[Sprout3292]

Hi everyone, I am Christie, Chris for short... I have Sasha, she is 11 weeks old, purebred Alaskan Malamute puppy. We are having some issues with her. We got her when she was 7 weeks old, was great, had some potty issues. Tried crate training... epic fail. Now, every time she goes in her crate she sounds like she is being beaten and not improving. We have moved on to the dominant humping with growling and biting at my 6 year old son, father and she barks at me. She has never been struck, nothing but love and affection. I have been told she needs pinning and shown Alpha behavior. But now, she won't listen to anything. She used to come when spoken to, now... nada! She is eating dirt... I am at a loss. I know they are stubborn but geez!!! She starts obedience tomorrow with a professional trainer... I am at my wits end already. My husband is in Afghanistan and my father didn't want her here and all we do is fight. Now, when I give a command she just walks away. Any ideas????

Thanks!!!

 

[PatriciafromCO]

Love to see pictures (Please) Great that you are starting class tomorrow.. and I will only say do not pin, roll her it will accomplish nothing positive in your favor and only create more negative from Sasha. Keep an open mind and see what the trainer saids seeing the two of you in person. My experience is getting set in the basic ob skills you do see the teamwork coming together. As big as she is going to get, you definetly want to instill in her a willing working relationship. Because she will be too big and too strong quicker then you think to be able to force her to do anything.. So work towards teaching a strong willing work ethic in her.

 

[Kayla_Nicole]

Has the crate been used as a positive training tool? Not used for punishment, but rewarding her for going in and being quiet while inside?

She is still very very young at 11 weeks. An 11 week old puppy is not trying to be dominant or defiant - they are still just learning and absorbing the world! Potty accidents are going to happen with an 11 week old puppy. Also, humping or making the motion of humping is a normal puppy behavior too and doesn't necessarily mean anything is wrong.

I'm sure others will have better advice than me but it's great that you are taking her to obedience classes because they are always a good starting point. Best of luck!

 

[HollowHeaven]

Pinning her, rolling her, anything to do with acting like "alpha" will make things worse. The alpha/pack theory stuff is false information and can ruin your relationship with your dog and make things worse.
You need to make the crate fun for her. Don't ever use it as a punishment or anything similar. Leave her in it for short amounts of time and slowly build it up. Make going in it good, with toys and treats.

She's a puppy. Puppies don't listen, they bite, they gnaw, they pee everywhere. It's like having a baby all over again.
Read this: http://www.dogforums.com/first-time-dog-owner/8377-bite-stops-here.html
When she bites, redirect her onto an appropriate item for chewing, like a bone or a toy. If she continues, walk away for a minute until she settles down. Go into another room if you have to. This is teaching that when she gets too rough, the fun stops. Don't push her away or become loud or try too much to pry her off. That continues her game.
The barking is most likely her saying "Hey, you! Play with me!"

Part of the problem is that your father doesn't want anything to do with her. That sort of tension can make things worse. Try explaining this to him (try being the key word) and see if you can get him to toss her treats or a toy every now and again. He doesn't have to be her best friend but hating her won't help.

The humping is most likely from excitement and play, not dominance. An 11 week old puppy is going to try and dominate anything, and definitely not you.

Malamutes are independent dogs. Try getting her to think everything she does was her idea to start with. Use positive reinforcement with everything you do.
and most importantly, be patient and give it time.

 

[Sprout3292]

No, the crate has been nothing but howling, yelping and a huge horrid affair. As far as the humping, it is coming with growling, barking and negative behavior, not playful puppy like behavior. That is why I feel it is dominant behavior. She also growls, bites and nips at my son in a very negative way. When I saw her lay in her crate with the door open... ONCE, I praised her for it... Now, she is sleeping in my floor at night because no one could get a moments peace at night, it would take 45 minutes to an hour for her to quiet down at night and she would start again by 6 am. This is the most challenging thing I have ever done! Thanks for your input!!!

Chris

 

[KelseyRose]

Malamutes are probably the most stubborn, most difficult kind of dog. Did you research the breed before you got her? I have a Siberian puppy, and DEAR LORD! She has been testing me since I brought her home. But that's what comes with the whole package of a nortic breed dog. Where did you get her from? Did you get her from a REPUTABLE breeder, or a breeder claiming to be reputable. It kind of sounds to me like you have an awfully breed puppy on your hands, or you waited too long to try to train and discipline her. If you let her get away with her "cute" and "adorable" puppy behavior, she now thinks she is the leader and she's not going to listen to you. Getting a professional trainer was a good idea, but if this is the same trainer who told you to alpha roll a puppy, run away from this person as fast as you can! With these types of dogs, positive reinforcement and clicker training goes a LOOOONG way. If you have been alpha rolling her, no wonder she is acting out like this. Siberians, Malamutes, Shiba Inus, all those types of dogs do not and will not respond to harsh treatment. They will either shut down or turn mean, because that's what they are seeing your "training" as..you just being mean and bullying them. If your trainer is not a positive trainer, get a new one before this person ever meets your dog. You will damage that poor puppy. And her barking and carrying on like she is dieing..ITS WHAT PUPPIES DO! They test you to see how long it takes them to win, and you let her win. So now you are in trouble. You need to put her in her crate, LEAVE HER THERE AND IGNORE HER!! Sheba was god awful the first month. I even cried. But I never gave in, and now is she perfect..well kind of. Since you have given in though, she knows she's stronger then you, which is very bad news with these breeds.

