It really is two steps forward and one back....one to the side, upside down with puppies. Good for training people to be quiet with him. Also be careful of ramped up excitement with humans eg during computer games.
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Help Needed on Puppy Agression
- Thread starter BlueBear
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Our next strategy is, when we are in the living room and he starts biting again, get him to sit by showing him a treat and only when he is calm, giving him it. The only problem is that I'm not sure if I would be teaching him to bit and bark in order to get the treat ?
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I think that's a very real risk, and you risk confusing him if you use more than one strategy. You've seen a lot of improvement in a short space of time, and there will be setbacks. I would stick with removing him (or you) from the room the moment he oversteps the mark, and trying to keep everything calm in his environment. Remember that at his age, even when he understands what he should do, he can't always control his urges, and the more 'energy' there is in the environment, the harder it'll be for him to control himself.
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I spoke to the breeder and they seem to think he could be over stimulated, especially in the evening and he is getting cranky. She said give him 3 naps a day even if he doesn't seem like he wants one because we may be keeping him awake and stimulated for too long.
We will try this and continue with isolating him for bad behavior and see how we go, although it seems like this could well be the problem as he was much better behaved in previous days.
We will try this and continue with isolating him for bad behavior and see how we go, although it seems like this could well be the problem as he was much better behaved in previous days.
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I never really understand how you can give a dog a nap if he doesn't want one... but if you can encourage him to have some down time, that would be good. I taught my dog 'On your bed, settle down' and it did (sometimes) work when he was in that cranky overtired evening phase.
How long are you leaving him isolated for each time?
How long are you leaving him isolated for each time?
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Please don't think it's bad behaviour its perfectly normal puppy behaviour ...you can give him time out but please dont isolate him ...he is only a baby still even though he looks older because he is a giant breed .....these early weeks are so crucial to how he develops as an adult ..puppies are like having a new born baby bloomin hard work .....you will get there 
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He has had a few more hours sleep this afternoon and so far quiet and calm. We will wait and and see what happens later but for now he is doing great.
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Please don't think it's bad behaviour its perfectly normal puppy behaviour ...you can give him time out but please dont isolate him ...he is only a baby still even though he looks older because he is a giant breed .....these early weeks are so crucial to how he develops as an adult ..puppies are like having a new born baby bloomin hard work .....you will get there
We only isolate him for about 10 seconds then let him in the room again.
I know what you mean about hard work ...
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Have you seen the new dog Teddys for pups ...I think they are JML but you can buy them in asda Robert dyas...you warm it in the microwave and it simulates a heartbeat...I wonder if this would settle your boy ....
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A quick update ....
First, the HuggiePup has arrived at Argos so I'll get Bev to pick it up after she has come back from her mums. I'll do a review on here after a few days of using it if you like ?
Second, yesterday Bev gave Blue a lot more rest and altered the feeding times a bit. He now has 07:30, 11:30, 15:30 and 19:30 with a nap between meals (whether he likes it or not). He still had a few moments yesterday evening but nothing like what was happening on Sunday. He seemed a lot more calmer and even Charlie (our 14 year old) who he bit before, is playing with him again. So I think we may have been over stimulating him as well as not handling the biting very well.
The breeder also thought we were over stimulating him too, and as has been mentioned on here, because he is so big for an 11 week old puppy its easy to forget he is just a baby and not up to running around the garden 3 times a day. So we have curbed the activities and he seems a bit better.
First, the HuggiePup has arrived at Argos so I'll get Bev to pick it up after she has come back from her mums. I'll do a review on here after a few days of using it if you like ?
Second, yesterday Bev gave Blue a lot more rest and altered the feeding times a bit. He now has 07:30, 11:30, 15:30 and 19:30 with a nap between meals (whether he likes it or not). He still had a few moments yesterday evening but nothing like what was happening on Sunday. He seemed a lot more calmer and even Charlie (our 14 year old) who he bit before, is playing with him again. So I think we may have been over stimulating him as well as not handling the biting very well.
