hyper husky pup

[~michelle~]

hello I have a couple of questions about my newly adopted 8 mos old husky cross. First off he gets really hyper when i arrive home, and jumps all over me usually resulting in scratches all over me. Ive tried to ignore him but its practically impossible (he's already 70 lbs) and i feel that if Im pushing him off of me its a game to him and Im rewarding this behaviour. Any tips?
also when im out walking him (only me not my boyfriend) he has a tendancy to growl and bark at people near (especially if they are behind us). I do appreciate his protective nature but i dont feel that this is appropriate, any tips on how to curb that behaviour as well?
Thanks
Michelle

[jessi76]

Originally Posted by ~michelle~

First off he gets really hyper when i arrive home, and jumps all over me usually resulting in scratches all over me. Ive tried to ignore him but its practically impossible (he's already 70 lbs) and i feel that if Im pushing him off of me its a game to him and Im rewarding this behaviour. Any tips?

you're doing the right thing by ignoring him. 8mths old is a tough age! Do you have a "treat jar" in your kitchen? If so, this is what I did... when I came home, and my dog was all jumpy, I turned away from him - so he just landed back on the ground - then I walked calmly to his treat jar, and asked for a SIT. once he complied, he got his reward. dogs KNOW where their treats are kept, and if you walk over to it, they will usually do ANYTHING for that treat. This only helps temporarily though, you still need to teach that he gets NO AFFECTION (no hello, no pats, nothing) until ALL FOUR ARE ON THE FLOOR. it really just takes time, patience and dilligence.

Originally Posted by ~michelle~

also when im out walking him (only me not my boyfriend) he has a tendancy to growl and bark at people near (especially if they are behind us). I do appreciate his protective nature but i dont feel that this is appropriate, any tips on how to curb that behaviour as well?

practice makes perfect, so keep at it. But try to keep him focused on YOU and not the other people near you. When my dog gets snarly, I say WATCH ME (make eye contact) then you can ask for other commands, such as "let's go!" (continue w/ the walk) or "sit-stay" - "OK! Let's go!" - etc... when your dog makes eye contact with you - PRAISE!!!! reward him for focusing on you.

remember 8 mths is a TOUGH age. I called the 8-10mths my dog's "idiot phase". it's like his brain turned to mush, he forgot his commands, ignored commands, was a real brat sometimes, but just keep enforcing, positively, and you'll get through it. If you haven't already done so, obedience classes are a HUGE help!

[rainbow]

Hi Michelle....I have a PB husky and I know what a handful they can be, especially at 8 months of age. How long have you had him? Have you taken him to obedience classes? If not, I would suggest you look into it as I'm sure it will really help. Keep us posted.

[~michelle~]

hey I got him just about a week ago, so im trying not to expect too much from him. he's had obedience lessons with his previous owner (she surrendered him to the pound because he was too hard to train, but i dont believe that because he's learning very fast, the only real prob is the jumping cause it hurts, and the growling, i dont want ppl to be afraid of my dog walking down the street.) so i didnt know if i should start him out witha beginners obedience class, because im a new owner to him, although he;s already completed one, or a step up so we can continue his training where he left off. any advice?
thanks for all the help

[rainbow]

I would talk to the trainer you choose. Huskies are very smart although they can be stubborn if you let them. When he jumps up at you, bend your leg and lift your knee up to push him away and firmly say no. Then get him to sit and say good boy or something to praise him.

The husky I have now is my third and I've never had a problem with any of them growling at people. Huskies don't do that and they are the furthest thing from a guard dog. Do you know what he is crossed with? We'd love to see pictures.

[~michelle~]

we think he's husky/shepard/collie when he growls hes not being mean his tail is still wagging, although i did read up on huskies and was suprised when he did this b/c he seems mostly husky.

[rainbow]

Well, he's certainly handsome. Huskies love to "talk". Maybe his growling is a combination of the husky talk and the shepard/collie. Although my huskies never made a sound when they met people, just wagged their tails.

Like I mentioned before, I think you should go to obedience classes and then you can ask the trainer about the "growling". It's something you need to correct as some people will not appreciate it.

[mona_b]

Originally Posted by rainbow

Huskies don't do that and they are the furthest thing from a guard dog.

Soooooooo true...LOL...My sister has 3.....As she would always say,they would let the strangers in,but Abbey(her Border Collie)would finish them off...LOL

He definately is a handsome boy.And I do see quite a bit of GSD in him,especially the ears.So I'm thinking that the growling and barking is from the GSD in him.And I have never ever heard my sisters Huskies,or any other Huskies I know bark.

As for the barking/growling,give him a command.It could either be "quiet" "enough" or "stop"...Pick one and stick with it.

I used the "enough" with one of my GSD's.Not that he was much of a barker.But I nipped it in the bud before he cold become one.

[Writing4Fun]

Originally Posted by ~michelle~

so i didnt know if i should start him out witha beginners obedience class, because im a new owner to him, although he;s already completed one, or a step up so we can continue his training where he left off.

Personally (and this is just my opinion), I'd start back at square one with the obedience classes. Not because of the dog, but because I was the newbie. Really, a good obedience class is all about teaching you to train your dog.

As for the jumping, you need to teach the "Off!" command. The way I learned it was to put him on-leash, place him in a 'sit', let the leach droop to the floor so you could step on it (it should be taught, but not pulling down on his neck), hold the other end in your hand. Have some treats ready. Talk to him in an excited voice so he tries to jump on you. As soon as he tries, you give him the "off" command, but the leash under your foot will automatically correct him. Once he's stopped jumping on you when you talk to him in an excited voice, then you can take your foot off the leash and try again. Once he responds to the "off" command without the leash correction, then you can treat him & tell him he's a good boy. Work your way up to the "off" command with no leash at all.

He's a very handsome boy! Good for you for taking him in.