[lisa]

i took Gracie out for our nightly walk, we saw a couple of kids playing ball. One of the boys went to pet her and she tried to mouth his hand. Gracie is 7 months old, is this normal. Can't remember to much puppy behavior w my old lab, kids were young, puppy was young and I was 14 years younger..ha ha. What would be a good correction for this when it happens. She is so cute everyone wants to pet her, but she is not always to receptive to it. Thanks
lisa

 

[Dakkerdog]

This would be good time to start enforcing sit. I just ask kids not to say hi unless my dogs are in a sit - you would surprised how cooperative they can be. And then I teach them to rub under the chin so that the mouth doesn't naturally follow the hand.

 

[lisa]

Thanks so much for the suggestion. I am going to try it today

 

[BigBrownDog]

Personally, I would only allow her at this point around older children you know who are dog savvy. You should warn them that your puppy will put her mouth on their hand - emphasize that this is play for her - and ask them to help you in working to curb this behavior. Then have them do the thing you have been doing to check her on it (have you been curling her lip under the tooth like I suggested?).

In any event - I would NOT allow her to interact yet with strange or small kids. You will have a whole other problem on your hands if some parent decides that your dog bit her child.

She should have been trained as a younger puppy to stop being mouthy and she should have been properly socialized around kids too - but you got her as an older puppy with some minor issues - get them corrected so her manners are better and then get back to socializing her around smaller children.

This CAN be done - my chocolate was a mouthy, rambunctious beast when I got him (at 6 months) and I would not have ever let him have contact with a small child - but last winter (at not quite 3 years old) we had a family party with at least 7 kids under the age of 8 here and he was gentle and patient with them all.

 

[Samson]

Normal behaviour that needs gentle correction !

 

[lisa]

Well I tried the tooth thing...it just made her more mad. She is a tough cookie this one. Seems like if I correct her w a sharp no and just channel her energy in another direction or simply walk away and ignore her a few min, she stops. Is this teaching her though? Gentle correction seems to be the way w this girl. Thanks again for everyone's help...you guy's are the best

 

[justine]

I think walking away and ignoring her is an okay method, if it works for you and your dog. That's what I do with Abbey when she jumps, I turn my back on her and ignore her completely until she calms down. It's a very good method, but you have to be absolutely, 100% consistent with it and everyone needs to be on the same page, or it won't work

 

[lisa]

Thanks I do tell everyone to use the same correction w her.