Quella - 3 vs. Mommy - 0

[Calle Roo]

I'll be honest... If there was a competition as to whom were the most bullheaded duo, I seriously think Quella and myself would be in the running. I finally am throwing in my towel and acknowledging that everything I'm doing is wrong. And to be honest, not only do I need help, but I finally want help.

I work from home and complete university classes online. As depressing as it sounds, I'm home 22-23 hours a day. I have an upstairs loft where I work from and an additional living area where Q is in a 4x4 all day right next to me. She uses the puppy pad 100% when in the 4x4, but once I make the space bigger, she goes pee and poo wherever she pleases i.e. the vinyl 'rug' I made or the carpet. After cleaning up a few messes, I become frustrated and make her space smaller.

We're in Arizona, so by noon, it's already 100 degrees. I'll take her for short 5-10 min walks, to stretch her legs. After work, the walks are longer and usually 20 mins long. On any of her walks, she has NOT once went pee or poo.

Once off work we usually head downstairs to the main living room where she has another 4x4 set up. Again, she goes potty on the pad 100% of the time, but once I make the space larger, she goes wherever she likes i.e. the tile.

When I take out the potty pad to hopefully have her 'hold' it for a bit, she'll again, go potty on the floor.

Now, per all of the above, it seems like Q is in her X-Pen all of the time, and yes, yes she is. That's another issue that needs addressed. I've tried to play with Q on the floor and she becomes a rabid beast searching for her next kill, whether it be fuzz or the edge of my tables, electric cords, etc. When I say no, she doesn't even budge. When I make a loud disturbing noise, she doesn't even budge. I physically have to get up and remove her from the item being sought.

I will then climb in to her 4x4 and play with her, or at least try and she uses my lap as the Frenchie 500, chewing on my clothes, chewing on my toes and fingers. I have to push her away nonstop, which instigates her more. Toys will not even distract her. I've even taken her for a walk to tire her out and 'if' she was in her X-Pen alone she'd take a nap, but add me to the mix and again, maniac climbing, jumping, biting. Yes, she bites. Any time someone tries to pet her or give her attention, she will 'mouth' at their hands or even clamp down, which hurts due to her jagged lil great white teeth.

When I brought Q home from the breeder 04/03 I found out she had Guardia. It was recommended she didn't even go in my yard due to previous animals and pigeons. Unfortunately her first treatment didn't help, so she was put on a different kind of medication. She'll be going back in the next few weeks to get retested. Q got her final vaccinations 05/09, so now she goes to the pet stores and car rides to the bank, etc with me. She is an absolute maniac. She literally tries to climb up the front of people's chins with her untrimmed nails (remember, she won't stop to allow me to even trim 1 nail a day).

It's hard socializing her because at this point, I don't want to bring her to the dog parks, so she's only seeing my intermediate family and the people at the pet stores. She has a Puppy Orientation next Monday, then I'll sign her up for the puppy training through PetsMart. This will be a starting point and if I'm not happy with the training, we'll find more of a professional (no offense to PM).

If you're still here and haven't dozed off, I would like any suggestions.

1st and foremost: How can I start potty training her w/o a doggy door and can't be left in yard unattended as well as prevent her from peeing or pooing in bigger spaces.
2nd: How can I get her to calm down i.e. sit on my lap, on the couch next to me, not attack people's hands and legs, trim toenails, etc.
3rd: Any other suggestions or red flags you'd like to discuss.
4th: Her dog beds last a few days before she tears a hole in them and starts shredding them. Over 6 beds are sitting in a 'to fix' pile. Now she has square decorative couch pillows I get on discount at Big Lots. They can't be comfortable.
5th: Suggestions on PM training.

Thanks in advance.

XoXo Quella La Roux and her mommy too!

 

[lkclark]

Early puppy socialization is key. It seems as if a lot of her unruly behaviours stem from a lack of socialization and discipline.

The excessive chewing and nipping, for example, is something that could have been curbed by interacting with her littermates, parents and other dogs at an early age who would not have "put up" with it, thus teaching her what is OK and what is not.

