Corrections????

[hayandrob]

I've been reading through all these posts on puppy behaviour and have one main question please?There is a lot of talk of "correcting" bad behaviour throughout but also there seem to be many different forms of "correction".Could anyone clear up exactly how I should be correcting my 9 week old pup who is currently driving us nuts with her nipping?The time outs are not working at all.Infact she is far worse after being timed out and is over excited when brought back into the mix again.Verbal corrections have little effect most of the time.Although she will release whoever/whatever she's nipping(usually my son )she'll go straight back to the behaviour again.Any advice is much appreciated as although we have had many dogs before this is our first Rot and is proving more tricky than we previously thought

[hayandrob]

By the way the problem is much worse in the mornings as Ruby sleeps downstairs alone.By the time we are all up in the morning she goes mad with excitement and the jumping up and nipping is pretty hard Also with my son playing in the garden she is very nippy~really need some advice here

[ASyversen]

Im no expert but when My puppy had a nipping problem I would grap her nape and say 'OUCH' to tell her that she was hurting me, even if it didnt, And if she continued I would ingnore her for a while, That seemed to fix her problem. Some people may disagree but this is the way that worked for me.
Also You may take her outside to run around a bit to Get rid of the extra energy.

[RottiMomCT]

Redirect her nipping to a suitable "biting thing" like a toy or anything else she is ALLOWED to put her teeth on.

Children must learn NOT to run around shrieking like, well, children when the dog is present. If they cannot, or are too young, remove the dog or put the dog on leash. How old is your son?

The dog must learn that chasing is not acceptable (again, the leash is a big help on this one). Correcting a pup at 9 weeks old for being a puppy and doing what puppies do? The pup has no idea what is right or wrong in the world - only that EVERYTHING needs to be tasted! It is up to you to teach her what is acceptable to put in her mouth - not by correcting her for exploring, but by redirecting her and PRAISING when she has her chompers on the correct things!

My 6 & 3 yr old dogs are silly and excited when I get home from work - jumpy, barking....I take them out for potty, then we play...then all is well - they calm down.

Ruby is simply EXCITED to see you - she knows you feed her, play with her - she knows you are the 'provider of good fun things'! A good romp after potty time to release pent up energy is always a good thing...use this time (without the kids) to teach her where her teeth need to be for everyone to be happy - NOT on skin, clothing or unacceptable items.

[JeanT]

Here's some advice from a resident expert, Judi W, who's off on a trip right now:

Originally Posted by Judi W

Unfortunately, too often the KPT classes just want you to do rollovers and pins. You are right, they are not particularly effective. When pup is on a tear, snap on a lead and go do something interesting and that includes teaching something and do it with fun. There has been a lot said about pesky pup stuff on the puppy development forum. Can't always tell by the title (some are quite vague) but check out those that reference bahavior in the same/similar age pups. There are a couple of threads that are fairly recent.
Stop the pinning to the floor. That only stimulates a physical fight and does not affect mental deferance. Always make every effort to work with the pup instead of against it. Only really huge sins should warrant such a harsh punishment. If pup is really getting carried away, I prefer to stop all movement, mine and the pups. Hold pup in a sit position by the collar and simply wait and wait and wait until you see the body change. No verbalizing on your part, no shaking, nothing. You might see some serious thrashing around for a few minutes however if you have the collar correctly held (hand through the collar and forearm on the whithers), things will stop and settle. Do not release immediately. Wait and wait and when you do release the collar, do so without any excitement or talking. Simply release calmly.

And upcoming expert and experienced seacher , Brooke&Ryan:

Originally Posted by Brooke&Ryan

Take a look at these threads:

http://rottweiler.net/forums/showth...ht=puppy+biting

http://rottweiler.net/forums/showth...ht=puppy+biting

http://rottweiler.net/forums/showth...ht=puppy+biting

Puppy biting has been discussed at length on the forums. Just do a search of "puppy biting." Hope that helps!

[hayandrob]

Thanks for your replies
My son is two and it's quite difficult to stop him acting like a two year old Should I have Ruby on the lead when we're in the garden then?It's just that she's very reluctant to go on the lead.She just bites the lead and refuses to budge
Today the nipping is worse.She's literally lunging at us and wrapping her jaws around our arms/legs and it hurts!She's also growling and barking at us if we correct her.I'm really starting to question where we're going wrong here?

[kywildcat581]

okay... not being a pro.. but you got one alpha pup and a half so it seems...

