Two very unruly young dogs - at my wits ends

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Eblana

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Two very unruly young dogs - at my wits ends
« on: February 16, 2015, 10:36 »
We recently adopted a 10 month old abused boxer 'Archie'.  When he came to us he had stitches from a pit bull attack, was very under weight and had an eye infection.  We have nursed him along and he is now up to full weight for his age size and everything has healed nicely but he has now developed a UT infection.  The next job is to have him neutered when the infection is cleared (he couldn't be done at the time of adoption due to him being underweight).  We already had a 14 month old German Shepherd mix and when the boxer arrived everything was great with the two of them.  They slept together and played with toys etc.  we could take them for walks and let them off the lead in the woods out behind our house when out walking.  I was able to take them to the plot with me as they stayed there with me.  All this has changed in the past two weeks or so,  they are now rough playing all the time with the female mounting the male and making him submit, they have my garden destroyed from rolling around the place all the time.  They are both now dragging really badly on their leads, when we let them off the leads they are running off and won't come back and are chasing and fighting with other dogs.  Yesterday I took them to the plot and they ran off and one of them grabbed a neighbours chicken which had gotten out of the coup (thankfully he only got some feathers and didn't do any more damage).  I am at my wits end as to what to do with them.  I put them in the car yesterday and ignored them and that seemed to work as they behaved themselves for the rest of the day.  I have the name of a trainer that the organisation that I got Archie the boxer from gave me but he won't do anything until Archie is neutered.  Has anyone any suggestions that I could try in the meantime.

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joyfull

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Re: Two very unruly young dogs - at my wits ends
« Reply #1 on: February 16, 2015, 12:42 »
sounds like they are behaving just like naughty teenagers and pushing boundaries just to see how far they can go and how you will react. Once Archie has been done hopefully things will settle down, however you will probably have to go back to the basics and start with their training all over again.
Staffies are softer than you think.

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LotuSeed

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Re: Two very unruly young dogs - at my wits ends
« Reply #2 on: February 16, 2015, 14:12 »
I would forgo letting them run off leash if they are in public areas and those that aren't enclosed. It might be a good idea to get them each a crate, so you have somewhere to give them a "time out" spot. The rough play may calm down once the boxer has been fixed.
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snow white

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Re: Two very unruly young dogs - at my wits ends
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2015, 10:27 »
As the others have posted.  Be firm.  Would you let your children behave that way?  Two young dogs together is not easy or fun.  So you need to be strict with them.  Get a length of chain and a ground screw and tie them to the ground.  Apart.  That is what I do on the allotment.  And a cage.  I have a small house and one cage.  Just putting one in the cage makes for a peaceful household.

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barley

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Re: Two very unruly young dogs - at my wits ends
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2015, 06:58 »
defiantly naughty adolescent's age  :wacko:

the police don't begin to  train dogs till there at least 18 months old as they are not mature enough before that

we have a rescue dog that was just like yours - I remember the day we got her and she jumped in the middle of our dinner table and grabbed food from under our noses !!!!
obviously she had not had any training - probably why she was abandoned and ended up in the rescue  :mad:

she is now 7 and is so calm and mellow you would never believe she was the same dog

its hard work but if you give them plenty of activities and lots of TLC you will be rewarded with loving well behaved dogs

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Eblana

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Re: Two very unruly young dogs - at my wits ends
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2015, 14:16 »
Thanks folks, I am a bit calmer now that the chicken incident is over.  My OH has done a lot of work with them this week as he will be going away with work for the month of March and was worried I wouldn't be able to cope with them.  With advice from the vet and others he has managed to teach the two of them to sit on demand which helps a bit as it stops them misbehaving.  The shepherd has actually even learnt to lie down but she is that bit older.  I have also spent most of the week out in the garden with them and have them a little calmer out there.  They are now pottering in and out of the garden and we only have one episode of rough play a day when they get up in the morning to go out to the toilet but from Monday onwards I will be going out for that time with them as well.  We are now walking them separately and they stay on the lead,  we will only try joint walks when Archie has been neutered and my husband is back towards the end of March.

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barley

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Re: Two very unruly young dogs - at my wits ends
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2015, 21:36 »
I find using a harness better than a collar and lead Eblana - you have much more control

this is the rescue my dogs came from http://forum.fourpawsanimalrescue.org.uk/index.php?board=91.0

this forum page offers lots of advice on behavioural issues - might be helpful

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Beekissed

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Re: Two very unruly young dogs - at my wits ends
« Reply #7 on: February 21, 2015, 01:22 »
Dogs are a lot like kids.  They need a lot of structured exercise, definite boundaries, and a job to do and they settle right down and seem much the more happy for it all.  I'd never let them walk in front of me and I'd work on basic obedience of come, sit, stay, and down for each dog, each and every day.  Repetition is key.  I'd also make them learn to wait calmly for feeding, wait in a calm manner before walks, or car rides and even before getting out of the car. 

And I'd also correct for excessive rough housing and domination type play.  Take all the decision making out of their paws and let them know when and how play is to be conducted.  Just like with kids.

Cesar Milan has a lot of good methods for these things and they actually work well, if you can get a chance to view old seasons of his show, Dog Whisperer.



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