There seems to be a whole lotta threads again about "aggressive puppies", so I thought I'd clear up a few things for some of the newbies on the board.
First, let's deal with a couple of misconceptions;
1. A puppy who reacts with a growl and a bite for being picked up, is not an aggressive puppy. It's a puppy who has 4 feet and is quite capable of using them.
2. A puppy who is zooming through the house and grabbing at ankles, pants legs, hands and fannies is not an aggressive puppy. It's a puppy who is blowing off steam and is in need of proper direction from it's master.
Very few pups are TRULY aggressive in nature. Most are simply misunderstood.
As has been stated before, a puppy does not come with an instruction manual that teaches it how to properly live according to our human rules. What is perfectly normal puppy behavior, is many times not what we humans consider 'acceptable' behavior in terms of coexisting happily in our human world. We, as the humans who have
chosen to bring this bundle of fur into our lives, also accept the responsibility that comes with rearing a puppy properly, whether we're ready for it or not - it's the least we can do, since the pup has no choice in the matter.
Rearing a pup in a positive manner, building confidence, building trust, and teaching a puppy boundaries in a fair and consistant manner are of utmost importance - as is treating a puppy like a dog, rather than a fur covered baby.
When we anthromorphosize dogs, we are not being honest with ourselves, or our beloved pets. It set our expectations too high when we afford them human 'emotions', such as vengeance, guilt and so on. I can assure you that when that puppy pisses on the floor, it's not thinking "I'll show him!", it's thinking "Whew! What a relief!!"
Emotions: Are highly overrated when dealing with a puppy. In other words, do not yell, scare, scream, stomp, or hit your pup. This accomplishes absolutely nothing positive, and in fact, teaches your pup to distrust you, as you are viewed as unpredictable.
Proper Correction: When correcting a pup,
always be matter of fact about it. A simple "no", or "leave it" will suffice, along with a proper correction. Corrections should be short and sweet, and then life goes on to other happier things. Dogs don't hold grudges, and don't understand them.
For correcting 'biting' on human skin, clothing, or inappropriate objects (the living room table, the reclining chair, the cat...). Take the pup by the collar with one hand, and cup your other hand over the pup's muzzle. Squeeze firmly and quickly. When the pup illicits a yelp, LET GO. Promptly redirect the pup with a toy or treat... perhaps ask for a nice 'sit'.... get on with life. This shows the pup that biting you (or whatever is taboo) is a no no, and it shows the pup WHAT behaviors are acceptable.
A correction is an action that
extinguishes an undesirable behavior. Nagging is an ineffective correction that means nothing to a pup, and is likely to up the ante in the pup's mind.
Redirection: This is a fabulous little trick that will teach a young pup what is appropriate to plant those sharp little teeth on, and what is not.
By performing a simple search on 'redirection', one will come up with hundreds of threads full of solid advice on this topic, right here on the forums.
"Zoomies" : This is a way for a pup to blow off steam. Personally, there's nothing more fun in the world to watch than a pup tearing around having the time of it's life... afterall, a puppy needs to be permitted to be a puppy. Once the pup has blown off a little steam, I like to get on the floor, and spend time with a pup teaching the pup to accept handling all over.
Floor Play to help Calm a pup: This is a technique I've used on all my pups, and it really seems to make a difference with dominant pups who like to keep their bodies for themselves. (The pup who growls/snarls when picked up, etc..)
Get on the floor with your puppy. Gently stroke the pup from the neck to the rump (this action in itself will calm a dog down) - If you need to occupy the pup with a small toy in it's mouth to keep pup from nibbling on you, this is fine also - Continue to stroke the pup down the back (always stroke WITH the fur direction, not against) and on down the legs. Gently roll the pup on it's side, and continue stroking the pup, increase the acreage you're stroking until you have the pup rolled on it's back. Stroke from the chin down the belly, down the legs to the feet, and the individual toes, and including the genital area. While the pup is in a relaxed state, stroke it's muzzle, check it's teeth, stroke it's ears, etc....
5 minutes or so of this before pup's bedtime is a wonderful way to subtly exert your dominance over the pup. In addition, it conditions the pup to accept being touched all over, and increases your bond with the pup.
Leashing your pup: A leash is your best friend. Without a leash and collar, you have no control over your pup. In order to communicate effectively with your pup, you MUST be able to reward or correct in a timely manner, and if you cannot get to your pup, you have missed out on that 'timely' reinforcement part of things.
By keeping your pup leashed when it's out of it's crate, you'll find that you can keep an eye on that pup much easier. Just be careful that the pup is supervised at ALL times when it's loose in the house, whether it's leashed or not.
What time is it?: Dogs live in the 'here and now'. There is no 10 minutes ago, or 10 minutes from now in a dog's world. NOW is the only concept they have of time (oh, to be a dog!) You have less than
2 seconds to acknowledge a good behavior, or a bad behavior and react to it. Period.
Take a look at the sticky entitled "Critical Periods of Canine Development". This is a fabulous guideline of what a pup is going through during various stages of maturation.
"How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With" is a MUST READ for any new puppy owner. It's less than $10.00 on Amazon, and worth 10x that.
Get your puppies out and about, allow them to be puppies, and have PATIENCE. The best dogs are those that are allowed to be puppies first. Be careful of expecting too much too soon.
I would NEVER expect a 4 month old pup to be solid on any obedience. Training is a life long thing. When puppies are young, the foundation is built. As the puppy matures, more layers are added. I do start training a pup the minute it arrives in my home; the training is only for a minute or two at a time, it's ALWAYS fun... Most of my time is spent introducing a puppy to proper play which will assist me in my training later on, and to the world it's going to live in for the next 10-12 years. I'm upbeat, I'm Mrs. Fun, and I'm FAIR.
These are a but a few subjects I've covered in regards to helping you understand what's going on with, and how to deal with your new puppy. Nothing can substitute a good puppy class with a trainer who specializes in puppy behavior/training. Enroll in one.
Above all, be honest with your pup. Say what you mean, and mean what you say.
(edited to add one last thought~ ) The best thing one can do when dealing with a pup is to set the pup up for
success, rather than failure. By keeping one step ahead of your pup, you'll be able to eliminate a lot of unwanted behaviors BEFORE you even need to correct them. Be situationally aware, watch your pup's body language, and engage the pup before it displays an unwanted behavior. This way, you're leading by teaching, instead of correcting constantly!
Any questions?