At the end of my rope

[Mom2Sadie]

I'm really sorry to keep doing this. I feel like I have nothing to add to this great place except question after question BUT bear with me please?

Sadie has been having an absolutely horrific couple of days behavior wise. I don't know what to do with her. She's forgotten everything we've learned about potty training. She'll come in from outside and go on the floor. She'll go in her crate. She gives me no indication that she needs to go out - which at 4 months, I know is asking a lot but she was doing SO well. She's jumping up on the counters and tables, she's biting again (we nipped that in the bud a few weeks ago). And then when I tell her no, she talks back to me and barks her head off. I give her 30 second timeouts and she acts like I've just savagely beaten her.

I feel like I want to kill her sometimes I get so frustrated - not really of course but you know what I mean. I've been nothing but consistent with her and I feel like I'm getting nowhere. Actually it's worse than getting nowhere, it's like we're moving backwards. I love my dog and I want to have a great life with her but right now I'm really really really frustrated. She is driving me nuts and I don't want to be frustrated with her. I love her and I want our time together to be fun. I feel like all I do all day is tell her "No". Help please? Could it be separation anxiety? It's not like she's ever alone for very long, I go home every day at lunch and spend time with her. I really don't know what to do. Anyone?

[lins_saving_grace]

I'm really sorry to keep doing this. I feel like I have nothing to add to this great place except question after question BUT bear with me please?

Sadie has been having an absolutely horrific couple of days behavior wise. I don't know what to do with her. She's forgotten everything we've learned about potty training. She'll come in from outside and go on the floor. She'll go in her crate. She gives me no indication that she needs to go out - which at 4 months, I know is asking a lot but she was doing SO well. She's jumping up on the counters and tables, she's biting again (we nipped that in the bud a few weeks ago). And then when I tell her no, she talks back to me and barks her head off. I give her 30 second timeouts and she acts like I've just savagely beaten her.

I feel like I want to kill her sometimes I get so frustrated - not really of course but you know what I mean. I've been nothing but consistent with her and I feel like I'm getting nowhere. Actually it's worse than getting nowhere, it's like we're moving backwards. I love my dog and I want to have a great life with her but right now I'm really really really frustrated. She is driving me nuts and I don't want to be frustrated with her. I love her and I want our time together to be fun. I feel like all I do all day is tell her "No". Help please? Could it be separation anxiety? It's not like she's ever alone for very long, I go home every day at lunch and spend time with her. I really don't know what to do. Anyone?

sounds like she's trying to get her way and make your life revolve around you.

Grace is a lot like Sadie.  She was an obstant puppy till about 10 months when she realized I wasn't going to bow down and worship the ground she walked on. 
She learned to sleep past 3:30 am and that potty in the crate hurt her more than me. 
Grace knows not to get on the counters and still pushes that issue...but I bop her on the noggin when she does that. 
She's more like a 3 year old than a dog.  and 3 year olds need to be spanked and told what to do a lot.
I was at the end of my rope with her...and suddenly she came out of it.  She's still a stinker and I accept that...but she's not the center of the universe. 
I hate to say wait it out...because there is trainig needed and discipline...b ut it does get better.

[lil_princess724]

I i totally understand. Bailey is going to the bathroom when left alone again. She has been on clomicalm and she was doing pretyy good and now we are back at square one. And the coutner ting the other day she ate 2.o # of ground raw turkey. Another day a whole tray of deli wraps, and the other morning which is when i lost it and nocked her with my foot she ate a 1/2 dozen of choclate chip cookies. I do not know hat to do. I fee terriable, and i know i should not have touched her but she will be 4 in auugust and she gives us so many problems. I do love her we have gone to puppy classes, and clicker. She is taking such wonderful care of and she still does this. I do not know what to do. I have invested so much money and time that it will kill me to get ir of her. please help us. i just wanted to let you know you were not alone. best of luck.[/color]

[Winslow 151]

Hi,

Hmmm that sounds very odd, How is your cat doing? Didn't you say the cat had surgery. Maybe Sadie is feeling left out (or experiencing sympathy symptons) because of the extra attetion to kitty.

That wouldn't speak to the house breaking but could be something in the mix, Can you call your breeder to see if this is something others from the litter are doing. 4 months saw the start of Winslow's talking back and nipping, so that could just be sadie's age.

I have nothing on the house breaking other than reward her when she goes out side ignore the mistakes inside (negative attention is attention none the less)If she starts while inside try scooting her out to finish and praise her when she is done outside. Good luck she will get better11

[lins_saving_grace]

are either Sadie or Bailey crated?  If so, put the divider in the crate so they have less room to make a mess until they learn not to make the mess again.

[lil_princess724]

we tried the crate thing and she mess all over it and her. this was regular as apuppy then she ogt ot big so we stopped than after she was on the med tried again and still the same thing. The vet is weeing her off clomicalm and now we'll try Elavil. if that does not wrok dog behaivorist and that will cost over 1,000 dollars and hubby will not go for that because we have spent close to 5,000 already. so she is gated in the kitchen now.

[chaos270]

Welcome to the teenage stage.....Kali still talks back and can act extremely obnoxious.  She didn't start that early though and she never regressed as far as potty training although she did do a few accidents out of spite.  Maybe take her to the vet to rule out any medical problems....I doubt it is but you never know.  As far as counter surfing a loud NO often works and there are other methods such as baiting her with a peice of meat then getting after her or cookie sheets over the edge so when she jumps she'll knock it off.  I believe there was a thread on it somewhere on how to stop it.

