wild puppy

[B.Marti]

I just got a puppy, a female Bichon, she is 7 weeks now, and I am starting to regret it. I never got a puppy this young before and did not know they could be sooooooo wild. She is very aggresive toward everything and everybody, is this normal?

[mia]

Hi B.Marti

Where did you get the puppy from and how many pups were in the litter? Sounds like she was not socialized. Puppies have a ton of energy and I hope she is not nipping and destroying things. Be sure you puppy proof your home like cords and anything she can get in her mouth. Take her out for walks and spend time outdoors, she is still a baby and needs a lot of attention. Good Luck

[MaryAnn]

Did your new puppy come from a good home/breeder and has he been properly socialized? A puppy that has not had the right kind of formative experiences will not be able to read the signals that your other dog is giving, which may lead to fights.

All dogs are individuals, and it isn't always possible to predict how two animals will get on, even those of the same breed.

Did you introduce the new arrival in a calm and controllable way? Puppies are cute, and everyone likes to give them attention. They also demand more of your attention because they require more frequent feedings and need to be taken out more often. I hope you didn't go overboard when the new puppy arrived. Important to show your other dog that he is still important to you and has not been supplanted by the new arrival. As far as possible, TREAT BOTH DOGS EQUALLY.

Give each dog time with you by himself. Keep control of the dogs' toys, and use them as rewards in training sessions or individual playtimes.

Remember, you are doing your puppy no favors if you isolate him from the world in the early weeks after you bring him home. That does not mean you need to overload him with different sensations and experiences, but it does mean you need to show him the kind of things he will be encountering on a regular basis simply by virtue of living in your human world.

Some kinds of things that you should be introducing to your puppy are....
** YOUR TOUCH - Dogs are affectionate creatures, but they need to learn that when you touch them, you are not a threat.
** OTHER PEOPLE, INCLUDING CHILDREN - A puppy will quickly learn to recognize his new human pack. He'll learn their scent and the sound of their voices. But he also needs to learn that visitors to your home or strangers that he encounters outside it are not sources of threat.
** OTHER DOGS - Up until he left his litter, your puppy's experience of other dogs probably have been limited to his immediate family. Once he is fully protected by his vaccinations, you need to take him out into situations where he can interact with other dogs.
** ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT (COLLAR, LEASH, GROOMING TOOLS) - Introduce him to them gradually.
** LOCATIONS - Introduce your dog to as many different locations as possible, starting with different rooms in your home, moving out in the yard and from there to the street and the park. Don't just go to the same park. Vary your destinations and the routes you take to get there.
** THE CAR - Many owners do little to prepare their dog for travelling in a car, and yet expect them to behave the first time they are driven anywhere.
** THE VET - You should bring your puppy into your vet's office every now and then just to say hi, get a treat, buy something, or ask a question. This gets them used to the sights and smells of a clinic. The puppies get fed treats and are allowed to play and so they associate being at the vet's with good things.

While you shouldn't bombard your dog with too many new experiences at once, make sure his early weeks with you contain plenty of variety. Use food treats and toys to teach him to associate these new experiences with pleasure. He will begin to get the picture that good things happen when children are around, or he's in the car, etc....

Observe your dog when he meets new experiences and note his exact behavior. Ignore negative behavior and always reward a calm response. (Many people do the opposite)

[Sarah]

Your puppy is to young to be without her mother and other littermates. She should have stayed until she was at least 9-12 weeks old. Her mother wouldn't stand for this type of behaviour from her and neither should you. Her mouther would use her mouth to stop her from her behaviour, but we know you cannot do this, but you can put her on the floor on her side, with her head on the floor. Hold her down with a firm [not rough] hand on her chest. Hold that firm hand until she gives up and lies there quietly. Then remove your hand and walk away from her.

What you are teaching her by doing this, is being submissive. Do this for a few days, and she'll get the point, that you are Alpha, she is last on the pole of authority.

She's a puppy and Bichons are very fluffy and cute, but don't spoil her yet, let her earn the right to be spoiled by learning how to behave.

I would also check around and see if you can put her in any type of puppy activity with other puppies, so she can become a social dog.

Hope that helps.

[MaryAnn]

PUPPY TRAINING TIPS

Be patient.......
Positive reinforcement training can take time, it is the only way to truly change the way a dog feels – forcing a dog to ‘submit’ to you only restricts the dog from expressing his frustration or fear without truly eliminating and replacing those feelings. All dogs need a calm, confident leader to make them feel secure, but being a leader is not about dominating your dog, it’s about building his confidence by encouraging and rewarding good behavior.


Mouthing.........
All puppies need to chew and mouth, as this is a central way of coping with teething. Plus, it’s an important way for them to investigate their new world. But you must discourage any mouthing of your skin or clothes, as this can create habits that can lead to big behavior problems later in life. Always remember that biting stops play.

Set them up for Success..........
Always try to ensure that the dog’s environment doesn’t create unnecessary frustrations or distractions – there’s no reason to tempt the dog. For example, if your dog is a counter-surfer, just make sure the counter is clear when you leave the dog alone.

Be consistent.........
Dogs only learn from us through repetition. Inconsistent training ends up confusing your dog, potentially creating more problems.



OTHER BAD HABITS

Aggression.............
Dogs get aggressive when they are fearful. It’s instinctive to get that person or thing away from them. That’s why dominance obedience training doesn’t work – it makes insecure dog even more insecure.

If they are aggressive towards people:.................................
Teach the dog that good things happen to the dog when it’s around the stimulus that it fears. If the dog is toy or food motivated: you and dog should play with the toy in front of its fear stimulus. Or present the treat to the dog in front of its fear stimulus. If it gets reactive when it hears door bell, get dog in calmer state. Then when you open the door and it sees the person at a distant then give it the toy or treat it likes at that point.

If they are aggression with other animals:................................
It’s the same process but always present the stimulus (dog) at a distance. You are teaching it that when it sees the stimulus, something good happens. You are changing the association and the way the dog feels inside.

Jumping......................
-When the dog jumps on you ignore it! No looking, touching or talking. Keep turning your back until the dog has his feet on the ground for 3 seconds then you give attention. Do it every time the dog jumps. Soon the dog’s going to realize I get everything when I don’t jump.

Nipping:............ It’s attention based behavior so when biting starts the playing stops!

Chewing and destruction..........................
Ask yourself is it anxiety or boredom based? If it’s anxiety you treat it by making dog more confident when you leave. Practice going in and out until the dog no longer thinks it’s a big deal to see you walk through the door and then leave.
If your dog is bored you are not giving it enough activity during the day. It needs more exercise or interactive toys. Interactive toys work well because the dogs work to get the reward or the treat. But be careful you don’t have toy that it is easily destroyed and the dog can choke on it.
If you can’t give your dog exercise during the day you should try to get a dog walker or doggie day care or if you have backyard then get a doggie door.