Help - biting feet
 

Okay so Molly is now 6-1/2 months old and teething still but man does she bite hard especially on the bare feet. Other than telling her uh uh, no bite and putting her in timeout - what can I do?

Also she won't come when called - unless I have a treat and trick her. Any suggestions. She graduated puppy training but this is still her weakness. We're signed up for intermediate class in June but I would like to get her closer to being ready for the next class.

Thanks in advance. On a good note she is finally 3.2 pounds - up from 2.8.

I still have trouble from time to time with feet biting. Has she been trained in take it and leave it? Since Bentley has been working on that if he's not overly excited he does respond to leave it when he's biting at feet. Sometimes I have to give him a firm sit command, to make him stop and get back in focus.

Something else I used in the past and have to use very little now is a can with a few coins in it. For a while I would carry it with me when walking around my apartment. A NO and a shake stopped him dead in his tracks. ;)

If you stop and think about it, recall is extremely important they master not only for obedience reasons but because it could safe a life, or prevent injury. The key in recall is they have to learn there is NO choice in this command. I hear this I must react. To me personally all other commands are icing on the cake, god forbid it be needed that way but it could save their life.

Training on recall pointers:

1) Have a set command word. If she is already ignoring you with your current command, you will want to change your command, because she has already learned she has a choice to come or not with her current command. It should be just one word because of course you will include her name as well. "Molly Come" "Molly Front" "Molly Here" are some good examples.

2) Only use that command when there is recourse for not responding to the command. By recourse I mean, if I don't respond I will be made to do it. And I don't mean it in a bad, gonna yell or hit way. It's best to train on a flexi leash. You holding the leash extended and locked with her off in the distance with a helper. Offer the command only once and if no response give a gentle tug. Of course allow the flexi to retract as she moves forward.

3) Don't give the command unless you have their full attention first. Eyes on you. If needed say her name to get her to look at you, then only give the command once. From there the gentle tug, if she refuses.

4) As soon she starts to come towards you cheer and praise like a nut(sounds funny but they love to please, so this positive reinforcement during the actual recall helps). As soon as they hear that praise you will see the speed she is coming to you at, go from fast to turbo after a few tries. :D

5) Lots of love and a treat once she reaches you.

6) Lather, rinse, repeat. lol

All I can say is that I relate and I am no help at all in this situation. Sorry.

Mandie is like a cat. She comes when she wants to. I can entice her to come - sometimes - with treats. But she is so freakin smart that she knows most of the time when it is a trick like to get her to me to bathe her or something.

The biting at the feet. Mandie does this at our heels as we walk. She still does it til this day, but if I stop walking (don't turn around or anything...just stop) and say, "no bite", she'll stop. It is definitely just a playful game to her..the biting at the heels.