[Alpha]

I wouldn't spank for nipping or jumping up.

There are better ways to deal with that issue. The desire to jump and visit is pretty strong, because they are so excited.

So use that desire to demand good behaviours!

No attention until they behave politely. My neice and nephew, now 9 and 6, were a little younger when I started having them "train" with our guys.

I had a sit down with them, and explained if the dogs were being "rough" or pushy for attention, to ignore. When they sat down and behaved THAN they could pat them.

We also had mock shows in our dining room where each child took a dog. It helped with the respect side, between child and dog.

[Curbside Prophet]

Originally Posted by lovemygreys

My apologies! I misread your post....that's what I get for being online when I should be sleeping

No harm, no foul. Although I'm one who appreciates your contributions to the forum, get some sleep darn it!

[kaysbaby@sbcglobal.net]

hitting a dog is ever a good ideal we have come a long ways since the days of hitting why would a dog responded to you if you hit him please I would run the other way or bite you and here lays the problem do not make your dog scared of you you can get the same results if not better by a raise voice of a little growl and no or off please people do not even think of hitting, hands off except for petting. the dog is your pal or family member would you hit them? how is that training them except to be afraid of you- again I cannot stress this enough DO NOT HIT.

[Jaylie]

no no no no no!!! I NEVER spank out of anger. If I AM angry, I make a point NOT to spank, to make sure I don't take my feelings out on the poor pup.

[anjamaka]

My father used to spank zeus, but I never did, I think it just does not work with a dog. Zeus didn't fear him for it though, he loved it, he loves his butt spanked so he used to do stuff on purpose for a spanking. He is really big and really strong and you would have to hit him harder than I ever could just to make it scare him. He thinks it is a reward so now I spank him when he does good things, he just loves it.

[skunkstripe]

I have smacked my dog on the butt to get his attention-not to cause physical pain. And only then when what he was doing was competely unacceptable, namely growling at little kids. We have no little kids in our home so I was at a loss to train him that they were in fact small humans.

But Boxer & Co I think your problems are going to get worse. Biting and nipping are partially related to a puppy teething, and that seems to hit a peak at 12 weeks. So "spanking" is more than likely not going to have the desired effect. Your puppy is nipping at your little kid and is getting rewarded with attention. It would be better to hand you puppy something ice cold to relieve the pain of teething and also teach the puppy that mouthing humans is not rewarding. A better way would be to withhold attention.

[rizzo]

I haven't spanked my dogs, and I don't think I will, especially given their past. They were abused, so I don't want to spark any more fear in them by doing that. I've found more effective ways that work. When they are about to do something wrong, I say "HEY" real loud and firm and they understand to back off and come to me. For these guys, I put them in the kitchen after the do something wrong and put a little gate up. They hate that because their favorite thing is to cuddle up next to me in my cozy bed and gets lots of attention That works for me, so I'm sticking to it.

As for spanking, I don't think I could ever do it. I do think there are better ways.

[mscar22]

yes, i admit that we have used physical punishment in the past to correct our dogs. thats basically what my stepdad did (he's gone now thankgod)
when i discovered positive training methods (without having to lay a hand on your dog) i began trainging buster, no matter how frustrated i got i just had to remember, if he knew what i was asking him to do, he would be doing it. i'm showing him the wrng way. he's doesn't need to be hit because he is confused.
Buster reacts a LOT better to positive trainging methods i must say than he ever did to being hit or kicked and he's a much happier dog now that it will never happen again

and yeah, i rough up my dogs a lot, slapping them really fast on eaither cheek, lightly, just enough for a game. or jumping on the ground to wrestle. fair is fair, if i'm gonna through buster on the ground, he's gonna run his teeth all up my arms. not like a bite, doesn't leave marks. just grabs my hand or arm in his mouth and bangs his teeth into me

and yeah, i rough up my dogs a lot, slapping them really fast on eaither cheek, lightly, just enough for a game. or jumping on the ground to wrestle. fair is fair, if i'm gonna through buster on the ground, he's gonna run his teeth all up my arms. not like a bite, doesn't leave marks. just grabs my hand or arm in his mouth and bangs his teeth into me

[poodleholic]

Spanking an 8-wk. old puppy is the equivalent of spanking a human infant. Inappropriate, at best, and it doesn't work. The behavior you describe is normal puppy behavior. Your method of poping her on the butt isn't working because you aren't teaching her anything, except that you're unpredictable, and this could damage your relationship, at the very least. She has no clue as to why you are hitting her! Corrections should never be given when the puppy or dog doesn't know what you expect. It's your job to teach the puppy manners and house rules. Only when the dog knows and understands what you are asking and refuses, does she deserve a reprimand, and hitting a dog is unnecessary. I've never laid a hand on my dogs, nor do I raise my voice. All it takes is a raised eyebrow, or maybe an "EH!" to stop them in their tracks. No matter what they are doing at any given time, they are ever aware of me, and know when they have my approval, and when they do not. It's not that hard to achieve when you have earned their trust and respect as their benevolent leader, provider of all good things (attention, affection, play, food, water, walks, and so on).

