Please help... At my wits end!!

[Mrs S]

Two months ago a friend of ours had a puppy dumped on her. We spend 80% of our time staying at her house so we consider him our puppy too... And he's a nightmare.
He's around 6months old, apparently he's a Pug/Maltese but he looks more like a terrier to me... I'll try and upload a pic later.
The main issue is toileting. Despite all our efforts he will not toilet outside. He has regular walks and constant access to a garden but will normally only toilet in the house. Sometimes he'll do a poo on his walks and we will make a massive fuss of him.. Like you do but weeing he will only do in the house. I have sat in the garden for over 3 hours with him only for him to wee the minute he gets indoors. I'm aware he is a puppy and accidents will happen but I can't believe after two solid months of consistent trying there has been zero improvement.
The other issue is his general behaviour.. He's extremely aggressive and 90% of the time he's launching himself at any part of you he can reach. We are all covered in bites.. Luckily there are no kids in the house. We have tried distracting him with toys, putting him in his crate for 'time out' ignoring him when he gets rough (which is hard to do as it really hurts!). He just wants to attack anything that comes anywhere near him (including his lead, so walking is a nightmare)
He is causing us an unbelievable amount of stress, we've been very close to giving up on him, especially as we never planned to get a dog... He was just dumped on us... But then I feel bad on him as he is just a puppy and doesn't deserve to be shoved from pillar to post. We really want to do what we can to help him settle into s nice little dog but just feel like I don't know where to start.
Any advice would be welcomed!!

 

[arealhuman]

he is just a puppy and doesn't deserve to be shoved from pillar to post.

This I've never had a puppy so can't really offer any advice, but rest assured, the more experienced owners will be along shortly with tips and advice. Have you considered engaging a professional trainer and.or taking him to classes?

 

[Mrs S]

This I've never had a puppy so can't really offer any advice, but rest assured, the more experienced owners will be along shortly with tips and advice. Have you considered engaging a professional trainer and.or taking him to classes?

We've looked into classes, there is one near my friend that she wants to try and get to, she's got to juggle her shifts around a bit so she's available. We are back home atm but are back at our friends week after next so we have already said we can take him to one. I feel like the puppy class will need to be run by a miracle worker!!

 

[poptart]

What were the circumstances of him being 'dumped' on you?

 

[Mrs S]

What were the circumstances of him being 'dumped' on you?

Our friends sister bought him for her kids... Not sure how long she had him but found she couldn't cope and 'presented' him to our friend as an early bday gift.

 

[poptart]

From the sound of it they haven't done any training and now you're having to deal with the result. Six months is still a puppy however and training him isn't impossible, just harder because you now have to break the bad habits he's got into. Regardless of the circumstances I wouldn't keep the dog unless I had a lot of time and determination to train him. Are you still in contact with the breeder? They might be willing to take him back if you don't feel able to keep him.

 

[Mrs S]

From the sound of it they haven't done any training and now you're having to deal with the result. Six months is still a puppy however and training him isn't impossible, just harder because you now have to break the bad habits he's got into. Regardless of the circumstances I wouldn't keep the dog unless I had a lot of time and determination to train him. Are you still in contact with the breeder? They might be willing to take him back if you don't feel able to keep him.

I think you have hit the nail on the head there. He has developed some very bad habits which we are finding hard to break him out of. I think the sister bought him from a petshop which is why I question his breeding... I cant actually work out what he is supposed to be.
Despite the fact he is driving us nuts we would like to try and make it work... I feel like he is our responsibility now... And tbh it frightens me as to where he may end up, especially with all his issues. Luckily between us we do have plenty of time to give him, it's just knowing what to do as nothing we have done so far seems to working.

 

[JoanneF]

The main issue is toileting. Despite all our efforts he will not toilet outside. He has regular walks and constant access to a garden but will normally only toilet in the house.