Should I have Ruby on the lead when we're in the garden then?It's just that she's very reluctant to go on the lead.She just bites the lead and refuses to budge

you have her o n a lead... not the other way around.... she can see she has some control and she will take it... now keep in mind this is a pup... so be gentle... but if you let her lead you now, she will later

She's literally lunging at us and wrapping her jaws around our arms/legs and it hurts!She's also growling and barking at us if we correct her.I'm really starting to question where we're going wrong here?

when she does this does the correction continue, or do you ust turn the other cheek?? if the other cheeck is turned then hey, she knows what works... she is going with it... now I know all puppies mouth and teethe. they will continue this for a few more months. repitition on the corrections and putting yourself into the alpha role will prove to be worth it... i will await a response


now with the corrections ... but a strong voice and a creature 10 x's bigger than her is very intimidating... jean posted the response from Judi W earlier in the thread and that was an excellent thing for her to do, Judi is a VERY knowledgable individual who gives great advice here.

we had the big problem with mouthing also.... I think they kind of grow out of this "mouthing" stage sooner or later, blitz has calmed down with it A LOT. he is almost 15 weeks now and it has been a trip to ge this far I tell ya. He does respect me a lot... not a fear of being choked down.. but he has a good idea where his place is in the pack.

[BostonRott]

Each puppy is different in their drive levels and also their sensitivity to corrections. Keep that in mind when reading through threads, and also know the age of the pup/dog being discussed as that makes a world of difference. I give a different correction to an adult dog than I do to a puppy.

When I have a pup who will not stop with the nipping, I have no qualms about reaching down, putting my hand over/around the dogs muzzle and holding it firmly saying "no!" (other hand in pup's collar).

A 9wk puppy should not be loose around a 2 year old, as neither is under very much control. Put the pup on leash, and I would also recommend that you have one adult for each (the pup and the 2yr old). If you're home alone during the day, then only one is out at a time. If pup needs to go out, 2yr old comes in, goes in a play pen or whatever. If you're playing with your son outside, pup goes in a crate.

The puppy is playing as puppies do, and it also sounds like it may have some decent prey drive (the desire to chase things which move). Thus, a 2yr old and moving legs are a very enticing toy.

You can also work on more play with the pup (and only the pup, no toddler outside) and making the pup more tired. A tired puppy is a good puppy.

[Stevehugo]

Dont worry it can be changed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[By the way the problem is much worse in the mornings as Ruby sleeps downstairs alone.By the time we are all up in the morning she goes mad with excitement and the jumping up and nipping is pretty hard ]

My pup is 10 wks old and had the same biting problems that you have discussed. She would get into a frenzy and bite anything that came near her. The key to stopping her was consistency. At first any bite was reprimanded with a very loud "NO BITE" followed by a 10 min timeout. It is vital to give the "no bite" command with absolute authority every time! (she must know you are the boss) After about 1 week she got the point. If i thought she was about to chew my pants i would give the command in a normal tone of voice and she would obey. We have now started to ignore her for about 10 mins when ever he teeth touch flesh (or anything else she isn't supposed to bite), this has really cut down on her biting big time. As for the excessive morning biting i recomend taking the pup for a walk immediately after she wakes.I walk my pup every morning down to the coffee shop and it works perfectly. The morning walk burns her agressive energy off and the coffee shop customers are great for socialization every morning. Just be consistent; when she bites, make her know it is wrong and direct her biting to a kong or chew toy. GOOD LUCK

[poohbearsmom]

So far, excellent advice.

The only thing I would add is... now is the time to start teaching your pup control. Using Gretchen's method of puppy removal, you can then redirect the pup with a toy or treat. It's very handy to keep these in every room of the house. In addition, heed Gretchen's advice - not all dogs are created equal. Some are much softer than others, so the level of correction varies with every dog, and I'll reitterate that there are definitely age appropriate corrections.

I would like to emphasize what others have said, as well. A leashed pup is a controlled pup. NEVER leave your pup unattended with your toddler/child. (You probably have figured this out already, but this is simply sage advice)

Judi gave excellent advice, too... with a redirection you can include basic training in a positive manner... thus turning a bad thing into a good thing .... guide your pup into a sit/down, etc... with treat/toy, and then reward the pup for success. This is setting your pup up for success, rather than failure, which is terrific for maintaining and increasing confidence levels in the pup. You can also easily teach your pup a "leave it" command, using redirection/reward.

Make sure your reward is timely. I teach my classes the 1.5 second rule. Your pup lives in the 'here and now', so whatever behavior occured that you liked or disliked needs to be either rewarded or corrected within this timeframe. If you reward too late, or make a correction long after an infraction, it's simply not fair to your pup. You'll be rewarding/correcting a completely different action/thought. Timing is everything, and this holds true throughout the life of your new companion.

If you reward the behavior that you wish your pup to exhibit, and simply do not tolerate the behaviors you wish to extinguish; this can be done gently, but with conviction, and in many cases, by simply getting the pup's attention, and witholding the reward (food, toy, touch) until the pup complies, then your pup will learn quickly what is acceptable, and what is not.

With a higher drive pup, life can certainly be exciting (LOL), but it is manageable with patience and consistancy from the adults in the household. It often helps the situation if you remain calm with the pup, as emotions can raise the frenzy level in the pup by stimulating it. A calm, cool, and collected attitude from you can certainly go a long way.

With a small child in the house, I'd also keep inside activity with your pup gentle and quiet, reserving the outdoors for silly play and zoomies.