 

[Crantastic]

Dominance between humans and dogs is not a thing, really and truly... and even if it were, an 11-week old pup would be too young to show dominance. That whole "alpha dog" theory was based on the idea that dogs are like wolves, and that wolves live in big packs and constantly compete with each other to become "top wolf," or the "alpha." These beliefs were based on scientific studies done on a pack of captive, unrelated wolves, and these wolves did fight a lot. But in the past 40ish years, scientists have realized that those studies were VERY flawed. In the wild, wolf packs are made up of related wolves -- they're like family groups. The parents are naturally the "alphas;" there's no competition necessary for them to get that position. As one of the guys involved with those original studies has said, they've learned more about wolves in the past 40 years than in all of previous history... and his old ideas were wrong.

And, saying that, dogs are not wolves anyway. Feral dogs don't actually form packs. Dogs don't understand why a human would pin them (it is a very threatening behavior). It means nothing to a dog if you eat before them, walk out the door before them, or don't allow them on the couch.

Here are some links for you to read -- they will help you understand your puppy better:

De-Bunking the "Alpha Dog" Theory
Misconceptions of the Mythical Alpha Dog
AVSAB Position Statement on the Use of Dominance Theory in Behavior Modification of Animals
L. David Mech's site (he's the guy I mentioned earlier who wrote a book on that original wolf research and now takes it all back)

Here is a great, free, online training textbook (it has chapters on teaching a dog to enjoy its crate and not to bite): Digital Dog Training Textbook
And here's a training method I like a lot: Nothing In Life Is Free

Your puppy is being just that, a puppy. Some puppies are biting, barking demons. And no 11-week-old puppy is perfectly trained. Your dog's only doing the things she's doing because she is a baby and she doesn't yet understand what you want. Please read the above links, especially the training textbook, and if it all sounds like too much work for you -- if you expect a baby dog to be perfect with very little training -- then please find her a new home while she is still young and cute. I will not think less of you for admitting that you're in over your head and doing what's best for the dog.

 

[HollowHeaven]

Again, dogs are not going to try and dominate their people or try to be their leader, and they don't really need "discipline", especially not puppies.


Again, OP, the puppy's N O T trying to dominate you. It's not real.

 

[Crantastic]

I also have to laugh at the "you waited too long to try to train and discipline her" thing. This pup is ELEVEN WEEKS OLD. She is a little baby. She has no attention span yet. I don't know why people expect so much from baby dogs.

 

[Sprout3292]

We only did the pinning the past day... but no, the trainer has worked with military dogs and uses clickers and positive reinforcement training... I am at the end of my rope because my dad doesn't like her being here and thinks she is too big and she is only 11 weeks. I started training her at 8 weeks. She is just 11 weeks... I have never hit her, but I have had to pull her by her collar to get her in. We have a cow pasture beside our house, I can't get her out of it... I won't chase her thru it either... She is tiny still... I can still carry her around at this point so I still have the upper hand.

 

[sassafras]

I also have to laugh at the "you waited too long to try to train and discipline her" thing. This pup is ELEVEN WEEKS OLD. She is a little baby. She has no attention span yet. I don't know why people expect so much from baby dogs.

Yea puppies aren't born knowing what commands are. And once they learn them, they sometimes forget them.

When you were a kid, how many times did (general) your parents have to tell you to shut the door after you came inside before you did it with consistency? Same with puppies, they need repetition.

 

[Sprout3292]

I don't expect perfection, but I want safety for my children and the ability to give them the dog they so desperately wanted with a happy safe home for everyone involved, human and k-9... I am not an idiot, and please do not think I am. I am educated enough to understand a puppy cannot be perfect. That is why I am here asking for help...

 

[Crantastic]

I think it might be best if you return her to the breeder (and if the breeder's not a good one and doesn't want her back, find a good rescue that will help you rehome her -- search for northern breed, husky, and/or malamute rescues in your area, although an all-breed one would be okay too). A big malamute puppy is going to grow into a very big dog, and if you're having this many issues now (both with the dog and with your father), it will probably just get worse. She's still young, so she will be okay in a new home.

 

[KelseyRose]

Well thank you for that Crantastic.

I didn't mean that puppies learn a command or what have you the first time you teach it. What I meant was that when puppies are brought home you should begin training them the very first moment you have, because they are such sponges at that age. And yes I am very well aware that a dog will not try to dominate a human, I am not a moron but THANK YOU for making me feel like one . What I meant by the whole leader thing is that she may know she can do whatever she wants because she has never been corrected or trained to do what is expected of her. Maybe you people should ask for more clarification before jumping all over what someone has said and make them feel like dirt.

