8 Signs You Have an Aggressive Puppy (2/6/17 Update on Daisy)

2/6/17 Update on Daisy's Training

Since my post on 1/15/17, Daisy has been evaluated by Scott Borden with Our Dog Trainer and had her first training.  

However, before her first training, the trainer gave me several documents to read and implement. His program foundation is based on "Nothing in Life is Free" and even before her first lesson, I began her "Relationship Reboot Program". 

Basically, you control everything: their food, toys, time, space, and affection. The result of this reboot is your dog will become more relaxed, more affectionate, more tolerant and much happier.

I saw results almost immediately with this reboot. She seemed to mellow a little bit and was much more respectful of me.

The other dogs don't care for the extra attention Daisy seems to be getting.

I like the way the program builds on itself. Her first few lessons will be based on learning basic obedience training to give her self confidence and make me a strong pack leader in her eyes. 

We have been working on three basic obedience skills: 

(1) "Place" which means basically she must stay put where ever I deem is her spot until I release her. I can see this being very handy in many situations.

(2) We also started the "Heel" exercise to teach her to stay aligned with my hip when walking, turning, zig-zagging, etc. 

(3) The last thing we worked on during her first lesson was "Recalls" to teach Daisy that she must always come when I call.

I have been practicing with her for about 30 minutes each day in increments of five to ten minutes. I am very proud of her quick progress. She is a smart girl.

Sharing "Place" with her brother.

Lesson number two is two days away and we are anxious to learn more new things. I know this is going to make my Daisy the sweet girl I know she is. :)

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1/15/17 - Wow, it feels like forever since I've posted. Christmas was fantastic as always - lots of family together time. However, Christmas felt a little different for me this year because I was retired. I was able to slow down and enjoy every moment. I kept thinking, "This is what Christmas is supposed to feel like!"

Now that all the Christmas decorations are lovingly packed and stored and I have spent quite a bit of time cleaning up the house, I was excited about getting back to my blog.

I am going to dedicate this post to Daisy. Daisy is my youngest mini at 1.5 years old. She is my beautiful baby with a Great Dane size attitude! She has displayed this attitude since she was a tiny pup. 

Daisy

Most pups wiggle when you hold them, but Daisy growled, nipped and protested loudly if she wasn't feeling it. Most new puppies are playful and respectful of their older housemates, but Daisy started scuffles with them from day one. 

My hopes were that she would calm down and relax in our multi-dog household and become the sweet mini schnauzer that I knew she could be. Well, that really didn't happen. Her bad behaviors have escalated over time.

I felt she was socialized sufficiently living with four other dogs and spent a lot of time around my five grandchildren and large family. In the summertime, she traveled every weekend with us to the lake and rode in our motorhome to our beach vacations. She was exposed to many different situations.

She barks incessantly and will not respond to the hush command like our other dogs. She tries to intimidate my grandchildren, even chasing and nipping if I don't catch her in time. She gets aggressive and intimidating when people enter our home. 

Taking her for a walk, omg, that is an experience you would have to see to believe. She lunges and barks viciously if we happen to pass a stranger or another dog. It becomes very embarrassing. 

She actually nipped a jogger's leg as we were walking on the beach during last summer's vacation. Thank goodness, he was understanding. It was at that point that I decided she needed some serious intervention and I needed to watch her like a hawk from then on.

I have tried one training facility with limited success. I really couldn't afford their full program, but I paid for a mini version and in retrospect, she obviously needed a lot more training. 

I am going to contact a local trainer next week. His name is Scott Borden from Sellersburg, IN. I have heard many good things about his program, Our Dog Trainer, and his website has a couple of dogs like Daisy who have been rehabilitated. I will update you on her progress over the next few blog updates.

I want to leave you with eight behaviors to watch out for in your puppy that may indicate you need to get professional training asap:

1. Abnormal intense "play" -  Your pup shows signs of excessive aggression, a little more intense than the normal puppy play such as snarling, growling, snapping, and nipping.

