my teenage pup is a tearaway

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

dollparts wrote: »

I have checked my pet insurance policy and it does cover behaviourist costs so I have made an appointment with the vet and will discuss this with them.

Wonderful news - the cost of this alone could make the policy worthwhile!

foreign_correspondent

dollparts wrote: »

I did not, as you put it, get quite angry. I was not happy with the inferences that were made about my attitude towards training my dog. The last thing someone needs when they are dealing with matters such as this is someone coming along and making assumptions.

Granted there was some good advice there too, but naturally the unhelpful presumptions are amplified when you are asking for advice and then read replies with questions full of smart mouthed comments.

I didn't enrol her in a puppy class as the trainer herself said she was too old for the group so she was placed in a junior class. It's her last one this week and I am going to look into hiring a one to one trainer asap.

Ok, sorry it read that way to me... you do also say in your frst post here that she is "enrolled in a puppy training class"... so you will have to excuse me for making the assumption that was the case... Out of interest, does the vet have to refer you to a behaviouralist for the insurance to pay out? It is worth doing some research yourself re: local trainers/behaviouralists, as vets are not always experts in these issues (of course some are very knowledgable - others much less!)

dollparts

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

Ok, sorry it read that way to me... you do also say in your frst post here that she is "enrolled in a puppy training class"... so you will have to excuse me for making the assumption that was the case... Out of interest, does the vet have to refer you to a behaviouralist for the insurance to pay out? It is worth doing some research yourself re: local trainers/behaviouralists, as vets are not always experts in these issues (of course some are very knowledgable - others much less!)

No fuss, puppy class/junior class/behaviour/obedience......the particulars go on and on!

As I read on my policy, a behaviourist would have to have been on a referral basis in order for the insurers to pay out. I suppose that is the only way they can be sure that it's completely necessary as opposed to having one for the hell of it

Gingham_Ribbon

More worryingly is that she has bitten my daughter 3 times in the past fortnight. Whilst she hasn't broken skin she has knocked her to the ground and the bite she had today was near her eye across the bridge of her nose.

She jumps, nips and bites at my daughter and makes a beeline for anyone 'small'. I regularly have our neighbours little son in to play while she visits her Mum in hospital and Mimi bullies the poor child until he retreats to the stairs to escape her.

I wouldn't have that dog anywhere near my children. Does your neighbour know what's been happening to her child? I know this is an older post, but if there are any other children coming into the house, they MUST be kept seperate to the dog. And until the dog's behaviour is under control, I would keep your own child away from it too.

dollparts

She is now kept completely separate from my daughter and any other child.

She has chewed a large section in the fence panel trying to get to the Westie next door. I was only gone 10 minutes and came back to woodchip.

I have made an appointment to see the vet on Tuesday to get the referral. The consultation with the vet is going to cost £28.50.

Gingham_Ribbon

dollparts wrote: »

She is now kept completely separate from my daughter and any other child.

That's great. It's a little different to your OP though.

dollparts wrote:

More worryingly is that she has bitten my daughter 3 times in the past fortnight...I have never had any reason to believe that she is aggressive and each time she has bitten dd there has been no cause for the behaviour...daughter has had to be told repeatedly that the dog is a dog and needs to be treated as such. We have ironed those problems out now and IMHO she is behaving correctly towards her not trying to cuddle every five mins etc.

I think it's worth letting your daughter know that it's not her fault this dog is attacking her and that she's not being punished by not being allowed to be near the dog - it's for her own safety and it's VERY serious that she does as she's told on this.

dollparts

What I didn't make clear is the complete separation is a very recent thing. I have explained to my daughter that Mummy needs to take mimi for a check and a special doctor is going to help out with her naughtiness.

There is no danger she will feel responsible in any way....nothing is ever her fault! She is happy enough just knowing she is here and can still interact, albeit at a safe distance for the time being.

sarabe

If your daughter, has in the past, had to be told that the dog is not a toy, then you cannot expect the dog to know that she is no longer going to be picked up or whatever else she may have previously tolerated.

However the fact that there are no injuries, unless I missed something, tells me that your dog is showing great self restraint and is desperately trying to communicate with you all and trying to avoid aggression.

Hopefully the behaviourist will be able to help you to understand her more.

I do so hope that you don't go to one who will encourage you to punish her or use aversives.

It will be pot luck, there seems to be a lot of budding Cesar Millans emerging at the moment.

cyberbob

sarabe wrote: »

to help you to understand her more.

I do so hope that you don't go to one who will encourage you to punish her or use aversives.

It will be pot luck, there seems to be a lot of budding Cesar Millans emerging at the moment.

That shows you don't actually have a clue about what CM does. Its not about punishment

sarabe

cyberbob wrote: »

That shows you don't actually have a clue about what CM does. Its not about punishment

I have more than a clue. I spend a lot of my working day with the fallout. The rest of it I spend on research and education.