There's a time for cuddles and a time for being the leader.

I'd say go for the socialization and training courses! Best of luck!

 

[lkclark]

Also, if she does not have a short-term confinement area (a crate) I would say you should try that in intervals while you're working. Put her in the crate with a nice chew toy or KONG for an hour, then let her out for some supervised playtime (in case you need to correct potty behavior) or a walk.

Also, wait until she 'goes' on her walks. She simply HAS to associate outside potties with a treat and positive reinforcement.

 

[Calle Roo]

Thanks Lori. I figure, it's better late than never. I saw a video of Quella before I got her and she was with 2 of her brothers. She stopped dead in her tracks, dropping her toy while one of the brothers was approaching. She hung her head a little lower as to stalk him. When he warily approached, she charged him, slamming her shoulder and head into him. She then circled, smashed into the other brother and as she ran past them, she reached out and nipped their sides. I'm assuming it was normal puppy play, but I just couldn't believe it. She was such a 'bully'.

Quick question, as if I haven't asked enough. -giggle- I'm hesitate to bring her to the dog park, but was thinking of meeting up with a French Bulldog MeetUp group. I'm sure it's at a local dogpark, but maybe I'll have more reassurance being the park will be dominated by Frenchies, I'll feel more comfortable with Quella playing the same way, due to the same breed.

XoXo from Quella La Roux and her mommy too!

 

[lkclark]

Lol she sounds like a very headstrong girl, that's for sure

The Frenchie meet-up sounds great!

 

[Cbrugs]

When we were potty training Jax, we would literally pick him up and carry him outside every 20 minutes or so or if we saw him circling and sniffing. Once he did his business outside, we praised and gave treats. He did have a couple accidents as expected but he caught on pretty quickly and eventually would go to the stairs to let us know he needed to go out.

I agree that she needs socialization which she will get during puppy training. I took Jax to Petsmart as well for classes and it was fine, he was just stubborn and hard headed. He used to bite and nip at us as well. They say when they do that, give out a yelp so they know they hurt you (even if they didn't) and give a firm no bite. Don't give her attention when she is biting, they love attention.

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[Calle Roo]

Quella 1 vs. Brothers 0



XoXo from Quella La Roux and her mommy too!

 

[lkclark]

Lol that video is adorable

 

[Alice Kable]

Those pictures and that video are adorable!

You have a high energy girl on your hands that would benefit from having a 4 legged playmate to wear her out! If that isn't possible, I suggest you get a 24 by 30 inch wire crate and a Primo Pads crate pad with tie downs to put in it. That's all that bed shredders need. For the potty training you need to take her out at regular, frequent intervals. The playing rough, biting is normal puppy behavior but let her know it hurts you and isn't okay. She needs a way to burn off some of that energy. Buster gets the "zoomies" and races around inside the house, sliding through corners. The puppy classes will be good for her. A tired dog is a good dog and usually will be content to sit on your lap, get massages, and snuggle. Good luck with her, she is a beauty!

 

[eeturk]

Oh boy, this sounds like Hudson's early life with me. I felt horrible and like I was doing a terrible job and going crazy, but it gets so much better with time. The #1 most helpful thing for us was finding him a consistent playmate. A tired puppy is a much more well behaved puppy. Sounds like she has a ton of pent up energy that she is using for evil. Hudson has learned a lot from other dogs -- especially when he gets put in his place. Good luck and hang in there!! I know how tough it can be


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[sah006]

It sounds like you have one stubborn little frenchie! My suggestion for potty training is bell training. We did this with our puppy and he was potty trained in 2 weeks. We bought a big jingle bell from the craft store and tied a long piece of yarn to it. Then we put it on the door knob and made sure it was low enough that he could reach it. We took Nacho out about every two hours when we first got him. Before we put his leash on we would take his paw and ring the bell, give him a treat, and go outside. If he went potty outside we praised him with a treat. If he did not go, he didn't get a treat and he went right into his crate. We would wait a little bit and then take him out again. He eventually got the idea and would go to the bathroom right away.

