my dog is really hyper, wees in the house and eats things

Hi I have a 6 month old rescue dalmatian called Dotty and she is really hyper all the time and bites us. I know its only because she is really young and doesnt know any better but I tried stopping her from biting and it hasnt worked. Ive looked at the pages on here about training and I tired saying no and then turning away from her but she just bites my feet instead. I tried yelping and it sort of helps but then she keeps doing it a few seconds after I yelp. I cant use older dogs to socialise her because she is very nervous and hides but were working on that and shes getting better. I think she was taken away from her mum early but I dont know for sure because she is a rescue. somebody said I should pin her down on her side when she bites but I dont agree with doing that because I think she is scared enough of people already and I dont want to make it worse. Other people said I should give her back to the rescue centre but there is no way I am going to give up on her when shes been through a lot and shes just being a normal puppy.
she wees in the house too even though we give her lots of praise when she wees in the garden. I think it might be when she gets scared like when people make her jump.
I read that you can get spray to stop puppies chewing things but I dont know where to get it. does it work???
thank you for reading this!!! I really hope somebody can help because I feel like I am letting her down!

Hi Ally, great to hear from you. Maybe you could come and introduce yourself here...

https://allbreedsdogforum.forumotion.co.uk/f31-introductions

ally wrote:Hi I have a 6 month old rescue dalmatian called Dotty and she is really hyper all the time and bites us. I know its only because she is really young and doesnt know any better but I tried stopping her from biting and it hasnt worked. Ive looked at the pages on here about training and I tired saying no and then turning away from her but she just bites my feet instead. I tried yelping and it sort of helps but then she keeps doing it a few seconds after I yelp.

Oh dear, you are having a bad time of it! Does everybody in the house do the same? Coinsistency is they key - and lots of patience! Choose one method, and stick to it. If she won't calm down, just pop her into another room (puppy-proofed of course) for a minute or two just to let her calm down. Don't yell or get impatient, she doesn't mean to hurt but she doesn't understand what you want yet.

How long have you had her? She might need to settle in a little more before she starts to calm down & learn from you.

Re: being hyper, what do you feed her & what exercise does she get at the moment?

ally wrote: I cant use older dogs to socialise her because she is very nervous and hides but were working on that and shes getting better. I think she was taken away from her mum early but I dont know for sure because she is a rescue. somebody said I should pin her down on her side when she bites but I dont agree with doing that because I think she is scared enough of people already and I dont want to make it worse. Other people said I should give her back to the rescue centre but there is no way I am going to give up on her when shes been through a lot and shes just being a normal puppy.

Take the socialising slowly & calmly. If you meet someone at the park, let them sniff each other first & then ask the other owner if you can walk the dogs on lead together (both on the outside of you & the other owner) for a while, until she is a little calmer. Then, when you think she has settled a bit, walk her between you & the other owner, and then, if you & she are happy, let the other dog walk with her in between you & the other owner. Only when you are satisfied that she is comfortable with the other dog should you let them play.

Never pin a puppy down on its side, especially a nervous one. All that'll happen is you will increase her fear & make her even more timid! As for giving her back - how could you? I bet you're already very fond of her.  

ally wrote:she wees in the house too even though we give her lots of praise when she wees in the garden. I think it might be when she gets scared like when people make her jump.

She may never have been fully house trained, so take her back to basics. Take her into the garden every hour & when she pees/poos outside give her praise. Using a trigger word like "toilet" or "weewee" may help. If she toilets in the house, don't make a fuss, just clear it up with a non-amonia cleaner - a good one would be a solution of biological washing powder or liquid. Her nervous peeing should get better the more settled she becomes. She needs to learn to trust people.

ally wrote:
I read that you can get spray to stop puppies chewing things but I dont know where to get it. does it work???
thank you for reading this!!! I really hope somebody can help because I feel like I am letting her down!

Yes, you can get a spray. There's one called Bitter Apple which you can get online, or most of the larger pet stores will sell their own anti-chew spray. They do need to be applied regularly to whatever areas she likes to chew, though. If she's a real chewer then make sure that you remove or hide anything that might harm her - wires, plugs, remote controls etc!

