Dog owners - please help?

[breakingbrie]

So we got a (big) puppy a little while ago... It was supposed to be a trial period - he was SILs dog - to see if we wanted to keep him, and if not, we'd give him back (until she could find him another home-she doesn't want him to go to a pound). Just about when we're discussing giving him back, they got another dog, so now we're discussing just keeping him again. He's about 6-7 months old, a husky/shepherd mix. He's really big and really excitable. He is kennel trained, he sleeps in there, and stays there when we're not here, cause he's a serious chewer and not completely house trained.

My problem is the peeing when excited. I thought he'd stop when neutered(I was told this), but since we're just now looking into info on neutering, we're really deciding if we're going to keep him or not. I hate the puddles every time we get near him/come home/get him out of the kennel/get the leash to go outside. So I read up on it, and I come across lots of stuff about excitment urination and submission urination. Ugh, we don't have as much time as I thought we'd have for him, training-wise, but he's a smart dog, and he listens fairly well, and picks up commands quickly. He's just so crazy excited all the time - and sometimes it's just random. Will neutering him help calm him down at all? It will be done regardless if we're gonna keep him, I just don't know if it's possible to help him calm down any...

Anyone have experience with super excited dogs? He's a seriously sweet puppy, and I'd love to keep him, but I can't get past the puddles - really, it's a deal breaker for me. Anyone successfully gotten a dog/puppy over it?

[nikkiARNGwife]

My cocker did this til he was about 2 years old..in fact he peed all over DH's shoes on our very first date lol..but he outgrew it. Not sure if that goes for all dogs but that was our experience

[Kiki]

Our dog is a husky shepperd mix too so I get where you are coming from. What you can do to help him learn the proper greeting procedure is to completely ignore him until he gets into a calmer state. Don't even acknowledge him when you first get home. Let him get calmer realizes that you are home now and when he's proven that he's more relaxed then acknowledge him but only enough to where he doesn't get all excited again. It takes a while for them to learn but it does get better. Pm me if you want some other tips. Oh and look up Cesar mllan. The dog whisperer has a lot of helpful advice.

[TanyaH666]

one of my pups did this too. we would just ignore her until she calmed down and then we would acknowledge her. she still does it on rare occasions ( we have only had her 3 months) but it is not nearly as bad as it was at first. i think it is something that they will def grow out of. and look at that face!!! how can you not keep that face. so cute!

[deepounds]

Originally Posted by Kiki

Oh and look up Cesar mllan. The dog whisperer has a lot of helpful advice.

That's exactly what I was going to suggest. Even if you can't find the specific problem you're trying to address, he's supposed to be really good at answering questions. Here's a link to his website. Good luck :-)

p.s. By the way, he's seriously cute & I hope you can get the problem solved and keep him!

[DawnMarch]

What you can do to help him learn the proper greeting procedure is to completely ignore him until he gets into a calmer state. Don't even acknowledge him when you first get home. Let him get calmer realizes that you are home now and when he's proven that he's more relaxed then acknowledge him but only enough to where he doesn't get all excited again.

I totally agree with this. Our 4 m.o. puppy does this a little, but it has helped that when I get home and open his crate, I don't look at him and don't say anything to him. I just unlatch the crate and immediately start walking toward the back door to let him out (I just say "outside" as I'm walking.) I don't really acknowledge him until he's gone outside and finished going potty -- then we have our little welcome party.

We had a retriever when I was a kid who also had this issue when he was young and he did grow out of it.

[ColleenSwerb]

It will get better. Tiger used to happy piddle ALL. THE. TIME. And she was 1.5 when I got her! We did the ignoring thing (works for dogs that jump too - turn away when they jump, push them down, and say no jumping, then just walk away). It works. But EVERYONE in the house has to be on the same page. You can't ignore him and then have the kids or hubby come running over all excited. Everyone has to ignore him until he's calm.

[terrab]

We have a 2.5 yr old Shepherd/Lab mix and she has always been really hyper. She has gotten much better with time and is not nearly as hyper as she once was. Exercise makes a huge difference for her as well as not greeting her until she is calm. Good luck. You have a beautiful dog.

