The Basics Done Right

[SEVEN_PETS]

hello. welcome to the forum.

Toilet training-wise, the pup should get outdoors, preferably to a patch of grass every hour, after play, after waking up, after eating, and before he goes to sleep at night. So many times throughout the day.

Mouthing: There are many techniques to try. Being a staffy, yelping may make him more excited so ignoring him when he mouths is probably best. If he mouths, take your hand from his mouth (prise his mouth open if you have to), and walk away. Mouthing = end of play and no attention.

Food: Hills isn't a good food. Depending on whether you want to feed dry or wet, there are a few excellent foods. Look at these two threads:

The Dry Dog Food Index

The Wet Dog Food Index

[Loaf]

Originally Posted by drenco

Hi i have recently well today really picked a Pure White Staff he is 16 weeks old, im really after he best advice on toilet training as im on the 1st floor flat, Mouthing as he's doing this alot with his Sharp needle teeth, which food is best etc ive heard that Hills Science Plan is the best, ive read a few articles on the net but some of it is conflicting so i appreciate some advice, just want to get it right really, thx

With mine i never let him put his teeth on my hands or any other apendage.

With the house training its all down to you. Keep an eye out for him sniffing the floor. Take him out about 5-10 minutes after eating/drinking. I was taking achilles out up to 15 times a day at the start.

Reward him when he does go outside.

[drenco]

update ive after only 2 days managed to get him 85% of the time going to the toilet in the designated area by the front door on newspaper, instead of all over the Flat, he also manages about 90% of the time to go to a number 1 & 2 when i take him out for a walk, problem im really having though is this Mouthing of his teeth DAMMMMMMMMMM they are sharp and he's not really applying lots of pressure but he just doesn't really stop, coming to greet me most of the time involves this mouthing, now i consider myself pretty good at following instructions and can be consistent and firm when needed but when i try eg the OUCH technic he just seems to get more hyper/excited, so i switched to the STRONG NO techinic but he just keeps coming back again, i know its only been 2 days just my thoughts really

[Sled dog hotel]

Originally Posted by drenco

update ive after only 2 days managed to get him 85% of the time going to the toilet in the designated area by the front door on newspaper, instead of all over the Flat, he also manages about 90% of the time to go to a number 1 & 2 when i take him out for a walk, problem im really having though is this Mouthing of his teeth DAMMMMMMMMMM they are sharp and he's not really applying lots of pressure but he just doesn't really stop, coming to greet me most of the time involves this mouthing, now i consider myself pretty good at following instructions and can be consistent and firm when needed but when i try eg the OUCH technic he just seems to get more hyper/excited, so i switched to the STRONG NO techinic but he just keeps coming back again, i know its only been 2 days just my thoughts really

The yelp or ouch tecnqiue doesnt always work, its dependent on how well he learnt bite inhibition in the litter. If he didnt then it wont work, some dogs it can in fact hype them up and make them do it more, so abandon that one.

There are several things you can try. Sometimes if they get attention of any sort when they do it, even if its verbal, eye contact anything, rewards the behaviour as a lot of the time its for attention and to instigate play, mouthing biting and jumping on each other is part of play in the litter.

Try folding your arms and turning your back on him, as your turning away say off, keep turned away and totally ignore him until he stops calms down and stays that way, you can even just walk off when you turn away and leave him to it for a couple of minutes. Then call him to you, make him sit and then praise for the calm behaviour and the sitting and give a treat. Some times you need to keep doing it, but you need to be consistent and you must not give attention until his stopped calmed down and stayed that way.

If any time he is still persistent and carrys on, take him out into another room and leave him to calm down, after a minute or two, let him out, but still ignore him completely, then if he stays calm and still stops it, then the calling to you, get him to sit praise and treat.

