Need advice about Turbo..
By katsmeow1213
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
United States
April 27, 2013 8:44pm CST
Okay, I need some help with this.
Turbo is thus far a great dog. He appears to be housebroken, he hasn't had any accidents in the house except for 1 when he first arrived. He completely ignores the cats, and loves to lounge on the sofa with the kids.
When we get him outside he turns into a completely different dog. If we take him for a walk he's okay.. but if we just go sit outside he's a mess!
He yelps, whines, and whimpers and wants to go run after the kids. If I take him over to the kid he'll jump up on him, knocking the child down, and will start to snap at him, like a playful bite.
We couldn't figure out why he was doing this.. we thought maybe he was worried the kids would leave him, maybe he wanted to play, or maybe he just wants them close to him.
Hubby and I decided to have a fire tonight. All the kids were inside, so we brought the dog out to sit with us. We hoped for a calm, peaceful evening of watching the fire with the dog lying or sitting outside.
But the dog got playful with hubby, jumping on him and biting him!
Hubby tried to get him to stop. He yelled "Ouch" really loud, and tried to ignore the dog, but the dog kept jumping up on him. He tried to get the dog to sit and calm down but it wouldn't. He kept trying for about 10 minutes, but the dog wouldn't stop.
So we brought the dog back inside where he immediately calmed down and 5 minutes later fell asleep on the sofa!
He did not hurt hubby when he was biting him. He did growl a bit, and I got nervous, but I think he was only trying to play. My guess is his previous owner probably played with him like this.. rough housing with him.. because even if hubby pushed the dog off, the dog kept going back and getting more playful and jumping higher.
So we think the yelping and trying to get to the kids is the dog just wanting to play with them.. and in a rough way!
So now I'm not sure what to do. I want to discourage this type of playing! He could hurt my kids by doing this!
I need some advice.
Does he need more exercise to get him to stay more calm?
Should I just not bring him outside at all except to use the potty? He really doesn't do this inside the house at all. He's pretty much fine inside. The kids would like to play with him outside, but I can't let them do that if he's going to behave this way.. I can't risk my kids getting hurt.
I don't want to return the dog to the shelter (I have 10 days to do so if I choose) I'd rather find an alternative.. like a way to break this habit of his or something.
What should we do when he gets playing like this?
Help, please!
PS I am going to look into obedience training at a local pet store.. but I can't afford to start that for at least a week (adopting the dog and buying essential supplies for him took all our available money until next payday!).
2 people like this
6 responses
@thinkingoutloud (6127)
• Canada
28 Apr 13
It sounds like Turbo was being trained to know that "play time" is outdoors and "quiet time" is indoors. That's not a bad thing, really, but he's a fairly big dog so I totally understand your concerns about him knocking down one of your children. The key to a lot of dog behavior is exercise... and I think Turbo is going to need a LOT of it. Do you have a lot of space for him in your yard or is there a park or open field near you? My off-the-top-of-my-head suggestion is that you train him to fetch a ball or some other toy... play frisbee with him, whatever he seems to respond to best. Have you seen the ball launchers that look like this?
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=10928010
They allow you to throw a ball much farther than most people are capable of and it means the dog is getting that much more exercise / running. I think if you were to take Turbo out and have him run and fetch until he seems ready to end the play, he'll be really calm around the family. He's going to be tired and will want to sit or lay quietly, like you were hoping he would do by the fire.
Alternately, if you aren't comfortable with him running longer distances for fetching like that, you can walk him farther... at least an hour at a time, maybe more, depending on Turbo's needs. Either that or he could go for more frequent walks... depending on what works for your family.
@thinkingoutloud (6127)
• Canada
28 Apr 13
That's great that you're working him out as much as possible. It's really going to help. He's a young dog, right? I think I remember you posting that he's 6 months old? Wearing him out is the one thing that's pretty much guaranteed to keep him calm... of course, you guys will be worn out too LOL but everyone adjusts to it. 
I've done something similar to what you are doing with my older dog. He has a habit of wanting to "soothe" himself by gumming... usually on my pant legs 
He's like a baby with a pacifier, honestly. He gums my clothing until he is calm and falls asleep. Obviously, I don't appreciate wet pant legs and I don't want to take the chance of him actually chewing into my clothes (he never leaves holes... he just gums). I redirect him with a bone or toy or whatever is nearby that is appropriate for him. If that doesn't work and he still tries to get at my clothes, I get up and walk away. Also, if we are playing with toys and he gets overly excited, I put the toy down and tell him "no more" and I walk away. Consistency is your best friend, for sure, when you're training. They "get" the process with a bit of time.
My little one that I've just had since March... she's excitable about treats. She is so anxious to get her cookie or whatever that she'll try to hop up and grab it from my hand. She responds to the sit command just fine but it's like she just can't wait. So, I've started putting the treat in my closed fist and putting my hand below her mouth, while she remains sitting, and when I open my hand she takes the treat without grabbing. If she jumps for my closed hand, I tell her no and start the process again. She doesn't get anything until she stays seated for it.
The other way that I see the "ignore" working is when I get home from being away from the house for awhile. The dogs go nuts when they see me in the driveway so, when I come into the house, I don't speak to them or even look at them at all. I go and put my purse down, hang up my jacket, whatever I need to do and only when they stop being excited do I greet them or pet them. It really stops the jumping.
I think you'll do well with Turbo because it sounds like the whole family is on the same page with how to handle him. That's exactly what you need.
