Chug Problem

[tasha095]

Hi Everyone,

I have a problem with my Chug (Chihuahua X Pug), Nala. She is 12 weeks old and seems to be the naughtiest, active and a little bit mischiviuos.
We have taught her to sit and where wee wees and poos go when the garden door is closed, and she does that no problem, but everything else needed for now we cannot get her to do:
she wont sleep at night unless someone is in the room, and this isnt just at night this is during the day too.
if you are out the house, she will sleep, but when she knows there is someone else in the house, she wont.
she goes for the cats food (we have a 3 year old cat who has never harmed her and hasnt even harmed a fly - one of those careless, lazy, adorable cats who dont even scratch) even when the cat is eating (will stand there face to face and look), then the cat goes and she goes for the food.
she is forever hungry. even after a meal.
she wont drop or leave it when asked to do so, even with a treat...she would rather eat your shoe (which she has mine - heel and the back), mouth on someones finger (even though she has 9 teething toys)...when you say "ouch" she looks and then carries on still with the finger there. "eek" doesnt work either.
she sometimes goes mental and runs around the house without stopping like as if she is being chased by horses.
i am going out of my mind...as much as she brings me stress i wouldnt swap her for anything or anyone, she is loveable when she wants to be but at other times she can be a nightmare.
we have had her for 3 weeks and may be its too soon to try new things with her, but sticking to the same method for a week (around 20 times a day with treats) doesnt work.

if you have any suggestions...

Tasha

[Aidan]

Nala is a COMPLETELY normal puppy. Actually, probably a little bit better than normal

You won't stop her going her for the cat food. I mean, you could, but it would hardly be worth the effort considering the alternative of moving the cat food either somewhere out of reach or into another room that Nala doesn't have access to. In our last house we'd simply put the cat food on top of the washing machine in the laundry.

The nipping has been addressed several times on this forum recently. Again, normal behaviour, normal response to your squeals despite what the gurus reckon. It's better to simply withdraw your attention completely, so that biting isn't fun anymore.

[leigh]

my dogs BOTH love the cat food. My cat now has her own bedroom, with her own rocking chair, cat scratcher, toys, and FOOD! There's a baby gate separating the dogs from her room, and it's her little safe haven. If we couldn't do this - we would simply put the cat's food up higher where the dogs can't get it (dogs can get on the washing machine!!!!!!!!!! ha)

regarding nipping - every time my pup would chew on figers, or anything she wasn't supposed to, I would clap my hands (not loud to scare her, but just to startle her), and say "NO" and IMMEDIATELY pass her one of her toys that she was allowed to play with, and then when she'd start chewing that I would praise her. It worked! She has never bitten ANYONE, she stopped chewing things quickly, and I didn't lose any pairs of shoes, carpets! (however she did like to chew wood, so I just removed my hat stand and coffee table from the rooms until she was old enough and didn't chew anymore)

Regarding leave it, and drop etc - my pup went to puppy school - have you taken yours to classes? She learnt how to sit in 10 minutes, drop in 10 minutes, leave it in about 20 minutes. Have you actually taught her how to drop, and leave it?

I like Victoria's method of leave it much better than my puppy school - Victoria holds the food in her hand, hidden and lets the dog smell it, and lick her hand, wanting the food. She says "leave it" until the dog stops showing interest in the food hidden in her hand - and then she IMMEDIATELY gives the dog the food, along with praise. (at puppy school they taught us to gently tap the dogs nose while saying 'leave it' - while this worked, it wasn't as nice as Victoria's way, which DOES WORK! I taught my 4 year old to leave it in 15 minutes the other nite)

With "drop" i have only ever used treat training (not yet done any clicker training, but will be soon!) - and I taught my pup drop when she was 10 weeks old - she got it in 10 minutes, and it was easy as pie to phase out the treats and just use verbal and hand commands, coz she was so young.

Also, 20 times a day with treats is probably too much. Try it two or three times a day, for only 10 minutes at a time.... and make sure you inclue play time in the training. Dogs have a short attention span, especially puppies!!!

She's going to drive you insane for a LOT longer to come!!!! Mine STILL does, and I don't know if I'd ever get a puppy again! LOL But they are worth their weight in gold, and you'll never get these days back again - enjoy her babyhood while you can!!!

xo