Run For Your Lives!! It's a NEW Puppy!!!!! This is a discussion on Run For Your Lives!! It's a NEW Puppy!!!!! within the Puppy Help forums, part of the Puppies and New Additions category; Hi guys. This is my first post.
I have a new puppy. His name is Harlan, he is 8 weeks old (young, I know) and ...  
06-01-2009, 11:29 AM
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#1 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 4
| Run For Your Lives!! It's a NEW Puppy!!!!!
Hi guys. This is my first post.
I have a new puppy. His name is Harlan, he is 8 weeks old (young, I know) and he is a German Shepherd /Lab mix.
Harlan LOVES to bite. The play biting is expected and I have dealt with that by gently grabbing his muzzle, giving him a firm NO! and providing him with the appropriate chew toy. That has improved. Harlan also likes to growl and bite - at my face- which I am not so cool with. I have tried the muzzle thing - firm "no". I have also pinched his scruff and put him in submission which was World War 3 until he calmed down. He is highly intelligent, willfull, stubborn and energetic.
My question is should I be worried? Am I overreacting? Will it just take more time due to his age and breed mixes?
I am used to Rat Terrier pups who were Angels by comparison. In all aspects of their training.
TIA  | 
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06-01-2009, 01:08 PM
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#2 | | Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 35
| Hello!
I recently got my 9week old pug x westie puppy! She play bites too 
Im unsure on the growling, but i hope you get answers soon
Goodluck, Harlan is a lovley name! | |
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06-01-2009, 02:07 PM
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#3 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 4
| Thank you . It just came to me for no real reason. I just like old fashioned names
He's being a good boy now napping in his crate. | |
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06-01-2009, 03:21 PM
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#4 | | Dog Forum Team Member
Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Som'where between Utopia and Insomnia.
Posts: 11,078
| Quote:
Originally Posted by wingnut4772  Hi guys. This is my first post.
I have a new puppy. His name is Harlan, he is 8 weeks old (young, I know) and he is a German Shepherd /Lab mix.
Harlan LOVES to bite. The play biting is expected and I have dealt with that by gently grabbing his muzzle, giving him a firm NO! and providing him with the appropriate chew toy. That has improved. Harlan also likes to growl and bite - at my face- which I am not so cool with. I have tried the muzzle thing - firm "no". I have also pinched his scruff and put him in submission which was World War 3 until he calmed down. He is highly intelligent, willfull, stubborn and energetic.
My question is should I be worried? Am I overreacting? Will it just take more time due to his age and breed mixes?
I am used to Rat Terrier pups who were Angels by comparison. In all aspects of their training.
TIA | Hi and congrats on your new puppy.
Everything In bold. Stop doing. You are communicating one of several things when you are scolding your puppy that way..
1.scaring your puppy
2.teaching the puppy that your are unpredicatible.
or 3. (which is most likely in your case) arrousing the puppy further (getting him more excited) so he bites more.
Instead of No say "ow" and stop the game. Walk away if you have too. after about ten seconds start up again. You'll find this is far more effective at stopping the biting. This teaches the puppy that biting stops the fun, but in no way ruins his relationship with you like yelling at him and scruffing him will.
Now is the age to build trust. Your dog is an infant, hes not trying to dominate you.
Replacing your hand with an appropriate toy tho, that, my friend, is spot on! | |
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06-01-2009, 04:31 PM
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#5 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 4
| Ok. Thank you. There is just so much conflicting info around. | |
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06-01-2009, 06:45 PM
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#6 | | Dog Forum Team Member
Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Som'where between Utopia and Insomnia.
Posts: 11,078
| Quote:
Originally Posted by wingnut4772 Ok. Thank you. There is just so much conflicting info around. | No worries. Thank You for taking my advise into consideration. Basically any training advise that sounds like it might damage your relationship with your dog should be taken carefully if at all.
Golden rule... don't focus on what you don't want, ever. Focus on what you do want. This is hard for us humans to do at first, but trust me, Your dog will love you for it. | |
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06-01-2009, 07:22 PM
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#7 | | Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 9,870
| I have a lab/collie who gets over excited and grabs arms and hands and even goes for feet. I do exactly what was listed above....I saw ow and walk away, go sit down, and act like im sad and upset. He has since stopped the behavior and now when he gets excited he just runs in circles lol. Yours is also still pretty young so give it time but the "ow" and walking away or turning away is the best tool I have ever used. | |
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06-07-2009, 01:02 PM
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#8 | | Member
Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Fresno, CA
Posts: 59
|  Also love the name
Quote:
Originally Posted by wingnut4772 Hi guys. This is my first post.
I have a new puppy. His name is Harlan, he is 8 weeks old (young, I know) and he is a German Shepherd /Lab mix.
TIA | First I LOVE the name as well. My uncle [who passed last year] lived on Harlan
I'm having the same problem with my 7wk old chihuahua x. He LOVES to try and go for my face which makes it hard to lay in the floor and play without getting irritated. I haven't tried anything except a firm "no" and replacing with a toy. The only "toys" he has right now are ...my shoes (  ), a sock I tired in a knot in the middle, and a ball. He still prefers my hands, fingers, toes, nose, chin, etc.
Wondering if there are "best" toys for small breed dogs when teething. 
Now playing: Creature Feature - Such Horrible Things via FoxyTunes | |
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06-07-2009, 01:05 PM
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#9 | | Member
Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Fresno, CA
Posts: 59
| 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Criosphynx Hi and congrats on your new puppy.
Everything In bold. Stop doing. You are communicating one of several things when you are scolding your puppy that way..
1.scaring your puppy
2.teaching the puppy that your are unpredicatible.
or 3. (which is most likely in your case) arrousing the puppy further (getting him more excited) so he bites more.
Instead of No say "ow" and stop the game. Walk away if you have too. after about ten seconds start up again. You'll find this is far more effective at stopping the biting. This teaches the puppy that biting stops the fun, but in no way ruins his relationship with you like yelling at him and scruffing him will.
Now is the age to build trust. Your dog is an infant, hes not trying to dominate you.
Replacing your hand with an appropriate toy tho, that, my friend, is spot on! | I should have read this first, makes perfect sense tho. I need to get him the "appropriate" toys soon. Any suggestions on what the best toys for teething are Criosphynx, or anyone else for that matter. lol
Now playing: Joss Stone - Victim of a Foolish Heart via FoxyTunes | |
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06-07-2009, 02:04 PM
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#10 | | Dog Forum Team Member
Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Som'where between Utopia and Insomnia.
Posts: 11,078
| Quote:
Originally Posted by DeborahDecay I should have read this first, makes perfect sense tho. I need to get him the "appropriate" toys soon. Any suggestions on what the best toys for teething are Criosphynx, or anyone else for that matter. lol
Now playing: Joss Stone - Victim of a Foolish Heart via FoxyTunes |
Hi! 
When Chili was teething we would freeze his puppy kong (the light blue one) and there is also a "tough tire" thats a hard rubber tire he knawed on...the stuffies weren't doing it for him...if you have to put peanut butter on the toy so he'll use it, do that and then freeze it. It last longer and feels better.
Hope that helps. | |
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