# Puppy misbehaving



## just katie (Sep 24, 2011)

I have a 4 month puppy that has started biting at feet and jumping all over everything. I got the mixed puppy Bailey when he was 6 weeks old. Have taken him to obedience classes which he did really well in. He has been doing really good in house training ( with the exception he will not bark to go out just stands by the door) but a couple of days ago he started jumping at everyones legs and on furniture and also trying to get sock off of feet tableclothes off of tables and blankets off of beds. He has plenty of chew toys so I am really beside myself as to what to do to stop this behavior. Any ideas would be very helpful Thanks


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## acavfan (Sep 22, 2011)

If you got him when he was 6 weeks he probably didn't fully learn bite inhibition from his mother. Start with this article for that: http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/teaching-bite-inhibition . For the jumping/general hyperness check out this article first: http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/hyperdog


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## DustyCrockett (Sep 24, 2011)

That's not misbehavior. it's what puppies do, it's kind of in their job description. Soon he'll be pulling paper out of wastepaper baskets (and shredding it), and your sunglasses out of your purse. Dogs experience the world through scent more than anything else, and a puppy just has two questions about everything he sees: 1> what does it taste like and, 2> will it fit in my mouth.

Four things you can do: engage his mind, exercise his body, keep whatever you don't want chewed out of his reach, and whenever you catch him with something he shouldn't have, look at it as a teaching opportunity. No point punishing him, just make him put it down then give him a chew toy. It's better to convince him to drop it than to wrestle it away from him because tug of war is a fun game for a puppy. Practice the obedience work for a few minutes every day, and start working in a new trick every few days. At 4 months he's about ready to start going on walks. The walks aren't just for exercise -- they enlarge his world, so to speak, stimulate his intellect, connect him with the outside world.

They will get bored with the toys, so only keep 3 or 4 or so out at any one time; put the rest aside and rotate them in & out. A squeaky toy is a good idea, too.


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

It is important to teach Bite Inhibition, as acavfan wrote. If you still have problems with nipping, please let us know.


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## lisahi (Jun 19, 2011)

Welcome to puppy ownership, only slightly easier than adolescent dog ownership. lol. I learned all this the same way you are--by going through it and reading this forum. The folks above are right. Your puppy probably didn't learn a lot of bite inhibition because he was taken from his littermates and mother when he was a bit too young. But, in reality, you could have a nipper and jumper even if the dog stayed with his littermates and mother until 9 or 10 weeks old. It's a puppy thing to do (it just may be easier to train it out of one that spent more time with his mother).

Following the advice in this forum is a good idea. But don't give up if it doesn't seem to be working. If you're consistent, your puppy will eventually catch on. It could take weeks (or months). And the drive to nip often wanes as the dog gets older anyway (although not with every dog, so keep working at it). Jumping is a different story. Dogs will jump until you teach them it's better to stay 4 feet on the ground.

This is your practice run for the following possible behaviors in the next few months: barking, territorial behavior, ripping up paper, chewing up your furniture, and "forgeting" all the commands he used to know.


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