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Pawbly | 6 years ago
Hello I Have A Rottweiler That Is 15 Weeks Old And I Have Had Him…

Hello I have a Rottweiler that is 15 weeks old and I have had him for 7 weeks. I’m thinking about selling him and buying a new dog because he bites way to much like whenever I’m at a park and I’m running around he will just jump at me and bite me furiously, do you guys know how to fix it. I have taken him through puppy school, I spray him with water and when he does something bad and I always yell no when he bites I just don’t know why he does it is it the fact that he’s a Rottweiler?

3 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    I agree. ESP with Laura and the second dog.more training time patience and a puppy class (or four nights a week of them) will help. Your pup is so excited to be outisidw and with dogs he sort of comes unglued. Get him playing, tired, and trained. Then talk about a adding another dog as you will very likely have to do the same thing all over again.

  2. Sarah

    GOod morning again,
    Please see comments below your first post as well. I must ask, have you ever owned a dog before? I feel that a chat with your vet, another enrollment in puppy class with a reputable trainer, and possibly a behaviorist to help you in your training process are definitely worth the money spent. Your suggestion of “Selling this dog and buying a new one” will in no way change the outcome for you. Sorry. Whatever bad habits you’re puppy is developing at this point under your watch, need to be dealt with through training and patience. Another dog in the same situation will most likely end up the same way. At the risk of sounding harsh, a dog is not disposable. It is a commitment that needs to be taken seriously. If you feel that this puppy is truly too much for you to handle at this stage in your life, then perhaps finding a rescue that can take him and rehome him to a person who is familiar with dogs and what needs to go into having one, would be a better thing to do. I would not recommend you get another dog until you have the time, and patience to invest in its well being. I really hope that things work out for both you and the puppy.

  3. Laura

    You really need to get an obedience trainer involved if you’re unable to handle this puppy. He doesn’t know what “no” means. He’s a BABY and needs you to teach him how to behave. ALL puppies are bitey, ALL puppies need training. Dumping him and getting another won’t fix the issue.

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Pawbly | 6 years ago
Hello I Got A Rottweiler Puppy And I Have Had Him For 7 Weeks Now…

Hello I got a Rottweiler puppy and I have had him for 7 weeks now. His name is rocky and he’s 15 weeks old and my question is: whenever I go to a park with him and I run around he always bites me and jumps at me and bites furiously and growls. Do you guys know how to fix it because ive been thinking of getting a new dog. Is it the fact that he’s a Rottweiler he does this?

3 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning and congrats on your puppy. There are a few pieces of advice d like to share if you’ll allow. First, I’m very glad you are giving this puppy a loving home and attention. Parks are great fun…for well behaved and completely vaccinated dogs. I would make sure your pup is completely up to date on ALL vaccinations before I would go to the dog park where not everyone is as responsible about the health of their dogs. Secondly, I would get my puppy into a basic training and obedience class right away. This will help curb those unwanted behaviors and give you the tools to keep up with training and mental stimulation that your puppy needs. The sooner you do this, the better. That way, no bad habits will have time to take hold. And lastly, as much as you want another dog for your home, please make sure that you have your current puppy well trained and completely settled into your daily lifestyle, before you move forward with a new addition. I would wait at least a year. You haven’t reached adolescence with your Rottweiler yet, and as with any dog, it is a challenge…but especially with a large breed such as this. One dog takes a lot of time, patience and a strict routine. Two take even more. And lastly. I know he is still a puppy right now, but walks are so important. They are much more than needed exercise. They help establish a good pack order, help with bonding, and when they are part of a well followed routine, help establish trust. I cannot stress the importance of a good walk together. Best of luck!??

  2. Laura

    DO NOT get a second dog until this one is at least 2 (trust me on this). You need to focus on his obedience training before bringing a second dog in, plus littermate aggression is a very real issue you don’t want to deal with. Instead, focus on obedience training with this little guy. Avoid Petsmart – find a good group class with a balanced trainer. At his age, he could benefit from puppy kindergarten, as well. Look for a training company which provides both.

