Aggression?

[windycanyon]

You need a trainer who is all about "Say what you mean, Mean what you say". This is a pup who is pushing your buttons, nothing else. A bad (or less than stellar) placement, but not a rescue/ give up. YOU really need the guidance more than your pup.

[Meeps83]

I would definitely drop treats when he's being calm. Eventually give it a name such as settle or place. As far as being in school and doing homework, many of us work 40-50 hours or more per week. Many of us also commute to those same jobs that have us working 40-50 hours per week. We all work hard when we get home to exercise and stimulate our dogs. I know you're busy and it's hard to find the time, but it's never going to get easier. That's life unfortunately.

[TuMicks]

Aaaagh!!!

I'm going a little crazy reading this.

First, I can't disagree with anything folks have said here. You can never go wrong with getting outside help and I have consulted with behaviorists and learned a LOT from them. All of the techniques and tips here are useful to shape behavior.

But here is the deal: Nothing your dog is doing is pathological. He's doing dog stuff. This is what they do with each other. He's being a perfectly normal dog. You can exercise him... and he'll be a tired dog. You can give him toys... and he'll be a dog with toys. But when it's you on the couch with a blanket, and he wants your attention, it doesn't matter. He'll be the dog taking your blanket and getting your arm in his mouth and barking and being a dog.

So, if he was doing this with another dog... what would that dog do? Eventually, that dog would get fed up and tell him to STOP IT. And he would stop doing it. And if he failed to cut it out, the other dog would tell him more emphatically to STOP IT! And if that didn't work, and he kept being a PITA, the other dog would get in his grill and tell him to STOP IT!!!

Here is a great video about how simple this concept it. Bob Newhart - Stop It - YouTube

You don't have to be a behaviorist or expert dog trainer or experienced dog owner or labrador retriever specialist to tell your dog to STOP IT.

Have you had a younger sibling who ever p1ssed you off? Geeze-a-wheeze!!! Have you ever stood your ground and insisted on your rights? It is your friggin' blanket. It's your arm.

Here's the approach:

1. NO! Stop it!
2. Stand up, stand over the dog and say... NO! GIT! STOP IT!
3. Stomp your foot and say very loudly... NO! GIT over there! and my particular favorite AAAH NO!
4. Sit back on the couch. Resume browsing Facebook.
5. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

I mean, yes... there are good things to learn about teaching the dog to "place". Or using a crate. Or use a prong collar and a 6' lead, or whatever. But the bottom line is if you don't convey and communicate that THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE AND I'M NOT TOLERATING THIS then no skills or tricks are going to do you any good.

Again... there are great ways to deal with this undesirable behavior. Many of them listed above by others. But no matter what you do... you MUST tell the dog and make him understand that there are limits and you've just reached yours.

[Labradorks]

Make sure the dog has appropriate exercise and mental stimulation. That is first. If you have a toddler and you're not meeting those needs, he's going to be a brat, begging for attention, crying, etc. Expecting him to sit in a corner and play quietly with a toy is unfair and unrealistic. Same with a dog. Getting the dog the exercise he needs might might mean being cold. Or wet. Or bored. Or getting up earlier. Or whatever. It is the price you pay for being a dog owner.

If you can't walk the dog because he pulls, find a professional to teach you how to use a training collar, whether a prong or a halti-type. There has got to be someone you can ask. If you need it for maintenance, it is what it is. You don't have to use it for corrections, nor should you (especially if he has leash aggression issues). He is a big dog now and the window for teaching him to walk on a leash without pulling in a short period of time has closed. He can still get it, but meanwhile, he needs exercise.

If you feel comfortable taking the dog to doggie daycare or a dog park (they are not all bad and sometimes it is the best option -- plenty of people have little to no issues at dog parks) once he is neutered, just get him neutered. Many a dog has lived a long, healthy life being neutered during the 6-12 month window. If neutering him now will get him the exercise and stimulation he needs, go for it. Talk to your vet, his breeder, do the research and figure out what is the best option for you.

OK, so he has appropriate exercise and stimulation for his age, breeding, temperament,etc. Now what?

Talk to a trainer. You've received good advice, but nothing will take the place of a person watching you and your interaction with the dog. No one here knows you or your temperament. No` one here knows your dog. All we can do is speculate based on what we are hearing. No one here can physically show you how to correct or train your dog, help you with the timing (oh so important) or help you determine what is working and what is not, for both you and your dog.

