# 4.5 week pup dumped onto me, NEED HELP ASAP



## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

my sis got a 4.5 week old puppy from some jerks and put it in my apartment, so I'm basically screwed. I believe they're just friends of hers and their dogs had pups, and they wanted to get rid of them, so they're not breeders

long story short, 4.5 week old pup, half husky, forgot the other half, just suddenly dumped onto me 3 days ago, leaving me rather ill equipped, both in terms of actual equipment, and knowhow. my sis always wanted to have a dog, but lives alone and works, so doesn't have time to raise one. for some reason it made sense to her to make me raise it for her.....

I'm ok with feeding it, as it seems just fine eating both wet and canned solids. no. 1 training is going well for the most part. it already tries to only do its no. 2s outside, so that hasn't really been an issue

this is my concern: I've never owned or raised any dog or pet before, and am mostly learning as I go through google. I'm extremely worried about socialization, bite control, and his lack of stimulation. tonight is only his 3rd night here

my apartment is very small, and very minimal. nothing for him to explore or really learn about. he walks around, tries to chew a few things, desperately now. I've tried playing games with it, but it doesn't really seem interested in anything besides biting. it's completely uninterested in the ball I got for it, regardless if I bounce, roll it, or throw it. it was alright for the first 2 days though, as I let it mouth my hand and to try to teach it bite control, and it was pretty fascinated by the stuffed hedgehog chew toy I got for it. today, I'm too scratched up to let it keep mouthing me, and it's gotten bored of the soft fluffy inanimate hedgehog. I watch it desperately try to munch on chair legs and slippers, and I just know it's miserable when I have to stop him at every turn. unlike biting people, it doesn't respond to my normal command to make it stop biting when it's on furniture, and I have to pull it off, sometimes needing to put a few fingers in his mouth to loosen his grip

I don't want it to hurt anything when it grows up, but at the same time, if I'm already scratched up after 2 days of bite control training....I don't think I can last the 6-7 weeks until it gets all its shots and can by sent to puppy school for "repairs"

and of course, the other issue is socialization. I do take it outside to do its business, walk around a bit in the parking lot, and I'm planning on carrying it in my arms just to show it around the block without letting it contact anything soiled by other dogs...but after seeing how it reacted to seeing another dog a few hours ago, I don't think that's gonna work. it basically rushed at it barking, and I had to pull it back with my makeshift leash and hold him until it was out of sight


I've been trying to get my sister to take it back to its family where it belongs, but she's completely not hearing any of this. nevermind that she's the one who even wanted a dog to begin with, and she should really be raising it in herself and in her apartment. I'm still hoping it can go back to its family, at least for a few weeks, then come back when its ready for its shots as the best case scenario

but as that doesn't seem like the probable outcome, I'm here asking for all the advice you guys can offer. the pup has warmed up to and seems to have grown fond of me, somewhat responds to a few commands, sometimes huddles against me to nap. while it mostly follows, it does sometimes like to run ahead of me or headbutt my leg, and sometimes ignores me to go after something else, so I'm unsure where I've managed to be its pack leader....or if it even has that instinct at this age


some other things....it's pooping is a bit abnormal, from what I've read. although I feed it 3 times a day, it only goes twice, and very long after a meal. it last went at around 7am this morning, but hasn't went since...largely due to me experimenting with a makeshift leash when I took it down at around 10pm I think, which was about when he went yesterday. it whimpered, the tail was shivering, it kept trying to get the strap off, and seemed to throw a tantrum and just sit there refusing to move at times, so it was probably too nervous


please help me =/


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

I'd also like to add I have no idea how much exercise I should be giving it. it's fine when it's off leash, I'll know its tired when it sits and lays down a lot. not so easy to tell when it's defying the leash


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## ireth0 (Feb 11, 2013)

I don't know much about caring for a puppy that young, but I do know it's too young to be away from it's litter. Heck, it's entirely possible it wasn't even weaned properly yet.

If there's any way it can go back to be with it's brothers and sisters that will go a long way toward proper puppy development.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

I typed this up last night, but apparently forgot to post it!

1) Forget the "pack leader" and dominance crap that Mr. Milan spews. Leadership itself is great, but when it comes right down to it, leadership is just teaching your dog how to successfully live among humans by encouraging good behaviors. Dogs know you aren't a dog, and they don't really form packs anyway.

2) Bite inhibition is a long-term project, especially for a puppy so young. Don't let him mouth you, that encourages putting its teeth on you (when you want the opposite!) - keep your hands out of his mouth, and when its tiny mouth-needles do touch your skin, simply remove your hand from his mouth and ignore him for a minute or two. Some puppies respond to a loud "yelp" - like how their siblings would sound if the puppy bit them. To stop it chewing on items that you don't want it to chew on, keep what you can out of reach, and when he starts to chew on something you can't keep away from him (like furniture) physically remove him and redirect his chewing onto a puppy chew toy. If he really doesn't want to let go, it's okay to bribe him away from the chair, etc. with a treat.

3) You totally don't have to wait for puppy kindergarten to start training him commands and stuff. Dogstar.com has a free training textbook that has several chapters on raising a well behaved puppy and also how to handle different problem behaviors that may arise - things like excessive mouthing, jumping up, demand barking, etc. I believe it also discusses some bigger issues, like separation anxiety and leash reactivity.


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## sandgrubber (May 21, 2014)

Being separated from siblings at 4.5 weeks is not natural . . . but many orphaned pups have grown up to be great dogs.
Don't take the biting seriously. Who knows what it means. I've noticed litters tend to go through a bite-one-another-see-what-happens learning stage at around five weeks, and then the biting pretty much stops as they learn some lessons about the fact that getting bitten hurts. Or that's what I imagine. 
Dog training books are not written for pups that young. You can't just stick a 1-2 yr old human baby in kindergarten. 
It's probably best for the pup to be back with its litter. But if that can't be arranged, I'd encourage a lot of tolerance. I'd also say it's ok to give the pup a pinch if it sinks its teeth into you. That's what would be happening if it were in a pile of puppies.


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

Pause.
This puppy is 4, weeks. old. He has been alive, on this planet, for barely a month.
He is teething. He cannot control his bladder or bowels. at all. He's not weaned. He should still be nursing for another two weeks. 
Just... remember this is a baby.

Please get hold of these people and ask what the other half of this dog is. Huskies are crazy insane to raise. You need to know what you need to look for if you plan on keeping this dog.
Decide right now if you can handle this dog for the next 15 years. Do you really want a dog? Do you have the time to exercise, groom, train, and play with this dog every day? Do you have the finances for collars, leashes, toys, beds, good quality food, and vet care?
If not, contact a rescue and explain what's happening. 

If you're ready for this, or think you are, get prepared.



> nothing for him to explore or really learn about. he walks around, tries to chew a few things, desperately now. I've tried playing games with it, but it doesn't really seem interested in anything besides biting.


Do no let him run around your apartment. If you're going to start your house training now, he needs to be watched all the time. Don't let him chew on things or leave him alone long enough to use the bathroom in the floor.
He's 4 weeks. He's probably not going to play with a ball.



> I watch it desperately try to munch on chair legs and slippers, and I just know it's miserable when I have to stop him at every turn. unlike biting people, it doesn't respond to my normal command to make it stop biting when it's on furniture, and I have to pull it off, sometimes needing to put a few fingers in his mouth to loosen his grip


He is teething. Give him a lot of stuff to chew on, not just soft stuff. Don't let him mouth you, just the toys. 



> I do take it outside to do its business, walk around a bit in the parking lot, and I'm planning on carrying it in my arms just to show it around the block without letting it contact anything soiled by other dogs...but after seeing how it reacted to seeing another dog a few hours ago, I don't think that's gonna work. it basically rushed at it barking, and I had to pull it back with my makeshift leash and hold him until it was out of sight


He absolutely does not need to be anywhere where other dogs could've gone to the bathroom or where dog traffic is heavy. Parvo will kill him at this age. And it is a terrible death. 
Don't let him meet other dogs either. Not unless you know for a fact they have been vaccinated and are completely disease free. 
Don't pull his leash. He shouldn't really even be on one right now but you can do damage to his neck if you're walking him on a collar.



> while it mostly follows, it does sometimes like to run ahead of me or headbutt my leg, and sometimes ignores me to go after something else, so I'm unsure where I've managed to be its pack leader....or if it even has that instinct at this age


That "pack leader" crap is a myth. Don't buy into it. This is a puppy that is afraid and lonely and wants to be with you. He only just started walking about a week ago. He's going to headbutt and flop around.



He needs to be running to the bathroom about every 15 minutes. Right after meals, naps, play times, last thing at night, once or twice during the night, and first thing in the morning.