  3. Krista Magnifico

    I agree. ESP with Laura and the second dog.more training time patience and a puppy class (or four nights a week of them) will help. Your pup is so excited to be outisidw and with dogs he sort of comes unglued. Get him playing, tired, and trained. Then talk about a adding another dog as you will very likely have to do the same thing all over again.

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Nicholas P. Woodward | 6 years ago
So Stella, Our Almost 3 Year Old Morkie Has Some Possession Aggression Issues. Particularly With…

So Stella, our almost 3 year old Morkie has some possession aggression issues. Particularly with things like socks or things that don’t have a firm middle when she bites in (like soft stuffed animals). We have tried bribing her with treats and bones, distracting her with play and love, forcefully taking these items from her (that didn’t work well), and finally today we did something that worked! We asked her if she wanted to go “out” to take a “walk” and though he ears perked up she still didn’t drop this stuffed Aflac duck she found in my office. However, once she had her leash on and saw the great outside at the bottom of the stairs she dropped it and never looked back. Do you think this trick will continue to work? Is there anything else we can do when she’s decided something she has a bite on is something she’ll get aggressive about? Thank you all for your insight and help!

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I think that the “exchange” option, i.e. “I’ll give you something of higher value to surrender the item you have” will work for a little while. But it leaves you constantly set up for being her servant. Life is all about compromise, but, not fear based “I’ll bite the hand that feeds me to get my way” compromise. Respect is earned, not traded. I would strongly recommend a basic puppy and obedience class. All should be based on positive reinforcement methods. If you try to reason with her by intimidation or reprimand she will up the ante and retaliate with excessive force (is my guess). good luck

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Nicholas P. Woodward | 6 years ago
So, We Just Adopted A 3 Year Old Morkie, And Were Warned That Sometimes She’ll…

So, we just adopted a 3 year old Morkie, and were warned that sometimes she’ll steal an article of clothing, hide under a table with it, and possibly bite if you try to get it back from her. Well, I just doctored my girlfriend’s fingers after a little fight they had over a sock. Other than yelling at her (the dog) and saying “no” we’re now ignoring her. What’s the best way to handle this and train her to behave better?

5 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello!
    The fact that you just adopted her and don’t know much about her previous training, behavior and attitude makes advice for this a little difficult. In general I start with a very minimal access approach. She has to earn everything and you aren’t setting her up to be “bad or disappointing”. You are going to have a very difficult time teaching her much other than to be afraid/untrusting of you when you get in between her “stuff” or try to reprimand. In my opinion anything this early that is negative, I know even when you are being beaten, (sorry) teaches her to be untrusting and afraid of you. Too often people want to start at “well trained” when they really have a new pet who doesn’t know you, your expectations, or their new world. I suggest crate training all the time. She is kept there, where she can slowly acclimate to you and her new home, and she earns toys after some basic training is implemented. I strongly suggest a puppy class to start. Take her for lots of walks. Spend time together doing stuff together on neutral territory, like outside. As she starts to understand you you can start progressing toward other activities.
    I will add that she needs to feel safe and loved. So always put her in her crate with an affectionate word and give her a toy to keep her company (if she doesn’t guard that).
    Overall she has a lot of adjusting to do and you need to be patient and understanding that this is a process. A process dependent on patience, love and dedication. Never get angry. Never yell. You both need to adjust to each other.
    No toys, no decisions, no options except love and start really slow. Letting her have a safe space that is her own and building on this is where I would start.
    Let me know how things go. Sending ♥️ And best wishes.
    Krista.

  2. Nicholas P. Woodward Post author

    Thank you for the sound advice! We appreciate the sentiments on positive reinforcement and building trust. She spent the next hour following my girlfriend around and apologizing trying to lick her wounds away.

