9 week old puppy AGGRESSION
Many know that I just got my puppy last week. I learned today the term is "singleton". No litter mates and his mom didn't want anything to do with him once her milk dried up after 2-3 days.
So, the aggression has become worse each day we have had him. I've heard to "pin" him. That seemed to "challenge" him and he got worse. Then I read to reward him for good behavior. I've done that too. As soon as i run out of treats or food, he goes back to his old ways. I even yelp really loud when he bites and I close myself in a room, he scratches under the door until i come out and cries. and as soon as i do, he bites me on my leg.
I am so depressed. I need help and advice. I am in the BOSTON area. If anyone can help...please let me know.
tonight he bit my husband in the face...and he's bleeding a lot. This literally just happened 5 minutes ago and I jumped on this website to get help. my husband is refusing to go to the hospital.I am a nurse in the ER and i know he will need stitches.
PLEASE HELP ME. I dont know what to do. his "puppy training" class starts NEXT saturday, but I feel it'll only get worse. SOme times he's an angel, and others he is wild. HELP.
Comments
Make your hubby go get some stitches, I recently had 20 in my calf when my bike sprocket cut 3 " deep into it when some a 25 year old a-hole cut me off... Didn't feel a thing... Although now they ruin my suntan. Good luck, have faith!
Now, the best part: That didn't last long at all. It didn't seem like pinning worked, but it did. Just keep pinning him. Be consistent. It will make you exhausted and convinced that your puppy will never be a good boy, but he will be. It is brutal with these puppies. We've all been there and the rewards are amazing. Hang in there!
Have you had a bull terrier before? If not, this breed is unlike any other. These dogs are so smart and they really believe they are the boss. Yes, a tiny puppy is capable of thinking it can walk into your home and rule the place.
So sorry your husband got hurt so seriously. Please encourage him to go get care if he needs it. We've all learned the hard way with BTs, so he shouldn't feel badly or upset about it, just move on and keep up with disciplining his bad behavior and praising his good behavior.
Now, something really important to ask: How much exercise has the puppy been getting? If he's in a crate while both of you are away at work all day, he's going to be wound up like a top. He needs a ton of exercise and stimulation. If he doesn't get that and is alone the greater part of the day, that is probably not a good thing for these puppies.
We are having the same issue with Indica biting (trying to bite faces) and honestly pinning hasn't really helped. She's still trying to bite and I think a lot of it is her trying to play rough but Loki will not tolerate her hard bites and has gone after her a few times now and she's got a nick on her ear now from him. Pushing any bully on any occasion I've noticed just makes them bounce back with more terror lol. Obedience training helped Loki when he went through that stage and it helps your bond with them. Obedience training, lots of exercise/ play and chewy treats or toys. Remember a tired dog/puppy is a happy puppy. Take the pup for longer walks and more play tire the little guy out so he won't want to try to mouth you. Also I know both of my pups are very vocal so the growls might not indicate he's being aggressive, might just be him trying to play. With no litter mates and a mom that didn't want to have anything to do with them he was not taught bite inhibition.
After pinning Rodney, he never felt sad or shamed or guilty or chastised. He was more like he appreciated the small break so that he could renew his energy to bite more.
We've all heard people refer to something as more a marathon than a sprint. Well, that's kind of how this felt. It's quite a victory lap with a well-trained and well-behaved BT.
I've personally found the best exercise has been long and frequent walks that are one-on-one and on a harness. Your dog will be heeling and eventually forced to realize you are in charge of the walk. You will need to give the puppy time to get used to the routine. At first, keep going on the same route. Your puppy will want to explore every smell and every leaf and every lizard, but if you keep going on the same path, the scents will eventually become boring and they'll focus on the walk, taking your lead on how he should proceed. Maybe it's possible the puppy is getting over-stimulated? Maybe it's possible he really doesn't have even the slightest clue how to be a puppy since he didn't have litter mates? I certainly don't know and can't advise about that, but the walking and pinning seemed to not work at all, and then, after about 3 months, everything just clicked. I was no longer jealous seeing a dog prancing on a leash, my dog was doing that, like he was best in show in the ring. Keep us posted on how things go today and tonight.
1) it will wear him out
-a good puppy is a tired puppy and when u bring him home the training sessions start.
2) he will be around people who have alot of experience rearing puppies and they will
Know how to adequetly address the issues in your absence then can relay to u the progress
3) ....and this may be the most important. Puppies learn as children do. By observing adults. Being around other dogs will socialize him properly and expose him to the mannerisms and language / correction that only another dog can give, and these are things he needs to grow
Mentally.
You need to nip this immediately, the longer u wait, the harder the correction will be, and as ur puupy matures, their will be less outside help available as others will become intimidated.
I guarantee this will work, and I guarantee in an area as large as Boston, u will have numerous daycare facilities to choose from.
It's an investment that pays off ten fold from experience.......
I thought my bull terrier was an aggressive monster too when she was little. The growls sounded so mean, nothing like I've ever heard from a puppy before. It is the breed. She bit me A LOT. It made me angry and though I never wanted to give her away, there were days I hated her. I did not use the pin method and do not plan to with any dog I will own. Pinning is used when dogs play and honestly I don't think some dogs will see it as punishment. You need to make Jaws see YOU are boss. Use two fingers to swat his nose. Roll up a newspaper to bop him. Curl his lips under his teeth and apply pressure...it will hurt and he will stop. Put him in time out - do NOT use his crate for timeouts. Use a bathroom or other small space that can be puppy proofed.
I would also forget about the behavioral trainer too. Dogs personalities change so much over their first two years, so I think it's unfair to judge him at 9 weeks. He needs to be around dogs, not humans. Dogs will teach him how to behave. My dog was in daycare as often as possible from about 4-9 months. We also spent a lot of time at dog parks. Jaws needs to learn manners.
At this point I don't think there's anything wrong with him. And I wanted to comment because one of the first things I ever tell people who are interested in bull terriers are that they are hard puppies. Really hard puppies. But if you do right by the dog and stick with it, it will be so rewarding. Anyone that reads this thread should know that.