I wish you all the best and hope that things go smoothly for you! Things will get better! Keep us updated!

 

[davidh]

She is adorable and the video is just good ol' puppy play. She is bored and a very active girl. A play mate would help some, and like others have said, if that's not possible, then she needs to run around and play more during the day. Potty training a Frenchie can be challenging, but can be done. As others have said, take her out about every hour or so ,and be consistent. Praise her like crazy when she goes outside. a crate with a Primo vinyl crate pad works great. You can get them to fit your crate and ask for tie downs, then she can't chew on it. The puppy class will help, and when you are playing with her and she bites, tell her "no bite" and when it hurts, say "OUCH" pretty load, so she will know it hurts, then give her a chew toy. We have a 16 week old pup, but he is pretty laid back for a pup, (we are blessed) but he does have his moments, usually at night when he wants to play rough, and gets the zoomies. But he will usually run it out and then is ready for bed. Good luck and have plenty of patients, it will get better.

 

[Julie Stevenson]

All great advise on here for you. Since you work from home and your in Arizona. I would see if you can find a meet up group in your area for doggies. I found one here for just frenches and they play at the beach once a month. Try and find a friend or neighbor with a friendly dog and get them together for play time. Why don't you want to go to the dog parks? They are a great place to socialize your dog and get some of her pent up energy out. She is vaccinated right? I do make sure yo take my boys into the small dog section so we don't have problems with bigger dogs. And I usually will try and off during the slower times...early in the morning or late in the evening so there are not ten million people there.

The other thing you might try and finding a favorite toy and playing fetch to tire her out? Is there something she loves to play with? Try throwing that.

Ollie is nuts at night time too. We call it his WILD MAN time. Its frenchie 500 for him around the house. Hopping and sliding all over the place. Now that we have Batman they play non-stop before bed. Lucky me I got 6.5 hours of sleep with no wake ups from the puppy and no accidents! Miracle and probably not likely to happen again. LOL

Biting hands...Yeah Ollie does that too. And my feet and clothes. I think it's a frenchie thing. They are so Tenacious!!! I try to have a toy near by to put in his mouth so I don't get bit. My husband plays non-stop with his hands so he taught Ollie a BAD habit. I have asked him to stop until I'm blue in the face. He still does it and I'm the one that usually gets bit while Ollie is playing. I'm trying to teach Batman not to bite right now too. Best thing to do is when they start biting or mouthing and it HURTS. ROLL the flaps of skin of the lips onto the teeth to open the mouth. It will be uncomfortable and they will open the mouth. Remove your hand. Get a toy and only play with a toy. If she goes for your hand. BE FIRM. Say NO in a loud firm tone. If that does not work. Get a squirt bottle. Put your hand out when she mouths....spray her and say NO! When she stops praise with words only. No hands. Try that.

 

[Calle Roo]

Well, it's official... I signed Quella up for an 8 week Puppy 101 training course through http://www.doghouseaz.com/ It starts June 21st and I'm super excited to report her progress through the forum. I was originally going to sign up through Petsmart as there weren't many dog training facilities near my home that had reputable information appearing on their website or reviews. I saw a sign outside of a small strip mall recently advertising a dog training facility opening and after reviewing their website, they seem to have quite a bit of experience, reasonably priced training and aren't 'treat driven'.

I was even given some potty training tips (which I've read on this forum already), but as I'm finally at wits end, this'll be the first night working on them. I took her water away 2 hours before bed. And instead of letting her go in and out of her crate and pottying as she pleases, I'll be locking her in it. I will sent my alarm for 8 hours (and let her out earlier if she is fussing in the crate and wakes me up) and immediately put her collar/leash on and carry her outside to a grassy area. If she doesn't go potty within 2-4 minutes, she'll go back inside and locked in her crate for 10-15 mins then back outside to potty. This seems overwhelming to me, but Q is 4 months old and hasn't went potty outside ever. I can't blame her. I'm the one with the resources and tools and I need to use them to help her learn them.

XoXo from Quella La Roux and her mommy too!

