Puppy and small children!

JenniferF · 01-10-2012, 07:48 PM

I know that when my puppy (14 weeks old) bites at me to "yip" and stop the play/walk away. It is hard with my children though (1 and 3) who do not understand this. I never leave them alone with him and generally when he bites, claws, or try's to rough play with them tell him "no" firmly and stop the behavior. IE call him to me and pet him to help him forget he was playing with them, give him a toy, or just gently slap his nose. I think?? slapping his nose is something I shouldn't do? I do not do it hard AT ALL, just enough to get his attention away from the rough play with the kids. Is this something I should *Never* do? What did you do with your young kids and the puppies? Advice please

zyppi · 01-10-2012, 08:10 PM

can be hard with little ones.

teach your pup and easy command... sit or down. Once he's really reliable, let your 3 year old give the command in exchange for a treat.

Also, teach your pup to take treats 'easy.'

JenniferF · 01-10-2012, 08:14 PM

here's a photo

doggiedad · 01-10-2012, 08:23 PM

when i had a Shep and children (2yr old & 4yr old)
i use to remove the pup or the children from the action.
i think i use to throw in a "no biting". you have to watch
the children and the pup like a hawk.

JenniferF · 01-10-2012, 08:25 PM

Yes! If I cannot keep 100% full attention on them I do not have them out together

Generally I just leave him on the leash with me so I am always right by his side.

Random question--- how do I put a photo as my profile picture? (NEVERMIND, found it)

Quote:

Originally Posted by doggiedad

when i had a Shep and children (2yr old & 4yr old)
i use to remove the pup or the children from the action.
i think i use to throw in a "no biting". you have to watch
the children and the pup like a hawk.

KZoppa · 01-10-2012, 08:26 PM

he looks like a little teddy bear!!! with a great smile.

For advice, i would suggest having your puppy drag his leash around the house so you can easily pull him back when he gets rough. As for teaching the easy command, thats a good one. As well as involving your oldest in training. You'd be surprised how much that can help.

Teaching an easy command is pretty simple though at the time wont seem like it. When your pup licks you, as he's licking you say easy and give him a small treat and praise. After a few times of this, move on to when he is biting say easy and treat and praise if he begins to lick. A very easy way to encourage licking to teach the easy command is to take a stick of butter and gently rub the butter on the back of your hand. He'll be more interested in licking than biting. Reinforce the command by praising. You should also be able to get him to the point where if you say easy, instead of him licking you, you want him to back off, kind of like teaching "leave it".

Hope that makes some sense. I'll see if i can find some videos to illustrate what I mean.

**Cassidy's Mom** · 01-10-2012, 08:27 PM

Slapping his nose is a very good way to make him hand shy. I can't think of anything else it would be good for.

JenniferF · 01-11-2012, 01:54 AM

Oh! Another quick question. What do I do about the pawing? How do you teach him that hurts just as much as his puppy teeth. His nails are so sharp! And boy does he low to paw lol. Is it the same as biting, just "yipe" and stop the play or will that confuse him?

KZoppa · 01-11-2012, 02:09 AM

when he starts pawing, remove your attention from him for 10-15 seconds. after that point he wont remember why he's being shunned. The same goes for when he starts in the biting when his puppy brain forgets licking is going to get better results. When he starts pawing, by removing your attention from him, you would get up and walk away, even if he follows. While he's following you he's thinking something along the lines of HEY! Why are you leaving?! When he's calm again and NOT pawing at you, praise him. He'll begin to connect what gets him attention and what makes you remove yourself from him.

also keeping his little nails trimmed and smoothed out will help make it so the pawing doesnt hurt so much. I remember how sharp those little nails can be!!

Rua · 01-11-2012, 07:08 AM

Jennifer, I have two young boys, so I know exactly where you are coming from. Sometimes getting our kids to enforce the training on the dog is a far bigger battle than teaching the dog!

Personally, I find that Time Out works best for us for our puppy - especially when she's being too rough with the kids. Juno is a seriously "bitey" pup. And I've tried EVERYTHING with her (nose tapping, "yipping", saying "No Bite", etc etc). Time Out has been the only thing that's had lasting results. The problem can be enforcing it - especially when she's with the kids - which requires a LOT of supervision. The minute my back is turned, it can go pear shaped very quickly. Case in point: yesterday Juno put a hole in my 6 year old's school trousers, and a hole in my 4 years old's jumper which I was NOT happy about. Young kids tend to tend to flap their arms and legs around and do all the things that kids do that makes puppies want to grab onto them and play tug of war.

At this age, I try to constantly supervise their play and put Juno in Time Out for 20 seconds (usually the bathroom or some other boring place) until she calms down if she gets too rough. I've also been rewarding her when she gives "kisses". It's a slow process but I hope we'll get there eventually, and I'm sure you will too.

