Bitting - How Firm Should I Be?

Gracegeorgina

Gracegeorgina

Experienced Member
My 2 month old puppy Poesie, who we bred ourselves so has been here since day 1, is being a little ruff. She has started going for faces and I have started telling her off but I don't want to be too firm as I want her to want to be with me and be a good lap dog also. I was firm with my other dog but he now hates hugs, and doesn't seem to enjoy spending time with me so I don't want to make any mistakes with Poesie. Any advice?
 
Anneke

Anneke

Honored Member
It's a puppy thing. She is trying out how far she can go.
Don't get angry, ignore her.
Easier said then done, you think:D
Here is how I do it.
Puppy is on my lap. Cuddling, playing. And then she goes for my face. I pick her up and put her on the floor. No attention. If you don't play nice, there won't be any play. Try not to say anything. I know it is easy to shout NO, when she does this, but the best thing you can do, is to be quiet. Just pick her up and put her on the floor.

It is probably over excitement, that causes her to do this. And if you want her to be a lapdog, you need to teach her, to be calm on your lap. So your lap is not a place for play. As soon as she gets too excited, put her on the floor. It is okay to play with her there, just not on your lap.
 
MaryK

MaryK

Honored Member
Great advice Anneke. Puppy's do test you. I did the same thing with my younger dog, too rough and he went down, no words spoken just straight down onto the floor. Now LOL I have a 21.7 kilos lap dog who just adores sitting on my lap and being cuddled.
 
Gracegeorgina

Gracegeorgina

Experienced Member
Well, Poesie's mum is my step father's dog, a VERY soppy, lively, pyrenean shepherd who would lie on you all day if she could.. and his father a cairn terrier (my dog) who is very stubborn and NOT a lap dog. So I don't know if there is a dominant gene or if she will be exactly as I raise her..
 
Dioritt

Dioritt

Well-Known Member
I'd have given the same advice as Anneke. Just ignore her when she nips and she'll soon learn that if she's going to be allowed to sit on your lap, she has to be calm. I also put Alf down whenever he was too boisterous or mouthy whilst on my lap and it didn't take long before he knew that lap = zen dog.

I personally don't think there's such a thing as a dominant gene when it comes to learning to be calm on laps. My opinion is that you get the dog you raise. My daughter's Border Terrier hated being on laps when she first got him and was (and still is) very independent, but by making it interesting to be on her lap (feed him tiny treats, let him chew his favourite toy etc) he soon started loving it. Now he'd happily lay there for hours.
 
mRae

mRae

Well-Known Member
Good tips for me too. Lucca is starting to be more aware and test the waters. Thanks for the good advice!
 
MaryK

MaryK

Honored Member
mRae said:
Good tips for me too. Lucca is starting to be more aware and test the waters. Thanks for the good advice!
Click to expand...
Adolescent time!!!!!!!!!!! Be prepared for lots of testing the waters, remember it's just a phase' they go through and you'll survive!:D

If you need help, just post, we're all ready and willing to help out, as most of us have been through that phase at sometime or another:rolleyes::D
 
mRae

mRae

Well-Known Member
Dlilly said:
Click to expand...
That is a really great video, Thanks for sharing. I am going to watch it several times. Is there one for puppy restraints too? How can I find it? Thanks so much. This is the way I want to work with Lucca. I love being able to reinforce behavior that already exists and strengthen the good while ignoring or making the undesirable behavior no fun for puppy. This entire approach that I see members having great success with is so exciting to me. Thanks for the generous sharing!
 
Dlilly

Dlilly

Honored Member
mRae said:
That is a really great video, Thanks for sharing. I am going to watch it several times. Is there one for puppy restraints too? How can I find it? Thanks so much. This is the way I want to work with Lucca. I love being able to reinforce behavior that already exists and strengthen the good while ignoring or making the undesirable behavior no fun for puppy. This entire approach that I see members having great success with is so exciting to me. Thanks for the generous sharing!
Click to expand...
I think I have a few other videos/articles bookmarked if you need another reference. My puppy, well, he's 11 months old, also has a mouthing problem, but it's not a puppy phase, it's a crazy dog issue... So I know quite a lot about this subject. :)
 
jackienmutts

jackienmutts

Honored Member
I love being able to reinforce behavior that already exists and strengthen the good while ignoring or making the undesirable behavior no fun for puppy
Click to expand...
Keep in mind that dogs (puppies) do what works for them - if they're getting attention for something - ANY attention, including you pushing them away, or laughing, or making a noise, or reacting in any kind of way - they're going to keep doing it. Making the behavior no fun would be the withdrawal of your attention, removing of puppy from you, making that behavior impossible (redirecting - taking your hand out of his mouth and replacing with a toy, etc). Granted, it IS hard not to laugh or make noise sometimes (cuz they are funny), and it's also hard not to push them away if they're lunging for your face (if they're big puppies or you're on the floor), etc, but do be mindful, because they catalog everything we do. And if what they do works, they're gonna repeat it. :confused::LOL:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top