Puppy Biting/growling --the truth

Dekka

Just try me..
Joined
May 14, 2007
Messages
19,779
Likes
3
Points
38
Age
48
Location
Ontario
#61
Think of it like a baby. If you don't want your toddler teething on your shoes what would you do? Do you yell no and spank? Or do you move the shoes out of reach and make sure that the child has lots of teething toys?

If the pup gets shoes and stuff.. its your families fault. She NEEDS to chew. Its hard wired into pups.. some more than others. So until she is a at least a few months old its you and your families responsibility to make sure the non acceptable things are out of reach. And that there are lots of acceptable things are at hand.

Yes chase toys are great fun.
 

Maxy24

Active Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Messages
8,070
Likes
2
Points
38
Age
32
Location
Massachusetts
#62
I've been VERY curious about this point and I think its a good time to bring it up. If the puppy doesn't understand "no" or all my negative-commands, then what should we do when she does something wrong? Like bite a shoe? Or act aggressively outside of biting. The 'getting out of reach' for biting seems easy enough, but what about the other bad-behaviors. I'm guessing we just change our tone to strict or something?
I think how you react depends a lot on the specific behavior and they "why?" behind it. yes, she does not know the word, saying it in a booming and Sharp voice may startle the dog for a moment but again this depends on the dog, it might stop one dog and another will ignore it.

I also have not had the impression that she is aggressive, she is playing. if you have instances where she seems actually aggressive (she growls when you are near her food or she freezes and tenses up before biting and stares at you from the corner of her eyes, not straight on) then it's something different, but chances are at this age it's all play.

A lot of your reaction should be void of vocal communication, dogs don't use much of that and understand body language and actual action much more. try and concentrate on getting her to do something INSTEAD of the bad behavior. She wants to chew a shoe? make chewing a toy more fun and put up all the shoes when you can't supervise so she never gets to practice on them. Learn to tell when the dog is ABOUT to perform a bad behavior so you can interrupt and redirect. because my suggestions for stopping behaviors relies a lot on exactly what and why the dog is doing what she is doing it, I can't really list off what you should do. If there are certain behaviors (not talked about in this thread) that you want some help with either start another thread about it or PM me about it being as specific as possible and I'll say what I'd do.

ETA: Again I posted at the same time as Dekka lol
 

Maxy24

Active Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Messages
8,070
Likes
2
Points
38
Age
32
Location
Massachusetts
#63
I'm assuming I'm gonna hafta teach her drop it =P
Meh, not for this game IMO. This game is all for her, she gets to pretend she's killing something and you can let her prance around after she kills it all she wants, you don't need to get it from her, pretend it's alive so as soon as she lets go make it start running again. when you are all done playing for the time just stop making it move eventually she'll either loose interest or stop holding on so hard and you can (if she looses interest) just pick it up or use the string (don't grab the toy from her, use the string, we don't need her guarding from you) and yank it away when she's not holding on. Then wrap it up and put it away, be happy about it though. loosing the toy should be okay lots of "yay, great game, good pup!, let's go inside!" and then run with her to the door ('cause running is fun).

This is more like playing with a cat, it's a hunting game pretty independent from you. Later once she learns some commands you can have her sit or do another command before dropping the toy and starting to run. Every once in a while when she looses grip you can pop it up and catch it and ask again for a sit or something and start the game back up. Of course not until she knows these commands well.

I write way to much to just explain a game :p
 
Joined
Sep 3, 2008
Messages
1,299
Likes
0
Points
0
#64
It's gotten so bad recently that she rushes past toys..its like she doesn't even see them
You have gotten excellent advice so far. Your statement up there ^^^ caught my eye though.

Have you been rotating her toys? Puppies tend to get bored very quickly if the same toys are available to them all the time. We were luckier in that while we were training bite-inhibition with our Westie puppy, he responded very well to high-pitched "yips"! It would stop him in his tracks and he would then mouth gently instead of biting.

However, while he was still learning he did bite more often whenever he got bored with the toys available to him. The sign that he was getting bored with them was the same as you're describing ... he would rush past, seemingly not even seeing the toys. Taking those toys up and rotating to a different set of toys helped tremendously!!
 

antipunt1

New Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
131
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
ca
#65
lots of good help here, thank you; I'm starting to understand that I DONT UNDERSTAND a lot. like...a..lot. looks like its a growing period for not only the puppy, but me as well. I got lots to learn, but thanks to the forum once again helping me get there.

and btw @Maxy, I'm ordering those two books you mentioned, hopefully I'll connect :p

-later gator
 
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
280
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Canada
#66
With some dogs it works wonderfully. I have not found it works for JRT pups who don't really care to much if they hurt one another.
The first time I tried the yelping thing he stopped and looked. I could see his little brain working. THis actually did discourage him but it was not the only thing that helped. Consistently saying ouch and stopping play and yes occassionally saying NO! firmly all contibuted. Jake is almost 5 months now and he is much better. He only occassionally contacts with teeth and that is if he is excited during play, I have a couple of Joly balls one on a rope that is easy to grab without having to contact his face area. We did go through a bad couple of weeks when he was in his 3rd month but he is much better. Just keep at it.
 
Last edited:

Dekka

Just try me..
Joined
May 14, 2007
Messages
19,779
Likes
3
Points
38
Age
48
Location
Ontario
#67
it can work with many dogs. Just with hunting bred JRTs a squeal of pain often excites. Even when they are playing with each other. I have heard it tends to work with more the BYB or strictly show bred dogs as they have much less prey drive.
 

Members online

Top