Having a hard time determining if to get rid off a puppy.?

Question

We have had problems in the past with a dog we had that attacked one of our little dogs. We got rid of that dog- thinking because it was a male lab it was a domince issue. We got another lab (female) this time thinking it would make a difference. But already at 12 weeks she is showing the same bad signs. The family & I are torn about if to keep her what steps to take to be sure she isnt an attention hog & a biter- especially at the smaller dogs. Or if we should get her to another home with less pets. We have all become attached to her already & the family is going back & forth on the issue- so any suggestions- keep her- find her a new home- what type of training to curve this type of behavior??????????????

Answer 1

have you ever seen the show "its me or the dog" in that show that is always the problem being the dog always wanting attention...

for the biting problem.. use a muzzle... they wont like it but it will get the message clear that you dont want them biting...

the attention probelm is a bit more complicated...

what you do is when the dog comes to you for attention.. turn your back on her until he sits down.. then you give her a treat and give her lots of praise... but walk away right after that...

hope this helps... good luck

Answer 2

definitely ask your vet on this issue and research different methods to get rid of the behavior. remember, the dog is either doing these things in confusion or jealousy or dominance, etc. etc. try to find the source of the problems like if you dont want him on your couch and then a few hours later you pet him and croon how cute he is wen hes on the couch, hes gonna get confused! just try to find each source and tackle them one by one. good luck!

Answer 3

Please find this puppy a good home (yours is not a good home) and do not EVER get any more dogs.  You would have to be one of the worst dog owners I have ever heard of.  Anyone who can talk about getting "rid" of their dog, having already gotten "rid" of a previous dog should never own a dog.  You are the reason that there are so many dogs waiting on death row to be killed.  You take on a puppy and if it doesn't behave in the way you, in your ignorance, think it should you dispose of it as if it is a piece of rubbish.  Wake up to yourself.

Answer 4

How much are you running her? Remember a lab requires a LOT of running.  If she's only going for little walks or stuck in a yard all day chances are she's just really stressed.

I have a female lab and she's crazy!! If I don't run her or take her to dog classes she gets into trouble.

Try teaching her how to run on a treadmill, run next to you while you ride a bike, or just going for 40 minute walks. Also, watch when it happens- you may be surprised to find that your little dogs are the ones starting the fight.  

Answer 5

How do you react when the Lab starts getting aggressive? Do you yell, grab the dog, put it in it's crate? At 3 months old, a puppy is still trying to make his/her place in the pack. Your reaction, if it is one of noise, frustration, and punishment, its just going to make it worse. Start with obedience training. Your puppy isn't too young, and when you become the leader, you can start to control the situation without yelling.

In the mean time, do not leave these two dogs unattended together. Puppies make a lot of growling, barking and vicious noises when they are 3 months. Unless your other dog is truly being injured, don't interfere. The older dog will generally put the younger dog in it's place when it's had enough. My 9yo GSP and I have a game we play called "attack dog" (not recommended for you, just an example). She *sounds* like she's going to eat me alive as I reach for her feet and tease her, but we both know its a game and when I say "stop", she stops. No harm done, she gets exercise and I get a big laugh.

She also had to discipline a 3 month old Standard Schnauzer that was a single pup. This pup didn't know what it was to have littermates to teach her pack lessons. As much as I wanted to step in, I let Flecks do the disciplining, and Bizzy learned what it was to be part of a pack.

For now, work on your dog's "come". Call your dog's name, tell her "good girl!" and give her a treat (or part of her daily food allotment) every time she comes. Keep treats with you and work on this 10 times a day, every day whether your dog is sleeping, walking across the floor, watching tv, ignoring the world, or whatever. Pretty soon, when you think your dog is *truly* getting aggressive with the other dog, call her, treat her as soon as she comes and say "good girl!". You're rewarding her for coming, not for being aggressive towards the other dog.

One last thing... a tired puppy is a good puppy! Make sure your puppy is getting plenty of exercise every day. A walk around a couple of blocks with a good 1/2 block run in there should be plenty for the moment. Running around the yard (unless she's started retrieving a ball for fun) usually isn't enough. Labradors are high energy dogs and need exercise to keep them from getting bored.

Best of luck to you!

Answer 6

Dogs have to establish a "pecking" order just like wolves - You, the human, should be the dominant one in the house.  Usually with smaller dogs, they're "so cute" we let them "boss" us around (my toy fox terrier literally walks all over me!). Take a good  look at what you expect the new dog to put up with. She is just trying to find her place & does not want to be at the bottom. That does not mean she will attack them - she just doesn't want to be barked at, jumped on or growled at. You have to allow her to establish her rightful place in the household... and that's where the "owner-training" starts. MOST dogs have a series of warning actions before they will resort to biting - some are perceptable only to the other dogs. Every time you "save" the little dog, you actually encourage her to antagonize the new dog. I had the same problem & was looking up rescue sites to give my new dog to when I found this advice. It was VERY hard to watch without interfering - I thought my 75 lb. German Shepherd was killing my 30 lb. Border Collie/Aussie mix. But they only had 2 physical encounters - lots of teeth, but NO blood. Then there was growling, then only dirty looks during the next LONG 3 weeks. Now, 1 year later they are best friends! If you don't think you can handle that - it IS difficult:( - consider finding a good home for the lab. That doesn't mean you can't ever get another dog - just introduce them BEFORE you actually bring them home so you know what their personality is like. There are plenty of big dogs that don't mind being subordinate.  I hope this helps, just the fact that you are concerned shows that you are compassionate people.:)

Answer 7

Your 12 week old puppy is not showing aggression.. its play biting!

When she bites, yelp OUCH!  Use the same tone as a puppy would.  If she does it again, yelp OUCH!  Then walk away and ignore her for 5-10 mins.  She will learn that biting is not acceptable behavouir and she will be ignored.

Praise when she is playing or getting attention and not biting.

Answer 8

first how old was the pup when you got it?  if you give up on it where is it gonna go? do activities with just them 2 together.

Answer 9

it's called training, training, training. puppies will try to show dominance, it's what they do when they are with their bothers and sisters. before leaving the "nest".  you got rid of one because of the same problem? then you have no business with dogs period.