NEW PUPPY - Page 1

Hi my name is Camille and this is my husbands sign in so if my question is stupid don't blame him. lol   Anyway we have had Schutzhund Dogs for many years but never brought them up from a puppy.  My puppy is now 14 weeks old and is driving me crazy.  He is teething on my legs and it hurts like hell.  The problem is my trainer tells me not to tell him no to biting on me or anything else in the house.  Trainer claims this will quash his bite drive.  This makes no sense to me as my leg is not a bite sleeve.  Trainer said to just be ready at all times to give him a chew bone.  I have tried that but he still likes my ankles and legs.  Can I please help me as to how you feel about this.  The puppy does spend most of his time is a crate but once out look out.  Thank You !

First of all, get the pup out of the crate. He should not be spending, as you write, most of his time in his crate. He needs exercise and stimulation. Secondly, your trainer, while he/she might say not to discourage biting, yes, he/she should give a better alternative or help you learn how to do this so you are not the object of the biting.

The idea is to shift the focus of the pup from your leg to something else, be it a chew bone, or a leather rag or something he can play with and perhaps with you. Almost all pups bite initially as it is simply their way of exploring the world around them. When I have a pup around, I make sure I have on long sleeves and old clothes so that it does not hurt so much. And in time, if trying to shift attention to something else to bite does not help (and I have never seen this not work), then yes, I would grab the pup by the muzzle and say "ouch" and then try to engage it in some other kind of activity. A tired pup is the best thing you can do to help yourself now. Get that pup out and let him play and chase a ball or a rag on a rope etc. If the pup is a strong willed pup, even telling it "no" firmly now and then when he/she tries to bite should have no real effect later on when the dog is brought into drive and allowed and encouraged to bite a rag, tug, or puppy sleeve.

Good luck.

The pup is in the crate because trainer said he should be there always unless out going bathroom or if I’m playing / working with him.  I do play with leather rag on stick and ball, but was told not to over do and never let him have a ball unless training, so as to not cut down ball drive.  We have a 3 year old Schutzhund in the house and he gave the puppy what for when the pup bit him.  I felt what works for him should work for me as his alpha.  I would not hit pup just a firm no.  My trainer saw me get pups teeth out of my leg, I took pups face made him look in my eyes and gave him a firm “NO” and the trainer was all over me for saying no.  This trainer is great with the older Schutzhund Dogs but his puppy ideas I’m not thrilled with.  Thank you !

sounds like a crappy trainer......sorry

you should be building a bond with your pup by spending time with him,playing disaplining and getting to know him

the pup should not be crated unless left unsupervised or sleeping.

my advice is get a new trainer and socialise train and bond

for the biting try bitter apple spray on your legs ... i know its cheating but it worked for me with a persistent nipper:)

Thank you so very much.  I felt the same thing and just needed to hear what others thought.  I felt so dumb after having GSD'S for years.  I had only used this Trainer for bite work on older dogs before.  I will be taking puppy else where now.

 All I know is, I would hate to be that trainers' puppy. I'd call it abuse!

There is nothing wrong with the trainer, I would not pass judgment on him based on what you said. Yes you should not say no to a dog when he bites on your legs (talking about working puppy) get him a toy and make it more interesting, will it squash his drives lol nope, it will not build it that's for sure :). You don't make the toy interesting enough for the dog to focus on it instad of your legs. I am pretty sure what the trainer said is to keep him in a create if you can't suppervise him, and than when he gets in trouble you go out on him. Common practice and recomendation by most of the trainers, can't keep an eye on a dog don't let him out. That dose not mean don't let him out at all. Just allocate appropriate amount of time for him. Is funny how you choose to listen to opinion of people on a public forum, that might or might not have any experitce, rather than to a guy that you been training with for a while. There is nothing wrong with a create people, as long as you allocate appropriate time for your dog to exercise and play.