Please don't think you're letting her down! You're doing great!

hi! thank you so much for answering!!!

weve had Dotty for 6 weeks now. my partner does let her bite sometimes lol even though I ask him not to! I showed him what you said and he said he will start helping out with it
she has a crate that she sleeps in. can I put her in there to calm her down? I don't want her to think that her crate is a bad thing so how do I stop that happening?
Dotty has 3 walks every day in the morning, evening and at lunch time. her morning walk is about 50 mins through the fields, her lunch walk is usually taking her to the lake to let her swim for 20 minutes and her evening walk is about 40-50 minutes.
we feed her wainwrights dog food. the rescue centre fed her on pedigree but I switched it over because I didnt like what was in it and it made her even more hyper than she is now!!!
should I let her play with other puppies or just older dogs? I want her to be socialised but a lot of people in the fields let their dogs jump on her and it really scares her
yeah I would rather not use dog whisperer training. I know hes successful and people love him but I dont like him much.
yes I love her to bits she is really sweet I dont know why anybody would want to abandon her!
thanks Ill try what you suggested about the weeing. I dont think she was toilet trained before so that might be why she isnt learning very quickly.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GRANNICKS-BITTER-APPLE-spray-236ml-taste-deterrent-dog-/220985713182?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Kitchen_Steamers_Cookers_PP&hash=item3373c6621e
is this the spray? it wont hurt her at all will it? we spent ages making the house puppy safe so its just the furniture she chews and I think the spray might help!
thank you so much for all your help!

Bless her! Well done for taking her on and don't worry! These things happen very often with young puppies and it can take a little patience and time for them to settle down!

Can I ask if she has any toys? When she's chewing something, distracting her with an interesting toy might help!

We have a little section, which we are still adding to, on puppy training, if you'd like to have a look: https://allbreedsdogforum.forumotion.co.uk/f70-puppy-behaviour-and-basic-training

Dalmatians are known to be quite active dogs, but hyperactivity often settles down as they mature. Does she get a lot of treats? Too many treats may cause an excess of energy which would need to be burned off my exercise.

I'm not a huge fan of the Dog Whisperer either, as I think his methods are far too harsh and dominating. If I were you, I'd choose the method that has worked the best so far for you and Dotty and stick with it. Persistence is key!

Getting your partner involved should also help! It's so tempting sometimes to just be soft with a puppy and let her get away with nipping, but the training should come from both of you in order to achieve proper results.

The bitter apple spray doesn't hurt dogs, no! It leaves a bitter taste in the dog's mouth, which acts as a deterrent. It does need to be combined with training as well, though! It should be used as a supplement, rather than a training method on its own.

Hello Ally and Dotty!

You have been given great information from people who, believe me, really know what they are talking about.

I would only add my tuppence-worth - Dotty is still a puppy and learning her way, plus she is still settling into her forever home with you. She will get better in all respects as she learns to trust you more and matures. Puppies, gorgeous though they always are, are hard work but you are going the right way in bringing her up with your loving care and following advice from knowledgeable people.

Do let us know how you are getting along with Dotty, we are always here!

Sorry, I forgot to answer the part about crates and socialising!

It's absolutely fine to put her in her crate to calm down, as long as she isn't being scolded at the same time! If she's getting very bouncy and unruly, you can put her in her crate until she settles down a bit or goes to sleep. As long as she's used to her crate and sees it as her safe place, she should be fine with it!

With socialising, letting her play with other puppies will be good, as it allows both dogs to exhibit normal puppy behaviour and test their boundaries. With adult dogs, I would socialise her with calmer, older ones so there is less likelihood of her getting nervous. Unfortunately, some other owners can be a bit inconsiderate when it comes to letting their dogs run up to strangers, so it may help if you call across to ask them to take their dog away, and then explain why.

thanks every body!!! I ordered the spray so I hope that will help. my partner tried what you said about walking Dotty next to another dog and she got very nervous at the beginning but then she calmed down a bit and sniffed the other dog.
thank you so much for your help, I was really worried that I was doing something wrong!

That's great news!

Glad things are going better.

Sometimes it isn't that you're doing anything wrong, you just need a different pair of eyes to look at the problem!