Extremely Dominant Puppy

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Extremely Dominant Puppy

Post by Guest »

Okay, I was over at my friend Micheles house(the one who has Cheyanne) anyway, Ching was trying his hardest to hump her, I kept pushing him off and trying to redirect him, I would tell him "no" and move him. Chey was not making him get off of her at all, so I finally shoved him off and said no in a lot deeper voice and as I do that, he growled at me....just a quick growl but a growl none the less, so I grabbed him and told him no, I was holding him like a baby(was told to do this instead of rolling him as it may hurt a chow pup and this is supposed to be just as effective) Well, he growled again, I grabbed his muzzle firm but not enough to hurt him and told him to stop it, and he kind of went wacko on me, he was trying to get away, he was growling and trying to nip and I didn't want him to hurt himself so I laid him on his back on the floor and said "Chingy, Knock it off" in a very deep voice. It got him to stop. I made him lay there for a couple minutes. I let him get up and I have nad no problems since.
Should I just keep this up. All my dogs have always been very submissive, this puppy is extremely dominant. I know I need to get a handle on this now. Am I doing this correctly? He will start obedience in a few weeks. I will also talk to my trainer on Tuesday about this. Any help will be great........Thanks!
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WorknChowz
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Post by WorknChowz »

How old is this pup?
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Post by Guest »

He is 9 weeks old.
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Post by chow0 »

hmmm kinda young for humping already.

anyway remember your pup doesn't even really know you yet, a few weeks isn't even close to enough time for you to control his behavior. he's a baby.
put him on his leash and remove his ability to hump her without any punishment. if you think about it in his mind he really didn't do anything wrong.

ease him into it slowly and be patient .
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Post by kingalls »

I think Chingy is still very young to even know that what he was doing wasn't proper. I have had Mr. N since he was 9 weeks old. He never tried to hump but even if he did, I don't think he would have known that it was not proper. He's still a puppy - a Chow puppy. He is not going to be like other dogs. Even at his age, I think he might find the muzzle grapping to be indignant.
Mr. N is the dominant over Shiloh. He hasn't been to obedience class but he understands that I am the alpha here. This is pretty much by the voice thing. I've never laid him (or Shiloh) on his side to show dominance but I have heard that this is one of the things that trainers will teach.
Humping is also a form of showing dominance. Mr. N did this once or twice when he was older and neutered.
This isn't much advice but I don't think Chingy was doing anything inappropriate. You should discuss this with your trainer.

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Post by Zhuyos mom »

Ching is still a baby (chowling). He's just playing. Trust me, if Chayenne didn't like what was going on, she would have told Ching. When Zhu was a chowling, at puppy kindergarten, he would play like that with the other puppies. His teacher told me to not worry. Eventually, Zhuyo would learn that that was not proper behavior because the other puppies would demonstrate the dislike. Zhu went to class creamy clean and sparkling. We always came home with doggie saliva and often puppy teeth imbedded on his fur. Ah, the good old days!

In the future, at Chayenne's, and if you have to, just verbally say "no". But you don't have to remove him. At least while he's still so young. Usually at 5 months, that's the time the older dogs don't tolerate that type of play and they really send the message to the puppies that they are no longer puppies, but crazy teens. Let the older dog teach Ching about submitting. If the older dog isn't a wacko, it'll know how to handle a chowling/puppy the proper way.

Also, some trainers aren't chow oriented, so always remember your instincts as an experienced chow parent and post on this site when you have a question about what you think might be right or wrong versus what the trainer is instructing you to do.

Anyways, don't be so eager to teach him submission. It may just backfire. Like Karen said, he might have felt the muzzle grapping to be indignant. Let him play his energy out naturally. Enjoy these chowling days, they go by so quickly. I know, Zhuyo turns 14 in a couple of weeks.
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Post by Guest »

Thank you all very much, I think I am just paranoid about him becoming "aggressive". I know that he is still just a baby and I will try to remember that in the future. I am so glad to be a member of this forum. Thank you all so much for not critisizing, but rather helping me. I really appreciate it!
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Post by WorknChowz »

ChowLover wrote:He is 9 weeks old.
Uh, doh! I just figured that out looking at his DARLING pictures... :oops:

I have an idea for you...Instead of these big confrontations and power struggles, why not just attach a leash to him so you can "pop" him off and then redirect him. That's how I teach all my pups. It bypasses any kind of personal unpleasantness and they don't learn to cringe or run away when I go to grab their collar.

Good luck with him, he's sure a doll!
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Post by Judy Fox »

Please remember he is only a baby - and as the others have said, the older chow will soon tell him off. :)
You have to keep the fine balance between destroying his beautiful natural chow nature by forcing submission and letting him develop naturally but at the same time teaching him good manners. :idea:
It is a difficult job - on the one hand you could supress him - on the other hand, properly handled, he will develop into the proud, arrogant, self-willed and aloof chow that his genes probably have planned. :wink:
Just get on with playing with him.
Socialising him.
Letting him have enough good sleep and rest time.
Forcing him into submission is not the way to encourage him to respect you - respect is a two way thing. :)
You must establish yourself as the Alpha Mummy Person but clamping your hand on his muzzle won't work - indeed it didn't - he growled!
You see, he gave you a mouthful of cheek (the baby chow equivalent of cheek, that is) and he has actually got away with it.
In future, don't give him the opportunity - divert the confrontation - because, as with children, incidents can be diverted.
We have all seen children in the supermarket or wherever and the mother screeching her mouth off, at say, two youngsters misbehaving. It would be more productive to direct those children to say, go and find the beans or whatever.
Same with a chowling - remember he is very intelligent - not like other dogs - he is not submissive and I suspect never will be. Remember, he will not doggedly obey you like a sheepdog, a boxer - will not become beautifully trained like an alsation - he is a chow and will become your devoted Chow Son - but not by force. Only by mutual love and respect. You must establish yourself as the Alpha - the Mummy Person - you say and he thinks about it!!!! But, it won't be achieved by force. Only by firmness, discipline, you teaching kindly and him learning the rules.

