Tamara needs a little help settling her rescue Labrador mix into her routine:
“We recently(2 mos ago)adopted a 12 month old Lab mix from a neglect situation where he was crated 23 hours a day. Our dogs are routinely fed at 6:30 AM and again in the evening. This new dog begs to go out several times a night because he knows eventually after 1 of those trips out it will be breakfast time. We are getting up about 6 times a night to either let him out or give him attention. He sleeps with our daughters at night and we close their bedroom doors so that he can’t have free run of the house. How do we get him to sleep during the night and patiently wait until morning for breakfast? He was very thin when we took him and is gradually putting on weight. I am also concerned because I have never seen a dog eat as fast as this one. Thank you”
Time, patience and perseverance are the only real things needed here, Tamara.
It can take up to 12 months for a rescue dog to settle into new routines. The main thing you need to do is to not give in to his cries to be let out more than once through the night. One thing that may help is to have him sleep in a crate at night in your children’s room. Because he was used to being crated so long, it might give him the added security to help him settle overnight.
Once he realizes that he is always going to get fed at a certain time, he should be less frantic. making sure he gets plenty of exercise and mental stimulation will also help calm him down a little.
Robert asked for help with leash training his Bull Mastiff:
“I have a 4 month old female bull mastiff i can not get her to walk with on a leash it ’s like a stand off she will just lay down i do not use a chocker i don’t thank it would help can you please give me some suggestion’s on how to do this so it’s not so painful on both of us thanks”
Try getting her to associate the leash with positive things. Have a selection of her favorite treats to hand. Lay the leash on the floor beside you and call her over to you. When she comes, give her a treat and let her go. Do this a few times, then try attaching the leash before treating. Take it off immediately and let her go. Again, repeat this a few times, gradually moving towards being able to hold the attached leash whilst standing up.
Once you have got her associating the leash with a treat, use the treat to lure her to walk beside or behind you while you hold the leash. Do this indoors at first then after you have got her happily following you around in the house, venture outdoors. Increase the time between treats and you will eventually find she walks along with you without needing them.
It looks like a time consuming job, but it should only take a day or two if she is receptive to the treats you offer. I have found that even ‘problem’ dogs can’t resist fishy treats like pilchard cake or tuna cake if you are stuck to find something she is prepared to accept the leash for.
Erica has got a problem pooch:
“What do I do when my 5 mo. old pom/yorky ignores a command I am certain he knows and there are no appearent distractions? Do I enforce it by putting him into position?”
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Rachael asked for help with a separation anxiety problem she has with her 11 year old Jack Russell terrier:
“my 11 year old jack russel lives with me i grew up with her got her an got her when i was 10 an then moved away when i was 16 got her again at xmas, an love her here, but whenever i go to work she barks and pulls the carpet up i’m worried she does this for a long time, i know when she lived with my mum she had other dogs around, and when i’m with her its fine and once i get settled in a job she calms a little when i leave her
but how can i help her calm don when i go? and not wail all day, i just want to make her feel more at ease, i cant get another dog, and ive tried leaveg toy and bones and things for her to play with but it doesnt work, i love having her with me an am getting worried my neighbors will start to complain, please help i need solutions!!”
Here’s some guidance on helping the dog…. more…
Chris posted this question on the submission page:
“I have a 4 month old havanese who thinks every time I call her name I just want to play and she runs around like crazy. If I call her to the door to come inside, she comes right up to the door but then runs away when I try to get her. She is only playing, but it’s driving me nuts. I have 2 other dogs who come as soon as I call them, but she just doesn’t get it. Sometimes it can take 15minutes and 3 people to get her in. I know that chasing her around can’t be helping either. Any suggestions”
Here is the advice I can offer: more…