[breakingbrie]

Thanks girls, I feel a little better about it now! We're definately gonna give it a try. I've actually been trying the ignore thing before I even knew it was what you were supposed to do! lol, I knew how excited he got when I'd come home and get him out of his kennel, so I'd already started not making eye contact, or talking to him immediately when I got home, and he'd start to settle down, then I'd calmly walk over and just open up the kennel and let him come out on his own without calling to him or anything.

lol, he is just so crazy big to be hyper! He is super loving, though, and awesome with the girls. I don't know what's up with his interaction with the girls, but from the start, he would race out of the kennel when I would open it and barrel right into me... But I've come downstairs a few times when the girls got up before me, and they are sitting in front of his kennel with the door open and he will not even attempt to jump over them to get out - he just lays there in his kennel and lets them pet him and play with him, and he stays totally calm for them. -Definately a good thing that he's gentle with them

Thanks again girls, it's good to know it can get better, and I'm not the only one!! lol.
And yea, he is a cutie, huh?

[cheltzey]

Definitely agree with all the training suggestions. Teaching him how to settle down is critical. We use the clicker training method, and it has been incredibly successful. Teach the dog how to lie down in a specific spot and not to get up until released. This really helps with the "welcome home" antics. Also, while you're still training I would suggest using a belly band. It works wonders for controlling boy dog messes. You can buy them, but I just made my own and it works like a charm.

Also remember that training IS NOT a substitute for neutering. There are far too many unwanted pets in this world (as you've found out). Don't allow yours to contribute to the problem.

[ColleenSwerb]

He's still young too Brie. And his breed doesn't help him out at all either (both breeds are VERY high energy dogs). Do you have a solid "workout" schedule in place at all? I highly HIGHLY suggest long walks if you can manage it. I know a long walk during an OH winter isn't high on the list of things you want to do, but a walk is WAY more effectice in burning off energy than just running around in the backyard. There are a ton of new things to smell, things to look at it, etc. It works his mind AND his body (and, yours too!) and getting that energy out will probably help with some of hte hyper-ness. Tiger isn't a breed known to be super high energy, but you could've fooled me, lol. Long walks or runs with her were the best in the world for keeping her out of trouble when she was younger (I can't even believe I just typed that, she's 6.5 now!).

I don't have any experience with neutering having a calming effect, but I'm glad you're going to do it anyway if you keep him.

[KyRainbow]

Neutering will help with calming him down somewhat, it will also help keep him controlled when he gets around girl dogs, and help with the humping issues.

[LoriC777]

We had a male Golden Retriever that had a very similar issue. We got him fixed, and it took a couple of months, but he stopped the excited piddling. It was super annoying for us too. Our vet told us that it would take about 6 months for him to fully calm down after getting neutered, because that is about how long it takes for their bodies to regulate the testosterone levels.

[hmlentz]

My sister raises puppies for the Seeing eye dog foundation. They recommend (strongly) the book Good Ownders, Great Dogs. And in there (I have it for my dog) it says:
Dog goes when he greets me or guests:
This is submissive urination. Do NOT punish the dog. Any type of scolding, yelling, or upset on your part can instill a long term problem in your dog. It says it can be an inherited trait (cockers are known for it). It can also be the result of overcorrection. By being to loud, angry, or harsh. Solution: Ignore the dog for the first 10 min. you are home. Do not look or say anything to him. Do not bend over to rech for the dog. Allow him to approach you while you are squatting and turned away from the dog. Scratch his chest, do NOT reach over his head. do not yell or hit him. Build his confidence through fun, upbeat obedience, emphasizing praise. Be patient. Tossing a treat to him when you walk in can replace his nervousness with eager anticipation and stop the wetting.

Hope this helps! good luck! PS- If you keep him, I'd get the book.

[breakingbrie]

I think I'm definately going to have to get at least one book!! lol. I'll admit, I haven't tried walks yet, only walking on the leash in our backyard(it's not entirely fenced in) but I need to look into leash training,or whatever it's called- he's super good when we go out to potty - I take him to the same area every time, and he goes without playing around, but I don't know how to use the leash to train him to walk with me, and not jerk me around. He's so big, he jerks me all around the yard... Is there a way to train him on the leash in our backyard before we try walks? lol, Col, I actually don't mind walking, even in this - getting out of the house without my kids and walking are 2 things I love LOL. -Don't think there's going to be runs in our immediate future as I'm a bit out of shape, but walking works for me!

I'm loving all the advice girls, thanks a TON!!

[pomi]

I've trained walking on the leash with a small treat in my other hand in front of his nose, so the dog basically was going after the treat, then after a while he got the treat. First, there were many treats and later the intervals went longer.

Walking and running (or you can go biking and he running - but I admit, that I haven't tried this yet ) is great.

What I think is fantastic that he's good with the girls. Our doggie is, too, and I was so scared of it at the beginning. Col and Nathalie helped me a lot and calmed me down.

He's a cutie, Brie!

