New puppy, training tips?

[Ren]

Got a German Shepherd Labrador mix last week and for the most part it's been smooth she knows sit and come but the problem we're having right now is the play biting our 5 year old daughter, any tips on stopping this?

 

[Tabascocat]

Buy about 5 or 6 toys for the dog to choose from at any given time. When ya catch her biting, lightly swat her nose and put a toy in her mouth.

Also, keep your daughter from teasing it, especially around the dogs face. It will only encourage her to play bite more.

Worse comes to worse, spanking for both

 

[Meat-O-Rama]

When the pup play bites, grab her firmly (but not violently) by the snout (holding her mouth closed) and tell her NO. Let her go and encourage her to pick up a toy to chew on. When she plays with the toy praise her.

Great book I recommend to all new puppy owners: http://amzn.com/0316083275

 

[viman96]

Got a German Shepherd Labrador mix last week and for the most part it's been smooth she knows sit and come but the problem we're having right now is the play biting our 5 year old daughter, any tips on stopping this?

I 100% agree with Meat-O-Rama on buying The Art of Raising a Puppy by The Monks of New Skete. Awesome book and approach to raising a puppy. Also it would be a good idea to find a local trainer you can work with.

 

[Rockport]

Buy about 5 or 6 toys for the dog to choose from at any given time. When ya catch her biting, lightly swat her nose and put a toy in her mouth.

Also, keep your daughter from teasing it, especially around the dogs face. It will only encourage her to play bite more.

Worse comes to worse, spanking for both

You should never ever hit your dog. You will get nowhere with that.

 

[viman96]

When ya catch her biting, lightly swat her nose and put a toy in her mouth.

I did this with my current dog (not the swatting but giving him a chew toy) and a few other things. He is 2yr old now and the first thing he does is grab a chew toy when he is excited and comes to greet anyone. Dude has so much energy and needs to gnaw on something.

 

[CyberB0b]

I did this with my current dog (not the swatting but giving him a chew toy) and a few other things. He is 2yr old now and the first thing he does is grab a chew toy when he is excited and comes to greet anyone. Dude has so much energy and needs to gnaw on something.

With my English Bulldog, it's 50/50 between that and leg humping to visitors.

 

[Vtwin]

The Monks is a very good book but they have backed off a bit on some of hard and fast rules they put forth in that book. Sounds like you pup is playing the way pups play. I would supervise all the interactions with your daughter and quickly correct the biting when it happens. Grab her snout and use whatever word you use in that situation. She will learn quick if you do your part. You might also create situations that emphasize your daughters higher standing in the pack so the pup does not try to challenge that.

Good luck and congrats on your new family member.

 

[Fletch]

When you welcome a new pup into an established household, especially with children, not only does the dog need discipline and boundaries, but so does the child or children during pup rearing. It also helps to teach the pup a "soft mouth" as it continues to grow.

 

[Fletch]

The Monks is a very good book but they have backed off a bit on some of hard and fast rules they put forth in that book. Sounds like you pup is playing the way pups play. I would supervise all the interactions with your daughter and quickly correct the biting when it happens. Grab her snout and use whatever word you use in that situation. She will learn quick if you do your part. You might also create situations that emphasize your daughters higher standing in the pack so the pup does not try to challenge that.

Good luck and congrats on your new family member.

Cesar Milan... is that you?

 

[Idgit]

Got a German Shepherd Labrador mix last week and for the most part it's been smooth she knows sit and come but the problem we're having right now is the play biting our 5 year old daughter, any tips on stopping this?

Some salt and pepper, paprika, and a tsp of red chili. Low and slow at no more than 250 for ~1 hour and a quarter per pound of meat.

 

[NeonNinja]

Some have already gave some pretty good advice. I will just add patience, it's important. Congrats on the new family member.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Got a German Shepherd Labrador mix last week and for the most part it's been smooth she knows sit and come but the problem we're having right now is the play biting our 5 year old daughter, any tips on stopping this?

