[newpitowner]

Ok so Sam was in her crate and the girls where running back and forth screaming and while I was getting them to calm down Sam went nuts and starts barking at them - it's still hard for me to distinguish a "hey that looks fun" bark from a "hey I'd like to eat them" bark. So at any rate I don't like it when she barks so I use a spray bottle (someone told me to so don't flame me) and when I sprayed her she turned and snarled at me and barked. I told her NO and smacked the side of her cage. A week ago this would have scared me but now I'm just pissed. Any suggestions? Do I even take her out of her crate or what? We still have to do her dinner and a walk, I am so irritated that I dont' want to do either. Hope you guys have some quick thoughts...

Sarah

BTW Sam goes to her first class on thursday..

 

[Stormy]

I'm not an expert but I would be concerned about any dog that snarled at me. (I'm assuming you been lips back growling?)

Sams still a pup though so the sooner you get her to an experienced trainer / behaviouralist the better. I know it's not easy the guy I see is really good and you wait months for an appointment with him.

 

[PaulaEdwina]

Ok so Sam was in her crate and the girls where running back and forth screaming and while I was getting them to calm down Sam went nuts and starts barking at them - it's still hard for me to distinguish a "hey that looks fun" bark from a "hey I'd like to eat them" bark. So at any rate I don't like it when she barks so I use a spray bottle (someone told me to so don't flame me) and when I sprayed her she turned and snarled at me and barked. I told her NO and smacked the side of her cage. A week ago this would have scared me but now I'm just pissed. Any suggestions? Do I even take her out of her crate or what? We still have to do her dinner and a walk, I am so irritated that I dont' want to do either. Hope you guys have some quick thoughts...

Sarah

BTW Sam goes to her first class on thursday..

My only input is that the slamming on the cage and the squirting are probably just making things worse by further stimulating her. Even if it turns out she isn't suited to a household of children, with any young dogs you have to be the calm alpha, not the excitable human.

Paula

 

[newpitowner]

I should clarify - when I said snarl I did not mean lips pulled back I meant she barked at me but it didn't seem like just a bark. I don't know - I feel very frustrated. I know I need to remain calm, patient and basically the adult. I can't even raise children what in the WORLD made me think I could handle a dog! ](*,) We'll see how things go this thursday w/ the trainer. How do u know when to throw the towel in and when u've just had a bad day? I just want to give them ALL away (kids included) it would make life far more simple. :roll: *SIGH* I just want to scream.....

Sarah

 

[PaulaEdwina]

I should clarify - when I said snarl I did not mean lips pulled back I meant she barked at me but it didn't seem like just a bark. I don't know - I feel very frustrated. I know I need to remain calm, patient and basically the adult. I can't even raise children what in the WORLD made me think I could handle a dog! ](*,) We'll see how things go this thursday w/ the trainer. How do u know when to throw the towel in and when u've just had a bad day? I just want to give them ALL away (kids included) it would make life far more simple. :roll: *SIGH* I just want to scream.....

Sarah

Then scream. Just remember; puppies and kids are cute so you don't murder them.

Paula

 

[newpitowner]

OMG now I'm laughing and crying - thanks for the reminder. Thankfully despite their annoying qualities (such as a refusal to listen and to act out on their 'emotions') mine are unbearably cute - and the responsibility is murder.

 

[BamBam's Dad]

Maybe the crate should be somewhere quieter. It should be an escape from the world for your dog. The noise coupled with the spraying may make the situation worse. You don't want the dog to feel cornered and helpless in the crate. Crating should be a positive experience, they should want to go in there.

 

[newpitowner]

I tried to get Mike to put that crate in our bedroom. He wouldn't do it. Maybe I'll approach it w/ him again. I agree w/ you about that and now I feel like an A$$ for spraying her. I only wanted her to listen to me when I said 'quiet' and that is what the lady from the resuce (a different one not the one I got her from) said worked w/ her dogs. Ok so what works for one day may not work for another right? *Deep breaths* she's not a bad dog, and we'll see how our first night of training goes. Just two more days....

 

[Rachel Zugg]

Keep your chin up! I too have moments when I have to go lock myself in my room and scream into a pillow until it hurts. Two kids and a new puppy will do that to you! Please feel free to PM me if you have one of those moments and need to talk. Like I said, I totally know how you feel.

I also think the crate should be in a quieter area, somewhere away from everything. Other than that, puppies bark when they get excited. Mine are very vocal.

 

[newpitowner]

Thank you, I really appreciate it and I'm sure u'll be seeing a PM from me sometime in the near future. I'm badgering my husband into going and obtaining some comfort food to calm my nerves. I just need to take a deep breath and remember what she DOES have going for her. She is not a 'mean' dog (at least not from what I can tell and I'm hoping they are rather easy to identify) and she does listen at least some of the time, and she's obvoiusly never behaved in an obviously aggressive manner or else I never would have found my way here! 8) She's definetly house trained and she's such a lover when she's not being a spazoid. ****deep breaths, deep breaths****

Sarah

 

[ak_platypus]

My friends dog used to give her a bark when she would tell the dog to do something it didn't want to or when it got in trouble. It was like a teenager that was talking back. They got her into training and made the dog realize that it wasn't the dominate one and the problem stopped.

 

[gazar]

I am not sure how old your dog is, but she sounds like a pup.
If she is a 6 to 8 month old pup, then you just have to know that
barking at kids playing and pups playing is just what pups do. They want to
join in the fun. If you cannot remove the crate to a quieter room then turn
the crate to face a corner or wall and if it is an open wire crate, put a blanket over
the top, sides and back for privacy so she feels like she is in a little den. Make
sure that you instruct your kids that when the Sam is in her crate this is Sam's
private time and they are not to disturb her. :wink:

 

[newpitowner]

OK that is what I was looking for. I know it seems ridiculous but I just wasn't sure. I will be doing 'something' w/ her crate if not moving it into a different room then I will certainly be putting it in the corner between my couch and wall and I'll cover it when she goes in. Thanks for the comments....

Sarah