It is totally my fault, but I have lost ground with my now almost 6-month-old GSD pup. Life got in the way (my dad passed away 2 months ago, he lived with us, and we are in the midst of moving) and I now really need to stop slacking with Justice, my pup. She is now getting big, right at 50 lbs and is just getting very strong. I can't neglect her training and time anymore. Shame on me for doing it in the first place.

I do have some questions. The rule is "no corrections" at her age. I am at a total loss on how to deal with some things. I do have 3 of Ed's dvds: Establishing Pack Structure, Basic Obedience, Your puppy 8 weeks - 8 months. I know I need to watch them again.

My questions:

How do I stop Justice from jumping? We have a baby gate across the door way of a room that is her room. I use the room for when I didn't want to make her be in her crate, but couldn't (or didn't have the energy) to watch her. It has a doggie door so she can take herself to potty and can have a toy or two in there. It is also where I feed her. She constantly jumps up on the baby gate. I tell her off, she jumps down but is right back up. If she is around people she is jumping. We play ball in the yard and she is jumping and biting my hand holding the ball. I want to pop her lead and honestly have. But everyone says no corrections so then I feel bad but am at a loss. When I am sitting in my chair she is jumping onto my lap, front feet only. Thank goodness, lol. "Off". Which she does but it is short lived.

If my granddaughter (4-years-old) in within the pup's reach she is semi-lunging at her. It is to play but still very unpleasant. How do I stop her with out correcting her?

My cat. Oh boy. I don't see any hope of Justice ever being mellow around the cat. She would need a very strong correction to ever get to ignore the cat. I just sent my kitty to my daughters house so she isn't getting out the door when the house is being shown to prospective buyers. It is a relief to not have Justice at her every time she sees her.

Justice has a very high pitched whine she uses when she wants something. Even if she is sitting still in her crate waiting to come out, she is doing this whine. It is awful, "quiet" will temper it some but it is still there and even if she is very quiet I can see her stomach contract as she is still doing it. She does it in her room when I feed her, she has to sit and wait until I give her "okay" to eat, but will do this whine, and just if she is in her crate and doesn't want to be.

The phone just rang, she is tethered to me, while I am talking, Justice is grabbing the side corners to the couch and trying to tear it! How do I stop that with no correction? j

A few silly questions:
She is compelled to lick me! I tell her "No" she still does, I can not open her baby gate with out her licking my hands. If she is playing by me she is licking my legs, feet every time she passes by or when she lays down next to me.

She is forever taking her food and water dishes and her toys out her doggie door into her run. If I haven't cleaned the run that day they can be nasty and then I have to wash them before they come back into the house. Why does she do that?

She really isn't a demon, lol, but I do have some definite things to work on besides just basic obedience and good manners.

I did just order two books from Amazon on games to play with your dogs. I am NOT encouraging prey drive as she has LOTS and I just want her for a nice family dog. Last night my husband would hold her lead while I took her toy and with her watching me would put her toy someplace visible and then tell her to "get your toy". She immediately did and had fun. One time I put it around the lunch counter in the kitchen where she could see where I went but not where I put the toy, it was in the middle of the floor. She did get distracted by a piece of treat that had fallen out of the toy. I need lots of mind games to play with her, that we can do inside as well as in the yard.

If she is tethered to me and her toy gets out of reach she will just about yank me off my feet to get it. Is there a way to teach her to sit at the end of the lead?

While I am writing all of this she is every minute or so grabbing the edge of the room rug and trying to tear it and chew it. "Leave it". Over and over.

Maybe I expect too much? Obviously she is still so young and time will do a lot as well as me getting my act together and once again tethering her to me much more, and just giving her time and attention. Again, her behavior is because of my lack of doing to a large part, and some I just don't know what

I am thinking of a trainer. I just do not know of any. I am in the Philadelphia area. Currently live in southern NJ but moving to Philadelphia. I have found one place that I may take her for an evaluation. They will not quote a price until they evaluate. Not even a hint of a fee which makes me think they are not affordable to me. Here is the link:
K9 Basics

I so appreciate any help, wisdom, tips, encouragement, or corrections any one can give me. Justice has much potential and I want her to be a lovely dog. :-)


AAAAgh, my granddaughter just ran by with a blanket in her hand, Justice totally tackled her for the blanket!!!!

