# dog trainer or puppy classes?



## tasha30 (Aug 13, 2012)

Ok so at the vets today the vet said our pup might benfit from puppy classes as shes nervy of other dogs a the moment and will nip a lot, but she is also nipping the kids and anyone else that trys to touch her apart from me, i have been trying all the things suggested here and yes she is only a pup and pups do this, but she is drawing blood every time and its getting to a point where its happening all the time if the kids stroke her she will start nipping, if she wants to play she will start nipping if the kids are walking she will start nipping if the kids are eating she will start nipping, she will not do this with me and if she does on the odd time try i say no and then she licks but everything i have tried with other people or the kids she takes no notice.

I asked the vet if they could point me in the right direction but they just said look online, or in the papers. i havnt a clue what i'm looking for?
fifi is 13 weeks old.


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## Donna3939 (Nov 28, 2010)

It could be fear aggression (imo) 

When Preston was a pup, he was the smallest dog in the puppy class and used to jump up at other dogs faces to try and nip them, so much so we were asked to leave! 
Puppy socialisation is definitely the right way to go I think. The more contact that your pup has with other dogs the better.

I have to point out that it sounds like your vet has the wrong attitude. When I mentioned Preston's aggression towards other dogs, I was recommended that he see an animal behaviouralist. To just say to you "look online" is a bit of a cop-out.


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## paddyjulie (May 9, 2009)

A good start would be here

Local Dog Trainers - Association of Pet Dog Trainers UK

see if any trainers are local to you


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

Sorry Donna, but fear aggression in a 13 week old pup is an exceptional rarity, it's more likely just lack of socialisation, and so normal behaviour given their socialisation. 

Puppies do nip, and can draw blood. Labradors are often cited as an easy, biddable breed, and yet as retrievers, they can use their mouths quite a lot. 

I would suggest trying to find a good puppy class that helps you to interact with your dog. How do you try and stroke her? If you approach her head, she will use her mouth much as you would your hands. If you stroke her back and legs, she should be less inclined to mouth. Long slow strokes down the back are calming, but you need to learn handling ability to get the best relationship with your dog imo.


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## tasha30 (Aug 13, 2012)

even with the kids? like for excample today my 3 year old was standing still and i mean not doing a single thing the pup walked up to him and put her mouth round his leg? she wasnt hyper she wasnt excited she just casually walked up to my son and grabed him round the leg? most of the time it is actual nipping through hyperness/playing but sometimes she is as calm as anything and its as though its "normal" when the nipping does happen and i tell her no or walk towards to her to tell her no and if it contuines she will go in time out for 30 seconds she will stop but as soon as i turn my back she does it again.


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## tasha30 (Aug 13, 2012)

Sleeping_Lion said:


> Sorry Donna, but fear aggression in a 13 week old pup is an exceptional rarity, it's more likely just lack of socialisation, and so normal behaviour given their socialisation.
> 
> Puppies do nip, and can draw blood. Labradors are often cited as an easy, biddable breed, and yet as retrievers, they can use their mouths quite a lot.
> 
> I would suggest trying to find a good puppy class that helps you to interact with your dog. How do you try and stroke her? If you approach her head, she will use her mouth much as you would your hands. If you stroke her back and legs, she should be less inclined to mouth. Long slow strokes down the back are calming, but you need to learn handling ability to get the best relationship with your dog imo.


shes fine with me how ever i stroke her, but yes the kids do normaly start stroking from her head so i will explain to them to start stroking from her back.
Where do i look for a good puppy class? honestly i have no clue how to find out if there good or not ect ect.


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## tasha30 (Aug 13, 2012)

Sleeping_Lion said:


> Sorry Donna, but fear aggression in a 13 week old pup is an exceptional rarity, it's more likely just lack of socialisation, and so normal behaviour given their socialisation.
> 
> .


From the moment i brought her home i took her everywhere with me like suggested ( carried her untill jabs were done) she saw loads of other dogs, but only played with my neighbours as i know her dog is uptodate with jabs ect. When we go past other dogs she looks but dosnt take much notice, if she does start to try and play she starts air nipping it takes her a while to even want to go near another dog she does normally sniff then wants nothing more to do with them.
Shes great around traffic/cars/bikes/walkers/runners takes no notice dosnt get startled in the slightest.


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## tasha30 (Aug 13, 2012)

paddyjulie said:


> A good start would be here
> 
> Local Dog Trainers - Association of Pet Dog Trainers UK
> 
> see if any trainers are local to you


Thank you nearly didnt see this post 
There is 2 that is in my area thank you i will contact them tomorrow.


