To rehome puppy?

[MarsBars123]

Our 6 month old puppy bit our friends 6 year old daughter today.

We were having a meal and gave him his food afterwards. She walked behind him while he was eating and he spun around and bit her, he didn't draw blood but her hand was red.

I am in total shock, he has never done anything like this before, should we rehome him straight away? I'm really confused.

[LookBehindYou]

I love spaniels - the way they put their ears down and pretend not to hear while their incandescent owner yells at them to come back.

I didn't know it was called NILF but that's what I've been doing forever. Makes sense to me.

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

I've just started NILIF, and it does seem to be helping my adolescent arsehole spaniel to focus

[Flatbread]

I found NILIF (nothing in life is free) a good way to reinforce basic manners, and it makes the dogs really calm. I don't buy the whole philosophy, but have incorporated the basic notion that the dog earns his rewards and that he consistently shows basic manners such as waiting before going out of the door, sitting and waiting for ok before meals, sitting nicely for walks etc.

I find it calms the dogs and helps with any potential problem areas. Great during adolescence when good manners are somewhat forgotten

[Flatbread]

Good advice. I find hand-feeding a great way to bond with the dog, as well. A dog that is comfortable and secure should be relaxed about you taking the bowl and giving it back, especially if you reward calm behaviour with added food in the bowl. But good to do it in baby steps.

I would think a bit about why your pup might be unsure about his food, given that he has been regularly fed while he has been living with you for so long. Perhaps it is time to reinforce training in all areas...?

Think you are doing a great job, and sure you will be rewarded with a lovely, gentle dog, once he is over the adolescence phase

[MarsBars123]

The vet/behaviourist called today. She said that dogs growl and nip around food because they are worried and frightened and we need to reinforce the food training we've been doing already, i.e. putting tasty things into his bowl while he is eating. She said we shouldn't try to take his bowl away as that could worry him but that basically we need to teach him not to fear for his food as while he does there will always be a risk he will bite.

[catgirl1976]

I spank my Sea Monkeys

Unruly little feckers

[atacareercrossroads]

Jesus, hitting dogs, pulling tails, pack theory etc Lots of shite being spouted by people who are giving the impression they know what they are talking about

Do you know, I got the spanish inquisition (unexpected of course) when I went to buy a goldfish. Shame the same level of torture questioning isnt aimed at people who want to own a dog that clearly should just get some Sea Monkeys instead.

[fortoday]

FWIW flatbread my puppy has been in training since she was 8 weeks old, she is a delightful confident dog but has been trained through positive reinforcement instead of smacking, much like my children who are confident and well behaved due to me not using physical violence.

Anyway you sound like one of those competitive mothrs in the bloody playground, I would hate to meet you in the park!

[Flatbread]

Fortoday, yawn, here we go again. Puppies need lots of love and physical affection (i.e., not just sweets), positive reinforcement and clear boundaries.

I really do think sometimes that hysterical owners like you lead to nervous dogs because they baby them, instead of applying common sense in training them.

Like I said before, needy owners lead to nervous dogs.

Fuzzy, agree that if dogs do not get enough mental, social and physical stimulation in their normal daily activities, then special training and instruction sessions help.

[fuzzypicklehead]

" I see no point in giving her instructions just for the heck of it."

Of course I can only speak from my own experience, but I all the dogs I've owned have enjoyed instruction and training sessions. A bit of clicker training provides rewarding mental exercise, especially for clever breeds. Without it, some dog's methods of "self-employment" are less than desireable...

[fortoday]

YOU DO NOT HIT/TAP A PUPPY !!!!!!
For god sake they are babies, just like a toddler, you reinforce good behaviour you do not hit them.

You are teaching aggression- why have a dog if you are going to hit it! For god sake people!

And then people want to know why dogs bite.

[Flatbread]

...and the funny thing is pup is usually very good at sitting. He is naturally lazy plus he knows he only gets food when he sits, so sitting is quite a pleasurable thing for him.

But when we go out, he gets excited at people cooing over him, and he puts his paws on them and they are like 'oh, that is ok' and continue caressing him. He is growing out of it though, as the weather has changed and nobody wants muddy paws, so he is getting a pretty consistent message.

[TrinityRhino]

My little baby puppy loves paddling in our sea, chasing her tail, sleeping on my chest(even though she's getting big now)



Op, don't rehome, your puppy is still learning. Allow her to eat without strange kids possibly pushing past behind her

[TantrumsAndBalloons]

But you didn't answer how you would have dealt with the butter situation?
Given you are so convinced the behavioral experts are wrong?

[Flatbread]

Kali, the first two warnings are the command. If not obeyed, a deeper version. If ignored, then the tap on bum.

So if pup is far away off leash, then it might be 'sit' followed by a 'sit' in a deeper voice and then if he is still zoned out, I walk over to him and a tap.

Don't need to do it with older girl at all now, she is very attuned. Tbh, I rarely need to give her any command at all, she pretty much is well-behaved and I see no point in giving her instructions just for the heck of it.