Once a dog has been allowed to create bad habits, it's really hard to turn things around. It's not impossible, but as you can imagine, habits are hard to break and working with a hormonal adolescent, regardless of training or breeding, can be challenging. They are also physically strong dogs. Training a large, energetic adolescent or adult dog is different than training a puppy. You need to be strong and more than anything, consistent, not to mention patient as Rome was not built in a day. You have to undo what has been done (unintentionally) while also working to change your dog's habits and behavior .

It is going to be an uphill battle and will take a change of attitude. For example, you cannot sob or roll into a ball when the dog is too much. You cannot be emotional at all. It is what it is. If you ever feel this way again, calmly get up, walk into another room and shut the door. If the dog overpowers you, I would crate him unless there is an adult in the home with you. Then you will be safe and less likely to be overwhelmed.

[Tanya]

And Tanya...funny how misplaced fingers can make something benign like "finding" into something that looks vaguely dirty. Sorry...."fomdomg" made me giggle.

LOL oops!

[Tanya]

ok he needs more exercise. a 45 min walks and 10 minutes in the yard is not nearly enough. the walk is good, but he needs at least a few 10-15 minutes good play in the yard minium (better if you can do more). The ONLY weather that stops me is ice which is dangerous for the dogs - otherwise gets dressed properly and get out there Up the brain work too, make training fun. get high valu treats and work with him.

I HIGHLY recommend classes.

Off Leash exercise just means he can run and play freely.(not just walk by your side). Walks really do not tire out a young dog. they are a great part of a routine, great to get out of the house/yard but don't at all tire them out. you could do hikes with longer leash and a harness if that's possible. If he were older you could run with him or bike with him but he's too young for that (those could be on leash though - if he has decent leash skills). But no, we don't recommend letting him off-leash anywhere unsafe either! (if he has no recall that means it needs to be a safe fenced park).

[PinkDragon14]

Aaaagh!!!

I'm going a little crazy reading this.

First, I can't disagree with anything folks have said here. You can never go wrong with getting outside help and I have consulted with behaviorists and learned a LOT from them. All of the techniques and tips here are useful to shape behavior.

But here is the deal: Nothing your dog is doing is pathological. He's doing dog stuff. This is what they do with each other. He's being a perfectly normal dog. You can exercise him... and he'll be a tired dog. You can give him toys... and he'll be a dog with toys. But when it's you on the couch with a blanket, and he wants your attention, it doesn't matter. He'll be the dog taking your blanket and getting your arm in his mouth and barking and being a dog.

So, if he was doing this with another dog... what would that dog do? Eventually, that dog would get fed up and tell him to STOP IT. And he would stop doing it. And if he failed to cut it out, the other dog would tell him more emphatically to STOP IT! And if that didn't work, and he kept being a PITA, the other dog would get in his grill and tell him to STOP IT!!!

Here is a great video about how simple this concept it. Bob Newhart - Stop It - YouTube

You don't have to be a behaviorist or expert dog trainer or experienced dog owner or labrador retriever specialist to tell your dog to STOP IT.

Have you had a younger sibling who ever p1ssed you off? Geeze-a-wheeze!!! Have you ever stood your ground and insisted on your rights? It is your friggin' blanket. It's your arm.

Here's the approach:

1. NO! Stop it!
2. Stand up, stand over the dog and say... NO! GIT! STOP IT!
3. Stomp your foot and say very loudly... NO! GIT over there! and my particular favorite AAAH NO!
4. Sit back on the couch. Resume browsing Facebook.
5. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

I mean, yes... there are good things to learn about teaching the dog to "place". Or using a crate. Or use a prong collar and a 6' lead, or whatever. But the bottom line is if you don't convey and communicate that THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE AND I'M NOT TOLERATING THIS then no skills or tricks are going to do you any good.

Again... there are great ways to deal with this undesirable behavior. Many of them listed above by others. But no matter what you do... you MUST tell the dog and make him understand that there are limits and you've just reached yours.

(I'm an only child ) But really, I agree with you. The problem is, I do tell him to stop, knock it off, etc. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. If I get up to sit him down and correct him (trying to make eye contact here and tell him NO), he either takes off or bites again, takes off, comes back, bites, etc. He knows that he's in trouble the minute I get up and it's almost like he's running from me because he knows he is going to get in trouble. Similar to a little kid running around before they get put in time out. I mean, he's done it enough times to know better, so this is definitely a test of limits. He has a hard head and I'm not sure how to get through to him. Definitely a teenage boy. Also, when I raise my voice at him (NO, STOP, etc.), it fuels him even more. Like, "Hey! You're yelling now! Awesome, I've got your attention! Let's play how nuts can I make you!" This is the point where I ignore him because I don't want to fuel the situation.

