[Quinn&Grayson]

This week, Quinn has gotten incredibly ornery. Grayson is a very eager-to-please and pleasant, but Quinn seems to be trying to get away with everything. She won't sit when I tell her to, and she's been peeing on the carpet without even letting us know she has to go. She also climbs over the baby gate when she is alone.

The puppies are just over three months old. It seems like Quinn is probably testing our dominance, as others have suggested in past threads. At the moment, the only time she will sit is if I have something she wants. She will not sit before I open the door to let her back into the house before going potty. I'm wondering if it's a female v. female issue?

 

[ecemom]

I think it may just be a stage....sounds just like what I went through with Rocky about a month ago (at the same age) and I just tied him to me and didn't let him get away with anything and he eventually settled down. Good luck!

 

[Smeagle]

It's normal for pups to test the boundaries. Some pups will have a stronger character than others and will push more than others. I doubt it's a female vs female thing, it would be more just a puppy vs owner thing!

Some dogs get told the rules and accept them, some dogs wake up every day and ask if the rules are still the same. The key with pups or any dog who is pushing the boundaries is to be consistent.

Two things I can think of - how well does she know the sit command? Does she sit every time have a treat or is that inconsistent too? If that's not the case and she's just pushing the boundaries, I would tell her to sit when I want her to and if she didn't comply I would push her bum down to guide her, and then let her in the house. She will soon get into the habit of sitting when she wants to come in.

I would also be doing a lot of training with her, thoroughly practice NILIF too - and remember NILIF is not just about the dog paying for something when THEY want something. Just because they pay for it doesn't mean you have to give it to them. Make sure everything is still on your terms.

 

[Quinn&Grayson]

Thanks Paula and Smeagle. She is a very smart dog. We haven't given them treats for sitting in quite some time. She knows the command well because we've been using it for a little over a month now, I think.

I've been doing the whole pushing her rear end down when she won't do it. I also wonder if she is doing it because she doesn't want to go inside.

We are practicing NILIF, and it's always on our terms. I keep all the toys up and out of their sight, so I only bring them out when I want to. They never beg for anything - what they beg for, they don't get.

 

[weed30]

If she is not sitting before she gets to come back in, then just leave her out there alone until she does. I'm thinking she will not like it that Grayson gets to go inside and be with you and she doesn't.

 

[Smeagle]

Originally Posted By: Quinn&GraysonThanks Paula and Smeagle. She is a very smart dog. We haven't given them treats for sitting in quite some time. She knows the command well because we've been using it for a little over a month now, I think.

I've been doing the whole pushing her rear end down when she won't do it. I also wonder if she is doing it because she doesn't want to go inside.

Does she come to the door when she wants to come in?

They are only young so it's ok to use treats to reinforce the behaviour that you want. It won't hurt to take treats outside with you and give them to both dogs when they sit when you command them too.

My goal is never to eliminate using food rewards, because my dogs are very food driven, at this age I would be reinforcing the right behaviour with treats regularly (it doesn't have to be all the time or every time) so that they develop the habits I want them to develop.

 

[Quinn&Grayson]

Originally Posted By: DaisyTheDevilDogIf she is not sitting before she gets to come back in, then just leave her out there alone until she does. I'm thinking she will not like it that Grayson gets to go inside and be with you and she doesn't.

I can't really do that because he lives in an apartment and they go out through the front door to an area in front of the apartment complex. Thanks for the suggestion though!

 

[Java]

I agree with Smeagle in continuing to utilize treats to strengthen their training. 3 months is still pretty young (not too young to get in trouble, though!), and they'll require consistent and vigilant training for a while. Don't be shocked if they seem to regress towards the 1 year mark--that seems to be their rebellious age and they'll want to retest the boundaries that you set. Also, it seems this is a critical training period for Quinn as she is not only testing boundaries, but trying to determine her position in the pack. Good luck!

 

[Quinn&Grayson]

Thanks Alan! It's tough having two, but I think once I get them to my house, I will definitely start utilizing what Smeagle suggested and separate the puppies for training periods, so they get used to being alone. That seems to be the most important thing right now because they hate being separated and they are about to be semi-permanently separated.