But then, it is easier here - not much is expected of pet dogs except that they have appropriate people and food manners. As long as she greets people and dogs nicely, is calm about food and stays away from cows during our walks, we let her be. When she is off-leash, she always comes back frequently and checks that everything is ok, anyway, so I don't even need to call her to me.

[midori1999]

Did you lie about homing your pups through the dogs trust then? it's not their policy to allow people who surrender dogs to them to know who the new owners are, let alone 'stay in touch' with them. Or did they make an exception just for you, as you're such a special owner?!

I'm not interested in where people buy puppies, except for welfare reasons. I haven't had my own litter for four years now and won't for the forseeable future, so back yard breeders are hardly 'taking my customers' are they?

And yes, that 'crazy' advice about the sausages is valid advice, that qualified behaviourists often hand out. What makes you think you know better than countless people with university degrees in dog bejaviour who work daily with dogs? You said you Alpha rolled your puppy on that thread too actually.

[TantrumsAndBalloons]

Oh yes please share your expert solution to that.

[D0oinMeCleanin]

How would you have delt with it Flatbread?

[Flatbread]

...and if I remember correctly, the dog ate the sausages while keeping hold of the butter and ate that as well and continued growling at the OP.

Yup, great way to deal with food aggression and a resource-guarding dog, just give him all the goodies he wants. The doghouse 'experts' at their best.

[D0oinMeCleanin]

In the wild dogs do not have an alpha, that is wolves, although more modern wolfologists (is that even a word?) prefer to use the term breeding male. They live in family groups, not heirachial packs.

Dogs do lay down to show appeasement and avoid fighting but they don't roll each other as a show of dominance.

[TantrumsAndBalloons]

Which person are you addressing that to?

Tbh you are IMHO a very irresponsible owner from what I have read on this thread. You are very quick to jump all over good advice and instead advocate people hitting dogs and feeding them food from your table. I hope that no new dog owners take any notice of you.

[Flatbread]

Is that the 'Dog House Nutters' who include a qualified behaviourist who has told you by your description of your dogs body language they are beind submissive and are not happy at all Flatbread?

oh yes,the nutter on the forum whose solution to everything was to appease the dog, beg him to like you. Didn't she advise a poster to throw sausages to her food aggressive dog, to get him to release the butter? yup, very credible advice indeed. Dog growls at you, give him more food? Yeah, that kind of advice that was lapped up by the dog forum nutters.

The fact that my dogs listen and don't steal food, was a sign that they are submissive. The fact that they like to lie by my feet was a huge indicator that they are cowed This stuff would be funny, if sounds like out of a comedy, except that some of the regulars in the dog-house seem to lap up this stuff.

And I have no clue why you keep going on about my pups. I am blessed to have our darling pup and he is one of the best thing in our lives. We are in touch with other families who were lucky to get our beautiful pups, and they are so happy to have them. i can understand why you are pissed though, you would rather have people buying from breeders like you.

[digerd]

In the wild, dogs show submission to the alpha male by lying on the backs, but they know that the alpha male can kill them, but that is not so with the human alpha. A neighbour of ours did upset me when he hit his adult female Golden Retriever for jumping over the gate to greet me and my husband as we walked by. But male neighbour said it was necessary and it did work. Also, years ago, my husband and I were walking his fathers St Bernard in the woods in Germany, and the dog suddenly ran off into a field. I was horrified that my husband hit him with the lead, but he said the dog could have been shot by a farmer and he had to learn. I said keep him on the lead then. he was a gorgeous but enormous dog

[digerd]

ps. My experience has been with small dogs, mainly Westies, but the most aggressive was a Dachshund female, she loved and respected my husband, who did once twang her with an apple tree twig, which certainly worked, but I couldn't do that and was too soft with her and she deliberately played me up and even once irritated that I couldn't get her ball from the back of the sofa on which she was standing and pointing with her long nose to where it was, I stupidly kissed her from behind on her head and she swung round and bit me hard on the nose !!!! She had not intended to do that, just snap to show her impatience, and reacted herself in shock and regret. Yes, I had to go to Drs to have a tetanus jab and my nose swelled up- how my husband laughed - he never kissed my" baby", of course !!!

[digerd]

All dogs are different, and my experience is that at 6 weeks old their personalities already show. Some are very easy going to passive when you can lie them on their backs in your arms and they do not struggle, just lie there happily and content and others struggle /wriggle agitatedly. Some older dogs roll over onto their backs inviting a tummy tickle, showing no fear of being previously hit. But the signs of fear , being very nervous and timid are quite clear to see, and with some dogs they have not been maltreated, they are just made that way - very sensitive. Fortunately, these are rare. The food aggression, is not uncommon, and some are naturally not that way. But the saying " let sleeping dogs lie" is wise, and feeding your puppy/dog infront of a stranger - not a member of his home pack, should always be avoided. But your puppy should have been be aware that his behaviour was unacceptable with suitable voice control from an adult.