PLEASE HELP...Puppy behavior advice

[SASM]

Our standard poodle puppy is 9.5wo...we've had her for 1.5 weeks. As obviously expected, she is trying to find her niche in our pack and is bullying our 3 kids, mainly biting clothes and jumping up. So far we've tried these methods without success: 1) High-pitched yelp and turn our back to her; 2) strict "no!" and put our hand above her head to get her to not jump up; and 3) order her to "sit!" I know this is all about patience and repetition but we are desperately trying to find a method that is effective from the get-go as our 4yo and 2yo are getting quite afraid and rightly so. So...any methods out there that have been effective with your kids as behavior corrector?? We obviously need to get this under control NOW, while she is small and young. This is not going to fly down the road.

TIA (I hope)!!

[bubbaray]

I would keep her on a long lead inside the house and correct her when she jumps up. I'd try to give her treats (+ve reinforcement) when she sits nicely. Even a 9.5wo puppy can learn to sit nicely for a treat. Sporting dogs like Standard poodles are quick learners.

I'd ask your vet when she can go to obedience training (usually after 2nd or 3rd round of shots) and sign her up NOW.

[brittone2]

Along the lines of positive discipline, we have a "special needs" dog with a lot of anxiety, etc. We worked with a trainer who uses clicker training (and worked w/ a top notch university veterinary school that advocated it as well).

You can look up Karen Pryor's work (Don't Shoot the Dog is one book that I know of).

Best of luck!

[Tanya]

It's hard with little kids.

I'd make the pup work for everything. If she knows sit, use it. Keep her on a leash attached to you and make her go wherever you go. If she wants to eat, make her sit first. Make a big deal out of feeding your kids before the dog. Ignore the dog and greet the kids first. Before she goes through any door, make her sit and you go out first. You are the pack leader and she needs to know it. She's at the bottom of the pack or she should be.

Are you using a crate? That would be a good place to put her when you can't be focused on her and you don't want her going after the kids.

Did you get her from a good breeder? Maybe they'll have some suggestions.

[ThreeofUs]

With little kids, I think you're right that you need to get it under control quickly - sounds like you're doing a lot of the right things.

Go to a good trainer together. ITA with Beth's recommendation of Karen Pryor's work.

We worked with a trainer who used a shaker (penny in a flattened soda) can in place of the clicker.

[SASM]

Sorry...I haven't been on here in a couple of days. I just wanted to say "Thank you!!" I actually bought a clicker the other day and just came on here to look into using this method. Today I started keeping her on lead throughout the kitchen and living room. The crate has been a Godsend! Cannot imagine NOT using it...she LOVES her crate, as do we!

THANK YOU!! Off to check out your suggestions.

[doberbrat]

remember that ANY training is really going to take more than 2w to show true results. for a bitty little puppy I'd absolutely recommend clicker training but its very hard to reinforce w/kids. I know my dd doesnt understand the training enough to properly reinforce clicks so SHE is not reinforcing correct behavior. consequently, when she says sit, my dogs look to me first to see if they really are expected to do so.

keep nails as short as possible and try to remind the kids to turn their backs and not reinforce the negative behavior at least. even a 2yo should be able to understand that Fluffy isnt playing nice so we're not going to play with her right now....

I also try to avoid chase games w/kids. I'm now allowing dd (4) to play chase w/my doberman but they both understand the rules - there's no "catching" allowed by either party. they both have clear signals to indicate when they're done playing and dd understands that there is a chance she'll be knocked down - I remind her and she makes the choice whether to play or not. and Ny gets reminded to be careful and not knock down dd. 99% of the time, the game goes as its supposed to. Once in a while, someone falls.

[newg]

A few things my parent's did with us (my little sis and me) when we were little and our german short hair pointer was a puppy............I plan on using these if we ever get a puppy (so far we've only had greyhounds, which you adopt as adults).........

if puppy jumps up start to gently put your knee up in front of you....it will kinda knock puppy away and puppy will very quickly figure out jumping is no fun!
Pennies in a can are awesome!!....we never crushed them though...left cans normal size and it becomes a good deterent too (my mom put them on top of the dish towels to help annie learn to not take the towels)
My sister and I were both given a job to help take care of the dog.........my sis fed her (she was the youngest and smallest of our pack and the one annie tried to trump the most)................and I was in charge of treats.......our dog figured out pretty quickly that we were in charge of her food and that put us ahead of her...........
My mom also took my sis to puppy class....to help annie learn that little sis was in charge of her...........

I would put your kids in charge of some part of your puppys care.......take them to puppy class with you too (if possible).................
........oh, putting things like hot sauce/tobasco sauce.....or sour apple spray on wood furniture and fingers can help puppy learn not to bite and chew on things (of course you have to remember it's on there!!!)

good luck!!