  3. Sarah

    Congrats on your new dog? I’m just adding to the good advice you’ve already gotten. I am a firm believer in walks… no matter what size of dog. It’s a fantastic way to share quality time and bond, while getting the exercise needed. A tired dog is usually a better behaved dog. Even a ten minute walk has the potential to change behavior for the rest of the day, for the better. And I agree strongly with everything shared above, especially getting involved in a basic obedience class. Even if your new girl already has basic obedience, she needs to learn you and what you expect. It is another great way to bond and earn trust. Another plus to the walks is practicing your homework from obedience class? best of luck and again, Congrats!!??

  4. Nicholas P. Woodward Post author

    Thank you, Sarah! I do see that she has a LOT of energy to play. The more we do that and walk her it seems the better she is for sure.

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Marshmallow The Rabbit | 6 years ago
My Bunny Has Been Acting Very Strangely Lately. We Put Her Harness And Leash On…

My bunny has been acting very strangely lately. We put her harness and leash on her and took her to the park. We spent a lot of time with her. Then, people were watching her (family) and I wasn’t there so I don’t know what happened. When we brought her back, she looked really scared. My family said that when I left, she just sat there staring at everyone. At home, she hasn’t been eating as much as she used to. She would practically snatch the food from my hand. Now, she sniffed, took a bite and walked away. We tried again with her favorite food, but she didn’t eat it. She’s been laying and sleeping way more than usual (practically all the time). During training sessions with me, she used to care and loved it. Now, she just sat there staring me for a while. She’s also been super scared. Every time I walked in the room, she’d jump up to me, now she runs away at the slightest noise. She’s also been pretty aggressive. She was laying and I reached over to pet her. She let me pet her for two seconds before she reared back on her hind legs and tried to scratch me. Hard. She’s also pretty stressed (her breathing is really fast). What is going on with her?

1 Response

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  1. Sarah

    I would first and foremost make an appointment with the vet to make sure she is healthy. It may be the stress of the situation (you not being there for a bit) and will take time to get things back to the way they were. I would also ask my family who were watching her if anything happened while you were away. Hope everything is ok.

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Pawbly | 6 years ago
6-month Old Golden Retriever/Labrador Mix Bites Me Most Of The Time. She’s Usually Nice When…

6-month old Golden Retriever/Labrador mix bites me most of the time. She’s usually nice when it’s playtime or feeding time (if she’s overstimulated accidents may or may not happen). But in downtimes she just comes at me. I could be sitting quietly not bothering her and she could be lying down 1 second and the next she’s suddenly biting my arm. It doesn’t often happen to other family members. Is it because she wasn’t taught bite inhibition properly because family members don’t want to leave the room or do it nicely? Is it because they react aggressively when she bites them (i.e. they used to pinch her and step on her paw. now it’s mostly just pinning her down to the floor)?

I’m honestly tired. They think they’re doing it right, but I don’t think it’s working. But since she’s not biting them as much they think of it as working.

I’m literally the only one playing and exercising her and I think that factors in a lot. They just leave her and aside from feeding her in the morning, they really don’t do anything else.

I got a response from another site a few months back and they said I had a people problem, not a puppy problem. Is there anything I can do though? Is it something that’s wrong with me?? I don’t know anymore please help :(((((((((((

1 Response

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  1. Natisha Mullis-Brooks

    You do have a “people problem”, but that “people problem” has now caused a dog problem. It sounds like the pup is bored and wanting to play, but hasn’t been taught the social niceties of the “human world”. Retrievers are very mouthy in general because that’s what they’re bred for; picking up and carrying things. But there are actually several things you can do to help.

    First things first: If she comes at you and bites down on your arm, yell out, “Ow!”, in a loud and high pitched voice. As hard as it might be to do, try not to pull your arm back as this may trigger the tugging instinct. Even at six months old, she can be taught bite inhibition. It’s not too late!! Yelling out in a high pitched, loud voice may startle her into letting go. After all, her goal is not to hurt you, but to play and get some attention. Think of puppies when they play. When one yells in pain, the other usually lets go. That’s our goal here. If she does let go, offer her a toy that the two of you can interact with: a rope for tug, a squeaker for catching, a ball for chasing. Make sure, when you are with her, you have a toy that she likes with you at all times. Because once she lets go, you want to say, “Good girl!” and give her the toy immediately and then a bit of affection for doing the right thing. Most retrievers have high drives and love a game of fetch.