Funnily enough, constant access makes toilet training harder because the dog doesn't get it that the door is a barrier. So he finds it hard to distinguish between indoors and outdoors. All you can do is keep taking him out, more than he needs, so you are aiming for every toilet to be outside. Heap massive praise and immediate reward (so you have to be with him) so it is clear that is what he is being rewarded for. The idea is that he eventually wants to earn the treat enough to hold the toilet until he is outside - once he is physically able to control his toileting obviously. If he has an accident inside don't react at all. If you get annoyed he may learn to fear your reaction and avoid you if he needs to toilet - the opposite of what you want. Just clean the area with an enzymatic cleaner to remove any trace of smell that might attract him back to the spot. As he is actually performing the toilet you can introduce words he can associate with it (like 'do weewee' and 'busy busy') that later when he is reliably trained you can use these to tell him when you want him to toilet.

He's extremely aggressive and 90% of the time he's launching himself at any part of you he can reach. We are all covered in bites.

This is quite normal puppy behaviour; it is play rather than aggression. It is how he would have played with his littermates but he needs to learn that it is not how to play with humans. Some people find putting a toy in the puppy's mouth redirects them on to something that you allow them to have teeth contact with, but my preferred approach is as soon as teeth make contact, either crate for time out or you walk straight out of the room. You said you do timeout when he gets rough - I would stop the game far earlier. As soon as his teeth make contact. He will learn that teeth on humans = end of play. But everyone must be consistent and do exactly the same thing. You may find his behaviour gets worse before it gets better. That is called extinction burst - where he has to try even harder to get the reaction that he had been getting. That is actually a good sign as it shows he is getting the message!

 

[poptart]

Yes, I second what Joanne said. Also, if he's still 'mouthy' try giving him an antler to chew. You can buy them at the pet shop and they take a lot of hard gnawing. Slip it into his mouth whenever he gets bitey.

 

[Mrs S]

Thank you JoanneF. Sorry when I said constant access to the garden I meant we take him out there frequently throughout the day. As soon as he wakes up, then normally every hour or so plus straight after he eats or drinks anything. Pooing isn't such an issue, he will poo outdoors (and have the odd poo in the house) but will not wee outdoors, he'll come in to do that. He'll occasionally have a wee on his walk but it's rare... It's like he holds on to it until he gets indoors.
I know he's only play biting and that he doesn't mean to be aggressive but he just never let's up.. Ever. We all have a rule that we ignore him and leave the room when he bites but he will literally chase you and hang off you until you have to prise him off. He then goes in his crate for time out but he's straight back to biting once he's out. I'm not sure how else to distract him.

 

[Mrs S]

Here's the little squirt... Any ideas on breed anyone?

 

[JoanneF]

He may have been let away with weeing indoors in his last home (or even encouraged to do it by the use of puppy pads - which I hate for that reason).

It's like he holds on to it until he gets indoors.

I'm afraid it's about waiting it out outdoors with him until he has to wee. Or, bring him in and watch like a hawk to get him out again crucially before he gets the chance to wee indoors. You have to put him in the position of weeing outside so that you can make it rain chicken and do a mad happy dance so he can go "ok, if this is what outside toilets bring, I am going to earn that reward"

 

[Violet Turner]

Okay I have only just read through this thread, I believe your little monkey is a Shih Tzu cross Border terrier. In regards to training, I used this web link when I got Olive because she wasn’t house trained - http://dogtime.com/dog-health/general/360-housetraining-for-adults {When he wees do you use the Simple Solution Puppy Training Spray or something similar? Does he wee in the same place each time? Do you tire him out mentally and physically? How long is his daily walks? I found this regarding aggression - https://www.thespruce.com/top-causes-of-aggression-in-dogs-1117877 {how does he show aggression? Lips raised, teeth shown, licking nose, tail down between legs?

 

[arealhuman]

Issues aside, he's a handsome little chap.

 

[Violet Turner]

Issues aside, he's a handsome little chap.

