[Stressed puppymamma]

Hi all,
Our Tallulah is just gone 16 weeks. We have her a little over five weeks now and she is mad as a brush! I am so stressed and tired and about ready to pack it in and try to rehome her which will devastate me but maybe I am just not the right mamma for this girlie. She is relentlessly energetic which I can manage, I crate trained her and she does well at night mostly, I also watch her naps very carefully because her biteyness and angriness ramps up if she is tired. Over the last two or so weeks she has begun biting and snarling at us randomly- it is really quite scary to be honest. We can be sitting watching TV and she is having chew time and she will just launch herself at us and start trying to maul us- usually snapping at our faces, sometimes I am rubbing her and she is grand and then she lunges at me (brought her to vet no pain issues). When we are out and about on a walk she spends most of her time trying to eat us- or me- just relentlessly biting at the ankles, legs, trying to rip my pants. Over these two weeks there has been absolutely no fun engagement with her and at times I have been really anxious around her- my child is 11 and has spent the last two weeks in his bedroom because if he walks in her sight she literally runs up his legs to try to eat him!!! I have gotten a dog trainer, done a course, watched a million vids, even with positive reinforcement she is so clever, focused and will do anything but as soon as those treats are gone she is jumping up to eat me. today she is at the hairdresser and puppyplayschool and i do not miss her a single bit- that makes me so sad....anyone any advice- I cant do this until she is a year old

 

[2ndhandgal]

The really important thing you have missed from your explanation is what you do when she jumps and bites you and your son? If there is any element of running, evading or flapping arms and legs then this will be hugely fuelling her behaviour as it is fun - and if you say there has been no fun engagement with her for the last 2 weeks it may well be that she has decided that this is how she needs to interact with you to get some fun - get back in touch with your trainer and see if they can come and visit and help you in person.

One thing I find helps hugely with pups is teaching them to play tuggy with a nice soft tuggy toy - and then use that to teach them to let go of the toy when asked and from that to teach that touching skin results in no game and good self control gives good fun games.

 

[Evelyn]

With my dog, the ankle-biting and pants pulling means "I want you to play!" It's not aggression. Launching at your face may be playing too -- my dog makes a lot of growly noises when playing -- but without seeing it I can't be certain.

 

[Canopvs]

Appreciate this was a couple of months ago, but rehoming a pup would indeed be very sad. If you are still looking for advice (and for others with this problem):

The first thing to determine is whether this is actually real aggression, or puppy play. Real aggression in cockapoo pups is quite rare, but it can happen, and is serious. If this is the case, you will need to get professional help. Find a different dog trainer, and if they can’t help, a dog behaviourist.

Now, when you are bringing up a pup for the first time, it can be hard to distinguish between aggression and play because pups play rough (just watch pups playing with each other). Even when playing, they do try and rip clothing, they will growl and nip. Signs of aggression are a stiff posture, leaning forward, baring teeth, staring at you, growling and snapping, raised hackles. Note that you will notice a cluster of these, not just one, in cases of aggression. For example, our dog growls when she’s playing.

If you decide that it is puppy play, then:

• when she nips you or your family, give out a high pitched help. It works because pups learn bite moderation in the litter through their siblings yelping when bitten too hard. It won’t work overnight, but does with persistence
• when she nips, cross your arms and turn your back on her. If that doesn’t work, get up and leave the room. And if that doesn’t work, put her into a different room on her own for 30 seconds
• take a piece of old cloth and tear it into strips, and walk with these trailing behind you
• dab some eucalyptus oil on yourself, many dogs don’t like the smell
• wear boots or wellies
• teach her “gentle”. Curl your fingers up to make a fist, and put a small treat under your thumb. Offer it to her, saying “gentle”. If she nips, she doesn’t get the treat.

If it is puppy play, it’s a phase that does pass. I have a two year old, and she was quite nippy and growly when she was a pup for many months, particularly targeting my wife. We did the things above, and eventually, she stopped nipping.

Good luck!