What is this?

[VegasMOM]

Vegas is obsessed with two behaviors of late and they are both driving me MAD!

1) She constantly pushes on Camden (almost 3yr old) and he is doing nothing. He will be playing with a car on the ottoman and she starts shoving at him. I might need to film it for you so you can see what I mean, but it is constant and relentless.

2) We are in the process of potty training my almost 3yr old and so we have to "run to the potty." Well the sudden movement seems to stir her up and she goes nutso. She cannot come into the bathroom with us and she nips and screeches at my leg as I try to pass by and close the door. Barking like a doggy on the edge! She also does this at the baby gate. I had to answer the door and sign something. Meanwhile, behind the baby gate she is going ballistic (same manner as before) and nipping and biting my 3 year old ( in front of daddy who was quite pissed about it) who did absolutely nothing to her! She bit at hubby the other night when he jumped up with tummy troubles (cha cha cha) and pulled the ballistic move.

Other than these behaviors, she is calming down nicely and is much better behaved. I was even able to let her out while I had two other kids over the other day-- one close to Alexa's age and her little brother who is close to Camden's age. Other than the initial "HELLO, SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU YES I AM, jump, jump, jump, lick, YES I AM, YES I AM, wiggling the butt" she has really calmed down around company.

She is also an expert snuggler and has lost all food aggression (thank you pugasaurus!) She is potty outside pro (thanks ViralMD Alice) and I even used some of Alice's tips with training my little boy.

[Co-Pilot in Flight]

Val,

I am glad she has made so much progress, I guess you just have more training to do.

As far as her pushing Camden and going ballistic, I'm not sure what that's all about.

I could definitely see how an "off" command would come in handy as well as "wait".

Start working on these slowly, and I hope someone besides me can teach you HOW to train these....then use them in the situations mentioned and when she is being pushy don't make a big deal about it, ignore the bad, I know it's hard to ignore obnoxious pushy behavior, but she's doing it because she is getting something out of it.

There really are times to simply ignore behavior as hard as it is. Example is when Co-Pilot jumps up on our legs while we are at the dinner table, to completely ignore her is MUCH more effective than telling her "off". Telling her "off" gives her attention, she stops for a minute, then starts again. To completely ignore the behavior, she stops and does not start again.

I hope this gives you an idea of where to start but SERIOUSLY hope someone more knowledgeable can help you!

[GingerSnap]

She is potty outside pro (thanks ViralMD Alice) and I even used some of Alice's tips with training my little boy.

So he likes poached chicken too?

[Pug of Perfection]

Well, I'm taking a wild guess - but the pushing behavior? I know Rumy has played with young kids before and does really well. But sometimes - follow me on this - he thinks either he's a kid or they are another dog and he tries to dominate them. He's been known to push or nearly "herd" the little boy a couple of doors down and he's even tried to "hump" them (which I know is dominance). I've caught him "doing the conga" behind him a couple of times (humping while grabbing the boy around the waist with his front paws). Yea - it's a visual!

He also gets excited sometimes with the running. We're always horsing around in my house and he'll run after me and bite the hem of my capri pants, growling and jumping. It's like he's herding me again.

I don't know what the answer is, but maybe this will help. With Rumy, I just have to calm him down. I figure if it gets really bad, I would either put him on his leash (if he's outside) or spray him with a water bottle (inside). I don't put up with him actually biting so I try not to let him get too crazy.

[SmugPugs]

I might be able to shed some light on the whys and the how is simply to use the same method as if she were bolting out the door - obedience. Sit and stay.

The "why" with the pushing is, I'm sure, similar to what my Dazzle does when she thinks I should be paying attention to her, not whatever I'm doing... Does she ever do the pushing behavior when Camden isn't engrossed in toys? Will she stop if he turns to her and plays with her? My guess is she's interacting with him as though he were another Pug and wants to initiate play... Of course, I'm just guessing here as I seem to be totally ignorant of her background (shame on me for not reading PV more)... Most annoying behaviors can be overcome by either obedience training - specifically sit, or down, and stay - or desensitizing...

[armida]

Well, I'm taking a wild guess - but the pushing behavior? I know Rumy has played with young kids before and does really well. But sometimes - follow me on this - he thinks either he's a kid or they are another dog and he tries to dominate them. He's been known to push or nearly "herd" the little boy a couple of doors down and he's even tried to "hump" them (which I know is dominance). I've caught him "doing the conga" behind him a couple of times (humping while grabbing the boy around the waist with his front paws). Yea - it's a visual!

He also gets excited sometimes with the running. We're always horsing around in my house and he'll run after me and bite the hem of my capri pants, growling and jumping. It's like he's herding me again.

I don't know what the answer is, but maybe this will help. With Rumy, I just have to calm him down. I figure if it gets really bad, I would either put him on his leash (if he's outside) or spray him with a water bottle (inside). I don't put up with him actually biting so I try not to let him get too crazy.

My first thought was also that he's being dominant. He's sees the child as part of the pack. Cute, but not so cute, right? :) I'd follow along with the others and use training techniques.