaxation_Overall.pdf

If you haven’t already, sign up for puppy class with a positive reinforcement trainer.

I've started the book you suggested, it's really awesome! I'm learning so much from it

 

[SumitaSinh]

be a tree” if the dog is jumping.

It's the best advice. I've started following this and the results are excellent! Thank you so much

 

[SumitaSinh]

This is called an extinction burst.

How to handle this?

 

[thedogtor]

How to handle this?

Ignore, ignore, ignore. Power through and wait for them to stop what they are doing. Then reward when they stop.

Think of it as a much higher stakes game of the same statistics.

For example, puppy is jumping and you’re being a tree. The jumping intensifies, you get little nibbles, barking, he’s going absolutely crazy. If you react - even involuntarily - he learns that jumping still gets attention, you just have to really step it up and act crazy. Now you have reinforced an even worse version of the behavior, and subsequent times you’re more likely to see the persistent jumping accompanied by mouthing and barking, because that’s what worked before. If you continue to be a tree, he will eventually give up and sit, sniff, redirect and THIS is when you praise and give reward. Then you’re teaching that no matter how much of a fool you act, that gets nothing, but calm behavior will get the attention he’s looking for. Luckily the attention span of a young dog isn’t very long, you just have to outlast them. When there is screeching, and sharp puppy nails and teeth sometimes that’s easier said than done. We CAN teach them to have a longer attention span by failing to power through the extinction burst phase as I mentioned above. If you’re standing there for 5 mins and you give up and react, he learns well I only have to do this for 5 mins. So next time you might not hit that extinction burst until 10 mins, and now it’s going to be that much harder to hold out. I’ll also say that EVERYONE in the household has to be committed to this - one person having a bad day who gives in one time is going to set the whole thing back.

 

[SumitaSinh]

It's been a month since Bella joined our family. She's fine, thank god. I'm following your advices and getting awesome results. That jumping and clawing issues are more or less tackled, she allows brushing also, with help of lick mats and slow feeders. Thank you friends, for guiding me.
Now, the issue is toilet. Bella would call or signal when she's in her enclosure, but while free roaming inside the house, she uses the rooms as a big toilet . I'm taking her out frequently, offering treats when she does her business at proper place. What else shall I do? I clean her inside mess instantly with chemical, to avoid the smell. But she's just not understanding that inside is not for pooping or peeing . I try to explain this to her, but she will look away and get busy with something else . otherwise, she's the sweetest puppy ever.
Please advise me @Sparkles99, @thedogtor, @Mizzely

 

[SumitaSinh]

Bella is 3.5 months old now.

 

[Sparkles99]

Tether her to yourself on a back clip harness when you can’t trail her. Freedom is earned. Meanwhile, do fun things like training in the very spots she fouls. Give her her dinner in one. Grab a book & curl up together to read it in another. Time everything - walks, meals, etc.

 

[Mizzely]

My dog was 2 and not house broken when I got him. It took me a year to get him to not pee inside But his was also stress/anxiety peeing which shouldn't be part of your equation thankfully!

I took him out every hour. Literally. I set alarms. Then he was leashed to me inside or if he couldn't be with me, he was in his kennel. I couldn't trust him alone, so he was never alone.

 

[thedogtor]

If she is able to eliminate in the house without you seeing her actively doing it, then she needs more supervision. You’ll need to block off areas with gates and use the tether method as mentioned below. Pay attention to what she does before she starts, and take her outside whenever you notice these things. Praise her for going outside, but do nothing if she has an accident. Punishing a dog for going to the bathroom inside of the house only teaches them to hide from you when they do it.

 

[Sparkles99]

Good point about watching the pre-deed. It took me awhile to start to notice the intent ground sniffing & the stereotypical squat. Pick her up mid-pee/poo if caught in the act & transport her to where she ought to be.

 

[SumitaSinh]

In fact I did it today! Bella was about to pee behind the sofa, I caught her and took her outside. She was grumbling while being caught but finally she got treat!