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Thread: Temper Tantrums

  1. #1
    Senior Dog beth101509's Avatar
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    Angry Temper Tantrums

    At what age should these end?

    Here is what I refer to as a temper tantrum....Every Saturday since we got Oliver (September 11), my husband will get up at 4am, let the dog out, and then put him back in his crate around 5am when he leaves to go fishing. Since I work a half day on Saturdays, I will attempt to sleep in until 6:30am. Oliver does not allow me this luxury as he begins his howling after being put back in his crate. He will quiet down after a bit but start up again an hour later. This will go on for up to an hour. I will get up and get ready, all the while completely ignoring him until he stops his tantrum. Once the tantrum is complete, I will make him wait a little longer until he settles, then I will get him out and feed him.

    He used to have these tantrums when he first arrived at the house but they quickly ended. He will do them at night every once in a great while and they don't last long. Never have I given him attention for them or let him out of his crate so he knows it gets him nothing, so why is it still happening??

    I am pretty sure he has a tantrum when I leave in the morning and afternoon for work and put him back in his crate because his blankets are all messed up like he has been digging at his crate to get out. One morning I had to scrap my windows and heard him start his tantrum, I just left. When I leave for work, I have been waiting a few minutes outside the door since I heard him have a tantrum but I don't hear anything so he must wait until I am gone before his tantrum starts. Obviously, he really isn't getting attention from these tantrums because no one is home but I am sure they are annoying for the neighbors.

    When will he learn it is counter-productive to act this way and stop having these tantrums?
    “Don't allow your happiness to be interrupted by overly judgmental people. The problem is not you, because even if you do good all the time, they would still find a way to judge you wrongly.”
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  2. #2
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    Labrador puppies definitely go through bratty stages. If Oliver's gotcha day was 9/11, does that make him about 5 months now? That's a common acting up time. Mostly, they are just checking to see what they can get away with. You're doing the right thing by not giving in. He might also need more exercise (another sign of a healthy growing lab).

    Just an fyi- labs tend to go through "teenager"dom at about 6-7 months, 9 months, and 12 months, too. If you stay firm and keep with your established routine, these phases usually don't last terribly long. But it's a good idea to learn about Nothing in Life is Free and start using it: Dog Training: Nothing in Life is Free : The Humane Society of the United States

    One of my stand-by practices when Kimber was bratty was to feed her meals to her by hand, making her do a short command (usually "leave it") before every piece of kibble. It only took a couple of meals for her to settle down again.
    Stormageddon, Princess of Darkness, aka "Stormy"
    Birthday 9-13-18, Gotcha Day 11-11-18
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    Senior Dog beth101509's Avatar
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    We got Oliver from a lady that had previously got him from a breeder, she had him for a whole week and decided she couldn't keep him with her 4 year old son and 6 year old daughter. And my date was wrong....I got him November 11. He was born on September 11. Duh....It's been one of those days. LOL.

    He is around 3 1/2 months old.

    Speaking of "teenager"dom and bratty behavior.....We have a lot of "ship him off for 2-4 weeks and get trained" dog trainers in my area....Do you recommend one of these or not? I would think now would be too young anyway but not sure. He listens about 90% of the time....it is that 10% I need him to work on. Not sure how to do that really or if it is just something I have to deal with until he is a year old or older when he grows out of it. There is Dog Boot Camp or PetSmart/PetCo type training and those are really my only options unless I want to get an e-collar and try and figure that out myself but I know that is controversial.
    “Don't allow your happiness to be interrupted by overly judgmental people. The problem is not you, because even if you do good all the time, they would still find a way to judge you wrongly.”
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  5. #4
    Chief Pooper Scooper JenC's Avatar
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    The pup needs some activity time before it's re-crated and you go to work. Think about it, the pup's been crated probably 8 hours during the night, he gets out to go potty, goes back in, gets out for a bit for his meal, and then back in for another 1/2 a day while you go to work. Am I getting it right? If not let me know. Preface each crate time with some puppy play time. They don't need a huge work out, but once tuckered they are fine to nap some more.

    If it were me, I'd get up once your husband left, play with the pup, leisurely get ready for work while you have some in-the-house bonding time with the pup, then crate when you leave again. They eventually learn the routine and stop trying to get out. Make each time in the crate, a "cookie treat time" too. My dogs, who are grown, all know "crate up" means run to the crate and get a cookie. They spend my work day in their crate even at age 4 and ages 7.

