Us again - with this weekend's missive! : Bonnie is still attention biting. Not so much with me, although perhaps I've just stopped noticing it. But with pretty much everyone else. I've had a lot of guests over in the last week (due to me being one-armed!) and she's (play) bitten just about every one of my helpers ??? The pattern is more or less the same. She's excited to see them, wants some attention, she gets it and settles for a few minutes. Then she wants more attention and, depending on the guest, she may not get it. Then she starts jumping up and grabbing at hands with her teeth or trying to reach faces (mouth open and snappy). I tell the person to walk away and not flail their arms so then she starts biting at their legs. I've followed all the advice about time-outs etc but I still feel she is being wilful and attention seeking and I'm not sure how to further discourage it. She's getting quite big and strong now so quite a scary prospect if you're not used to her. Time-outs are usually quit brief. If they were longer she'd start barking and scratching at doors I'm sure. To give a little additional context that might be useful, it's just B and me in the house and I work from home so she does get a lot of attention every day (too much?) She's very vocal. Time-outs often result in a lot of barking. In addition, she's always trying to either jump over or gnaw her way through the baby-gate. V wilful! ??? I love her to bits (as you probably know!) but I am concerned because friends/family are remarking on it. Definitely can't visit friends with children. Sometimes I feel her temperament is not suited to being an indoor dog / family pet. We're outdoors a lot but not as much as I'm sure she'd like!
Re: Bonnie still attention biting at 6 months I am very interested in reading replies because my pup will be 12 weeks on Monday and we continue to have biting issues. Lisa
Re: Bonnie still attention biting at 6 months My spaniel was like this and he still jumps for attention. I work from home a lot and he spends a lot of time hanging out with me (and Riley). I was also worried about his anxiety levels when left alone so we've been doing a "learn to spend time alone" programme. I just leave him for short periods several times every day, I don't make a big fuss just pop out and pop back for different lengths of time. If I'm going out for a bit to walk Riley for example I leave him with a nice kong. I also pop him in the kitchen behind the baby gate (with a chew or kong) even if I'm home so he can see me but not lie on my feet. He is getting better although he will still get gobby if he feels he's being left out of something fun!
Re: Bonnie still attention biting at 6 months Thanks Barbara. Do you think there's a correlation between the attention-biting and a pup with an overly attentive owner? I do go out and leave her at times (up to four hours, say 3 times a week) although always with something nice like a kong to keep her busy. We also get a fair amount of visitors and visit people so I wouldn't say she's under-exposed to other people, although she is massively excited to see everyone!
Re: Bonnie still attention biting at 6 months Charlie gets oodles of attention - pretty much constantly. But he is also fine being alone - he doesn't like it, but he is silent and will go to sleep, but hates missing out on the action. I have some nightmare guests, and some great guests. The great guests tend to get invited back, and the not so great guests I sort of dread coming. Luckily, the people I love the most are great guests. Charlie gets cuddles, he is trained to sit still on people and cuddle nicely, although this still needs to be proofed for all exciting new people and when he is over excited, he'll tend do his impression of a fox stole and drape himself around peoples' necks when they sit down on the sofa, and chew the ends of their underwired bras (only female guests though, so far anyway) - the people who think this is funny fall into my "great guests" bucket. The people who want my dog to ignore them fall into my "nightmare" bucket. This is just a function of how I live with my dog. I view it as a cost - I want a dog that sits on me, and cuddles, licks ears and is hugely affectionate. It's not his fault - I didn't train him to ignore people, I trained him to interact with people. He still mouths hands, arms and feet. If he is super excited, he'll even give big toes a bit of a nip. Big deal. So my point is that your dog is a result of how you live with him, and want to live with him. Sometimes that's a bit of a pain when you have guests. *Shrug*. I'd say work on her being quiet when you put her in another room, and stock up on kongs for when guests come, and don't worry too much about the rest (unless you want to, of course). Charlie - rubbish gundog, great cuddle dog: image by julieandcharlie, on Flickr
Re: Bonnie still attention biting at 6 months I don't know really.....I would say Obi is very bonded to me, certainly in the house and I do the vast majority of training and exercise. So I felt that I needed to help him be on his own for my own peace of mind as much as anything. I agree with Julie you get what you train (eventually ) and so you need to think how you'd like her to be and then plan the incremental steps to get there. Each dog is different and finds different things hard or easy. Charlie cuddles very well but he also manages not to spill the wine glass - them's some serious skills!!!!
Re: Bonnie still attention biting at 6 months Id keep Bonnie on lead when guests arrive and reward her very heavily for remaining sitting (this will probably involve a constant stream of treats, one one per second). Have guests walk away as soon as her butt leaves the ground. Teach and reward a behaviour that is incompatible with jumping and mouthing. Or have her behind the baby gate and toss her treats for being calm and quiet (however long it takes to get a second's silent calm). If she barks or whines, absolutely do not respond to this. Ever. Only quiet gets attention. Don't worry if other people seem disapproving of the barking etc. They have no idea of bringing up a young Labrador. Try to let their comments wash off you. Persist with YOUR planned approach to training. Labradors have been bred over many generations to be highly people oriented (to bring things back to people, to work as a team with a person). That makes them fantastic companions. Just like a Beagle has a powerful inbuilt urge to run off and follow a trail, so a Labrador has a powerful inbuilt urge to get close to and interact with people. She's just trying to do what she was bred for By all means, though, we can and should train and shape that behaviour so our dogs' interactions can be polite and safe.
