Comments on: ohhh… aint she cute? http://theparentingpit.com/2008/02/28/ohhh-aint-she-cute/ alternative parenting | conscious living | unschooling Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:09:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: shawna http://theparentingpit.com/2008/02/28/ohhh-aint-she-cute/#comment-45851 shawna Sun, 16 Mar 2008 03:21:27 +0000 http://theparentingpit.com/2008/02/28/ohhh-aint-she-cute/#comment-45851 No advise, sort of raised the pup as I did the kids... learned as I went along LOL No advise, sort of raised the pup as I did the kids… learned as I went along LOL

]]> By: arun http://theparentingpit.com/2008/02/28/ohhh-aint-she-cute/#comment-41793 arun Thu, 06 Mar 2008 20:55:57 +0000 http://theparentingpit.com/2008/02/28/ohhh-aint-she-cute/#comment-41793 Thanks everyone, ive ordered the Milan books via the library and amazon and will check out the others ones you mentioned above. Thanks too for the suggestions, feel free to keep them coming... at the moment we have on excited and snappy puppy, so im open to any advice. we were going to do puppy school, but M has insisted that we homeschool her! Thus the quest for books. thanks again! arun Thanks everyone,

ive ordered the Milan books via the library and amazon and will check out the others ones you mentioned above. Thanks too for the suggestions, feel free to keep them coming…

at the moment we have on excited and snappy puppy, so im open to any advice.

we were going to do puppy school, but M has insisted that we homeschool her! Thus the quest for books.

thanks again!

arun

]]> By: Mom to 2 Boys http://theparentingpit.com/2008/02/28/ohhh-aint-she-cute/#comment-40208 Mom to 2 Boys Mon, 03 Mar 2008 16:35:00 +0000 http://theparentingpit.com/2008/02/28/ohhh-aint-she-cute/#comment-40208 I have to agree with Michelle and disagree with those who mention the Dog Whisperer. There is a lot of controvesy surrounding him...specifically about abuse to dogs in his care. We used only positive methods with our lab puppy when we got her about 1.5 yrs ago. She is a lab...and retrievers are very mouthy...but we did not scold her as that is very natural for that breed. Instead we did what her puppy mates would do. When she hurt us with her mouth we would YELP!!! (I was much better at this than my hubby) and she would get a little worried but now she seldom puts her mouth on us (I don't call it biting because I don't feel that is what she is doing) and when she does it is in a very gentle way. EVERY dog will bite in some situation (and you may never have a dog that is put in that type of situation but it is out there) and I would rather have my dog put her mouth on someone very gentle to give a warning because we taught her to use her mouth gentle when she does use it...instead of having her hurt someone. The other piece of advice is to feed your puppy from your hand for a LONG time. It is so much easier to throw a bowl on the floor but if you feed them from your hand (and I would recommend bringing each piece up to eye level so your dog looks you in the eye before giving it to you) you are spending quality one on one time. You can also use their food as training treats. It is a misnomer that a dog needs to be fed out of a dish. Put their daily kibble amount in a baggy in your pocket and whenever then are doing something good throw them a piece or two. Some excellent books to check out: Train Your Dog the Lazy Way ~ Andrea Arden Dog Friendly Dog Training ~Andrea Arden Positive Puppy Training Works ~ Joel Walton Living With Kids & Dogs...Without Losing Your Mind ~ Colleen Pelar Anything by Ian Dunbar...but a good one is After you Get Your Puppy. Good Luck!! I have to agree with Michelle and disagree with those who mention the Dog Whisperer. There is a lot of controvesy surrounding him…specifically about abuse to dogs in his care.

We used only positive methods with our lab puppy when we got her about 1.5 yrs ago. She is a lab…and retrievers are very mouthy…but we did not scold her as that is very natural for that breed. Instead we did what her puppy mates would do. When she hurt us with her mouth we would YELP!!! (I was much better at this than my hubby) and she would get a little worried but now she seldom puts her mouth on us (I don’t call it biting because I don’t feel that is what she is doing) and when she does it is in a very gentle way. EVERY dog will bite in some situation (and you may never have a dog that is put in that type of situation but it is out there) and I would rather have my dog put her mouth on someone very gentle to give a warning because we taught her to use her mouth gentle when she does use it…instead of having her hurt someone.