2. Fearful behavior - A pup is usually curious and ready to play with everyone. If your pup hides or backs away from new people, this is not typical puppy behavior.

3. Dead eye stare - I have noticed when Daisy locks her eyes on something that is irritating her (usually one of my other dogs), she becomes deaf to my commands. She is going to attack if I don't physically intervene.

4. Aggressive barking - The kind of barking that they refuse to stop with a command.

5. Dog reactivity - When you walk your pup and they act aggressively when approaching other dogs (lunging, growling and/or barking).

6. Possessiveness - Acting aggressively to people or other dogs over a toy, food or even their owner. Daisy thinks I belong exclusively to her and gets nippy with the other dogs when they come close. I do not allow this, but she still gives them a nasty look and would nip at them if I turned my back.

7. Biting - Not normal puppy mouthing, but intent and purposeful biting.

8. Dominance - Showing aggressive dominance over their dog housemates. Daisy likes to pick on our small, elderly dog. If he tries to get to the door first, she will aggressively attack him.

I hope I have helped anyone who has a puppy that doesn't display normal puppy behavior. I wish I had realized sooner this was something she wouldn't outgrow and gotten help sooner. I'm sure the longer you wait to get help, the longer it will take to turn the behavior around.

Stay posted for updates on Daisy's progress!

Here's a video I took of Abby trying to get Daisy to play with her. Abby can be relentless, lol.

Walking a Schnauzer

I have come to the conclusion that Schnauzers are one of the hardest breeds to teach to walk on a loose leash. First and foremost, they are stubborn.  They want to do things their way and they like to be the boss. Secondly, they have such a strong prey drive that every scent becomes an obsession and they forget who's on the other end of the leash. Heaven forbid we come across a squirrel, rabbit or bird. They forget the world around them and zero in on that poor defenseless creature. 

I know you schnauzer owners are snickering because you have the same problem.  I'm sure there are a few exceptions to this rule, but out of my five, only one mastered the loose leash easily. Carly's laid back personality made her leash walking lessons really simple. 

I usually only walk one of my dogs at a time because they like to compete to see who can pull on the leash the hardest. They also enjoy a nice squabble if one is feeling dominant. I have never tried three or four......until....this morning. I must have been feeling very brave (or crazy).

I dug out my two double leashes, put harnesses on each one and attached my ultrasonic deterent to my pocket. These leashes I bought on Amazon are excellent for walking two dogs because they are made of strong rubber and your hand doesn't hurt and get leash marks from the pulling. It has tangle free hardware so if the dogs wind around each other, it turns and stays untangled. I also clipped my ultrasonic dog deterrent to my pocket to use if other dogs approach or if mine needed a quick reminder to pay attention. I use it sparingly, but it is a very effective attention-getter. Since it is silent to the human ear, I can get their attention without looking like a crazy dog lady trying to reason with her dogs to listen to her. One quick touch of the button and they are all looking at you and ready to listen.

This morning's walk wasn't too bad. After they got over the initial excitement, they did a pretty good job of walking together. I have to admit that it was unusually quiet in the neighborhood this morning and I didn't encounter any strangers or strange dogs. I'm sure that would have livened things up a bit. Bella did spot a squirrel but we moved quick enough that the other three didn't see it. 

I walked them about a mile and a half this morning so they are all tuckered out. Just the way I like them:

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Grooming My Schnauzers - Part 1

First, I want to say that I have the most awesome groomer.  She has groomed my dogs for about 10 years. Since I have taken four of mine to her since they were young pups, she has acclimated them to grooming very well. They all love to go there and she does a great job with them. 

However, in a couple of years, my husband and I plan to travel extensively in our motorhome.  I realized I would need to be able to groom my dogs myself.  No way would I take them to a strange groomer. I have heard too many horror stories to put my fur children in some stranger's hands.

I still take my dogs to their normal groomer every three months or so just to be sure everything is taken care of. My wonderful groomer has actually let me observe her a couple of times and is always giving me great tips. She understands why I am trying to learn grooming and shares all kinds of great tips with me.