[ColleenSwerb]

Excellent! Walking will really help you out I think, so I'm glad you're open to doing that. Walking a mile or two around the neighborhood (30 minutes or more) is great for both of you. It might not tire him out completely, but it'll at least get SOME of that energy out, kwim?

Personally, I'm a huge proponent of the prong collar. I tried a regular choke collar with Tiger, and it didn't work. She's too driven. And I should add that when I was a kid, we did obedience with one of our dogs and were taught how to correctly use a choke collar, which most of the general public does not know how to do.
Tiger was a menace on the leash, and still can be at times (because she's SUPER stubborn and has a very dominant personality). But I went into Petsmart on a busy saturday, had a salesperson help me with the size she needed, and she walked to the end of the leash and just, sat down. Tugged once, the collar did the correction as I said "walk nicely", and that was that. Now if only takes a minute or two of her getting too far ahead of me on a walk, and then she's an angel.
It looks like it will hurt, but it doesn't. I put it around my leg and PULLED on it, and it just pinches. It mimics the corrective bite that a mother dog gives to her puppies, and is also similar to the "claw" technique that Caesar Milan uses on his show.
I would get a medium or a large for him. He's already big and he's not going to stop growing for a bit yet. You remove links as needed so that it fits snuggly up at the top of the neck, close behind the ears. Most trainers will tell you that a dog is never supposed to lead you on a walk (which is completely the opposite of what you see most people doing). It depends on what you're comfortable with though. Tiger was taught to walk at my side, and I will let her roam a little bit farther ahead, but never too much. I have a 6' leash for her, and she's never more than 4' from me on it. (do NOT get a flexi- or extenda-leash for him; he will go til he hits the end and it'll probably break or just go flying from your hand, lol. Get a regular old nylon 6' leash.)
So here's what I would do. Put the collar on him while he's in the house, to let him get used to it for a bit. Then take him out to do his business in the backyard. Once he's done, you can start your walk. Don't give him much length of the leash, keep him close to you. When he starts to pull, give a tug on the leash and at the same time say something like "walk nicely", or "no pulling". If he persists, grab the collar and make him sit (does he know sit? work on that if he doesn't, lol!). Wait a bit, then start walking again, you in the lead, him slightly behind you. I started by having my arm down and slightly behind me, holding the leash, so that Tiger couldn't get too far ahead of me. Everytime he pulls, you correct. If he continues to pull, you stop. The more he pulls, the longer you wait to start walking again. It teaches him that YOU are in charge of the walk, and that pulling = no walking. It takes some dogs quite a while to figure this out, and other dogs no time at all. In the beginning, make your walks short. If he's being good and not pulling for a stretch, stop at a street crossing or a driveway or something, and give him a treat and a positive reinforcement ("good walk", "good boy", etc). The better he gets, the fewer the treats and the longer the walks.

Sorry for the novel! LOL! If you have any more questions feel free to ask or send me a PM

ETA: The prong should not be used as a regular collar. It should go on for walks, and then come off again, and he should have a regular pretty collar on him too (so 2 collars when on walks, the normal one and the prong). This will mean that he will get excited when he sees the prong come out, but if you do the ignoring thing, that'll get better. You can also pick it up and leave it laying around the house somewhere he can find it. The more you touch/move the collar without taking him for a walk, the less he'll associate it with ONLY being for walks, kwim?

[Angie4b1g]

I bought one of those prong collars, and the lady at PetSmart acted like I was the meanest pet owner on earth.

[DawnMarch]

We have been leash training our puppy. Since he's still little, we haven't used a prong collar though I wouldn't rule it out when he gets bigger. He's also very stubborn and likes to pull at his leash even if he is strangling himself to do it. I have been using the "tree" technique, LOL, which means that every time he pulls you just stop and "become a tree" (i.e., just freeze in your tracks) then when he gives up and lets a little slack in the leash, you start up again. It is supposed to teach them that pulling does not get them what they want; if they want to move forward, they need to keep the leash loose. So far, we are having mixed results, but he is definitely improving! I think it's slower than a more direct corrective approach like a prong collar but it's supposed to work once they get the idea.

[ColleenSwerb]

Originally Posted by Angie4b1g

I bought one of those prong collars, and the lady at PetSmart acted like I was the meanest pet owner on earth.

Then she's an ignorant fool. I legit put it on my own body and pulled on it, and it deemed it acceptable. If it was inhumane or painful I wouldn't use it. I find it far more humane than a halti lead that can snap a dogs neck and doesn't actually teach them anything.

::steps off soapbox::

Dawn, I described the same/similar method in my novel, lol. The prong would just help them get the idea faster. You might try giving him less length on the leash. Having him closer to you to give a verbal correction along with the stopping motion will reinforce the idea a little faster than just stopping.