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

thanks for the tips! I'm relieved to hear the pack leader thing isn't true. I do love dogs, but I love them for being dogs, not a robotish byproduct of skinner's experiments

surprisingly, he's fairly well potty trained. he does his no 2s when we take it out to the parking lot, and when uses the pee spot I made for him on his own when he needs to go in the middle of the night. he actually makes more accidents when people are around, I'm guessing his bladder control isn't so good that it can control it with distractions

for a makeshift leash I'm just tying an elastic strip of cloth diagonally across his chest, like a bandolier I suppose. I try my best to leave lots of slack, and is just insurance in case it decides to dart away at something dangerous to give me time to run up and pick him up. still, having the leash on at all makes him very uncomfortable, and he whimpers a bit when fiddling with it. it's definitely not on too tight, cuz he slips out of it pretty easily actually

for the mouthing, what I really wanna teach him is to control the force of his bite. I read he should be learning it by playing with his litter....but of course, he didn't get to do that. sure, theoretically if he never bites anyone or dog, it won't be a problem. but he's half husky, and it's already showing, so that's not a realistic assumption. I would very much like him to at least be in enough control to not maim anything

ignoring him after he nips me hasn't quite worked out. I've tried that and most of the time he just gets the idea a chase game has started and darts at my foot instead, even trying to pin it down with his paws. one time it actually leaped at my leg teeth first.....which was pretty shocking, especially considering he can't even climb stairs yet. I understand teething's a tough time for it, I hear him click his teeth in his sleep sometimes, so I don't blame him for it, but not allowing him to bite doesn't seem like an option. it's like a call of nature to him right now

today I'm also finding out he really likes to play rough. I tried just pushing/pulling him away by the chest/back of the neck...and he actually looks happier...after a few tussles he's rolling on the floor with his belly up and smiling and panting. very cute now, but probably extremely dangerous once he's grown. he also often tries to engage me in a staring contest, so he's showing quite a few signs that he's definitely not a submissive dog

I'll see if I can find him a hard stick to chew on

dogstar.com isn't loading for me. redirects to some marketing site that I have blocked =(

I've not taken him to any vet. not sure about my sister or his previous owners


I'm asking about his mother's breed...but if it helps, I have pictures of the family

http://imgur.com/a/UzCWx#0

and this is him

http://i.imgur.com/fhBopr2.jpg


but no, I honestly really don't want to own a dog. having one as a friend is nice, but I don't have the time to give them all the attention they really need and deserve. that's not really important to me right now though, I want what's best for this pup. his situation is too tragic for me not to do my best to raise it at least for now


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## SoulDogs (Aug 14, 2014)

are you sure this puppy is only a month old? I can't imagine a dog that young would be even remotely potty trained at that age. Unless you are taking it out extremely often and it gives the appearance of being potty trained simply because of the frequency it is let out. I would be VERY careful doing that though, this little puppy is susceptible to parvo at this age, I wouldn't be walking it around too much like you would with an older pup. Have you taken it to the vet yet? It needs to be. Then you need to know the schedule of what it will need as far as shots and how often. It's good to hear that his appetite is good though.

As far as teething and biting, a ball can be good even for young ones, but even better is something to chew on. I personally wouldn't give any hard toys to a little pup with its puppy teeth still, I would get softer rubber type toys at this age. Usually labeled "puppy," so it won't damage his teeth. 

Get this little one to a vet! He needs to be checked for worms as well.


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

I can't be sure of anything. just what little I've been told by my sister...who only knows whatever the people who sold it to her told her. I think they're friends of a coworker of hers or something. what I've been told was it was born on july 23rd

anyways, it only does a no 2 twice a day, except yesterday, for some reason it only went once. it went when I took it out this morning though, so it seems to be fine, though upon retrospect I should probably be worried about some hidden dog poop somewhere in the apartment right now......

for the peeing, what I did was an old trick I heard, where you soak up the pee with a paper towel, then lay them all out in a large pile where I wanted it to pee. supposedly they like to pee in the same place naturally, so that may be why he usually pees there, even without supervision (ie during the night when I'm asleep)


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

she's telling me the mother is a chow chow and labrador mix. explains the pup's fluffy fur I guess


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

alright, his teeth are already too sharp and his bite too strong for teaching bite control

I've gotten it a few more toys to chew with, but it still bites people...and a lot more bite than nip now. my skin is cut, and will probably bleed by this time tomorrow if he continues. he's become far less responsive to my "no" command than yesterday, and also seems to be playing with his chew toys far more aggressively (pinning them down with his paws and pulling with his teeth, shaking them around violently, playing tug of war by himself vs his own bedding). looks like his predatory hunter instincts have really come out, and I have no idea what to do. I tried pinching him lightly, but it pretty much did nothing. any other ways in particular to discourage it from biting me and other people?

it's also running quite a bit faster....or at least trying. wood floor's a bit slippery and he's slipping and falling quite a bit after picking up some speed. not sure if that's harmful for his development


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## Remaru (Mar 16, 2014)

I have a husky x GSD, she is 8months now and one of the easiest puppies I've raised. I had a GSD x Lab foster, I admit I was relieved when the rescue called to tell me they had a placement for him. He was not my favorite dog ever. I've had a malamute mix in the past as well, best dog, really amazing. 

Having a puppy at 4.5 weeks is not ideal, but if he cannot go back to his family you can make it work. I did manage to mostly house break a litter I had as fosters (I had mom and the rest of the litter) starting around 4 weeks. I had them set up in the entry way of my house with their bed in one area with the food and water and the pee pads all the way at the other end. They naturally wanted to go far from their food and bed to potty. When I had them out playing I would put them on the pee pads frequently by our back door. At 5 weeks they went out into the yard (I have a yard which made it safer for them, my dog was older and "safe" because he was vaccinated and healthy) several times a day with rewards for doing their thing outside. It worked really well. By the time mom and one of the pups left for new homes they were all house broken. Huge deal for little dogs as people will tell you they are hard to house break. 

Do not let him bite you. When he bites move completely away. It is natural for a puppy to nip, he hasn't learned bite inhibition yet. It has nothing to do with dominance, it is a form of play. He will only learn not to do it if you end interaction when he starts. Buy toys you want him to chew on and encourage play by playing with him with the toys. When he bites you end the game, leave him with the toy. I would suggest some type of pen or crate when you can't be with him. Don't leave him in for too long unless you can get an exercise pen and put pee pads on one end (at his age that may be the best thing to do). You don't want him to develop the habit of chewing on things around your apartment.

ETA: everything you describe is normal puppy behavior. Stop encouraging him to bite you to try to teach him to control his biting. That doesn't work. I don't know why you are doing that but if you keep having him bite you he will keep biting you and other people. It is normal for puppies to tumble and fall when they start learning to run. Honestly it almost sounds like he is older than 4.5 weeks, the litter I had couldn't do things like that until more like 6weeks.


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

I read about letting it bite me online, since bite control is something he was supposed to learn by playing with his litter. so I was trying to pretend to be a puppy. totally regretting it now, whoever wrote that tip clearly never tried it themselves....

anyways, while I don't know for sure as I've never tried, but I'm pretty sure raising a lonely puppy on its own starting at 4.5 weeks creates a lot of long term problems. your litter had their whole family minus the dad it seems, so they could all learn from each other, their mother, and from humans. I've read that normally puppies wrestle and bite on each other a lot in the 4-8 weeks period, and is an important part of their development...which this pup is missing

I've tried moving away, but don't always succeed. his bite is lightning quick now, and I don't want it to think I don't want him near me by moving away or saying no every time he's close to touching me. in any case, it doesn't discourage him at all. it actually gets more excited when I move away, presumably cuz now it gets to pounce a moving target instead......


I think I'm gonna try putting him in the bathtub the next time it manages to successfully bite me. is that a good idea?


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

When he bites you, leave the room. Put a door between you and him so that he can't bite you. You only need to stay away for a minute. The pup should learn relatively quickly that biting means the fun stops. Do this _every time_. It might take a while, but it will work.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Crantastic said:


> When he bites you, leave the room. Put a door between you and him so that he can't bite you. You only need to stay away for a minute. The pup should learn relatively quickly that biting means the fun stops. Do this _every time_. It might take a while, but it will work.


So much this. By moving your hand when he bites you, the puppy may think it is a game... which will reinforce him to nip/bite more.


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

me leaving instead isn't really a good option I'm afraid, cuz that means leaving it alone in the living room+kitchen area. ...basically a free for all furniture buffet, with a few plants for dessert to boot

how well do pups understand warning's by the way? I don't wanna confine it every time it tries to bite me


and oddly enough, his temperament is back to normal. it's responding to "no" again, except for furniture, where I always need to gently pull him off. but he stopped thrashing his toys and desperately chomping on furniture. must've had a really awful teething pain before =/


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

You really only need to leave for like 30 seconds. It's just an interruption so that the puppy cannot bite you.

Dogs don't come to us knowing what "no" means, either. It's easier to teach a dog what you want it to do than try to teach it the many meanings of "no." If a dog is chewing inappropriate things, redirect it to an appropriate thing and praise and/or treat it for chewing that thing.


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

alright, I'll give that a shot first

though, I'm pretty concerned about it working relying on the stopping of "fun". as far as I can tell fun for him doesn't begin until there's a tussle. I'm not even entirely sure it enjoys petting. I'm only sure it doesn't dislike it, since he hardly reacts to it, except sometimes to try to turn and nip the hand. hard to tell with that stubby tail of his, but after day 1, I don't think I've seen it really wag except when he's chasing my foot for a bite or when I push/pull him away from biting my hand. it doesn't react much when I pull it away from plants or furniture either....or on walks (understandable, parking lot isn't exactly full of stimulus...nor of reasonable size). he's only excited by me physically stopping him from biting me =/

before anyone considers the possibility that I might be pushing/pulling too hard and it's actually lashing out in self defense...the pup is still fond of walking over/under my legs and huddling up to sleep against me, so I'm pretty sure it doesn't dislike me. sadly I'm almost entirely sure I'm the only "toy" he really likes


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

All puppies are like that. Just keep leaving the room whenever he bites down on your skin, and redirecting to a toy any time he's trying to play-fight with you. Wave the toy around, gently hit at his legs with it... just play with him. It will work, I promise, but any method takes lots of repetition. Don't expect him to learn anything in a day or two.


