# Fresh Benny



## mom2bijou (Oct 19, 2006)

ok here goes....benny is 5 months now. i'm really trying to buckle down now with some training b/c i can tell it's time to start enforcing. here are my issues:

-he barks at people on our walks and at the store. he LOVES people, but is always barking at them
-he doesn't settle down or even get phased when we say NO....he just gets more crazy.

I have tried the spray bottle and all he does is lick the water. I've done timeouts and he comes out still being fresh. Should i use the can of coins? 

I use a harness on our walks b/c i'm afraid of hurting his trachea/throat. However, would you recommend using a regular collar for training purposes on a maltese. my last maltese had such trachea problems that i'm terrified to use one on benny. 

How do i get my monster child to stop barking and to understand the word NO? Help please!


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

Remember, he's in the "brat" stage of puppyhood right now: http://petcaretips.net/stages-puppy-development.html. It's normal for them to be very rebellious, not take no for an answer, etc. We are in the same boat









For walks, I would recommend keeping him on a harness--no way would I put a hyper pup in a collar. If you ever have to give it a quick jerk (which I know I often have to do) you're doing to potentially hurt his throat. Keep him on a VERY short leash and right at your side or slightly behind you when walking. The key is keeping that leash short. When Ollie gets too hyper I make him sit until he's calm. Sometimes I'll step on his leash so it instantly puts him in a sitting position and I'll proceed only when he's calm again.

But here's the biggest thing--don't expect too much. There's several commands that I'm introducing Ollie too but I don't expect him to get it right now. His attention span is still way too short. "Sit" is the best one to start with and build from there. I don't expect much from him at all on a leash right now--he's still learning. And also has a tendancy to bark and yip at EVERYTHING. For a while he'd go nuts every time a car would go by but now he's getting past that one I think. Anyway, I keep walks short and try to make them very positive and upbeat and repeat command words like "come" if anything to familiarize him with them.

As for "no" I find that what works is the same as what I used to do with my skin kids--use a lot of authority in your voice and distract. I also use bitter apple with Ollie--but I spray it on the object and never on his face. He's doing GREAT with non chewing things he's not supposed to. "No" has to be in conjunction with an action like making him sit or be still or a squirt of bitter apple--the word itself has no meaning to a dog. 

This is my 1st attempt training a dog myself so take my words with a grain of salt! And best of luck!!!!


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## Deanna (Jan 14, 2005)

I think you are smart not to use a collar on Benny. I wouldn't risk it, especially while he is still so young.

5 months is a tough age, but it does get better. I got Molly at 5 months and I thought between 5 and 7 months I would kill her. OK not really, but it was like having a bratty 2 yr old! 

When Molly was that age if I told her 'No', she would make her "I am a big girl" HUFF noise and slap her paws on the floor!!!!!!!! She was talking back, and OO it made me so mad! I think now I know how my mom felt when I was a teenager and rolled my eyes at everything she said.









THe only thing that worked was teaching her "sit" and "down", when she was misbehaving I would make her sit and down, then reward her for that. Thankfully she learned those two commands very quickly. Putting her in time out did not work, telling her no did not work- I had to tell her what I wanted her to do. I also used submissive techniques on her- because she thought she was the boss of everything and everyone! Since Molly is so tiny at 3 lbs, I would hold her with my hand on her tummy and let her legs just hang on either side of my hand- I would let her hang there until she calmed down, then I would praise/treat. 

Molly is now 11 months and she is listening more, I can see her trying to understand what I am asking of her, but her attention span is pretty short and she is very bullheaded. But she is getting better. 

Good luck, and remember it does get easier.









ETA: OH one thing that did work was to replace "no" with a sound, we used "BAH" very short, very harsh- it's an attention getter, and did help.


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## mom2bijou (Oct 19, 2006)

well amen! at least i'm not alone! i always say to other people that i don't expect much from him being he is only 5 months! 

at least i'm on the right track...using a harness rather than a collar. and i'm relieved to know that benny's behavior is symtematic of the "brat" stage. i was becoming worried that my angel child was becoming devil child lol


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

> well amen! at least i'm not alone! i always say to other people that i don't expect much from him being he is only 5 months!
> 
> at least i'm on the right track...using a harness rather than a collar. and i'm relieved to know that benny's behavior is symtematic of the "brat" stage. i was becoming worried that my angel child was becoming devil child lol
> 
> ...


