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    jandtspencer's Avatar
    jandtspencer Posts: 58, Reputation: 5
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    #1

    Apr 15, 2009, 10:43 AM
    Do dogs go through a "terrible twos"phase?
    Please help me! I have had my pom for 2 weeks now and he is 7 weeks old. The first week and a half he was a gentle laid back dog who barely made a whimper. Now that he has gotten used to the family he is a lot more playful and animated which was cute at first. Now his teeth are coming in more and he is biting everything, even though he has 6 or 7 toys now and putting the toys in his mouth instead of what he is chewing on has not worked, he then goes to biting fingers, toes, whatever. He is alo peeing and pooping everywhere! I have newspaper laid out and sometimes he will go on it but most of the time it's the floor. And when I try to put him back on the paper or stop him from going on the carpet and carry him to the paper he throws a fit and starts wriggleing and biting and snapping at my hands. Then he starts to run off as fast as he can to keep me from getting him and putting him back on the paper. He also gets a little rough when playing and begins to growl at the kids and me and snap in a nonplayful way. I know the person I got him from gave him away too early(at 6 weeks) but I didn't know anything about that until after I got him - about the socializtion he needed from his siblings. What can I do?
    shazamataz's Avatar
    shazamataz Posts: 6,642, Reputation: 1244
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    #2

    Apr 15, 2009, 11:08 AM
    Simply... yes

    7 weeks is very young, puppies aren't actually allowed to be separated from their mother until they are 8 weekd old. I meant to ask you this in your other post but how did you acquire a 5 week old puppy?

    While you can start toilet training a puppy this young you probably won't see a result for a while, it's like toilet training a toddler, you have to wait until they are ready.

    With the biting, when he nips at you just put him down say 'no' in a firm tone and give him a toy, he will eventually learn that biting you is bad and biting toy is good :)

    They have a 'terrible twos' faze when they are teething as well so remember to leave out a lot of rubbery toys unless you don't like your furniture.
    AngGlas's Avatar
    AngGlas Posts: 15, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Apr 15, 2009, 11:17 AM

    I read somewhere that when you are paper training or pad training a puppy, right next to the paper or pad is just as good in their mind. I started my 7wk old puppy with pads, then after three days and some accidents I started her outside. She has taken to this pretty well. Also when Abby bites I say "no bite" and ignore her for a while. She is happy when I return and gets that biting mean Mommy will not play with her.
    shazamataz's Avatar
    shazamataz Posts: 6,642, Reputation: 1244
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    #4

    Apr 15, 2009, 11:19 AM
    All dogs react differently to puppy pads... my mum had a male poodle that thought that as long as his front paws were on it that meant he was OK and wee'd just before the pad.
    Some dogs find straight outside training easier but unless you are prepared to rush your dog outside every time it has an accident and give it enough outside access it can be hard on the owner.
    jandtspencer's Avatar
    jandtspencer Posts: 58, Reputation: 5
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    #5

    Apr 15, 2009, 04:08 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by shazamataz View Post
    Simply.... yes

    7 weeks is very young, puppies aren't actually allowed to be separated from their mother until they are 8 weekd old. I meant to ask you this in your other post but how did you aquire a 5 week old puppy?

    While you can start toilet training a puppy this young you probably won't see a result for a while, it's like toilet training a toddler, you have to wait until they are ready.

    With the biting, when he nips at you just put him down say 'no' in a firm tone and give him a toy, he will eventually learn that biting you is bad and biting toy is good :)

