Need Help Stacking Puppy - Page 1

OK you guys I am not the best but I can stack dogs ok. This puppy is a demon. She ia 10 weeks old today. I pretty much have her housebroken--she makes a piddle now and again--she knows sit and come and to leave my computer wires alone. I started her on leashbreaking and tho it is going slow it is going. But stacking is a whole nother thing. She refuses to let me get her in any kind of position and because she is so mouthy, she will turn around and clamp your arm if she gets enough. Anyone have any advice you can help me with? I tried working her on a table and first chance she got she bailed off the table so I don't want to take that chance again. Thanks in advance..............

I feel your pain!  PATIENCE PATIECE and more PATIENCE my dear.      
Seriously one step at time. Don't try to treach her to, not nip, stand still, and stack properly all at the same time.  Do each one individually. Once they have all been accomplished, you can put them all together.  Thats seems to work for us.  But like I said,
PATIENCE is a MUST!!  Good Luck!

Thanks. well this is what I have decided and it goes with what you have said. I have decided to just teach her to stand, regardless of how long it takes--PATIANCE--isn't that the key? LOL  And then just work from there. I found when I was almost fussing with her, that she kept sitting every time I'd start trying to move her legs. So I'd make her stand and here we went again.

Anyway thanks for the advice......hopefully I will have little triumphs to report as I go along!!!!!

lots of luck....BWAHAHA

lol, no really...besides 10 semi trucks worth of patience you can also try these things.
1. exercize the pup til it gets past the bonkers stage and has taken the edge off, that might take awhile with your pup.
2.  I don't know if you're using a collar/lead, but at this stage you may be best working without it, I just use one hand on the underside of it's neck/jaw or on it's chest or under it's chest/elbow to hold the front end (you'll probably change position of this hand often)
...if she's so mouthy, you may be able to get her to hold onto a toy while stacking, try to distract her with the toy right in front of her nose with one hand while your other hand is busy with her legs.  (I don't use treats unless the puppy is being calm and easy to work with...otherwise it gets far too messy to quickly!)
3.  Use blocks to put her feet on, she'll be less likely to move her feet after they've
"fallen" off a block a few times.  The surface area of the blocks should not be more than 2 inches bigger than the paw, 1 per paw.  The blocks should be heavy enough that she cannot move them if she bumps her paw against one.  The professionals use these magnetized boards and blocks with magnet on the bottom, if you can make one of these then that would be great.  They are kind of pricey to buy.
4.  When she tries to sit down, tap the underside of her belly/flank area or the area just behind her belly and inbetween her rear legs.  Sometimes a light pinch on the flank works too.  (enough pressure to be annoying, but never enough pressure to hurt, don't want pain associated with stacking.)
5.  Always end on a good note!  In this case, that should be when she takes a moment to be calm, not fighting you.  When she stands there, on her own, for a second...then praise her and end the session.  As she starts to learn that these sessions end when she's being calm, then she should reach her calm level more quickly.  When she's being reliably calm and staying in position then you can gradually extend the sessions and make them pleasant by adding treats and brushing her (grooming/brushing can be great bonding sessions...but don't do nail clipping until she's got this down pat!)

When stacking, ALWAYS place the front legs in place first.  I always place them alittle too far under the pup. When the back legs are pulled back, the pups body will move back and the front legs will then be in the proper position.  When placing the back legs, ALWAYS place the hind leg closest to you first, than stretch the outer leg back. If the outer leg is stretched back first, it has a tendency to make the puppy feel as though he has nothing under him to hold his body up, and therefore will move thinking he needs to gain his balance again.   Hope this helps.  

Thanks Euro ALL great advice. Anything I do I always end on a good note even if I am ready to murder any of my crew. The last time I did try to stack her I did finally put her in a sit, praised her and threw her as far as I could. LOL No but I did tell her to be on her merry way but in a happy voice. Twice today I have just made her stand by holding her collar under her neck and just taking my fingers and applying a little pressure on her stomach and as soon as she started standing, I removed my fingers and gave her a lot of praise. I don't do food with any of my dogs because it puts them over the top--they get so interested in the food they go wild and can't focus. Brushing is a fun thing too--all she is interested in is biting the brush. Nail clipping is another fun thing--I have done it 3 times, starting at 3 weeks old. well now since she knows everything she mouths me for touching her feet. But that is not something I will give up on. Her mom was like that from puppyhood and close to 2, I have to straddle her and hang on for the ride. I never get her nails just like I want them cause I have to go quick and clamp tighter with my legs. I have 2 grown dogs that could really care less about getting their nails done and 2 that fight and a demon puppy..........what was I thinking? LOL...........Thanks for the toy tip. I think when I can get her standing and I start fooling with her feet and legs, I will get her fave hamburger toy--she has deep grips and hangs on forever--maybe it will distract her enough to at least get one set of legs. Yep I have thought about those Happy Legs as they call them. Also I've seen people stacking with cans of veggies. I do have some cans of stew that are bigger cans and that might work. Definately worth a try. I didn't know those blocks were kept in place with magnets. Hmmm I bet I could do that and incorporate a metal top on a garage sale table. Great idea. Thanks ever so much.........as I said as we get going more hopefully I will be able to share some positive stuff. I hope I can get her in pretty good shape for when we go to the Nationals, just in case any of my once a year friends want to see her stacked. we are not taking her to show--just because she can't be left at home loose while I am gone for a few days and for socialization purposes. Wellllll and maybe to show her off a little................

Thanks Hutchins--never thought about that stretched back leg making them feel unbalanced. Too where I have messed up before on puppies was trying to put the front legs exactly where they should be and it always made them look bridged and I never could figure that out. Wonderful to know what I was doing wrong. I am so glad I asked this because you guys have sure given me things to work on. Thank you so much...............

Also, when moving that back leg backwards, try not to lift it off the ground.  I the higher you lift it, the more attention is drawn to the movement. I like to carefully and gentley drag it backwards.  Most of the time as long as the puppy can feel the grass on his paws, he is ok.  But when you lift it, his brain kicks in and tells him he needs to put it back on the ground because he is off balance and will fall. Thus the battle begins between you trying to stack him and him trying to touch the ground again.   

Good Morning all, just wanted to update everyone and again thank you guys. First brag, she will be 11 weeks old Friday and is totally housebroken. Thank goodness for doggy doors. 2nd brag she is now leash broke. But the main thing I came here to ask about stacking--it's working. As I said before I was going to just start teaching her to stand. Well Hutchins, that sliding the foot as opposed to picking them up was the perfect thing. I have not worked on her front feet yet but I am working on the back ones and the sliding must have been the trick because she is allowing me to slide them into position!!!!!!!!  WooHoo...........what I have decided to do is not push it, just work on the back feet a few more days and then we will start working on the front. Not sure if I should be doing the front first but I decided to try on the back and since that is going so well, I'll just stick with it............Now that you guys have helped me with her, the great thing is I have learned something to work with all future puppies..........