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Originally Posted by Sammy88  The problem I have with her is that whenever she is outside she trys eating mulch, rocks, dirt etc. |
Puppies explore the world with their mouths....all puppies will pick up things that interest them and it's perfectly normal puppy behavior. That said, there are things they need to learn to leave alone and that's where you come in.
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Originally Posted by Sammy88 When I go to remove it from her mouth she will growl and try to snap/bite my hands. She has bitten me once. I tell her "No" in a firm voice and just take the item she shouldn't have away. What can I do? Is there another way I should be handling this? Is she just testing me with the growling? |
She's not "testing" you, she just doesn't want you to take the item away and is saying so. Of course, you still need to remove it so she doesn't swallow something that could harm her and working with her on learning to "Out" and "Leave it" are lessons you need to be teaching her starting now.
Teaching "Leave It": Have your puppy on leash and a bunch of small treats. Drop a treat on the ground and say "Take it", drop another in a different place and say "Take it"...repeat with 5-6 treats, saying "Take it" each time....then drop one my your foot, cover it with your foot so the puppy can't get it, and say "Leave it". The puppy will try to get it, but won't be able to. Wait, and the puppy will look up at you (in confusion, LOL) and at that precise moment, you say "GOOD Leave it!!!" and reward with a treat from your hand. Do NOT let the puppy get the treat under your foot, pick it up and start the game again. Repeat 2-3 times, a couple times a day. If you practice this faithfully, your puppy will learn to look at your eyes when you say "Leave It". ALWAYS reward when your puppy gives you the behavior you want. And....always have treats on you!
Teaching "Out" using the Trade Game: You do begin by luring, offering a visible treat in exchange for releasing an object in their mouth - start with toys first. Once your puppy catches on to that, you then ask for the "Out" first, then produce a treat that has been in your pocket and not shown to the puppy beforehand. I've found for things they really would prefer to hang on to, putting my hand under my dog's chin while saying "Out" gets her to release it every time.
Work on those basics, using treats, and your puppy will learn that to work with you is much more rewarding than to work against you - and hopefully, you will learn the same - to work with your puppy is much more rewarding than to work against him....and that's when things start to come together.