I'm need some help with my 6 month old cockapoo. This morning left me feeling very bad about myself and how I've done raising this dog.

This morning my pup was a little extra hiper than usual b/c my grandparents were staying with us and he's not used to that much stimulation in the morning.
So here's what happened: This morning I open my bedroom door and he comes tearing down the hall, darts past me, and jumps up on the bed, I give him the OFF command (that he doesn't listen to) and go to take him OFF the bed and he had PEED all over!!! In a matter of seconds!!!! My pup has a problem with submissive urniation, I've been just patiently waiting for him to grow out of it but this was too much!


Some other things that I have done wrong are letting him jump up onto our laps and our furniture whenever he wants. I noticed last night that was a problem b/c he thinks he can jump up on anybodies laps (like my Grandma!!!) My mistake I know. I want it to be an INVITE only type thing.
Does Ed's Ob DVD teach that?

He also goes balistic when people come over, and I've gotten some advice about that alreay and will start working on that as well. And I'm sure the ob. DVD will help with that.

Also I left him outside this morning while I was cleaning up his mess and he was barking at the door and I kept giving him a firm NO and it was like he didn't even know what I was talking about, and kept barking.

Needless today, I am ordering the obedience DVD, I've been meaning to get it for a while and have been pushing it off.

I need some help, I feel like he is just wild this past week and I don't know if this 6 mo. age or if its b/c we had him neutered on Friday. But I feel like he is not listening to me. I've done some marker training basic ob like sit, lay, stay, but I haven't been very diligent about it and I haven't been introducing too many distractions and I need to!

-How do I make him STOP getting SO EXCITED (to the point of urination) when he sees new people or even when he sees ME in the morning!?!? When will he grow out of it?
-Is he too young for prong collar corrections? Am I to that point? Does Ed's DVD teach that as well?
-Will the DVD help with most of these problems if I follow it exactly?
-Is there still hope?

Sorry for the long post, but when crap like this happens before 7 AM, I tend to get a little cranky.
Thanks in advance.

LOL Amy! Sounds very familiar in some respects. My pup was not as bad as yours seems to be but he's have his moments!

Anyway, first thing you need to do is CALM DOWN! bawling and shouting at him will only make matters worse (particularly the peeing).

You need to get a long line on him at all times! Especially in the house, and you'll have a better chance of catching him and correcting him. But you must get your timing right here!

Being diligent is something of a MUST for dog training! Dogs only understand black and white, right and wrong, or better description would be what works and what doesn't! If the dog gets something he wants by displaying a particular behaviour he'll continue to do it!

The DVD should help you out a lot but you'll stil have to work on it, it's not going to be the case that you buy it, watch it once and that's it, problem solved.

Do you give him any structured OB on a daily basis?
What do you do with him?

A prong collar may help (I swear by them personally speaking) but it's not always the answer. You need to work on your handling skills and make sure you are patient with the dog and go through the learning phase to make sure he does actually uderstand what you are asking of him.

You may think he does or should, but he might just be hearing martian from you, which he doesn't speak.

I hope this helps and I haven't rambled on too long. There are nore things you should be doing to elevate your position as pack leader but others are better qualified to tell you how to do that.

Also there are podcasts and e-books on this site that explain how to become a pack leader.

Cheers

John

It sounds like you need to take him back to basics and then work on introducing distractions. I can relate to the morning energy problem, my terrier puppy was like that as a 6 month old as well. We decided to have her on leash as soon as she came out of her crate in the morning, to be able to control her.

As for the lap-sitting, I've never been able to master the invitation-only thing, so I've just decided my dogs aren't allowed on couches or beds. That might be your easiest option - but if you're really set on having your dog on your lap, I'm sure there's a way to do it.

The DVD will certainly help a lot, and I'll bet others will have more suggestions, too.

Sadly, I don't give him any structured obedience on a daily basis. I used to do it a few times a week but have really slacked lately (and it shows!!).

He knows sit, lay, stay, fun stuff like roll over, high five. I think long line is a great idea, it'll give me more conrol.

