Big Paws Only Dog Forums
Great Pyrenees => Great Pyrenees Discussions => : cincbcat October 20, 2005, 09:15:39 PM
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Lately bedtime is becoming a difficult time for Sadie. She does not want to go in her cage in the morning when I need to leave for work. She runs away from me, tries to hide, etc. I always say, "Sadie, go to bed", and as soon as she hears that she acts like a different dog. And it's just been recently she started doing this. So, a few weeks ago was the first time she snapped at me when I grabbed for her collar, to lead her downstairs. It really shocked me and I immediately smacked her mouth and said "no bite". I couldn't tell if she really had intentions of biting me, or, well, I don't know what I thought. So this morning, here we go again, I told her to go to bed, she ran away from me, I said it louder several more times, and she rolled over on her back!! Cute, but not what I was going for. So, I grabbed her collar to try and lead her, and she beared her teeth and went right for my hand. Instinctively, I smacked her mouth and yelled "no bite" again, but I had to walk away because I was so in shock. I really believe she would have bitten me if I hadn't jerked my hand away. I am so upset over this, she never shows signs of aggression toward anything else. I know it's a bad thing when a Pyr is aggressive. I'm not sure if this is true aggression or just her way of telling me she doesn't want to go to bed. I'm counting on my Pyr people (and anyone else!!!) to give me some advice here!!
Rachel
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Rachel,
You may need to pm Gypsy and Tanimara. I'd also email BabsT. They should be able to give you great advise. Also please post what advise is given so we all can learn.
I hope you can get your girl straightened out. You may want to try feeding her in the crate...
Deena
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How long is she crated while your at work?
How many days a week?
Does she also sleep in the crate?
To me its clear she does not want to be in her crate and what your seeing is a progression of her protest. I'm sure before the first time she snapped at you there were more subtle signs such as her pausing before entering the crate, rolling on her back, etc... My fear would be that next time it may not be just a snap but that she will make contact. Hitting her for it will not solve the problem it may stop her from giving you any warnings and just go for the big time.
Have you tried making the crate time fun by having special toys (frozen stuffed kongs are my favorite) she only gets in her crate?
Make sure she is going to bed when she is tired...get up a little earlier to take her for a walk.
If your able to give her a larger area to be in such as part of a room you can dog proof.
I would try to recondition this when you do not really have to leave...
first take her out so she tired...
then get your kong out and let her lick it outside the cage so she knows its some good stuff...
then DO NOT TOUCH HER and lure her towards the crate with the kong and toss the kong in...
when she goes in after it close the door behind her but only leave her there for about 5 mintues before letting her out.
When she comes out remove the Kong.
By repeating this several times she should start to think the crate is a fun place since thats where the kong is.
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How old is she now? She may just be testing to make sure she really has to do something she does not want to do. Make sure she has had a long walk before you crate her. If she as been asleep all night, she wants to play for a few hours. Is she your only dog or does she have a play mate? Sugar Bear and Dixie Darlin run a round in the yard from 6am to 8 am and then they are ready for another nap. I would make sure she has a very special treat for when she goes to bed. My guys love chicken jerky so they know if I say go to bed they go lay on the bed for a piece of chicken jerky. Do you have a fenced yard that she could spend the day in?
No if you really feel that she is going to bite or nip you she needs to go to Alpha Boot camp.
http://www.sonic.net/%7Ecdlcruz/GPCC/library/alpha.htm
Good Luck,
Lisa
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I'm not much help on this issue, but I wanted to wish you luck! I have a feeling there is probably many things you can try to stop her behavior, but Pyrs and Great Danes are so different I'll leave the suggestions up to the professionals! :) Keep your chin up!
Andi
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I think Lisa is on the right track. You should find time during the day or early evening to invite her into her crate with a special treat that she can only have in her crate. Put her in there for just a couple of minutes with the special treat - just long enough for her to enjoy the treat, but not long enough for her to realize, "Hey, wait a minute! I'm in the evil box!! Let me out!!"
As soon as she is done with the treat, let her out, but don't give her too much attention right away. You don't want her to connect coming OUT of the crate with being a "good girl".
Each day extend her treat time in the crate just a little bit longer - give her more treats or bigger treats. If she has a favorite toy ONLY let her have that toy in her crate over night and make sure you give her the special treat again as she goes in for bedtime.
