How Should I Respond To Zuki?

[Batmom]

Some of that could be her personality. Not necessarily that she doesn't respect you, just that she cares more about food, for example. Our angels Zema and Rocco the whippet were like that. Constant vigilance and consistency (as well as that extra exercise!) will help. If you don't give her a chance to steal food etc., eventually she'll stop trying -- but it might take a year. Here the rule is, no noses may cross the edge of the table. You might need to back that up by a foot .

[Guest Lovey_Hounds]

Like someone said before its not about respect she is a food motivated puppy. its good that your older dogs are telling her off when she is being a turd. she is at the age she will test every boundary she can to see where she can get, we had a lot of issues with chili and she fought us every step of the way.... i mean every step.

I would suggest crating her at night until she figures out her place and learns her manners, chili is 21 months and is still crated at night.if i catch chili snarking at another dog for no reason i loudly say "hey!, knock it off" if she doesnt stop i move her and tell her to lay down and stay where i put her, she moves and put her back. I have also muzzled her if she is getting to carried away, having a leash on hand is a great idea too incase she gets too intense.

continue with the consistancy and once she learns she is not going to get away with her behavior and that you see everything she does she should settle down.

another thought to help tire her out, we use a laser pointer and chili chases it that way she is tired and im not she will chase it and pounce on it all day if i let her.

Edited July 21, 2010 by Lovey_Hounds

[Guest zoolaine]

But Chili is too cute to be naughty I feel bad crating her at night - she has to wear her muzzle all day and then to be crated all night, doesn't seem fair to her. She did do better last night and only snuck up on the bed 1 time. When she tried and I told her to go lay down she tried the other side of the bed and when told again she went to the dog bed and went to sleep. I also worry about what she would destroy if she was baby gated out of the bedroom at night.

 

She did better with breakfast this morning. I am hand feeding her and making her wait til I say ok or take it. I agree that it is a good thing that she does back off when the others snarl back - like when she gets too close to Luna's food.

 

I got out Zali's old squirrel on a rope toy. Zali LOVES that thing and will run, jump and try to get that thing for 30 minutes. Zuki wasn't really interested in it. I took her out by herself and she did play a tiny bit with it but nothing like Zali does. Oh and Danica was hilarious with it. She would only "chase" it when I moved it at a slow walking speed, any faster and she wasn't interested.