Help with boisterous puppy

[Marvellousmutts1]

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Hey there,

Just looking for some training advice. I have a 7 month old male puppy who acts really boisterous and aggressive towards my partner Andy. The puppy also constantly trys mounting Andy. He barks and snaps at him when we sit near each other. Is this behaviour a dominaince thing or jealous? Its really frustrated and we dont know what to do.

Any advice would be great.

Thanks

Hannah

 

[eingana]

Hi Hannah

You haven't said what breed your puppy is or whether he's neutered yet, and both of these are likely to be influential on his actions, but his age may trump both of them.

He's just entering the 'stroppy teenager' boundary testing phase and even the most biddable and sweet puppy is not immune to this unfortunately, which is why so many pups of a similar age end up in rescue. The answer is that when the going gets tough, the tough start a new phase of training to combat it all

The mounting is probably part dominance, part jealousy, part boundary testing and part new hormones. The answer to that is to remove all of the attention that he receives when he's doing it (or any of the snapping and barking).

Presumably he's a lot nicer and friendlier to you? You can use your popularity with him to your advantage in training.

If you're sitting on the sofa together (you and Andy) and your pup starts anything at all which is over the top, boisterous or aggressive you both just stand up, fold your arms up so he can't try to reach for your hands and turn your back on him. Don't look at him, don't shout at him, don't brush him off, just act like he's not there and pointedly stand facing away from him. The first time you do this he will go ballistic and try to get your attention, so if he runs around your front to get your attention just turn away again.

The important thing is that you do this at the very first sign of something unpleasant. Don't wait until he's snapping, get it at the first bark or growl, before he's had a chance to get himself worked up.

When he's calm you quietly sit back down and carry on like nothing happened, including fussing him if he's calm and being good.

Repeat x100 (or so) and he will get the message that you don't appreciate his actions and that he will lose your attention (the one who he really wants to keep to himself) if he does it.

Standing up and withdrawing attention works with mouthing, getting worked up during play and a whole load of other things too- it's a message to them that they don't get the attention when they do these things and they learn really quickly

I guarantee that this won't be the last of the teenage phase issues, but if you put in the work you'll get there.

Good luck

 

[Marvellousmutts1]

Brilliant! Thanks for all the advice. I'll give it a try. (w00t)

 

[goldenbear2013]

Awesome advice as always! :thumbsup:

I would add that if he continues to jump, mouth etc when you turn your back to him, walk off into another room so you are completely away from him.

I used to turn my back and cross my arms with mine and it didn't work very well until I walked off and he used to just stand and think "she's ignorning me?!?!?!?!?!'

He used to chase after me, but again I continued to walk round the house, with my arms folded until he realized that his behavior was getting him no where.

BUT!!!! Mine got so bad, I used to have to put him in his crate for time outs. He didn't come out until he was calm. he used to trash his bed when he was behaving like this, so I used to have to take everything out of it and put him in it with it bare. Only when he was calm that he came out.

First time I did this, it took over 40 trips to his crate in the space of 1 hour and 1/2 period for him to get the message, so when Eingana says be prepared to repeat this over and over again she literally means it!!!

Mines 2 now and I would probably say only in the last 6 months has he not needed a time out.

Be prepared for this to last a while and get him neutered as soon as you are able. Some say leave it until they are around 1 year of age, but if you cannot combat the humping etc then it may be best to get him done sooner rather than later.

Good Luck!

Sophie x

 

[Raven oaktree]

Hi Hannah ..you have my sympathies. I have an almost 10mth old GSD cross ...the advice from the others as always is spot on..so the only advice i can give (as someone who hasnt come through the other end yet) is drink..and drink alot !! hahahahahah, it makes you forget what they got up to and you can start each day anew hahahahahaha, obviously only joking (not before 6pm anyway).

The others are right, it gets easier. There is a huge difference in Willow from a month ago. we still have not so good days..today is one of them. She is in her crate for the 6th time today and she is currently howling like ive stapled her ears to the floor ..is it nearly 6 oclock yet?..it must be ..surely ?