Peggy just tried to bite us, advice please.

[djdakine]

heh...I can just imagine Peggy to be like this , but stuck in the house! You could try to burn energy off in the house. If she woudn't sleep..I played chase with Hailey inside(really it was just her running back/forth thru a hallway as I jumped up/down or moved a few steps in either directions.....about 10 mins would get her nice and tired. Could try short version throughout the day.

[kathiam]

lol I always give Lily an ice cube on the kitchen floor..that always burns off some energy for her and makes me laugh watching her trying to get ahold of the ice on a slippery surface. I also like to take a dixie cup and fill it 1/4 of the way with water..freeze it and then put some peanutbutter, or a carrot or something else she likes on top and pour more water over and freeze it again. She always goes nuts trying to get her treat out of the iceblock. Of course that is something they have to be given where you don't care about the floor getting wet.

[ljas]

When we got Sophie, she was only about 14 weeks old, but had been a badly abused pup. You couldn't touch her head, back end, neck, or feet without growling, snarling, and snapping. You could not touch her when she was asleep, because she would jump to her feet, growling, snarling, and snapping. It took a great deal of time and training for her to learn that we would never hurt her, and firm verbal commands 'NO!' for her to learn what was not acceptable. Now, at 10 months, the scary behavior has disappeared. I can take her anywhere, and trust her to behave and not snap, snarl or growl. She is wonderful with kids. When she is afraid, instead of growling, snarling, and snapping, she climbs on my, or my husband's, lap.

Please don't give up on Peggy. She can learn if you are patient.

Have her run around a table. Walk her up and down stairs. Kathiam's idea of an ice cube sounds wonderful - we have to try that! And remember - we are here for you.

[Smeagle]

How old is she?

Please do not listen to advice that she will grow out of it - I am sure the poster meant well but it is very dangerous to ignore this behaviour.

She is resource guarding, which is VERY common. Puppies do it amongst each other. Have you taught her a give command and reinforced how rewarding it will be for her to relinquish things to you? That would be my first step. I would also be keen to know what training you have been doing with her so far?

[djdakine]

sorry...I didn't mean to just ignore it. I guess it was a bad assumption on my part that everyone will take their dogs to class, or take the time to train. Ian's pup from what I remembered was already in class. But people who join later may not be privy to this weeks post.

What I meant more was to have him assure his wife that Peggy could be taught. Instead of giving up on their new pup of 1 week.

[ian1969uk]

Thanks for all the advice and support!

My wife is now feeling a lot calmer and there's no question of us giving up on her. In fact, it's made us more determined to make this work and we have had a good think about what we could do better to teach her as well.

We are redoubling efforts to teach her the pack order without any physical chastisement of course:

Making sure we go through doors first.
Making her sit and wait for her food and not putting it down until she is calm.
NILF.
Reducing treats and making her earn them.
Agreeing on consistent words for everything - NO, LEAVE, DROP, SIT, STAY, COME, GOOD GIRL etc.
Teaching her that play biting is wrong by making a high pitched noise and turning away from her.
Redirecting chewing on to appropriate chew toys.
Making her get used to short periods alone each day.

She is already beginning to respond to this and I think my wife just needs to get her confidence back with her and not think that every play bite is going to turn into a snarl and a serious attempt to bite.

I am sure that this is something to do with the catnip as she wouldn't even leave the bin alone that the toy she had went in to until I emptied it and threw it in the wheelie bin.

She has had one week of puppy class, three weeks to go and we intend to take her straight on to the next available class as soon as she is 20 weeks, which is there minimum age for the class.

Can you think of any other suggestions or do you think we have it covered?

Thanks again for your support

[ian1969uk]

Peggy has been good as gold since this happened. This was so random and out of character for her that we are now convinced that the catnip had some adverse effect on her and made her behave like that. We have since taken loads of things from her mouth without so much as a growl, so all seems well.

[RosCole]

That is very good to hear!

[sr41056]

Your Beagle will NOT grow out of this behavior. You must train the dog not to bite and your wife must become an Alpha dog. Here is a link to more information:
www.FreeBeagleTraining/beagle-biting

[ian1969uk]

Well, I'm afraid I spoke too soon. Peggy has bitten my wife again today. She pulled a piece of wallpaper off the wall, and my wife told her to drop it. She did so, but then when my wife went to pick it up, she has bitten her hand whilst snarling and growling.

Don't know what to do now. It's weird, it was last Friday that this happened too, both times the day after puppy class. I'm wondering if the stimulation of the class the night before had something to do with it.

I really don't think she can stay if she is going to be like this. My wife was just feeling OK again, and is now very upset. We can't be having this all the time, so I am very sorry to say that Peggy may be looking for a new home.

It breaks my heart, but I don't know what else to do. No-one was even touching her this time, so she wasn't in pain, she wasn't frightened, nothing. Just plain viciousness or so it seems.

I really could cry...