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

BoswerLK said:


> she's telling me the mother is a chow chow and labrador mix. explains the pup's fluffy fur I guess


That's what she looks like to me. I definitely see the chow in her.
So study on huskies, labs, and chows. Know that your pup could turn out like more of one or two, or all equally, or even none.


And the puppy is likely more comfortable going outside because it appears he was raised outside. But he is definitely very young. 


With the biting,don't pinch him, hit him, pull him, shove him, anything. Either that will make him afraid of your hands, or he will think you're playing with him and it will get worse.
Leaving the room for just a few moments is ending the game. To him, it is teaching him that when he gets too rough, all the fun ends and if wants to keep playing he needs to keep himself under that threshold. 
It will take quite a while for him to learn, but you have to be absolutely consistent.


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

well, took a quick look at each of their wikis. behaviorally he definitely takes after his husky half. loves crawling under low hanging beams and into tight spots, sometimes getting itself stuck, and jumping/climbing/walking over short obstacles along the way, like my foot and my leg. also pretty insistent on going between my feet and legs to the point of zig zagging through them when they're parallel to his path. and of course, the howling when it needs to poop. even before I looked into how to raise dogs, I had always heard that huskies are one of the most difficult pets one can have...pretty worst case scenario for me =/


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## Remaru (Mar 16, 2014)

If you don't think you can handle him my recommendation is to find a rescue that can. I am not a fan of reading breed descriptions on the internet and deciding that a dog will behave a certain way because of it, particularly with a mix breed. Like I said I presently have a husky mix who is one of the easiest dogs I've ever had, in the past I've had a malamute mix, also a wonderful dog. I have raised rescues as young as 5 weeks, individual puppies. I have never let the puppy bite my hand to teach bite inhibition. The best way is to provide appropriate items for playing with and remove yourself when he/she starts nipping skin. Puppies don't all come preprogramed to enjoy petting and cuddling, some dogs grow up to not particularly enjoy it but many just take time to learn to like it, those who were raised outside with more dog than human interaction may take longer. You have to teach the puppy how to play appropriately and you do that by initiating the type of play you want, with toys, and ending play when the puppy begins biting. He will most likely learn to enjoy being pet if you continue to do so gently when he is calm not when he is in a playful mood.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

I wouldn't worry too much about what those pages say. If you have the time and money for a dog, and will be able to give it enough exercise and mental stimulation, and you're willing to read and learn and ask questions here, then you can handle this pup. But if you don't feel that you can (or want to) do this, contact a rescue now and get them to take the pup while it is still young, cute, and highly adoptable. No one will think badly of you -- you didn't ask for this pup, after all!


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

Need to bring up here the need for better chew toys- like a big raw marrow bone or pigs ear, way more satisfying for a pup then the manmade things- good luck and more power to you- for steppin' up for this pup! Welcome to dogforums!!!!


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

OMGosh unbelieveabley cute (looks chowish to me) btw....who knows maybe he will take after the lab side (there is some deep in there somewhere right?)... of his family, although I went out and bought myself a chow puppy when I was 10....so......


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

All I can think is...

They don't call them "landsharks" for nuthin'.

Good luck, OP.


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

Bite Inhibition:
http://www.dogforums.com/dog-training-forum/317825-biting-stops-here.html#post3427737 [I wrote this and shed much blood in the process  ]

Training, raising etc.: http://www.dogstardaily.com/free-downloads
Download both of these free books and read through them. The methods are time tested and very good, but sometimes the writing is too precise to be clear enough for a new owner. Also, the advice and warnings may be a bit extreme ... But, these methods have been in use for more than 30 years.


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

heh, I'm calling bite inhibition quits for now and just teaching it not to bite me at all. maybe I'll pick up some dog handling gloves and try again some day if I decide to keep him, but his teeth have already grown way too sharp to do it with just bare skin. he is controlling his bite strength somewhat from his training on the first few days. he's already bigger and stronger than he was then (5lbs on sunday to 6.5lbs today, right before feeding), and he's applying less pressure than he was on day one. but back then, only his canines were sharp enough to really damage me. now, even his incisors can easily break skin =/

I'll check the books out, but at this rate, with the time this pup is taking up, by the time I finish reading 2 books it'll probably not be a puppy anymore

also, I'm complete garbage at yelping. it didn't react at all when I tried that


about when can pups start learning verbal commands btw? I can somewhat get it to sit, that was easy enough to teach. just called him for dinner, had his food in my hand, repeat sit a few times, help him down with a gentle push down his tush and back of the knee after a few reps if needed, and put a spoonful of food into his bowl as long as it stays sitting for a second. also made him stop going "kid in candy store" mode every time I'm preparing food for it. it still only sometimes responds to sit when I'm not feeding it though. ....I also have absolutely no idea how to get it to come to me...it just gives me a blank stare and I can't exactly physically correct him to walk to me when he's, well, not already at where I am

......I did manage to get him to give me a high five pretty consistently...which is probably the most useless and adorable thing he possibly could've learned


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## Remaru (Mar 16, 2014)

https://www.youtube.com/user/kikopup 

He can start learning now but honestly you don't put words to commands right away because dogs don't understand words as easily as they do actions. Please don't correct him, just use the food to lure him. Kikopup isn't my personal favorite trainer but she has videos showing super young puppies learning using food lures and clicker. It will take more than once or twice for him to understand what you want, many many repetitions will go into teaching him to sit, come when you call his name, lay down, whatever it is you want him to learn. Forcing his butt down or whatever may get him to do it right away but will not teach him the behavior in the long term. He isn't doing it when you don't have food yet because he doesn't know it yet. As far as teaching him to come when called you are going to have to teach him his name first. I do that by calling my dog's name, Dove for instance, and giving her food. I do that maybe 10 times then stop. An hour later I do it again. An hour later I do it again. The next day I call her name from a few feet away and maybe she runs towards me expecting food. If she runs towards me I give her food. We just build up from there.


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

can't do food luring yet I think. his senses haven't quite developed fully. I don't have any aromatic treats, and with his digestive system still developing, I've been advised to let it eat as little variety as possible to avoid complications. it can smell pedigree canned food, but that's not exactly impressive...and it's not exactly healthy either, so I do not want him to get a craving for that. I've tried teaching him using the healthy dry kibble I got for him, but he doesn't like it much when it's not mixed with water...and he's completely garbage at actually finding them anyways. he completely misses if I try giving it to him with my palm...then misses it some more once it's on the floor.........and eventually loses track of it when he knocks it around a few inches

if it can't detect it mere inches away, he's definitely not gonna find them from even a few feet


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

BoswerLK said:


> can't do food luring yet I think. his senses haven't quite developed fully. I don't have any aromatic treats, and with his digestive system still developing, I've been advised to let it eat as little variety as possible to avoid complications. it can smell pedigree canned food, but that's not exactly impressive...and it's not exactly healthy either, so I do not want him to get a craving for that. I've tried teaching him using the healthy dry kibble I got for him, but he doesn't like it much when it's not mixed with water...and he's completely garbage at actually finding them anyways. he completely misses if I try giving it to him with my palm...then misses it some more once it's on the floor.........and eventually loses track of it when he knocks it around a few inches
> 
> if it can't detect it mere inches away, he's definitely not gonna find them from even a few feet


You could try tiny pieces of plain boiled chicken... I bet cooked ground beef would work great too and it would be easier to break into small enough pieces for a puppy that young (and also not that unhealthy for him). But at 5 weeks, he's not going to suffer too much if you don't start properly training him for another month or so. Something you might want to work on is impulse control (like teaching it not to jump up on you when excited, to be patient if you have food or a toy it wants, etc.), because if he's all over the place now, it's only going to get worse as he develops. The principle of teaching impulse control is pretty simple: you reward the puppy for being calm and/or polite and ignore him if he is being demanding or getting too excited (e.g. when playing). Impulse control will help with bite inhibition too; a lot of dogs start to bite/mouth when they get very excited and teaching impulse control helps the dog learn to control it's excitement, so they're less likely to get so excited that they start mouthing. (But he's still a puppy, and is likely going to mouth for a few more months)


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

rather hard to ignore his bites =/

anyways, I've been doing the leave the room thing for a while now. not entirely sure if it's working as intended. I sneak a peak through the door and he doesn't look at all regretful. he just goes and does something else...like biting his leg, or scratching himself, or walking around the apartment. also doesn't stop him from trying to bite others. sometimes he tries again with seconds of me coming back


annoyingly, it fails miserably when trying to bite my sister as she's wearing tight long jeans, so it can't find a good target to latch on to. rather more annoyingly, her answer to my concerns about raising him was to "just leave him alone and scold him when he bites people". also offered to buy a muzzle for it, which begs the question of why she even wanted a pup in the first place. I'm tempted to drop by and leave the pup in her apartment over the weekend, but apparently it's a no dogs allowed building.........which makes her purchase of it even more aggravating


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## Remaru (Mar 16, 2014)

It takes time for a puppy to learn. He will not stop biting right away, you have only had him for a few days. You will notice over time he will bite less and less, then he will start teething and he will bite more. The idea is to set a good foundation from the beginning so that by the time the puppy is an adolescent you don't have a large dog with a biting problem. Make sure that other people understand the rules of playing with puppy as well, because no, dogs do not generalize. Also, dogs don't feel remorse/regret like people. He doesn't feel bad because he upset you, dogs don't work that way. He can learn that biting=you leaving and the fun stopping. He can learn that doing things makes you angry/yelling/being hit, he will not feel remorse. 

