[chriserb]

This is a peculiar situation. I recently sold one of my puppies to a very nice young family. I produced many articles and information for them from many of the dog training sites that I found most helpful. I advised them to take the puppy to a local Puppy kindergarten, where they will teach her how to handle and teach the puppy and the puppy will learn how to interact with other dogs properly.

Well, she calls me on the phone and tells me that she took the dog to a "trainer", where the puppy nipped the trainer. Upon being nipped the trainer said that the puppy (who is ten weeks old today) was unruly and dangerous and she refused to train it.

The entire thing strikes me as a little strange for a couple of reasons. One, I have never heard of a personal trainer for a 10 week old dog. Two, a little nipping, while not desireable, is not suprising to me. It is a habit that many young puppies exhibit, and one that I presume a professional trainer would be familiar with, and would help to correct. Three, the circumstances of the nip were fishey to me. The trainer took the puppy and flipped it over on its back within the first couple minutes of meeting it. I know this is a reasonable test for a puppy, but after a car ride a stranger flipping a puppy over could be quite distressing.

This young lady tells me that other than this incident, the puppy has been excellent with her and her son. But now she is very concerned.

Is the trainer's behavior as questionable as I think it is?

and

What can I say to this girl to assuage her fears?

best,
chris