    They have a 'terrible twos' faze when they are teething as well so remember to leave out a lot of rubbery toys unless you don't like your furniture.
    The pup was a gift to me by my husband's uncle. He has lots of poms and I have heard the quote "backyard breeder". No papers but I know he's definitely a pom.. I have always liked them and my husband's grandma gave me hers a few years before she died who I took care of for 3 or 4 years and I fell in love with the breed. Can't deny he's a pom from my pics. He's 7 weeks old now. I didn't know you were supposed to wait longer to get puppies, honest. I just told him I wanted one out of the next litter and he called one day and said come get it. Seeing as how he "breeds" them I figured he knew what he was doing even though I thought 6 weeks (when I got him) was young. But come to find out there's lots he or I didn't know. For instance he told me to only feed it pedigree and myself, I didn't know a darn thing about dogfood but could remember seeing pedigree commercials and thought, okay I can do that and it's cheap too. Oh yeah! Boy did I find out why it's so cheap a few days ago and today I went to the pet store and bought 2 cans of the wellness can dogfood and threw all the pedigree I had away. My dog loves the wellness brand and I can already tell a few differences. The ingrediants are all natural and stuff that I would eat like carrots, rosemary, chicken and chicken broth, etc. no meat by-product, cornmeal filler, etc. the pup goes to the vet next Monday for a check up, shots, worming, etc. so don't worry, I think I can keep him alive till then lol:D. I was worried at first. He was almost lethargic when I first got him, not like he is now - like a tazmanian devil from hell. I gave him a dose of ridworm liquid dewormer in the first week and the results were horrific! Let me tell you, I had trouble sleeping a few nights - the pup was infested!! Not eating, etc. since then he has been like a different pup. He's always hyper, biting at everything and following everyone around the house - it's so cute. He comes to his name already and yes, housetraining is a JOKE. He is running away from me now and biting at my hands. Some days are trying to say the least. This is the first technical puppy I have ever had and it's a lot harder that I thought it would be, but I can do it. So thanks for all your help, I'm sure I'll need more soon!
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    shazamataz's Avatar
    shazamataz Posts: 6,642, Reputation: 1244
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    #6

    Apr 16, 2009, 01:10 AM

    He is definitely a pom! He's so adorable!
    Sounds like you doing all the right things and you have done your research very well. I am not familiar with wellness brand dog food but as long as you are happy with the ingredients and it is nutritious then go with it :)

    Yeah, backyard breeders don't worry about much other than making money.

    Had to laugh at the Tasmanian devil part because I'm from Tasmania hehe :) Yeah puppies can be a handful but once they grow up you will miss all the puppy playfulness... and evilness! And puppy breath.. oh how I love puppy breath!

    If you ever need any help or general tips don't be afraid to ask!
    simoneaugie's Avatar
    simoneaugie Posts: 2,490, Reputation: 438
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    #7

    Apr 16, 2009, 03:38 AM

    He is such a cutie! It must be like my Chihuahua puppy. Small dogs are often too smart for their own good. They are sometimes so cute and easy to pick up that they aren't trained well. A mistake we owners can easily make is to pet (reward) a dog when it jumps up, putting it's paws on us. You wouldn't allow a Great Dane to do that, Poms are dogs too.

    I put mine in the bathroom, he peed all over. So I papered the entire floor. Removing sections of paper has taken several months, but now he mostly uses the paper, in the one spot. My puppy had run of the living room... Not good! He loves to poop on the carpet.

    So, we put up a baby gate. Only a small part of the carpet is available to him and he quit pooping on it. Now, when he is in the living room, he is constantly supervised. No accidents.

    He got snarky and snapped and growled too. A friend of mine who trains dogs, showed me to put him on his back when he does that. A dog on his back is submissive. You, who put him in that position are now in charge. Putting a 2-3 pound pup in his place, submissive to you can be emotionally hard, especially when he's just playing.

    Roughousing and allowing him to bite teaches him that it is acceptable to do so. You must show him what is okay and what isn't by "speaking dog." An older dog will growl and gently knock him down. Sometimes the lesson needs to be repeated over and over.

    If he is running away from you when you try to put him on the paper, limit how far he can run. My Chihuahua is both fast and smart, cornering him is often necessary. Treats or petting can be used to let him know that your approach is positive and not always corrective.

    Give us an update sometime. Best of luck.
    shazamataz's Avatar
    shazamataz Posts: 6,642, Reputation: 1244
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    #8

    Apr 16, 2009, 04:40 AM

    I agree with all of that Simone, except for putting a dog on it's back when they growl at you, I have never used this method and none of my dogs show any sort of aggression. But that is just personal preference with training.
    MsCanFix's Avatar
    MsCanFix Posts: 62, Reputation: 3
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    #9

    Apr 16, 2009, 07:54 AM
    Awwww, he's such a wittle baby... too cute. He's really just a baby, should still be with his mother at 7weeks so patience in this instance will be the best advice I could ever give! Staying with their mother is not just only for nutritional reasons but also for the start of the pets socialization skills. Just like babies there has to be time for brain development to process the discipline. Stay consistent with the discipline and keep the routine as pets respond with consistent routine. Good luck with your new addition!
    jandtspencer's Avatar
    jandtspencer Posts: 58, Reputation: 5
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    #10

    Apr 16, 2009, 09:29 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by shazamataz View Post
    He is definately a pom! He's so adorable!
    Sounds like you doing all the right things and you have done your research very well. I am not familiar with wellness brand dog food but as long as you are happy with the ingredients and it is nutritious then go with it :)

    Yeah, backyard breeders don't worry about much other than making money.

