5 Weeks Old and Already Shows Some Problems

[safire]

We have a 5 week old male puppy and he bites and growls when you touch his face or his neck. I am a new Rottie owner and want to handle this problem in a correct way. I do not want to make the problem worse, and I want to get it corrected before he becomes older and bigger. Any suggestions on how to make him like his neck and face pet or washed would be appreciated. He is a very messy eater and has to have his face touched a few times a day as he is being bottle fed because his mother abanded her pups at 2 weeks of age. We have been rearing him ever since.

[brunie's mom]

He does not need to be bottle fed anymore...at 5 weeks of age he is fine to eat wet food, and softened puppy food.
Just sit him on your lap and use a warm, wet washcloth...slowly and gently wipe him down. Let him struggle a bit, he will soon calm down. Give him praise and a treat when it's done.

Gina

[Sharon Marples]

Read through this post as well, it may provide you with some helpful information:

http://www.rottweiler.net/forums/pup...gns-anger.html

There are many links to other threads in it for you to read.

Your pup should have been on other food for at least two weeks, he is way too old to be feeding him the way you are. Start with a good quality brand of food, then add water to it to make a mush and start him out on it that way. I would suggest adding a bit of plain yogurt with it for each meal and maybe an egg every other day or so.

Be prepared for a lot of problems with this pup, he is way too young to have been separated from his siblings.

OOPS! Edited to read: Sorry, I didn't realize you were the original poster on both of these subjects.