The other piece of advice is to feed your puppy from your hand for a LONG time. It is so much easier to throw a bowl on the floor but if you feed them from your hand (and I would recommend bringing each piece up to eye level so your dog looks you in the eye before giving it to you) you are spending quality one on one time. You can also use their food as training treats. It is a misnomer that a dog needs to be fed out of a dish. Put their daily kibble amount in a baggy in your pocket and whenever then are doing something good throw them a piece or two.

Some excellent books to check out:

Train Your Dog the Lazy Way ~ Andrea Arden
Dog Friendly Dog Training ~Andrea Arden
Positive Puppy Training Works ~ Joel Walton
Living With Kids & Dogs…Without Losing Your Mind ~ Colleen Pelar
Anything by Ian Dunbar…but a good one is After you Get Your Puppy.

Good Luck!!

]]> By: Michele http://theparentingpit.com/2008/02/28/ohhh-aint-she-cute/#comment-39310 Michele Sat, 01 Mar 2008 05:44:11 +0000 http://theparentingpit.com/2008/02/28/ohhh-aint-she-cute/#comment-39310 I agree with what the above poster - Stacey - says. Attachment parenting and attachment puppying go hand in hand around here and our dogs are WONDERFUL and well-behaved. I think the best thing you can do for your puppy is .....get another puppy!!! HA! I'm serious. Two puppies will always entertain each other and you'll have seriously sleepy puppies every night instead of a wide awake pitiful puppy every night. Good luck and have fun! I agree with what the above poster - Stacey - says. Attachment parenting and attachment puppying go hand in hand around here and our dogs are WONDERFUL and well-behaved.

I think the best thing you can do for your puppy is …..get another puppy!!! HA! I’m serious. Two puppies will always entertain each other and you’ll have seriously sleepy puppies every night instead of a wide awake pitiful puppy every night.

Good luck and have fun!

]]> By: Kath http://theparentingpit.com/2008/02/28/ohhh-aint-she-cute/#comment-39060 Kath Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:19:25 +0000 http://theparentingpit.com/2008/02/28/ohhh-aint-she-cute/#comment-39060 Gorgeously cute! One thing that struck me after reading lots of puppy training manuals is that they consistently said that your puppy will be best socialised if you try to make sure that all their early encounters with other dogs and humans are happy ones. Interestingly conventional wisdom seems to require that we do the opposite for our children. They need to be toughened up in schools. We followed the puppy way for our children too and they seem well socialised now. Enjoy your adorable puppy and children! Kath Gorgeously cute!

One thing that struck me after reading lots of puppy training manuals is that they consistently said that your puppy will be best socialised if you try to make sure that all their early encounters with other dogs and humans are happy ones.

Interestingly conventional wisdom seems to require that we do the opposite for our children. They need to be toughened up in schools.

We followed the puppy way for our children too and they seem well socialised now.

Enjoy your adorable puppy and children!
Kath

]]> By: Louise http://theparentingpit.com/2008/02/28/ohhh-aint-she-cute/#comment-39015 Louise Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:18:46 +0000 http://theparentingpit.com/2008/02/28/ohhh-aint-she-cute/#comment-39015 Hi Arun, Congratulations on the new family member she is very cute. I agree with what others have posted. Puppies need consistancy and clear guidelines that everyone in your family know. They need lots of socialisation, take her for lots of walks in interesting places so she gets used to all situations and encourage her to be calm . Take her into crowds, across bridges, in water and waves, in the car, beside the kids bikes, she needs to learn to listen to her pack wherever she is and whatever is happening. Basic dog obedience is so worthwhile and dog obedience clubs can teach you and your pup as much or as little as you want to know. I also recomend Dr Ian Billingtons book "Give Your Dog a Bone" for info on feeding your dog. Blessings Louise Hi Arun,
Congratulations on the new family member she is very cute.
I agree with what others have posted.
Puppies need consistancy and clear guidelines that everyone in your family know. They need lots of socialisation, take her for lots of walks in interesting places so she gets used to all situations and encourage her to be calm . Take her into crowds, across bridges, in water and waves, in the car, beside the kids bikes, she needs to learn to listen to her pack wherever she is and whatever is happening. Basic dog obedience is so worthwhile and dog obedience clubs can teach you and your pup as much or as little as you want to know.
I also recomend Dr Ian Billingtons book “Give Your Dog a Bone” for info on feeding your dog.
Blessings
Louise