Also, leave her crate open during the day or evening when you are home and she is out so it is accessible to her if she just wants to get away. If you find her "sacked out" somewhere else, pick her up and place her in the crate with the door open so she wakes up in the crate.
It sounds like she just needs to familiarize herself with the crate being a safe place and not a punishment.
Hope this helps,
Jeanne
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I agree wholeheartedly that you can not tolerate snapping but physically forcing your dog or physically punishing it are also no-nos. And for some reason Pyrs REALLY hate to be grabbed around the nape of the neck. But you also need to realise that you are precipitating some of this behavior. Its not acceptable behavior for her but it is a reaction to your behavior. She is only doing this when you are physically dragging her to the crate.
The best solution is 2 fold - why has crate time become unpleasant for her? It should be a place where she wants to go not a jail. If it is in her mind that the crate is a thing of torture it is your responsibility to change that perception. We only crate when we are showing but the dogs ALWAYS get a wonderful goodie to take with them into the crate. All we have to do is say 'crate' and they will dive in - because we have made it a pleasant place to be.
Also never try to drag your Pyr by their ruff - this breed in particular finds that to be very offensive. If they are refusing to go somewhere simply put a leash on them and they usually then get up and go with some dignity.
In addition to these two areas you should consider ways to reinforce that you are the alpha in the house- doggie boot camp or 'nothing in life is free' will help to reestablish you as the alpha.
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She is almost 7 months now, and generally the only time we crate her is during work, and if we leave for other long periods of time. She sleeps in our bedroom at night, with the door closed because I don't trust her with the whole house yet. She runs outside for about half an hour before she wants to come in and eat. We have tried putting her food in her cage, and she seems to like that. We always put her toys in her cage, so she'll think it's a place she wants to be, and she always gets treats for going inside. I should say too, she only acts like this in the morning, when I'm alone with her. If my husband and I are home during the afternoon and we have to run out, she will go in her cage with minimal coaxing. I would keep her in the yard during the day, but she is a digger and I am afraid she would dig her way out if left alone for 8 hours. I like the idea of puppy proofing a room in our basement, and I did want to try that eventually, but she knows that "downstairs" is where her cage is, so it's getting her to the actual stairs themselves that is the hard part. You guys are great, thank you for your support.
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Maybe you can come up with some fun game to get her down the stairs. Does she like cooked hotdogs, maybe you could put a little bit of hotdog on each step to get her to come down a few times. At seven months she is going to test you at times just to make sure it is not her turn to be boss. I have found the best thing I have done for Sugar Bear was to get him a playmate. As if anyone with a pyr needs a push to get a second pyr. hehehe
Lisa
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If my husband and I are home during the afternoon and we have to run out, she will go in her cage with minimal coaxing.
Being that she is 7 months old and "Could" be testing you and by your above statement it seems this may be your line of thinking so test your theory...
You say she does much better when your husband is home and you leave in the AFTERNOON~ Could she know that when you leave in the morning she will be in her cage for 8 hours but when you leave in the afternoon it may only be one?
Try putting her in her crate in the morning while your husband is there ~ Does she go without a fight?
If so could be a respect issue or it could be she doesn't associate him with the long crate time.
If she does go in without a fight when he is there in the morning try it in the afternoon WITHOUT him home~
Did the problem return?
If so much more likely a respect problem if not her going in or not going in has nothing to do with dominance it has to do with the dislike of the long crating times.
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"Maybe you can come up with some fun game to get her down the stairs"
Yeah, we thought we'd try to trick her into coming down the stairs...we both go downstairs and act like we're doing something interesting, and during daylight hours she's sure to follow us, but in the morning, I don't think fire and brimstone would get her down those stairs....she's got us figured out!!!
I am nervous about how she'll be when I get home this afternoon. I wonder if she'll forget our incident this morning? I will try what you guys have suggested as far as trying to get her in the cage during the day for a bit, with a good treat, and then letting her out. I am willing to try anything, I love her and I don't want to be afraid of her.