Question, for now should I NOT let him jump up onto my lap or onto the couch or something, just say NO and put him back on the floor? I mean, should he first get used to never getting to come up onto our laps and then after he's used to it we can start inviting him when we want?

Also, what are some distractions used during ob. training? Throwing a toy near him? I'm sure the DVD will give me some ideas but I want to start working with him tonight.

Don't worry about distraction yet, just get back to basics. Once he's solid without distractions then you can introduce a few.

I wouldn't let him up on me and don't be too firm with the correction. Just a quiet NO and remove him with a push, not a lift and put down.

John

There's a lot of different options for distractions - throwing a toy could be one. I personally just dance around or and do jumping jacks, I'm glad I don't train in public - people would think I'm nuts.

Even just doing the exercises on walks could provide good distractions - people walking by, leaves blowing around (well, depending on where you're from).

Just make sure that you have a leash on to be able to correct her, I made the mistake of training in my kitchen off-leash - the dogs were really sloppy because I wasn't correcting well.



EDIT: I meant to say that you should really solidify the commands before adding distractions, as John mentioned above.

LOL Amy, that sounds like my cocker from my childhood. They can be very stubborn; in fact, I don't think I've had a more stubborn dog since. The submissive/excitable urination is common, and they usually do grow out of it. I wouldn't say your pup is too young for a prong, based on the behaviors, but I'd try to go back to the basics and make sure he/she really knows what's expected before you go to the prong. Not that I have a thing in the world against them; it just may not be necessary in this situation yet.

 Quote: John Aiton

LOL Amy! Sounds very familiar in some respects. My pup was not as bad as yours seems to be but he's have his moments!

Anyway, first thing you need to do is CALM DOWN! bawling and shouting at him will only make matters worse (particularly the peeing).

You need to get a long line on him at all times! Especially in the house, and you'll have a better chance of catching him and correcting him. But you must get your timing right here!

Being diligent is something of a MUST for dog training! Dogs only understand black and white, right and wrong, or better description would be what works and what doesn't! If the dog gets something he wants by displaying a particular behaviour he'll continue to do it!

The DVD should help you out a lot but you'll stil have to work on it, it's not going to be the case that you buy it, watch it once and that's it, problem solved.

Do you give him any structured OB on a daily basis?
What do you do with him?

A prong collar may help (I swear by them personally speaking) but it's not always the answer. You need to work on your handling skills and make sure you are patient with the dog and go through the learning phase to make sure he does actually uderstand what you are asking of him.

You may think he does or should, but he might just be hearing martian from you, which he doesn't speak.

I hope this helps and I haven't rambled on too long. There are nore things you should be doing to elevate your position as pack leader but others are better qualified to tell you how to do that.

Also there are podcasts and e-books on this site that explain how to become a pack leader.

Cheers

John

What he said!

Every single point!

It's hard to remember at 7 a.m., but your excited voice and demeanor are fuel to his excited behavior.

The long line is vital; the firm no-furniture rule is vital; most vital is calm firm discipline, and no excitement.

I'd get the DVD #302 and watch it twice.

You can do this. Be absolutely consistent, because the dog doesn't know English. He can learn what one word, said with a similar tone and always meaning the same thing, means. Then another single word, and so on. No sentences about what are you doing on the bed and get off there and stop doing this because you're making me crazy..... We've all said those sentences, and no dog has ever known what we were saying..... only that we were acting excited.

Obedience isn't an hour-long session twice a week. It's a few two-minute periods throughout the day, with a command also given to be obeyed before every single thing the dog likes: meals, petting, rides, walks, toys, play.

You will see a change in one day if you calm way down and become 100% consistent.

I'd also get a drag lead immediately for every excitment-producing moment: company, mailman, etc. I'd have it already on before the doornell rings (if he's not on a long line).

And I'd remember that if I ever reward his bad behavior with a pat or by allowing him to have what he wanted, then I have just trained him that the bad behavior works.