Hi everyone, very excited here as Betty and I off to first puppy training class shortly! Please can I ask - this biting thing... is it normal for them to snap with their teeth at you if you do something they don't like? How do I train her out of this one? For example if she thinks I am going to take something away (which I rarely do) she can snap and try to bite me or when I try to put her harness on (with treats) if she finishes the treats before I have finished putting it on she will snap at me. The biting of our legs is definitely better but it is the quick snap biting that worries me more as it feels aggressive even though I hope normal! She is mad as a hatter at the moment - full of energy, currently running around the garden at high speed at 10.20am and I have this morning taken her outside for a walk (what should be a 15 min walk but I took a good half an hour over it) and played fetch in the garden for 15 min and I still feel like she needs exercise! I am wondering if I need to walk for longer but slowly! Hope she behaves at puppy training... eek! Anyway, thanks all, as always, for any advice XX
Snapping puppy!
- Thread starter lilliput
- Start date
- Location
- Cornwall , UK
Lovely to hear from you again ! Yes, the biting and snapping is normal and not aggression , its very rare for a pup to show aggression at this age, especially a Labrador ! Reuben also hates having his harness on , so I give him something like half a carrot which takes longer to eat, whilst I attempt the task ! Slowly the begin to equate the harness as meaning that fun is ahead , and so become more accepting of what has to happen first, its just frustration on their part at having to endure an unwanted action . I think she is getting plenty of physical exercise , but maybe play some brain games with her to tire the thinking dog out ! @HAH put up a post about hiding treats or kibble inside toilet roll tubes and then folding the ends in and hiding them , its a brilliant idea , Reuben loves it and it doesn't matter too much if they eat the tube ( he does ) . I also play ball games in the hallway with him , retrieving games , tires them out and makes them think ! Good luck at training, let us know how it goes x
Boogie
Moderator
- Location
- Manchester UK
I find this a common response from a frustrated puppy, Spencer - eight months old - has done it until very recently. I would anticipate the frustration and try to pre-empt it as much as possible. But don’t be alarmed at the odd snap - which can get worse as they turn into teenagers. It’s not aggression.
It’s great that you are going to puppy class as this will give you lots of training ideas to keep her busy, an active mind = a tired puppy. An active body = a fit puppy!
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It’s great that you are going to puppy class as this will give you lots of training ideas to keep her busy, an active mind = a tired puppy. An active body = a fit puppy!
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- Location
- Andorra and Spain
Hey @Boogie, I moved @lilliput's original post over here and deleted your copy so that we don't have a duplicate - @kateincornwall had already replied over on the other thread, so I brought that in here, too
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
As @Boogie says, it sounds very much like frustration. I just wrote a post on collar and harness grabs, which Betty might benefit from. It's not quite the same issue as yours, but there is plenty of commonality in how to approach it:
Collar/harness grab
So with the harness, I would approach it really slowly, get her happy about every stage so you can get her to put her head through it (if it's that sort of harness), then treat. Give her as much choice in the process as possible, rather than it being something that happens "to" her.
Here's a little video I took of Squidge when she was a nipper, learning to put her head through it. I'd do things a little more slowly now, but we're always learning!
If you look at 3:45, you can see how she shoves her head through; she's made the connection between that and a treat. And at 4:35... she went out of her way to get her head in it!
As I said, now I would do this far more slowly, and split what I did here into several sessions, but you can see the sort of progression which makes having the harness put on a positive experience rather than a battle.
Collar/harness grab
So with the harness, I would approach it really slowly, get her happy about every stage so you can get her to put her head through it (if it's that sort of harness), then treat. Give her as much choice in the process as possible, rather than it being something that happens "to" her.
Here's a little video I took of Squidge when she was a nipper, learning to put her head through it. I'd do things a little more slowly now, but we're always learning!
If you look at 3:45, you can see how she shoves her head through; she's made the connection between that and a treat. And at 4:35... she went out of her way to get her head in it!
As I said, now I would do this far more slowly, and split what I did here into several sessions, but you can see the sort of progression which makes having the harness put on a positive experience rather than a battle.
