My puppy is 4 months old and we just got him a month ago. My dad likes to play rough with him and I do too. Recently I was playing with him and when I grabbed him to pick him up he growled and snapped at me. I also tend to squeeze him a lot because he is so adorable and I don't think I hurt him. I'm more like his owner because I feed him and take him outside and train him. My parents told me when he does something wrong to spank him or hit him on the nose. I've been reading a lot of things recently that say to do the exact opposite of that. My concern is, how can we prevent him from being aggressive? He isn't very aggressive but I'm afraid he'll snap because of how we've raised him so far. My dog is a mix also. Will he be able to learn a new training style like positive reinforcement? He's really nice. He just started misbehaving recently and not listening. I read that it could be his lack of respect for me. How can I fix this before it gets out of hand?
Your puppy absolutely will learn your new training style if you switch to positive reinforcement. He will be happy, you will be happy and he will love learning. It's never too late or early to start. I have no idea how Coco was taught (though I know it wasn't very much) before he came to us, but is learning so fast with positive reinforcement methods and he appears to love learning. Really love it. It's hard to go against what your parents are telling you, you must try and educate them - gently (they may need more training than your pup!). He isn't really misbehaving, he's just being a puppy. You will gain his respect easily, simply training with him - positively, of course. Have a look at clicker training - that's great fun for you both, and you will soon get results, which in turn, should help sway your parents. What's your pups name? Do you know what mix he is? Coco is German Shepherd x Labrador.
Hello there, and welcome You are to very much congratulated, when people around you are telling you to smack a young puppy, to do some research and discover a better way - and there is a better way. Better for your puppy, and better for you. It is not good to punish a dog in any way, and indeed any punishment will make it more likely that your puppy will have problems with aggression when he grows up. He is not misbehaving, and ignoring you on purpose - he is just a baby, he knows nothing, and has everything to learn. It is absolutely nothing to do with respect for you. Dogs have no understanding of the concept of respect at all, this is a completely outdated notion (although one that a lot of people still hold and repeat). All puppies nip (there are loads of articles on the site about this), and rough play will make this worse because it will get him very excited. Try switching to calmer games (his young body is growing, his joints aren't formed yet, so gentle play is also much better for him physically). Train your puppy gently, with patience, and treat him kindly like the small baby he is, and try to encourage the rest of the family to do the same. The very best of luck with it.
Thank you for your response! I'm glad to know I could start using positive reinforcement for him. I haven't done clicker training but I have done treat training with him. When we first brought him home, within a week I was able to teach him sit, paw, and down. Then, just for fun I wanted to see if I could teach him "raise the roof" and put his paws in the air. Then after that I taught him to play dead. Then, he started not wanting to do any tricks so I haven't taught him any new ones. Am I possibly doing too many tricks at once? But yes, I've heard about clicker training but I've never really looked into it. I'm not sure. My cousin's dog (she's a labxpitbull mix) ran away and when she returned, they didn't realize it but she was pregnant. My cousin needed to get rid of the puppies so she gave us one. It took a lot of convincing on my part, my parents haven't owned a dog since I was a baby. He was a black labxpitbull mix also. My puppies name is Zeus! He is fawn colored, I believe is what it's called.
Hi and welcome to the forum. Some great advice has been given already. At 4 months I wouldn't worry too much about teaching more tricks but concentrate on things like walking nicely on lead and not pulling, to sit and wait for his food, to settle when asked, to sit quietly to greet visitors, to wait while you walk through a door and not charge through first not forgetting a strong recall. sounds a lot but all help to produce a dog with good manners and will certainly impress your parents.
Thank you Julie! I appreciate your help. I just felt like disciplining him in such a way wasn't right, especially if he's starting to respond differently. That is what I'm worried about. I don't want him to be aggressive when he's older. Even then, I also don't want him to be fearful of me or my family. I want him to feel safe in his home. Oh, I had no idea rough play could affect him physically too. What calmer games do you suggest? Also, just wondering, is there a game that builds a stronger bond than others with your pet? Thank you, I plan to do so. Especially helping my parents with being gentle with him and patient.
Thank you Maccie! I definitely plan on teaching him how to do those things. He is pretty good at walking on a leash and waiting for his food but it could use some improvement. I hope to show my parents he responds better to positive training than negative. So hopefully I can impress them!
