Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1 (Post 4641554)

Did you invest anything in books on how to properly train your pup, what to expect from him at any given age, how to correct unacceptable behavior, what should even be CONSIDERED bad behavior at any given age, etc???? You have to know what to expect from your puppy at any given age....I can not remember but seems to me you got this baby at a young age....I apologize right now if I have you confused with someone else.....how old was the puppy when you got it?? THAT is probably the regrettable primary cause of this unfortunate situation. If this is a baby that is 12 weeks old or younger, this is normal behavior for a young puppy that has been deprived of maternal teaching and discipline. You are going to have to get schooled on the proper, effective, and acceptable methods of training this baby. You would both benefit from classes in doggie behavior and training. Get books, GOOD, valid books, that you can learn from.

As a breeder for many years, it became very evident to me that incorrigible dogs and children are BOTH products of early parental training that they have been deprived of. Puppies that have been deprived of maternal training by their mommas, will show "misbehavior" in a variety of misadventures....when you get a baby before momma has the opportunity to teach proper behavior, then it is thrust upon you to provide the baby with that corrective behavior. In order to do that effectively, you MUST know what behavior is expected and is acceptable at any given age. Have you read any acceptable books on expected behaviors considered normal at any given age? Have you read any books on training or behavior modification for your baby? You can not eradicate specific NORMAL behaviors.....you must modify NORMAL behavior at any particular age so the baby develops age appropriate behavior that is acceptable.

Professional training for both you and the baby is warranted. Well behaved dogs dont just happen....they have been modified by mommas or by trainers, or both. I think you both need professional behaviorists....you would benefit from a professional telling you that this baby's behavior is age appropriate or what needs to be done to correct it.....get the help you need....dont write this baby off as incorrigible.....if you purchased this baby before it was 12-14 weeks old, the person you bought this baby from is responsible for the deprivation in behavior learning that it never got from momma....dont blame this precious little darling, blame the person that tore it from its momma before it could be properly trained. Now, YOU must make up for the inadequate training. PATIENCE and persistance from YOU will get the best results.

Originally Posted by Nancy1999 (Post 4641645)

How old was he when you got him, if under 12 weeks, he didn't spend the necessary time with mom to learn inhibition of the biting reflex. It's really important they learn this and the bark should always be bigger than the bite. I think you should probably get some training, however, like many have said biting is normal at this age, they are teething, you just want to make sure they are biting full force. Give plenty of chew toys.

Originally Posted by Mayzoo (Post 4641757)

I am in Texas as well. Pm me and maybe I can help. I have train dogs for 35 years

Originally Posted by canana (Post 4641798)

Wow - that's so cool! Did you do the training for your service dog(s) too?

Originally Posted by Mayzoo (Post 4641799)

Yes, I tell folks "Little Mister" (Mario) was home schooled LOL. He was the only one of the three home schooled pups in our CGC test to pass their tests.

Originally Posted by Mayzoo (Post 4641757)

I am in Texas as well. Pm me and maybe I can help. I have train dogs for 35 years

Originally Posted by Jkpal (Post 4641805)

Originally Posted by canana (Post 4641800)

That's awesome!! Congrats! You're so talented! I love looking into training techniques, but definitely don't have 35 years experience :p . Would you mind if I bug you on the one thing I cannot correct? :rolleyes:

Scottie freaks out during walks and, depending on his mood, will bark/growl at any person who looks at him (because they think he's cute) and most dogs who walk towards us on the same sidewalk. I've tried giving him treats when he walks by without a sound, teaching him "leave it", but...it's not really working. Should I just continue and be more persistent? I've had to consistently avoid people and dogs whenever we're out for a walk and I don't have treats on me.

I feel so bad for people who just wanna look at him and tell me he's so cute. And then he snaps. So many people/kids wanna just say hi and I have to tell them to leave us alone :(

I try to socialize him often and we go to small dog meets every month. Off leash, he's friendly - no growling, no snapping, no barking. But on the leash, there's no way he's willing to politely greet another dog. What gives?

Originally Posted by Mayzoo (Post 4642275)

From my reading, and I have had a few dogs that fall into this category, some dogs have a hard time with abstract thinking when it comes to training. For example, a dog may sit on command 100% of the time at home, but look at you like you grew a third eye when you command them to sit elsewhere. They have to be taught sit at every location you expect them to sit. They will not generalize that term into any location other than where they were taught it.

To limit the need for abstract thinking, I try to use specific terms for specific behaviours. Such as, I use "leave it" exclusively for objects on the ground only, not for people. For Mario, I tell him "quiet" instead if he is whining or barking for attention. If he is behaving protectively at home, I tell him to "stand down" let Bailey handle it (Bailey is our outside protective doggie). Mario is not permitted to be vocal or protective outside our property at all, so keep that in mind.

The method of training is what you are already doing from what I read. Praise and reward every single time for good behaviour and you can either ignore bad behaviour or firmly state no (depending on your training philosophy). The duration between the good behaviour and the reward needs to be very short at first, then lengthen over time with success. If Scottie is quiet for 10-20 seconds after the command, reward and praise, then build from there by slowly increasing your expectations.

A scenario could look like this. Someone approaches, you reassure Scottie. If he is quiet, you praise and treat. If he is not quiet, you command quiet, then praise and treat if he is quiet for the expected time frame. In this type of scenario if Scottie were not quiet, I would tend to go with a firm, calm "No Scottie, quiet" and then praise and treat if he is. I usually warn someone if a primary goal during our discussion is to train my dog so they do not view my actions as rude.

Knowing why Scottie is barking can help, but is not a requirement. Is he being protective or is he upset/afraid? If you believe he is afraid or anxious, you might try picking Scottie up to greet others for a while. When you see someone approach, and before Scottie becomes upset, pick him up and reassure him. You greet the person and give treats when Scottie is quiet. As he improves, you may try just kneeling to pet him as the reassurance, then slowly allow him to remain on the ground.

It is a long road full of consistency and patience.