inadvertant tug of war- chewing on clothes...
 ) And tuggin on them. I've tried a firm "no" and trading him for a more appropriate toy -he gets lots of praise if he does take the toy, but once he latches on, watch out as he wants to keep a hold of that clothing! More often then not, I've had to wrench them out of his mouth
Any ideas? I want to nip this in the bud. |
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This will probably get tons of unfavorable responses, but my trainer said I should carry a water bottle with me and give the pup a quick squirt with a firm NO, when she nips or tugs..I did it a couple times and it does work..although she is sorta starting to like it  |
| I'm thinking maybe if you always had treats in your pocket, you could get him to trade up for a yummy treat. Or just walk away and leave him with the piece of clothing. I know it is scary but I bet he would drop the item and follow you. I think any tugging or wrangling to get the clothes will be perceived as a fun game. |
Quote: Or just walk away and leave him with the piece of clothing  That would be great- except he likes my pant legs too!!! I can just see myself walking around the house with no pants on  I'll try that trade up idea though... He LOVES treats! |
Kar...thought of the day....Pip running around with Karens Jeans....Karen running around in her skivvies......No biting, no tearing of clothes, but poor Kar, just a little chilly for this time of year!  |
Darcy wrote: Kar...thought of the day....Pip running around with Karens Jeans....Karen running around in her skivvies......No biting, no tearing of clothes, but poor Kar, just a little chilly for this time of year!
Darcy, everyone can see what you're doing. You're just trying to give Tove new ideas for cartoons that don't involve you! 
Prepare to lose some pant legs! We did a lot of opening up of the mouth to remove it from the clothing and replacing it with a toy too. It took a few weeks but it worked and Clyde kind of grew out of it. That's the age where they're just plain annoying, like when you want to take them outside and can't get them to pee because they'd rather chew the leash, bite your pants or just be a spazz! We do play tug of war with Clyde but didn't start until after the annoying pants biting and inappropriate grabbing stopped. I don't think tug of war is a great idea with all dogs depending on their personality but Clyde's so easygoing, we've never had a problem with him. He'll release when we ask and has a very soft mouth when fingers are involved. Some dogs have mouths like little bear traps and I wouldn't even consider playing tug with them! |
ButtersStotch wrote: Darcy wrote: Kar...thought of the day....Pip running around with Karens Jeans....Karen running around in her skivvies......No biting, no tearing of clothes, but poor Kar, just a little chilly for this time of year! Darcy, everyone can see what you're doing. You're just trying to give Tove new ideas for cartoons that don't involve you! That's funny--that was what I was thinking too! |
Quote: Ok... I KNOW you are not supposed to let your dog play tug of war
I LOVE tug-of-war with puppies. They play it amoungst themselves, and it is a great bonding excercise. Gets them tired, too. The rule sof tug-a-war is that you start the game, and you finish the game, and you always have to win. In order to win you will trade up, to get the tug away from him. What this does is it gives you the opportunity to start setting some rules for the pup, and it also allows some really doggie playtime to happen. Puppies LOVE it. Use only a specific rope toy desined for it, and that is the ONLY toy used for it. When he uses something you need to trade for the rope toy, to get him going. As for the spray-bottle, how do you know what message you are sending the puppy? It can teach him to fear or not like a spray bottle. I need to spray Dixie with stuff to sooth her sores and she is terrified of it, and runs and hides. We need to trap her and physically restrain her. Not pleasant at all, and her littel heart is beating so fast it kills me to do it to her. So if you everplan n grooming your dog, and using a grooming sprya, or heaven forbid he has surgury and needs some kind of spray put on him, you do not want him to be afraid of a spray bottle. Socializing a puppy for the first few months of its life is introducing him/her to as many different things, sounds, smells etc as possible, and have him comfortable, secure and happy in this world, not fearful at all. An adult dog that is fearful is dangerous. |
| Caught...but cant say I didnt try..... |
| Sounds so like Mojo at that age. He had a fascination for my bath robe. I would take him out to potty in the morning and spend more time shooing him away from my robe than potty training.
Tug is one of our favorite games but like Bosley's mom said, there are rules. You do have to be consistant. I smelled like doggie treats for a couple of months because I carried them with me all the time. It really does get better. |
| Ahh, there in lies the central issue. Tug of war is a domninance game. Pretty soon he'll be strong enough to win it. I am NOT a puppy- I am an ALPHA. A puppy is not allowed to tug on the ear of his mother, he shouldn't be allowed to tug on my ponytail or clothing. I do play with him with a rope toy, he loves to chew on it, but I don't want to get into dominance games with him... Thus the need to discontinue the behavior of tugging on us.
Right now it's not a huge deal, as everything is a game with him, but I also want him to begin to understand that moms are for pets and loves, not for chews! Hopefully we'll move past this stage soon (and right into the teething, chewing on everything stage  ) |
| How are your hands? Shredded yet? |
No actually- he is a perfect gentleman with bare flesh (so far, knock on wood!). Tender as a lamb. I can even reach into his mouth and pull out whatever naughty thing he might have in there at the moment- walnut husks, leaves, his leash, STICKS (his favorite item EVER). He KNOWS not to nip the skin- he's just a stinker when it comes to clothes and hair the only time I got scratched was when he went for my sweater when I was bending down and he missed and got my side instead. It didn't bleed though and he felt bad! he's SUCH a lover boy  |
| We used to believe that Tug of war was a bad game to play because it encouraged agression. We know now otherwise. I play tug with Bosley all the time, and have since he was a very young puppy. He is not the least dominent to me, and is a gentle, loving boy to everyone. But get that rope out, and he gets that gleam in his eye, and we tug away. He growls, pulls and carries on, and we get good and tired. And when I say "off" he drops it. He taught Dixie how to play it, and they have a ball. She is not quite comfortable about playing it with me, yet, but we are working on it.
