Need Some Tips For Training
charlietheheathen
West Virginia
Alright! Hi, I'm Angel, I have an eight week old demon of a bully named Charlie! AND I NEED LOTS OF HELP.
Charlie really is only eight weeks old, but he is a handful. I have had many dogs before, even though I'm only sixteen. I've dealt with Heelers, Rottweilers, Mini Pinchers, Collies and even one Wolf Dog very briefly. But I have never ever had a Bull Terrier and I am beginning to question my limits haha. My main issues with Charlie stem from his tendency to nip, his selective hearing and distructive habits. I know he is just a baby. But I am alone with him all day and most of the night because my mother works long hours. She is wonderful at training, but she isn't around long enough to work with him a lot. We got him because I was very lonely and she wanted a way for me to get outside more. I wanted to get an older dog, but she wanted one she could train herself. Ohhh, I really wish she had gotten an older dog from the shelter. I live in an apartment, which means I have to carry the poor pup all the way down steep stairs and another set of stairs out the door to get him to go potty outside. Also, the grass is infested with fleas so I have to let him go in the parking lot, then take him in and do whatever I can to keep fleas at bay. So far I'm keeping up with the fleas, but it is so hard to potty train him when he can't tell me he's got to go yet and I have to go so far to get him to a place to potty. I got potty pads and hes starting to get decent about using them, but he's slow about not biting them or dragging them around. He chews on everything he's not supposed to chew on and he won't listen when I tell him not to. He keeps doing it. Watching me the entire time I scold him. I haven't used treats yet but thats because he has milk teeth and has a tendency to nip. Hard. He's made me bleed a few times and I just- it is so frustrating. I don't want to give up on him yet. He's just a baby but I'm running out of patience and ideas. I recently put him in his kennel because I needed a break, I was getting so angry. He tore his bed up a bit. Ugh. I just need some tips, more options. Ways to work with him. I have tried praising him when he stops doing bad things. I've tried scolding him when he does bad things. I've tried giving him a toy to chew on whenever he tries chewing on something else but he isn't improving. Doing this on my own is very hard, I prefer calmer dogs. He's wild. I can't get him to sit still very long. If he does sit long enough for me to pet him and give him attention, he tries nipping at my hands. If I could stop all the nipping, I might get my foot in the door in the way of ending the chewing and such because I'll be comfortable giving him treats. I feel like 8 weeks is so early to start things like vigorous potty training, but not doing it isn't an option. He hasn't pooped in the apartment at all, but he still pees where he's not supposed to quite often. My mom hates the potty pads, she expects me to immediately have him trained to pee outside. He's so little I'd be trekking up and down those dastardly stairs every thirty minutes and I have a sore hip, that isn't an option. The potty pads have to stay until he's big enough to hold it longer. And how do I get his attention so he'll listen without whacking him? He won't listen unless I make some clicking noise or nudge him hard enough that he at least looks. The noise is very tiring and he's starting to ignore it too. The nudging bothers me because again, he bites me.
