biting and acting up Hi, I'm pretty new here. I just got my puppy last week. And so far everything has gone fairly well. Except that in the last couple of days he seems to want to start biting fingers. He wasn't doing it before, and I'm worried. I think it may be because my 7 yr old stepson is visiting. I won't let him play with Dexter unsupervised, but sometimes my husband really doesn't watch their play when I'm not around. I'm worried that's the cause. I've tried explaining this to him, but he assures me that he watches him at all times. But he is just sitting in the same room, not really monitoring how Dexter's being handled. I've seen my stepson try to hold Dexter him down, and how distressed he gets. Of course I don't know if its the stress additionally of getting used to our house, learning to go potty outside, or being on a leash. I hate using it, but I'm so afraid he's going to run out into the street and get hurt. How do I fix this biting problem? I'm trying the reward system by trading out toys, for fingers, and praising him when he gets it right, but everytime that kid is in the vicinity Dexter starts going crazy, and running everywhere. How do I keep him calm while my stepson is still is still around? |
First of all welcome to Yorkie Talk. I wanted to bump this thread up for you and I might have a partial answer. I think it is normal for a puppy to be biting fingers (even if it just started). Just keep replacing with a toy and praising. Since your puppy is obviously scared of your stepson maybe there has to be a rule like no touching unless an adult is holding Dexter. I know easier said then done but one wrong move could seriously injure him. Congratulations on your new puppy!:) |
Quote:
All puppies want to chew on fingers while they are teething. Continue doing what you are doing - consistently - with giving him appropriate chew toys instead. When puppy bites hard enough to hurt, say "Ouch!" or squeal, immediately break eye contact and turn your back on puppy for 20-30 seconds. Repeat as needed. Be sure to also praise heavily when you catch him chewing on his toys or bones. Behavior that is reinforced increases in frequency. What concerns me alot more than your puppy biting fingers is that your puppy isn't being protected from someone he fears. This may well develop into a major problem later. If you aren't where you can supervise puppy and stepson, puppy needs to put away in a safe place. Try telling your stepson that puppy is in "time-out" and needs to be left alone - most kids can relate to that, right?:D |
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