As your child matures a bit, you must instill dog rules, just as you are instilling people rules to your puppy now. Children are quite capable of age appropriate control, as well.

Enrolling in a Puppy Kindergarten, or Puppy Socialization Class is a wonderul thing, as is ongoing obedience throughout the life of your dog. You have many years of living with this beastie ahead of you, and now is the time to set the precedence for everyone's well being.

Hope this helps some, welcome to the Forums.

[hayandrob]

Thankyou so much for all your replies!
We tried the on a lead method this afternoon and the difference was amazing!
She was on an extending lead and literally stayed by my side all afternoon.It was great to see her actually let us know when she needed to relieve herself too My son had a lovely time in his paddling pool without getting nibbled on and Ruby learnt sit,stay and paw with the aid of some yummy choc drops We went a whole 4 hrs with no nipping or shouting and she has even just let me groom her without making her usual fuss
I certainly agree that this little lady is a true alpha pup.She'll certainly be a challenge!
Just one thing though~several of you have suggested we walk her energy off.Thing is we've been told not to walk her till 1 week after her 2nd imms?She's not due till 2nd August so we have a while to wait yet We do have a very big garden but shje gets bored very easily.......any ideas on exactly how to tire out this demanding puppy?xx

[Camper]

Glad to hear the solutions offered worked for you. If the choc drops you mentioned are chocolate, stop immediately. No chocolate, onions, or grapes for dogs, as the ingredients will harm them.

[poohbearsmom]

Originally Posted by hayandrob

Thankyou so much for all your replies!
We tried the on a lead method this afternoon and the difference was amazing!
She was on an extending lead and literally stayed by my side all afternoon.It was great to see her actually let us know when she needed to relieve herself too My son had a lovely time in his paddling pool without getting nibbled on and Ruby learnt sit,stay and paw with the aid of some yummy choc drops We went a whole 4 hrs with no nipping or shouting and she has even just let me groom her without making her usual fuss
I certainly agree that this little lady is a true alpha pup.She'll certainly be a challenge!
Just one thing though~several of you have suggested we walk her energy off.Thing is we've been told not to walk her till 1 week after her 2nd imms?She's not due till 2nd August so we have a while to wait yet We do have a very big garden but shje gets bored very easily.......any ideas on exactly how to tire out this demanding puppy?xx

If you're feeding your pup real chocolate, please don't, it's poisonous to dogs. Feed her bits of kibble, chicken hot dogs, string cheese or bits of banana or apple instead - much better for her.

There is a plethora of information regarding the socialization of puppies... it's imperative that you get your girl out and about to meet people, to different environments, around traffic, etc... in order for her to become a reliable companion for you. Simply do a search on 'puppy socialization' and puppy imprinting', and you'll have a lot of interesting reading. Use your common sense, and don't take her to places where unknown dogs frolic and relieve themselves (dog parks, pet stores, etc.. until the vacs are done)

Good luck, glad you are getting the hang of things.

[StephanieandToby]

I know there are some "Choc Drops" meant for pets that look like chocolate drops but contain no actual chocolate. I used to feed them to my hamster. Is this what you meant?

[Platzz]

"Verbal corrections have little effect most of the time"

OF course they don't! she's a baby!!... Mopst 9wkers don't know thier name yet.

Puppys are sponges they pick-up on the signals around them. If the place is wild, chidren running , screeching, playing ruff....Guess what puppy is learning!!

I like the redirect move the best. Trade the shoe for a ball.

Followed by by what I call "got your tounge" Once the puppy grabs my hand, I "G...E...N...T...L...Y" grasp the upper or lower jaw and hold until the puppy becomes uncomfortable. If you can get a finger in deep enough to makle them gag just little that helps.
*****Do NOT allow children to to this....if fact don't even let children SEE you do this.****
(Can you tell I'm not a parent)

Once the puppy realizes that it isn't fun to grab/nipp hands they stop. BTW - Understand that puppy teeth hurt and the first few time you going to have marks.
(can you tell I'm a big guy with shoeleather hands)

If this doesn't work I rasie the level to scruff shake.......VERY IMPORTANT isthe make-up session immediately after the shake, We're talking about a very young pup.....You just want to get it's attention and stop the behavior.

I like "pinning" as, like a scruffshake it minnicks doggie moms corrections. I do think pinning should be reserved until puppy is a bit older 16-20 weeks.

That said my darling little Elsa was the Satan Spawn of puppys.

I'd hold her in the air at arms lenght look her in the and tell her how terribly duisappointed I was.....she'sd look me in the eye, and give me that ...Put me down and I teach you a lesson tuff guy.

Puppys WILL get your attention, you'll either be positive and train/play with them or you deal with the negitive Massive distruction and bloody battles....

BTW - My Elsa is A fantastic & social 8mo. old now. All the spirit is there, just channel into acceptible behavoir. Hang in there IT IS WORTH IT!!!!