Resistance to Training

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

My 6 month old will not stop biting/teething. Any suggestions?

[Adina P]

How is he resistant to training?  It helps to know what you've done so far to know what else to suggest.  What training has he had for obedience and what have you done regarding the biting and tell us more about it.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Early 6  months or later 6 months?  I ask because, towards the end of 6 months this should slow down.  Early six months this is as normal as toast for breakfast.  Normal as Pumpkin Pie for Thanksgiving.  It IS, what puppies do.  I would worry if your puppy didn't chew and try to play bite.  It is a trying phase for ALL puppy owners.  It passes.  My thoughts are there is not a darn thing  you can do to stop Mother Nature. 

Six months though is a great time to start a standard training class.  It's the perfect time.    Join ONE! 

Even if I had 50 puppies in my life, I would attend an organized training class with each one.  Well worth the money and a lifetime of happiness for me and my dog

[Adina P]

3 obedience classes in 6 months?  What would you say were the results of these classes--is he reliable on any commands?  Oh wait you said three obedience 'schools'  -- did you mean classes or literally 3 different schools?  Rosco was neutered before 6 months and he was still a horrible biter until I got serious with training at a year.  We trained plenty before that but we switched to a more focused training program around a year of age. 

When I read that he went to 3 classes/schools, my gut reaction was largely ineffective ones for you and him.  Sometimes you just have to find a better fit of a training method.  The early class when he was a young puppy probably wouldn't have done much no matter the method...young pups aren't really ready for serious obedience.  They learn tricks and commands fast, but they aren't mature enough for obedience to stick and be reliable.  It is the work you do around THIS age that will make the biggest difference.  Also as much as I believe in spay/neuter for pet owners, there are plenty of show people and trainers who keep their dogs intact and are able to train their dog, with or without hormones, to be completely reliable.  I guess that is neither here nor there, but neutering may not necessarily stop his behavior...training can. 

I'm far from an amazing trainer.  My dogs act like they have no idea what I am saying to them because since I had kids I have let training go completely.  And the old saying "use it or lose it" applies to training too.  But I did pretty well with them at one point and even I did things wrong a lot.  I'd think it was the dog and was sure I was doing things correctly and then email my trainer a video of our work and she'd find all sorts of things I was doing wrong.  So sometimes we are not doing the training correctly...even with classes.  Were you able to get feedback from the trainers to let you know if you were implementing the techniques correctly?  If you were responding to his little biting fits correctly?  Were all the methods you used the same or did each class/school teach things in a different way?  Sometimes it is the method (totally ineffective) and sometimes it is our implementation of the method.  Until one of those gets fixed, the bad behavior will continue.

[Tammy and Violet]

Is your puppy ACTUALLY biting or just puppy nipping my pup actually was biting ...I had/have punture wounds on my forearms,bloody and it hurts ...she is 1 next month and it seems to be better ...I dont let her get t to that stage...

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Semantics.  Certainly, by six months, it's a bite, but a PUPPY BITE.  Not an attack from a vicious dog, even though it seems that way. 

I do believe she is saying her puppy is PLAY BITING.

This PUPPY is trying to PLAY with her.  She needs to go to Obedience School.

[Adina P]

Hoping you'll give us more information today. Wont stop biting...as in 24/7 teeth on your? Or when he gets in certain playful moods? Or growling? Or chewing your furniture up?

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

To me this is a really important piece of information.  It sounds like the nipping is coming when you puppy gets overly excited....lots of naughty puppy behaviors come from over excitement.  If that's the cause (and I'll bet it is) the "fix" is actually pretty easy.....don't let the pup get to that point.  I really think it's unfair to allow a puppy to get all worked up and then punish him when he nips.  If it never happens when he's tired....let him release his energy in a positive way....exercise and obedience training.  Get him tired is a really positive, productive way.  At the first sign that the puppy is getting too excited, stop the activity and crate him...or take him for a walk....or practice some down/stays....or give him something to do.  Provide a positive alternative for his energy....but stop the excitement.

[Moe]

That is the key, a tired puppy is a good puppy. At 6 mo I wore my puppy out every single day. If you can't get out for a walk a tail teaser is a great alternative.

I think more exercise and mental stimulation is the answer to almost every puppy problem.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I agree!

Like the Tail Teaser, Joe.  I've used these on cats but not dogs. Sounds fun

[Joyce (Casey & Cody's mom)]

In our puppy obedience class, there was a puppy that was a nipper. His mom said that he had just recently started this and was concerned because he was biting pretty hard. The trainer in the class said that he could be teething and suggested that she wet a washcloth and freeze it - then give it to him to chew on.  Any time he attempted to bit or nip, she suggested grabbing him on the back of the neck and firmly shaking him and say "NO"  She said that mama dogs teach them this way by grabbing them on the back of the neck, shaking them and growling. The pup conveniently tried to bit the trainer, so she demonstrated exactly what to do. The next week, the pup's mom said that she did that twice during the week and the pup hadn't attempted to bit again. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

When they nip, you can grab the muzzle and say, "NO."   Parent dogs do this also.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

When Spud did this ~ and it was at least once and hour, we went straight outside to play. A few rounds of Frisbee or Ball throwing and it wore him down. It also wore down his teeth into a ball and not the back of my legs.
Every hour on the hour and wear him down.