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She forgot about this morning 5 min. after it happened. Our fur-babies live it the moment that is one of the great things about them. Sugar Bear and Dixie got into a grumpy match yesterday and then went to sleep back to back. Just keeping mine she is still a baby and needs to learn what is ok and what is not. Sugar Bear like so go leave his room and go to sleep on the front porch at night, they have a dog door in their room. So I have to go make him go in an go to bed, sometimes he will get sassy and I hold his muzzle and tell him “none of that” then I lift his big butt(98 lbs.) and make him go to his room. I need to work on a way to get his up without me lifting him. He love to roll over on his back just to make it hard and a game.
Lisa
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Rachael,
I read your post and all the replys. I find very good info given here on making crating a more fun issue... all good suggestions. Also the information given to you on alpha training is a must, especially at her age. Sounds like she has excepted your husband as an alpha but not you yet. You need to get on that. Just follow the advise in the link that was posted. It is an absolute must that she not get by with the snapping our your going to have a Pyr that will have to be retrained or put down.. not a good sign.
You have a whole different problem here however that has only been touched on. Pyrs are extremely intelligent and she knows when to expect an 8 hour crate stay. That is way to long to crate her unless it is bed time. She is bored and she hates that long crate stay. Pyrs require a lot of excercise, I might suggest you evaluate your situation as to how much exercise she is getting. Also, being a guardian by nature and with nothing to guard she is just plain bored. There are several things to do that would be of help but I dont know your situation so only you can decide what would work for you.
1. Get her something to guard - best solution
2. If she is a city/house dog and that is not possible, get another Pyr. Puppy or adult so that she has someone to play with. You would be surprised how much energy she will work off with another Pyr to play with and how many problems this will solve. Most of those problems you have not even see yet.
3. Leave her outside while you are at work. She digs you say? Of course she does, she's a Pyr...lol You must decide if you want a dug up yard or if you want to give up your dog. She is not happy being crated and I dont think that an 8 hour crate stay is going to work with her. Some Pyrs will tolerate it. Most wont. She's telling you that she is one that wont.
I have no recomendations that will solve all your problems here. I only know what works and what does not. Crating her all day may save your house and yard but it will make your dog a psycho case if she is the type that does not want to be crate trained. Besides that, I've see grown Pyrs totally dismantle or tear up a heavy duty crate when what they were telling you did not register. Ok Mom, you wont listen... I'll show you... I'll eat this sucker!...lol Even lots of excercise may not work if she is one of those dogs that just hates being crated dispite all your efforts to make it fun. Besides that, you will see an increase in distructive behaviour if you dont get a handle on this quickly.
There are some things you can do to dicourage her digging out that are not expensive, but if you live in a manicured neighborhood that may not be the best solution (hot wire around the base of you fence, just about 6 " off the ground. Belive me it works. That's how you keep them in the pasture when they are the houdini type and all else fails.
Feel free to email me off list if you like. Perhaps we can work out a solution with more details.
Jackie
tanimara@townsqr.com
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What if you got her an outdoor kennel run with doghouse and made a cement slab base for it? That way, you could leave her outside while you are at work and she could get a little more exercise in the kennel and she wouldn't be able to dig out of it?
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I think having an "area" where she could be in instead of the crate sounds like a good idea too. If the weather is nasty out and we want the dogs inside, we have a walled off area where we put them, and they LOVE it. It isn't too big, but definately enough room for the both of them to get up and move and find a new spot to lay. I hope you find an easy and quick solution to this!
Kandi
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I don't have a Pyr, but my mutt, Zeus, was so very miserable when crated. He would defecate on himself everytime he was crated. (We bought a crate that was just the right size, but he would still do it, and then lay in it all day :o) It was suggested to us by our Vet that his temperment was such that Crate Training was not an option for him. He suggested an outside kennel as well. Zeus is a professional excavator, and would dig to China if we let him. *lol* We got an outside dog run, and layed chicken wire all along the insude, and then gravelled it. This makes it easy for accidents to drain, and clean-up is a snap.
This works so well, that all three of our boys now stay in a 20'x20' enclosure, and they have the added benefit of being able to play all day with each other (plenty of exercise!) and be safe from the elements.
Best of luck.