    Had to laugh at the Tasmanian devil part because i'm from Tasmania hehe :) Yeah puppies can be a handful but once they grow up you will miss all the puppy playfulness... and evilness! And puppy breath.. oh how I love puppy breath!

    If you ever need any help or general tips don't be afraid to ask!
    Thanks to everyone on the compliments! I think he's pretty cute myself but I may be a liitle biased. All the advice was good. I tried the putting the puppy in a submissive state already because of all the Dog Whisperer shows I have watched and let me tell you it did not work! And I won't be trying it again, it only made him madder and he did not calm down, only got worse! It must be the breed or something, I don't know. He is very cocky already and he is trying to run the house and evreyone in it! I have adjusted a few things already though. I have blocked off the living room so he can hang out with me during the day and not be where I can't see him - I was letting him run all over but then he got to where he would not come back to me and started running away when I went after him! He didn't like it at first and sat at the baby gate and barked but now he is okay with it. When I leave the room he starts to whine! He likes to be around his family and doesn't like to be alone, it's really cute! When he sees you coming back his tiny tail just wags and wags! As far as dicipline I thought back to the way my husbands grandmother trained her pom - with a flyswatter! I don't mean wacking the crap out of him, but he got aggressive the other day and wouldn't listen to just "no" so I grabbed the flyswatter and popped him gently on the butt and said "no" in a firm voice and he stopped right away. Now he can see me go for the flyswatter and stop whatever it is that I told him "no" about - which is usually growling and biting too hard with me and the kids. Persistence and routine are definitely key to raising a small pup and we have got a routine down now. I feed at around 6am, 12pm and 8pm about 2 tablespoons morning and afternoon and 1 table spoon at bedtime, then he goes to the laundry room to sleep at around 9 or 10pm. Last night he slept from 10pm to 6am for the first time without waking up hungry! That new dogfood has already made a difference!. here's a list of ingrediants and I got it at a local pet store, about $2 a can but worth it, check it out...
    Chicken, chicken broth, salmon(natural source of DHA for brain development), ground barley, sweet potatoes, carrots, ground flaxseed, canola oil, dried apple, dried pear, dried banana and the rest are all vitamins and minerals - no junk whatsoever and the difference in max already is amazing. Who knew you could get so educated on dog food?! Thanks again and I'm sure I will need your advice again soon!
    jandtspencer's Avatar
    jandtspencer Posts: 58, Reputation: 5
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    #11

    Apr 16, 2009, 09:31 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by simoneaugie View Post
    He is such a cutie! It must be like my Chihuahua puppy. Small dogs are often too smart for their own good. They are sometimes so cute and easy to pick up that they aren't trained well. A mistake we owners can easily make is to pet (reward) a dog when it jumps up, putting it's paws on us. You wouldn't allow a Great Dane to do that, Poms are dogs too.

    I put mine in the bathroom, he peed all over. So I papered the entire floor. Removing sections of paper has taken several months, but now he mostly uses the paper, in the one spot. My puppy had run of the living room...Not good! He loves to poop on the carpet.

    So, we put up a baby gate. Only a small part of the carpet is available to him and he quit pooping on it. Now, when he is in the living room, he is constantly supervised. No accidents.

    He got snarky and snapped and growled too. A friend of mine who trains dogs, showed me to put him on his back when he does that. A dog on his back is submissive. You, who put him in that position are now in charge. Putting a 2-3 pound pup in his place, submissive to you can be emotionally hard, especially when he's just playing.

    Roughousing and allowing him to bite teaches him that it is acceptable to do so. You must show him what is okay and what isn't by "speaking dog." An older dog will growl and gently knock him down. Sometimes the lesson needs to be repeated over and over.