I had to laugh yesterday though. After I yelled at him, he saw dad pull in the driveway. He looked at me, turned around, grabbed his bone, and went to his spot. It was almost like he wanted to say, "Look dad, I'm not bad! She's lying!"

Make sure the dog has appropriate exercise and mental stimulation. That is first. If you have a toddler and you're not meeting those needs, he's going to be a brat, begging for attention, crying, etc. Expecting him to sit in a corner and play quietly with a toy is unfair and unrealistic. Same with a dog. Getting the dog the exercise he needs might might mean being cold. Or wet. Or bored. Or getting up earlier. Or whatever. It is the price you pay for being a dog owner.

If you can't walk the dog because he pulls, find a professional to teach you how to use a training collar, whether a prong or a halti-type. There has got to be someone you can ask. If you need it for maintenance, it is what it is. You don't have to use it for corrections, nor should you (especially if he has leash aggression issues). He is a big dog now and the window for teaching him to walk on a leash without pulling in a short period of time has closed. He can still get it, but meanwhile, he needs exercise.

If you feel comfortable taking the dog to doggie daycare or a dog park (they are not all bad and sometimes it is the best option -- plenty of people have little to no issues at dog parks) once he is neutered, just get him neutered. Many a dog has lived a long, healthy life being neutered during the 6-12 month window. If neutering him now will get him the exercise and stimulation he needs, go for it. Talk to your vet, his breeder, do the research and figure out what is the best option for you.

OK, so he has appropriate exercise and stimulation for his age, breeding, temperament,etc. Now what?

Talk to a trainer. You've received good advice, but nothing will take the place of a person watching you and your interaction with the dog. No one here knows you or your temperament. No` one here knows your dog. All we can do is speculate based on what we are hearing. No one here can physically show you how to correct or train your dog, help you with the timing (oh so important) or help you determine what is working and what is not, for both you and your dog.

Once a dog has been allowed to create bad habits, it's really hard to turn things around. It's not impossible, but as you can imagine, habits are hard to break and working with a hormonal adolescent, regardless of training or breeding, can be challenging. They are also physically strong dogs. Training a large, energetic adolescent or adult dog is different than training a puppy. You need to be strong and more than anything, consistent, not to mention patient as Rome was not built in a day. You have to undo what has been done (unintentionally) while also working to change your dog's habits and behavior .

It is going to be an uphill battle and will take a change of attitude. For example, you cannot sob or roll into a ball when the dog is too much. You cannot be emotional at all. It is what it is. If you ever feel this way again, calmly get up, walk into another room and shut the door. If the dog overpowers you, I would crate him unless there is an adult in the home with you. Then you will be safe and less likely to be overwhelmed.

What's weird is, he's sometimes independent and will sit and occupy himself. He knows when I need to be alone depending on where I'm sitting (i.e. at the desk or kitchen table), but even then he'll get bored. Usually if he's playing by himself, he'll chew his toys or sleep. But that isn't an excuse for not exercising him/giving him a mentally stimulating toy.

As for the walking, his pulling has gotten much better over the past few months. She recommended the prong collar to help "tug" him forward if that makes sense. He stops every few feet and sniffs the ground. But if you walk fast/light jog, he's totally fine and doesn't smell the ground. But pulling is kind of fading. He's been in a harness for the past few months instead of just a collar and it has helped.

I did contact the trainer this morning and her next "group" session is open in a few weeks, so hopefully that'll be a go. I'd really prefer doing one-on-one, but she said the groups are about 5-7, so that's small enough IMO.

I feel like this is going to be a hard habit to break - the best way to describe it is, a little kid throwing a tantrum until they get what they want. That's basically him summed up in a nutshell

ok he needs more exercise. a 45 min walks and 10 minutes in the yard is not nearly enough. the walk is good, but he needs at least a few 10-15 minutes good play in the yard minium (better if you can do more). The ONLY weather that stops me is ice which is dangerous for the dogs - otherwise gets dressed properly and get out there Up the brain work too, make training fun. get high valu treats and work with him.

I HIGHLY recommend classes.

Off Leash exercise just means he can run and play freely.(not just walk by your side). Walks really do not tire out a young dog. they are a great part of a routine, great to get out of the house/yard but don't at all tire them out. you could do hikes with longer leash and a harness if that's possible. If he were older you could run with him or bike with him but he's too young for that (those could be on leash though - if he has decent leash skills). But no, we don't recommend letting him off-leash anywhere unsafe either! (if he has no recall that means it needs to be a safe fenced park).