[Ethereal_sheep]

I use the gentle leader/halti on my dogs, and they do really well with it (I've seen other dogs that don't do well with it though). Whatever training aids/collars you use, it's important to realize they are not meant to replace training ^_^ And anything used inappropriately can hurt a dog.

If you're not into running/walking him, you could just teach him to play fetch or frisbee and fence in the rest of your yard. Many of my classmates play fetch with their dogs instead of the long walks - minimum energy expenditure on your part, maximum on his!

[schock77]

What a CUTIE! I have a lab and shepherd mix and they both stay kenneled when we aren't here (they have raided the pantry- even getting the door open) when I accidently left them in unattended.

Anyway, I second the Cesar lookup... and training for appropriate greetings. I don't think I could have lived with my high energy shep mix if we DIDN'T do a training session- made life better for us all. If it keeps up, you may take to the vet for some additional ideas or local trainers near you.

I'm wondering why your SIL got rid of the dog and then turned around and got another one... was he too high energy? Just wondering...

[Joy2Scrapbook]

Cute dog and I am sure that breed is smart. Our puppy did the excited piddle stuff for a while. What seemed to help her the most was socialization with other people and dogs. We take her for lots of walks and encourage her to greet anyone who shows interest. Our puppy is a sweetheart, so even little kids seem drawn to her. Now that she is a little bigger, 9 months and 70 lbs, we have taken her on a few visits to the dog park. It just takes the mystery out of people and has made a world of difference.

[briarwoodpups]

What an awesome site!! You have received some excellent advice, especially the excerpt from Good Owners, Great Dogs. When I first saw submissive urination, I didn't understand the behavior until I looked into it, too. Now I've seen it in a few dogs, a couple of adult shepherds, and especially those who are just so happy to be out of where they were and into someplace better that they submissive pee until they become part of a pack and understand their role in the heirarchy. Now that I see them as trying to be ingratiating, it upsets me when they are misunderstood or over-corrected, so how wonderful to see all this down-to-earth advice here!

Tony's male shepherd that he raised from a pup has this issue, too. He's a little over a year old, and he has grown out of it more and more with more maturity (he is still intact) and confidence. He is one happy dog, but there's nothing worse than happy male dog urine on your slippers.... ugh...

[Nevada Jen]

We use a gentle leader on our dog. It works on pressure points and significantly calms him down. He has always been fine on the leash. Its just the jumping 20 feet in the air, over counters, onto high chairs etc. . . that have been the problem. The gentle leader makes her CALM. Like so calm I worry she is going to pass out! After about a month of using it, she really doesn't need it anymore. After training, she will walk off leash and follow all the commands and even do agility equipment with just the gentle leader and no leash. I swear that thing saved the dog from finding a new home!

[breakingbrie]

Stephanie, they do have another little dog, some type of hot-doggie-dog thing LOL, I'm not sure, I have no clue what he is, but he has a little rat face with buggy eyes(lol, not trying to sound mean, he's kinda cute in a weird way, and totally sweet)... He's about 1 foot tall and 2 feet long, and perfectly calm and behaved. The two dogs did get along great... I thought they just didn't have enough time to train Jasper, since he seems to need a lot right now and they(the whole family) have a LOT on their plate, with activities/school/work and SIL is going to school too... but the dog they just got is a puppy too, it's some type of 'toy' dog, lol so it's small... So I'm thinking his size and energy was part of the problem in addition to taking the time to train him. Not totally sure though.

All this info is awesome, I appreciate it girls!! <3

[jocelinsmommy]

Originally Posted by Kiki

Our dog is a husky shepperd mix too so I get where you are coming from. What you can do to help him learn the proper greeting procedure is to completely ignore him until he gets into a calmer state. Don't even acknowledge him when you first get home. Let him get calmer realizes that you are home now and when he's proven that he's more relaxed then acknowledge him but only enough to where he doesn't get all excited again. It takes a while for them to learn but it does get better. Pm me if you want some other tips. Oh and look up Cesar mllan. The dog whisperer has a lot of helpful advice.

we did the exact thing with our husky/sshepperd mix and he eventually learned, though getting him fixed helped a TON too...sadly he got bit by a spider 6 months back and passed away <3 They're amazing dogs---and very faithful...I miss my dog everyday...and we have 2 labs now that replaced him when he passed...our male thankfully still squats lol (and is almost a year) so we're getting him fixed asap and hoping he won't ever find the need to lift a leg or excite pee *LOL* We have a male doxie who excite pees but he's old and has epilepsy so his bladder isn't toned correctly