I'm not quite sure what you mean by rough play - I imagined a lot of perhaps wrestling, or running around? I would be more inclined to be calmer, and a bit more structured about games with a young puppy. Is it possible for you to get hold of a copy of Pippa's Happy Puppy Handbook at all? There are lots of ideas in there. Playing with your dog is powerful, and helps you bond with him. It is particularly good to train your dog through play - so, for example, you can train 'leave it' by holding out a toy, and waiting for him to stop snatching at the toy. If he goes for the toy, just move it out of his reach, and when he stops grabbing for the toy, you can hold it out to him and say 'take it' - this trains him not to snatch for things, but to wait for you to say 'take it'. Things like this, lighthearted, a lot of fun, is the best way to train a small pup. You can do the same with holding a bit of food in your hand. You can also teach him tug (using your 'take it' cue to start the game), play it gently with him - it's a game, not a battle of strength - and when you want to end the game, keep very still, and keep the tug toy still, when he gives it up, say 'thank you' or 'finish' and give him a treat. This will train him about the start and end of activities (thank you ends an activity). You could also start to encourage him to fetch things for you. Roll a ball along the ground (don't throw it a long way) in a hallway, and if he picks up the ball, encourage him back to you (don't take the ball off him before he is ready to give it up but when he drops the ball say 'give' and toss the ball for him again). This is the start of fetch, very, very useful for the future. So, all these games can be used to train the start and end of activity, to be gentle with toys, to fetch, to drop and so on. All very gentle, and great fun for a young pup.
Yeah by rough play I mean wrestling and running around. Then when we play tug-o-war it could get a little rough too. Most likely, yes. I saw it's available at Barnes and Noble so I could possibly convince my mom to take me there. Thank you! I wasn't sure what you meant by calmer games but I understand now. We usually play tug-o-war and jerk around the toy or throw a toy and he gets it. He never comes back to use though. He usually stays where it was thrown and chews on it. I'll take your advice and not throw it far. Also, we would take the toy and throw it again so I'm going to stop doing that now. I appreciate the advice! I always wondered how I could teach him leave it and give up a toy. Thank you again. We weren't very gentle when it came to play time. I always feel like he's older than he actually is. He's so big, I always imagined bigger dog breeds played roughly. That's what I was told anyway. Thank you again everyone for your help. I greatly appreciate it! This is our first time raising a puppy. Even my parents, the dog they had was given to them when his previous owner couldn't keep him any longer and he was so well behaved. So different from a young puppy!
Hi Trex, and welcome to the forum! Well done on wanting to do positive training. It can be tough doing something so different to your parents, but they will soon catch on, and Zeus will love you for your kindness - it really really helps build a good bond. How are you getting on with potty training? Are you in a house with a yard or an apartment? jac
Hi drjs! I'm in a house with a yard. I had him newspaper trained but his bladder capacity was getting bigger and eventually there wasn't enough newspaper to keep up with it. So, I start teaching him to go outside. Every morning when I wake up I take him outside. Then periodically throughout the day and every time he usually has to pee or poop. Now, he's got to the point that he runs in a circle and looks at the door when he has to go. Then, he doesn't pee in his kennel of on you/furniture. I didn't teach him this though, he just doesn't do it nor had he ever.
Hi Trex and another warm welcome to the Forum from my two year old dog Molly and me. Congratulations on realising there is a better way of training a puppy and looking for the information you need. Smacking a puppy on the nose is cruel and won't teach him anything other than it doesn't like being hit on the nose. Your pup is just a pup, it will do silly naughty stuff because it doesn't know any better. it is far better to teach it what you want it to do than punishing it when it does something you don't. A nice, gentle game you can play with your dog is "Go Find IT". I started by shutting Molly (very briefly) in the kitchen. Then I would drop bits of her kibble in another room, then let her out and tell her to "Go Find It". She really loved it, she would rush around looking for them. We graduated to her sitting and watching me scatter them and waiting for the "Go Find It". What is his name and can you post a photo of him
Welcome to you. Rough play humans + dogs doesn't work. Dogs play with their teeth and we can't do that, so - as the pup gets older - rough play with humans is bound to end in hurt humans. I would find other good ways to interact. Tuggy is a good one as it is natural to the dog and gets you really close - just be sure he knows how to stop too. Here are two excellent articles - http://www.thelabradorsite.com/4-fun-games-to-play-with-your-labrador/ http://www.thelabradorsite.com/how-to-play-safely-with-a-labrador/
Hi and welcome! I have been reading this thread, and you have been given so much positive advise! I just want to add if it is possible that you join a class at a 'puppy' class in your neighborhood? One of your parents could join you, so that they are able to hear and being taught about upbringing of a young dog! Even if we have our 3rd Labrador we joined a puppy class and obedience after that together with all of our dogs. Annemarie
Yes, yes. Anne123 just beat me to it. Classes for you and puppy. Your parents would benefit as well as with most training it's not the dog being trained but the owner learning how to train their own dog. Plus, classes tend to help you forge a bond with your puppy. AND, working in class with the biggest distraction your dog will likely ever face, other dogs, will make walks later in the big wide world where dogs are not under control like they are in class. Ask your Vet or friends with well behaved dogs who they went to for classes. From the things you've taught already I bet you will make a great team.
A class is a good idea - but make sure it's a positive only class (triple check, just about every trainer will say they are kind and positive, but that does not mean they understand about force free, positive reinforcement only training). It will make things worse if you go with your parents to a class that uses forms of punishment, lead jerks and so on. Victoria Stilwell trainers operate in the US (I think Trex is in the US) - there is a search function on her page here: https://positively.com/victoria-stilwell/