He isn't he

 

[Mrs S]

Okay I have only just read through this thread, I believe your little monkey is a Shih Tzu cross Border terrier. In regards to training, I used this web link when I got Olive because she wasn’t house trained - http://dogtime.com/dog-health/general/360-housetraining-for-adults {When he wees do you use the Simple Solution Puppy Training Spray or something similar? Does he wee in the same place each time? Do you tire him out mentally and physically? How long is his daily walks? I found this regarding aggression - https://www.thespruce.com/top-causes-of-aggression-in-dogs-1117877 {how does he show aggression? Lips raised, teeth shown, licking nose, tail down between legs?

I'll check out that link shortly thank you... When he pees indoors we soak it straight up and use one of those carpet cleaners that are supposed to kill smells. He doesn't seem to have a particular spot for weeing, he'll just pee anywhere in the house. He's quick too. There's never any sniffing or pacing.. He'll just squat and go. We normally catch him in the act and we will pick him up and carry him outside but he won't finish outside. He will wait til he is back indoors. Sometimes he will pee while out on his walks although not all the time and more often then not he'll pee shortly after he gets back in the house too. Currently he is being walked 4/5 times daily about 15 mins per walk. Tbh this really isn't practical and we are only doing it this frequently as it slightly cuts down the amount of accidents in the house. We really need him to learn to pee in the garden...but he just won't. He seems really adverse to weeing out there and I don't know why??
He shows his teeth alot and growls alot, he likes to launch himself at you and will literally hang off your arm or leg with his teeth. We try to distract him with toys but he seems to prefer us :-(

 

[JoanneF]

I'll check out that link shortly thank you... When he pees indoors we soak it straight up and use one of those carpet cleaners that are supposed to kill smells. He doesn't seem to have a particular spot for weeing, he'll just pee anywhere in the house. He's quick too. There's never any sniffing or pacing.. He'll just squat and go. We normally catch him in the act and we will pick him up and carry him outside but he won't finish outside. He will wait til he is back indoors. Sometimes he will pee while out on his walks although not all the time and more often then not he'll pee shortly after he gets back in the house too. Currently he is being walked 4/5 times daily about 15 mins per walk. Tbh this really isn't practical and we are only doing it this frequently as it slightly cuts down the amount of accidents in the house. We really need him to learn to pee in the garden...but he just won't. He seems really adverse to weeing out there and I don't know why??
He shows his teeth alot and growls alot, he likes to launch himself at you and will literally hang off your arm or leg with his teeth. We try to distract him with toys but he seems to prefer us :-(

When you soak up his urine, try taking the kitchen roll (or whatever you use) to a place outside. He might be prepared to wee on top of it. But really, you just need to be a step ahead of him and have him out before he wees, even if that means taking him out every 10 minutes, and waiting.

And in a pup of his age, it is very unlikely to be aggression. It is far, far more likely to be overaroused play.

 

[JudyN]

I found this regarding aggression - https://www.thespruce.com/top-causes-of-aggression-in-dogs-1117877 {how does he show aggression? Lips raised, teeth shown, licking nose, tail down between legs?

I'd steer clear of that article - I haven't read it all but if mentions the old chestnut 'dominance aggression'. Whatever it is, he's not trying to be 'dominant'.

Pups of that age can sometimes be 'proper' aggressive. When he bites, how much of a mark does he leave? Do you ever tell him off for things? If he's calm, i.e. not playing, does he ever enjoy being petted or stroked? Are there any games or toys he does like? When you give him a timeout, how long do you leave him for?

Also, what do you feed him (brand & variety)?

 

[Violet Turner]

Right, well cut down the walks to 3 times and do it for 30 mins each time. When he does a wee, get a little bit of kitchen roll and absorb some water and put it anywhere outside then use the spray indoors. Also when you put him outside keep him outside for 10 mins, if there is no movement then bring him inside and as soon as you do put his attention some were else on food or treats create a sniffing game i.e. sniff out the chew stick, then repeat the proses. Hope this helps!

 

[JoanneF]

shih tzu cross border terrier

Violet, do you realise that's the third time you have said that in this thread?