New puppy and some questions

[C.Major]

I have a new male RR puppy, 10 weeks.    He is beautiful perfect pup.  

He is my first RR.  And though I thought I was ready, I still find myself flat footed.  
If I could get your thoughts on a few items.

1.  Tends to hang back on walks, unless my younger boys are along and run ahead.  Then he is quite willing to pull me the whole way, about 1/4 mile round trip.  I am much more comfortable being pulled than pulling.  I certainly don't want Youtube video of "Mean Fat Man Drags Puppy"  Any suggestions for when the kids aren't around?

2.  Pulls up tufts of grass, then licks/chews the dirt?

3.  He is crated at night and howls to be let out when he need to go out.  When can I expect to get to sleep through the night again?

4.  Occasionally, he let's out a quick yelp during handling when I'm pretty sure nothing has happened.  When I then check feet, legs, etc I can't find any tender spots.  Ideas?

5.  I have a friend who keeps advising me that RR are a very dominant breed.  And I need to assert lots of dominance.  I have read often about stubbornness, but is dominance a problem?  This friend is a big fan of the Dog Whisperer.  I've watched him a few times but it seems his whole shtick is about establishing alpha dog dominance.

6.  Took him to a fenced park today.  He and the boys played chase.  He was not interested in running away, but did like to pursue.  Strong prey drive perhaps.  But I was a little surprised that my 7 year old boy could generally out pace him.  Sometimes when he started to get close he would open his mouth as if to bite the back of a calf.  I'd call him and he'd back off.  No one was bitten or anything, but am I teaching him that children are prey?  They had such a good time, and he's sleeping so soundly now that I'd hate to give it up.  Also how much is too much running at this age?

7.  Any good books to suggest?

[melissap]

Tony,
Congrats on the new puppy!
Please remember to sign your posts so we can address you by name. With 900 and some members, that is quite a daunting task to remember everone by their 1st name until you have posted more frequently.

Sleeping through the night: that may take some time. When he gets up let him out to go potty and put him right back to sleep. Be sure to take him out a few times before bed as well - just to be sure he has gone completely.

I 'd say 14 weeks and he should have it down.
That may vary of course.

Do not have your kids run in front of the dogs on a walk. That is likely why he things chasing them off lead is also okay. He likely has good intentions, but it is not a good habbit to create as the norm.

Never encourage your pup to do what you would not want a 90 lb dog to do. Chasing kids is one of those things. Do not have them play wrestle or tug of war either.

Can they hide behind a tree and call the pup to enforce recall and make a fun game out of hide and seek at the park?

Puppies often lag behind. just talk sweet and encourage him along Maybe even bring some treats with you to provide extra encouragement to walk nice.....and do not encourage pulling you. That will back fire when he gets bigger 

They are not all dominant dogs, but they do need a firm hand and positive reinforcement.

Cesar Milan's is not a bad book to read. If you look in the library thread, you may find some other suggestions.

At 4 months (once vaccines are complete)  you can take him to a beginner training class & I would follow up with a 2nd session too 
Work on basic comands with treats for 5 minute increments every day 2 times a day and have the kids treat him for sitting or coming when called too! He will begin to respect them as minature leaders as well.

If he is mouthy (normal for a pup) have the kids remove their hands from him when he mouths. "Gently" hold his muzzle and tell him no mouth or no bite. You can get a spray like bitter apple to put on the kids hands as well that will cause him to associate the kids hands with a yucky taste that will discourage him putting his mouth on their or your skin.

Grass, well - better than the flowers! He is exploring his environment with the best tool he has, his mouth. too much grass can cause a bit of an upset tummy - but nothing fatal. 
Bring other toys in the yard to give him to chew on out side and distract him with those when he goes for the grass.

Hope this helps and others also give some input on what has worked for them too!

Melissa

[caro]

Melissa has given you some excellent advice

I just got a puppy too.  He's now 18 weeks, but I picked him up when he was 10 weeks.  He was pretty much housebroken within a week.  We got him on a schedule and he had us trained in no time.  He eats, pees immediately and about a half hour later he has to poop.  At night, he gets his supper around 8.  He has to go out to pee immediately after he has eaten, then around 8.30 I take him for a short walk up the driveway and he poops and probably pees again.  His supper consists of a cup of kibble and a spoonful of cottage cheese or yogurt.  I put about a cup of water on his kibble because as hot as it is, I am never sure he drinks enough and his urine did smell pretty strong when he first arrived so the vet suggested to use water on his kibble always.  Around 10 he goes out again with the big dogs and they all get a small biscuit and then bed.  He is then good to go until 7 a.m.  I fear I do not crate him at night.  He sleeps on my bed with the other dogs though they usually get off before too long because he is very restless and they don't like being kicked so retire to a chair or the dog bed!  We've had no accidents so far.  If you get the routine established fast, you should have him housebroken in no time.

Do not allow him to pull you under any circumstances.  It is very difficult to stop and when they get older and stronger it is not pleasant, so start as you mean to continue.  If he is reluctant tempt him along with either a toy or a treat until he gets the message.

