Puppy rearing advice needed, please

[flutterbee]

You have to touch the face in order for the dog to get used to being handled. Touch the face, the paws, the tail, take food and toys away from them while puppies and then give it back (to teach them not to become food/toy aggressive). They need to become used to it so when examined by a vet they are ok and so nails can be trimmed, so they don't snap at someone trying to take a toy or food away, etc.

FWIW, Jewel loves her face rubbed. She nuzzles my hand with her snout and as I rub her cheek, she relaxes and lies down. But, you're right...there is a whole dog to pet.

 

[donna723]

Another thing that you should do with a new puppy - one I really really really wish I had done - get them used to you handling their paws when they're very little! Hold their little feet a lot, rub their paws, play with their toes. If they get used to having their feet handled when they're very little, it will save you a whole world of grief when it comes time for the dreaded toe nail clippings! Wish I had done this - live and learn! Mine are terrible about it! The last time Katy had a really good "manicure" was when the vet did her nails when she was having surgery - she had to be unconscious! It was a major accomplishment when I finally got her nails clipped a few weeks ago - I ended up sitting on the floor with her and it took about an hour but I did it!

 

[Star*]

Okay to clarify -

YES - you NEED to make sure your dog gets used to being touched and handled at ALL parts of their body - what I am talking about is if the puppy is rambunctious and mouthing the last place you touch them is the snout.
When it is "SCHOOL" or down time - of COURSE stroke the face, nose, muzzle and get them used to your opening their mouth for checking teeth, tongues, giving medications if necessary and not fearing your hands.

But I still maintain that if they are biting, mouthing, nipping, playing with open mouth and you stick your hand near their mouth or try to SHUT their snout without saying NO BITE - you are encouraging the mouthing behavior.

And like with DF - Pootie will be laying all by herself and he STARTS to pet her at her face, she mouths, then he gets angry when she bites - I suggest petting her belly, back, sparkle fanny FIRST, and work your way up to the mouth when she is calm. If she starts to bite - say no bite and REMOVE your hand don't continue to pet her face and encourage mouthing and nipping.

Mustang - I know what you meant about Taz.

True story - DF had just gotten his Pit Bull - he was 8 weeks old. He took him to the shop and the puppy was laying by himself on a dog bed. A man walked in and said "Oh is that a Pit Bull pup?" DF said "Yes it is, just got him." and the man walks over and took our pups head in his hands and shook back and forth, back and forth and then in a baby voice said 'you like that? you like that?" so DF walked behind him and grabbed the boy by both ears and shook HIS head and in the same mock baby voice said 'you like that? you like that?" the man stood there like WT? and DF said - if you don't like it done to YOU - HOW do you suppose he likes it at his size?"

I recently had to do the same with a young man at work. He extended his arm to her nose over and over, making almost wiping gestures. When she growled and barked he reached out and said NO and then popped her in the side of the face. I calmly as I could got up and pawed at him, when he didn't understand WHY I kept reaching for his arm I reached out and slapped his arm. He said WT? and I said - IF YOU didn't like it on your arm at 6'4" and 185 lbs, 28 years old - I can guarantee she didn't like being bothered in her face at 14 weeks, 10 lbs, and 12" high.....and if you ever EVER pop my puppy again - we are going to have serious problems.....you started it - you got what you deserved. Pet her butt, her shoulders her back - her belly but DO NOT start with her face and shaking her head or teasing her and NOT expect her to return the PLAY."

Thats the 'stuff" I was refering to. If you encourage it - you are going to get bit, and it's a hard behavior to correct if ever. If the puppy is doing it - and your first reaction is to put YOUR hand to HIS mouth? YOU are encouraging it. When everyone is calm - and no play is emminent? SURE pet away - but pet the back first - then work up to the nose - if the pup opens his mouth - I would pet something else and come back to that as a soothing /calming technique. I could be wrong, I just know if I am excited and talking and you stick your fingers in my face - I'm gonna bite ya.

And have.

 

[Shari]

I had a husky who mouthed forever and was very hard headed. The lack of attention and loud "NO BITE" didn't sink in with him, so I sought a trainer at doggie school (first dog I ever took to a school and I LOVED it - every dog after that went until I felt confident to attempt it on my own).

This dog tended to mouth hands as you walked, trying to get your attention to pet him, etc. The trainer's advice, eventually (after trying a lot of other things first) was to grab back when he put your hand in his mouth along with the firm "NO BITE" and then withdrawing your hand so he couldn't get to it. It was easier to do on the bottom jaw, but you just position your hand so that when he bites, your palm is down, and grab back - not hard, just enough to give some pressure - and say the "no bite" or whatever it is you want to be able to say.

