Hi guys,

New here, hope you're all well and hoping somebody can help me/point me in the right direction!

I've a few questions so I thought I'd just list them:

1) I need a shampoo suitable for my pup, Pei's have sensitive skin as we all know so can someone recommend a decent shampoo? She's starting to smell and needs a wash! I've had her three weeks now. The breeder recommended Malaseb, but the vet said otherwise.

2) Re: bathing her.. any places I should/shouldn't get the shampoo in? Do I wash her lady bits..? (Serious question.. sorry!)

3) She hates being in her crate. I have to put her in it when I go out, couple hours tops, or when I'm trying to get some housework done and there's no one else around to watch her. The minute I leave the room (with her in the crate) she starts barking like there was no tomorrow. I always leave her toys and food and water in with her, and she eventually stops barking, but is there anyway to get her to 'like' being in it?

4) The last couple times I've taken her out for walks, she refuses to walk. I tug on her lead to pull her along hoping she gets the idea, but she sits down and I end up dragging her along to no avail. She literally will not budge. I don't want to drag her because she starts to 'snort' like the lead is choking her, but how else to get her to walk? I end up picking her up and carrying her until we get to the park, putting her down every now and again to see if she'd walk, but she insists on not. She even insists on not walking when we're on the grass! Any ideas?

5) She's teething, so I've got her lots and lots of puppy toys to help her. But she insists on biting the stuffing out of my pillows/quilt! How do I get her off doing this?

6) She's slept in my bed ever since I got her. Perhaps a bad (selfish) move on my part - but I want her to sleep in her bed, or at least get used to it. What's the best way to do this?

7) Any advice on other general training? I'm trying to discipline her, treats and "sit" seem to work, but are they any other things I should be doing? (I'm sure there are..) I'm based in central Leeds, I'd love to get her socialised - does anyone know anywhere local to me? All classes seem to be in Bradford and beyond, I don't drive so can't get there.

Thanks a lot, would really appreciate any help!

Felix

Hiya

Whereabouts in Leeds are you (PM if you like) as I live in Leeds and am currently off work so if your dog wants a play date just get in touch!  There is a class in Bramley on a Wed evening I believe and I took my dog there before he bust his leg and also one near me in Wortley which was fine as a pup but then even though we could do everything in the next class after pup we never got moved up so I changed groups.  Nice people though and it looked good for pups.  There are more classes out towards Otley but it depends if you have the transport to get there.

Not much advice on the rest but I'm sure people will be along soon.

Claire

Hey Claire,

Thanks for your reply. I'm in Hyde Park, LS6 area. Not originally from Leeds so don't know the surrounding towns and how far they are from me! Was hoping to find something within a couple miles of me.. chances seem quite slim!

Any websites for these groups you've mentioned?

Thank yooou.

Felix
x

Neither have websites and I haven't got the messages with the 'phone numbers on (typical!).  Both are not far from you if you have a car. 
The Wortley (LS12) one is a Monday night from 1915 for pups I think.

'Tailwaggers' have a club in LS6 and is on the APDT website but I have had no dealings with them so cannot comment on how good they are but they should be fine as they are part of the APDT.

I think the Bramley one (LS13) is part of the Otley Dog Training Society.

I can't help you with the breed specific questions or local clubs, but a few other bits:

3) She hates being in her crate. I have to put her in it when I go out, couple hours tops, or when I'm trying to get some housework done and there's no one else around to watch her. The minute I leave the room (with her in the crate) she starts barking like there was no tomorrow. I always leave her toys

Do you only put her in it when she has to be locked up, or is it open for her to come and go as she wants during the rest of the time? How about feeding her in it (with door open to start with) so she learns to associate it with nice things, not just being locked up?

4) The last couple times I've taken her out for walks, she refuses to walk. I tug on her lead to pull her along hoping she gets the idea, but she sits down and I end up dragging her along to no avail. She literally will not budge.

You don't say how old she is -that could be a vital part as young pups of course get tired very easily and also should only be going for very short walks (the KC advice is 5 minutes per month of life, so 15 mins for a 3 months old pup). Use a toy or nice treat to encourage her along. Try to let the lead just hang there without being used. Have you practiced lead walking at home, indoors and in garden, before trying to get her to walk on a lead outdoors at walks? It helps a lot of she knows what it means so she isn't faced with two new experiences all at once; new surroundings AND collar/lead.

