we have had this dog since she was 6 wks old (now 10 months) she is a nice dog ( a little hyper) but she is alot of fun. Problem is we cannot pick her up to hold her...she gets very upset and when we put her down she protests and barks at us!!!! EVERY time!! WE have had her checked at the vet and he said she is fine physically but she is a stubborn terrier. Should we just "hold" her until she submits or just leave her be and accept the fact that we have a dog that will always sit by us on the couch but "to hold her" -- forget it!!?? Thanks for any advice you have!
2007-01-23 10:20:49 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
Some dogs just don't snuggle. Just love her the way she is...one day she will surprise you and climb onto your lap!
2007-01-23 10:24:43 · answer #1 · answered by Redawg J 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i know exactly what you mean. i had a cairn for 13 years, she was the best dog in the world but also the most hard headed dog i have ever met. Cairns are very stubborn dogs, they have a very strong will and are very hard to train. You have to get a handle on her behavior problems now or else you will be sorry. They love to be in charge of the household and will start to boss you around. I recomend taking her to obedience classes immediately, that will teach her that you are in charge. If you have already done that then i would tell the trainer exactly what problems you are having and they will help you. Unfortunately, she thinks she is top dog and it will stay that way until you learn all the things she does that you think nothing of but is actually her asserting her dominance. I wish you luck, i'm sure you will share many years of joy with her!!!
2007-01-23 10:28:45 · answer #2 · answered by italian_trouble 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Terriers often benefit from dominance training. You might try to find a good trainer. The not liking to be picked up thing could very well be a dominance issue (she's not in control, so she doesnt like it).
Ultimately, it depends on what you want. If you want to have a dog you can hold, you need to make her stay in your arms until she stops fighting it. BUT... if you're going to start fighting that battle... you have to be prepared to finish it. CONSISTENCY is the key. If you give in just ONCE, it will undo every inch of progress you've made to that point.
Even basic obedience could help. It will teach her things, it will teach YOU things, and it does wonders for the human-dog bond. It teaches them to look to you for guidance... which comes in handy more often than you'd think. While classes generally just teach the basics, most dogs get MUCH more than that out of them.... and so does the owner!
2007-01-23 10:30:22 · answer #3 · answered by kittikatti69 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you want a cuddly dog, get her to like cuddling. Tons of praise and treats when she sits still. Do not hold her until she submits, because that could cause her to fear you, but at the same time be firm, and don't put her down at the first bark, because that's what she's trained you to do. You could use the command "quiet", and she can learn that if she's quiet you will eventually put her down. Better than a yappy puppy, at any rate. Good Luck!
2007-01-23 10:27:51 · answer #4 · answered by lildi_32 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My Cairn is now 8. He absolutely refused to cuddle with me the first 2 years of his life. (Although he would cuddle with my husband if he held him tightly. I was too weak. Those dogs are strong.) I almost gave him away during that time because he was supposed to be "my" dog. One day, he just decided that he loved me and now he seems to be my shadow. He loves me too much and I almost trip over him every day. He is a great dog. He loves the water, and ball catching, and smiling, etc. He is the best dog I have ever had. Don't give up. Yours will come around.
2007-01-26 03:36:41 · answer #5 · answered by sjl22222 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to find an obedience class (NOT PET SMART!) and get yourself and the dog enrolled in a class. Terriers are smart and stubborn. You need to establish that YOU are the pack leader, she will keep trying you for the rest of her life and you need to not back down and do things the way you want. Not her way.
2007-01-23 10:31:44 · answer #6 · answered by manetna2 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She could be one of those that don't like to be held. I had 3 vets check my dog. And the 3rd one realized he had a disc disease. Terriers like things on their own terms. Some dogs like to play tuff they don't want you to pick them up or put them down. They really want you to play. Find a "good" trainer or make peace with it. If thats the only problem it would be cheaper to make peace.
2007-01-23 10:38:16 · answer #7 · answered by ayna1001 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
maybe you could try to petsit a friends dog that is fine to pick up. When the other dog is at your house carry it around often and don't pay attention to you dog. If she sees that dog getting all the attention she will want to be picked up as well.
2007-01-23 10:45:45 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some dogs just DONT like being held, dont hold her against her will as you will break her temper and she could become aggressive. Shes a terrier they like their independence, dont worry about it.
2007-01-23 10:25:56 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
when you pick her up do not put her down in till she stops trying to get out of your arm. you need to find a dog trainer in your area of the country. and fast terriers try to get away with any thing they can.
2007-01-23 10:25:33 · answer #10 · answered by Skyhoss 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