I would agree with using little bits of baked or boiled chicken for luring. Kibble doesn't work for all dogs. I am lucky to have a couple who are very keen on food and I can use just plain kibble. In fact I have one who likes kibble best of all. However you need higher value foods for some dogs. Watch the Kikopup videos and learn about clicker training. She has videos specifically on getting started with a new puppy. Again, if you do not think you can handle this puppy please find a rescue for him. It wasn't right of your sister to drop him on you like that and it isn't really your responsibility but it is better to find him a rescue now while he is little and cute.


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

...what if he uses this learning against me and just nips me every time he wants me to go away. that's how I would use it if I was a dog anyways...free furniture and plant munching time!


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## Remaru (Mar 16, 2014)

Unless you have made being with you unpleasant in some way I seriously doubt that will happen. Dogs want to be with their people, they don't want the fun and games to stop. It does take little puppies a while to learn to play. Despite having raised many puppies (so so many puppies) I often forget that it takes them some time to learn that it is fun to play and how to play appropriately. Instigate puppy appropriate games like tugging with a soft toy and get him interested. He will want to play with you. Never let playing include biting on your hands. Make sure there are plenty of good things for him to chew on. Give him a safe place to be when you can't be with him like a crate or an exercise pen. This prevents inappropriate chewing on furniture and potty accidents. Remember, dogs are not people, they do not think like we do.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

At his age, try this: when he goes to nip you, stick a soft toy in his mouth. He can't bite you if his mouth is full . If he stops trying to bite you and plays with the toy, praise him greatly. If he keeps trying to bite you, keep sticking the toy in his mouth. Easier than leaving every other second. As he gets older you can try withdrawing attention but at this age just stick a stuffie in there .


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

stuffing a toy in his mouth was what I did on day 1. it most definitely didn't help. sure, it stops temporarily, but the problem is that it would actually increase his frequency of trying to bite me...and at best just decreases the duration of each attempt

it definitely understands the meaning of "no", it's just that sometimes he doesn't care. but with the no/leaving methods, I at least see him hold back his urges sometimes. he'd lunge his head towards a target but stop before teeth make contact. I've been praising him for it, and the times he just rubs his nose or tongue against it


doesn't seem there's any stopping him when he goes into his hyperactive playful state though. it did his play bow at me for the first time about an hour ago, after being on a bit of a biting frenzy for a few minutes. I just tossed a stuffed hedgehog around and he absolutely mauled it. probably a poor choice for his conditioning, but I didn't know what else to do. I don't want to tussle with him anymore cuz I need him to stop biting people, and at his energy level he probably could've done some serious damage if he got a hold of me anyways, but I couldn't really deny him either. after all, he was supposed to have been free to indulge his dog instincts for the next 3 weeks. and now he's stuck in an apartment with a human that doesn't want himself or his stuff getting thrashed


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

hey, does anyone how aware a dog if when it's sleeping? I was curious when I was washing his bowl. when I feed him, I tap the bowl with the spoon a lot. once to get him to come to it, and again each time I spoon more food in (to get the stickier bits to fall off the spoon). so, I tapped on the bowl with his spoon midwash and turned around, and sure enough, the pup that was sleeping soundly was looking right at me. I'm wondering if it was coincidence or if it actually heard and understood the noise. it most definitely wasn't the ruckus, as I listen to music or play video games when he's sleeping sometimes, and he's not disturbed the slightest

I also tried just gently sliding him along the floor by pushing on his feet when he fell asleep under my computer chair and I didn't wanna accidentally run him over. he didn't notice a thing for a good foot and a half


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

Your biggest problem is that you're expecting any given method to work within one or two days, and it doesn't work like that. You have to pick one method and be consistent until it works, which could be a week or a month or more. Puppies bite; it's what they do -- they explore the world with their mouths and they play with their mouths. It will take time for your puppy to learn not to bite you.

And it's totally fine for him to go nuts on stuffed toys. You can drag the toy around on the floor in front of him, or gently bat at his legs or face with it, or stuff it in his mouth when he nips at you.


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

well, I was expecting it to be a gradual process so I can get a sense if it'd work on this pup

anyways, I'm getting very conflicting advice on play growling. I accidentally initiated a game of tug of war with the pup, and it play bowed and growled. I smiled and kept playing the game with it cuz I understood it was all just play. a lot of people say it's fine, it is natural after all. but I'm also getting a lot saying how it's a sign it'll grow up dominant and challenge authority constantly and what not and I should never allow it to growl. what do you guys think should I do? keep in mind he's still only 5 weeks old, and I'm probably the first and only living thing he's ever play bowed or play growled to, and I am largely concerned with doing what's best for him, and am keeping it unnamed as I'm still leaning towards getting rid of it, hopefully not to the confined space of a shelter


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## Munki (Aug 29, 2014)

I play tug of war with both of my dogs. I have a Rhodesian Ridgeback which are known to be in a "puppy stage" most of their life. Some dogs are really vocal when they play while others play quietly. You will learn the difference of his play growl and his warning growl. You are going to here conflicting advise get use to it. In all honesty the first thing you need to do is decide if you are up for raising a dog. They take a tremendous amount of care, dedication, and everyone's least favorite MONEY. Also make sure your apartments allow you to have a Husky or Chow mix. Both of these breeds are highly restricted in most apartments. You don't want to get into a situation where you get kicked out or fined or even both. If you decide he's a keeper go buy what he needs asap. For starters a kennel, a smaller kennel with a separator for puppy training, and a harness and real leash. Secondly flavorful chew toys. Remember dogs are like kids. Not every dog likes every treat, or bed, or food. Unfortunately the only way to learn what he likes is trial and error (which means spending money). Another thing to think about... all the breeds he is mixed with require high maintenance grooming and almost daily brushing. He will shed a lot. Don't wait till he grows up to decide whether or not you can handle the hair.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

If you're leaning towards getting rid of him, find a good rescue now. It'll be much easier for them to find him a home while he's still a little puppy. If you tell us the general area you live in, people here could probably help you find a good rescue.

And play growling is fine, tug-of-war is fine. You can ignore anyone who says anything about your puppy becoming "dominant" over you, because that's a load of crap. Here's some good info about that.


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

dogs do not try to dominate humans. scientific fact.

growling during play is just noise. means your dog is into it. i get stupid and growl back.

'it' is a 'he'. Not a TV remote, a dog. if you want to get rid of him, find a capable rescue now.


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## ireth0 (Feb 11, 2013)

Crantastic said:


> Your biggest problem is that you're expecting any given method to work within one or two days, and it doesn't work like that. You have to pick one method and be consistent until it works, which could be a week or a month or more. Puppies bite; it's what they do -- they explore the world with their mouths and they play with their mouths. It will take time for your puppy to learn not to bite you.
> 
> And it's totally fine for him to go nuts on stuffed toys. You can drag the toy around on the floor in front of him, or gently bat at his legs or face with it, *or stuff it in his mouth when he nips at you*.


I'm obviously too tired... I read that as "stuff it in your mouth when he nips at you" Oi vey...

Anyway, OP I agree with the others. I think you need to readjust your expectations a bit for this pup. Keep in mind that he's just a baby, who was probably taken from his mother before he was even weaned properly. He is almost half the age that puppies are supposed to be before they leave their mother and littermates.

With that in mind, understand that you are not changing behaviours right now, you are shaping him into the good adult dog you want him to be. Do not expect to see immediate change, or change within a week, or within a few weeks, or even a few months (many puppies can be mouthy into adolescence). Right now your job is to build good habits for the future.


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

HollowHeaven said:


> 'it' is a 'he'. Not a TV remote, a dog. if you want to get rid of him, find a capable rescue now.


oh geez, I didn't even know that I was doing that =(


well, I'll do the best I can for him for now. I really wanna try friends and family first so I can see him again and watch him grow up. but if anyone has experience with shelters in nyc, I'd like to hear them


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## Godwit (Apr 7, 2014)

North shore animal league is a no kill shelter in port Washington, Long Island. If you wanna guarantee his safety and adoption that's the place to go, and they get tons of publicity so he'll get adopted stat. It's the last stop on the port Washington LIRR line out of penn station. I'm not sure about pets on trains though. I actually live in town and know dog people (including myself) that can help you. PM me if interested.


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## Hambonez (Mar 17, 2012)

It probably took my dog three months of one really consistent training method to get him to stop biting all the time, and I got him at almost 8 wks. You've got a long road ahead. 

I'd make a decision soon as possible about whether you're committed to keeping this pup. The bigger he gets the "less cute" he'll get and it will be harder to rehome him. You need to consider this is a 15 year commitment, it will change your day to day life, vet bills can be very pricy, it's more difficult to find a place to live with a dog than without. It's hard to resist a cute puppy, but he isn't going to stay that way for long.