A far more effective method of teaching is to ignore unwanted behavior, redirect to a (known) behavior (i.e., "sit," if the puppy understands sit), and to follow through with positive reinforcement. At 8 wks., your puppy may not fully understand what sit means, but, you can hold a yummy treat just above her head, and the puppy will (usually) sit down. Praise her, give her the treat, and give her a toy to chew instead of mouthing the children.

When Maddy was a puppy, I controlled her access to the house using baby gates. I taught my grandchildren to cross arms over chest, tucking hands under their arms, and to turn their backs and ignore Maddy when she was a prefectly normal "wildchild" puppy. The moment she sat, or quieted down, THEN she got the attention she wanted, and praise to let her know she was a good girl. If she became wild again, jumping up, mouthing/nipping, the children crossed arms and tucked hands, then left the room, keeping Maddy where she was with baby gates, coming back a few minutes later to try again. Sometimes I gave her a time-out - never in her crate, because her crate was where only good things happen. I put her in the bathroom (boring) for no more than 2 minutes, and then let her back out to try again. Dogs learn through association, and she soon figured out that jumping up and nipping cost her a valued resource - me, and/or the children.

I also had to teach my grandchildren (not to mention several adults!) how to appropriately interact with puppies. Yelling, swatting, pushing them away only incites them to riot! <BG> Children often trigger unwanted (and even dangerous) behavior in dogs, simply because of their jerky body movements and shrieky, shrill voices. It's why they get attacked and bitten by dogs who are not "bad" dogs, they are simply being dogs. Children should never be allowed to run, or to roughhouse on the floor with a puppy or a dog, because play can soon become frenzied, and end in tragedy. And, when in a room with the puppy, supervise, supervise, supervise!

Think in terms of what you WOULD like your puppy to do, rather than focus on her unwanted behavior. It sounds like you and the puppy could benefit from a puppy class to learn how to train your puppy. Perhaps have a trainer come out to the house to observe, so you will learn why what you are doing is creating the very behavior you do not want.

When bringing a puppy home, it's a good idea to write out a training plan, and then implement the steps needed to achieve each goal (i.e., off, sit, leave it, down, come). If you want a well-behaved, balanced dog, you will have to be patient, persistent, consistant, and committed to working with your puppy every day, all day (don't worry, they sleep a lot)! I established a daily routine with some structure. This helps a puppy feel safe and secure, because s/he knows what to expect. Just like children, dogs thrive on structure and routine. First, morning run off the zoomies time, and potty, then in for breakfast. Then out to potty, and a 2-min. training session (sit, come, GOOD GIRL!). Tether the puppy to you for 30-60 minutes while you go about your business. Your puppy will learn to pay attention to you, and to sit or lay quietly at your feet. It is very useful in housetraining because you will know by her body language that she has to potty, and you can get her outside. Good girl! Then back in for "quiet time," in her crate, or on a mat with a chewie. Several 2-5 min. training sessions throughout the day will be more effective than long sessions, too much for a puppy that age, anyway. You have a lot on your plate with children and a very young puppy. Just remember that she is a baby, and that it's up to you to shape her behavior through training.

Training should be FUN! For you, and for the puppy. If it's not, then something is very wrong. I foster re-homes and rescues, and I very rarely allow a dog to be adopted into homes with young children - unless I know the person is dog-savvy, and has references to prove it. I'm not against children growing up with puppies/dogs - I did, and my children did. However, it's a huge committment and responsibility. So, hang in there! Get help from a trainer who understands operant conditioning and positive reinforcement. Using force through aversives is no way to train a puppy.

Good luck! And keep us posted on how things are going.

