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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:7835
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| 07/15/2011 9:30 PM |
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| So how are you grabbing him? What is he doing when he reacts this way? I would grab him by the scruff and give him a resounding no with a gentle shake. If you grab the scruff he won't be able to bite you. Sounds like he is not convinced you are number 1. So I would also start doing more obedience with this boy, and do not let him get away with anything. You need to be in control at all times. If you give a command and he does not respond, then you need to make him do it and do not give the command a second time. So for example if you say sit and he does not do it immediately pull straight up on his collar until he sits. As soon as he does what you ask though you should also reward the good behavior. I suspect your boy is testing you and if you do not get in control now you are in for a very rocky ride. I do not tolerate biting in any shape of form and I firmly correct it. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna)
Yellow Rose GSPs
   
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato |
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sweetpea
Northwest England UK
JH
Posts:39
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| 11/08/2011 12:21 PM |
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Newbie says Hi from across the big water 
I have visited this forum now since i got our boy pup - Harvey
Here he is at 10 weeks looking as if butter would not melt in his mouth!
He is now 15 weeks and I too have been having a problem with his jumping up and biting, especially when we return home after he has been in his crate, usually for no more than 2-3 hours.
I have tried pretty much all of the suggestions offered on here by other owners, but getting at my wits end at the moment, as they dont seem to be working. It actually feels as though he has gone backwards.
I have taken him to an obedience trainer and attended several classes, but he is so lively and uninterested in training, that i have this week not taken him, because it has become a little embarrassing. On the rare occasions that he is calm at home, i do clicker training with him, and he responds very well, especially when he knows there is a treat on its way. He loves playing hide and seek with treats hidden in a room and he always finds them as well!
We try walking him in the morning, midday, and evening to tire him, but even that has become a real chore, with him refusing to walk now and wrapping his legs/paws around the lead.
He is very mind mannered around other dogs and has never ever shown aggression, he is very submissive, but sadly at home i feel on edge all the time, and i am reluctant to leave him alone for a moment with my wife or kids as he is jumping and nipping, which is getting really annoying.
Any other suggestions would be appreciated, i love reading the articles on here and most have proven invaluable, but struggling with this particular issue.
Regards
Btw... Oden looks lovely!... in fact they all do at this age
SP 
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:7835
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| 11/09/2011 12:08 AM |
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| When you get home your pup is in the crate. How does he behave in the crate? What is his attitude when you let him out? If you aren't making him sit and wait for a command before you let him out you might want to consider doing that. He has to earn his freedom not matter how excited he is to see you. Also, I would ignore him until he settles down and then make him sit before he get attention from you. I think more consistency and a structured routine will help you solve your problem. Also you have to be consistent in what you are asking of your pup. If you let him slide even once you will pay the price, and that means everyone in the family has to be consistent. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna)
Yellow Rose GSPs
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3130
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| 11/09/2011 5:17 AM |
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| I would say the exact same thing Bev says...you need to have commands, be calm don't get the puppy excited, be consistent and everyone has to do this with the puppy you can not be the only one in control... |
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DrWiffel
Prior Lake, MN
MH
Posts:175
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| 11/09/2011 11:54 AM |
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| Sorry, I kind of had a small laugh, my pup is just getting out of a lot of those phases. The biggest thing I can say is be consistent. When your pup bits you, do the “No Bite/Teeth” command every time. My pup Dexter stops now after a “No Bite” command, but sometimes think I’m playing with him when I go to grab his snout and will back away and bark(playful bark). If he does this, I give him an immediate time out in the bathroom (he needs to know you’re not playing). If he doesn’t think you’re playing, try to give him something to chew on after giving the no bite command. This has helped some with me, but we are still working on it. Dexter is 6mo old now, and still sometimes mouths my hand (doesn’t hurt, but could scare a little kid), so you’ll have a lot more training a head of you. |
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sweetpea
Northwest England UK
JH
Posts:39
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| 11/09/2011 12:11 PM |
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Thankyou all for the words of advice.
I have today arranged for Him to go to our local 'doggy day care' centre for the day tomorrow, it is where H has his obedience classes and the owner knows him. He has said she will try and do some work with him during the day, and also, spending time with lots of other much bigger dogs might put him in his place!
Hopefully as well, it will be good company for him, instead of being couped up in his crate.
Will let you know the outcome.
SP 
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rebelyell
Iowa
MH
Posts:176
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| 11/11/2011 9:09 PM |
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Congratulations on your new puppy! He is adorable!