Charlie really is only eight weeks old, but he is a handful. I have had many dogs before, even though I'm only sixteen. I've dealt with Heelers, Rottweilers, Mini Pinchers, Collies and even one Wolf Dog very briefly. But I have never ever had a Bull Terrier and I am beginning to question my limits haha. My main issues with Charlie stem from his tendency to nip, his selective hearing and distructive habits. I know he is just a baby. But I am alone with him all day and most of the night because my mother works long hours. She is wonderful at training, but she isn't around long enough to work with him a lot. We got him because I was very lonely and she wanted a way for me to get outside more. I wanted to get an older dog, but she wanted one she could train herself. Ohhh, I really wish she had gotten an older dog from the shelter. I live in an apartment, which means I have to carry the poor pup all the way down steep stairs and another set of stairs out the door to get him to go potty outside. Also, the grass is infested with fleas so I have to let him go in the parking lot, then take him in and do whatever I can to keep fleas at bay. So far I'm keeping up with the fleas, but it is so hard to potty train him when he can't tell me he's got to go yet and I have to go so far to get him to a place to potty. I got potty pads and hes starting to get decent about using them, but he's slow about not biting them or dragging them around. He chews on everything he's not supposed to chew on and he won't listen when I tell him not to. He keeps doing it. Watching me the entire time I scold him. I haven't used treats yet but thats because he has milk teeth and has a tendency to nip. Hard. He's made me bleed a few times and I just- it is so frustrating. I don't want to give up on him yet. He's just a baby but I'm running out of patience and ideas. I recently put him in his kennel because I needed a break, I was getting so angry. He tore his bed up a bit. Ugh. I just need some tips, more options. Ways to work with him. I have tried praising him when he stops doing bad things. I've tried scolding him when he does bad things. I've tried giving him a toy to chew on whenever he tries chewing on something else but he isn't improving. Doing this on my own is very hard, I prefer calmer dogs. He's wild. I can't get him to sit still very long. If he does sit long enough for me to pet him and give him attention, he tries nipping at my hands. If I could stop all the nipping, I might get my foot in the door in the way of ending the chewing and such because I'll be comfortable giving him treats. I feel like 8 weeks is so early to start things like vigorous potty training, but not doing it isn't an option. He hasn't pooped in the apartment at all, but he still pees where he's not supposed to quite often. My mom hates the potty pads, she expects me to immediately have him trained to pee outside. He's so little I'd be trekking up and down those dastardly stairs every thirty minutes and I have a sore hip, that isn't an option. The potty pads have to stay until he's big enough to hold it longer. And how do I get his attention so he'll listen without whacking him? He won't listen unless I make some clicking noise or nudge him hard enough that he at least looks. The noise is very tiring and he's starting to ignore it too. The nudging bothers me because again, he bites me.
Comments
Try not to get angry with him and definitely don't whack him he is acting just the way a puppy would with his siblings. Don't encourage any rough play, if he nips you warn him and if he does it again I found that time out worked. If your living in an apartment without a garden you really do have your work cut out.
I'm not trying to be mean I just have concerns for the quality of life for the pup under the circumstances you have described.
Keep positive of course and everything else that has been said by everyone is great advice, but I would certainly let your mom know what you are dealing with.
But what I adore about them is that they are real cuddle bugs, and so silly that they have helped me be less serious minded and see the funny side of life. My dog has helped me loosen up and become gentler in my approach to life. They want cuddles all day, but even after a 10 minute cuddle you will have a shadow with loving eyes for a week.
As for his puppy teeth an and a flea collar - his puppy teeth are strong enough to pierce your skin through - dont worry about treats! As for fleas - there are lots of creams and sprays on the market besides flea collar - you apply a cream once a month and it is good for 30 days against fleas and ticks. I was a mother chicken like you too until I brought Vinnie for the second round of shots. My vet( over 30 years of experience)told me straightforward that I'd better have a sick pup, than unsocialized pup, he is vaccinated enough ( just take him out after 12pm, dont let him be in a grass, dont let him sniff on other dogs poop) He is fine on concrete after 12pm. I put my Vinnie on the ground right outside of the clinic and we walked back home for the first time. Ok, some dog owners might disagree on that.
In summer we have fireworks every friday, we introduced it to Vinnie when he was 9 weeks old, from far away first, then closer and closer. Last week we were as close as possible and he did not care at all. He does not care about thanders, sometimes we wake up from it and he sleeps peacefully in his crate belly up.
Sorry to be hard on you but if you get a dog, you have to stop self-pitting. You can change your life anytime you want but your dog depends on you, her/his happiness and lifestyle is your responsibility. if you don't know where to start, there are lots of books about bull terrier training. Research a bit and ask your mom to buy /order it - it will be great help for you and your mom.
I am very sorry if i was impolite or disrespectful, this matter was bothering me since i saw this post.