I grew up handling and training GSDs with my mother for the Orlando PD and branched off to Collies when I got older. I've owned many many herding dogs and never had to train another type of dog until I got a Malamute puppy a couple of months ago. She is 5 months old and an amazingly intelligent dog with outstanding potential except for two things; she randomly absolutely refuses to obey and has constant house pooping/peeing issues. She will sometimes get into something and upon being told "no" she will drop it. But the rest of the time, upon being told "no", she will look at you and scarf down whatever it is faster or shake whatever it is more violently until you have to physically wrestle her for it. Once the object is retrieved, she will look away in shame which leads me to think she knows what she does is wrong, but yet she just does it anyway... The other issue is her potty training. I'm assuming this is because her breed is more difficult to housebreak than the others I've owned, but I'm open to opinions. She lives indoors but is let outside periodically all day on top of two daily walks. She can be outside for two solid hours, but most of the time as soon as she comes inside, she immediately goes to the bathroom. I'm not sure what else to do about this...
Hi & Welcome. When you let her out give a toilet command, then when she goes go OTT with praise she soon learn to go when outside, just ignore her everytime she goes inside, just clean mess up without speaking or making eye contact with her.
I would try not to wrestle things away from her. Far better to do a swap for either a special high value toy, or a really tasty treat. Keep some handy - either in your pocket, or in a pot out of her reach. As Tina says, I would try to ignore her mistakes. Just pop her outside while you clean up using a bio spray or a solution of bio washing liquid. Scolding only makes them anxious, and that leads to even more mistakes. Try and pick the times when you know she is most likely to want to go, and be prepared to stand outside with her until she obliges. It is a fag, especially in the rain, but it will pay off. Give her a reward her for her 'Quicky', (or whatever your word is), and really show her how pleased you are. You can always phase out the reward later, when she becomes reliable.
I do not have anything to add to the training but I have read Malamutes tend to "wolf" down their food and some have a hard time house training. This is the website... http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/alaskanmalamute.htm Though I am thinking the height and weight may be a bit off...
Hello Shannon, Our female malamute use to wee around the house when she was young, she has stopped now, never does it. I'm not sure if its just a growing up thing with dogs!. I think when they hold there toys and wont let go they want to play, ours still does that now a 2.5 years and she has a good grip .