I also had a very strong willed-little snapping alligator when Rebel was a pup. She also would not respond to the traditional methods of holding the muzzle, pressing down on the tounge etc....actually made her mouthing much worse!
I finally just left her mouth alone 100% and started to redirect her mouthing. I had to teach her that it was okay to chew...just not on us! Everytime she started to mouth, I would say loudly " ouch no bite" then put a chew toy next to her mouth. She would start to chew on that and then I would say "good girl". After about one week of being consistent...she realized she could chew..just not on us. Had to do alot of redirecting again when she started to teeth. It did take a lot of patience, positive reinforcement and being consistent with her.
I, like yourself, thought for a while that maybe she was starting to become aggressive because of the mouthing when she got corrected...or made to stop what she was doing at the time. Soon realized it was not aggression at all....just had a very tired puppy on my hands with an attitude. If she started to mouth when I went over and made her stop doing something(ex. chewing on table leg) I just told her no bite and gave her a time out in her crate. 15-20 minutes later and she was allowed back out with a new attitude. Did not take long for her to realize using her mouth got her no where fast. Period!!
Just remember to stay calm and not get mad or excited...even though I know how testing/frustrating it can be. At first, I think my pup thought it was a game or a test of wills, and was testing me to see if I would walk away and leave her alone if she used her mouth. I never, ever walked away from her when she did this, as I did not want her getting her way by using her mouth!!!!!! Sometimes, she would chew on my hand all the way to her crate when I had a hold of her collar leading her to her crate. I just remained calm and put her in her crate for a time out/nap. Amazing what 15 minutes did to change her attitude
Good news is...it does end...and chances are your dog is not being aggressive at all. Just make sure to not respond to it out of frustration or aggression. My previous little alligator is now 14 months old and the most loving dog you could imagine. Not an ounce of aggression in her!!!! Still very strong willed!
Be calm and consistent! |
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Jolene
-- Rebel (GSP 2010)
-- Shila (GSP 1988-2006 17 1/2 wonderful yrs )
"There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face." -Ben Williams
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weerubbertummy
Ayrshire, Scotland
MH
Posts:726
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| 11/12/2011 10:51 AM |
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If it's any help, the approach we took to the mouthing/biting was to do a high-pitched yelp if we felt Kintra was even approaching becoming to excited with the mouthing. We had 2-year-old nieces and nephews when we got Kintra so we knew we had to nip it in the bud early. I must say though, she only became over excited with mouthing when we were playing tug with her, she wasnt really a mouthy dog. the jumping up, we always had a problem with and it was always a worry in case she ran toward a family with young children in case she knocked any over. My parents, brother and his family all blocked her with their knee (not to hit or injure, just raising a knee) and she did actually learn not to jump at them. We were never consistent enough when she jumped at us so we tried just turning away from her and avoiding eye contact and she certainly noticed that jumping up was getting her no attention. |
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Miss you forever Kintra baby xxx |
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sweetpea
Northwest England UK
JH
Posts:39
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| 11/13/2011 6:07 AM |
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Many thanks for all the kind words of advice and support.
Harvey still has his 'nipping' sessions and tends to get a bit carried away whilst playing, so just trying to persevere with the basic commands such as sit and down which appear on the whole to be working.
I have also tried the suggestion of always getting him to sit before coming into the house after play and whilst preparing his food.
His clicker training as well has improved in the past few days, which is encouraging.
Still have a few issues when walking, he insists on wrapping himself around his lead and biting my leg!... i am using a type of control lead now which is similiar to a Halti, and is a lot better than the standard lead, but still has its own issues.
Must keeping telling myself to stick at it, and not let it make me angry.... cos i don't deny... it does. Its quite embarrassing when Harvey is swinging on my lead wrapping his legs over the lead and biting me, whilst making the most horrendous crying noises like i am killing him! all this while motorists or walkers are passing by! 
Will see how it goes again today... fingers crossed
SP
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everbell
Kanata, ON
MH
Posts:3162
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| 11/13/2011 4:40 PM |
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If it's any consolation, we had to drag Bo around the block when he was a puppy, and he was screaming the whole way. They DO grow out of it  |
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Joce and Rich
Bogart and Shiraz (GSPs)
Roxane (RIP: 1995-2009) and Tiger Lily (Cats)
The Everbell Adventures |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3130
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| 11/14/2011 5:20 AM |
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| Think of it this way with all his struggling during walk time he is tiring himself out more than if he was just walking nicely, LOL! Just keep up the work and before long things will be better... |
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