Originally Posted by Boxer & Co.

ok, ok, ok.........I get it. Your damned if ya do and your damned if you don't.
Here is my problem. My children are becoming scared of our 8 week old puppy. My children do not hurt her in anyway and are never left unattended with her. I am trying to teach the dog to quit being so rough with the kids. No, they do not rough house or play tug a war with her. The puppy jumps on them and nips and chews their hands constantly. My child cannot walk in front of the dog without being knocked down and bit and scratched. I know she can be trained but how? What I've been doing is popping her on the but. No, not hard but I still call it spanking. I spank my kids and I say I spank them. They get spanked harder than the dog. No, I don't abuse my kids. Thats a whole topic I am very strong in my beliefs on and I ain't gettin into it here. So, please don't say anything about the fact that I spank my kids. Anyhow, am I doing wrong by popping her butt when she is doing this to my kids? Before I do I usually say "Ah, Coco, no bite". She doesn't here me. The kids evidently taste good. I repeat again and move closer to her this time. She looks at me but continues with her munching. The kid is crying. Now, that is when I spank her. I pop her on the butt and she leaves the kid alone. For a min. anyway. It seems that gets her attention. I don't know if its going to work though. Any advice would help our family out alot.
Also, I don't want to sound like all I do all day is punish her. She gets praised, belly rubs, treats, outside playtime where she can eat the mulch out of the flower beds. I am constantly rewarding her for good things she does. I believe she is really smart and learns quick. She is only 8 weeks and basically housetrained already. She goes to the door and whines. She has been doing it for about 3 days now. She has only woke me up once to go potty during the night. She stays in her crate all night and doesn't make a sound. Ok, I'll quit bragging now. I'm sorry if I've offended anyone. That was certainly not my intentions. I'm just a little confused on what to do with my situation.

[threedognite]

The only reason to even raise a hand to a dog is in self defense. Period.
Hitting and spanking are human reactions and only creates fear in the dog. This is the opposite of what we want from our dogs. As a professional dog trainer, I have come across owners who firmly believe in spanking and try as I might to train these people to train their dog using positive methods, one or two continued to spank so I ended the training contract.

[Dorygirl]

I am a 2nd grade teacher, a mom of 4 children, a youth soccer coach, and the owner of a puppy. There is never reason to spank a child or a dog in order to achieve desired behaviors. Never ever.

Positive reinforcement works every time. It just requires more thought and patience. Spanking (hitting) and yelling are lazy ways to "discipline".

[Boxer & Co.]

Ok, as I said earlier, I do spank my children, that is my beliefs and I will not get into a debate on spanking my children. I will say it is anything but lazy. I take great offense to that. I'm not going to get into a lengthy post about why I spank my children. I will not explain myself especially if someone will never see my point of view. Its wasted time. With that said, as far as my puppy goes.............she does not understand as my children do.
Spanking is not happening with her now. I was poppin her on the but when she would act rough with the kids. I didn't know if it was going to work. I didn't want her to be afraid of me. That is not why we got a dog. I was asking a question about should I spank for her nipping at my children. I did research and found alot of articles and advice that has helped with our problem. She is much calmer now and is growing out of it on her own. We yelp as a puppy and ignore her when she is acting that way. Dogs will become fearfull if you are constantly on there case yelling at them or if you spank them.
As for all of the advice given on my situation; thank you. What you said to do worked and I am at ease now. I think most of the stress comes from not knowing the answers more than the actual behavior. Thank you for your time to reply to my post and for helping me and my family. My little ones' ankles thank you too!lol

[Alpha]

Your pup is still pretty young.

The yelping is the number one method IMO, for young pups, to stop biting, nipping during play. Ignoring is the second.

I'd say around 4 months, start having small short training sessions with your kids and the pups.

Whether it be just a theory, where you have the kids sit, and talk to them a little bit about how the puppy thinks and what's the proper way to treat the puppy.

Or once, the pup gets a basic understanding of commands like sit/down, start getting the children to train with you.

It helped a lot on my end. With two small children that were at my house everyday, and two dogs with a combined weight of around 140lbs!

It also helped build the kids confidence with the dogs, and they learned a bit about how to behave around them, how to get them to stop jumping, or obey a command etc.

You hit the nail on the head, with:

Dogs will become fearfull if you are constantly on there case yelling at them or if you spank them.

Sometimes they become fearful, and other times indifferent to your yelling/spanking.

WELL PLACED corrections (whether it be verbal or a tap on the arse) are what make the difference.

Screaming at your dog every minute for something different, will either make them cower, or indifferent to your efforts, which I've seen and looks horribly frusterating! LOL

Good luck

[Boxer & Co.]

Originally Posted by Alpha

Your pup is still pretty young.

The yelping is the number one method IMO, for young pups, to stop biting, nipping during play. Ignoring is the second.

I'd say around 4 months, start having small short training sessions with your kids and the pups.

Whether it be just a theory, where you have the kids sit, and talk to them a little bit about how the puppy thinks and what's the proper way to treat the puppy.

Or once, the pup gets a basic understanding of commands like sit/down, start getting the children to train with you.

It helped a lot on my end. With two small children that were at my house everyday, and two dogs with a combined weight of around 140lbs!

