Training my italian greyhound puppy ?

Question

she is about 4 months old and she will not listen to me at all. if i tell her to stop eating scraps, she just looks at me and keeps eating. the only way i can stop her is to physically walk over to her and pick her up so she will stop. even then she sometimes wont drop it, she might just swallow it down quickly. so i was wondering how i could get her to listen to me before its too late. thanks!

Answer 1

Megan, I like the personality of a greyhound. They are so sweet.

Answer 2

Megan,

by "scraps", can I assume you mean doggie waste?  If not, stop reading because I'm headed down the wrong road.  :)

If so, the common thought is dogs do this because of a vitamin or mineral deficiency in the diet.  You may need to investigate a different feeding program.

There are several commercial products that you can add to the food to help curb this habit too, one of them is known as SEP (stop eating p**p).  You just sprinkle some of the powder into the food and it changes the taste of the 'product' coming out.  ;)  We currently use this for 1 of our puppies.

If you don't like the idea of adding a manufactured product, we've had good success adding anise seeds to their food... you can pick them up at the grocery store in the spices aisle.

If you need further assistance, check out http://www.iggyplanet.com - it's a forum dedicated to all things Italian Greyhound.  There are many long-time owners & breeders out there that may have more advice for you.

Answer 3

See a trainer. Sight hounds are notoriously difficult to train. In the meantime you could read up on the subject and about the breed.

Answer 4

They have buzzers they sell at the store (not shock collars) that emit a high pitched noise when you push a button.  The noise distracts the dog from doing unwanted behaviors.   They are usually only $10-$20.  When the dog starts to do something you don't want it to do, you give it a firm no and push the button.   Hold the button down until the dog stops.  

Or you could use a squirt bottle with water.  Dog does unwanted behavior, you give it a firm no and squirt it with water.  Either one works but the first option isn't as wet.

Answer 5

You should watch the show "The Dog Whisperer" Cesar Millan is a miracle worker. If you can't find it on tv, you can buy the seasons on dvds, usually at Costco or Fred Meyers. What I mainly know from watching his shows is...

-You have to be the "alpha dog" aka, show them who's boss.

-How to be the alpha dog all depends on how you walk, how you speak to the dog, etc. Never let your dog walk over you! That's a sign of power.

Sorry if this is brief, but Cesar Millan is great with dogs. You should try some of his tips. Hope this helps! Good luck!