]]> By: Anno http://theparentingpit.com/2008/02/28/ohhh-aint-she-cute/#comment-38891 Anno Fri, 29 Feb 2008 04:01:37 +0000 http://theparentingpit.com/2008/02/28/ohhh-aint-she-cute/#comment-38891 I definately second Cesar Milan as a place to start reading. Helps you understand the need for you dog to be part of a healthy pack (your family) and to know and be secure in her place therein. Great book to read. Anno I definately second Cesar Milan as a place to start reading. Helps you understand the need for you dog to be part of a healthy pack (your family) and to know and be secure in her place therein. Great book to read.

Anno

]]> By: Beverley http://theparentingpit.com/2008/02/28/ohhh-aint-she-cute/#comment-38849 Beverley Fri, 29 Feb 2008 02:04:56 +0000 http://theparentingpit.com/2008/02/28/ohhh-aint-she-cute/#comment-38849 hi arun, what kind of pooch is Lulu... I'm researching for a pup of my own when we finish travelling around this great continent, which won't be for a couple of years, even though I want my pup now :-( she's adorable... cheers Beverley hi arun,

what kind of pooch is Lulu… I’m researching for a pup of my own when we finish travelling around this great continent, which won’t be for a couple of years, even though I want my pup now :-(

she’s adorable…
cheers
Beverley

]]> By: Tracy http://theparentingpit.com/2008/02/28/ohhh-aint-she-cute/#comment-38848 Tracy Fri, 29 Feb 2008 02:04:33 +0000 http://theparentingpit.com/2008/02/28/ohhh-aint-she-cute/#comment-38848 Be the Leader of the Pack, by Cesar Millan... The Dog Whisperer. I've had dogs my entire life and I learned so much from this book. Best advice for dog owners I have ever read. Be the Leader of the Pack, by Cesar Millan… The Dog Whisperer. I’ve had dogs my entire life and I learned so much from this book. Best advice for dog owners I have ever read.

]]> By: Stacey http://theparentingpit.com/2008/02/28/ohhh-aint-she-cute/#comment-38844 Stacey Fri, 29 Feb 2008 02:00:19 +0000 http://theparentingpit.com/2008/02/28/ohhh-aint-she-cute/#comment-38844 Ah jealous much! Yep dogs respond best to consistency, try to remember they are not kids (and thus will not being growing into adults) and therefore it is more about behaviour manipulation than anything else LOL. Dogs respond well to praise, and they never develop past a point where praise is damaging ;). I personally think it is possible to overthink training dogs. People go on about not letting a dog in your bed, but they say the same thing about kids ;). (Pre-kids) our dogs would sometimes share a bed, the older one was never comfortable with it but the younger was a co-sleeping puppy and we eventually moved her out as she took up too much room. We never had issues with them thinking they were the boss. You can show in plenty of other ways that you are pack leader. I recommend researching wolf pack behaviour just for fun ;). Ah jealous much! Yep dogs respond best to consistency, try to remember they are not kids (and thus will not being growing into adults) and therefore it is more about behaviour manipulation than anything else LOL. Dogs respond well to praise, and they never develop past a point where praise is damaging ;).

I personally think it is possible to overthink training dogs. People go on about not letting a dog in your bed, but they say the same thing about kids ;). (Pre-kids) our dogs would sometimes share a bed, the older one was never comfortable with it but the younger was a co-sleeping puppy and we eventually moved her out as she took up too much room. We never had issues with them thinking they were the boss. You can show in plenty of other ways that you are pack leader. I recommend researching wolf pack behaviour just for fun ;).

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