# Puup Tantrum when he doesn't get his own way...



## Tilly Smith (May 6, 2009)

I took my 16/17 week old GSD pup to the local pet shop last night to get him a new collar. He has been there previously (with me carrying him) to get his other collars.

Well last night - he was initially a little hesitate with slippy floors and the high shelves around the place so I walked him around a little to get him used to the place. When he was more comfortable I went over and was looking at the collars. He got a bit excited as there was people further along and he wanted to go up to them and say hello. When I stopped him from doing this and got him to drop - he had a tantrum!!!! 

It was on him side, kicking out and nipping and the full whinging. One of the shop attendant thought he was injured and came running. He refused to get up ... so I ignored him and actually dragged him a little way on his side before he saw some dog treats and got up to check them out.

How should I have handled the tantrum ... I have never had a dog have a full on tantrum before.

He has been so good in his training at home - he has come so far. Now that he is fully vaccinated the training will move to a quiet park area to build on distraction training. But this was a quiet store with about 4 staff members and 3 customers in the whole place.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Why were you carrying him ?? Are you sure you don't want a toy breed ??

Is this your first puppy ?? Even pet pups do stupid shit like this. Drag his ass and stop worrying about it.


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## Tracey Hughes (Jul 13, 2007)

Jeff stole my answer...\\/


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## Thomas Barriano (Mar 27, 2006)

"so I ignored him and actually dragged him a little way on his side before he saw some dog treats and got up to check them out."


That's the exact thing I would have done. I thought the reason they put slippery floors in pet stores was so your tantrum throwing puppies would slide better?


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## maggie fraser (May 30, 2008)

I'd get him out more... he just sounds quite pleased to be out and about. Don't know quite what you mean by 'getting him to drop', but forward momentum is the way to go! :-D


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## Tilly Smith (May 6, 2009)

He was previously carried because he wasn't fully vaccinated then and much smaller. He is only just fully vaccinated and he was walked in this time - and at 19kg he can use his own legs.

I felt bad for dragging him and I did get some dirty looks from some people I wasn't sure I had done the right thing. I was tempted to boot him up the butt but thankfully restrained myself.

Yes - I have had numerous dogs before but this one is proving to be very difficult... definately trying my patience.


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## mike suttle (Feb 19, 2008)

Dragging him is the best thing to teach him to get up and walk on his own.
As far as the vaccines go, this is my logic with that.........
The benefits of early exposure far outweigh the risk of him contracting some disease.
I take my puppies out into the world at about 4 weeks of age (walking them, not carrying them) into airports, pet stores, and everywhere else I can think of.


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## Laura Bollschweiler (Apr 25, 2008)

Tilly Smith said:


> I took my 16/17 week old GSD pup to the local pet shop last night to get him a new collar. He has been there previously (with me carrying him) to get his other collars.
> He has been so good in his training at home - he has come so far. Now that he is fully vaccinated the training will move to a quiet park area to build on distraction training. .


 
Hi, Tilly

Puppies are so much fun...sort of!!

This is a four-month-old pup you're talking about, right? He wanted to go do his own thing and and you wanted him to lie down, was that what happened? I agree with the others on the ignore, etc. I'm just curious about your statement "he has come so far." 

I know I'm a little lax with puppies but how far does a four-month-old have to go??

Laura


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## Tilly Smith (May 6, 2009)

Laura Bollschweiler said:


> Hi, Tilly
> I'm just curious about your statement "he has come so far."
> 
> I know I'm a little lax with puppies but how far does a four-month-old have to go??
> ...


What I ment by "He has come so far" was that when we first got him he was constantly whinging/crying, he also had lots of full on nuts moments where he was biting, crying and generally being extremely full on. Some days I just wanted to strangle him.

He now focuses more and is more obedience (sit, come, drop etc) but he is still having the occassional difficult moment - like this tantrum.


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## Tilly Smith (May 6, 2009)

mike suttle said:


> Dragging him is the best thing to teach him to get up and walk on his own.
> As far as the vaccines go, this is my logic with that.........
> The benefits of early exposure far outweigh the risk of him contracting some disease.
> I take my puppies out into the world at about 4 weeks of age (walking them, not carrying them) into airports, pet stores, and everywhere else I can think of.


We have parvo virus in our area and after loosing one dog to the disease - I don't take the risk.


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## mike suttle (Feb 19, 2008)

Tilly Smith said:


> We have parvo virus in our area and after loosing one dog to the disease - I don't take the risk.


OK, I understand. If it were me, I would still take the puppies out into the Word and expose them to as much things and as many places as I could. I still think the benifits far outweigh the risks.
Just my opinion, but I realize your original post was not about this issue so I will not dwell on it.


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