Hi guys, I picked up my new puppy last week at 9 weeks of age and things are going quite well except one thing but I'm not sure if it's an issue or not.

When we play she wants to bite at my hands which I expected. I've been trying to redirect her onto a toy instead but she doesn't want the toy, she wants my hands. I've tried different kinds of toys; fuzzy, soft rubber, harder plastic, and rope and she doesn't want any of them.

When she can't get my hands, it seems like she gets frustrated/mad and then will sit down, stare right at me and bark at me and sometimes the barking will include a growl as well and then she'll come lunging back at my hands. When she gets it that bark mode, I grab a handful of treats and we start doing some sits, downs and comes and then marking and treating if/when she licks my hands instead of biting them. I'm not sure that's how I should be handling the barking. Thoughts or suggestions?

We will be starting with our trainer on Tuesday next week but I was hoping there was something I could do in the meantime. I don't want to correct her for the barking because she's just a young puppy.

Get gloves. Hahahahah

Canada. Ya must be heading to FR, right?
Might as well start the prey game with her......gotta bite rag laying around? Keep it with you, or get two or three on second thought. That way you can always have one in your pocket.
I know by the time I got through that stage with my present youngest I didn't have any caps or gloves worth keeping and all my Carharts needed replacing.

She wants your hands because they're moving slower than the toy.

Mouth-eye coordination takes time to develop. Slow the tug down.

What about the barking and growling part or is that just part of being a puppy? I don't remember my last puppy doing that.

I would say it's 50% the puppy's way of expression frustration and attempting to elicit a response from you, and 50% the fact that it's being inadvertently reinforced.

I've been doing short marker training sessions when she starts the barking to get her to stop and then we go back to playing but I can see where she would think, "Hey I bark and I get treats". Any suggestions as to what I should be doing? I'm thinking about getting up and walking away from her and ignoring her. Then when she follows me, mark and reward and then do a short marker session. Better option???

http://leerburg.com/playem.htm?name=flv/2-14-2011-news.flv

I thought this was very informative.

Debbie did you find a trainer that you are happy with? Aaron and Randy I just wanted to point out that as far as I know, this is not going to be a sport dog, she is a companion - American Mastiff I think.
Debbie I would keep searching for her favorite type of toy, and like Aaron said, use it at a speed she can get it.

An American Mastiff? In Canada!!!???

Where did Debbie go wrong?
Debbie you should have a GSD or DS or Mal.
What's the matter with you gal?!!!

eta,
Debbie, I don't think a Mastiff will do very well in the ring.

Phaedra, I have a appointment with GeminiK9 on March 1 and yes she will be a companion dog. I would like to work towards a Therapy Dog certification and mess around with Obedience and perhaps Tracking. The other trainer I checked out, the dogs all looked miserable and totally unmotivated.

Aaron, I haven't had a chance to try using the tug at a slower speed cause she's still napping.

Randy, That's also why I don't have a GSD or DS or Mal. Way too high energy for me. I like that fact that my puppy sleeps about 20 hours a day although when I retire in a few years and have more time, I would consider getting a higher energy dog.

Sasha's an American Mastiff but I adopted her so that gives her a dual citizenship doesn't it? That's what I tell them when I cross the border anyways. :-)