Re: Bonnie still attention biting at 6 months [quote author=bbrown link=topic=10627.msg157418#msg157418 date=1429386119] Charlie cuddles very well but he also manages not to spill the wine glass - them's some serious skills!!!! [/quote] When he jumps down - as it's time for his evening walk - he missed that wine glass by about an inch...I'd say it's only a matter of time... ;D ;D ;D
Re: Bonnie still attention biting at 6 months Rachael, many thanks, you've picked up on where my anxiety lay (see below). I will do as you suggest and we shall be steadfast! It's likely I have one-(pet)parent wobbles from time to time. We've managed to stop barking at people passing the house now with a "quiet" so we have a new game to learn with all our lovely guests! Your point about labs being bred to be people-dogs is fascinating and I'll be quoting it far and wide! Here's what I was about to post in response to Barbara, Julie, before your reply came through.. I had one pair of nightmare guests this week. I'd already decided, before today, that I won't ever allow them in my and Bonnie's house again. There goes my inheritance but... no one messes with my girl. 8) I have trained I am training (on-going!!) B to behave in a way I find appropriate for me and she's getting pretty good. She's been an angel this week now the rules have changed (one arm things) .... I think, now I've reflected on your comments, that our problem is that she hasn't generalised from not biting/nipping me to the rest of my lovely family (and the rest of them are lovely ) so, yes, I need to train my family better!! I think I've perhaps impulse-posted because my nightmare guests really hurt my feeling this week with what they said about the pup. So I'm being hypersensitive to other comments. My brother was a bit cross today to have his leg nipped (as he was putting a new plug on the hoover* after madam chewed the last one when the dog-sitter left it out of the cupboard!!) but he did say afterwards he'd been a bit hasty. He really loves Bonnie and she him, (part of the problem ;D) *incidentally me, my brother and his kids have running banter about my feminism. Here is the conversation today: Bro: you don't need a new hoover, just put a new plug on Me: will you do it for me? Bro: You're the bloody feminist, do it yourself Me: what? with one arm?
Re: Bonnie still attention biting at 6 months I used to have in-laws who were completely clueless about dogs, but who were nevertheless happy to freely provide advice on all aspects of dog management. Infuriating, aggravating, maddening....and the rest! I wish I'd banned them!! Luckily for me it's a moot point as I have new in-laws now who are far superior. But I agree that you don't have to tolerate criticism, rudeness, bossiness etc from people who are supposed to be guests and who should simply be grateful for your hospitality. Hope you got the Hoover sorted
Re: Bonnie still attention biting at 6 months I have to remember this particular set of parents don't approve of anything, ever!!! The first time they met Bonnie was at a family do where a dozen people were eating a finger buffet on their laps on sofas etc whilst Bonnie sat on the rug in the middle with a chew-toy, minding her own business. Seriously, that is well-impressive pup behaviour and only a fool can't see that. They're idiots. I should say, on the other side of the familty, Bonnie could be sitting on my mother's head, chewing her nose off and my mum'd say, "Ah, she's fine, she's just a pup". Is it shameful I haven't used the hoover yet (this forum/site is too addictive!) ? I'm glad you got nicer in-laws, life can turn out grand, eh?!
Re: Bonnie still attention biting at 6 months If it helps, our home situation is different and we face the same issues! We have four young children of our own so it's certainly not a quiet house. I'm also a childminder so many other children and their families come in to our house every day and they're not quiet either! Tess has company all day but while I am working she's in the utility room separated by a stair gate. I go out and see her lots during the day for short training sessions (although since we started a morning walk she pretty much just sleeps until lunch time!) but she has no problem at all with being on her own. Of course, I blame our situation for the new jumping up and continuing biting/nipping with excitement also!
Re: Bonnie still attention biting at 6 months That definitely helps, it's good to know that it's not our quiet home-life at fault. I need to enlist my family and friends' help as dogs can't generalise; so, at the minute, she must think it's only her mum who yelps when teeth appear... she needs to know we're all wimps, not just me! It has also crossed my mind what a challenge it would be to do this with a big, exciting family, so I see what you're saying! Thank you!
Re: Bonnie still attention biting at 6 months Every member of my family thinks the proper way to say hello to a Labrador is to roll around on the floor with them in a fake wrestling match - even my 80 year old Dad does this (well, he was the one that started it when we were all kids). Apart from my SIL, she doesn't even like having her ears licked. This is bad, bad, bad. And you end up with a hooligan with no manners - but then, Charlie fits right in with the rest of the family. ;D ;D ;D
Re: Bonnie still attention biting at 6 months [quote author=JulieT link=topic=10627.msg157485#msg157485 date=1429439991] . Apart from my SIL, she doesn't even like having her ears licked. [/quote] Please tell me then I'm remembering it wrong.....it wasn't her bra he chewed was it?....while,she was wearing it! ;D ;D ;D
Re: Bonnie still attention biting at 6 months julie, I love that photo, and I am sure Tara would look the same on my recliner - come the day I can get the (slightly chewed) wiring out of the drawer, and get it working again!
