Frustrated

[tess_girl1]

Hi, This is my first posting as I'm new to the site. I've been reading quite a few posts and finding them quite helpful. We have a 4 1/2 month old lab/retriever cross (female) and she's a very active, hyper puppy. She's been doing all the usual puppy 'stuff' and is a very quick learner with the basic commands, but what really upsets me is the jumping and biting me and attacking my feet and pants. We take her to puppy class, but she just won't stop her attacks on me. For next week's class we have to have our puppies do a trick, so today I was working with her and all she kept doing was biting my hands. Naturally, I stopped and ignored her, tried again, but no luck. I look forward to being a part of this website and learning a few things from everyone.
Thanks,
Valerie

 

[homer]

Hi, This is my first posting as I'm new to the site. I've been reading quite a few posts and finding them quite helpful. We have a 4 1/2 month old lab/retriever cross (female) and she's a very active, hyper puppy. She's been doing all the usual puppy 'stuff' and is a very quick learner with the basic commands, but what really upsets me is the jumping and biting me and attacking my feet and pants. We take her to puppy class, but she just won't stop her attacks on me. For next week's class we have to have our puppies do a trick, so today I was working with her and all she kept doing was biting my hands. Naturally, I stopped and ignored her, tried again, but no luck. I look forward to being a part of this website and learning a few things from everyone.
Thanks,
Valerie

Since you already take puppy classes, I would imagine that the trainer would have guided you in the right direction as to what you can do. Most puppies will nip and bite, this is normal behavior for dogs, however you need to teach the pup early on that biting humans is unacceptable. Has your trainer taught you how to discipline your pup? If not, then I suggest you ask at your next class.

Dogs communicate through body language, when they ignore or look away, it usually means they are trying to avoid a confrontation. Sometimes this works with puppies biting, however in most cases a light scruff will send a much clearer message.

 

[lisadelapaz]

Hi, I have a 1 1/2 old pit bull and he is full of energy. The best thing I ever did with him was to teach him to run next to my bike. I tie his leash to the handle and we go for about 45min. a day. After his run he is nice and tired. Then we work on training and commands. He stays calm the whole time. It's great. I hope this helps.


Lisa

 

[tx_cowgirl]

For some dogs, just stopping does nothing at all. It just means, "Awww, my fun's over!" rather than, "Oh, I'm not supposed to do that."
I have always used a firm, "Ah-ah!" to halt an undesired behavior. Most dogs will stop and look at you, and if/when she does, praise her. If she tries again, just repeat. When she bites at your pants legs, give the "Ah-ah!" and stop. If just stopping doesn't help, turn and face the dog. I wouldn't suggest touching the dog in any way while she is jumping, biting, etc. (Or looking at her.) If you are walking through the house and she decides your pants look like fun, give the "Ah-ah!" When she stops, praise her a give her a chew toy instead.
I would also agree that some dogs do best after exercising a bunch before training. Have you asked your trainer about your dog's nipping? He/she should have some good tips for you...

 

[tess_girl1]

Working hard

Many thanks to those who answered my cry for help, I appreciate all your comments and tips. My husband took puppy out bike riding and she didn't mind that at all. We are really exercising her lots more and working with all the commands, which I must say she learns quickly. The biting and jumping mainly happens first thing in the morning...I guess she's so excited to see me. Anyway I'll try anything and hopefully she'll calm down and stop her biting/jumping.
Thanks
Val

 

[gravelhighway]

Many thanks to those who answered my cry for help, I appreciate all your comments and tips. My husband took puppy out bike riding and she didn't mind that at all. We are really exercising her lots more and working with all the commands, which I must say she learns quickly. The biting and jumping mainly happens first thing in the morning...I guess she's so excited to see me. Anyway I'll try anything and hopefully she'll calm down and stop her biting/jumping.
Thanks
Val

Hiya tess_girl, I have the SAME problem! I've received a lot of great help from the folks here. If you look under Puppies, you'll see the "Biting!" post!

 

[heidib860]

Hi Tess Girl1,

With reading your post I could definately identify. In fact yesterday afternoon I was doing a search on the internet (before I found this site today) to find a cure to the bitting problem. Max is a Golden Retriever that is 3 months old. For the last couple of weeks he's been biting, progressivly getting harder and yesterday started breaking the skin.

With my last Dog Blue when he had been a puppy and in the biting stage, when he went to bite, right before he did I would take my thumb and middle finger around his muzzel and keep his mouth closed while saying "NO" and he got the message with that. Max didn't get the hint though just thought it was that much more of a game.

saying oouch was not doing it. Not even in the least. Ignoring him wasn't cutting it either. Playing with him would help get his mind off it but it would start up again. I was very worried that he was percieving the bitting as playing and the way to get attention.

The kids were staying clear of him and I had lost my cuddle buddy, who had been replaced by "JAWS".

What I found that made sense to me was the natural way of training the puppy to stop biting. It seemed to make sense to me to train him to stop this negative behavior how his mother would, something that he had already learned and was natural to him.

I did as was instructed kind of...
They said to pick the puppy up by the scruff of the neck off the floor and make a growl sound. Just like what his mother would do in order to correct him. I didn't pick up Max all the way off the ground because he is 30 pounds and I didn't want to hurt him in any way, I just wantedto get the point through to him that this is unacceptable and I didn't approve of it. I picked him up enough to take just his front paws off the ground. I gave a really mean growl and then let him down. It took three times correcting him and I am happy to say I was able to at last cuddle with him and watch TV last night again which I very much had been missing. With this method right after I corrected Max he started licking me and trying to get on my good side. Seeing that he wasn't using his teeth I started giving him love and pets. If I were his mother she would start licking him and showing him attention when he was doing what he was suspose to reinforceing good behavior. When I woke up this morning he still had the message.

Know with my kids he has tried it with them and I had to correct him again. I guess he thinks that they are on his own level and fair game. Happy to say this afternoon has been scream free from the children and I haven't heard "Mom Max is biting me!!!"

I hope my story helps in some way.

-Heidi and Max.