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I hope this isn't a stupid question, but if we were to set up an outside "run" for her, how cold is too cold for her to be out in for an extended period of time? Like, an 8 hour work day? I don't care about the yard being dug up, per se, my point is, she might get out of the yard and get lost or worse. I will definitely be setting up a doggie area in the basement, it's concrete floors anyway. She has never gone potty or poop in her cage. I guess we are lucky about that. I wonder if she'll go now that she'll have more room in the basement? If she goes in her cage she has to lay in it, if she goes in the basement she won't. That's my fear, that if she isn't in the cage, she'll think it's ok to go in the basement....ki nd of like what they do when you board them and they are forced to go in their area. I do not want to confine her all day, but I also need to feel comfortable that she will not destroy our stuff. I want to find an alternative that makes us both happy. I know even at 7 months, she is still very much considered a puppy...and I know she is still destructive, that's the reason she is caged while we are at work.
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I would think the colder it got the happier a Pyr would be... they looks like a big ole' polar bear.
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Kiah hasn't been in a crate since 5 months. At that time she decided she didn't want to be in her crate. We got a wire crate because the plastic ones were more expensive. What type of crate do you have? She escaped from her crate 3 times and the last time she injured herself. The crate had to go. She never had an accident in the house except when she was sick. She can go all night from around 10:30pm-7:00am. She will scratch on our bedroom door to be let out in the mornings. So the time does vary. The only problems we've recently encountered was her chewing on stuff. I just have to make sure toys, shoes, etc are picked up and all the bedroom doors are shut. I think Sadie will be happier to have a bigger place in your basement. Kiah is 7 1/2 months old.
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Sorry for butting in on this thread when I really have no practical knowledge of LGD's other than what I've read.
But won't a LGD pretty much go crazy being crated all day? I mean they have a strong instinctual drive to "patrol", and being confined to a crate would be going against this really strong inbred drive they have. It just seems like by their very nature they would not be a good canidate for being crated during the day.. Just my thoughts, but I don't have a LGD, I have a lazy bear rug.
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Sugar Bear got his bottom teeth stuck on the crate door his first night home. So the crate had to go the next day, I was not going to let that evil thing hurt my boy. My husband built him a cut little wood playpen, he was in that for almost two months until he was to big for it. Then it was full run of his room and most of the house.
Dixie lasted in the playpen for about 5 min. then I just let her have full run of their room and some of the house. She is so busy making her brother crazy she does not have time to chew stuff inside. He has made a light snack out of 4 landscape lights. She pulls them out of the ground and runs around with her treasure. They have a doggy door so they can go in and out as they please. The only time I will not let them out at will is during the day at work (I work, they sleep) and at night from 11pm to 6am. Other than that they get to go in and out the doggy door, they love it.
Lisa
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My Pyr is fine in his crate, but he HATED it when he was younger, around 4, 5 months old.( he is 10 months now) I just took lots of patience, and showing him who is alpha. We also started feeding him in his crate and that really helps as well. Good luck
Nina
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Am I correct in thinking that your Pyr's crate is in a different area of the house than you are usually in?...Can you put it in an area that you spend alot of time in?...the reason I am asking is that when Samson was crated we kept his crate in the family room because that is where we all spent most of our time...That way he could go into it like it was his bedroom & rest or just get away from things...If your crate is in an area of the house that you don't use alot your dog may very well be getting upset because she equates going to the area the crate is in as being seperated from her pack & that is the worst place in a dogs mind that they can be...The law of the wild is that a dog seperated from it's pack is a dead dog (or wolf) That is not a happy place for a dog to be in their mind...This could be causing her alot of anxiety...If the crate was in an area that you spend time in you dog could go in it at will when you are there just to spend time & relax & that would make it a friendlier place to be...As far as the nipping goes it can't be tolerated at all!!!...Samson was 7 months when he started testing me & I had to resort to the alpha roll which is no longer recommnded but it worked for us big time...If you decide to use the roll make sure you are comfortable enough with your dog to know you won't get bit...The idea is to put them on their back when they exibit unwanted behaivor like nipping at you when you try to put her in her crate...This is not puppy nipping if she is nipping at you because she doesn't want to go in her crate...This is agression...Wh en you get your dog on her back hold her down until she completely relaxes thus telling you "you are alpha & I am a lower status dog"...If you choose to use this tecnique you can't let the dog up until she submits EVER...Also, protect your face from a bite...Samson never bit me when we used this but bites to the face are why it is no longer recommended... Be sure you can carry through before you decide to use the roll...Also, don't drag your dog by the scruff...Rathe r "herd" the dog to the crate & be relentless until she goes in...I think if you move the crate to a comman living area & make it a fun place to be by hiding treats under a blanker or such & leave the door open while you are home she will come to like it...Samson loved his crate & went in it often on his own...Whenever she goes in praise her highly & give lots of love & treats..Good luck!
