Hi everyone. I actually posted this in the first time dog owner section of the forums, but think this is probably a more appropriate section for my issue
I just read through "The Bite Stops here" and am kicking myself for not starting this training earlier. My Wife really wanted a puppy and when we got him he would just keep biting. Our vet told us to try different things, such a tapping his nose and yelping ouch, but it never seemed to work. Then he suggested maybe just getting a little water spritzer and that seemed to work. I should also mention that vet told us to try putting him on his back to establish dominance. We tried it one time and hated doing it since we felt it scared him more than anything else.
For a time it actually dissipated but now he started it again. I know it's not aggressive. He nips when he wants to play and wags his tail. He's overall an extremely happy and energetic dog. And we love him.
My Wife is starting to get very frustrated though and in a fit yesterday, after a nip mentioned that maybe we should get rid of him. I'm taking it as just frustration but I'm getting desperate.
Is it too late to start the training outlined in "the bite stops here"? What else can I do. As far as I'm concerned Rocky is another member of our family. We got him and as such he's our responsibility. Getting rid of him is not an option in my mind.
I think it's obvious that the failure was ours, I just hope to rectify this so that the three of us can coexist happily.
Any help or advice would be so greatly appreciated.
Someone already suggested that I also look at "Be the Tree" and "Rev up/ Cool Down" I intend to impliment those ASAP.
Does anyone know of any good Trainer in the NYC area?
I just read through "The Bite Stops here" and am kicking myself for not starting this training earlier. My Wife really wanted a puppy and when we got him he would just keep biting. Our vet told us to try different things, such a tapping his nose and yelping ouch, but it never seemed to work. Then he suggested maybe just getting a little water spritzer and that seemed to work. I should also mention that vet told us to try putting him on his back to establish dominance. We tried it one time and hated doing it since we felt it scared him more than anything else.
For a time it actually dissipated but now he started it again. I know it's not aggressive. He nips when he wants to play and wags his tail. He's overall an extremely happy and energetic dog. And we love him.
My Wife is starting to get very frustrated though and in a fit yesterday, after a nip mentioned that maybe we should get rid of him. I'm taking it as just frustration but I'm getting desperate.
Is it too late to start the training outlined in "the bite stops here"? What else can I do. As far as I'm concerned Rocky is another member of our family. We got him and as such he's our responsibility. Getting rid of him is not an option in my mind.
I think it's obvious that the failure was ours, I just hope to rectify this so that the three of us can coexist happily.
Any help or advice would be so greatly appreciated.
Someone already suggested that I also look at "Be the Tree" and "Rev up/ Cool Down" I intend to impliment those ASAP.
Does anyone know of any good Trainer in the NYC area?