My friend is a trainer.
He does everything with a pocket full of doggie treats. Little small ones.

Everything is, "hey, over here" when he wants dog to stop what he is doing. He then gives small treats.

Very effective.

 

[JIMMYBUFFETT]

When the pup play bites, grab her firmly (but not violently) by the snout (holding her mouth closed) and tell her NO. Let her go and encourage her to pick up a toy to chew on. When she plays with the toy praise her.

Great book I recommend to all new puppy owners: http://amzn.com/0316083275

Same ↑. I've broken both a Lab and a Doberman from play biting doing this same thing. Now when we come home or have company over both dogs run to grab a toy before greeting anybody. My lab is 3 and he'll still meet me at the door today with a toy in his mouth. Part of it also just being a puppy and they'll grow out of it.

 

[viman96]

There a few techniques I consider more aggressive but do work and had to use them on a couple of dogs.

First one as previously mentioned is holding the mouth close. In addition I cover their nose and tell them firmly "No" but without yelling.

The last and the more aggressive but still done in a gentle manner. Put 2 or 3 fingers down their throat to promote a gag reflex.

Neither of these are done to punish the dog. It is to instill an uncomfortable reminder to the dog that when they nip they will not breath or they will gag.

 

[Doomsday101]

If you feel some of it is due to teething then try taking a wet washrag and stick it in the freezer. It gives the puppy something firm to chew on as well as cold to help it with the discomfort of teething.

 

[Teren_Kanan]

Buy about 5 or 6 toys for the dog to choose from at any given time. When ya catch her biting, lightly swat her nose and put a toy in her mouth.

Also, keep your daughter from teasing it, especially around the dogs face. It will only encourage her to play bite more.

Worse comes to worse, spanking for both

Yeah just hit your daughter and dog! Sounds awesome.
/s

Easiest, least aggressive way to stop a dog biting is to simply hold their tongue.

Don't swat them, don't make them gag. Just if they put their teeth onto you, lightly hold their tongue for a few seconds. Non painful, and they don't like it. Don't use an angry voice or give them the stink eye when they do it, just be completely neutral about it Use a correction phrase as you do it, I simply use "nuh uh". Don't have anger in your tone. You can literally stop biting completely in like 2 days with this method. I did with both of my dogs, and another dog before it.

I'd suggest looking into clicker training. It's completely simple and you can literally train your dog to do pretty much anything with it. My dog can open the refrigerator, get me a bottle water, and shut the door. Was really simple process with clicker/treat training.

How's house training going? Do you have a kennel?

2 suggestions. Ignore the dog for 5 minutes after you get home, do not give it any attention until it is calm. Never give a dog attention if it's jumping up on you. Completely ignore it. Don't push it down, don't tell it no, don't look at it. If it jumps on you, simply turn your body so it slides off, and move on. If it sits, give it the attention it wants etc. Unless you have no problem with dog going crazy when you get home and jumping on you etc.

My dogs will both patiently wait until I'm ready to give them attention, and they will just sit near me. Seems to impress company (though you will have to have any company use the same methods, so the dog learns it's not just you it has to behave this way with).

Got 2 dogs, both very well trained, never hit them before. Just post here if you need suggestions on anything. Some of the others above are pretty good, and while I haven't read that book, I would recommend any training book that avoids hitting or aggression.

 

[Ren]

Thanks for the tips, just saying no while pushing her away and giving her one of her toys is starting to show results already

 

[Tabascocat]

Yeah just hit your daughter and dog! Sounds awesome.
/s

No sense of humor eh?

 

[Viper]

When the dog tries to bite, take your fingers and gentle nudge them to the back of the dogs throat. The dog will spit your hand out of it's mouth. It won't be long before the dog doesn't want your hand in it's mouth. This way, it is the dog that is spitting your hand out of it's mouth.