Behaviourial Issues

by DL
(NY)

So cute when sleeping!

So cute when sleeping!

We recently rescued a 4-month-old male GP. At first he was very calm and sweet. He was doing amazingly well with potty training and playing fetch and working on his chew toys. Well, we found out quickly that he was actually sick with parasites and kennel cough. After getting him better and the weather cooling off, he has become much more active, including adding some unwanted behaviors very suddenly. He started jumping on us and that quickly turned into trying to mount us. He's doing this ALL THE TIME now! And to make it worse (he's teething, of course) he is constantly biting/chewing on us. He has broken the skin a few times. We have had to separate him from our daughter, who adores him and is sad that she can't play with him. The behavior appeared and escalated so quickly that it's difficult to even work with him on improving because the mounting and biting is so constant and unrelenting. To top it off, he's gone from almost potty trained to peeing wherever and whenever he feels like it with no warning. No sniffing around, nothing. Chasing his ball one second and peeing the next, even with regularly scheduled trips outside. We are using positive reinforcement and redirection to try to train and improve behavior (he has learned sit and to come when called but won't stay sitting so we were working on lengthening the sit time before all this started). He does not like being corrected in any way and will come back at us twice as hard if we do any kind of correction like yanking his leash. We do try to ignore him when he has bad behavior but this requires babygating him as he will just follow us around mounting and biting constantly! We want to do more walks but he frequently refuses and lays down, refusing to walk. I literally had to drag him home with all four legs out, belly on the ground, but he's getting too big for that now. How do we turn this ship around and get him back on the right track?! Will this behavior subside with an end to teething and neutering at 6 months? Thanks!

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Aug 30, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Training
by: Donna

Neutering won't help his issues right now.

Get a positive-reinforcement trainer in to help you.

Yanking his leash is not positive reinforcement. Pyrs don't take kindly to this kind of treatment. Pushing him around will get you nowhere but kickback from him. When he gets to be 100 pounds, you'll be in trouble. You cannot bully him into getting what you want from him.

You need to work with him. Show him the way. Again, get a positive-reinforcement trainer in to show you how to manage him.

Here is a website you can have a look at, as well:

http://www.susangarrett.com/the-five-minute-formula-to-a-brilliant-recall/
Aug 30, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		playmate
by: Anonymous

It might be a good idea to find your pup an older canine playmate of a similar (or bigger) size. He is exhibiting aggressive behaviour that would be dealt with fairly quickly by an older experienced dog and in a way the pup would best understand.
If your pup was removed from his mom and his siblings too young ie: before he was 8-9wks old, and this behaviour has gone unchecked before now, you will need professional help from a Pyr experienced trainer. Yanking on the leash, lecturing him and dragging him is wrong. All you are teaching him with that is that this is a contest of willpower, which you will lose. It will result in him becoming a very aggressive, angry and unmanageable big dog.
If he were mine, I would try the older canine playmate route. Make sure the playmate has good doggy manners and is confident in his nature. It may get rough as your pup will test the other dog, just as he has been testing you. But your pup will learn by his own experience during play what his boundaries are. Neuter at 6 mos. is too soon for a large breed and will not have much of an impact on his present behaviour. The mounting is a display of dominance at this point which must be redirected so he doesn't learn he can bully all of you.
Along with playtime with another dog, a behavioral specialist will be able to best show you how to redirect, without confrontation, your pup's impulsive behaviour. Do not allow free play between him and your child at the moment.
Your child could be badly hurt....this is a serious issue and needs to be addressed ASAP.
Good luck with this.
Sep 03, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		picture perfect
by: Anonymous

Am looking at your picture of your pup, after reading your posting. Cute, for sure, but this can be deceiving.
It appears he's blissfully napping on leather....would that be your couch? Your furniture ceases to be yours, if he's allowed on it whenever he chooses. You have not established behavioural boundaries with him. He won't always be cute and cuddly, he will be a big, willful and powerful dog. He will be on the chair and you will be on the floor...think about it.
Playtime with children should be always be carefully supervised. If you don't like what's going on now, perhaps you should re-think having this dog in your home.
You didn't acquire him from a registered breeder, as a pup from a registered breeder would never be homed in the unhealthy condition that yours was. So, you cannot even be completely sure that he is a GP, a mix breed, or some other giant white breed. These dogs are not all suitable as pets.
This is a serious issue you are faced with. Perhaps you should consider replacing this pup with a breed more suited to your family. You will save yourself and your child from possible harm and grief in the long run. Your pup will require much work and you must consider if you are willing to devote the time and money his training will require. Think carefully.

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