You are SO not alone. Sometimes I hear stories of other people's malts sleeping all day and cuddling and I think NEVER will Ollie be that way!!!!!! Eh, I'd take him as is no matter what, but it will be nice to have some calm one of these days.....


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## starry (Sep 4, 2006)

The puppy stage is hard and once we're thru it we forget how hard it was.








Do you say no nicely or w/ a mean different voice like me?








I had to put an immediate end to Holly running out the back door and thru the rod iron fence, it was like trying to catch a jackrabbit and I was so freaked she was going to get in the busy street.














I was so scared and mad I popped her flank and yelleed then quickly put her in the door!








I thought later how bad that was of me







, remembering how that was one of the hardest things to teach my Lhasa, and I had put a collar on her and almost broke her neck bc she was running and yanked herself!!














So w/ Holly I still did it wrong but it occured to me later (as I was worried maybe I hurt her







) that my parents used newspapers to spank or slap at the dogs bc this only scares them and doesn't hurt of course. 
I hope this is a new idea that may help.


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## wagirl98665 (Jan 5, 2006)

I don't know what to say other then, Benny is sooooo cute!


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## mom2bijou (Oct 19, 2006)

he is a cute terror. that's why he is so hard to train....b/c i can't resist his little face! i'm 27, getting married in september....my fiance and i are in complete baby mode with benny. even though we are waiting to have kids, raising a baby malti really is good practice. hehe it's funny to see how we will be as parents. benny is sure giving us a run for the money!


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## Deanna (Jan 14, 2005)

Molly is my first puppy. All my pets have always been rescues and at least 1 yr old. Also, Papillons are a bit more stubborn and less affectionate than Malts. Molly is so different from Wilson, it's hard to believe they are both dogs! But to be honest, I LOVE her attitide and fiesty behavior. It does wear me out some days, but for the most part its entertaining. 

She has given us a run for our money, thats for sure. She is calming down, but it didn't really start to happen until about 10 months. 

So you still have a few more months of this crazy behavior. 

One thing that has been funny, if she is misbehaving Wilson will soft bite her ears. It cracks me up. Just in the last month she has started growling at him when he does that. She is trying to so hard to be the alpha, which is comical since she weighs a whopping 3 lbs, and Wilson weighs 9 1/2! Also lately, she tries to _sit_ on Wilson.














I have no idea if this is her version of the "alpha hump" or what, but she lifts her leg up and ends up on his back. It cracks us up!


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## mom2bijou (Oct 19, 2006)

> Molly is my first puppy. All my pets have always been rescues and at least 1 yr old. Also, Papillons are a bit more stubborn and less affectionate than Malts. Molly is so different from Wilson, it's hard to believe they are both dogs! But to be honest, I LOVE her attitide and fiesty behavior. It does wear me out some days, but for the most part its entertaining.
> 
> She has given us a run for our money, thats for sure. She is calming down, but it didn't really start to happen until about 10 months.
> 
> ...


That is funny! Benny does the same thing. When we visit with my mother's yorkie, rex who is 11 lbs, Benny tries to dominate. He does the same thing w/my future in-laws dogs. Lil ben is only 4 lbs and tries to be alpha to the bigger boys. He thinks he is so much bigger. And the worst part is that all the other dogs let Benny hump them. Talk about letting Benny get a bigger head than he already has. Add that to my list of problems


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## elly (Sep 11, 2006)

He sure is cute


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## Deanna (Jan 14, 2005)

> He thinks he is so much bigger. And the worst part is that all the other dogs let Benny hump them. Talk about letting Benny get a bigger head than he already has. Add that to my list of problems
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> He sure is cute
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> 
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Ain't that the truth. Benny is adorable!


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## Scoobydoo (May 26, 2005)

Oh gosh you are certainly not alone, Koko is what we call the puppy from heck, I kid you not we need eyes in our backsides with him. He does listen to me when I say get out of there, or no, but the minute I look the other way he finds another way to get my attention. I am praying that it gets better as he gets older because he is sure wearing us out








He is so smart for a 6 month old and so inventive, he knows how to move his cat cube bed in place so he can climb on top and get to things he knows he shouldn't. One day last week I heard a noise in the lounge room and went to investigate and there was Koko up on hubby's side table by his recliner stealing Scooby's treats, the little stinker used Scooby's step up that I had shifted by they way, he just moved it to where he wanted it and got up there. Needless to say mr smartie pants now has no access to his tools of trade.
Pleaseeeeeeeee tell me it gets better, Scooby was such a good little puppy and a good 3 year old, this little bloke is a darling in all ways and I love him to bits, I love his spirit but I am worn out








I have raised a few puppies in my time and I will say Koko is the most time consuming, attention seeking and cute as a button one I have ever had, but I love him to bits


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

I would not tolerate this behavior at all.