It also helped build the kids confidence with the dogs, and they learned a bit about how to behave around them, how to get them to stop jumping, or obey a command etc.

You hit the nail on the head, with:

Sometimes they become fearful, and other times indifferent to your yelling/spanking.

WELL PLACED corrections (whether it be verbal or a tap on the arse) are what make the difference.

Screaming at your dog every minute for something different, will either make them cower, or indifferent to your efforts, which I've seen and looks horribly frusterating! LOL

Good luck

Thanks, alpha. Yes, indeed I think that talking to the kids has helped alot as well. Well, my 3yr. old anyhow. My 1yr. old could care less. He justs sits and smiles at Coco. Now my 3yr. old, she has started turning her back to Coco and folding her arms. Coco just sits down and looks at her with her head cocked to one side and its like she is saying to my daughter "why are you mad?" I kind of find it funny. They are getting along much better.

[Chayse]

since she is only 8 weeks old i would suggest putting a leash on her and letting her drag it around the house that way if she bites or nips at your kids then you can give her a quck jerk on her leash to correct her. Plus it will help to teach to walk on a leash. You could also get a spray bottle and fill it with water. and just spray her with it when she bites or does something naughty like that. Good luck and congrats on your new puppy.

[Boxer & Co.]

Originally Posted by Chayse

since she is only 8 weeks old i would suggest putting a leash on her and letting her drag it around the house that way if she bites or nips at your kids then you can give her a quck jerk on her leash to correct her. Plus it will help to teach to walk on a leash. You could also get a spray bottle and fill it with water. and just spray her with it when she bites or does something naughty like that. Good luck and congrats on your new puppy.

Thats sounds like a good idea. I'll try the leash method tomarrow. Thanks.

[edogforums]

Originally Posted by siberian husky lover12

Well, all do is spank my dogs with newspaper. It scares them so they do not want to do whatever they did the next time. I trained my puppy in just 1.5 weeks and she has never gone on the floor scince.

That is exactly what I do with my little boxer. I swipe her bottom with a lightweight paper roll and it catches her attention. I used to spank her a lot but I realized that I didn't feel good about it and I didn't want to make her afraid of me in way that would paralyze her emotions. Plus, I don't know much about animal behavior to know how spanking her continuously would affect her later on. So, for now.....I catch her attention with the empty paper towel roll.

[Captbob]

I view spanking dogs with anything including newspaper, as being just the same as beating your kids or your spouse. It accomplishes nothing except getting your dog to be afraid of you.....

[workingdog]

Originally Posted by Boxer & Co.

Thanks, alpha. Yes, indeed I think that talking to the kids has helped alot as well. Well, my 3yr. old anyhow. My 1yr. old could care less. He justs sits and smiles at Coco. Now my 3yr. old, she has started turning her back to Coco and folding her arms. Coco just sits down and looks at her with her head cocked to one side and its like she is saying to my daughter "why are you mad?" I kind of find it funny. They are getting along much better.

You say you spank your kids, please tell me you are not spanking a one and three year old. The only thing children learn from spankings is how to hit people. I do not believe in hitting anything. Kids, animals(what can be learned from this) How dose causing pain to others help anything. Before you say it, NO! you didn't ask for my opinion but ya got it anyway's(no charge)

[Boxer & Co.]

Workingdog...............Your opinion is noted, although it will not change my beliefs nor will it cross my mind that you may even be right. My house is a happy place where children do not get spanked all day.They rarely get spankings at all. My children are polite, and very well mannered. I go to a class on child training once a week. I have read many books on child rearing. How to Train Up a Child and What the Bible says about Child Rearing are two that I am working on right now. I believe that a child can be totally disciplined by the age of 3. My oldest is 3 and is respectful, smart, loving, and yes when I say "Time to pick up your toys" she picks them up sweetly and swiftly. She is not afraid of me.
I know there are people out there who spank and do it out of laziness or anger. I am not the woman you see in Wal-Mart with her kids running wild, while she is yelling and swatting at her kids. I do not agree with alot of people who spank. Merely because of their reasoning. I spank to teach my child that when we do somethig bad there are consequences and sometimes those consequences will hurt. On the same note when we do something good, we are rewarded. My children are rewarded much more than reprimanded.
Now, I could talk for days on this subject , but that is not what this post was about. I seriously don't think you will see my side of this. And thats fine, I didn't ask you to. All I'm saying is I think I do a damn good job of raising my children. God has entrusted our kids to my husband and I, and I believe we are doing what He wants us to. We all have our own way of doing things. I don't think its right to criticize someone merely because you don't agree with their views. If you noticed I didn't say anything about the way you raised your children.