[Mom2Sadie]

Hi,

Hmmm that sounds very odd, How is your cat doing? Didn't you say the cat had surgery. Maybe Sadie is feeling left out (or experiencing sympathy symptons) because of the extra attetion to kitty.

That wouldn't speak to the house breaking but could be something in the mix, Can you call your breeder to see if this is something others from the litter are doing.

Kitty is much better and they are back to being playmates. I guess it could be something to do with that but you'd think she would have done that when he was really sick and I was paying lots and lots more attention to him. Now it's just back to normal with everyone getting playtime and I also make sure to give each of them individual cuddle time with just me and them to avoid anyone feeling neglected. I don't know what's going on with her.

<are either Sadie or Bailey crated?  If so, put the divider in the crate so they have less room to make a mess until they learn not to make the mess again.>

Sadie is crated HOWEVER she manages to mess in the crate and then push the bottom tray thingy outside the crate so she doesn't have to lay in it. I need to look into getting her a different type of crate so she can't do it anymore. 

[newflvr]

This all reminds me of when we had our female Newf, Lucille.  As much as I adored her, she could be a real *itch!!!  She was SO much more difficult to housebreak than the males (to think of it so was my daughter  ).  I agree with everyone....yo u may have to go back to the beginning of training and just do it all again.  Take her out to potty and don't come in until she goes.  Reward her like mad when she's successful.  She has to know that you are the #1 *itch!  I swear Lucille would wait until we were in the MOST embarrassing place to go poo:  crossing a busy street, at Home Depot garden center, any place she had a audience where I could look like a complete and total fool!  I SWEAR she'd giggle in her jowls as I was madly cleaning up after her.  Hang in there, it will get better.  I think these girls are just VERY smart and want to get one up on another female.   

[Senghe]

Flynn is 15 months old and I STILL have the odd day where I get so frustrated with him, I could cheerfully strangle him. The day before yesterday he was TERRIBLE and just like a hyperactive nutcase all day - barking, biting, pulling on the lead - he even stood on my shoe and flipped it clean off my foot when we were outside because he was so keen to get to the gate where the boxer bitch he hates lives to bark at it. (she attacked him totally unprovoked when he was a puppy and he hasn't forgotten)

But the last two days he's been an angel and I couldn't wish for a better behaved dog. Just be patient and consistent and Sadie will soon be wonderful most of the time. Unfortunately it isn't a smooth learning curve and puppies often appear like they've forgotten everything they've learned. Hey, we all have bad days - even puppies. 

[Gypsy Jazmine]

I agree that she might be testing you to see how much you'll tolerate...Sam son was the teenager from h*ll!!!!!!...I can't count the number of things I worked so hard to break him of & then watched him doing them all over again...I also can't tell you the number of nights I cried & said "tomorrow you go back to the breeder"!!...Of coarse after a good nights sleep it was "we'll get through this together big guy"!!...It was well worth it...He is the best behaved dog I have if not always the most obediant! Hang in there...I feel ya'!...Oh yes I do!

[galaxybears]

I agree with the others, but will add that may be she is getting dominant.

When our Molly was a pup I was always threatening to have her put to sleep, she was h*ll to live with! She used to jump on the furniture, and she wasn't allowed. She wouldn't get off when told, and if you went to get her off she would bite your hands. She was one dominant female I can tell you!!

After talking to her breeder, I realised that she was testing us to see who was boss, and I decided I was! When ever she was naughty I didn't speak to her, but I got hold of her collar and dragged her out of the room... Even if she tried to bite me. She had to stay out of the room for a minimum of 2 minutes. If she started acting up when she was let back in she was dragged out again. She soon learnt that when she did things we didn't like that she was turfed out of the room.

We never had problems with her using the house as a toilet though, so i can only suggest as others have said, you will have to start at the beginning again... She is still a baby at 4 months

Honey is the one in our house who used to jump up on the work surfaces. Luckily for me, after her getting a few sharp NO's, while I pushed her off and pulled and angry face, she has stopped doing it.

And to make you feel so much better, Molly changed into a much nicer dog after her 3rd birthday... So you haven't got too long to wait, lol!

[paharts]

i think your questions benefit us all and you are adding comfort & knowledge to the forum. just think of the next person who finds this place and sees what you wrote. then all the replies of support and suggestions. that person will feel better knowing they are not alone and might find some new ideas to apply to their mis-behaving kids [no matter how hairy or hair-less the kid is ].

[dufus]

Yup, i think your questions help others immensely.

When i first got Day-z I was in tears as she was so naughty - but once she knew who was boss then she developed into a wonderful and kind dog.  On day 2 though i contemplated driving her 800 miles bakc to her breeder.

And as for toilet training.....

[ZooCrew]

With toilet training...... ....as with alot of training for dogs, there is a period of adjustment where they seem to forget.  It is when their memory is shifting from short term to long term memory.  During this process, they may seem to forget things they knew wonderfully before.  Potty training is one of these.  Bite inhibition may be another, but I agree they go thru phases with that while they are teething.  I agree though that you should start over from scratch on training.

I also agree that she may be showing dominant traits.  If she is really resisting your discipline, you may want to start laying down the law now, while she is young before there are problems when she gets older.  Time outs are great, but you have to be consistant.  I usually give time outs for at least 5 minutes (depending on why they are in time out).  If they start crying........ .they will stay in time out until they stop, even if it is an hour later.  It's kind of the same concept as crating. You don't want to let them out of it when they are crying, or they think crying will speed up their release.

Good luck.  Don't you just love those puppy years?.........lol.