How can something this little be this much trouble?
This morning I reached down to pet Rosie and realized that her collar has grown tight. Oh, Lord, that means she's growing.
Loosening the collar was an ordeal of several long minutes; she didn't go into full Wolverine Mode, but she did thrash, bite, and leap. This change in her from sweet to willful happened in puppy class on Tuesday night at about 7:20 p.m. and has stuck. Since then she has been more difficult, more growly, more bitey.
I am concerned about the biting. I've never had a puppy who bit like this before, and so I don't know quite what to do; everyone offers different advice. Soothing hold! Spray bottle! Spray bottle with lemon juice! Loud squeak and turn away! Crate her! Blah blah blah. At the moment that she is biting and thrashing and snarling, I do what I can do. I can't squeak and turn away when her fangs are deep in my sleeve. I can't spray her if the bottle is in the other room, and I can't walk around with a spray bottle and a bag of treats attached to me constantly.
Mostly we have been putting her on her back and holding her down. She hates this, but it's easier to control her in that position than in the soothing hold, and eventually she calms down. But does she associate it with the biting? Does she know that's why she's being rolled onto her back? I don't think so.
It took a long time to adjust her collar, because I had to let her off her back and she was fine until I started fiddling with the collar and then it started all over again.
Finally it occurred to me that she is pretty good at obeying the word "wait," because I make her wait before setting her food down every morning and evening, so I said "wait," and she waited. Not long enough to get the collar completely adjusted, but long enough to get it well under way.
Are all puppies this much trouble? Were the others? It's been 17 years since Boscoe was a puppy, and so I remember his puppyhood through a misty haze of nostalgia. He was perfect, wasn't he? He'd escape from the yard and trot around to the front of the house and sit there and wait for us to find him.
He'd use his powerful border-collie stare to trap Toby at the top of the stairs. But he never bit us, and he didn't defy us--at least, not that I can remember. It has been, as I said, 17 years.
And it's been 22 years since Toby was a pup, and while I remember quite clearly my complete ineptitude and bafflement as what to do--how to get him to quit peeing in the house, how to get him to quit destroying couch cushions, how to get him to quit eating my boyfriend's hats--I don't remember him being willful and difficult the way Rosie is.
I do remember him growling at me once--or maybe that was Boscoe!--and I got so furious I chased him through the house and trapped him a corner of the basement and that was enough; he never ever growled at me again. (Whichever one of them it was.)
Riley, of course, came already housebroken and very good about sitting for his food (usually in a timid way, in another room) but with his own distinct and complicated set of problems.
And then I think, well. All of these puppies were quite different from one another and they all turned into great dogs. I think if I feed Rosie, and keep training her, and love her, and play with her, and keep her well socialized, she will, too.
Right?
15 comments:
Sometimes fear causes this. When she feels very secure, it may stop. There is something about the tenth week of a puppy's life, I read somewhere, that if they are traumatized, it stays with them longer.
I wish you luck. You are a good dog mommie and you will work through this. You just have a willful child this time around. You must be the pack leader as the Dog Whisperer says.
Can't wait for Rosie to get her own sidebar to go with Toby, Boscoe, and Riley T's growing up adventures. I take it your mornings are just as dog involved but the pace is a lot quicker than struggles to get Boscoe to eat? BTW, Willie is to the stage of lying on his ortho bed and getting handfed tempting bits--anything to buy a bit more time. . .
I honestly wasn't sure that my Riley and I were going to survive his first year of life, and for sure his first 6 months. He was an absolute maniac. He will be three in August, and I can't imagine loving a dog more. He is such a good dog now that it's hard to remember that the wild puppy was really him. It will be okay...eventually.
She'll learn, don't worry. How about holding her mouth shut when she starts biting, accompanied by a command like Stop or No? If you CAN grab her mouth, that is.
She'll outgrow it, I'm sure. But in the meantime you'll have to find a way to handle her.
My personal dog whisperer, Heather, told me to growl at Leo if he was snapping food out of my hands. Perhaps a short but fierce growl--as another dog would do if Rosie annoyed them--would serve as a reminder that she's overstepped her boundaries. We worked for weeks and weeks on impulse control with Leo. We never did stop his dog aggressiveness, but other problems have improved immensely. The short growl, followed by a command really helped.
You've got your hands full but you have to keep having faith that all will turn out and be very stubborn and willful yourself. Don't let yourself get intimidated by her. Listen to me! As if I know anything...
Right! Hopefully she will grow out of it. Some pups are more mouthy than others. It will get better when she loses those baby teeth. If she continually bites at your hand stick a finger down her throat..she won't do that many times after she associates biting the hand or finger with gagging. Chance will still try to grab my pant leg if he thinks I should stay outside playing with him longer..it was one of his favorite puppy activities..a sharp No makes him stop. He was a real mouthy puppy too..but outgrew it mostly:)
Could it be the breed?
I am enjoying your puppy tales, but feeling SO glad we got a grown-up dog!
I agree with Rudee. I read a book long ago, after I adopted my very willful girl Raven, that said much the same thing: growl at them. So I would glare at her and let out a low growl. I sure felt silly at first, but lo and behold, she'd stop doing whatever it was she was into at the moment. Raven was older when I adopted her, but I still think it might work with Rosie.
You could also try yipping really loudly--as if you were hurt--when she bites you. More dog code that she might understand.
And I also agree, she will outgrow it someday. Good luck 'til then!
She will outgrow it for sure, Lori, this stage is the very worst.
I never thought Ansa would outgrow running away, fiercely, madly every chance she got but she did and I can walk her anywhere off leash.
chelsea was a biter, a fierce alpha and my vet taught me to immediately throw her on her back if she even growled.
You are doing all the right things.
XO
WWW
I think it's like child birth - we forget about the angst that follows puppies like a big, sometimes scarey, shadow.
My first standard poodle (Mike) was a horrible puppy. "Mouthy" would be a kind description. He was a Monster Nipper - I had so many bruises on my butt I looked like the "M" half of an S&M couple. I have a vague recollection of some kind of "Come-to-Jeebus" moment, with me on top, at about age 6 months. Then that's it - I think the bruises stopped after that.
I've since learned that standard poodles as a breed are notoriously mouthy as puppies, and that it probably has a lot to do with their (and their ancestors')original purpose as all purpose working dogs (retrievers, herders,etc.). IOW, like your Rosie, they're smart - and they need a job.
Google "Australian shepherd puppies biting" and see what you get!
Rosie we know mom is exaggerating
Benny & Lily
Your puppy is growing healthy and hansome,he's blessed to have you as his mom and dad ;D
Shock Collar | Puppy & Human Bond
Nice blog!!!
Hi, O.k. so I think she sounds pretty typical but like you it has been many many years since we had a puppy-actually 25+, what am I doing planning on getting a puppy? Am I nuts or what? Hang in there-I'll need your encouragement when we get ours.
Hugs, Noreen
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