Health Concerns

[perzephone]

One of the benefits of dog ownership is supposedly exercise.

However, I think I'm too out of shape to entertain this puppy. I'm going to have to pay my overdue gym bill so I can work out enough to be able to keep up with her.

It's also really hard to break a puppy of the biting thing when they look so darned funny while they're chewing you up. I was sitting cross-legged on the floor wrestling (gently, mind you) with her & since I was protecting my soft, sensitive underarms and boobs, she started biting my exposed big toe.

Comments

[greenforest-elf.livejournal.com]

lol puppy vampires!!!! Just yelp REALLY loudly when she does it, and read up on bite inhibition (another reason why pups should stay with mum for longer than most ppl let them)

http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_BiteInhibition.php

This chic is a GREAT trainer

http://www.clickertraining.com/node/725

more links

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q=bite+inhibition&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

awww has she got puppy breath still???

Bitey Bitey

[perzephone.livejournal.com]

I'm of the mind that a tired puppy is a good puppy, but trying to wear her out is wearing me out instead. The neighbors probably got some great entertainment out of watching me run around our back yard like a moron last night - my knees, hips & back are screaming for mercy.

It's cool playing with her, though, because she's already showing some of the working-dog instincts - she nips at your achilles' tendon when she wants you to change directions, and will even run behind you & snag at your ankles with her paw & try to trip you. She doubles back & short-stops. It's amazing that these behaviors just pop up from nowhere, but she's going to be challenging when she gets bigger - right now it's like, "Awww, she's trying to cut you from the herd..." 60 lbs from now it's going to be, "She's gonna kill me one of these days!"

Re: Bitey Bitey

[greenforest-elf.livejournal.com]

lol teach her to play fetch, then u do half the walking or playing lol

omg my dog does that - he is a BARGE ASS, he barges his ass in between us and any other dog that wants a pat lol he herds them away from us then scrambles back for cuddles!!

You should look up sheep herding class in your area, they do trials and all sorts of crazy shit and IT WEARS THEM OUT lol

Re: Bitey Bitey

[perzephone.livejournal.com]

She was actually playing on her own a little bit today - we're doing the 'YELP!' thing when she bites, and it does work to an extent. I think she's accepted that I'm the Alpha, so her & Rob are vying for Beta.

She's already a good watch-dog. 'Fetch' to her means watching me throw something across the room & watching me go & retrieve it.

Re: Bitey Bitey

[greenforest-elf.livejournal.com]

The other thing u can do when she bites is to force your hand in her throat, not to hurt her of course but its uncomfy and they soon stop it.

lol one of my huskies is like that, watches the object sail thru the air and land then looks at me as if to say 'that was fun hooooman now go pick it up and do it again for me'

lol