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That is a good idea to move the crate to an other area. My crates are one in the bedroom for Dilbert and 2 wire crates in the living room for when we are not home. And we have the TV on for them to watch. (cartoons ;D ) But is works all we have to say is OK kids we have to go to work, and they walk right in there crates with no prob at all.
I would follow Gypsys advice and try and put the crate in an other area of the house.
Nina
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Sounds like a good time to implement NILF, Nothing In Life is Free. In other words, she has to "earn" everything, treats, walking through doors, going outside..... Make her sit for everything, demand she be obedient to earn the right to do anything.
IMO, you're little girl is testing you, it's time to show her who's the real Alpha of the house! ;D
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Sounds like a good time to implement NILF, Nothing In Life is Free. In other words, she has to "earn" everything, treats, walking through doors, going outside..... Make her sit for everything, demand she be obedient to earn the right to do anything.
IMO, you're little girl is testing you, it's time to show her who's the real Alpha of the house! ;D
I agree with you...We use NILF here too...Samson is such a stubborn boy that sometimes he will turn his back on me & walk away rather than comply to the sit or down command...He's like "the treat ain't worth it"...lol!
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He's like "the treat ain't worth it"...lol! Boy that is such a Pyr thing. Sugar Bear and Dixie are both like that.
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Well, I'm happy to report that this morning things went much more smoothly than yesterday. She made it evident that she did not want to go in her cage, she rolled over onto her back, but I got behind her and kept repeating what I wanted her to do, and within a minute she was up, head slumped, walking towards the basement. She went in and I gave her toys and treats. I was alone, too. We spend a lot of time in the basement, where her crate is. Our computers are down there, and my husband runs his business out of the basement, so she's constantly up and down the stairs with us. I think it will be ok if we leave her crate where it is. And she is only in her crate while we are working and gone for longer than half an hour. We already discussed warding off an area just for her in the basement, but it will be hard considering how big she is. I obviously did the wrong thing by grabbing her collar to try to get her up. I will keep trying what I did this morning and hopefully it will work.
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Great news! :) Just keep being assertive with her...I really think she'll be fine she just has to know who the real "big dog" is! ;D
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I came in on this one too late LOL...Seems that things are better which is great...One thing I can say is my hands are never used in a negative fashion...A sharp quick no but I never use my hands as a punishment or a reprimand
My crates are used for nothing but great fun and incredible things...eatin g and sleeping and never for a punishment.... My older boy is 11.5 months and hasnt been crated since 4 or 5 months but eats in there (i feed raw) with door open and sleeps in there with door open on his own will
My younger 21wk old Caucasian Shepherd also eats and sleeps in there but I close the door for her because she keeps on trying to take her meaty bones on the floor LOL...and she is more of a investigator than Zero is so when I dont take them with me (which is rare) she is crated with the door closed and is 100% comfortable with being in crate
Whenever I am crating my dogs with the door closed something yummy and fun goes in there and they run right in...infact at breakfast, the both of them will sit in there with their tails wiggling waiting for food and if Zero wants a snack he tells me by sitting in his crate and looking at me
I guess I use the NILIF routine and both dogs are really good for LGD's in listening to what I want and if they dont I reinforce that yes, they infact do have to listen
LGD's are independent and self thinkers and catch on FAST, they know what is next and they know their routine after a few days and I am sure being in a crate for 8 hours isnt exactly the fun part of the day for your pup
You could also save all great yummy things for positive crate experience...g ive her treats and bones and chew toys in the crate only so your pup associates better things with it
I dont leave my dogs outside when I am not home because I cannot control the world around me and being LGD's they LOVE LOVE to bark so neighbors may get annoyed
I am fortunate enough that my dogs are with me 99% of the time....I dont work so I watch my nephew as a favor for my brother and take them with me because they have a fenced yard and socialization is great for them...so we are out and about throughout the day and nice and tired when I get home for the eveniing LOL
Your dog should be able to handle pretty cold temps infact last winter my zero then 13 or 14 weeks wouldnt come in during a blizzard...he has snow freezing to his fur and he just thought that was the most fun
Both my dogs dont like plasitc crates and we use the wire ones...
