A mouthy little (Big) PUNK!

[Rugers-Kris]

Ok....Maybe this is a stupid question but I have to ask! Does anyone else have a mouthy EM? Ruger has been easy to train since I got him at 6 weeks, some might even say TOO easy. He never had an accident inside (Of course I am very vigilant and he goes to work with me everyday), He has learned sit, stay, lay down, wait and stay with little to no real work on my part. He is so smart and incredibly sweet but lately (the past week or so) he has become a mouthy little punk. Most of the time he still does what he is asked but he "complains" (barks) while he does it but on a few occasions he has just been mouthy and refused the command altogether. Is this a normal behavior for his age (16 weeks) or am I doing something wrong? Most of this seems to stem from jealousy (If I am on the phone or have company or in some cases when I am just TOO busy to dedicate myself to him.)When I say mouthy, I mean actually barking loudly directly at me....No aggression or anything but just a punky attitude.....How do I nip this in the bud? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. It is very frustrating but he is such a good boy that is so full of personality and makes me laugh like noone else ever has!

 

[Ursa]

Bob just "smart mouthed" me for the first time while we were training tonight. Didn't want to work for his treats - just demanded them. Didn't get him very far LOL!

 

[allsierra123]

delilah does that form time to time. But she didnt do it till around 6 months.

 

[dpenning]

Daisy has just started doing that and it is making me crazy! She is 8 months and in heat so I'm hoping her attitude improves when she is done with her cycle. I'm looking forward to anyone's suggestions too for a smart mouth mastiff!

 

[Duetsche_Doggen]

Ha Thor is 6 years and still "talks back" sometimes he can be a jerk but usually its vocal.

 

[Rugers-Kris]

It isn't getting Ruger very far, either, but it is slowing the process quite a bit. At least I am not alone!! :/

Bob just "smart mouthed" me for the first time while we were training tonight. Didn't want to work for his treats - just demanded them. Didn't get him very far LOL!

 

[mkj878]

Mac just got smart with me, I was holding his bowl and he all of a sudden tried to growl and snap at me. I quickly took the bowl from him and he didn't get to finish until he chilled out!

 

[Rugers-Kris]

Figures....Ruger is an overachiever!

delilah does that form time to time. But she didnt do it till around 6 months.

---------- Post added at 07:46 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:42 AM ----------

Ruger doesn't growl or snap but he barks like a maniac....Talk about headstrong!!! He isn't doing it on occasion, either, it is becoming a habit and the worst part is ignoring him does no good, bribing him does nothing...He will stop when he is good and damn ready. I am sitting at work while I type this and he was barking at the back of my chair until a moment ago when he decided he was done. He wanted to lay across my lap and I made him get down and he started barking so I turned away from him and he stood and barked at the back of me until he felt better now he is laying behind my chair.....I guess I will just keep working on it ......He sure is a punk!!

Mac just got smart with me, I was holding his bowl and he all of a sudden tried to growl and snap at me. I quickly took the bowl from him and he didn't get to finish until he chilled out!

 

[Rugers-Kris]

Ruger doesn't growl or snap but he barks like a maniac....Talk about headstrong!!! He isn't doing it on occasion, either, it is becoming a habit and the worst part is ignoring him does no good, bribing him does nothing...He will stop when he is good and damn ready. I am sitting at work while I type this and he was barking at the back of my chair until a moment ago when he decided he was done. He wanted to lay across my lap and I made him get down and he started barking so I turned away from him and he stood and barked at the back of me until he felt better now he is laying behind my chair.....I guess I will just keep working on it ......He sure is a punk!!

Mac just got smart with me, I was holding his bowl and he all of a sudden tried to growl and snap at me. I quickly took the bowl from him and he didn't get to finish until he chilled out!

---------- Post added at 07:48 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:46 AM ----------

Wow....It does seem that Ruger is starting early and I don't even have "heat" to blame it on!!! LOL He is definitely making me crazy and I am not sure what to do besides ignore him and I sure am hoping to get some wisdom on this one!!!

Daisy has just started doing that and it is making me crazy! She is 8 months and in heat so I'm hoping her attitude improves when she is done with her cycle. I'm looking forward to anyone's suggestions too for a smart mouth mastiff!

 

[Rugers-Kris]

Wow....It does seem that Ruger is starting early and I don't even have "heat" to blame it on!!! LOL He is definitely making me crazy and I am not sure what to do besides ignore him and I sure am hoping to get some wisdom on this one!!!

Daisy has just started doing that and it is making me crazy! She is 8 months and in heat so I'm hoping her attitude improves when she is done with her cycle. I'm looking forward to anyone's suggestions too for a smart mouth mastiff!

---------- Post added at 07:54 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:48 AM ----------

Ruger is all mouth, he doesn't even attempt to act ugly or growl or snap but I swear he is one hard headed boy!! His training has been coming along so nicely to this point and I just can't think of what I can do besides ignore him but he isn't at all phased by that. I don't get physical with him (I don't believe in it AT ALL) and when he is having these moments, food does nothing, although, he is normally very food motivated. I may be wrong but it is almost like he intends to finish saying what he he wants to say NO MATTER the consequence. As soon as he is done running his big mouth he is ready to be Mr. Sweet boy again BUT this isn't going to work as it is effecting his training.

Ha Thor is 6 years and still "talks back" sometimes he can be a jerk but usually its vocal.

