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LOL!So very true! I thought we were chicken flavored for a while!
LOL!So very true! I thought we were chicken flavored for a while!
It is funny now, it sure was not then!LOL!
I'm so glad things are going better. Lab pups are for the most part scary smart and eager to please. He wants you to be happy with him. Praise is the greatest thing to him. Use lots of it. Don't feel awful. Puppies are very forgivingFirst off....thank you all sooooo much for the wonderful advice! Boy, did I need it. So I called a trainer referred by some friends and followed the advice he gave me (which mimicked most of yours) and just doing this for 1/2 a day he's changed and learned so much! So basically I've been doing the ignoring method. The instant he bites or growls I immediately either remove myself or him for a couple min. Then I come back and only start giving him attention if he's being good. I'm telling after only doing this 3 times he seemed to get it! We actually had an enjoyable day with him! Now at the end of the day I don't even have to leave if he starts up. I can ignore him and he stops biting, sits down nicely and stares at me....being a very good boy!!! I've been praising him like crazy all day....playing with him every time he comes and asks nicely ( instead of biting and barking). Im hoping that it'll be just a couple more days....a week at most and we will have no more biting!!!!! I was so stupid before...trying all these physical things. The trainer I talked to said our puppy was on the defensive with us. He's associated the word no with physical pain from me. So now every time we say no bite he I,immediately bites more and harder because he thinks he's gonna be pushed down by me. I feel awful. I'm the one who needed the training.... Oh thank you guys so much. My hubby loved the advise as well.
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LOL! Sorry for laughing, but you're bringing back some wonderful memories.Seriously guys.... is this really normal???? He seems to turn into Cujo when he gets in these moods!!!
And another question. I don't want to be forced to play with him when HE wants to play. When I wake up I have to get myself and the kids ready, it's busy busy busy. How do I, or how does he, learn that we play on MY time. Is this something that will come as he gets older?
Guess what? Puppy = baby. He is learning. He is still a new member of your household. He can't talk, and he's the only furry four-legged creature. Cut him some slack.but..... don't you sort of feel like you are 'giving in' to them? I know dogs need walks, and play, and mental stimulation and all that... but I want to do it on MY time, not theirs. I don't want to feel like I HAVE to do this or that or I'll be in trouble from my dog. What if I'm sick? What if I'm in the middle of something important? I'm having a baby in December.... what if I'm trying to feed the baby or deal with that and can't get to playing or walking right when HE wants it? I want him to be a good boy. If i say "go lay down" I want him to go lay down! Now, if I say that he gets PISSED and bites and growls at me! It seems that living this way would mean the dog is the Alpha, the one in control of my household and I do not like that.
I see what you mean, IMHO, I know (thanks to this wonderful site) that bringing a puppy home ment extra hassle/chores/responsibility depending how you see it. That means even when I don't want to walk in the rain at 6am its my job and responsibility to do so for her, IF I want a well behaved calm pup. If I don't do these things she will be a crazed frantic biting monster.but..... don't you sort of feel like you are 'giving in' to them? I know dogs need walks, and play, and mental stimulation and all that... but I want to do it on MY time, not theirs. I don't want to feel like I HAVE to do this or that or I'll be in trouble from my dog. What if I'm sick? What if I'm in the middle of something important? I'm having a baby in December.... what if I'm trying to feed the baby or deal with that and can't get to playing or walking right when HE wants it? I want him to be a good boy. If i say "go lay down" I want him to go lay down! Now, if I say that he gets PISSED and bites and growls at me! It seems that living this way would mean the dog is the Alpha, the one in control of my household and I do not like that.