And for those folks still like to lean on the dominance theory, when you play tug and you always win, how is the dog dominant? http://www.clickerlessons.com/tug.html This site also has a good article on puppy biting and chewing. |
| DARCY- I JUST WANTED TO SHARE... YOU MUST HAVE BROUGHT MY SISTER BAD LUCK YESTERDAY- PIPPIN WAS OUT FOR WALKIES WITH HER, AND DECIDED HE REALLY WANTED HER SWEAT PANTS BADLY- HE ALMOST PULLED THEM TOTALLY OFF!!!!
BOSLEY'S MOM- I'M REALLY GLAD YOU'VE GOT SUCH A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR GUY! I'M STILL GONNA HOLD OFF PLAYING THIS SORT OF GAME WITH THE PIPSTER UNTIL HE LEARNS HIS MANNERS PULLING OFF PEOPLES CLOTHES IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD... NOT SUCH A GOOD THING |
| LOL..we are in this stage too. It's so annoying! Someone told us to spray Bitter Apple in his mouth. Would that be okay? It just sounds mean to me, but otherwise we won't have clothes or body parts soon. His teeth are sharp!!! We are trading for something else to chew on, but he prefers US!
Is trading up for a treat really okay? I guess I thought this might be rewarding him for something we don't want him to do. Can we growl at him like Annie does? He backs off and sits down when she growls at him. Very cute! |
Stacy wrote: Someone told us to spray Bitter Apple in his mouth. Would that be okay? It just sounds mean to me, but otherwise we won't have clothes or body parts soon.
A trainer at PetsMart recommended that to me. I did it once. Bailey was HORRIFIED. it must be really, really yucky when you squirt it right in their mouths. I think it burns. But it served it's purpose, because after that all I had to do was pick up the Bitter Apple bottle and all bad behavior would stop! Evil, evil bottle! |
| I guess all of this depends on what kind of a relationship you wsnt to have with your dog. I always stay clear away form anything negative, and Bitter Apple is one. That is NOT what it is designed for, and it has alcohol in it, and can be toxic. It manages the situation, but doens't teach teh puppy not to chew your clothes. Dogs do not generalize, so they may continue to chew and pull at your friends clothes etc.
You never know what the puppy interprets the action begin a result of. You don't want your puppy to associate you with anything negative. Besides you should always be a safe place to be... My rule of thrumb is never do anyting to hurt or frighten your dog. If you follow that rule you are forced to look at alternate ways fo dealing with it, that are pleasant and positive-based. If you walk and puppy grabs the pant legs, you stop walking. Clothes are the same as feet, hands and any skin. Puppy shold NOT be allowed to pull or chew on it. but he has to learn, and you have to teach him...not be punishinghim for somethig he doesn't even know he shouldn't be doing. Like punishing a baby for throwing his food off the high-chair. The food is removed, but you don't smack the baby. Why does he do it? Because it is fun, and he needs to chew. So give him an allowed chewables. Hey, if he has a special stuffie or ball, have him carry it around when you are on walks. But when he bites or nips at you or clothes you need to yelp like a puppy that just got hurt. All the time. My teen boys used to feel like idiots, but when they saw how well it worked they used it all the time. And when puppy lets go give himsomething he is allowed to chew, like a rope toy (you don't have to play with it if you don't want to). Best thing to do is to get him some puppy friends to play with. They will teach each other how to control thier bite. I met a collie pup in the local pet store and we exchanged numbers and had several play dates, because we were gothing through the same thing together. This time period is so short, and needs to be handled correclty or things may not work out so well when the pups are older. |
| Okay, we'll screech like little puppies! Can't wait to tell Steve that one today! |
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At least Fozzie hasn't tried to undress anyone yet!!! For some reason Pip just gets more excited when I stop moving around with him attached... I've taken to just sitting on the ground, calmly removing said article with a firm "no"(although last time he got my finger) and giving him another toy- if he starts to actually play with it, lots of praise!!! Repeat ad noseum! Mike just continues walking around (dragging dog in tow!) totally ignoring him until he lets go. I'm not a big fan of negative reinforcement either, I'd prefer to redirect bad behavior and praise him for what he's doing right.. We'll see how it goes! |
Iriskmj wrote: :lol:
At least Fozzie hasn't tried to undress anyone yet!!! No, but has he has tried to bite me DOWN THERE! OUCH! |
| OWIE!!!!! |
| Clyde bit me in the boob when he was that age and left a huge bruise. James saw it and asked me who I was cheating on him with. He was glad it was only Clyde! |
| LOL...a puppy hickey |
WHEN is he supposed to grow out of the biting stage? I just had my chin bit really hard  If I keep him around, I may be able to put some earrings in other places besides my ears . |
Don't know but I'm right there with you. Pip was NUTSO this morning-growling and grabbing everything on me he could get his jaws on. And biting down, HARD!  Owchie  |
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