Help with Bad Behavior.

[Xarpolis]

Let me preface this by saying that Baku is the essence of calm. He's a 6 month old puppy that's practically lethargic. He just wants to relax ALL THE TIME.

My mom loves how he acts and purchased his sister (Coco) from the family that sold me him.
She's also a dream. Very calm and loving.

Here's where the trouble starts:

Any time they are around each other, Coco and Baku can not stop jumping around like lunatics. Baku reminds me of a middle school student when it comes to a female, because he just WILL NOT leave her alone. If she wants a drink of water, sure enough so does he. If she wants a bone, suddenly he wants the same one (even if there's another right there). He chases her around constantly and doesn't listen to us at all. Coco, on the other hand, is a real instigator. She'll wait for Baku to finally calm down, then she'll run over to him and start him up again and all hell breaks loose once more. Then she plays the part of a little angel (What did I do?).

This is REALLY annoying and I want it to stop. I don't want to make it so that they never see each other (which would fix the problem). I just want to make them behave and be calm. Coco is going to the vet to get fixed in about a month. Baku is waiting until he's a little over 1 year old.

HELP!

[pitsnok]

It could possibly get better with time. Degan and Harlow were this way for the first few months that we had Harlow. She is still the instigator though, and they still jump around like lunatics, but they also cuddle, and play separately, and leave each other alone a lot now too.
Sorry I don't have any advice, but I didn't want you to feel like you're the only one out there with dogs like this!

[Xarpolis]

Let me also add this in.

My mom and I do not live together. Baku lives in my house, Coco lives in her house. They only see each other once every week or two for a few hours. And they just go crazy. I know that you guys have a problem with him, but Cesar Millan on Twitter said "In a natural setting, dogs don’t bark, yelp, or jump in a burst of affection when reuniting with their pack mates."

So why is it so damn natural for him to flip out over seeing his sister? And I know that he doesn't view her as a sister, more a potential mate, but still.

[airwalk]

Well I don't know..my group go a bit nutty when I have had one with me all day and we come home to the other two. When we put the play groups together at the shelter they bark and jump around and act like goofballs for a bit as well. I do think it is perfectly natural for a display of goofiness.

Also they are still puppies and are going to act like puppies....6 month olds are puppies, they are learning, challenging, pushing the boundaries and have almost endless supplies of energy. In a few months they will begin the brat phase...they will push every boundary and test, test, test the rules with you and each other.

My Doog is 9 months and is fully in the brat phase. He will steal toys, be pushy, rude and just generally a complete pest with my adult dogs.

They don't become "dogs" until they are about 2 and some dogs even later than that. You may be expecting too much from two puppies. I'm sure the trainers on here can give you lots of ideas for how to move them from goofy puppy to calming and containing...but I'm pretty sure they will tell you that puppies are puppies as well.

[pitsnok]

Also they are still puppies and are going to act like puppies....6 month olds are puppies, they are learning, challenging, pushing the boundaries and have almost endless supplies of energy. In a few months they will begin the brat phase...they will push every boundary and test, test, test the rules with you and each other.

Agreed! Mine are 1 and 1 and a half and they are definitely still puppies!

[TheRedQueen]

Well I don't know..my group go a bit nutty when I have had one with me all day and we come home to the other two. When we put the play groups together at the shelter they bark and jump around and act like goofballs for a bit as well. I do think it is perfectly natural for a display of goofiness.

Also they are still puppies and are going to act like puppies....6 month olds are puppies, they are learning, challenging, pushing the boundaries and have almost endless supplies of energy. In a few months they will begin the brat phase...they will push every boundary and test, test, test the rules with you and each other.

My Doog is 9 months and is fully in the brat phase. He will steal toys, be pushy, rude and just generally a complete pest with my adult dogs.

They don't become "dogs" until they are about 2 and some dogs even later than that. You may be expecting too much from two puppies. I'm sure the trainers on here can give you lots of ideas for how to move them from goofy puppy to calming and containing...but I'm pretty sure they will tell you that puppies are puppies as well.

well said Diana!

Dogs (and puppies especially) don't come pre-programmed to be "calm" in all situations. You may be lucky to have some laid-back puppies, but this won't be the case in every situation. You've already seen one situation that is just too distracting and fun for the pups. Littermates or not, puppies enjoy being around other dogs and puppies...and it's good learning for them. They learn soooo many social behaviors around each other that they can't learn from us as humans. That's what playing and interacting is all about. I'd be happy to have a situation where pups can meet on equal footing and have some good interactions...and a situation where you can work on manners at the same time...fantastic!

A good time for some clicker training, working on calling away for good treats, and letting them go play again. Use the playing as a reward for behavior you do want! Use this excitement instead of trying to squash it!

I might be getting a 5 month old standard poodle puppy in the near future for Service Dog training...and a friend of mine has her litter mate as a pet dog. They haven't seen each other for quite a while...but when I get Shimmy, and she sees Mia for the first time in months, I thoroughly expect the excitement level to hit the roof! Not necessarily because they're littermates...but basically because they're two young pups that have similar play styles and are the same age!

[mnp13]

I know that you guys have a problem with him, but Cesar Millan on Twitter said "In a natural setting, dogs don’t bark, yelp, or jump in a burst of affection when reuniting with their pack mates."

Well, it's not that I have a "problem" with him, I just think for the most part he's generally full of it.