When I first started thinking about grooming my own schnauzers, I searched the internet for videos and blogs. I bought books and searched Pinterest for hours.  There is a lot of information out there and it takes a lot of time to pull it all together. I thought I would give you a summary of what I have learned. 

Keep in mind I am not a professional - not even close.  But I think I do a pretty decent job at keeping them clean and neat. It takes a lot of practice and my dogs don't seem to mind at all if they are not perfect. It gives them one on one time with mom and they seem to enjoy that. With five of them, one on one time is pretty rare.

Treats & Kind Words

Attitude. If I am not having a good day, am tired or just plain not in the mood, I have learned not to even attempt grooming.  I promise you it won't go well. Your dogs sense when you are not at your best and they react accordingly. You don't have to keep a steady stream of conversation going, but an occasional, "great job!" or "you are so pretty" goes a long way. I have found when doing the difficult parts like nail trimming, treats are invaluable. Just a tiny, tiny piece of treat keeps them interested in pleasing you. I have been known to award a treat for each nail. These are the nail trimmers my vet's office uses and recommends.

Brush Out

I do a complete brush and comb out before bathing my dogs. If you bathe with knots and matts in their fur, they just get worse. They will tighten up more and be painful for your dog. I use a fine tooth metal comb to do a final comb through to be sure I got all tangles out.  I may do a little preliminary scissor work at this time such as trimming the hair close to their eyes. These little ball tipped scissors are great for working close to their eyes.

Bathing

None of my dogs mind getting a bath but a couple will object if you get water in their face. I haven't found a way to wash their face without getting water in it but I try to keep that to a minimum. Once you get a drop on their face, their only goal is to climb up the side of the tub. It then becomes a battle of wills to get them finished up. I now use a washcloth to wet their face, put a little shampoo on, then wait until last thing to give them a good face rinse.

I get them good and bubbly by using a bath net sponge.  I use a good quality shampoo with as few ingredients as possible. I have to use a medicated shampoo on Carly because she is prone to schnauzer bumps. Before they get out of the tub, I put a little ear cleaner in their ears, rub it around and stand back.  They always give a good shake after liquid goes in their ears. This dries up any moisture from the bath and keeps their ears healthy and smelling great. (I use Vetoquinol Care Ear Cleansing Solution as recommended by my groomer.) I pat towel dry them to avoid knots, then use a diffuser on my hair dryer to get them 95% dry. 

My dogs generally get a bath about once every three weeks or so unless they have gotten into something. Carly gets a bath at least once a week to hold off the schnauzer bumps.

I learned a majority of what I know about grooming schnauzers from "Schnauzer Mom" on YouTube.  She states that she is not a professional, but I will tell you she is awesome and a great teacher. She posted a series of videos that gives you a great deal of information.  

Here is a link to her videos:

Schnauzer Mom: Grooming Your Schnauzer

To be continued....

Abby has a slightly obsessive personality. Here she is being a little crazy playing ball:

When Did This Happen?

My husband and I were preparing for bed the other night and this is what our bed looked like.  I looked at him and said, "When did this happen?"  We both had a good laugh and climbed in. They all re-adjust when I give the command, "Scoot!" There is no grumbling over the best spots, they just wiggle in and start snoring.

This is a king size bed, believe it or not. You wouldn't think five miniature schnauzers could take up that much room. I know some people imagine all kinds of germs and bugs you could get having an animal sleeping with you, but I have done it for years and haven't had any issues. I have found a tick on me once or twice, but I blame my husband for that.  He is a tick magnet.

Having them next to me at night is like having five teddy bears to hug and squeeze when I feel the need. I can identify all of them by touch in the dark, usually by the texture of their fur.

My husband is the one they wake up when they are ready to go outside in the morning. They will lick his bald head until he submits! They sometimes try to wake me, but I just turn my back to them and they know Mom is not ready to wake up and they better leave her alone. When I am ready, they take turns laying their head on my neck so I can kiss and pet on them. What a great way to start your morning!