5) She's teething, so I've got her lots and lots of pupy toys to help her. But she insists on biting the stuffing out of my pillows/quilt! How do I get her off doing this?

She's a baby, so  just like with human babies you have to remove items you don't want touched.

Can't help with the bed as I've never had a dog in my own bed -I just don't like it -don't mind if people do it though, it's up to everyone what they prefer. Hopefully somebody with experience here will come along.

7) Any advice on other general training? I'm trying to discipline her, treats and "sit" seem to work, but are they any other things I should be doing? (I'm sure there are..)

Forget the disciplining! You praise and reward what you want to see more of, ignore what you don't want! Reward is far more powerful than punishment of any sort so it's far better to concentrate on the good behaviour. Any behaviour that gets a good reaction you will see more of.

Claire - thanks mate, I'm going to give Rachel from Tailwaggers (LS6) a call. About as close as it gets for me, let's hope she's what I'm looking for! (Mainly want Olivia to socialise with other dogs, to be honest..)

MarianneB - Hello, thanks for your reponse!

Do you only put her in it when she has to be locked up, or is it open for her to come and go as she wants during the rest of the time? How about feeding her in it (with door open to start with) so she learns to associate it with nice things, not just being locked up?


I feed her in it, and the door is always open during the day. There are always toys in it too! I only ever lock it when I need to go out/do something. So it's not like it's something new to her, do you know what I mean?
You don't say how old she is -that could be a vital part as young pups of course get tired very easily and also should only be going for very short walks (the KC advice is 5 minutes per month of life, so 15 mins for a 3 months old pup). Use a toy or nice treat to encourage her along. Try to let the lead just hang there without being used. Have you practiced lead walking at home, indoors and in garden, before trying to get her to walk on a lead outdoors at walks? It helps a lot of she knows what it means so she isn't faced with two new experiences all at once; new surroundings AND collar/lead.


She's 11 weeks. I tend to take her out for about 45 minutes. When she's not tugging to stay still, she loves going on walks. Loves the park. 15 minutes seems too short for her.. I generally take her on a walk around the park, at her pace, she likes to sniff everything (as they do) and that takes time!

As for lead walking at home, I take her around our garden in it sometimes. Mainly when I'm taking her out to do her business. I can't let her run free because our gate it broken and she might run off.

Anyway, thanks for the rest of the advice. I'll keep it in mind.

She's 11 weeks. I tend to take her out for about 45 minutes. When she's not tugging to stay still, she loves going on walks. Loves the park. 15 minutes seems too short for her.. I generally take her on a walk around the park, at her pace, she likes to sniff everything (as they do) and that takes time!


Oh you need to be really careful here. It's way too much for such a young pup. Over exercise can cause hip dysplasia as her bones are still soft and growing, so it's vital not to overdo it.

Also she needs a dog proof area at home so she can run about at her leisure for the balance of her exercise.

It is the formal on lead that needs to be limited to 5 minutes per month of age.

The rate of growth at this age is phenomenal when you think that she is gaining about 2 pounds a week.

they a re a similar size and weight to my breed.

Just imagine they are about 12 ounces to a  pound at birth and by 8 weeks will be about 10 pounds or so that is 10 times their birth weight.

Imagine a human baby going from 7 pounds to 70 pounds in two months, or even a baby putting on 10 pounds in two months.

Hello and welcome. I cant really help with much but regarding shampoo, I have a Cavalier with very sensitive skin and I have spent a fortune finding a suitable shampoo - Episoothe is the only  product that has worked, its very mild and calming.

Beds:  I have dogs on the bed, I chop and change and all see it as a great treat and not a right, so in the crate by the side of the bed is what I'd advise....super way to housetrain too..one squeak and you can take pup out for a quickie.

Broken gate: Major mistake, please get it fixed or you will regret it.

Chewing stuff: always asume that it's your fault if an inappropriate object gets chewed..pick it up.

Exercise:  Very short on the lead stuff but loads of sniffin' and play in a secure garden...a sleepy pup will settle to a relax in it's crate much more easily.

Crates: should be the place were all good things are given....ask puppy " do ya want it?" and put the prize in the crate .......before long it will rush there before you do.

Sorry for a short summary but I'm doing dinner

hi felix,
if you want to pm me i may be able to help.
there is a training at hearwood village hall 1st monday of every month.