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## Remaru (Mar 16, 2014)

Hambonez said:


> It probably took my dog three months of one really consistent training method to get him to stop biting all the time, and I got him at almost 8 wks. You've got a long road ahead.
> 
> *I'd make a decision soon as possible about whether you're committed to keeping this pup. The bigger he gets the "less cute" he'll get and it will be harder to rehome him. You need to consider this is a 15 year commitment, it will change your day to day life, vet bills can be very pricy, it's more difficult to find a place to live with a dog than without. It's hard to resist a cute puppy, but he isn't going to stay that way for long.*


I agree with the bolded. In particular consider if you live in an apartment and do not plan to buy a home soon moving may be challenging for you. Many apartments will not rent if you own a husky, chow or even dog over 25lbs. It is easier where I live, far fewer restrictions but even I had a hard time finding a place with my malamute mix that also allowed children (weird I know). Often one or both of those breeds are restricted and you do not want to be trying to place him at 1year or 5years when he is harder to find a home for. Cute puppies are easy to place.


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

house is definitely out of the question. no way I can afford decent housing in nyc outside of ghettos...which are horrible environments for people, let alone dogs

he's already trying to dig his way in drawers and jumps quite well, so I doubt that quality of housing could keep him from escaping anyways. my parents also managed to teach him to chase people down and bite them them over and over for free food in just 2 days of letting them play with him. also reprogrammed the no command to mean "bite me more for free food". so, they're not allowed to have him, and I've got retraining to do =/. whoever does get him is in for a handful...


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

Growling - You never want to 'punish' a dog for growling or teach him Not to growl. However, you are allowed to walk away or ignore a growl, if it is not appropriate at the puppy stage. The reasoning is that you want a dog to growl a warning before biting. However, at the puppy stage, you'd like Bite Inhibition and a lot more patience, so that the resulting adult dog has no need to growl at a person. 

Play growling is a personal choice. Like HollowHeaven, I growl back at my dog, when playing, getting him all wolf-riled up ... but there are specific rules to the game - not to snap or nip, to stop on cue, to drop the toy when asked, not to run away with the toy, etc. Plus, in your case, Huskies tend to be very vocal, so growling is normal. As far as vocal, Huskies have a broad range and you can find Youtube videos of them saying "Mama" and "I love you" ! 


Sleeping: If you get a young puppy tired, just like a young baby, he will fall asleep. And, if you're gentle, you can pick him up and move him around. I 'taught' my previous dog to 'sleep' on cue. When he was very young, I rubbed his cheek and repeated 'Sleep' ... and when he was older, I could still do this and he'd relax and fall asleep. ... Wait until your dog starts to sleep-bark and sleep-run!

If he can chase people, then he can learn "Come!" If you NEVER give him free food when he bites, and in fact, say "oops," then leave him all alone for about 30 - 60 seconds, then he should quickly forget how to Bite for food in a week or less... [The idea is extinction of a behavior, when it is Not rewarded (ignored) and disappears.]


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

err, ok. how do I deal with puppy tantrums? this one goes absolutely berserk sometimes. and tries to thrash everything, and bites me quite hard. possibly full strength, I don't know. he'll run around a lot, jump and claw the walls, claw and bite the couch (an object he's shown absolutely no interest in otherwise), bark at me, try to pull and rip things to shreds, etc. is this really normal? it's like 2am, he did his no2 at the pee spot, so I rolled up the newspaper sheet, put it in the plastic bag, and went outside to throw it out. I heard ghost whimper on my way down the stairs, so I went back, asked if he wanted to come (not like he could've understood that), and he went out the door so I took him with me outside to the trash, I tossed out the poop, then bought him back in

understandably, he was probably confused, and expected we'd be playing outside for a bit. I just wanted to show him the process of throwing out poo cuz that's something I don't think he's seen before. anyways, he went absolutely raving mad over it. I could tell he still understood my "no"/"stop" commands, but he was only responsive to it sometimes, and he'd only stop for a few seconds before trying the same thing again. I had to physically intervene a few times. had to put my fingers in his mouth to open up his bite, shove him off my foot, grab a pinch of his hide on his back to stop him charging at me, etc. I let him vent for a bit on a box of ramen, then used my sit command a few times. he'd sit and get back up right away a few times, but eventually he snapped out of it, dropped to a laid down position, and was back to being calm and normal. I gave him a few kibbles for calming down

this is the second time I've seen him like this. the other time happened when my parents were handling him for a bit, so I assumed they did something awful to make him that way. he was chasing my mom around to bite and she had to take refuge on top of the couch. I had to physically intervene that time too, and some scolding. it was just about his dinner time, so I had to deny him his food and drink until he went through the routine I had set (I only put food into his bowl a spoonful at a time when he sits and waits patiently). he responded by barking and trying to climb me to get to the food. had to make a point to him to take away his water, toys, and bedding after a while for each time he kept approaching me aggressively (biting, climbing, tackling, etc)


is he alright? was he just overexcited? did I deal with it the right way? is it some kind of disorder? ...is he secretly an evil genius plotting to usurp me and is just playing nice until the time is right? and most importantly...will he grow out of it? with how fast he is already, he will pose a serious threat if he goes berserk as an adult. and if he's even attacking me, then obviously, no one near him would be safe


he's also having nightmares sometimes. I see his head shaking and what looks like the beginning of a snarl, and one time he suddenly woke up barking, but calmed down immediately when he saw where he was, then came to resume his nap on my foot. he was so well behaved today and looked so happy I thought I'd give him another week and see if he keeps it up, and I'll keep him if he does. even finally gave him his name, ghost. I really don't want to be the one to be forced to use cesar millan dog kung fu on him one day, not when I've seen how incredibly loving, intelligent, and gentle he can be


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## Gally (Jan 11, 2012)

Puppy tantrums are generally a sign of an overtired puppy. Much like a young child that doesn't know how to deal with the feeling of being overtired they start to throw tantrums and misbehave. The best thing to do is to put him down for a nap and ignore him until he settles and likely falls asleep. This is where a crate or play pen really comes in handy so you can give him some time on his own where he isn't being overstimulated by everything.


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## Remaru (Mar 16, 2014)

He's not "going berserk" he is being a puppy. Honestly the best thing to do is to put him in a safe place, like a crate, and let him calm down. Interacting just riles him up more. Trying to train with him (which is what you are doing by trying to make him sit and wait for feeding) is not going to work because he is not in the right state of mind. Sometimes when puppies get over tired/stimulated they start acting crazy, a lot like toddlers. You are not teaching him to behave by taking all of his things away, he doesn't link the two in his head. The best thing to do is to set a schedule for his day and try to stick to it while he is young. Really at this point he isn't _that_ young. Buy a crate or an a exercise pen so you have some where to put him when he needs quiet time or when you can't be with him. This way he cannot get to you to bite you and he cannot tear up your furniture. Put him in the crate when you cannot watch him or when it is time for him to sleep, even if he doesn't act tired. Toss out the idea of Cesar Milan, and any ideas of dominance, that is not how it works. Training a puppy takes time, not a week, not two weeks, not even a month. It takes a lot of time and commitment to doing the same thing over and over again. You have to set a routine, you have to make sure that your puppy knows what is expected (not because you "told him" but because every time he sits he gets food or whatever), and you have to keep working at it even when sometimes he does the opposite of what you hoped he would do. Sometimes, even as an adult, he will run around and play rough. That is the nature of dogs. Rough play is normal and part of the fun of having a pet. 

All dogs make noises in their sleep and sometimes startle awake. I have one who routinely "runs" in his sleep while whining. Best guess is that he is chasing dream rabbits but who knows for sure. It really isn't anything to worry about.


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

I'm relieved to hear that it's normal. but tired in what way? couldn't be physical, he had been doing nothing but napping and peeing for hours. granted, I did make him jog around the parking lot a few hours before that. ...also took him around the block for the first time carrying him, just showing him new things, like...trees, and fences

anyways, you guys are sure he's still just playing in that state? is it dangerous if an adult dog does it? I wasn't thinking about cesar's dominance theory in this case, but his dog kung fu to restrain the dog with minimal damage...something about 2 fingers to the back of the neck and a claw grip, with a forced alpha roll as the last resort. harsh, but probably more humane than actual kung fu if I feel ghost will maim/kill someone/thing. ..........upon retrospect maybe I shouldn't have named him after a direwolf...


well, I can pick up a cage tomorrow, but how will he pee/poop if I close it? he needs to pee pretty much immediately after every nap, and pooping much more frequently (used to do it once or twice per day....which admittedly isn't normal)

...also, what's the best way to clean up stuck dog poop and remove the smell? I think I'm also gonna need potty training tips for his pooping. I'm starting to think I just got extremely lucky in the beginning and just took him out to poop at exactly the right times...


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

Cesar's claw and alpha roll techniques are awesome... if you either want to scare the hell out of your puppy or make him more aggressive. Don't do that.

Your puppy is a little baby. He's acting like every other puppy. Just be patient with him.

This is the best potty-training guide I've found. You have to sign up for the site to read it, but it's all free: http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/errorless-housetraining

You should be taking the pup out to pee/poop very frequently, and definitely after he wakes up or has been running around and playing. The above link explains how to incorporate a crate or pen into training.