    I don't think the pup is bratty. I think it's too much crate time and the pup just hasn't fully learned yet.

  6. #5
    Chief Pooper Scooper JenC's Avatar
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    And at this age, YOU need to do the classes with the dog. When the dog is older, if you want to fine tune training, then send away camp might be the answer. But honestly, most of the training the pup needs now needs to be done by you.

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  8. #6
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    Personally, those "ship away for training" or "drop off for a day and come back to a fully trained dog" options seem very scary to me. Unless you specifically know someone who works for one of those places, or have seen how it works first-hand, it makes me nervous to think what might actually be going on.

    I feel like when you train a dog yourself, you build a bond, trust, and love there that you wouldn't necessarily get if you allow someone else to train your dog.

    Just my thoughts, take them or leave them. :-)

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  10. #7
    Senior Dog beth101509's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JenC View Post
    And at this age, YOU need to do the classes with the dog. When the dog is older, if you want to fine tune training, then send away camp might be the answer. But honestly, most of the training the pup needs now needs to be done by you.
    We do the training currently but such things as "listen to me even when you are riled up", I don't know how to get that under control. I need to be taught how to communicate with a dog effectively so we are both happy.
    “Don't allow your happiness to be interrupted by overly judgmental people. The problem is not you, because even if you do good all the time, they would still find a way to judge you wrongly.”
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  11. #8
    Senior Dog beth101509's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JenC View Post
    The pup needs some activity time before it's re-crated and you go to work. Think about it, the pup's been crated probably 8 hours during the night, he gets out to go potty, goes back in, gets out for a bit for his meal, and then back in for another 1/2 a day while you go to work. Am I getting it right? If not let me know.
    He doesn't just go right back in the crate without any running around. Our schedule is as follows:

    5:30am: Out of crate for bathroom break
    6:30am: Breakfast is fed
    7:30am-7:45am: Out for another bathroom break before I head off to work
    7:45am-8:00am: I head off to work
    (Dog has been active this whole time, running or playing with toys or chewing on one of his many bones)
    11:30am: I return home to let him out for bathroom break
    12:15pm-12:30pm: Back in crate as I head back to work
    (We have either done basic training, gone on a walk, or played fetch during this break)
    3:45pm: Husband gets home and lets dog out for bathroom break, feeds him dinner, and then back out for bathroom break
    9:00pm: Dog goes to bed for the night
    (Oliver chews on bones and plays with toys during this time)

    Trust me when I say I get up WAY before I need to leave for work so the dog can be out and about before he goes back in his crate. I LOVE my sleep and I am sacrificing a lot of it for him right now. I am hoping one day, I can start getting it back.

    He will be mid-nap when he goes back in his crate because he has worn himself out and will still throw a temper tantrum. I give him lots of room to run and play so he won't be caged up all day.
    “Don't allow your happiness to be interrupted by overly judgmental people. The problem is not you, because even if you do good all the time, they would still find a way to judge you wrongly.”
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  13. #9
    Real Retriever Archie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by beth101509 View Post
    We do the training currently but such things as "listen to me even when you are riled up", I don't know how to get that under control. I need to be taught how to communicate with a dog effectively so we are both happy.
    Lol, sorry I had to laugh, but this is something I think most of us struggle with to some extent for a lot of our labs' lives. And sending the dog away, especially at this age, isn't going to teach YOU how to get your dogs attention.

    I'm always suspicious that those trainers use harsher methods than I'm comfortable with in order to get results. So, the dog will listen to the trainer, but not you. I like to be in the room any time a trainer is working with my dog, unless it's someone I really trust.

    I totally agree with the more exercise advice. At this age, keep going to class, up the exercise when you notice an increase in naughtiness, and enjoy your pup
    Laura, Archie & Quinn
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  15. #10
    Senior Dog beth101509's Avatar
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    Since we only have PetSmart/PetCo options for training, will those be effective and useful? I know a lot of people frown on those as not real classes.
    “Don't allow your happiness to be interrupted by overly judgmental people. The problem is not you, because even if you do good all the time, they would still find a way to judge you wrongly.”
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