the other things is tire the pup before crating...take for a nice walk or a good romp in the yard and when you notice that the pup is tired put the pup into the crate
Good Luck with your pup and remember you need to be calm, happy confident and self assured and your pup will follow that lead
I notived with LGD's that once you are aggravated or frustrated with them, they seem to shut down and not work for ya and just lay there
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Yeah, she's true to form for LGD's. One sense that I'm upset and she shuts down. Thank you guys for all of your advice. This weekend was great. I know she's still going through her phases and we just have to keep at it, which we will do for however long we have to because, well, she's just so friggin cute that I can't help myself. She looks more and more like a "dog" everyday, her puppiness is wearing off. :-(
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I'm late on this, but I know that my Dane hates to be grabbed by the collar...she gets really offended I think, but I found that when I snapped a leash to it and made her do what I wanted to do, then all was well. I'm glad this morning was better for you both. We just got our Perdi crate trained. She is 3 and had never had crate training...she is sleeping in there now as I type-it keeps her safe though when we are gone since she has anxiety and chews the trim on the doors when we leave. She knows that no one is going to bother her in there though. That it's her safe place even from my rowdy kids.
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I'm a little late on this thread, but I wanted to put my two cents in. =) My Bo is a VERY SMART PYR!! She learned pretty early on how to push the limits & how to work the edges of good behavior! =) THis was fine for a while...like before she hit 120lbs! Bo used to roll on her back when she didn't want to go somewhere/do something and I thought..."oh, how cute! How like Ghandi...passi ve resistance!". Well, that passive resistance was fine & cute, but behaviorally it can (and does) lead to other things. Namely, a dog who doesn't accept you as alpha. That being said, Pyrs as a breed do not respond well at all to physical punnishment. They are incredibly sensitive, thoughtful dogs who DO REMEMBER negative experiences. Granted, your dog probably did forget that she snapped at you shortly after it happened. What she didn't forget, though, was that she had a negative experience with you and that perhaps you can't be trusted as the alpha (dogs need to be able to trust that the alpha can handle the job, or else they feel compelled to step in and take charge). In my experience, it has taken patience, work and consistency to convince Bo that I am the alpha, that she doesn't need to be the alpha, and that all is well if mom says it is! =)
In regards to the crate...Bo lasted about 5 minutes in hers. Actually, I totally caved at the point that she started throwing herself at the door of the crate. So I adjusted the system and used an ex-pen to contain her during the day when we were gone to work, as well as at night. As she grew, we expanded the size of the ex-pen until it was used mostly as a gate to keep her cordoned off into one room. At age 1-ish, we eventually did away with the ex-pen and allowed her to sleep in the bedroom with us (confession:in the bed wtih us). Although some people are die-hard crate trainers, and I can absolutely appreciate the fundamentals behind it, we had to adapt the concept of crate training to our dog/situation.
Good luck with your girl...it's really great that you are so open to feedback & willing to work on your dog's "quirks" before they bloom into "issues". I wish that I had this resource two years ago when we brought Bo home & I felt so alone with my giant puppy!!
Take care,
Jenn & Bo
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There are a lot of nice training tips in this thread!
She may also be a bit sensitive about getting her head since she snapped when her collar was pulled on. You could try this, too (along with all the other excellent advice):
Put peanut butter (a light layer) between several fingers
show her your hands & let her sniff/lick them - you want your hands to be associated with good things - especially around her face. When you can put your hands up to her face without her flinching or any sort of aggression & she is actively bumping your hands looking for treats (when they aren't covered in PB) - progress to this:
put a treat in one hand near her nose & rub the other hand along & all over her muzzle (like a face massage after a long day at work - yum!) - if she lets you do the massage without fuss, give her the treat (do this several times a day) - when she tolerates that, move to this:
keep a treat in one hand near her nose & start moving the hand giving her the face massage towards her ears & jowl - again, treat for her letting you move your hand all over her head without fussing & progress to this:
keep a treat in one hand near her nose & massage until you can put your hand on her collar - don't try to "grab" the collar yet - just move it like you are going to adjust it on her neck & pet/massage all over her neck - as always- treat for good behavior; then progress:
treat in one hand; massage; grasp collar & lenghthen the amount of time you have a hold of it - treat for good behavior (You may even want to go one step farther & start walking one or two steps while holding the collar - it really depends on you & her & how far you think you need to go with this to teach her that you are allowed not only to touch her face, her neck, her collar, and to hold it while she is walking.)
