Quote:
Originally Posted by Kimby05
I recently just got a puppy, Callie, last week and she was 11 wks old when I got her. She was fine for the first few days that we had, really loveable and everything however in the past day or two she has started to get more aggressive. She has started to bite pretty hard on hands and feet of us and when we try and get her to stop or say "no" and hold her away from us she begins to growl and if we let her go to walk away she runs at us and tries to bite our ankles or toes. At first when I heard about it (I wasn't home when she started it) I had thought that it was playing or just her mouthing because shes started to get close to the time when she'll begin to lose her teeth. However when I saw her do it, it really seemed like she wasn't playing and that it could've been aggressive behavior.
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Puppy aggression is just the beginning of what is to come. Puppy aggression should never be dismissed as "cute". It will turn into a serious problem.
Initially, it sounds like you haven't shown your puppy who is in charge. Since you haven't, he has assumed he is, hence the aggressive behaviour. Even though dogs can play fight, it should never be tolerated on people.
Any unwanted behaviour should be disciplined immediately either by biting your dog (touching him firmly on the side of his neck with your hand shaped like you are grasping a baseball thus resembling a bite) or with the leash. This should be accompanied by a firm, vocal "No" or "Hey" or "Shhh" and you should do nothing else until your dog becomes calm and submissive. You should not use its name nor appear emotional in any regard. This is simply employing mind over matter. If you can't get it submissive, pick up up by the scruff of the neck and it will immediately become calm and submissive. Do not in any manner try to hurt the dog. This will backfire horribly.
Any time your dog displays unwanted behaviour, no matter how cute somebody thinks it is, you have to correct it. You would not let your child bite you on the ankles, would you? No, you'd stop it. The same has to apply to the dog.
Your dog was born to be a follower. If it sees no leader, it assumes the position. This causes it insecurity which leads to aggression. If it actually bites someone, the discipline has to be immediate and definite. You can't just look at it and say "Oh Rover, you bad boy. You stop that right now." The dog doesn't understand what you're saying and it won't take you seriously.