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

BoswerLK said:


> I wasn't thinking about cesar's dominance theory in this case, but his dog kung fu to restrain the dog with minimal damage...something about 2 fingers to the back of the neck and a claw grip, with a forced alpha roll as the last resort. harsh, but probably more humane than actual kung fu if I feel ghost will maim/kill someone/thing. ..........upon retrospect maybe I shouldn't have named him after a direwolf...


sigh.
This man also hangs, kicks, punches, and drags dogs until they pass out/urinate on themselves/attack him.

Dominance is not real. He is not a dog trainer. Please do not mimic anything he does unless you want to seriously mess your puppy up psychological and possibly physically.



He's 4 and a half weeks old.
He's not aggressive, he's hyper.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

He's not going to change much in the next week, either. I suggest you look for a good rescue.


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## Brooklynsmom (Mar 19, 2014)

If you are thinking about going the rescue route contact Stacey at Unleashed ny. North shore Animal league and Sean Casey animal rescue are other good options in NYC. Lots of great advice here. It is tough to raise a pup in an apt in NYC but it is doable. Many people do it. I do think crate training is necessary in an apartment as accidents happen.


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## Gally (Jan 11, 2012)

Your 4 week old puppy isn't going to maim or kill someone... He is being a puppy. Please throw out anything dominance related, these tactics will not help you.

Of course an adult dog jumping around and biting at people or things could be dangerous but this is not an adult dog. By the time a puppy reaches adulthood they should have calmed down as well as been trained what proper behaviors are. 

He is tired because 4 week old puppies need to sleep pretty much all day, just like a human baby. If he's not given the opportunity to rest in a quiet and calm environment without distractions he will get over hyper like you have described and throw a puppy tantrum. 

He's really too young to be doing any kind of forced exercise like jogging on pavement. That is an activity that many will not recommend until a dog is over a year old because it can damage the growth plates if done for extended periods.

If you don't intend to keep this dog for the next 15+ years or invest in getting the proper equipment and training for him and yourself then I suggest getting him into a rescue sooner rather than later. You seem overwhelmed and this isn't something you wanted to be doing in the first place. Getting him into a proper rescue who will find him the best home will be doing what is best for this dog.


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## Remaru (Mar 16, 2014)

Yes he is over stimulated and playing like he would with his mother or other puppies. Yet again, training takes time, he doesn't learn these things in a day, or a week or a month. If you are not committed to making this work for a life time get him into rescue. This is just the same as a toddler child throwing a tantrum because he is overstimulated. Don't force a puppy to "run around a parking lot" for exercise, it isn't good for them. A) they can catch diseases and B) it is bad for their growing joints. Just general play in the house is more than enough at his age. Leashed walking will be good after he has had his puppy shots. Running needs to wait until at least 1 year maybe 2 depending on size. AS far as it being dangerous if a grown dog behaves that way, that is why you train your dog. Generally speaking dogs outgrow getting over tired and over stimulated as they age, just like children. Setting up a routine helps (this has nothing to do with what you named him), putting him in a crate or an exercise pen where it is quiet several times a day to rest so he doesn't get over stimulated will help. I can tell you that my Carolina dog absolutely gets wound up when we play certain games. I have to make the decision as to what level of over excitement is acceptable. He does jump up on me, he does nip my arms and growl. He is not attempting to dominate me or "going berserk". He is not going to go out and attack anyone or maul anyone. He is not allowed to play fetch or frisbee with children because he becomes over excited and redirects nipping. You need to look at the videos and links provided and spend time actively educating yourself on dogs.


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

sorry for the delayed reply all. ghost wasn't feeling so well yesterday, and I had to pick up his crate, set it up, and conveniently ran out of pedigree, so I had to make an elaborate hanging toys setup inside instead

he had some pretty bad diarrhea and gas, a lot of thirst, and took a really really long nap throughout the evening (from about 9:30pm, stirred awake a few times, but went back to sleep immediately without drinking or eliminating until half past midnight). he seemed to be back to normal after that though, stool is normal since, and it stopped farting constantly

also gave him his first bath, which terrified him. didn't bark or bite, just kept shivering and trying to escape the bathtub. gave him some kibbles during it to encourage him through it. upon retrospect that might've been not the best idea. maybe he swallowed some of the dog shampoo and that's what got him sick

good news is, he's not aversive to the crate, though he prefers to sleep in really tight spots now, where he has so little room to move he has to struggle to get out of there sometimes. he seems ok with going in the crate himself to play, lie down, eat, and drink though. haven't seen him sleep in there, but that might be because he's too distracted by all the toys to. haven't tried closing the crate door yet, probably won't try until I see him comfy enough with it to nap in there a few times


the potty training guide was wonderfully simple. I hope to apply it

also finally finished reading up on the dominance theory debate, and did some more research about cesar. yeah, I'm staying away from anything he says from now on. thanks for that site. most of my family and some of my friends and neighbors seem to believe it though. keep telling me I should smack his leg or force an alpha roll and show him who's boss to stop his tantrums, so I assume there's gonna be some friction

already looking through rescues, asking friends, etc. north shore seems to come up a lot. and yeah, I am pretty overwhelmed. my life as I knew it more or less ended and I've been spending all day researching, cleaning up after, watching, training, and playing with ghost. I do rather miss my old life. video games, tv shows, potatohood, eating with friends, looking for work/working, etc. but at the same time I've also grown very fond of ghost and don't want to never see him again

quite positive he's not getting hurt from the jogs. he runs around the apartment most of the time anyways. plus, I'm not forcing him so much as I'm tricking him into it. he's obsessed with biting and pulling on my long baggy shorts, so I just wave it around in front of me then getting him to chase me. this parking lot is very small, with only 5 parking spaces (other tenants park in the underground garage, but many people also use it as storage space, so I haven't brought him down there yet. also would be a nasty place for an accident)...so it's 6 car widths long, and maybe 10 tops for the driveway. hardly rigorous exercise, and I let him rest and explore once he gets to parking section, and of course, pick him up to bring him back inside once we leave the driveway. ...he's not even panting by the end of it

ehh, I don't think his tantrums were how he would be playing with his family. I mean, he jumped and chest bumped the wall at one point. seems like an awful idea any way you look at it. I'm not worried about him trying to dominate me, I'm worried that not even he knows what he's doing during those tantrums and might hurt himself, me, and/or my stuff


anyways, I've decided to give him some more alone time while he's in my care. stimulating him is important, but it's clear that letting him rest so he can stay relaxed and calm is probably the best for the both of us

lastly, thank you guys so much for the tip about leaving the room when he gets too rough. it seems he actually does feel remorse. I came back into the room to see him waiting for me, after which he calmly walked up to where he bit me too hard and licked it a few times. it's also learned my god awful yelp is how I express pain, and has started reacting to it. ...though he generally doesn't stop biting due to it. he'll just let go then bite again softer

also still doesn't give a rat's ass about my no command when it comes to nipping, but it does discourage him from biting my stuff at least.....might take a few tries before he stops trying again, so he at least understands that it means I'm displeased, but doesn't see it as a strict command to stop


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

This all sounds good! I'm glad you liked the potty training guide -- I used that with my last puppy and it worked great; he had very few accidents inside and they were all my fault for not taking him out when I should have. Glad you read the dominance stuff, too. A lot of laypeople do still believe it (I had arguments with my brother a few years ago when I got Casper; his dog training knowledge came mostly from The Dog Whisperer), but among actual experts, it's been debunked for ages. 

The good news is that it does get a lot easier. Puppies are nuts. A dog is always going to be work -- you're going to need to walk it and play with it every day, and train it and learn things about it -- but an adult dog is so much less work than a puppy who needs constant supervision and tons of training.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Crantastic said:


> The good news is that it does get a lot easier. Puppies are nuts. A dog is always going to be work -- you're going to need to walk it and play with it every day, and train it and learn things about it -- but an adult dog is so much less work than a puppy who needs constant supervision and tons of training.


I was gonna say this! It gets easier and he won't be a puppy forever. In a few months (or maybe even weeks) you'll have some more time to yourself again; he'll need less supervision, or if you really need a few minutes to yourself, you can give him a stuffed kong and put him away in his crate for a bit for a break.

Also, kudos - a lot of people would not put as much work into a random puppy dropped into their lap as you have.


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## Solaris (Aug 21, 2014)

I just read most of this thread, and i believe you seem to be improving and bonding with Ghost (nice name btw, i am a fan of game of thrones too).

I'm not the most experienced person with dogs, but i know a few things...

Some puppies do not react to petting...and it's normal because he is young and just wants to play. He might enjoy it more when he gets older, especially if you associate petting with good behaviour and if you pet him when coming back from errands.

The few puppies i've lived with tend to be unresponsive to orders or doing wrong things (like destroying furnitures) when they have energy to spend. He needs to play. A lot...especially, i suppose, because he is a big dog. Keep in mind that soon enough ( after vaccines and he gets older) long walks everyday and/or running around parks will be mandatory, especially since you live in an apartment. If he stays inside small rooms everyday, he won't be happy.