He isn't ready for off leash walking (and I don't think I'll ever feel safe doing that - just so much that could happen).

He loves playing in the yard so I think that's something I'll try to do more with him. I've looked into the puzzles on amazon - do those work well for mental games?


I started the NILIF method today and it seems to be working really well. He's starting to sit for his leash and any hand outs. Next I'll take it up a notch and do it for the attention.

[arentspowell]

Could he be trying to get your attention because he needs to go outside?

One of my dogs can be OBNOXIOUS when she needs to go out. She displays some similar behaviors as you are describing - play bowing, barking, biting the air, whacking me with her paw, and pouncing on me (thank goodness she is tiny). 9 times out of 10, she's trying to get my attention because she needs to go out or wants me to feed her.

[TuMicks]

If I get up to sit him down and correct him (trying to make eye contact here and tell him NO), he either takes off or bites again, takes off, comes back, bites, etc. He knows that he's in trouble the minute I get up and it's almost like he's running from me because he knows he is going to get in trouble.

Yes. This is exactly what dogs do when they play. He has NO idea that you are attempting to stop the game. In fact, your responses are exactly those that guarantee that the game continues. He honestly, truly, absolutely is convinced that you are playing a dog game with him. You're rewarding his initiation of the game and jumping in with both feet to keep the game going.

Dogs can always run faster than we can and if we give chase, they are in their element and loving every minute of it.

Addendum: In fact, sometimes I do this on purpose with my dogs because we just enjoy it. It really becomes a 3 dog vrs 1 old lady scrum

[PinkDragon14]

Could he be trying to get your attention because he needs to go outside?

One of my dogs can be OBNOXIOUS when she needs to go out. She displays some similar behaviors as you are describing - play bowing, barking, biting the air, whacking me with her paw, and pouncing on me (thank goodness she is tiny). 9 times out of 10, she's trying to get my attention because she needs to go out or wants me to feed her.

Nope (I wish it was that simple though ). He's very good about going by the door/standing by the door/whining by the door (you get the idea). If it's urgent, he'll either bark by the door or come and find you and tap you with his nose multiple times until you follow him to where the leash is.

Now food is a completely different story. He'll do anything to get a crumb of whatever you're eating (yes, even water. He loves ice cubes and knows when you're eating ice or getting ice from the freezer)

If I get up to sit him down and correct him (trying to make eye contact here and tell him NO), he either takes off or bites again, takes off, comes back, bites, etc. He knows that he's in trouble the minute I get up and it's almost like he's running from me because he knows he is going to get in trouble.

Yes. This is exactly what dogs do when they play. He has NO idea that you are attempting to stop the game. In fact, your responses are exactly those that guarantee that the game continues. He honestly, truly, absolutely is convinced that you are playing a dog game with him. You're rewarding his initiation of the game and jumping in with both feet to keep the game going.

Dogs can always run faster than we can and if we give chase, they are in their element and loving every minute of it.

Addendum: In fact, sometimes I do this on purpose with my dogs because we just enjoy it. It really becomes a 3 dog vrs 1 old lady scrum

Yep, that's what I figured. I don't know how to communicate that I'm not playing other than NO. He seems like he's enjoying himself until I get a hold of him and give him the NO, mean look, etc.

He actually started doing it this afternoon. I was on the couch submitting an assignment (my fault - he knows the couch is the "I can play with you" spot, but submitting an assignment takes 30 seconds) and he came up to me and started biting my arm. What I did was, I took the remote for his vibrating/beeping collar, sent a beep to him, and said, "NO. BITE." while it beeped. I guess he understood what I meant and he went back to the other couch and fell asleep. With that being said, I haven't ignored him by any means today. About 5mins before, we were throwing his ball/kong around and he was chasing it and bringing it back. I guess he got bored with that and wanted to play a game of "chase me until your face turns red in aggravation". I wasn't having any of that game though.

I do have to say, I think the NILIF method is helping. He normally sits for his breakfast/dinner anyway, so that was never a problem. I'm hoping this will also help him learn to sit for his leash as well. I understand he has to go out/wants to go out, but chasing a dog around the entry way is no fun. He's been really good about sitting though. I also tried MightyThor's method on the tugging "game", except with his rubber frisbee. After about 3 times, he started to understand that he needs to be "gentle" or "hand it over" when asked. He has this habit of doing the, "No take. Only throw.", so fingers crossed this stuck in his head.

(Here's the no take only throw comic. It reminds me of him a lot: )