    If he is running away from you when you try to put him on the paper, limit how far he can run. My Chihuahua is both fast and smart, cornering him is often necessary. Treats or petting can be used to let him know that your approach is positive and not always corrective.

    Give us an update sometime. Best of luck.
    Thanks for all the good advice, I will keep it in mind and keep you posted!
    shazamataz's Avatar
    shazamataz Posts: 6,642, Reputation: 1244
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    #12

    Apr 16, 2009, 09:39 AM

    The dog food sounds very good, good choice ;)
    I'm glad he adjusted to being being the baby gate so quickly, my little ones took along time to adjust as I have a similar set up at my house.

    There has been discussion on here before about disciplining dogs with fly swatter and smacking them. Now... when I say this, I DO NOT want negative comments directed at me this is my training tactic and you don't have to like it.
    In general training I never smack my dogs, I only reward good behavior.
    But with bad habits such as barking at imaginary things, jumping on people or stealing food they get 2 harsh "NO"'s and I indicate what the correct behavior should be and if they don't get the hint they get a soft smack on the rump.

    I'd also like to add that my partner doesn't discipline our dogs I am the only one that does it and they could care less if he left the room but if I even go to the toilet I have them sitting outside the door crying for me.
    jandtspencer's Avatar
    jandtspencer Posts: 58, Reputation: 5
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    #13

    Apr 16, 2009, 09:55 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by shazamataz View Post
    The dog food sounds very good, good choice ;)
    I'm glad he adjusted to being being the baby gate so quickly, my little ones took along time to adjust as I have a similar set up at my house.

    There has been discussion on here before about disciplining dogs with fly swatter and smacking them. Now... when I say this, I DO NOT want negative comments directed at me this is my training tactic and you don't have to like it.
    In general training I never smack my dogs, I only reward good behavior.
    But with bad habits such as barking at imaginary things, jumping on people or stealing food they get 2 harsh "NO"'s and I indicate what the correct behavior should be and if they don't get the hint they get a soft smack on the rump.

    I'd also like to add that my partner doesn't discipline our dogs I am the only one that does it and they could care less if he left the room but if I even go to the toilet I have them sitting outside the door crying for me.
    I hear you! My pup is under my feet at all times. When the kids come home he wants to play and he is sooooo good with them and vice versa and when my husband comes home from work he wants to play and he follows him around a little but he's not like he is with me. It reminds you of when your kids were small and you felt like you were always stepping on them, you know?! It just becomes natural to look down at your feet before you take a step lol:) I think your way of dicipline sounds good but I'm afarid to pop my pup on the backside with my hand because he is so small. With the fly swat I can control how hard I pop him and it's very lightweight so I know I'm not popping him too hard, just enough to get the point across. I wasn't going to "spank" him at all because he is so small and cute but I soon realized I had to do something because he was running the house at 7 weeks lol!! I still use the firm "no's" and don't always have to get the fly swat, it's just persistence, persistence, persistence. Please don't mistake me for an abusive pet owner - I promise you I'm not! I've never even spanked my kids! They may have had 2 or 3 spankings their whole life and they came from my husband! I am just not wired that way and feel with them talking, time-out and taking privilages away work better than physical punishment. It's even harder to dicipline my new pup because of his size and his cute little face. Man, oh man is he going to rule me or what? I read somewhere that poms are smart enough o be manipulative by a certain age with their owners, have you ever heard that? Any interesting facts about the pom breed you might want to share?
    simoneaugie's Avatar
    simoneaugie Posts: 2,490, Reputation: 438
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    #14

    Apr 16, 2009, 04:49 PM

    My pup growled when I put him on his back at first. Now he rolls over when I say no. They are such quick learners. If the flyswatter works, and you don't hit but tap, good. My parrots quit yelling at me now, as soon as I put my hand on the squirt bottle. Have you tried a squirt bottle? Some dogs like water so much that it isn't effective. With others, it's a painless way to put an exclamation point on the word "no."

    Yes, I saw the dog whisperer handle a biting, growling Chihuahua with the on-the-back method. He pushed the little dog down with a hand on its neck. Your Pom may respond better to other methods.

    Just try not to reward unwanted behavior.

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