Desperate Help with our new 10 month old Bichon Frise PLEASE!

esabet

In the interim we need help with one more thing:

We put Jeter in his crate somewhere between 10:30 to 11:30 PM!  Then Jeter wakes up around 4:30 to 5:00 AM and starts making lots of noise, scrapping the crate, and barking to get out!  He may stop after 30 minutes of being ignored but then will start all over at about 6:00 am. What is the best way to train him so that he waits and does not bark till  we get him out (some time between  6:30 to 7:00 am)?

 

First take up his water at 8:00 pm, make sure he pottys before you crate him for the night and last but most importantly NEVER give in to his crying by letting him out.  If you suspect he does indeed have to go potty, wait until he stops crying/barking and then get him out and take him outside to potty.  Don't talk to him or play with him. Praise and treat if he goes potty but otherwise return him in silence (with a treat for getting in the crate) and go back to bed.  It takes nerves of steel sometimes but if you are consistent about not rewarding his crying, he will learn it isn't working and will stop.

spiritdogs

 

......................................... Afterthought...did your breeder have you and your kids over to meet the dog before you bought him?

We all went to the breeder's house twice and both times my daughter was with us.  On both occasions Jeter walked up to her and showed no reaction whatsoever.  My daughter played with him, pet him and even gave him treats both times!

 Well, then it could be that the loss of his familiar environment was a bigger issue for him than anyone thought it would be.  The breeder's house may be quieter than yours, or he may miss his other canine pals, who might have given him confidence. 

We took Jeter out yesterday and I saw him interact with another dog.

While the other dog (a Pomeranian) was barking, jumping up and down, dragging its owner across the street to get close to Jeter, Jeter was just standing there, looked at her and sniffed her once and then stood 100% still!!!  He did not bark, he did not sniff the other dog - he was simply not moving at all while the other dog was all over him!

Is there any significant to this behavior?

By the way, my wife did mention a week ago that when her friend came over with her dog, Jeter behaved exactly the same. The other dog was much smaller than Jeter.

esabet

Is there any significant to this behavior?

It's pretty much impossible to say without actually having seen the interaction.  Dog body language and communication is full of nuances and to draw a conclusion based on just a brief description is difficult. 

JackieG

esabet

Is there any significant to this behavior?

 

It's pretty much impossible to say without actually having seen the interaction.  Dog body language and communication is full of nuances and to draw a conclusion based on just a brief description is difficult. 

Jackie is right, so don't read too much in to this, but some little dogs do a little "small dog freeze" which is intended to make the other dog so disinterested in interacting with the small dog that it will leave.

Hello everyone;

This is an important update.

As you may recall I had mentioned that Jeter had begun to bark at my 8 yr old daughter.  Well that did not go away and in fact on Saturday he straited to growl at her. 

Interesting enough I got a phone call from Parvene Farhoody as a she was following up.  I told her that we have decided to keep Jeter and try to work with him at which point she offered to have one meeting with us.  As yo may recall before she had said that she did not have time for us but knowing the situation she really felt like she wants to help us out as much as she can.

We met Parvene on Sunday and she spent over 3 hours with us.  Let me first say that she was incredible. 

Regretfully her conclusion was no different than what she had told me over the phone the other day.  She thought it would be best for both Jeter and my family to take Jeter back to the breeder!!!

She felt that ultimately Jeter may become more and more aggressive and even bite my daughter, a notion that when we told the breeder about, she became VERY VERY upset and thought it was crazy!!

Irrespective of that she felt Jeter will need lots and lots of work to buildup his confidence and to accept people!  During the entire visit Jeter had his tale down even though Parvene was giving him treats constantly. She also noticed how his stand was in the "ready to run" position!

So, bottom line, Jeter is going back.  I can't tell you how sad we all are but it could be the best decision for all of us!

The breeder does have a new litter and she did offer us to have a look at her new litter even though they have all been spoken for. She said the new litter is from a different blood line and that made us happy as Parvene felt that Jeter may possibly have a genetic disposition!  (B.T.W. She has ONLY girls and am not sure if it really matters.  In the past I was only looking for boys fro some reason! Does it really matter?) 

We may be crazy to consider getting another pup from the same breeder but, I have to say it again, she does not sound like a "bad" breeder.  But again I don't know anything!! 

NOW, most important of all, I also like to take this opportunity to thank you all for participating and supporting us and I make sure to post once we have gotten a new pup!!!

Im sorry about your troubles and I hope things work out for the best. I find it strange that the breeder will let you look at pups that have been spoken for tho, doesnt that look bad on her because if you take one then the original person who called the dog isnt going to get thier pup?

In my opinion it doesnt matter about males or females, there are some differences but its basically your preference. If its a happy, healthy female puppy then go for it if your not set on getting a male.

ETA- if you get a new pup be sure you have the time to socialize it and time to teach your daughter how to handle and train the little pup.

I'm glad you mentioned the new litter is from a different line. A breeder must discontinue a line, in my opinion, of results are showing problems. As tough as it may be for the breeder to eat the cost of the original breed pair, that is the price of true breeding. Having the ethics to stop breeding if it results in problems. I was hesitant to bring that up before because I know you like this breeder. But the same breeding ethics requires you to be just as demanding. If a breeder isn't willing to stop a line for problems or won't take back a pup that's not adapting, even with a behaviorist, then you would have had to ask yourself about the advisability of continuing with that breeder.

Good luck to you and your family. I know it may hurt to surrender this dog but if things progress and the dog bites the child, the doctor at the ER will solve the problem for you by reporting the bite.

proofpup

I find it strange that the breeder will let you look at pups that have been spoken for tho, doesnt that look bad on her because if you take one then the original person who called the dog isnt going to get thier pup?

Ditto, that sounds weird.

 Very, very often, homes fall through before the puppies go home. Perhaps they're just visiting the puppies and becoming a backup home?

ahhh yes you might be right about that one.

tiffy

proofpup

I find it strange that the breeder will let you look at pups that have been spoken for tho, doesnt that look bad on her because if you take one then the original person who called the dog isnt going to get thier pup?

 

Ditto, that sounds weird.

Actually, it's not that weird.  Breeders do that for two reasons: they want to have a "plan B" in case any of the people who put a deposit on a pup don't actually take the puppy for some unforeseen reason (it happened to one of my dog's litter mates who was "spoken for" and supposed to go to a home in England, but ended up staying in the US when that fell through), and (not in this case, since they've already met) they like to know who is interested in a future litter and if they seem like they would make a good owner.  In this situation, someone who is willing to shell out to have a behaviorist evaluate a dog that is having problems would be my top choice as a responsible owner. 

When there are kids in a home, I like people, if they can, to start out with a young puppy (8 weeks) or an adult that is absolutely known to be wonderful with kids.  Adolescent dogs that have limited social experience with kids are not a good bet.  Jeter may be fine in an adult home, and the fact that his breeder took him back speaks well for her, as does our OP's decision to keep her child safe AND, more importantly, to have returned the dog *before* he becomes a statistic by biting a child.  This was just a mismatch, and better to figure it out now than to wait until the situation might result in a bad outcome for either the child or the dog. 

By the way, my advice is also to get this little pup in to puppy class as soon as your trainer will allow.  (My dogs start at 8 weeks if I have them that young, and if I rescue, they are in the next class that one of my colleagues schedules, just for the experience, even though I'm a trainer.)

And, socialize it with people, dogs, cats, babies, guys in uniform, different surfaces, etc. right from the get go.