Moon's Graden

Hi all. We've got an 8 week old German Shepherd Dog "mix" (tiny bit of
Chow). (She was a "rescue". Had her since 4 wks. Yes, she was young.
Anyway...)

At about 6 weeks, she has started to find her place in the family pack. She
has been nipping at the kids and my wife's heels and feet and "chewing" on
our hands and arms. (Not much with me any more. I must be Alpha)

We've got the appropriate toys for her and provide them when she attempts to
chew on us and is given a deep "NO".

Will she grow out of this, or should we be doing something else? ("Bitter
apple" on us, perhaps?)

She is being crate trained and quiets after a minute or so, and sleeps from
about 10PM to 5:30AM and does most all of her "business" out side. (just
learned the doggie door in two days.)
We've had dogs before. (Two black lab-spaniel mix for 10 years. Both passed
on in the past 3 months.)

Thanks!
Brian Christie
Brianc at PE dot NET

Have you tried the "puppy yelp" imitation everytime your dog nips at heels or
chews on hands or arms?  If this gets her attention and she stops the behavior
follow immediately with praise.

I need more information about your timing.  If you do the object replacement
and then a deep No after the object replacement she may think you are saying No
to the replacement object.

An extended play session following every nip with a puppy yelp, and then a
replacement object (appropriate chew toy) and praise when she takes the
replacement object should help and carry over to the non play session times.

--
Adrienne
Gremlin, Bruno, Lewis, Yoko, Freneau

John Muir, "Stickeen: The Story of a Dog"
http://www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/writings/stickeen/the_sto...

(In memory of Pepe, Pepper, Cinder, Rascal, Tucker, Max, Hubble, Puppy and
Henry Young)

Adrienne,
Thanks for the info. Yes, our timing is correct and swift.
Bite..."No"...replacement object...when she takes it...high-pitched "good
girl" and a pet or three.

I'll try having the family do the "puppy yelp" and see if that works.

Thanks!!
Brian Christie

<snip>

Try it during an extended play session until she connects "yelp" (it should
be fairly high pitched) and pain to your hand.  Maybe hold a squeaky toy in
your hand and everytime she nips your hand rather than the toy let out a
yelp or ouch.  Try to keep going with the play session until it seems that
she's starting to get it - 15 minutes, and half hour, etc.

I also try to visually convey that the nip hurts by holding my hand or
ankle.  Sometimes if necessary I start whinning like a puppy while holding
my hand.  Then of course the praise when she grabs the squeaky toy instead
of your hand.

--
Adrienne
Gremlin, Bruno, Lewis, Yoko, Freneau

John Muir, "Stickeen: The Story of a Dog"
http://www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/writings/stickeen/the_sto...

(In memory of Pepe, Pepper, Cinder, Rascal, Tucker, Max, Hubble and Puppy)

Hello Brian,

The information in the Wits' End Dog Training Method manual available
for free at http://www.moonsgarden.com/ will be more effective than
bitter apple or any advice that you are going to find anywhere, and
will teach you everything you need to know to properly raise and
train your pup without fear, force, confrontation, or punishment.

Forget about the alpha stuff, it's all bunk.

;-) DRAINING THE SWAMP, AND RELOCATING THE
GATORS... J>>>

"CUSTOM WILL RECONCILE PEOPLE TO ANY
ATROCITY." G.B. Shaw.

"I know that most men, including those at ease with problems
of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept even the
simplest and most obvious truth if it would oblige them to
admit the falsity of conclusions which they have delighted in
explaining to colleagues, proudly taught to others, and which
they have woven, thread by thread, into the fabric of their
lives."
                                             Leo Tolstoy

Is it any wonder that the following sig file has generated more
complaints to my personal email than any other controversial
post I have made to date, bar none?:

                                            caveat
If you have to do things to your dog to train him, that you would
rather not have to do, then you shouldn't be doing them. If you
have a dog trainer that tells you to jerk your dog around, ***
him, pinch his ears, or twist his toes, shock, shake, slap, scold,
hit, or punish him in any manner, that corrections are
appropriate, that the dog won't think of you as the punisher,
or that corrections are not harmful, or if they can't train your
dog to do what you want, look for a trainer that knows Howe.

Sincerely,
Jerry Howe,
Wits' End Dog Training

http://www.moonsgarden.com/
Nature, to be mastered, must be obeyed.
                      -Francis Bacon-

There are terrible people who, instead of solving a problem,
bungle it and make it more difficult for all who come after.  Who
ever can't hit the nail on the head should, please, not hit at all.
                     -Nietzsche-

The abilities to think, rationalize and solve problems are learned
qualities.

The Wits' End Dog Training Method challenges the learning
centers in the dogs brain. These centers, once challenged,
develop and continue to grow exponentially, to make him smarter.

The Wits' End Dog Training method capitalizes on praising split
seconds of canine thought, strategy, and timing, not mindless
hours of forced repetition, constant corrections, and scolding.
                  -Jerry Howe-