Do not allow him to chase humans.  It may be fun when they are small, but being knocked over by a 50 lb projectile is not funny and when he gets to 90 plus lbs it is downright dangerous.  So instead, play the game Melissa suggested, or tie a plastic bag on the end of a lunge whip and tempt him to chase that.  It's good training for lure coursing later on and it is far enough away from you that he won't think he is chasing you.  Besides, with a lunge whip you can stand still and have him run around you!

Rather than being dominant, I think Ridgebacks tend to be highly intelligent and are often one step ahead of you.  The problem with training is that you have to persuade them that what you want them to do is in fact something they actually want to do.  So lots of encouragement and lots of treats for something well done and when they misbehave, either ignore them completely or correct them and then ignore them.  Ridgebacks hate to be ignored!  Don't try to dominate because you won't win!

Caroline

[C.Major]

Well it was fun watching him chase the boys, but probably a one time pleasure best forgotten by everyone, especially the dog. 

I've ordered a 6' lunge whip.  I'll try it out.

I took a bag of kibble on tonights walk and let him have a treat every 20 paces or so.  Treats seemed to improve his attitude.  I also found that breaking into a jog helped considerably, though somehow I doubt he has Lassie's ability to summon help if the ticker goes, so that will have to be left for others to do.

Pulling during walks is rare.  It's difficult enough to get him to keep up.

Although the full course of vaccines are not finished I am taking him to a puppy class.  More to get him socialized with other dogs than anything else.

He's not really eating the grass.  He pulls it out to get it out of the way.  I think it's the dirt he wants, or something under the dirt.  A bug?  A quick mineral supplement?  I don't know.

[caro]

Mine tend to eat the dirt sometimes.  I asked the vet about it once and he said it was something in the earth that they wanted or needed.  But I suspect after the need was satisfied it might just become a habit.  I think it probably should be discouraged because if they eat enough it could form small solid balls in the stomach and that might cause trouble--like eating stones.

Caroline

[caro]

Don't know if you saw GMA this morning, but there was a Goldendoodle service dog on the show and the trainer was showing how she trained the dogs to be service animals.  She had a great tip for those with problems teaching your puppy to walk beside you.  Take a wooden spoon or a stick and smear the end with peanut butter or some sort of spread your puppy just adores, then set out for your walk holding the spoon in your hand just in front of your puppy's nose and the puppy will follow you everywhere in just the correct position.  You can start in an enclosed area without a leash, but it doesn't matter.  The wooden spoon seems much easier than holding a small treat and bending over to get it in the right position!  She also had trained the dog to sit and down with just eye signals.  I think that's going to take a lot of practice and a puppy that is really tuned into watching the face.

Caroline

[Keeper]

4.  Occasionally, he let's out a quick yelp during handling when I'm pretty sure nothing has happened. When I then check feet, legs, etc I can't find any tender spots.  Ideas?

what sort of collar are you using? perhaps the collar is catching his ear - For a young puppy I recommend a soft snap connection collar that is firmly (but not choking) around his neck.  A choke of either chain or nylon - used incorrectly - can crush the trachea.   As the puppy grows - perhaps 4 to 5 months you can introduce the lite 2 or 3 mm chain.  

Mine tend to eat the dirt sometimes.  I asked the vet about it once and he said it was something in the earth that they wanted or needed.  But I suspect after the need was satisfied it might just become a habit.  I think it probably should be discouraged because if they eat enough it could form small solid balls in the stomach and that might cause trouble--like eating stones.
Caroline

I believe the minerals are Pica and Selenium.
Mineral Deficiency:
Eating dirt is often associated with anemia. Low quality dog foods are most often deficient in nutrients.

Health Concerns: However, you may be feeding high quality nutrient rich food but the dog would still eat dirt. The dog may have a digestive system disorder. Gastrointestinal maldigestive as well as malabsorptive disorders hinders the nutrients of the ingested food from being absorbed by the body thus resulting to nutrient deficiency. Again, the dog will eat dirt to supplement the nutrient insufficiency.

OR: A dog eating dirt may be coping with the increased appetite borne out of having an endocrine disorder. These dogs would crave for food and when none is available would resort to eating dirt.

Abnormal Behavior
Dogs have excellent olfactory capacity that is 40,000 times better than humans. If they like what they smell they would therefore eat anything that is in the dirt.

Eating dirt is also a way by which the dog can gain the owner's attention. These are sensitive creatures that would crave human companionship especially when there are no other pets in the home. Eating dirt is also a way of manifesting boredom. Some dogs would be destructive when bored. Chewing furniture and carpets, digging and incessant barking are signs that the dog is bored. Some dogs however would eat dirt.
 
In closing:  
If your dog is eating dirt it may be an indication that you need to get a higher quality dog food, you need to feed the dog more frequently and also to give more attention to your pet. Since dirt eating may also be a sign of an illness, visiting a vet may not come amiss.

BTW, worm eggs can live in soil for years, yes, years....if your dog is eating dirt, it might be a good idea to do a stool check periodically. As Caro said, I would also be concerned that he was eating stones along with his dirt.