 

[Rugers-Kris]

Ruger is all mouth, he doesn't even attempt to act ugly or growl or snap but I swear he is one hard headed boy!! His training has been coming along so nicely to this point and I just can't think of what I can do besides ignore him but he isn't at all phased by that. I don't get physical with him (I don't believe in it AT ALL) and when he is having these moments, food does nothing, although, he is normally very food motivated. I may be wrong but it is almost like he intends to finish saying what he he wants to say NO MATTER the consequence. As soon as he is done running his big mouth he is ready to be Mr. Sweet boy again BUT this isn't going to work as it is effecting his training.

Ha Thor is 6 years and still "talks back" sometimes he can be a jerk but usually its vocal.

 

[Jadotha]

My 13 week old puppy Boris has started barking at us at times, loudly, in a 'telling us off' tone, -- usually when he doesn't think he is getting enough -- or the right kinds -- of attention. Our first response is to ignore him and refuse to engage with him at all. When this hasn't worked, we tell him 'no', and follow up by putting him in our mud room for a 'time out' until he settles down. He really hates being isolated from us, so now when we say 'no' and start to get up, he stops barking. The trouble I see with this tactic in your case is that at 13 wks Boris weighs 45 lbs, so we can still pick him up and carry him. I don't know if this would be possible in Ruger's case....

 

[Rugers-Kris]

I hadn't thought about isolating Ruger, maybe that is what I need to do. No, no carrying Ruger now, for sure but I wouldn't need to carry him as he still does what he is told so if I i walk him to another room and put him in, he will go.....He will just tell me off the whole time. Thanks for the advice. I never thought about taking him out of the room. Now that you say it I feel kind of stupid! LOL Ruger is always with me...ALWAYS. if I have to leave for work (so far only once since I have had him) He goes to a sitter. His sitter is a certified trainer that keeps him in her home as I am opposed to kennels personally. As far to day to day activities He goes to work with me, we eat lunch together (He loves Chick-Fil-A), We drive home from work, he follows me around the house (He literally takes almost step with me, we take a walk together and he sleeps in my bed. Since I have had him he has spent three days with the sitter and never more than 3 hours alone otherwise. He is very protective and is doing this for attention as it usually stems from his wanting to sit on me, play with me or because I am talking to someone else. When I get home tonight, I am going to try to put him in my bedroom and shut the door when he starts this (There is no way for me to do it at work) and see what happens. Thank you so much. I am not sure why I didn't think of it but it may be exactly what will do it!

My 13 week old puppy Boris has started barking at us at times, loudly, in a 'telling us off' tone, -- usually when he doesn't think he is getting enough -- or the right kinds -- of attention. Our first response is to ignore him and refuse to engage with him at all. When this hasn't worked, we tell him 'no', and follow up by putting him in our mud room for a 'time out' until he settles down. He really hates being isolated from us, so now when we say 'no' and start to get up, he stops barking. The trouble I see with this tactic in your case is that at 13 wks Boris weighs 45 lbs, so we can still pick him up and carry him. I don't know if this would be possible in Ruger's case....

 

[Duetsche_Doggen]

Nah Thor's a good boy he gets vocal but its usually sassy grumbles and play barks. No growling or snapping ( don't tolerate it) but he's got a good personality, lover not a fighter.

Jadotha, great tips!

 

[lynnturner65]

Mine is 14 months and still barks when I'm on the phone or trying to talk to my husband and she feels I haven't paid enough attention to her yet. She can be quite the brat when she wants too!

 

[Rugers-Kris]

Same here Duetsche......Ruger is definitely not being aggressive or growling or biting or we would definitely have a problem. He just has a chip on his shoulder and think that the world revolves around him and I am hoping that isolating him when he "runs his mouth" will help to stop it. Lynn, he has always been like that and I am sure that when he is 14 months he will still be doing it but he has gotten alot mouthier lately....LOL

 

[Jadotha]

Your welcome!! I'll be interested in hearing how the approach works for Ruger

 

[JennQ]

HA HA.. I laugh only because Gunner does it! ALOT . He started doign it every so often when he was about 5 months, then it stopped. Now he is about 10 months'ish, and it has begun again but a lot louder... it is honestly like a little kid having a temper tantrum!!! still does what he is told but does it while barking like a total moron! He looks at me and barks his face off, tail wagging, almost smiling .. but barking a steady bark.. what a dork! I have tried, in the beginning when I first got him at around 5 mnths of age, when he started this, to put him in a different room and shut him out, but he had some severe separation anxiety so that just works him up and he only stops barking because he is tired, not because he has made choice to stop... SOOOO Whatworked and again has been working lately has been , when he starts it I stop everything immediately and ignore him, I mean totally ignore him, I do not look at him, I walk through him, I pretend like he is not there (TOTALLY HARD since he is like yours, my shadow). I just go about my business, it lasts about 25 minutes and then when he has relaxed I will treat him and then proceed with making him sit, shake, stay, lay down whatever I chose to do.

It ishard to stand there and listen while your dog barks at you... I try not to laugh at Gunner because he really does look like a cheeky monkey having a tantrum!

 

[dpenning]

Yeah, I forgot to mention what I do. I try to re-direct her with a toy and if that doesn't work she goes in the crate for a few minutes. Not long usually, just until she gets quiet. I have to do this 2 or 3 times a night though so I'm hoping to pick up some other things to try!

 

[Kdawg1989]

Bark vibration collar fixs all. lol..