Anyone please help me! My puppy is just 3 months old and already he thinks he is the boss of me (Alpha Male). He won't sit when I tell him to even though he knows it well and he keeps pulling on the leash and he also growls at me! What can I do to make him stop thinking that and also get him to stop biting/nipping me all over my hand?!!
2006-08-31 19:15:11 · 15 answers · asked by ASPCA_R0CK5 3 in Pets ➔ Dogs
The surest way to renew YOUR dominance is with food. If you are living with parents, be sure that parents supervise this lesson..
I would recommend getting Wellness or Solid Gold dog kibble.
Then take away the bowl of food, and keep people food away from his reach.
Now, this is time consuming, but will really pay off in asserting yourself as the boss in your own home.
Pour into a bowl what kibble you would normally feed for the day, but put the bowl up.
Twice per day, sit down and feed him by hand...don't allow him to eat anything that you don't hand to him piece by piece..
If he acts even a little aggressive, put the food up and try again later..
Only a few days of feeding him in this manner will really improve his manners...then you can begin putting his food down for him again....but, as soon as there is any aggression...start all over with hand feeding .
Solid Gold and Wellness are made with dried real meats, so dogs will love it....they will also keep your dogs in excellent health.
Premium kibbles cost a bit more per bag, but less per month, as dogs eat less and waste (poop) less...it will also save in vet bills, especially as they get older.
2006-08-31 19:22:23 · answer #1 · answered by Chetco 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I had a male doberman, who became aggressive with me when he was about 3. He even bit me. You could not approach his food or his crate without getting snarled at. My son was 7 at the time, so this was not good.
I bought an airhorn, and kept it with me, and everytime he got nasty, I yelled 'no' and hit the airhorn. The noise was so loud, that he figured I was the alpha dog. He stopped growling and being aggressive.
I used it when we walked and everything for about a week. Then he was a great dog again.
My ex-husband moved out (He was the alpha before that ), I called a doggie shrink to get this info.
BTW true agression at this age is rare, take your dog to the vet for a look. If he is really being aggressive this maybe a breeding problem and there really is no cure other then a permanent muzzle.
2006-08-31 19:24:43 · answer #2 · answered by starting over 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to teach him that nothing in life is free. Get him to do simple commands before getting any type of reward; since he's still little get him to sit before you give him his food, before going for a walk, before you pet him. Also, when you take him for walks always make sure you go out the door first before him (the leader of the pack always goes first). Also, don't play any rough games with him like tug of war as these types of games are not good for a dog who's already showing signs of dominance at such a young age, and when he nips your hand yelp in a high pitch voice and then tell him no bite and give him a toy to bite instead.
2006-08-31 20:16:36 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Without knowing how old you are and what breed of dog you have , I hesitate to say what I am about to say but this is what I would do and have done...
3 months is awfully young for your pup to be dominating you already. If he is this bad now, you already know you are in for a tough time later on. I agree that you MUST take control of this now for both of your sakes.
Pin him. Point blank...pin him to the ground. Place your hand firmly on his shoulders, behind his head on his neck and push him to the ground and hold him there. Hold him there until he stops thrashing, whining, trying to nip, anything...hold him down until he submits to you. Let him up and ignore him. Walk around, do your thing and a little while later, do the same thing. This is just a beginning tool to gain dominance over your pup. NEVER hit your pup or slam him to the ground, but do it gently and don't soothe him or try to talk to him and calm him down. Just pin him to the ground until he gets to the point, he doesnt even try to fight back; then you know he knows YOU are dominant over him.
As for the biting, stop playing with him. The moment he starts biting, yelp like you are in pain and stop playing with him. This is what his littermates would have done. The yelp tells him in his language that he was too rough and stopping play tells him you refuse to play with him anymore if he continues to be rough. This, coupled with pinning him down should all help to revert control to YOU. I can't stress enough how a trainer could help here.
Leash training is crucial too. PUt the collar right up under his head..high up on his neck. This gives you better control. When he pulls , give him a quick jerk and tell him no and stop walking. Keep doing this. He WILL learn eventually that he can't overpower you with the collar high on his neck and will stop fighting so much on the leash.
Please, PLEASE consider a trainer for this pup now while he is still young. If you do not get him under control now, he is only going to get worse and this is how dogs end up in shelters and/or end up biting people. Good luck and consider a trainer or a family friend that has dog experience to help you to train your pup!
2006-08-31 19:28:03 · answer #4 · answered by dusty_roade 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What you have is a boistrous little pup nothing else (or so it sounds over the internet). They all nip cause thay don't know better and pull and forget their commands (do YOU always remeber to was hands before dinner??). A basic obiedience class would be my first choice of ideas (YOU take the class with him). For nipping your first reaction: saying OUCH putting pup down & refusing to play for several minutes is not at all a bad one. tapping under the bottom jaw & saying no bite is another idea. AND you can 'stuff a sock in it" give them a knotted sock or toy to carry so that gapping mouth is shut.
2006-09-01 00:51:22 · answer #5 · answered by ragapple 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He bit the hand that feeds him? Show no mercy, you have to be firm. Smack him lightly (and I do mean lightly! Don't want to hurt your dog!) on the muzzle when he misbehaves. You've gotta show him who's da boss, man! Otherwise you're gonna get it later on. Try play wrestling with him, by defeating him (pushing him to the ground and hold him in that position for a few seconds)everytime you play, you're showing him that you're stronger and better. Sooner or later he'll submit. The pinning him on the ground suggested by the others works on the same concept.
2006-08-31 19:52:20 · answer #6 · answered by Funnyguy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Either take him back from where you purchased it from and if he was given to you as a gift... return the dog to whomever gave it
to you..Do you have a kennel to keep this dog in and get a mesh
muzzle. these come in different sizes and can be found in all pet stores. This item will help you and hopefully stop your dog from biting, chewing, and barking aloud for no apparent reason.
Good Luck!
2006-08-31 19:24:43 · answer #7 · answered by Angus. 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Whoa, and I thought my dog was bad! Well, a "gentle leader" head coller might help. Where the head goes the body follows. It really helped me and my dog. He used to drag me whenever we went on walks. And it's not much fun to be dragged by a 200 pound lab. A trainer might help too. Hope this helps!
(Your local library is a great place to find all sorts of dog training books.)
2006-08-31 19:24:04 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all , you need to bond with the dog . Hang out , eat together , play , get acquainted ..........make him want to please you . Next step , you must lay down on him , not to the point of crushing him , but enough to where he can't get away . At first he will resist wholeheartedly............then he will struggle slightly , soon , he will finally submit . You must do this regularly for at least a week . At the end of each session , praise your dog , and give a treat and some affection . He will acknowledge your leadership in short order .
Best of luck !
2006-08-31 19:21:42 · answer #9 · answered by BIGG AL 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He needs a good dose of Nothing In Life Is Free (NILIF)
http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm
If you Google "Nothing In Life Is Free" and "NILIF" you will get lots more articles on the subject.
Other good articles:
It Takes a Pack to Raise a Puppy
http://www.flyingdogpress.com/puppack.html
10 Tips For Problem Behavior
http://www.flyingdogpress.com/probtips.html
Leadership Basics
http://www.flyingdogpress.com/leadership.html
2006-09-01 02:34:07 · answer #10 · answered by DaBasset - BYBs kill dogs 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