give a jack-pot (which is - lots of treats for each 1st & 2nd time she lets you do any of the above) & of course, lots of verbal praise!
hopefullly it'll get her where you can get a hold of her collar - a necessary thing - without her going ballistic;
and it'll help her with being "head-shy" - many dogs see our hands as tools of aggression (unfortunately) & need to learn that they are also capable of giving great pleasure...... ...always start your petting around her face under her chin - as she gets used to that, move to petting on-top of her head - ask your friends/strangers that want to pet the pretty BWD - to do the same, let her sniff their hand first, then start to pet under the chin before they go on-top of her head, so she doesn't see their hands as aggressive either. (Be sure to desensitize her to being petted on her head as she looses her head-shy tendencies)
I like the idea of getting her to go into her crate by leading her with a leash - Casper is my only dog that wont willingly go in the crate - I have to put a leash on him & lead him in there or we'll be playing chase in order to get near & hold onto his collar, & then tug of war (not good when he weighs 90lb!) to get him into the crate!
I also make their crates available so if the dogs are tired they can go in & curl up for a nap any time during the day - and when I do have to put them in their for long periods, I put chew toys (some rubber, some soft, sometimes Kongs stuffed with goodies) in there with them & always give them a treat for going into thier crates. I feed them in their crates, too - (except Casper who really doesn't have a crate of his own - just borrows from the others when I need him contained). I have a pet sitter that comes & lets them out half way through the time I'm gone at work so they don't have to spend extraordinary amounts of time sleeping or being bored in the crates.
Frosty became very destructive after a month of being crated - at first she liked the crate - she is so shy I think it made her feel safe, then she developed a devilish desire to eat through the wires (she was raised initially on a goat farm, albeit an abusive one) - she destroyed everything soft I put in there for her to lie on, then ate the plastic pan liner & chewed a fist size hole in the carpet & pad after eating thru the liner. Now I just leave the door open - she goes in & out at will. The only time she's in there with the door shut is during feeding - she & Bella would growl & snap & be food protective (it happens when you've been a starved doggie for too long) - and feeding everyone in their crates (except Casper) solved the issue. She has not been destructive with the door left open except for my bad habit of leaving papers/magazines on the couch - she will snag them & tear them up for me. ;)
Getting her a job of guarding "something" will help, too - dogs are pack animals, I think they do better if they have a companion to play with - have you considered adding another dog? Or even a dog-friendly cat?
Best of luck!
-lauriew
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Great replies here recently, thanks guys!! We've actually started putting Sadie in the basement instead of the crate for the past few weeks, and she has done fabulous!!! No mistakes to date. We're shocked. So now, instead of telling her to go to bed, we tell her to go to the basement, leading her to the door. She goes, without much convincing once she sees the GREAT KONG!! LOL That has really helped to get her do something we want her to do but she may not. We puppy proofed the basement, so she basically has a concrete floor and bones to play with while we're gone. I feel better that she has more room to romp in while we're working. She gets better everyday. Now if only she'd stop eating her poop...
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Hi. I'm new to this discussion. But I have a pyr and have had pyrs.. From my experience if you have a female pyr you are more likely to have "attitude" problems than with males. How old did you say your pyr was? If your pyr is young, then it may be challenging you for the Alpha role.. You need to get a grip on this and fast. You can do this without any harm to your pyr. Whenever I've had problems in the past with a pyr, I make her go in the "down" position. This must be taught and is easy to teach. This is a very submissive position and it lowers their status in the Alpha role. Read up on this and wolf packs. There is some very good reading on the internet. But a stubborn pyr must have a little challenge if they aren't working dogs and must know you are the boss. Good luck!
Bam Bam