    If the yelling doesn’t work, you can yell “Aaaanntt” and push your arm firmly into her mouth. This losens her grib by widening her jaws and most dogs don’t like how it feels. As soon as she releases you, say “Good girl” and offer the toy and your time.

    If neither of the above works, you may have to try a bit of nose pressure. When she bites down yell “Ow!” and then place your hand (thumb on one side and index finger on the other) over her nose so that the meaty part between your thumb and finger are applying pressure to the top of her nose. You want to place it about a quarter of the way down her nose. Then squeeze your index finger and thumb together as if you’re trying to make them touch through her nose. You’ll have to supply a decent amount of pressure for this to work, but you don’t r ally want to harm her. The top of a dog’s nose is VERY sensitive and a. Other dog will bite a pup here with some force, when the pup has gotten out of hand. You want to mimick a mother’s technique, sans the teeth. Once she releases you,give her the toy and affection. She may yell when you do this, but I promise you are only causing a bit of discomfort and no large amount of pain.

    Lastly, if all else fails you’ll have to become a bit more aggressive in your tactics. -sigh- Ehen she bites you, place your thumb behind her upper canine by the same means as applying pressure to the top of the nose, but apply no pressure. Instead, run your thumb down to her upper lip and push it into her mouth a bit. This will cause her to bite down on her own lip (we all nonhow horrible this feels!) and in most cases, she’ll let go of you almost immediately. Give you, “Good girl” and affection immediately. And bonus, she’ll get to experience her own bite strength, which promotes bite inhibition.

    I wish you two a lot of luck. If you have any questions about technique, I’d be happy to send you videos. I’m a Canine Behaviorist and have worked with dogs for over 30 years. Just email me at: tishtish1975@yahoo.com

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Pawbly | 6 years ago
My Cat Ran Away For 7 Weeks We Found Her Extremely Malnourished And Dehydrated Displaying…

My cat ran away for 7 weeks we found her extremely malnourished and dehydrated displaying neurological issues. We rushed her to the vet but we couldn’t afford the hospitalisation so we took jer home with prescriptions and subcutaneous fluid replacement therapy. Jer liver enzymes were elevated they said it should get better as she eat very slowly in small quantities. Its been 5 days since we found her. The neuro issues have disappeared. She has been peeing regularly in increasing quantities and though week she can walk around. She is alerte. But she refuses any food in any form. I have tried wet dry kitten formula replacement. She eat a bite or two the first days and nothing since. What should i do?

3 Responses

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  1. Anonymous

    I would call the vet back, to be quite honest. 5 days with almost no food is a critical issue.

  2. Sarah

    I agree with Laura- she needs some nourishment. Ask your vet- perhaps syringe feeding us an option? I would also ask my vet about hospitalization costs, and discuss different affordable options as well as payment options. See if there is a way you can put s lump sum down up front and then pay the rest off monthly? Best of luck.

  3. Joe Johnson

    I suggest you check into how easy assisted feeding with oral syringes is once you and your cat get the hang of it. You’d have to go real slow at first – maybe 1ml per quirt and only 5ml every 1/2 hour or so, but it’s pretty darn simple once you get the hang of it. Almost any canned pet food can be turned into a slurry/shake with water and a blender or even with just a spoon and a lot of patience, if it’s pate style. I’d suggest going with food you know your cat loves, so that it’s easier for them to get comfortable with the concept. You must go VERY slow to begin with or you run the very serious risk of getting liquid into their lungs, which can be deadly. There are decent videos on You tube going over all of this in detail and I assume your vet would be more than happy to show you first hand how it’s done.
    First and foremost though, please go see the vet.

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Pawbly | 6 years ago
I Have A 3 Month Old Siberian Husky. He Loves Everyone And Is Never Aggressive…

I have a 3 month old siberian husky. He loves everyone and is never aggressive besides play biting, and even then it’s not bad. I live with my dad and my grandma, and he loves my dad. For some reason though, he’ll random run up to my grandma and start barking. She gets scared and says he hates her, but I try to reassure her otherwise. Why does he do this?

