Well, I'm a novice dog owner as you all know. This is where I'm at with my four month old Nero.
He is very prey driven. Wants to constantly bite me and my wife, not the end of the world. I'm trying to avoid too much of a correction with it. I try to kind of squeal at the harder bites so he will stop, works for a while at least.
Also, whenever I get him really engaged with me or at all over excited trying to get his attention, he sort of growls a lot. I'm not really sure if it's really aggression or frustration? He does it a lot when I give him the "Off" and "down" commands.
I'm not sure if this is normal, if I should work on it, or if this is just normal puppy behavior? What are your opinions?
Melissa Thom Webboard User Reg: 12-04-2007
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Well mouthy the wonder lab settled down at 3 which is the latest of all six of my dogs. The full on play assaults around here usually stopped around teething although on occasion my youngest 18 month old papillon likes to sink her teeth into the top of my foot when she's having a targeting issue. The full mouth hello usually stops with mental maturity.
There is not really a hard date of when, it's just a phase. Just keep working on it and try to enjoy puppy antics.
Melissa Thom Webboard User Reg: 12-04-2007
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Loc: Upper Left hand corner, USA
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Mine all do it when they're really into the tug reward or play. I wouldn't discourage it at this point. If you think it's getting into possession rather than play start working on the "Out" on command by offering a treat or another toy.
Okay I guess I might of misspoke, his "growling" happens without toys. Sometimes with training, sometimes with food, sometimes with just grabbing his attention and calling him.
Melissa Thom Webboard User Reg: 12-04-2007
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Loc: Upper Left hand corner, USA
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Well you can stop messing with his food. There is no reason to. Let him eat. If you need to get him to leave something like a tasty chew offer him something "better" like a cheese nibble or more interesting like a rag.
If your puppy is protesting against whatever you're asking him to do you need to work on your motivation and control. He should still be on a drag line at the very least which will control his access to distractions, and you should still be encouraging the behaviors you want with treats and toys. You need to be more interesting than whatever else he's doing/sniffing/chewing and more consistent in rewarding the behaviors you want.
He's never without his leash, I was talking about his treats and not his food, I never play with his food , and almost everything he does good he gets a reward! It's just like he gets pissed that I'm asking something of him, I make noises and jump around and have high energy, I basically just copy Michael Ellis. Well anyways, maybe I'm making something out of nothing. Thanks for your input though Melissa! I appreciate it.
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Question on my puppy's temperment?
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, and almost everything he does good he gets a reward! It's just like he gets pissed that I'm asking something of him, I make noises and jump around and have high energy, I basically just copy Michael Ellis. Well anyways, maybe I'm making something out of nothing. Thanks for your input though Melissa! I appreciate it.
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