 

[eeturk]

Sounds like you are doing all of the right things! It really is so tough. Can't wait to hear about her progress!


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[Calle Roo]

Whoa whoa whoa. Q-Roux is a monster. The trainer is amazing and I see instant result when she demonstrates on the other dogs, but once she works with Q or gives me guidance, my pup is all over the place. When the 10 dogs and owners sit around the room, they're all calm and laying down and Q is at the end of her 2-3' leash and climbing back and forth across my legs. I've tried to restrain her and keep her at my side, but she yanks and pulls and seriously looks like she's going to hurt herself. I don't know why she is so squirmy or what she is trying to get to because every time she has the chance to see a dog, she touches their nose and walks away w/no interest at home, but once in class, she won't listen to me or stop pulling and veering off in different directions. Same with her 'tricks'. We've worked on sit and me saying her name to get eye contact then praising her. She is limited on her physical exercise because it's 110 degrees outside, so I've been taking her to Petsmart and Petco every other day to get exercise by walking the store. I've tried playing with toys that'll stimulate her mind, but she has no interest. She immediately starts sniffing every inch of the carpet/tile, like she has one purpose in life.

Potty training isn't going very well either. Once we wake up, we go outside every 10-20 mins, allow her to pee/poo and if she doesn't within 2 mins, she comes back in to her crate. By 3-5pm, she still hasn't went outside and goes pee in her crate. By 5-6pm she has to poo from her morning food and she tries to go on the floor, so I bring her out and she stands and stares, I bring her back in and she immediately tries to poo on the floor, so I bring her back out and nothing, so once back in, I give in and give her the potty pad. She just turned 5 months old, and she has not went pee/poo outside in the past 3 months. I looked at grass potty pads and they're such cheap quality and unrealistic grass that I'm going to buy some from the artificial grass store here in the valley and layer potty pods underneath then a metal oil pan that's 2x3' (and replace as needed). Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can do to get her to go potty outside?

 

[lkclark]

I give in and give her the potty pad

There's your problem. Lol.

Sorry you're having such difficulty; consistency and firmness is key! She is a puppy afterall; when Bear gets a little wild I call it "shark mode"

 

[Cbrugs]

Whoa whoa whoa. Q-Roux is a monster. The trainer is amazing and I see instant result when she demonstrates on the other dogs, but once she works with Q or gives me guidance, my pup is all over the place. When the 10 dogs and owners sit around the room, they're all calm and laying down and Q is at the end of her 2-3' leash and climbing back and forth across my legs. I've tried to restrain her and keep her at my side, but she yanks and pulls and seriously looks like she's going to hurt herself. I don't know why she is so squirmy or what she is trying to get to because every time she has the chance to see a dog, she touches their nose and walks away w/no interest at home, but once in class, she won't listen to me or stop pulling and veering off in different directions. Same with her 'tricks'. We've worked on sit and me saying her name to get eye contact then praising her.

Q-Roux isn't a monster, she's a French Bulldog! Jax did puppy classes at Petsmart last summer and he was an absolute maniac during class. All he wanted to do was play with the other dogs and would not sit still. He would whimper and bark at them because he wanted to play so badly. He did end up graduating but honestly I don't know how. He turned 1 in April and will do simple commands but that is usually if he is going to get a treat or things he is going to get a treat. Don't give up, just be consistent and work with her at home on the commands.

 

[eeturk]

I built a real grass patch that is working pretty well. You could try that.


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[Calle Roo]

So, as embarassing as this is to share, Q had a moment that made her mommy come to tears. Q has never went pee or pooty poo outside of her potty pad (or my floor). She is now 8 months old. Well, today I stopped at the dog park, but no other dogs were there so we walked around for 10-15ish minutes. Well, guess what!?! Q pee'd on the grass. I'll definately be bringing paper towels and pooty poo bags when we go out, incase she hasn't grasped not going potty on Home Depot floor or the concrete on Starbuck's patio. Either way, this was a super moment for us.

XoXo from Quella La Roux and her mommy too!