You said in earlier posts you were afraid of leaving him alone when he bites because he might destroy stuff. Maybe you could get him a dog pen or something similar (maybe just fences to keep him away from rooms you don't want him to be. I know for a fact my mom trained the puppy when i was young with a home made pen (like...she took a corner of a room and put fences). This is where the dog went anytime he did something wrong, like biting. Just a few short minutes without any toys. But this place was also the spot we left the dog (with bed,food,favourite toys and pee pads) when we left the house. I saw nice threads about pens on this forum. 

If you can't live in a house, an appartment with a yard and fence could be convenient...and keep in mind it is written no dogs on many lease. If you keep him and need/must move out, you might have a hard time finding a place and might even need to leave him to a shelter, so , like everyone said, you either commit or don't. And also, even if you weren't the one who 'got' the dog in the first place, you're definately the owner now, and if you don't feel ready for a 10 years + commitment, you should get him a nice home or shelter before it's too late. The longer you say with him, the more you bond, and the more ghost bonds with you too...In any way, the choice is yours, do what you think is best for him.

I'm sure everyone would love to see new pics of him too, he looks so fluffy and lovely 

Also, it's normal he gets scared during his first baths...many dogs will hate baths their entire life. Make sure he doesnt get cold when he get out.

Once when the dog got sick with diarhea, my mom gave the dog rice water (you boil sone rice with more water than needed, and give the water left to drink, it actually works with humans too ), if the problem ever comes back. It might just have been the stress of the bath though...


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

my sis actually got him a kong and he was completely disinterested in it, so she returned it. we literally tried putting it right to his face and he just pushes it away or walks around it. kibble falls out too easily, and it's not like he's adept at smelling kibble anyways. training him with it has been...comical to say the least. nothing like trying to feed a dog only to have him completely miss the food entirely

I actually was gonna name him lady or arya at first, back when I thought he was a she cuz it was kinda hard to see his genitals with all that fur. it took a few days before he was noticeably male

I don't have any rooms to block off. the apartment's just 2 bedrooms, the bathroom, and one large kitchen+living room thing. doors work fine for bedrooms and the bathroom, and he probably doesn't wanna be anywhere near the bathroom after that bath anyways. of the 4 corners I have available to me, none would make a good play pen. one corner has the kitchen sink and some cabinets, the other corner is my front door, the living room corner has the air conditioner and a radiator which I don't want him messing with, so that leaves the other corner with the cable outlet thing and balcony door, which also seems like a bad idea

I read somewhere at some point that his digestive system isn't done developing yet, so I don't let him eat anything strange. though now I forgot at what stage he can start handling different foods...if anyone can remind me when, that'd be great. he likes the dry kibble now at least, at first he wouldn't eat it as is and I'd have to soak it in water. but I tried just giving it to him dry today and he finished his plate all 3 times with no issues


anyways, looks like he still remembers what little bite control I taught him in the beginning. his teething pains seems to have gone away, or at least is under control, so I decided to indulge him in another play fight. he was quite gentle for the most part. very gentle with my hands, and mostly mouths or headbutts my leg. goes pretty ham on my shorts though. maybe my foot's just more sensitive, but it does still hurt when he goes after that. also keeps getting his teeth stuck in my slipper, so I'll have to figure out a way to teach him not to play with my foot area. he looked really happy though, did quite a few play bows and rolling over. and now he's sleeping after that tussle

was never much of a picture taking person. but here's the few I've taken:
http://imgur.com/a/5h8dF

2nd and 3rd are from 2 or 3 days ago I think. the last 3 are more or less just now. him sleeping under under my dishwasher, then me mugshotting him once he tried to relocate to the middle of the kitchen, and the last one was him napping by the kitchen sink after our play fight cuz I was standing there washing my hands


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## Remaru (Mar 16, 2014)

Plain boiled chicken cut into small pieces will work fine for training. Other options would be sweet potato cut into tiny chunks and baked until it is dried or tiny pieces of string cheese. The chicken would be highest value, sweet potato probably lowest though some dogs really go crazy for it. Some dogs just plain aren't food motivated. I can give my Carolina Dog the smelliest treats you can imagine, freeze dried chicken liver, anchovy paste, salmon flavored treats, he will work better for it but he is rather unimpressed if something better is going on. My Doberman mix will work for plain kibble, even the best treats are only a little better in his opinion. Really though you may just be working against age. It took my GSD x Husky until she was probably 12 weeks to really start being able to find the treat in my hands. 

As for the kong, you can stuff it with all sorts of things not just kibble. When I use it for my dogs for just feeding time I might soak the kibble, stuff the kong and then freeze it or just stuff it and seal the opening with peanut butter or canned food and then freeze. Freezing it is nice for dogs that are teething (I think my Dobie mix is younger than originally thought, seems to still have some puppy teeth) plus makes it take a little longer for them to get the food out. My Dobie is practically nose blind, food gets under something and it disappears for him. He can work a food toy though, to the point of unscrewing one of his new toys in under 2minutes to get the food out. He loves his kibbles and will work for them. He also loves pb. Some people layer wet food and kibble in the kong. With many foods you can buy the same formula wet and dry (I do it for my cat to keep her tummy happy, can you tell my house is a bit of a zoo?). 

You can buy a puppy play pen http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Dogg...qid=1409617125&sr=8-2&keywords=puppy+play+pen there are quite a few versions from this type to the full metal type. If you have room. I have used them outside but don't usually bother inside I just use crating. I gate my dogs in the entryway of my house if I need to.


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## Munki (Aug 29, 2014)

He is to cute! And just to offer words of encouragement. Yes this is a lot of work right now, but the payoff is tremendous. You might not realize it but he appreciates everything you do for him. If you decided to stick it out you will have a companion that will love you, protect you, make you laugh, and make you cry ( sometimes at the same time). Dogs are amazing creatures. I honestly believe the quote ' "A dog is not "almost human," and I know of no greater insult to the canine race than to describe it as such."--John Holmes ... Needless to say dogs are loyal and trustworthy in a way we could only dream our friends and family could be.


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## Solaris (Aug 21, 2014)

Ghost is such a cuttie, he sure enjoy sleeping on your floor, it reminds me of my own puppy a few years ago who would sleep on tile or marble floor each time she played too hard 

Don't worry about the kong...some dogs just don't like it. I've seen dogs who prefer squeaky or plushy dogs (or your slippers)...any of them can keep him occupied for a long time if it's a toy he likes. Our puppy loved to bite at anything foot related: slippers, socks, toes (ouch!), at some point, we sacrificed a kid slipper in shape of a mouse and after that our feet got a little break. The key I believe is to make sure he has plenty to chew on...maybe chew sticks? I'm not sure if there is minimal age for that but definately something to consider in the near future (I'm pretty sure they make small ones for puppies). What we used to do is simply distract toes hungry puppy with one of her toys or chew sticks and she would leave our feet alone...but never make it seems like you are rewarding the dog for biting you...if I remember correctly this phase didn't last very long...

Also, you don't have to have a pen if you don't think it's necessary, but well, you can keep this solution in mind if someday the crate isn't enough (or just become too small). Pens can be very useful if your puppy becomes destructive (one of my dog had the bad habit of scratching on closed doors when we were gone (to try to get in or out). Having a pen is a also a way to make sure your dog stays safe while you are gone (and it allows him to move a little more than in a crate). 

I agree a dog is the absolute perfect companion, they're always (ALWAYS) happy to see you, loyal, NEVER judgemental...on contrary of the average human. And it's amazing to see how intelligent and perceptive they become once they get older...they will learn to understand you better their entire life. Puppies can be a pain to deal with, but when you succeed going through that phase, you get an unforgetable friend.


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

uhh, how many alpha rolls can a puppy take before long term damage occurs? apparently some of my relatives are pricks that're as hyper as ghost is and insist on treating him like a baby and lifting him up by the armpits, putting him down on his back and tickling his underside til he whimpers, despite me telling them he's underaged, needs lots of rest, and to be gentle. they completely disregard everything I say and proceed to rub him all over his face and wave things in front of his eyes. heard him whimpering, saw him licking his nose, and was barking at one point...which is somehow hilarious to them. had to smack someone then take ghost away


what's a good way to calm down a puppy anyways. I just put him on my lap for a bit


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## Munki (Aug 29, 2014)

BoswerLK said:


> uhh, how many alpha rolls can a puppy take before long term damage occurs? apparently some of my relatives are pricks that're as hyper as ghost is and insist on treating him like a baby and lifting him up by the armpits, putting him down on his back and tickling his underside til he whimpers, despite me telling them he's underaged, needs lots of rest, and to be gentle. they completely disregard everything I say and proceed to rub him all over his face and wave things in front of his eyes. heard him whimpering, saw him licking his nose, and was barking at one point...which is somehow hilarious to them. had to smack someone then take ghost away
> 
> 
> 
> what's a good way to calm down a puppy anyways. I just put him on my lap for a bit



Sounds like you need to put your foot down or tell them to stay away from Ghost. Its okay that he's cute and they want to give him attention, but there are better ways to do it. It sounds like you are dealing with a bunch of children.


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## Remaru (Mar 16, 2014)

He will survive. That really isn't an alpha roll which is intended to "dominate a dog" that sounds more like some one doesn't know how to properly play with a puppy and read dog body language. I'll be honest here, I pick Dove up under her armpits, roll her over on her back and rub her belly. I am not "alpha rolling" her, I'm playing with her and she knows it. I wouldn't do it to my other tiny dog, she would hate it, but Dove loves it. I also prop Dove against my stomach and rub her chest up and down while I tell her what a cute little muppet she is. Yeah, I'm kinda goofy when it comes to that little fluff ball. I also play normal games with her like fetch but sometimes it is fun to just pet all over her cause she is soft and she likes it. My big Dobie likes the same type of handling, I just can't pick him up to do it. 