I never once stated that I expected my puppy to learn how to fricken dance or anything like that. I have never expected too much out of my puppy, so once again THANK YOU FOR THAT!

I just meant ONCE AGAIN, that if she has not done any form of training with her puppy, her puppy isn't going to listen and doesn't think she has any reason to listen!! YES puppies are like that already, but if you haven't seized the moment in those first precious weeks of bring your puppy home to start training her on what is and isn't expected of her, it just makes it that much harder.

Now I remember why I stopped visiting this forum. People can be so fricken rude.

 

[Crantastic]

If you mean something, say that instead of saying something else. When you say, "it kind of sounds to me like you have an awfully breed puppy on your hands, or you waited too long to try to train and discipline her," it REALLY sounds like you're saying, "Welp, this puppy is a lost cause now because you waited too long to start training her." Clarity matters.

 

[KelseyRose]

And so does not being a jerk.

What is wrong with me stating that she may have a badly bred puppy?? Plenty of people have puppy with awful genetics. Mine came from a puppy mill, so that plays a big part in how she acts and how she needs to be trained. Didn't think I had to spell everything out for a group like this.

 

[Crantastic]

And so does not being a jerk.

What is wrong with me stating that she may have a badly bred puppy?? Plenty of people have puppy with awful genetics. Mine came from a puppy mill, so that plays a big part in how she acts and how she needs to be trained. Didn't think I had to spell everything out for a group like this.

Nothing wrong with that, but it's quite the assumption to make considering we're discussing an 11-week-old puppy that's acting like an 11-week-old puppy. Besides, that wasn't the part I objected to -- it was the idea that someone "waited too long" to train an 11-week-old puppy and that the puppy now knows that she's "stronger than" the owner. That's silly.

As for the "rude" thing... we tend to be direct around here. If you want to interpret that as rudeness, that's fine. Rest assured that I have no bad feelings toward you as a person at all; I simply disagree with your opinions. You also stated those opinions rather bluntly and directly, so you should be prepared to get blunt and direct responses in return.

 

[eeloheel]

It kind of sounds to me like you have an awfully breed puppy on your hands, or you waited too long to try to train and discipline her.

I would like clarification on what in the OPs post illustrated that this puppy was from an awful breeder. You're implying by that that the dogs issues are abnormal, and that a dog from a good breeder would not have these issues. You later state that you realize puppies have these issues and it's up to the owner to train them out of it, and I find that conflicting. Can you please clarify your meaning so that it isn't mistaken?

 

[KelseyRose]

I am really getting tired of clarifying myself. I would think that a person WOULD have waiting too long to start training an 11 week old puppy if they have had that puppy from the age of 7 weeks. So I guess in actuality I stand by what I said. I am of the belief that training should start from day one. Bad habits can be formed in those 4 weeks the puppy has been with her if they never started training. I did not intend my comment to be taken as it apparently has been. A puppy is not programmed, and I am well aware of that. A puppy can be trained to do almost anything and everything, but you have to actually start training. Which the creator of this thread never once stated if they have begun actual training or not, unless I didn't see it. The only training she mentioned was crate training. That is why I said what I did. I personally would not wait to start training my puppy after 4 weeks of owning it.

When did this thread become about me?

I said the part about the badly bred puppy because if I had a puppy who was actually humping at 11 weeks of age, I would be highly concerned if I got a puppy from a "reputable" breeder or not. If she really did get her puppy from a real breeder, I would like to think the puppy would have been well socialized and this kind of behavior wouldn't happen. That is why I said what I did. If my puppy did that at any stage during puppyhood I'd be calling up my breeder and asking loads of questions. Also, most reputable breeders don't let puppies go at 7 weeks of age. That's a little too soon. Another reason why I said what I did. Honestly if you find an 11 week old puppy humping not abnormal behavior then that's a little odd. A good breeder would not have let that puppy go to a home at 7 weeks of age, at least not from where I come from. She also stated that her puppy is eating dirt like it's the end of the world. A good breeder would have made sure she had well rounded knowledge of the breed and of puppies and dogs in general before letting that puppy go home, and it doesn't sound like that is the case.

Puppies act out no matter where they come from..but humping isn't a normal acting out thing that puppies do.

Normal acting out is up to the owner to train out of the dog. Most cases of acting out wouldn't happen if the puppy had started training day one. That is all I meant.

 

[Sprout3292]

I am not going to put a dog that I paid for, that is registered to a rescue... that is absurd! I am not going to give up without an attempt to have her properly trained. I came here thinking that I could get open minded opinions from people with humane ideas not people telling me to give up on week 2. I am starting with her tomorrow. She was born in Alaska, and I live in Virginia, not really an option to return her to her breeder, who is working with me on training ideas diligently as well, as much as he can from across the country. My situation with my father is temporary. I am not giving up on a puppy, merely looking for information from well educated dog owners/trainers that could assist. Obviously, you were not one of those people. Have a good evening.

Take Care,
Chris