Do NOT allow your puppy at 5 pounds to do what you do NOT want it to do at 50 pounds.
Training of your new puppy starts the moment you get it, but have realistic expectations.
Just like a "baby" it will not have the retention ability necessary to be trained as such, but
it is time to establish a relationship of control. To this end by the time they are 4 months old
every Puppy should be trained to obey at least five basic commands - "Come," "Sit,"
"Heel," "Stay" and "Lie Down." The reason is to ensure that you are the master and that it
knows that it is to obey, this should be the basis of your relationship.
The best way to teach your dog obedience is to attend a dog obedience school and/or
classes. There are also many good books on obedience training but often we do not put into
practice what we read. Classes which both you and your puppy attend are the very best
method of accomplishing the task.
Are You Making Your Dog Aggressive???
Some people think it is funny to see a puppy of any breed get it's dander up, as
Grandmother use to say, but it's such a horrible thing to do to any animal or human. It
is sadistic and this type of treatment will make any bred of dog mean…this is exactly the
treatment to which Pit Bulls are subjected to make them into killer dogs.
I have seen seemingly normal people laugh and think it was funny when their Chihuahua
attacked the pant leg of a friend because the friend sat down in the dog's chair. Just
think if this was a powerful big dog. I have also had people to tell me proudly about
their "protective" Bully who acts very similar! I cringe, thinking of the possible damage
any big dog could do to a person, especially one as tenacious as a Bulldog. If anyone who
has one of my "babies" ever tells me anything of this nature, I will not be able to
contain myself and you will not want to hear what I will say because I foresee the Bully
having to be put down!!! When a Bulldog and many other breeds lock down on something in
anger it does not let go!!
Really Spoiling Your Dog
If you start off holding and cuddling your puppy all the time, it will expect it and
become more demanding with time, just like a child. I've had people to tell me they put
their puppy to sleep by walking, rocking or giving it a hand upon which to chew. And
after a few days they always picked it up when they heard first whimper to prevent a full-
blown fit because they didn't want it stressed. Then these same people wondered why it
nipped them when it was 4 months old and didn't get its way!!
When you treat your dog in this manner, you are sending the message that they rule the
world and they will attempt to do so. You are not loving your dog; you are allowing it to go
down the path to destruction, If you can't control it what are you going to do with it,
even if another person takes it, it will not be long before they too give up and it will
end up being "put down" at some point. Think about the harm it could cause others along
the way. It doesn't matter if this dog is a Chihuahua or a Great Dane the logic still
applies.
The Will to Dominate
All dogs of any breeds have a will to dominate, some not as strong as others, all will
normally 'try
you" between the ages of 6 months to a year. If you do not win this confrontation, your
Bully will be of no value to you or itself. If you have properly trained your dog by
firmly established a master and dog relationship, this may amount to no more than a look or
a staring contest, but if you have not trained your dog you are going to have a problem!!! I
write on this subject in hopes of liberating you from uncertainties that have kept you
from being firm and forceful with your dog, of any breed.
Tuesday - January 15, 2008 Noon
A Few Words About - Puppies Biting Your Hands
Your Voice Is Your Best Training Tool!
Biting is a normal reaction of a puppy, they are either trying to nurse on your fingers
or they are interacting with you the way they do their
siblings. Either way you have to establish a master dog relationship quickly.
If the pup was taken away from their mother too early, could be they will transfer over
to a pacifier instead of your hands. The bite would be a "bitey sucky" type. If so, every
time they start to bite your finger, put the pacifier in their mouth.
If that does not work, catch their bottom jaw between your thumb and forefinger, hold it still and say a good loud
"no", if they continues do it again but hold more firmly and get louder and deeper with the
"no", if they still continues press harder and maybe giggle the lower jaw just a tad to let
them know it is the mouth/biting that is getting them into trouble. Don't use a high voice use
a low, loud determined voice. The more stubborn they are the more determined you will have to be to win.
Also, your interaction with the pup could be causing the problem. I've had puppies that had never
bitten my hands start biting the new owners immediately because they were using their
hands to get the pups attention ... waving their hand or wiggling a finger, pawing at the pup like they were
another dog would etc.
Once I bought a 10 week old Bully pup from a couple who were getting a
divorce. They told me it would bite their hands so hard it would bring blood. I did the
above "holding it's lower jaw" until it got the message and it never did it again.
All training should end with good results from the puppy and you should reward it for having learned
the lesson, by using your higher giggly kind of voice saying "Good Puppy" while hugging it up tight.
(My niece was scared of the clowns which were performing at her brother's birthday party, she came
running to me and said, "Aunt Judy, hug me up tight I scared", since them all my hugs have been a full hug
of reassurance that all is well.)
Information presented here is strictly my opinion based upon research and/or 50 years experience at
rescuing animals of all sorts. Consult your vet and perhaps even get a second opinion
from another vet about all you read on my website.
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