First off my 2 boys are 11 weeks old and are half collie, half lab they will come and sit when we are in their pen, but when they are out they listen about 50% of the time if someone else is out side they listen 0%. What is the deal with these little guys are they just to young to deal with destractions and obedience? Please help.

Also one of them will bite and growl when touched if he is chewing on his bone. The other one will not. The one that does will bite out of anger because he thinks I am taking his bone, also he does not do this food only his bone. He has done this 2 days in a row and broke skin this afternoon please help.

The lack of obedience is par for the course with 11 week old pups.

Regarding the pup that growls and bites over his bone, I'd stop givimg him bones. You can try to fix this behaviour, but it probably won't work. The best solution is to control what situations you put him in. If this behaviour, over time, extends to food, you can try hand feeding him piece by piece. If he is already acting this way around his bones, it will quite possibly extend to his food and his toys as he matures. Do you have children around the house?

Nope food is not a problem he loves to be hand fed and loves to get petted, just the bone and just a certain bone, when bit me today he was very sorry he whined and licked and cried because he no loger owns the bone it went a few hundred yards away it the woods <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> . He is the most freindly pup ever he just hates his bellie rubbed when he has that bone. I also corrected the behavior with a shake to neck and said no, then tossed his bone. Hope I did the right thing, I was furious when he bit me. I do think he understood because he imediately rolled over so I could rub his bellie like I tried to do when he bit.

Personally I wouldn't call the pups when you're not able to enforce it. They are learning that they don't have to come. Continued freedom is their reward for ignoring you.

Are these two dogs penned together? They should be separated in order to keep them from becomming bonded more to one another than you. The dominance and submissiveness will only get more pronounced. That's the norm when litter mates are raised together.

Hi Micheal, I just got done watching Ed's puppy vid "8 weeks to 8 months," and his new obedience vid.
I highly recommend you purchase and apply. I've talked to numerous trainers, from clicker trainers to hang 'em trainers. and so far Ed makes the most sense. seperate them, crate them, train them and love them.

Well I thought the aggression had gotten better but its not. Here is the email I sent to mr frawley, I would love to here you guys suggestions also.

Ed I know your a busy man but I need some help and I think you are the best. I have 2 pups that are 15 weeks old and they are very submissive to me, obey commands that they know, and lie on their back for me to rub. The only problem is they are very protective and aggressive to bones. They are not food aggressive or any other just bones. They will growl and bite when they are chewing on them and you touch the bone. I received a nasty bite today that made a huge gash and lots of bleeding from one of these little guys. I immediately corrected by the scruf but he kept biting, I dragged him to his kennel and he was still trying to eat me. What can I do to stop this. By the way the are half collie and half Labrador, and I have taken your advise and have been keeping them completely separated. They are such great dogs long as they are not eating on their bones.Ed their mom was food aggressive towards her owner and had to be completely separated when eating but other than that she was fine, but they are not food aggressive just bone aggressive. Ed have you ever experienced this, and what did you do? Thanks

Either take the bones away or crate them and leave them alone when they have them.

Thanks This may be stupid but I did the bone thing again today (with thick gloves) and he let me take it without fuss. I then in return gave him a big piece of beef jerkey that I was eating and he seemed very happy that he gave up his bone. You guys think I should continue to do this? As for just giving up bones completely I think that is just running away from the problem and not fixing it. Don't get me wrong I dont want to be a bully to my dogs, but I do want them to let me have anything without growls or bites. Thanks and any advise or tips is always appreciated.

Thanks guys, I think I am going to have to make hard desscion and give one of the puppies up. A freind of mine with a good home wants him. I have been reading alot of info and have even talked to 2 vets today. I have also spoken to Ed Frawley the owner of Leerburg Kennels, and everyone said by keeping them both your doing more damage than good. Just a hard lesson learned, when you think about getting 2 puppies so they can keep each other company and happy let me tell tell you it is totaly opposite, they will form a pack and bond within that pack like wolfes instead of bonding with their owner. Ed Frawley said the only way to do it is keep everthing seprate kennels, food, training, walks, he even told me it was best not to let them be around each other for a couple years. I am going to have to do a lot of thinking , and if I decide that I have to let one go its going to be the hardest thing I have ever done.