[tb42]

i have 2 dogs, 8 and 12 months old. The older one is fine, she know when i say "NO", not to do somethings, but the younger one is very very naughty. She's been with me for about 5-6 months and i taught her the same as another one, but she's always naughty. I told her "NO" to many things she did and she still did it like: eating the plants, soil in the plant pots, dig holes where she's not supposed to, steal food from the worktop in the kitchen, and when she plays up with another dogs, etc. I told her again and again, but she's getting nowhere.
I got her spayed 2 weeks ago, i'm not sure if that effect dog's behavior. But i really need help how to stop her to do these stuffs. Do i have to keep an eye on her all the time. Sometimes i leave both of them in front of the house but not outside the gate when i do the work inside. My husband doesn't train them because he goes to work early and comes home in the evening. i know i have to get them disciplined and i don't like getting angry at them or shout at them ( i do give them firm voice though ). My husband always says she's very naughty and she needs to learn, but he just left me to clean up the mess.( that;s another problem )

Please give me advice

[JenTN]

Signing up for obedience classes would really help-especially one that uses positive reinforcement.

[reverend_maynard]

One of the biggest things that I have taken from positive reinforcement training is to always praise the dog when it is doing the right thing. It may be 5 seconds after she just stopped doing something I didn't want her to do, but if she's doig the right thing now she get's a "good dog" and a pet or a treat. Never scold for something if you discover it after the fact and never continue to scold after the incident is over if you do catch her. Doing so only confuses the dog as it cannot connect the punishment it is getting now with the act it did before.

[Elana55]

Positive reinforcemnt dog school is a GREAT idea. Do it if you can!

Here is the thing. The dog does not see his behavior as "naughty." While "NO!" and negative reinforcers such as spanking and leash jerks work sometimes on some dogs, for others they just don't. The dogs for which it doesn't work either just continue the undesirable behavior OR they learn to fear the person who is punishing or (worse) BOTH.

What kind of dog is the 8 month old dog? It may help to know that.. but not necessarily.
How much exercise are these dogs getting? If you have a high energy dog, you need to provide a LOT of exercise and training stimulus to help contain the energy level. I have a high energy dog and I walk 3-5 miles a day (usually the latter) and I train.. and (somehow) I still go to work and all the rest.

Setting that aside, if you have a dog who is exhibiting an undesirable behavior, you need to give the dog a desirbale behavior to replace what you don't want the dog to do. For instance, if the dog is found chewing on a shoe, you replace the shoe with a Chew toy and praise the dog for chewing the right thing.

It is important to set things up so the dog succeeds. IOW's if you don't want the dog digging in a houseplant, you will need to remove the plant from his reach (for now). You also will need to train the dog to "leave it" which you can do by offering the dog a better reward than whatever he is in that you want him to leave. I used cheap hot dogs cut up real small.. I can get 50 treats from one raw hot dog!

Is this dog crate trained? It is a good idea to get a crate and crate train the dog. Easier to housebreak and, when you have food out, the dog cannot get to it. You clear the food away and wash dishes etc. b4 the dog is allowed access too those areas.

Take a look at this site too:
www.clickertraining.com for advice and easy to read books on how to start training your dog.

And yes.. Positive reinforcement dog school ASAP. Dog school helps you to learn how to train your dog and it is excellent. You get homework to do and have someone who is a trainer to ask questions of.

[poodleholic]

i have 2 dogs, 8 and 12 months old. The older one is fine, she know when i say "NO", not to do somethings, but the younger one is very very naughty. She's been with me for about 5-6 months and i taught her the same as another one, but she's always naughty. I told her "NO" to many things she did and she still did it like: eating the plants, soil in the plant pots, dig holes where she's not supposed to, steal food from the worktop in the kitchen, and when she plays up with another dogs, etc. I told her again and again, but she's getting nowhere.

This isn't "naughty" behavior per se; your dog is just being a dog, and digging in your plants is great fun! Telling her "NO" doesn't teach her anything, and besides, she doesn't speak English, so how is she supposed to know what "no" means to you? Your older dog has figured it out, based on your behavior. But, it's much more effective, instead of yelling NO, to distract her, then redirect her to something you want her to do (such as "sit"), then praise her, and give her a treat (you're giving her positive reinforcement to do what you asked her to do).

It's up to you to keep her from having access to your plants and food on the kitchen worktop. Puppy-proof the room she is in, so she doesn't get into trouble. Then teach her "leave it" and "drop it," for the times when she's about to get into those plants, or go after the food. "No" is just noise to a dog, and doesn't teach them anything (except that you're always saying or yelling it). Teach her an alternate behavior instead. Then praise her!

Don't forget to praise her for good behavior. When she's sitting or laying down quietly with a chewie or stuffy toy, tell her what a good girl she is.

I got her spayed 2 weeks ago, i'm not sure if that effect dog's behavior.

Spaying your puppy will have no effect on the behaviors mentioned that your dog is displaying. She's just being curious and having fun, and has no way of knowing or understanding that you don't want her to dig in the plants or to go after food you've left out.

But i really need help how to stop her to do these stuffs. Do i have to keep an eye on her all the time.

You have to either supervise her, or contain her in a room or area where she cannot get into things you don't want her to. Then you have to train/teach her house manners.

My husband doesn't train them because he goes to work early and comes home in the evening. i know i have to get them disciplined and i don't like getting angry at them or shout at them ( i do give them firm voice though ). My husband always says she's very naughty and she needs to learn, but he just left me to clean up the mess.( that;s another problem )

Again, using a firm voice and scolding them for doing something you don't want them to do doesn't mean much to them, and doesn't teach them anything. An untrained dog doesn't know how to communicate with humans, or how to behave, but, the trained dog understands what is expected of him, and the words you say to him. Positive reinforcement obedience training will help you learn to communicate with your dogs, and help your dogs to understand what it is you are communicating to them.

Keep us posted, and best of luck to you!