Training Tips??

jenend · Post by **jenend** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 4:44 pm

I have a 5 month old female beagle. I have had her since she was 12 weeks old. I am having two major problems.

1. She will not get housebroken. I have tried everything. Nothing seems to work. She even goes in her crate. I take her outside all of the time. I also make sure to take her out shortly after she eats. Another thing with this is, because she "gets in trouble" when she potties on the floor, she tries to eat it so that I don't see it! What do I do?

2. Anytime I try to take food from her, she will literally go crazy and try to attack me. For example, she got into the garbage and pulled out a chicken bone. When I tried to take it from her she tried to attack me. I did not know what to do!

Thanks for any advice you can give!

daustin · Post by **daustin** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 8:37 pm

1. She will not get housebroken. I have tried everything. Nothing seems to work. She even goes in her crate. I take her outside all of the time. I also make sure to take her out shortly after she eats. Another thing with this is, because she "gets in trouble" when she potties on the floor, she tries to eat it so that I don't see it! What do I do?

If she is going in her crate then her crate is too big. A dog will not go anywhere it has to lay. So I would make her crate smaller or buy a smaller one. Don't punish her if she goes on the floor. If you catch her while in action pick her up and take her outside to finish. The problem with this is that if you punish her after the fact she doesn't know why she is being punished. Also she will give clues before she goes. It may be pacing around or sniffing or maybe even going to the door. You have to watch for these.
Does she go when you take her out after she eats?
You should also walk her every two to three hours and praise her when she goes outside. If she goes in the house between walks then walk more often.

2. Anytime I try to take food from her, she will literally go crazy and try to attack me. For example, she got into the garbage and pulled out a chicken bone. When I tried to take it from her she tried to attack me. I did not know what to do!

Welcome to life with a beagle. They are VERY food driving. Put the trash somewhere where she can't get to it. When you say she tried to attack you do you mean she growled and tried to bite you? If so you really need to set up who is boss. I had a pup about that age growl at me when I tried to pick up his bone and laid down the law REAL quick with him. He doesn't do it any more.

You may want to pick up some books like "The Essential Beagle" and "Beagle Basics."

Hope this helps,
Dane

jenend · Post by **jenend** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 1:39 pm

Her crate is actually the one for medium size dogs. It is not big at all. She is getting to the point where she cannot stand in it anymore, so I am actually going to have to buy a bigger one. Also, everytime I see her go by the door to sniff around, I take her outside and stay out forever and she still never seems to go. Also, when she is outside and goes, I always keep treats with me so that she will get a treat immediately after she goes. I will just keep trying what I am doing and hope that it starts to work!

Tried to attack me is putting it lightly. She growled, and lunged at me and almost got me. I had to back up and try to think about what I was going to do before I put my hand back down there and try to get the bone from her. Once I tried to get it again she did the same thing, so I just grabbed her by her neck and pried it out of her mouth. If she would have grabbed a hold of me, she would have drawn blood she lunged so quickly. Next time it happens, I will let her know who the boss is. I have read some of the other advice posted here.

Thanks for taking the time to answer for me!

daustin · Post by **daustin** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 8:35 pm

Her crate is actually the one for medium size dogs. It is not big at all. She is getting to the point where she cannot stand in it anymore, so I am actually going to have to buy a bigger one. Also, everytime I see her go by the door to sniff around, I take her outside and stay out forever and she still never seems to go. Also, when she is outside and goes, I always keep treats with me so that she will get a treat immediately after she goes. I will just keep trying what I am doing and hope that it starts to work!

Her crate should only be big enough for her to stand up - turn around - and lie down. That's it.
When you take her out when she sniffs at the door and she doesn't go bring her back in put her in her crate and take her back outside 15 minutes later. Do this until she does go.

Tried to attack me is putting it lightly. She growled, and lunged at me and almost got me. I had to back up and try to think about what I was going to do before I put my hand back down there and try to get the bone from her. Once I tried to get it again she did the same thing, so I just grabbed her by her neck and pried it out of her mouth. If she would have grabbed a hold of me, she would have drawn blood she lunged so quickly. Next time it happens, I will let her know who the boss is. I have read some of the other advice posted here.

I'm not well liked for how I take care of this problem but what I do does work. When I reach for a bone and my pup growled at me I backhanded him (and I don't mean lightly). Then I gave him his bone back and let him chew on it a minute and reached for it again. A couple of times of this and he didn't growl at me any more. Like I said I'm not liked on a few boards for my approach towards this problem, but I just will not put up with a dog growling at me. I have young kids and I can't have a dog biting them.

Dane

windy hollow · Post by **windy hollow** » Sat Jan 17, 2004 10:32 pm

daustin wrote:
Her crate is actually the one for medium size dogs. It is not big at all. She is getting to the point where she cannot stand in it anymore, so I am actually going to have to buy a bigger one. Also, everytime I see her go by the door to sniff around, I take her outside and stay out forever and she still never seems to go. Also, when she is outside and goes, I always keep treats with me so that she will get a treat immediately after she goes. I will just keep trying what I am doing and hope that it starts to work!
Her crate should only be big enough for her to stand up - turn around - and lie down. That's it.
When you take her out when she sniffs at the door and she doesn't go bring her back in put her in her crate and take her back outside 15 minutes later. Do this until she does go.

Tried to attack me is putting it lightly. She growled, and lunged at me and almost got me. I had to back up and try to think about what I was going to do before I put my hand back down there and try to get the bone from her. Once I tried to get it again she did the same thing, so I just grabbed her by her neck and pried it out of her mouth. If she would have grabbed a hold of me, she would have drawn blood she lunged so quickly. Next time it happens, I will let her know who the boss is. I have read some of the other advice posted here.
I'm not well liked for how I take care of this problem but what I do does work. When I reach for a bone and my pup growled at me I backhanded him (and I don't mean lightly). Then I gave him his bone back and let him chew on it a minute and reached for it again. A couple of times of this and he didn't growl at me any more. Like I said I'm not liked on a few boards for my approach towards this problem, but I just will not put up with a dog growling at me. I have young kids and I can't have a dog biting them.

Dane

years ago, I had a beagle pup that, like you say would not be house broken, and I gave up, and accepted this dog is an outdoor dweller.
after building him a pen, and putting him outside for about a week or two, he became house broke. it was unnatural for him to eliminate indoors. anymore and now that pen is my when all else fails method.