That's the only dog I had to do this with - the rest understood a firm "no bite" and leaving. But this dog came to me older and more set in his ways and I've never had a dog so hard headed as the two huskies I eventually owned - loved them to pieces, but very hard headed dogs. This seemed logical to me, and proved very quick with him when nothing else seemed to be sinking in.

(PS - I hope I will have another Husky some day, but it will be long after difficult child's...lol)

 

[mstang67chic]

Huskies? Hard headed???

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

OMG...those and Beagles....two of the most stubborn breeds I've ever been around. Smart too which when mixed with stubborn makes for some interesting times.

 

[Star*]

Huskies - while absolutely GEORGEOUS, and I mean phenominally beautiful and mysterious are one of the hardest breeds to train - but once worked with are among the most intelligent.

I hope you dont wait too long for your new love.

www.petfinders.com - lots of shelter dogs on there just waiting for a forever home.

 

[DammitJanet]

Ya know, I had a dog..cant remember now which one it was...but that would not bite but would use its mouth to hug you. It would take your hand in its mouth and guide you over to the couch or chair wait until you sat down and then jump in your lap. Never used any pressure or force but it was like holding hands for the dog. It must have been Heidi or her daughter Gretchen.

We teach all our dogs to "take food gently" from our hands. I know they really shouldnt get people food but there are too many kids here and we cant have a dog that would take food from a kid roughly so all dogs take food very gently. You can stick your hands and fingers into my dogs mouths and not get bit.

 

[Abbey]

Huskies are adorable. Probably my most favorite pet I've had of all time. Sabo. Someone took him from me many eons ago. Loads of energy.

Beagles? Sorry...dumb as a door knob. I'd try to train those dogs in vain. They would never look you in the eye, which is a key training thing. Their nose was always to the ground, which is their nature. Cute...big brown eyes, but DUMB.

Abbey

 

[Shari]

I loved my husky, but much like a difficult child, sometimes you had to approach things differently with him. Wish I could post a picture from here, he was GORGEOUS and had a spirit like no other. I put him to sleep when he was 13 years old. He had congestive heart failure and an abcessed tooth got the better of him. The vet didn't feel he'd survive the surgery to remove the tooth. At 13, tho, it was just time.

He was a shelter dog, too. The best of both worlds. Was difficult child 1's best friend and gaurdian, and so incredibally smart. Which made him incredibally hard to train, but he and our lab that died last year vie for position of top dog in my heart. They were both incredible dogs. If I could clone a dog, it woud be one of those two. I plan to have another, but I don't think I have the patience while I still have a young difficult child...

There was one at the shelter during my last trip. Mine had beautiful ice blue eyes and was black white and gray. This one was white with just hints of yellow and piercing yellow eyes. His head was large and his nose was very long - he looked very primitive, and nothing, and I mean NOTHING, in that shelter was either missed OR outwardly reacted to. He sat there, stoicly, taking it all in. He has been adopted (I went back and looked) and I bet he is a very interesting dog.

 

[Abbey]

You know, Shari, Sabo had those ice blue eyes. Piercing. He was BEAUTIFUL. I loved that dog. He was huge, tons of energy that had to be redirected constantly, but so loveable. When someone took him from my acre back yard that was fenced, I was devastated. We had wolves by us. He'd howl with them at night.

No, it wasn't a wolf that took him. Someone cut the lock on our fence. Jerks. I just hope whoever took him gave him a good life.

Abbey

 

[donna723]

My daughter once came home with a gorgeous Husky puppy, just beautiful, with the pale blue eyes. I could have smacked her though for not doing a little research on the breed before she bought one! They're very smart but stubborn ... and just plain goofy! They're a breed that needs a very firm hand and lots of training early on so they don't get the upper hand - my daughter kind of overlooked this! I'll never forget the sight of that big silly dog bouncing up and down on the sofa cushions with a big grin on her face, just like a kid. Everything is a big joke to them, a game, very hard to discipline and train, in my humble opinion. I'd try to get her to do something ... she'd hunker down and give me this big mischevious tongue-lolling grin, like "Make me!"

 

[Shari]

My husky smiled, too. Especially when you rubbed him in just the right place.

He learned "down" and "stay" in doggie school, and one night, at school, we were practicing this. I put him on a down stay, with all the other "dog parents" and walked to the other side of the building. He crawled, on his belly, all the way to me.

I tried to correct him, but everyone was laughing so hard, it was really lost...he was down. And he stayed down...<insert eye roll here>

Perhaps I was being trained for future difficult child's. LOL