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
If you have to take something away from her (which is another skill that needs practicing, I'll find a post I wrote some time ago and put it on here), then before you have trained this, I'd go for a "scatter" approach. A trainer I know says, "if in doubt, throw food on the floor"
So, throw a small handful of tasty treats on the floor for her to hoover up, and as she does so, take away the thing you don't want her to have. By doing this, she won't make the association between you and losing things that are important to her - if she learns that lesson, she'll start playing keep-away, and that can be a hard habit to break.
So, throw a small handful of tasty treats on the floor for her to hoover up, and as she does so, take away the thing you don't want her to have. By doing this, she won't make the association between you and losing things that are important to her - if she learns that lesson, she'll start playing keep-away, and that can be a hard habit to break.
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
Boogie
Moderator
- Location
- Manchester UK
Brill, thanksHey @Boogie, I moved @lilliput's original post over here and deleted your copy so that we don't have a duplicate - @kateincornwall had already replied over on the other thread, so I brought that in here, too
Spencer has a really good ‘give’ now. Unfortunately ‘scatter’ is not allowed in GD puppy training - I do see why, as ignoring food on the floor is an important part of their training at Big School.
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I love this vid of you and Luna. It makes me smile so much. Not only is it just so cute, Its really good because it shows how simply and effectively to teach a pup. Luna is such a sweety
Boogie
Moderator
- Location
- Manchester UK
I like the way the food goes in your mouth first!
lovely to hear from you @lilliput , it sounds exciting you’ve got a puppy class lined up - let us know how you and Betty get on! @kateincornwall mentioned a post I’d put up on toilet roll games, the link’s here: Too many toilet rolls?
You’ll have a sense soon (or already) if Betty’s a chewer and swallower or if she chews then spits things out; if it’s the latter then toilet roll innards are really fun to rip up and play with, but if she tends to swallow stuff you’ll probably want to monitor her play so she doesn’t eat too much cardboard
@snowbunny ’s advice on collars and harnesses is fabulous here - I wish I’d done more of this early on, as Kipper is now 16 months and not keen on his harness at all. We’re working on it, slowly!
You’ll have a sense soon (or already) if Betty’s a chewer and swallower or if she chews then spits things out; if it’s the latter then toilet roll innards are really fun to rip up and play with, but if she tends to swallow stuff you’ll probably want to monitor her play so she doesn’t eat too much cardboard
@snowbunny ’s advice on collars and harnesses is fabulous here - I wish I’d done more of this early on, as Kipper is now 16 months and not keen on his harness at all. We’re working on it, slowly!
- Location
- East Sussex
I like this video too:
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
That's a nice video for teaching a drop away from you. I haven't taught mine to drop stuff in place like that; it's always given to me - definitely easier when you have multiple dogs!!
- Location
- East Sussex
Yes, it's not how I taught it either. I just offered a swap for food and then handed the toy back, but it works and it's nice to have alternatives.
The trainer is an IMDT member. I like the group's ethos that there are different approaches which may work in different situations, the key thing being to remain force-free.
The trainer is an IMDT member. I like the group's ethos that there are different approaches which may work in different situations, the key thing being to remain force-free.
Boogie
Moderator
- Location
- Manchester UK
- Location
- Cornwall , UK
I think Reuben would gladly swap his eye teeth for food too ! In fact they are on their way out !
Thank you @snowbunny for creating a new forum and thank you all for your reassurance and lots of advice. Great to know that all of this is normal as honestly friends that I have mentioned this to always look surprised, even the ones with labradors (maybe they have just forgotten!). Puppy training was good fun - just introductions really today as 12 weeks of training. Betty was v v crazily excited and I was proud when she sat every time I asked her to (she learnt early that if she sits she gets a treat!). I'm trying to get on with some work (children went back to school today) so have just given toilet rolls with kibble in, thanks for the tip! She is a chewer and I think spitter. The recycling tub has lots of fun things in it! Off for another quick walk - nothing I do today is wearing her out!!!
Boogie
Moderator
- Location
- Manchester UK
Spencer had a box to rip up today - the recycling bin is full of card and dog hair now!
(Sweeping up the card means sweeping up lots of dog hair with it!
)
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(Sweeping up the card means sweeping up lots of dog hair with it!
).