vocal puppy

[sharkie]

my little 10wk clover has been getting very vocal lately. she tells me everything in doggy whining and on several occasions she would stand up and howl (kinda strange high pitched flutter). I was wondering if talking too much to a puppy could cause this. and oh yea we tend to cuddle and pick her up a lot

[RaisingRiver]

I don't think it's the talking too much to her that makes her want to pipe up. But it is probably what you do when she is whinning. If you're 'rewarding' her in any way (picking her up, petting her, talking to her in a happy voice) then you are encouraging it. What you can do it give it a command. When she offers it, give it a command and treat it, tell her good dog. Eventually you can use the command to both ask her to do it and ask her to stop doing it.

[Coloradogirl]

Cherokee, who is now 6 years old was very vocal as a pup, she would say "wow wow wow" when I would come home from work at lunch to let her out to potty and would come back in the house after she was done to make my lunch and would not pay attention to her.

 

Now when she rides in the truck (front seat passenger side) she will sit there like a human and if I do not talk to her she will "wow wow" and if I continue to ignore her she will actually slam her front paws down on the middle console until I talk to her. It is pretty funny.

 

I do think that the talking is a big trait of the border collie. I know of several other people that have talking border collies. I would not be worried about her talking, it is part of her personality. Have fun with it.

[sharkie]

am certainly enjoying it right now but not sure if that might be annoying when shes older . at this stage its hard to ignore since most of her crying has a legitimate reason...how do i not reward her for it?

[RaisingRiver]

Well, why is she crying? Does she need to go out? Try to wait for that split second when she takes a breath to 'reward' her and let her out. (like whinning in a crate doesn't get rewarded by being let out, only in that moment when the dog is quiet you fling the door open)

 

Is she whinning because she wants to play with you? Play should ALWAYS be on your terms. Tell her to go lay down and point. Ignore her. She won't lay down but eventually she'll learn what that means and will do so. As soon as she stops trying to get your attention 'decide' you want to play with her and do so. Also try to play with her / exercise her before she complains.

 

Set her up for success by not letting her get to the point of whinning. As endearing as it is right now, trust me it will be the most annoying thing EVER if you don't have any control over it.

 

My non-BC whines when excited... it's obnoxious and makes me want to strangle her - and sadly I never taught her quiet. I taught River quiet when she was a pup while crated (those moments of no noise were 'good quiet') and now when she comes to me and whimpers to play, I can tell her both quiet or go lay down which she will do. Because I can't always play when she wants to.

 

I actually talk to my dogs A LOT, esp when I first get them. They have learned so many commands by just me saying them while we do things. Just pick a name for something and say it everytime you do it.

 

Commands learned without specific training:

 

Inside

Outside

With me

This way

Let's go

Get your ball

Go lay down

Up (to get in car)

[sharkie]

thanks for the tips! very true about doing things on my own term...hmm i should just wait to till she setttles down before i acknowledge her