01-10-2012, 07:48 PM	#1 (permalink)
JenniferF Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Washington State Posts: 57	Puppy and small children! I know that when my puppy (14 weeks old) bites at me to "yip" and stop the play/walk away. It is hard with my children though (1 and 3) who do not understand this. I never leave them alone with him and generally when he bites, claws, or try's to rough play with them tell him "no" firmly and stop the behavior. IE call him to me and pet him to help him forget he was playing with them, give him a toy, or just gently slap his nose. I think?? slapping his nose is something I shouldn't do? I do not do it hard AT ALL, just enough to get his attention away from the rough play with the kids. Is this something I should Never do? What did you do with your young kids and the puppies? Advice please

01-10-2012, 08:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
zyppi Crowned Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Back home to Louisiana! Posts: 4,943	can be hard with little ones. teach your pup and easy command... sit or down. Once he's really reliable, let your 3 year old give the command in exchange for a treat. Also, teach your pup to take treats 'easy.' __________________ Anne Nothing is as simple as it seems or as complicated as we make it~ Attitude is everything -- Pick a good one! Sofie AKA Ussina vom Haus Brezel Jack von Jagenstadt Tatty - Burmese bad cat

01-10-2012, 08:14 PM	#3 (permalink)
JenniferF Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Washington State Posts: 57	here's a photo Attached Thumbnails

01-10-2012, 08:23 PM	#4 (permalink)
doggiedad Crowned Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Jenkintown,Pa. Posts: 9,846	when i had a Shep and children (2yr old & 4yr old) i use to remove the pup or the children from the action. i think i use to throw in a "no biting". you have to watch the children and the pup like a hawk. __________________ "Life Without A Dog Is A Life Unfulfilled"

01-10-2012, 08:26 PM	#6 (permalink)
KZoppa Crowned Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Maryland kinda missing CO Posts: 13,819	he looks like a little teddy bear!!! with a great smile. For advice, i would suggest having your puppy drag his leash around the house so you can easily pull him back when he gets rough. As for teaching the easy command, thats a good one. As well as involving your oldest in training. You'd be surprised how much that can help. Teaching an easy command is pretty simple though at the time wont seem like it. When your pup licks you, as he's licking you say easy and give him a small treat and praise. After a few times of this, move on to when he is biting say easy and treat and praise if he begins to lick. A very easy way to encourage licking to teach the easy command is to take a stick of butter and gently rub the butter on the back of your hand. He'll be more interested in licking than biting. Reinforce the command by praising. You should also be able to get him to the point where if you say easy, instead of him licking you, you want him to back off, kind of like teaching "leave it". Hope that makes some sense. I'll see if i can find some videos to illustrate what I mean. __________________ The more people I meet and talk to,the more I love my dogs and their intelligence. www.krystalscollarcreations.weebly.com Riley GSD/BC 1/10/05 Zena GSD 6/1/03 Shasta GSD 5/5/10

01-10-2012, 08:27 PM	#7 (permalink)
Cassidy's Mom No Stinkin' Leashes Moderator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 24,959	Slapping his nose is a very good way to make him hand shy. I can't think of anything else it would be good for. __________________ -Debbie- Dena 9/12/04-10/4/08 Forever would have been too short Keefer 8/25/05 Halo 11/9/08 Cassidy 6/8/00-10/4/04

01-11-2012, 01:54 AM	#8 (permalink)
JenniferF Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Washington State Posts: 57	Oh! Another quick question. What do I do about the pawing? How do you teach him that hurts just as much as his puppy teeth. His nails are so sharp! And boy does he low to paw lol. Is it the same as biting, just "yipe" and stop the play or will that confuse him?

01-11-2012, 02:09 AM	#9 (permalink)
KZoppa Crowned Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Maryland kinda missing CO Posts: 13,819	when he starts pawing, remove your attention from him for 10-15 seconds. after that point he wont remember why he's being shunned. The same goes for when he starts in the biting when his puppy brain forgets licking is going to get better results. When he starts pawing, by removing your attention from him, you would get up and walk away, even if he follows. While he's following you he's thinking something along the lines of HEY! Why are you leaving?! When he's calm again and NOT pawing at you, praise him. He'll begin to connect what gets him attention and what makes you remove yourself from him. also keeping his little nails trimmed and smoothed out will help make it so the pawing doesnt hurt so much. I remember how sharp those little nails can be!! __________________ The more people I meet and talk to,the more I love my dogs and their intelligence. www.krystalscollarcreations.weebly.com Riley GSD/BC 1/10/05 Zena GSD 6/1/03 Shasta GSD 5/5/10

01-11-2012, 07:08 AM	#10 (permalink)
Rua Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 296	Jennifer, I have two young boys, so I know exactly where you are coming from. Sometimes getting our kids to enforce the training on the dog is a far bigger battle than teaching the dog! Personally, I find that Time Out works best for us for our puppy - especially when she's being too rough with the kids. Juno is a seriously "bitey" pup. And I've tried EVERYTHING with her (nose tapping, "yipping", saying "No Bite", etc etc). Time Out has been the only thing that's had lasting results. The problem can be enforcing it - especially when she's with the kids - which requires a LOT of supervision. The minute my back is turned, it can go pear shaped very quickly. Case in point: yesterday Juno put a hole in my 6 year old's school trousers, and a hole in my 4 years old's jumper which I was NOT happy about. Young kids tend to tend to flap their arms and legs around and do all the things that kids do that makes puppies want to grab onto them and play tug of war. At this age, I try to constantly supervise their play and put Juno in Time Out for 20 seconds (usually the bathroom or some other boring place) until she calms down if she gets too rough. I've also been rewarding her when she gives "kisses". It's a slow process but I hope we'll get there eventually, and I'm sure you will too.

Remove Advertisements Sponsored Links
German Shepherd Advertisement