The thing is, if your puppy hates it you have to put your foot down. Tell your family he is a baby and rough handling is a "no no". Not because it is an "alpha roll" or whatever but because it will make him scared, over stimulate him, and encourage him to nip fingers. Teach them how to play appropriate games with him. So many people don't play with dogs correctly because they just don't know how. If he likes gentle stroking show them how to do that, where are his favorite places to be pet. Most people automatically default to the "pat the dog" maneuver and very few dogs actually like being bopped on the head repeatedly (I've met some that do). Some dogs don't like petting but love a good game of tug or keep away with a stuffed toy or ball. Teach them how to play and explain why he needs quiet time too. Let them hold him while he sleeps, help feed him (if they are over then) or whatever else you feel comfortable letting them do. As far as helping him calm down, my best suggestion is the crate.


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

haven't tried closing the crate door yet, don't wanna associate it with bad things. I bring him in front of it when he's overexcited and he'll usually duck in there for a while, but comes back out fairly shortly. not sure how much I want to leave him by himself when he's frightened or hurt though

properly playing with him is.......problematic. ghost only really enjoys a good tussel or chase (both of which involve him trying to nip me). he loses interest in toys very quickly, even if I try to play with him with them...so even I don't really know how to properly play with him. he does enjoy commands training to some degree, but he doesn't know enough yet to make much of a game. if he's in a very calm mood, he'll snuggle against me and nose or lick me while I pet him, but he's obviously not gonna be too calm with new people

...is there a way to teach him to play fight nicely?


but to be fair, ghost is pretty difficult to read. stubby tail and droopy ears make a tough combo. I can't even really tell if he's happy if he doesn't make some kind of larger indication, like smiling or a play bow


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

so, I've read about this "be a tree" technique to stop nipping. ......................how on earth are people doing it. ghost isn't even 6 weeks old and his nips can break skin if he's at all excited


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## Remaru (Mar 16, 2014)

Right now I would not encourage play fighting because he is nipping. Continue to work on getting him interested in toys for playing with. Every time he grabs for you redirect to a soft toy. Try something that squeaks, that is the biggest hit with my high prey drive dogs. The Kyjen plush puppy toys are huge at my house, or the unstuffables that are soft and fluffy but have no stuffing are also popular. It will take time for him to learn to play with a person, most dogs don't come knowing how (some dogs are just naturals at it, like retrievers who just automatically love to fetch). The idea isn't for him to play with the toy alone (though before you know it you will want to stock up on safe things for chewing) it is to get him interested in playing tug of war or chase the toy/keep away with you. Drag the toy across the floor slowly and see if you can get him to pounce on it then gently tug so he wants to pull back, things like that. Make sure to end the games after you have played for just a little while, he is still young. 

BAT works for dogs that will give up quickly when attention is removed. If he will automatically move from your hands to your ankles, socks, feet, whatever then BAT may not work. Tiny puppy teeth are sharp, that is normal, adult dog teeth are not nearly as sharp (darn needle puppy teeth). So if just turning away with your arms crossed isn't sending the message you will need to continue completely removing yourself from the area/room until he starts to catch on.


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## Solaris (Aug 21, 2014)

When i was little, i found out one of the best way to make a dog want his toy is to actually play with it. Me and my brothers, we would play the throw and catch game a few minutes (or seconds) and be completely oblivious to the dog...at this point , the dog will be super excited and want to play too. Then you throw the toy away and your dog will most likely chase it like a maniac and chew the squeaky toy of heaven for a while. You can also hide a toy for a couple of days...your puppy will like it just like a new one (or almost). The fact is...some puppies will love toys at first sight...but some others need help to learn how fun they can be. This paper is actually not bad...http://dogcare.dailypuppy.com/teach-dog-play-toys-2047.html


About dog expression...a happy dog often wag his tail (but he can do that when he is angry also) but if his tail is on his back, it usually means he is in a good mood, tail between the legs is all the opposite (either submissive or sad) Even if the ears are floppy, you can see a difference between enotions, try to make a high pitched sound, he will likely bring his ears closer to his face. If his ears are tense and flat on his head, he coud be either sad or angry oe submissive...if pulled back...it can means many things...this paper looks alright...in any way...you will understand how to read him soon enough http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/canine-body-language


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

eh, I try not to encourage it. but hard to deny it to him entirely when it's something he should've gotten to do. I do plan on getting strict on nipping after he hits 8 weeks. his shots will probably sap away from of his energy anyways, I think

I've tried getting him to pounce his stuffed hedgehog in the beginning, but he usually just loses interests in it if it isn't already in bite range...possibly due to his awful eyesight back then. I'll give it another shot tomorrow



Remaru said:


> Tiny puppy teeth are sharp, that is normal, adult dog teeth are not nearly as sharp (darn needle puppy teeth).


...really?!? that's pretty unintuitive. I've always assumed adult teeth would be sharper cuz they're the ones that're probably doing the hunting (if they were wild)


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

> his shots will probably sap away from of his energy anyways, I think


They shouldn't! A little reaction making him a bit tired for a day or so is normal, but if he loses energy for longer than a day after getting shots you should definitely contact the vet.

Yeah, baby teeth are super sharp; their adult teeth are much duller (but thicker and stronger for holding on to prey). I'm not sure why that's true.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Willowy said:


> They shouldn't! A little reaction making him a bit tired for a day or so is normal, but if he loses energy for longer than a day after getting shots you should definitely contact the vet.
> 
> Yeah, baby teeth are super sharp; their adult teeth are much duller (but thicker and stronger for holding on to prey). I'm not sure why that's true.


Maybe because its easier to cause pain but less damage with sharp teeth, so they learn bite inhibition during play better because it takes less pressure for the sharp baby teeth to prick their siblings?

Just a vague hypothesis.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

gingerkid said:


> Maybe because its easier to cause pain but less damage with sharp teeth, so they learn bite inhibition during play better because it takes less pressure for the sharp baby teeth to prick their siblings?
> 
> Just a vague hypothesis.


Because baby predators don't have the jaw strength to crush bone and tear meat so easily. It's compensated for by the teeth being super sharp.

My hypothesis ;-)


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## Remaru (Mar 16, 2014)

Yeah I don't know, maybe just cause they are so tiny so they are like little bitty needles. My tiny dogs definitely have sharper teeth. Maybe smaller surface area? Time certainly blunts them down as well. 

I will say that the best toy I gave my last 5 week old pitbull x GSD foster was a pair of socks tied in a knot to make a kind of tug toy. She loved it. I don't know if it was because it was socks, because it was soft or because it smelled like people. She insisted on sleeping with it and carrying it around with her. Definitely cheap too.


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

well, tried moving the hedgehog around for him. he pounced alright..........my hand that is =/

at least he was gentle about it


on the bright side, he's mellowed out a bit ever since I stopped interacting with him so much. now he seems quite content just sleeping on feet/computer chair or playing with his toys by himself. seems to be very relaxed when I pet him. even gave me a lick on the cheek when I accidentally got him near my face trying to put my slipper back after getting it unstuck from his teeth

also learned to bat the hedgehog away himself to pounce it (or, it could just be accidental due to his bad aim). sadly inviting him to play makes him instantly ignore his toys and start coming after me. spending a bit more time in his crate too, though still hasn't really slept in there. ...he's slept right outside it and used it as a pillow.........which didn't look at all comfy. I also think he's starting to get fat...but he's bored of the parking lot already and just spends a lot of time sitting and lying down there now. even started to ask to be let back in... might just have to start making him climb more stairs


still, seems a lot more manageable than last week. I have faith that this can actually work out now. though what I really need to do is get him pooping outside again...and to get him to scratch the door to be let out. he used to do that but then stopped and now just hangs out by the door, which is awful cuz I can never tell if he wants to go out or if he's just playing with the shoe rack

I still can't read his ears or tail for the life of me. the only thing I can really see at a glance is how high or low the tail is, but his tail is always up any time he expends energy, whether out of happiness, fear, excitement, or just walking around. slowly goes down as he spends less, like taking a look around, going to sleep, or having already sunk his teeth into the hedgehog. ....not really the most useful information for me


scratch that, he just did the helicopter with his tail when he met my uncle in law....who couldn't care less about ghost, funny enough. I'm assuming helicopter indicates excitement and curiosity


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## BoswerLK (Aug 27, 2014)

weird, thought I made a post but it seems to have disappeared

anyways, interacting with him less really helped to mellow him out. he's quite manageable now, besides the pooping indoors. I tried the suggestion of moving the hedgehog around for him, and he pounced alright....on my hand. so that didn't go as planned. he did learn how to play with himself quite well though, and bats the hedgehog around to pounce on his own (possibly by accident)


is there a way to get him to scratch the door to ask to be let out again? he used to do it, but now he just walks back and forth around the door, which is awful cuz I can't tell if he's playing with the shoe rack or wants to go out. I always heard you should never associate anything negative while a dog goes about his business...is there really nothing I can do about his pooping in the apartment until his crate training is complete?


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