Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Defeated

Haddie has been wound up as of late. I am trying to decide what has caused her shift in behavior. Age? Cranky? Bored? What gives? It is a mystery.

And nothing bothers my mind more than trying to figure out the naughty of a puppy. Any advice would be welcomed.

I am finding that Haddie is great on-leash. That fits perfectly for good behavior on Social Outings. Nothing phases her, she is under-control, she makes us both look good.

Get her off-leash as of late (ie: at home) and she is crazy-puppy. Visitors to the house saw a naughty puppy today, not the gentle soul and perfectly mannered pup found outside our home. Disappointed.

Example: twisting in circles in the living room. Not okay. Wanting to kiss the faces of those petting her, stretching in that annoying puppy-in-your-face-kinda-way, but never lifting four paws off the ground, is still annoying and not acceptable. Not listening is just plain naughty. She settled after about a minute, but that is one minute too long. It truly seemed like f.o.r.e.v.e.r.

She turns back to Calif in two months and I am hoping she is just going through a phase and gets her act together sooner than later. I am swirling thoughts of "Should have done..." in my head and relying on my next pup to be different. "Should have done..." in the moment tonight, and "Should have done..." all along in training.

While I can store this lesson's learned away for our next puppy, I have to keep open to that next puppies issues which may be completely different than Haddie's. Maybe he will be a gem at home manners off leash, and horrid on leash. And I am not sure which is better if I were to rate them, or if CCI is to rate them. I am sure they are equal. Sigh.

Puppy Raising is hard, but the challenge is interesting and I will still continue forth in raising again. Every dog will have it's challenges, every dog is new, and I am just learning along the way.

Defeated - yeah, my feelings are hurt that she has not been like herself, but I can only look to myself to get it under control. She won't do it on her own, that is for sure.

11 comments:

  1. How much exercise a day does Haddie get? Sounds like pent up energy. Even when off leash, make her stay in a down or "bed". Anything that doesn't let her choose what is going on.

    Carver "can" get like that if we let him. Ansel was the same way, but both go right back under control when given something to do. I think it's a part of being a puppy.

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  2. Mark - I have thought exercise too, so I am going to 'up' that part of her life. She will settle if she has something to do - at today's episode I started going through her Commands (down, roll - which for us is laying on the back until commanded back to down/release - not sure if that is the same in all regions?) ... thinking of anything that would make her stop moving!! She would do it, but it was not in a calm manner, she had that look of excitement and high energy drive in her eyes. Not the same look she has when wearing her vest and out in public. Okay - much more exercise it is!! And working on that extended "bed" or "down" from the start of interaction with others off leash - great tips!

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  3. Churry gets that way, too, if she hasn't had a challenging outing. We went through a rough spell a few weeks ago because she hadn't had any challenges. She's back to her normal self now. At least I know she loves to work and needs that brain stimulation!

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  4. Thanks, Carlin!! Haddie was set back in outings due to her kennel cough for a week (longer than expected even with meds), and then I had some challenges with a stiff neck and had to stay home for a bit which made it even longer for Haddie. It is amazing how much these dogs love to work and be challenged. I forget it is truly in their genes - not just a fun experience. Ya'know? Thanks for the reminder!!!

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  5. Your title is so real right now. Soooo relate. D has been pretty horrible off leash the last few months or so. I am pretty much keeping him on leash except when confined to one room. Our trainer brought up that he's probably bored. Bingo. If he doesn't have something actively to do, he gets into so much trouble. These too-smart-for-their-own-good CCI pups! ;-) When we're not actively working/playing he almost always on a "bed" or tie down.

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  6. It sounds like she is going through a stage of testing you. Maybe if shes acting up you should put her on a dragline, so you can correct her if she is being bad. I would also maybe up her playtime some. I know with mine that i have raised even if I have taken them on outings all day they still need to play outside for a bit so they can burn their energy and be just a normal dog then they usually do good. Also i know Guide dogs for the blind tells their raisers if our pups are acting up alot then we should go back to the basics of when they were baby pups such as putting them on a tie down so that they remember what is expected of them.

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  7. Thank you, Hannah and Ashley!!! It is nice hear the encouragement and wise words. It gives me hope this is fixable and not really "her" problem, but mine. I can handle that. Harder if it is was just about her - sounds like she is just normal. On a new mission to wear her out in the exercise side, and up the working side. Thanks!!!!

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  8. It sounds just like a phase. Most of my pups have gone through something like this where they seemed to have everything down and then all of a sudden they turned into real horrors. My first one decided to start peeing in the house two weeks before turn in. I would just allow her less freedom in home. I'm not sure what CCI does in reguards to teaching their very young puppies how to behave at home, but maybe going back to that protocol until Haddie learns that she does still, in fact, have to behave in the house.

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  9. Thanks, Erin!!! Our friend's dog did the "I'm not house broken" trick 2-wks before turn-in too. Maybe they sense the emotions/nerves of the handler and freak out with them that change is coming. I wouldn't put it past these smart puppies!!

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  10. Merlot and Ellie have both been this way all week long. It has been frustrating for sure! But, trying to up the activity level and restrict some of their freedoms till their brain comes back is helping. Hope it's just a full moon kinda freak thing.

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  11. Thanks, Lisa, hoping they all settle down!! HaHaHa. Good to hear from all of you - it makes it much more settling to hear from others who have been there, or are there. Taking all of your wisdom and advice. =)

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