I don't have much time right now, but you will get help.

Watch the videos again. Today, if you can. At least start.

Why is the dog EVER off leash (or tether) when out of the crate? I'd change that now.

Chewing the rug, tackling the granddaughter, and a lot of the rest is you not managing a pup's environment. Not to be harsh, but to assure you that the solution is in your hands. The puppy is allowed much too much freedom and decision-making.

P.S. You can also start marker training today. (See your Basic Ob video.) And mark/reward for quiet (for example) and not for whining, which you are now rewarding with excited attention.

Yes, I will start watching the video's again. I do have a couple of free hours this afternoon.

Justice isn't off leash unless she is in her dog room that has a doggie door into her run.

She is attempting to chew the rug that is at my feet. I do tell her "leave it", she does have a toy, we did go out to play ball about an hour before but by the third throw she was not returning the ball to me but walking around me with it, so when she does that that game is over. I simply take the ball from her and we come inside.

My granddaughter ran by just within the space Justice had with the lead. Justice will lunge at any toy or object. If she is tethered to me and I am folding clothes at the table, she tries to nab every towel, pant leg, anything that hangs.

I do not think you are harsh, I know things need to change and I just need help. Some of which I don't know how to change.

Sounds a bit like my puppy. My cat passed away while my pup was quite young (from kidney disease) so that solved that problem for me. Hopefully someone else can chime in here.

The jumping I solved like this. He was jumping to get attention and would be especially bad when I got home (he was in a pen or behind a baby gate, being supervised by a friend). The dog would be all boing boing boing and I would stand out of reach and turn my back, cross my arms and stand stock-still like a statue. The dog, who can't reach me, eventually sits out of frustration. I immediately turn around and give him the attention he wants. If he gets up or tries to jump, I just turn away and stand stock still again.

Edit: the attention he gets is calm, soothing voice and stroking, not happy wild butt scratches or excited tone of voice.

He is now 10 months old and (thanks to my friend who allows him to jump) still forgets, but now I just turn for a split second and he "remembers" that he has to sit nicely and not jump if he wants any attention.

This can also work if you hold the leash and, for example, a visitor or whoever the dog wants to greet stands just out of reach with his or her back to the dog until the dog behaves.

If you are consistent, you will find the dog "offering" the sit behaviour. Remember: NOBODY touches or even so much as looks at the dog unless she is sitting calmly (with NO whining)! The more consistent you can be, the faster you will see results.

This goes for ball throwing too. You DO NOT throw her ball or give her any toys while she is jumping. She has to earn her ball by sitting calmly. No correction for jumping, but no ball either. Just stand there, let her leap around and try to get it, eventually she will get frustrated and just sit down with a puzzled look like "geez mom!" as SOON as she sits, say "yes!" and throw her ball.

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The jumping I solved like this. He was jumping to get attention and would be especially bad when I got home (he was in a pen or behind a baby gate, being supervised by a friend). The dog would be all boing boing boing and I would stand out of reach and turn my back, cross my arms and stand stock-still like a statue. The dog, who can't reach me, eventually sits out of frustration. I immediately turn around and give him the attention he wants. If he gets up or tries to jump, I just turn away and stand stock still again.

Edit: the attention he gets is calm, soothing voice and stroking, not happy wild butt scratches or excited tone of voice.

I do, do the same thing when I feed my pup or even to let her out of her crate. If she takes too long to settle I will walk away until I hear she is quiet and come back to let her out or feed her. I do not look at her as long as she is not sitting but will stand with my back to her. When she sits herself and is quiet I feed her. Sometimes her whine is not totally gone or very faint but I can see her stomach muscles contracting so I know she is still doing it.

I NEVER scratch or pet her excitedly, it is always calm and gentle, even then she usually begins to gnaw my hands, licks me, puts her paws over my arms, etc. I then stop and walk away if she is in her room, if she is tethered to me I just stop and go back to my computer or what ever I am doing. Just yesterday I finally saw her make a conscience decision to be still while I stroked her back and spoke quietly to her.