Three 3-Ingredient Treats

I just cringe every time I hear there's a new recall on dog treats or dog food. It seems as though the manufacturers don't understand that our dogs are like our children. I guess they have looser standards on pet food.  I started scouring the internet and Pinterest looking for treat ideas that I could make myself.  That way I know what is in the treat and don't have to worry about a recall.  

Before I start with the recipes for baked treats, I wanted to share the fruits and vegetables I give my dogs as treats:

Vegetables:

• raw carrots
• frozen peas
• canned green beans
• cucumbers

Fruits:

• apple slices
• frozen blueberries
• bananas (fresh or frozen)
• strawberries
• watermelon

*Note:  Grapes and raisins are poisonous to dogs!

Recipes

Here are some three ingredient recipes that are quick to make and my dogs love them:

Banana-Peanut Butter Treats

4 bananas (mashed)

2 cups peanut butter (no artificial sweeteners)

6 cups uncooked oats

I put the oats into my food processor and pulverize them into a powder.  I then add in the peanut butter and mashed banana and mix well.

I pinch tiny amounts, roll & flatten on parchment paper.  These are the perfect size treat for my mini's.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until hard.  I freeze all but a small amount I can use in a few days.

Bella as a puppy

Banana Treats

7 cups pulverized uncooked oats

3 ripe bananas (mashed, reserving 1/2 banana)

2 eggs

Mix together the oats, mashed bananas and eggs. Roll out to 1/4" thick and cut with a pizza cutter or cookie cutter. Place a thin slice of reserved banana on top and press into cookie. Bake on parchment at 375 F for 20-25 minutes until edges are brown and banana on top is dry. Store in refrigerator or freezer.

Carly as a Puppy

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Treats

1/2 cup peanut butter (no artificial sweeteners)

1 cup canned or fresh pumpkin puree

1-3/4 cup flour (oat, rice, wheat - your choice)

Mix all ingredients well.  Roll out on floured covered surface. Cut out with cookie cutter or use a pizza cutter to cut into squares. Place on parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake at 350 F for 8 to 10 minutes. I freeze all but a small amount I can use in a few days.

Abby getting kisses

Speaking of treats....

Schnauzer Monitoring

I wanted to share a couple of pieces of technology that we use to keep tabs on our babies when we are away from the house or away from our motorhome when traveling.

1. Piper - This is a camera that we can check on the pups from a phone app. We have a great visual of the living room where they all sleep while we are gone.  It also has two way audio so I can actually talk to them through a microphone in the unit. If I check on them and they are howling, etc, I simply talk to them through the app and tell them to hush! Sometimes I just log in to let them know mommy will be home soon.  The unit actually has other features like a motion detector, loud noise detector, alarm, etc.  We mainly use it to keep an eye on the dogs since we already have an alarm system at our house. Here is a snapshot I took last night when we were driving home:

They were watching for us to pull up in the driveway.

2. Animalarm - We use this unit in our motorhome.  I have always worried what would happen if the electricity went out or if our air conditioner suddenly stopped working while we were out on a day trip. This unit monitors the temperature and sends me a text if it rises above a setting I choose.  I can also text the unit and it sends me back a report with the current temperature. This gives me so much peace of mind while we are traveling.

I have actually put the Piper camera in the motorhome when we were going on an extended vacation and it works very well too.

If you are a worry wart like me, these two pieces of equipment are well worth the money for the peace of mind they give you.

Welcome!

Welcome schnauzer people!  I decided to create this blog to connect with other people like me who are dog people.  I want to share some of the fun and trials I live with every day with so many bundles of fluffy mischief running around. Because you can see in the pic below, I am mom to five noisy, lovey, stinky mini schnauzers. I'm still not sure how that happened.  It started with one who claimed our heart at a flea market and just escalated from there. If you are a schnauzer person, let's be friends! I hope you find my blog fun, informative and heart-warming.   

From left to right:  Scooter, Daisy, Abby, Carly & Bella