#1
|
|||
|
|||
Help with Malinois puppy....
My Mal puppy is 12 weeks old and we are training with the Clicker method and positive reinforcement. I have questions for other Mal owners (or others who have experienced similar issues).
He is quite mouthy, but getting somewhat better with bite inhibition. He will grab pants (with skin or without) and lock on...using the "yipe" or "ow!" will only have him release and comeback harder. "Freezing" is not always successful. We can do time-out when inside, but when we're outside in the yard, this is not always possible. And we can't get away from him as he is on the leash, not tethered independently. He does food guard and we have been working at every meal so that he will now sit and wait for each handful to be put into his bowl. He won't eat that handful until his release word. He has been good for 3-4 weeks, but tonight he growled when I pet his back as he ate. We are being extremely careful with his upbringing as we are aware of the challenges of the breed. But I welcome any others experiences or information. We started puppy classes last night and that went well, but the mouthing and biting (especially painful with puppy teeth!) is quite concerning. Any other Mal owners who may know that this is something the Mals outgrow a bit when they teeth? Or is it something we have to train to stop? Thanks so much for any help. |
#2
|
||||
|
||||
Welcome to pets.ca, maplemalinois . I don't have experience with Malinois puppies specifically but, I do have some battle scars due to puppies practicing their ankle hunting skills .
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Here are some links you may find useful in the meantime. http://www.sfspca.org/sites/default/...in-puppies.pdf http://www.dogstardaily.com/files/AF...ur%20Puppy.pdf And a great video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c77--...layer_embedded
__________________
"Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance." -Will Durant |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
I have a black lab & aussie shepherd puppy who is 4 months old and was a nasty ankle, ear, nose, chin, arm, hand... you name it, biter. The only thing I found that worked was enforcing the fact you are alpha. It sounds a little barbaric, atleast I thought so, but it does actually help. When puppy bites, quickly flip them on their back and hold them firmly but gently with your hand on their chest until they relax and give up. This might take several minutes, it took me almost 20 the first couple times, but once you do it a few times they get the idea. It helps too if you growl `no bites`at them while you`re holding them down and then just repeat `no bites`any time afterwards that they bite you. You could also look up alpha dog training tips, I found some other useful stuff that way.
If you figure out how to help the food aggression, please let me know! That, and housebreaking, are our last battles we have to win with this little beast. |
#4
|
||||
|
||||
12 weeks is still quite young. Your puppy is still learning to explore his world with his mouth; your family has become his "playmates" in a sense.
Redirecting the biting will help your pup learn what is appropriate to mouth, and whats not. When you go outside with him, is it possible to bring along a few top-choice toy items? When he gets mouthy, redirect his attention to the toy. He needs to start learning that playing with you is fine, but playing with you the appropriate way is what you expect from him. Quote:
Quote:
__________________
~B~ "If you are a dog and your owner suggests that you wear a sweater. . . suggest that he wear a tail." Bailey (Labradoodle) Tippy (Collie/ShepX) Vali (American Bulldog) Artiro (Cane Corso) |
#5
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
__________________
"Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance." -Will Durant |
#6
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
The problem with a human being reinacting this particular situation is that we as owners are not our puppies 'Mother'; nor could we ever hope to establish our leadership with a dog in this manner. The ONLY time I will ever turn a puppy onto it's back (which by the way, I would never reccomend anyone EVER doing on a hard surface - it's generally not natural for a dog to lie directly on it's spine, especially when pressure is applied to their belly) - is when doing a puppy temperment test; and even then, I don't enjoy it. The point of putting a puppy on it's back during one of these tests is to assess how quickly it will either shut down, or challenge the handler - and how it reacts. (Whining, avoiding eye contact, or biting to be released). It in NO way is an enjoyable moment for the puppy - they don't understand the situation the same way they understand it when their mother does it - and I agree with LP - it's very scary for the puppy and should be avoided.
__________________
~B~ "If you are a dog and your owner suggests that you wear a sweater. . . suggest that he wear a tail." Bailey (Labradoodle) Tippy (Collie/ShepX) Vali (American Bulldog) Artiro (Cane Corso) |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
DO NOT do puppy rolls, they are misguided and don't actually teach the pup any thing.
You have a mal... one of the most prized breeds for police work because of their biting and high prey instincts. What you're dealing with is perfectly normal and what these dogs were in fact bred to do. They are supposed to be obnoxious little nippy alligator puppies. You can't stop that instinct, but you can redirect it and eventually teach the pup some self control. By squeaking you're only encouraging the pup to bite more, you're adding fuel to his prey drive. You need to have appropriate toys to redirect that biting energy to, that will be your best hope at this point. Something like an old rag will do just fine, even have it on a string. Play with it with the pup like you would use a cat toy. The idea is for the pup to try to catch it and bite it. When it catches it, praise the pup and play tug with him. If he goes back to your hands or body, ignore that as much as you can and try harder to make the toy more appealing. If the pup is getting overworked, give him a time out until he quiets down and then bring the toy back out right away and encourage him to chase and play with it. Eventually you can channel that drive and desire to bite the toy into very valuable training motivation. As you progress, you should start to train some control into the game. So get the pup to sit before giving him an ok to go after the toy, and of course teach the very invaluable "out". If you're feeling overwhelmed, can you get some support from the pup's breeder? Training a mal is a must, they do not make good pets when they have no job. I hope you know what you got yourself into. |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|