Remember Jaws ???
Hello everyone. Not sure if you remember Jaws. Just an update: he's doing great. When I got him at 8 weeks he was living up to his name: snarling, biting, causing pain! By 10 weeks old I thought it could never stop because it had got so bad that if we pet him he would bite our hands. This is how I fixed it (personally) because there's so many ways.
Biting: if stuff a toy in his mouth. Or,.everytime he let me pet him I gave him kibble and said "good!". Screaming "ouch" or leaving the room didn't help. He didn't care and he thought it was a game and would chase me and bite me when I turned around . (Thinking back, now it's funny! But it wasn't then).
I enrolled him in a positive reinforcement puppy class. And might I add... He was the smartest and best one. It taught him basic stuff. Sit, come, drop it, leave it. They are silly but very important. He drops toys on command and now he sits on his mat until I tell him it's ok to go and eat his food. Now... Everything is great. I have this amazing fun adorable and very friendly 18 week old puppy! He plays with my 1 year old nephew. Just walks up to him and licks him. He does awesome with all size dogs at the park. He loves all people and places! BUT.... Resource guarding of his food just started! Even if the bowl is empty, I can not take it away. He will growl and do all the signs of guarding and sometimes snap. SO... I sought out advice. 2 trainers pinned him and with a slip lead yanked him, and yelled at him til he peed himself. I didn't see him getting better but worse. I know these are strong dogs that have like no pain sensors! But it wasn't working with Jaws. I decided to do something different. I went on YouTube for hours. Learning tricks. This is what is working on day #3.
I make him sit... And I put an Empty food bowl about 10 ft. from him. I tell him to wait for about 20-30 seconds. Then I say "ok". He runs to the bowl but it's empty! After a few seconds he's looking at me. So I walk over tell him to sit. Pat his head and shoulders and drop 2-3 kibble in the bowl and walk away. I keep doing this til all the food is gone. By day #3-- I don't even have to say sit. He looks for me to fill it and sits automatically. Then, at the end I say "trade" and give him a small high value treat for the bowl. And I haven't gotten a bad remark yet. Eventually I want to be able to just take the bowl. But it's going to take time to let him trust that when I go to the bowl-- it means good things.
I know this doesn't work for every dog. But it's working with him. And maybe this can help someone too!
Biting: if stuff a toy in his mouth. Or,.everytime he let me pet him I gave him kibble and said "good!". Screaming "ouch" or leaving the room didn't help. He didn't care and he thought it was a game and would chase me and bite me when I turned around . (Thinking back, now it's funny! But it wasn't then).
I enrolled him in a positive reinforcement puppy class. And might I add... He was the smartest and best one. It taught him basic stuff. Sit, come, drop it, leave it. They are silly but very important. He drops toys on command and now he sits on his mat until I tell him it's ok to go and eat his food. Now... Everything is great. I have this amazing fun adorable and very friendly 18 week old puppy! He plays with my 1 year old nephew. Just walks up to him and licks him. He does awesome with all size dogs at the park. He loves all people and places! BUT.... Resource guarding of his food just started! Even if the bowl is empty, I can not take it away. He will growl and do all the signs of guarding and sometimes snap. SO... I sought out advice. 2 trainers pinned him and with a slip lead yanked him, and yelled at him til he peed himself. I didn't see him getting better but worse. I know these are strong dogs that have like no pain sensors! But it wasn't working with Jaws. I decided to do something different. I went on YouTube for hours. Learning tricks. This is what is working on day #3.
I make him sit... And I put an Empty food bowl about 10 ft. from him. I tell him to wait for about 20-30 seconds. Then I say "ok". He runs to the bowl but it's empty! After a few seconds he's looking at me. So I walk over tell him to sit. Pat his head and shoulders and drop 2-3 kibble in the bowl and walk away. I keep doing this til all the food is gone. By day #3-- I don't even have to say sit. He looks for me to fill it and sits automatically. Then, at the end I say "trade" and give him a small high value treat for the bowl. And I haven't gotten a bad remark yet. Eventually I want to be able to just take the bowl. But it's going to take time to let him trust that when I go to the bowl-- it means good things.
I know this doesn't work for every dog. But it's working with him. And maybe this can help someone too!
Comments
Glad he is behaving himself!
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