What natural setting is he referring to? There is no "natural setting" for dogs - they are domesticated animals. Ruby and Connor act like idiots every time we let them out of their crates, and they are crated exactly 3 feet away from each other.

They are puppies acting like puppies - Inara and Connor act just like that when they are together, and they are 2 and 6 years old respectively. Some dogs like to play like total wackos.

[airwalk]

I might be getting a 5 month old standard poodle puppy in the near future for Service Dog training...and a friend of mine has her litter mate as a pet dog. They haven't seen each other for quite a while...but when I get Shimmy, and she sees Mia for the first time in months, I thoroughly expect the excitement level to hit the roof! Not necessarily because they're littermates...but basically because they're two young pups that have similar play styles and are the same age

Erin...a Standard...omg! You will have to tell me how training works..if it works really, really well...lie to me make me feel better . That aside, yes I would anticipate they will be fruity, because Standards have a different style of play than many other breeds and their cues are often misread by other breeds.

[BigDogBuford]

Get a couple of Boxers together and THEN tell me about whacko playing.

[airwalk]

Get a couple of Boxers together and THEN tell me about whacko playing.

true dat

[BigDogBuford]

Nothing quite like trying to round them up and taking a straight Boxer punch to the gut.

[TheRedQueen]

I might be getting a 5 month old standard poodle puppy in the near future for Service Dog training...and a friend of mine has her litter mate as a pet dog. They haven't seen each other for quite a while...but when I get Shimmy, and she sees Mia for the first time in months, I thoroughly expect the excitement level to hit the roof! Not necessarily because they're littermates...but basically because they're two young pups that have similar play styles and are the same age

Erin...a Standard...omg! You will have to tell me how training works..if it works really, really well...lie to me make me feel better . That aside, yes I would anticipate they will be fruity, because Standards have a different style of play than many other breeds and their cues are often misread by other breeds.

Yup, if/when I get her, I'll update her progress in the SD training thread. I'm excited...she's related to my old SD in training, Hogan. I tested the litter...and dubbed her "Hoganette" as she was my pick for the SD. She was bred by a friend of mine. I haven't had a poodle around for a while now....

[amazincc]

Mine live together, and are crated - like Michelles dogs - 3 feet away from each other.
When I let them out in the yard together though - you could swear that they haven't seen each other in months. It's total craziness for about 15 minutes... running, jumping, barking, wrestling.
I usually don't even try to interfere until they have worn each other out a little bit.

I think what you're seeing is not bad behavior... it's totally normal puppy interaction.

As for this -

but Cesar Millan on Twitter said "In a natural setting, dogs don’t bark, yelp, or jump in a burst of affection when reuniting with their pack mates.

Have you ever seen wolf cubs play together???

[pitbullmamaliz]

Inara and Connor act just like that when they are together, and they are 2 and 6 years old respectively. Some dogs like to play like total wackos.

Pssst...Inara's 4.

[Xarpolis]

I made another, more recent video of Baku. It was filmed early this evening when I got home from work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVZ3HJnGhEE

I have a question about the bite that he did at the end. Is that a playful bite or was it potentially dangerous? He didn't growl / bark or anything like that, but he went for the other dog's neck. After the video stopped we pulled them apart and he kept trying to jump back on him.

Any ideas what I should do about that behavior, or just let it continue? (supervised, of course)

[amazincc]

Looked like totally appropriate puppy play to me... unless someone else sees something I've missed.

The "bite" at the end was, I think, meant to grab the stick... and missed. Mine do it all the time.

After the video stopped we pulled them apart and he kept trying to jump back on him.

The game wasn't over yet.

I didn't hear any aggressive growling or yelping-in-pain...

[TheRedQueen]

I agree with Christine, I think he missed the stick and figured he'd chew on Skylar's neck for a while...since it was there. Sky didn't seem upset, and that's what to look for. Dogs know when play changes...they're not stupid.

Very compatible playmates, imho...big loose movements, very comfortable playing...easy-going body language.

[RedChrome]

I think their play looks very decent with each other! My dad and little sister have 2 littermate Boxers and they are horrid compared to that video BUT they are fairly good with each other and other dogs. Their play style is just really really rough!

I'd say just keep letting them interact supervised!

[Xarpolis]

The video wasn't him with the sister. That was just one of my neighbors dogs. They've been friends for a while.

[dlynne1123]

Well I don't know..my group go a bit nutty when I have had one with me all day and we come home to the other two. When we put the play groups together at the shelter they bark and jump around and act like goofballs for a bit as well. I do think it is perfectly natural for a display of goofiness.

Also they are still puppies and are going to act like puppies....6 month olds are puppies, they are learning, challenging, pushing the boundaries and have almost endless supplies of energy. In a few months they will begin the brat phase...they will push every boundary and test, test, test the rules with you and each other.

My Doog is 9 months and is fully in the brat phase. He will steal toys, be pushy, rude and just generally a complete pest with my adult dogs.

They don't become "dogs" until they are about 2 and some dogs even later than that. You may be expecting too much from two puppies. I'm sure the trainers on here can give you lots of ideas for how to move them from goofy puppy to calming and containing...but I'm pretty sure they will tell you that puppies are puppies as well.

Haha, Panser just turned two in November is is still a 'tard' of a pup! I think shes lacking the maturity gene. And this is after calming classes and focus classes.