My pup doesn't growl at us or while we're playing toys with him, as I've always used pack mentality, but is it ok to let him growl when pushing his empty plastic pop bottle, or when shaking his ball? He knows he's the low man on the totem pole, and gets a correction for grabbing the kids' clothes, and I am wondering if he's exerting his authority on toys, and if it's kosher. I also did not know that a puppy that age could "hump" he seems to be exerting his dominance on stuffed animals by humping and mouthing them. So, IS it OK to let him growl at his toys when he's playing solo? Or should I put a stop to that behaviour? So far, he's going "potty", sit, down, touch, "get your ball, bone, toy" etc., and bringing them back, and "drop it" and making eye contact on demand with clicker AND corrections. Sometimes he gives a sound of reluctance, not quite a growl when I say "down!" what is THAT? Is that dominance too?

Thanx for taking the time to answer.

I'm guessing he's a pet dog and not a working dog, but I know from personal experience with my dad's Vizsla that it is very embarassing having your dog drag out his "girlfriend" (as my father used to called his favorite blankent) out into the living room, wad it up into a ball, and start humping it in front of guests and mixed company. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

I let my pup do whatever she wants, she'll lay down in the middle of the room chewing on her toy then suddenly jump up growling n barking n haul ass accross the room n slam into another toy. She barks at me too, I either ignore her or if she's attacking me with those evil lil puppy teeth I redirect her onto a toy... if she gets too psycho she gets put in her crate with something to chew on to chill out.

If your pup is a pet then I dunno, but for a working pup I really don't care what they do at 10 weeks old, let em develop their personality.

Ha Ha Ha, Mike, you are so in love with Lyka! I completely agree with you, though, my Arkane can do no wrong, either. My arms are totally chewed up, but to me, it's just a sign of good things to come. They are puppies for so short a time, but it's such a great time. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

These two have given me the same advice before and I agree with them 100%. My pup use to hump this big white stuffed bear and I was so proud of her for showing dominance over the "prey". ow I lost that toy so she doesn't have anything big enough to hump. maybe I'll get her another stuufed bear? Hmm? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

haha well the way I see it is that puppyhood is, like you said, short... all the drives n abilities n temprement will still be there when the pup is a year old but far more managable with far better focus... so from 8 weeks till 6 months all she does is chew on stuff, carry my shoes around, chew on my arms, bark, pee, eat, sleep, play tug, learn to focus on my face by spitting hotdogs at her and go to training to watch other dogs work, socialize, and get used to all the sights and sounds she'll be subjected to before too long. At 6 months when she has better focus and attention span I'll start the motivational OB, either food or toys, do some tug work with the helper, build her focus and grip, then transition to a sleeve, then at about a year old when she's got everything down she MIGHT need a prong collar to fine tune her OB. I don't care if she pulls or barks or screams or carries shoes around etc... she lives in her crate for the most part, when it's her playtime it's supervised n controlled n she doesn't get the chance to do much wrong.

If she was supposed to be a pet or I had some need for a well mannered puppy, I'd do it differently, but I want her to bite and be as nutty as possible and never inhibit anything.

Training = tug tug tug play play play. She's on a tie-out when I go training to watch other dogs, I'll frustrate her n let her win a rag every now n then, get her used to whips n clatter sticks n everything. She gets really worked up n sleeps well at night lol.

And yes, I love that lil nut, she's like a frikkin cat the way she plays! Some local K9 officers sometimes attend training n I often wonder if they think I might have heroin track marks on my arms because they're covered in puncture wounds from the lil puppy teeth LOL, my ankles have scratches all over em from where she goes after my socks. I doubt I could inhibit her biting very much by correcting her off biting me, but if she is willing to bite hands n arms, her current size is the best size to get her used to biting skin because she'll never be able to do that in training as an adult anymore.

When our little male was 10 weeks to about 16 weeks he used me as a chew toy too <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> I even had a social worker ask me if I was a cutter <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> and gave me a card for a referral to a good councilor <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

 Quote:

When our little male was 10 weeks to about 16 weeks he used me as a chew toy too <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> I even had a social worker ask me if I was a cutter <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> and gave me a card for a referral to a good councilor <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

LOL <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> My 5.5 month old GSD, Sable, LOVES to bite. I do redirect
w/toys/rawhide chews when she's biting my wife & kids, but I
redirect w/her tug when she's on me <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

As far as a growl, she only does when she "alerts" to
neighbor dogs barking outside.

• Neighbor dog: Ruff, ruff!
  
• Sable: Grrrrrrr, ruff, grrrrrrrrr, ruff!
  

I mark that w/"YES, Good Gib Laut"