4 Responses

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  1. Anonymous

    He wants attention from her. If you don’t want him doing this I suggest keeping a leash on him when he’s out of his crate, so you can pull him away from her (while calling him to you, to reinforce recalls).

  2. Ashlee Brown

    That’s what I thought, but she gives him treats, let’s him out sometimes, and talks to him. She doesn’t want to give him too much attention because she’s afraid of him charging at her (which I try to remind her that he’s not like that). He’s fantastic otherwise though, and it’s so random when he barks at her that it would be difficult to have him on a leash.

  3. Ashlee Brown

    I try telling her to just give him time and attention but she just gets stressed over it and says he is going to attack her when I know he won’t.

  4. Anonymous

    Okay, so this is where a drag leash REALLY comes in handy. She’s encouraging the behavior, so you need to step in. At this age he should have a leash on him and either leashed to someone or dragging it behind him (and confined to areas where you are, to ensure he can’t get into mischief, or crated when you can’t supervise him). It isn’t hard – just leave it on when he’s in the house and supervised, take it off when he’s crated. SHE needs more education on puppies and puppy behavior, and if she isn’t comfortable with puppy behavior she needs to stop encouraging him with treats. Remind her he’s a baby.

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suerena schaefer | 7 years ago
I Have 5 Cats And 2 Dogs. All Of Our Pets Area Rescues. …

I have 5 cats and 2 dogs. All of our pets area rescues. We just took in our second rescue dog. She is 7 mths old and is terrorizing the cats. I need some advice on how to have a happier home with all the pets. The cats are indoor/outdoor but spend most of their time outside. 3 of the cats tolerate the new dog the other 2 won’t come near her. I did the proper introductions, I’ve given the cats a “safe space” but nothing seems to help the last 2 cats. The biggest problem is that the new dog likes to chase the cats. She is a small dog, smaller than the cats. She doesn’t nip at them or try to bite them, she’s just curious and wants to play with them. All of my cats love my other dog who is 11 years old. They were raised with him, sleep with him and play with him. I’m sure the chasing and the spontaneity of the new dog freaks out the cats because they are nor used to that. I am at my wits end trying to figure this out. Countless hours of research has not helped at all. I am not giving up not am I giving any of my pets away, as has been suggested. I know this can work out, I just need help. Or just possible reassurance that my cats won’t be permanently scarred and things will work out as time passes. My anxiety level is at an all time high and everyone tells me just leave them alone and let them work it out. I don’t think I can do that. HELP!!

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    A safe place for the cats is a place the dogs can’t get to. It is the place that they can hide and take refuge from. Also it is time to start training the dog who is harrassing them. This might include crating them for periods where the cats can come and range freely, keeping the dog on a leash attached to you at all times outside of the crate so you can train and in general establishing boundaries and safe calm scenarios. It takes time. And a lot of dedication. And patience. And most importantly safest for your cats.

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Pawbly | 7 years ago
I Have Gotten A 8month Old Mountain Cur Puppy Today For Free Online And The…

I have gotten a 8month old mountain cur puppy today for free online and the guy said he was good with kids and he was shy at first well my 4 year old son went to go pet her and she bite him and she bite my husband I messaged the guy and told him about it but he said he couldn’t take her back I don’t know what to do?

2 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    hello,
    I would first get to the vet and have the dog checked and inoculated. Then I would enroll in a training class class right away. It sounds like this dog needs structure and socialization asap. Lots of exercise and a behaviorist might also benefit all of you for training and dog behaviors. And also….Please be wary of “free” pets online. Very best of luck to you.

  2. Anonymous

    Honestly…the dog MAY have been overwhelmed. There are classic fear periods, and this age is often when the second fear period kicks in. I wouldn’t let your 4 year old anywhere near her right now, and I WOULD get the puppy evaluated by a professional as soon as possible. It’s very likely the previous owner said anything that would work to get the dog out of his hands.