You can also to teach him so you control his mouthing too, By having a soft toy or ragger and invite him to play. If he starts to bite too hard or the teeth touch skin even in an accident, you cease the game and put it away and ignore him.. When he is calm for a minute and stayed like it, commence game, he plays in a controlled way doesnt bite too hard you play. Bites too hard or touches you or gets too over excited game ceases again. Always though you decide finally when the game ends what ever he is doing, toy goes away, he gets ignored to let him know end of game, then get him to sit, praise and treat.

Getting him to sit before he gets anything whether it be his food, attention a game whatever, also stops jumping up too, and over excitement, done all the time for everything, it soon becomes a conditioned response, when he wants something rather then throwing himself at you and mouthing when he wants anything or to get your attention.

I would also start doing a couple of 10/15 minute training sessions a day with him too, teaching him the basics start with a couple like a sit and wait, then add new ones as he gets them and goes along.

[drenco]

A few things just out of interest is it normal that the puppy gets the hump and goes to his basket when your telling them NO all of the time for various things, sort of look like they having a little sulk etc also as mentioned earlier im toilet training him right now in a flat to do it at the front door on the Newspaper and most of the time he goes on their or outdoors no problem and gets praised etc each and everytime and when he now goes in a different NON designated place he runs off to his basket ALMOST like he now knows he's done it in the wrong place and sort of like he's testing the waters (because when he does it on the newspaper he doesn't run off and when he originally came into the property and just one it anywhere & everywhere he never run off), is that about right what im thinking etc ?

[Sled dog hotel]

Originally Posted by drenco

A few things just out of interest is it normal that the puppy gets the hump and goes to his basket when your telling them NO all of the time for various things, sort of look like they having a little sulk etc also as mentioned earlier im toilet training him right now in a flat to do it at the front door on the Newspaper and most of the time he goes on their or outdoors no problem and gets praised etc each and everytime and when he now goes in a different NON designated place he runs off to his basket ALMOST like he now knows he's done it in the wrong place and sort of like he's testing the waters (because when he does it on the newspaper he doesn't run off and when he originally came into the property and just one it anywhere & everywhere he never run off), is that about right what im thinking etc ?

How old was he when you got him, and were you his first home? Might be getting you mixed up have answered so many posts lately, but is he the 16 week old when you got him? If you havent taught him to go to his basket, is it possible he was taught before by someone, a lot of people send the dog to their bed when they are naughty. So could he have been pre-taught that?
If they used a loud No and then made him go to bed as a "punishment" and if you have only just recently started using No and it co-incided with him doing it then maybe possible. He associates No as the command for Bed, or thats what he has to do.

What would be worrying me more in all honesty is your description of a "Little sulk" Dogs dont really actually sulk. Are you sure its not more of a worried, submissive look and body language. If you havent taught him to go to his bed,
but he loves his bed and he is happy in there and sees it as a place of security, then Im wondering if he is doing it if/when stressed and uncertain ie running to a place he feels of safety. Telling dogs off for accidents can make some nervous about going in front of you and nervous about going or getting it wrong. They can also go through fear periods in the first few months that pass but whilst they are going through them, they can get very nervous and react to things like raised voices even.
I know somethimes we are not aware that we are projecting anger or dissaproval in our body language and voices but we can, a dog will pick up on it also.

[drenco]

Yeah i rescued him he was found wandering the Streets by the Police and nobody claimed him they (Dog Warden & Kennel Master) reckon he's about 16 weeks and has not had any training via human or dog interaction and been alone for most of his life , yes i kinda have trained him as i dont allow him to come into the kitchen when he follows me ive been saying go and pointing to his bed in another room and he seems to of picked up what i mean enough of the time. You see he NEVER runs off to his basket when he does toilet on the newspaper now he's recently been doing this when he goes somewhere else, when he's gone to the toilet in the wrong place and run off i have to follow him and pick him up telling him NO all of the time the i put him down on the newspaper and use the my Key word THERE, but as i said earlier when he first came to me he walked around doing toilet everywhere and just stayed hanging around. Pretty sure as a child tests boundary's etc puppy's do the same. well thats what it looks like to me anyway,