Biting
 

Sparky has just started biting in what I think may be aggression. He will pick up or find something on the floor he's not supposed to have (such as a small toy from a child I babysit) and run with it. I have to chance him down to get it, and this morning when I caught him and was taking it out of his mouth he growled and snapped at my fingers, breaking the skin. I sharply told him no and lightly popped him in the mouth. I'm not sure if that was the right thing to do. Then I put him in his kennel. He's lying in it now looking at me all sad eyed. How's the best way to nip this in the bud right from the start, without doing damage to him?

i hope someone on YT can lead you down the right path...i will be anxiously waiting to hear what is the best solution for this...

biting is not acceptable in any shape or form..

me, too

What you need to do is teach Sparky "leave it" and "drop it" commands. I don't have time right now to tell you how to train those, but it has been discussed fairly recently so do a Search.

Will check back later when I have more time...

I don't mind explaining the "leave it" command. It's amazing how quickly they get this one. Literally within minutes. You just hold your hand out towards your dog with a treat in the palm of your hand. As soon as he tries to grab the treat, close your hand up with the treat in it and say "leave it!" in a commanding tone, not a shout, just a firm "leave it!" Then after a few seconds (don't make it more than about 5 to start with) open your hand with the treat in your palm and say "take it!" and allow him to have the treat. Repeat this same process several times, and you'll notice that even when you put your hand down with the treat for him to go for, he will start to just ignore your hand entirely until you say "take it!" That is when he has "gotten" it.

I use this command for anything that my puppy tries to pick up that is not good for her. She immediately turns away and starts to sniff something else or just walk away. Usually I give her a treat afterward and tell her to "take it" to reinforce that good obedience ends with a treat. But our trainer said you don't have to always have a treat at the ready. You should try to reward with a treat at least occasionally tho.

Once they've gotten the "leave it" command, then you can move on to the "drop it" command. We do this with a fetching toy usually. But for "drop it" in order for your puppy to give you the toy, you have to make sure you give puppy a reward in return. Our little girl is much too smart to volutarily give up her toy unless she knows she's getting a reward in return.

sound good like a good way to teach them the leave it, take it command..

P.S. Oh, and as far as biting goes, try making a sound like a dog does when in pain, sort of an ow-ow-ow! or a loud "ouch!" when he bites. Sometimes dogs don't realize they are hurting us when they do this biting thing, and you have to make them aware.

Yes! That's exactly how I've trained it. Thanks, Sweetums.

If your dog knows that he will always get something better than what he's being asked to drop or leave, he will be only too happy to comply. The trick is making it rewarding enough for them to do it.