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

The only club I know in your area is Middlesbrough Dog Training Association which is Kennel Club registered. The Secretary is Ms J Guest tel: 01642 491794.


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## tasha30 (Aug 13, 2012)

Twiggy said:


> The only club I know in your area is Middlesbrough Dog Training Association which is Kennel Club registered. The Secretary is Ms J Guest tel: 01642 491794.


Thank you will contact this one aswell, one i found that looked good was this one in stockton Vale


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## BoredomBusters (Dec 8, 2011)

Have a look at the list of Kennel Club trainers - List of Accredited Instructors - The Kennel Club If you phone the closest one to you and they are too far away, they may well know someone else who is very good near you. There are some very good people who aren't on the scheme, or are still working through it who might be closer.

A good puppy class would help with the problem, a bad one wouldn't and could make it worse, and as you don't know what you're looking for I'd invest in a private trainer. You need someone who does 'reward based' training, so won't tell you to smack your pup.


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## tasha30 (Aug 13, 2012)

BoredomBusters said:


> Have a look at the list of Kennel Club trainers - List of Accredited Instructors - The Kennel Club If you phone the closest one to you and they are too far away, they may well know someone else who is very good near you. There are some very good people who aren't on the scheme, or are still working through it who might be closer.
> 
> A good puppy class would help with the problem, a bad one wouldn't and could make it worse, and as you don't know what you're looking for I'd invest in a private trainer. You need someone who does 'reward based' training, so won't tell you to smack your pup.


Thank you, thats what i want a reward based as thats what we do for training at the moment. someone in the vets office said i should bite them back as this is what shes always done with her dogs  i smiled and just said i dont think so.


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## BoredomBusters (Dec 8, 2011)

Oh yes, I had a boyfriend who used to say that. His dad apparently bit a dog when he was a kid and that dog NEVER BIT AGAIN. So that was his cure all. Unfortunately a lot of breeders don't give their litters enough toys so the pups learn to play with each other as toys - leading to them learning biting is the way to interact with your loved ones.


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## ClaireandDaisy (Jul 4, 2010)

Please can I suggest you get a good puppy book and start again from scratch. 
Your pup needs to be educated and socialised and a weekly class, while useful, will not do that for you. 
Have you lead-trained him? If so, you should be gently introducing him to the outside world every day, in small chunks so he doesn`t get too stressed. 
Have you set up a plan to protect your children from the pup and the pup from the children when unsupervised? 
Have you taught him bite inhibition?
Have you played with toys with him - so he learns co-operative play, Give, and how to be gentle? 
If you have, brilliant - if not, this book will help -

Dog_Survival_Kit
and it`s only £2!


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## tasha30 (Aug 13, 2012)

ClaireandDaisy said:


> Please can I suggest you get a good puppy book and start again from scratch.
> Your pup needs to be educated and socialised and a weekly class, while useful, will not do that for you.
> Have you lead-trained him? If so, you should be gently introducing him to the outside world every day, in small chunks so he doesn`t get too stressed.
> Have you set up a plan to protect your children from the pup and the pup from the children when unsupervised?
> ...


We have been lead training and shes doing really well at the moment on the lead :thumbup: she has the odd moment when she chews the lead i just say to her leave it and she normally does, she loves going out for a walk and dosnt appear to be stressed.
She has loads of toys but not all at once, we swap them over so she dosnt get bored with them. we play the swap game with the toys i dont play tug as i dont know if this will encourage the tugging on the kids clothes?? we play ball/fetch and shes getting better at bring it back to me.
The pup is never around the children when i'm not there, this is more because then i can watch to see how the children behave around the dog (so in a way its training the children how to be around the pup aswell)
The bite inhibition we have tried the (ouch) this winds her up even more. we hae tried turning our back and ingoring her untill she is calm sometimes this works other times she still contuines to bite there legs which then i put her in the kitchen for 30 seconds let her out when she is calm i praise her with either a treat or a good girl and a bit of fuss (not so that she gets over ecited again though)
but withen a few mins shes back to grabing at the kids, dont get me wrong its looks like its all playing with her just very rough play so i want to sort it before it gets any worse.
We have just booked in for a puppy class have spoken to the lady who runs it on a monday evening shes asked me to come in half an hour before the class so the pup can settle in a new place for a bit first, and also any questions i may have ect ect, she seems ok shes does reward based training dosnt seem to use any harsh tatics. will see what it is like on monday when we go, she also does one on one training if i need this also. this is the link to her website if someone can have a look as im not clued up on what would be good and what would be bad? Vale

Forgot to add the trainer has said to bring 
vaccs card
Blanket
treats
and fav toy


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