The breeder also thought we were over stimulating him too, and as has been mentioned on here, because he is so big for an 11 week old puppy its easy to forget he is just a baby and not up to running around the garden 3 times a day. So we have curbed the activities and he seems a bit better.
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And for taking on board all of the suggestions
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A quick update on Blue and how we are getting on over the past few weeks. We bought the HuggiePup and put it in his bed with him and although it seemed to settle him at first, it wasn't long before he was shaking it around like all his other toys. I can see the value in this toy for dogs that are insecure or have real anxiety though. If Blue was anxious or feeling insecure I'm 100% sure it would help a lot.
He has grown a lot in the past couple of weeks and is almost double the size. He is a gorgeous fluffy bundle now and his personality is really starting to come through. After several days of monitoring the biting we concluded he does it at its worst, mainly between 7pm and 10pm at night so we decided that during this time we would put him in the kitchen with the stair gate closed to the living room where we sit watching TV. He can still see us and we can see what he is up to and we let him in from time to time.... BUT ! ... when the biting starts, he is escorted out of the room into the kitchen again and the stair gate is shut again. So far this has given us the confidence we need to deal with him when he is at his worst, because during the day, and as time has gone on, there is no biting or jumping, just a fun puppy that is (for most of the time) well behaved.
Another saving grace has been the ability to take him out for short walks now he is fully vaccinated. When he comes home from his walk he soon falls to sleep for a couple of hours and wakes up quite calm and contented. He enjoys his food and demolishes in seconds, afterwards we taken him out for a walk a while later (3 times a day) and then he comes home and rests again. Having a routine has been another big win in getting his behaviour under control.
Recently we discovered "pig ears" which we get of the "dog man" off the market on a Tuesday and Saturday. He can sit quite contented chewing away on a pig ear which distracts him from shoes, bags and other items we have lying around. It's also a natural product so it shouldn't have any nasty side effects.
So far I think we have turned the corner and on the road to success, thanks to all your help and reassurance. Just three weeks ago, Bev wanted Blue re-homed and wouldn't dare come out of the bedroom. She now copes so well with him and his biting, never getting cross, just firm and direct (as it should be).
So from the disaster of a few weeks ago, we have now gone to this....
He has grown a lot in the past couple of weeks and is almost double the size. He is a gorgeous fluffy bundle now and his personality is really starting to come through. After several days of monitoring the biting we concluded he does it at its worst, mainly between 7pm and 10pm at night so we decided that during this time we would put him in the kitchen with the stair gate closed to the living room where we sit watching TV. He can still see us and we can see what he is up to and we let him in from time to time.... BUT ! ... when the biting starts, he is escorted out of the room into the kitchen again and the stair gate is shut again. So far this has given us the confidence we need to deal with him when he is at his worst, because during the day, and as time has gone on, there is no biting or jumping, just a fun puppy that is (for most of the time) well behaved.
Another saving grace has been the ability to take him out for short walks now he is fully vaccinated. When he comes home from his walk he soon falls to sleep for a couple of hours and wakes up quite calm and contented. He enjoys his food and demolishes in seconds, afterwards we taken him out for a walk a while later (3 times a day) and then he comes home and rests again. Having a routine has been another big win in getting his behaviour under control.
Recently we discovered "pig ears" which we get of the "dog man" off the market on a Tuesday and Saturday. He can sit quite contented chewing away on a pig ear which distracts him from shoes, bags and other items we have lying around. It's also a natural product so it shouldn't have any nasty side effects.
So far I think we have turned the corner and on the road to success, thanks to all your help and reassurance. Just three weeks ago, Bev wanted Blue re-homed and wouldn't dare come out of the bedroom. She now copes so well with him and his biting, never getting cross, just firm and direct (as it should be).
So from the disaster of a few weeks ago, we have now gone to this....
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That's a terrific result, well done!
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I really love a happy ending - and love this forum so much because it can make all the difference between that and a tragedy
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