I've done something similar to what you are doing with my older dog. He has a habit of wanting to "soothe" himself by gumming... usually on my pant legs He's like a baby with a pacifier, honestly. He gums my clothing until he is calm and falls asleep. Obviously, I don't appreciate wet pant legs and I don't want to take the chance of him actually chewing into my clothes (he never leaves holes... he just gums). I redirect him with a bone or toy or whatever is nearby that is appropriate for him. If that doesn't work and he still tries to get at my clothes, I get up and walk away. Also, if we are playing with toys and he gets overly excited, I put the toy down and tell him "no more" and I walk away. Consistency is your best friend, for sure, when you're training. They "get" the process with a bit of time.
My little one that I've just had since March... she's excitable about treats. She is so anxious to get her cookie or whatever that she'll try to hop up and grab it from my hand. She responds to the sit command just fine but it's like she just can't wait. So, I've started putting the treat in my closed fist and putting my hand below her mouth, while she remains sitting, and when I open my hand she takes the treat without grabbing. If she jumps for my closed hand, I tell her no and start the process again. She doesn't get anything until she stays seated for it.
The other way that I see the "ignore" working is when I get home from being away from the house for awhile. The dogs go nuts when they see me in the driveway so, when I come into the house, I don't speak to them or even look at them at all. I go and put my purse down, hang up my jacket, whatever I need to do and only when they stop being excited do I greet them or pet them. It really stops the jumping.
I think you'll do well with Turbo because it sounds like the whole family is on the same page with how to handle him. That's exactly what you need.@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
28 Apr 13
We have a nice sized yard, but it's not fenced in yet. I want to buy a dog run so he has the freedom to run around the majority of the yard.. but until I can trust him not to topple over the kids I'm not just going to put him out there to play. Right now we just bring him out on a leash.
He's been getting tons of exercise.. the kids like taking him out for walks, and hubby will take him up and down the road a few times a day.
Today we took him to a park where there was a baseball field within a closed fence, and we tossed a ball for him. We wore him out doing this.
Just now we got him playing with a chew toy and goofed around with him.. kind of giving him an opportunity to snap at us to see if he would. More or less he went for the toy but a couple times he went for a hand. As soon as he did we'd stop playing for a few moments and took the toy away so that he'd learn he doesn't get to continue playing if he goes for a hand! I've read this is a great way to train them.
We're going to continue to do this sort of thing and see how it goes from there.
1 person likes this
@frankiecesca (2489)
•
28 Apr 13
Hmmm, quite a difficult one as like you say, first of all, you don't know his past and how his last owner was with him however, the best advice I could give, is to have lots of will power in keeping up witht he training method you choose. Sometimes it feels liek you are getting nowhere but, by sticking with it, hopefully it will get results.
I would maybe try doing what your husband first tried and when he starts to try and jump and play, give a firm 'No' command and then ignore him with your arms folded until he stops jumping, then praise him, usually in a high pitched voiced. If he thens starts jumping again, repeat the first step. Soon he will start to realise that by jumping up and nipping, he isn't getting attention.
I know it will be even more difficult as I guess the children will want to play with him but, in the long run this will hopefully help and the classes are a definate good idea!
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
28 Apr 13
I did some research and a lot of it says ignoring the dog when he's behaving badly is a great teacher because the dog really wants attention!
So we've decided hubby and I will test him a few times each day.. bring him out and get him wanting to "play" with us, and as soon as he starts biting we'll stop playing. Once he starts to realize he can't bite us if he wants to keep playing, we'll try getting the kids to "play" with him and do the same thing.
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
28 Apr 13
I am reading that is the best idea.. turn your back when he jumps, or give him a time out. We are going to try that and pray it works. Hopefully since he's still so young he'll get the hang of it quick and won't continue this habit!
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
28 Apr 13
It would be interesting to know his history more but it does look like he wqas socialized that way. I do hope that hou get soem good suggestions. All I can think of is the newspaper thingie
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
28 Apr 13
He's really a good dog other than this one problem.. so I'm really hoping we can find a way to make it stop!
@inu1711 (5285)
• Romania
28 Apr 13
It seems you know both the reason he does that, and the key to break the bad habit.
Of course he needs human attention, that's why he acts like that! His previous owner was playing with him outside, and he wants you to do the same with you, guys. So, instead of pushing him off constantly, you should better spend 15 minutes to play with him when you take him outside.
If you don't like the way he plays (you should understand him - he knows only to play like that, he can't just change it over the night) you should establish the new rules of playing. Take a ball and make him fetch it. Get a rope kind of toy and play tug-of-war with it. Or even throw some sticks for him to fetch and chew. I am sure you'll find a game you both enjoy. You owe this to him because he's a good dog inside and on the walks. You are so lucky he acts calmly inside and he walks without pulling! You need to give him something in exchange: a few minutes of attention. This is not much for you, but for him, this may make a difference.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
28 Apr 13
He pulls a little when we walk, mostly when we get closer to the house and he wants to go in to be with the kids :D
@MakingCents (743)
•
28 Apr 13
Consistency is the key. If he jumps and bites tell him 'off' and then you can even put him in a time-out per say. BUT before that, you need to teach him basic obedience commands. Sit, down, stay... those are the main one's. He should be able to do that anytime, anywhere, when either of you tell him.
Once that's mastered, if he jumps and bites you tell him "Turbo OFF, go lay down." and he has a designated area he can go to lay down. Likewise, if he does that you should positively re-inforce him with a treat or praise. Then, once he's got that part down, periodically reinforce him for good behavior outside. For instance, if the kids are running and he is running with them, and he doesn't jump, throw him a treat. Etc.
Sounds like he does need some basic obedience training though.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
28 Apr 13
Yes, well, he's a 6 month old puppy..
He sits half of the times you tell him to.. but not when he's so excited! Hubby is working with him on some other basic commands.