Instead of correcting him, give him something RIGHT to do. Ask him to sit and watch you for a treat. Watch me is an especially good cue as it is also a "calming" behavior that refocuses the dog when they are overly excited. Work on it at home and slowly add distractions.

I would use a gentle leader on him. It is a head halter. It has 2 important effects for most dogs in this situation:
Increased attention on you (you literally "have his head")
And it is also a calming device (the pressure on the nose is a calming signal for dogs)
I'm not crazy about choke or pinch collars because most people do not use corrections in a productive manner...the dog just gets jerked around.

The other option is an "easy-walk" harness. Premier (who makes the gentle leader) also makes this. It will help with pulling but does not have the other plusses of the gentle leader. 

If you haven't already signed up for obedience class, do it NOW. Find a class that uses positive, motivational methods (I'm a big fan of clicker training and so are my dogs). Be sure to ask the trainer if they have experience with dogs of all sizes and temperaments and can tailor the program to the dog. Watching a class is a good way to "inteview" a trainer.


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## Deanna (Jan 14, 2005)

> One day last week I heard a noise in the lounge room and went to investigate and there was Koko up on hubby's side table by his recliner stealing Scooby's treats, the little stinker used Scooby's step up that I had shifted by they way, he just moved it to where he wanted it and got up there. Needless to say mr smartie pants now has no access to his tools of trade.[/B]


























I _know_ I shouldn't laugh, but weren't you a little bit proud of him for being so smart and resourceful?!?! 

I often say "Sometimes it would be nice to have a stupid dog"


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## Villa Marsesca (Feb 27, 2006)

He is precious and he obviously is not shy LOL...well I think it is time for you to watch the puppy/dog Whisperer on animal planet station, he needs to go to puppy classes to learn to socialize with other dogs and people, check with your local kennel club and see when you can join.

Best wishes to you, Nedra


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## Boobookit (Dec 3, 2005)

*Well, I am going to add my 2 cents here and hope it helps. Pacino and Ralphie are coming along great, but.....Pacino is my rebel and Ralphie barks at the air.*

*When I am outside with Ralphie as soon as he sees someone he automatically gets into what I call the "Maltese Stance" and I know he is getting ready to bark his fool head off. Now there are a lot of people coming and going as I live in an apartment complex.*

*I immediately give his leash a short, sideways tug to break his train of thought then I let the leash relax. This does two things, it breaks his train of thought as they can only think of one thing at a time, and by relaxing the leash he will not feel my tension.*

*After I give the little tug and break that train of thought I immediately tell him sternly, "NO BARK" and we continue to walk. It works!! Now, for the most part as soon as he sees someone and starts to get into that stance I immediately tell him "NO BARK" and he doesn't, he goes on with his business. This has been his behavior for 5 years before I got him so something is working.*

*Now, Pacino on the other hand, is much better outside but I still have to do that with him sometimes, and I have had Pacino since he was a puppy and he is 1.5 years old now.*

*I have had to squirt the bitter apple on certain things when he was younger but now all I have to do is pick up the bottle and he runs for the hills as he hates the stuff!! LOL*

*Pacino is my paper stealer so when he starts to get into something that he shouldn't be I make him sit and then I can take it away from him. Sitting is the best thing because before that it was a game of "catch me if you can" where he would run circles around the coffee table.*

*The key to any training is that you have to project an air of authority to make them know that YOU are the Alpha and not them. I have had a few battles of dominance with Pacino where he thought that he was the boss but he is really good with that now. WE are the Alphas in this house and they are happy for it to be that way, that way they can be puppies and do what dogs do.*

*The only problem that I have with the two of them is that when a friend of my son's comes in they both go crazy with the barking and jumping like "pet me, pet me!!"*

*I am working on that, trying a new strategy for that one and after I conquer that I will be proud of myself! LOL*

*Hope some of this helps!*

*Remember, be the boss, project an air of authority, stand straight, be firm and don't get frustrated.*

*Good luck!*

*Marie & the boys*


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