When we play ball, I have never made her sit before I throw it, do I do that each time before I throw it? I usually do, "get it, bring it, drop it". "good girl", give her a treat, pick it up and re-throw. It is usually when I am getting her ball from the outside storage cabinet and walking to the area where we play that she is jumping trying to grab the ball. She really isn't interested in being petted when we play ball, she does love her treat but I have begun to notice that she is not real good about obeying basic commands if she isn't sure I have a treat. I usually have a pocket full but have run out on occasion.

It really sounds like you have a terrific, normal, high-drive pup.

It sounds like she is ready to start some serious obedience work through marker training. Since she has such a high play drive (she REALLY wants that ball), you should have no issues working with her. It takes a lot of patience, but wait her out. She'll give you the behavior you want, and then you can reward the bejeezus out of her.

 Quote: barbara fisher

It is usually when I am getting her ball from the outside storage cabinet and walking to the area where we play that she is jumping trying to grab the ball. She really isn't interested in being petted when we play ball, she does love her treat but I have begun to notice that she is not real good about obeying basic commands if she isn't sure I have a treat. I usually have a pocket full but have run out on occasion.

WIth my pup, if he can't be calm, the game doesn't continue. There would be no "getting the ball out and walking to the area" while the dog was being wild - if I reach for the cabinet and he jumps on me, I freeze. He doesn't have to sit, but he does have to stop jumping. When I see the behaviour I want, then I continue moving my arm to the cabinet. As long as the dog is exhibiting the behaviour I like, I will continue to get the ball out and walk to the area. The dog jumps, I freeze.

Since your dog already knows this game from having to be still to be let out of the crate, she should catch on quickly.

Your high-drive puppy is being very normal. She's still really young and she needs to have her drive channeled into appropriate behaviour which takes time and patience (and patience, and patience). She needs to be shown (over and over) what behaviour is expected.

When my pup was between 4 and 8 months old I was so frazzled and felt like my dog was out of control (and I felt like I was out of control) - I was always mad at him for something that was normal puppy behaviour (and at me for not managing him better). At 10 months he is starting to calm down somewhat and I think there is a light at the end of the tunnel - he's growing up and as he matures, the wild puppy crazies seem to be ebbing.

So there is hope! Just keep training, sounds like you are doing a great job.

I appreciate all of your responses.

I DO think my pup is a wonderful dog, we just need some real work and more so because I just slacked off for a time, and let her play in her room instead of being tethered to me, too much. All my fault and now I have to fix it.

I love to see that moment when all of a sudden she is focused on something. That amazes me, unless it is on my kitty!

Do you have any suggestions for these silly questions?

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A few silly questions:
She is compelled to lick me! I tell her "No" she still does, I can not open her baby gate with out her licking my hands. If she is playing by me she is licking my legs, feet every time she passes by or when she lays down next to me.

She is forever taking her food and water dishes and her toys out her doggie door into her run. If I haven't cleaned the run that day they can be nasty and then I have to wash them before they come back into the house. Why does she do that?

I would also appreciate anyone taking a look at the web site I posted and give me your thoughts about the training program. They also do agility and I am thinking that might be a good activity for Justice without building her prey drive ( She has ENOUGH, lol). Just to give her a good, healthy, constructive activity.

Edit: I also MUST teach her to leave my granddaughter alone, and I do not know how to do that without a correction.

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When my pup was between 4 and 8 months old I was so frazzled and felt like my dog was out of control (and I felt like I was out of control) - I was always mad at him for something that was normal puppy behaviour (and at me for not managing him better). At 10 months he is starting to calm down somewhat and I think there is a light at the end of the tunnel - he's growing up and as he matures, the wild puppy crazies seem to be ebbing.

Yes! That is it. She can get herself so wound up all of a sudden. After being tethered to me for 15 minutes I am exhausted and feel like I get nothing done other than trying to redirect her. I don't want to keep telling her "NO". I have never had a dog be so much work. But, I was ignorant and really had no clue how to raise a dog right, I just lucked out and they were great dogs or something. Ha But, this pup has so much potential! And she is simply a beautiful dog. Just LOTS of dog with a GSD brain. And that is new to me.

I do need to start marker training. I need to check the e articles and pod casts, and look for a dvd on that too.

I am going to watch the Pack Structure dvd now. I do think I have lost some of my rank by not spending as much time with Justice as I should have.