Purple kisses from M & M.
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Post by Rogansmommy »

[quote="WorknChowzInstead of these big confrontations and power struggles, why not just attach a leash to him so you can "pop" him off and then redirect him. That's how I teach all my pups. It bypasses any kind of personal unpleasantness and they don't learn to cringe or run away when I go to grab their collar.[/quote]

I agree completely. He will also learn quicker that you are one to respect (with the leash technique), as opposed to one he should fear.
Michele

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Post by Guest »

Thank you all so much. I do not want him to fear me. Not at all. I don't want to force him into submission either. I like the leash idea and will probably try that. I just want him to be happy. We are trying the "Nothing in Life is Free" Technique, and we will se how that goes too. I really appreciate everyones help!
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Post by WorknChowz »

ChowLover wrote: We are trying the "Nothing in Life is Free" Technique, and we will se how that goes too.
Excellent! IMO, that truly is the way to a Chows respect with leaving his dignity intact. They are so proud to "earn" their way.
My little Lai Fu, after being so badly abused by the horrible people who kept her chained, has come SO far with this technique!
She absolutely HATES when she gets the behavior wrong and she has to try again for the prize.
Her obedience is amazing, I know she could get her CD if only she could overcome the fear of a stranger going over her.
She has even learned to growl when I say "grrrr" and bark when I ask her to "bark". Her little personality has just blossomed through ABSOLUTELY NO force at all.

I think you'll do brilliantly with this little fluffball. :D
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judy fox

Post by chow0 »

when you wrote this i couldn't believe what i was reading. this is exactly how i handle my pup and living in nyc where he see's hundreds of people and their pets everyday he's had more than his chances to be bad, but he hasn't been. why? i can tell you it's for all the reasons you wrote! you decribed how to handle a chow perfectly, cheers.




Judy Fox wrote:Please remember he is only a baby - and as the others have said, the older chow will soon tell him off. :)
You have to keep the fine balance between destroying his beautiful natural chow nature by forcing submission and letting him develop naturally but at the same time teaching him good manners. :idea:
It is a difficult job - on the one hand you could supress him - on the other hand, properly handled, he will develop into the proud, arrogant, self-willed and aloof chow that his genes probably have planned. :wink:
Just get on with playing with him.
Socialising him.
Letting him have enough good sleep and rest time.
Forcing him into submission is not the way to encourage him to respect you - respect is a two way thing. :)
You must establish yourself as the Alpha Mummy Person but clamping your hand on his muzzle won't work - indeed it didn't - he growled!
You see, he gave you a mouthful of cheek (the baby chow equivalent of cheek, that is) and he has actually got away with it.
In future, don't give him the opportunity - divert the confrontation - because, as with children, incidents can be diverted.
We have all seen children in the supermarket or wherever and the mother screeching her mouth off, at say, two youngsters misbehaving. It would be more productive to direct those children to say, go and find the beans or whatever.
Same with a chowling - remember he is very intelligent - not like other dogs - he is not submissive and I suspect never will be. Remember, he will not doggedly obey you like a sheepdog, a boxer - will not become beautifully trained like an alsation - he is a chow and will become your devoted Chow Son - but not by force. Only by mutual love and respect. You must establish yourself as the Alpha - the Mummy Person - you say and he thinks about it!!!! But, it won't be achieved by force. Only by firmness, discipline, you teaching kindly and him learning the rules.

Purple kisses from M & M.
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Post by Judy Fox »

Thankyou - but that is how I brought Milly and Mabel up. And they are truly beautiful Chow Ladies.
They are independent - they live with us - they make a lot of their own decisions - but they love us very much indeed. You wouldn't know it sometimes but we only have to look in their beautiful eyes to see the love for us there.
However, with Chi-Ching, you must not make him afraid of you.
I, unfortunately, and absolutely by mistake hurt Milly and few weeks ago and she has not forgotten it.
I don't know if you have read on this site about Fred and me fixing the front garden so that Milly and Mabel could go there whenever they wanted.
Well, to cut the story short, half way through the fixing, one evening, I was carrying a heavy edging stone through to the back through the side gate. Milly and Mabel were waiting there and normally I only have to say "Excuse me girls" and they will move for me. That time they moved but then Milly rushed me and tried too get out. I couldn't let her because the front was all open and there were cats in the avenue and she would have run. I stooped and grabbed her roughly and clumsily and hurt her, really hurt her.
Anyway, now that the front is finished - the new fence is up and the new gate up and it is all safe and they cannot get out, Mabel is thrilled to bits and struts round and about as she wishes - but Milly is much more shy. She is very leary about going through the side gate - she remembers and looks up at me with such a look in her eyes. I hope that I can gain her confidence - I am sure I will in the end. Gosh! I hope so. I feel so bad about it. The whole object of fixing the front was for them.
So, what I am trying to say is, don't be rough with him - he might remember!! :?

Good luck with litt Chi-Ching - he is gorgeous and I am thinking about a name. :)
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Poor you

Post by Debbie »

Oh Judy, I feel so badly for you. :( :cry: Of course you did not do this on purpose, but these Chows have such long memories. Slow and steady wins the race, she will come around eventually. You are so good to your dogs! Hang in there! :mrgreen: Debbie and Bones
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Post by Judy Fox »

Thank you Debbie,
I really could howl when she looks up at me - but we are getting there - I make the effort to go and talk her through the gate gently and now she has started to strut round but still hesitates slightly. It will be ok. :D
But, as you say, Chows have such long memories and they are so proud.
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