Help! Will she ever know our limits?!

abbygirl · 01-24-2013, 04:09 PM

Hello! I have a beautiful 11 week old boxer puppy named abby shes my first puppy and i want her to turn out great and she's wonderful she really is

but we're having a hard time making her understand what our limits are. I know she's playing when she's biting us and grabbing at our ankles but ive tried everything and it gets to the point where shes really really hurting us and gets aggresive. I've tried telling her no. time out.(me going into another room) moving her to a toy, grabbing her muzzel pretty much everything. its really frusterating. i want her to turn out to be a wonderful dog but bitting is not on the list. is there anything i can do?! i dont want to put her in her kennel because we're teaching her its not a punishment but what other options do i have?? HELPPP!

helpless mother

crazyboxerlove · 01-24-2013, 04:17 PM

It's ok to put her in a timeout in her kennel. But as a last resort and escalation of correction. Kinda like having your kids go to their room as discipline. That is what I did to my 2, it just sends a message that the last behavior they did was not appropriate, I only kept them there until they calmed down then they were out again. There definitely is a balance. Daisy and Duke are not scared of their crate even if I use it as discipline sometimes. If you choose not to do that....have you tried treats? Daisy and Duke know the "manners" command, when we say "manners" they calm down and sit, then they get a treat and praised for having good manners. Of course, my tone escalates if they do not listen and crating is a last resort. But I reward the behavior I want once they do calm down. It is important to stay calm and not get too frustrated because dogs can sense that from you and they mirror our emotions. Your frustration gets mirrored as aggression in her. Catch her doing the behavior you want and praise and treat. Even if it is at an off time. When she is calm and behaved, praise her and give her a treat and say "good manners".

BayernBoxer · 01-24-2013, 07:01 PM

I agree with CrazyBoxerLove. It is a good idea to use time outs. I used time out not in the crate but leashed to a chair in the kitchen. Super boring. You can still use the crate but sometimes a simply leash to a chair and walking away provide physical limits as to how far she can follow you. I am not saying don't use the crate. The crate is essential. I just found that with my boisterous boy I was running to the crate too often so I found some other time out options. ANd the phrase settle down helped too. When he was settled I would praise in a soft and gentle verbal way.

Sometimes a puppy starts to escalate their naughty behavior when they are tired. Like children with temper tantrums. She definitely needs some space. And being firm is good with biters. Don't be afraid to be firm and serious even if it seems like she is ignoring you and continuing to bite. She is listening just pretending she is not. You might feel like you are not making a difference. You are! She is learning. She is just testing the limits.

Is she going to puppy kindergarten? If you can find a puppy k class. you will be so happy. They have some great solutions. And getting into obedience early is key to helping her be a GOOD dog. Of course she is already a good dog but this makes her learn her manners so she can be loved by everyone.

MattyM · 01-24-2013, 08:27 PM

The important thing to remember with puppies is consistency. Whether you chose to use time-outs in the crate, or tether your pup to a chair, or to say "no bite" and redirect the behaviour, you have to be consistent and everyone else that deals with the puppy has to be on the same page.
Changing directives with how to handle a situation each time the puppy does it just confuses the poor thing.
It can get frustrating, but boxers are smart dogs and once you become consistent with corrections, she'll pick up super fast on the behaviour you want (and remember, she's just a baby, she's gonna make mistakes!)

abbygirl · 01-24-2013, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazyboxerlove

It's ok to put her in a timeout in her kennel. But as a last resort and escalation of correction. Kinda like having your kids go to their room as discipline. That is what I did to my 2, it just sends a message that the last behavior they did was not appropriate, I only kept them there until they calmed down then they were out again. There definitely is a balance. Daisy and Duke are not scared of their crate even if I use it as discipline sometimes. If you choose not to do that....have you tried treats? Daisy and Duke know the "manners" command, when we say "manners" they calm down and sit, then they get a treat and praised for having good manners. Of course, my tone escalates if they do not listen and crating is a last resort. But I reward the behavior I want once they do calm down. It is important to stay calm and not get too frustrated because dogs can sense that from you and they mirror our emotions. Your frustration gets mirrored as aggression in her. Catch her doing the behavior you want and praise and treat. Even if it is at an off time. When she is calm and behaved, praise her and give her a treat and say "good manners".

thank you all so much for your help! we've tried the kennel a couple of times but then she starts barking and whining and oh goodness shes mad. I guess thats way better then biting me though. and she usually gets these aggressive bouts right before she does her nightly tear around the house! my fiance and I are both raising her so I understand the whole consistence thing. but I will definitely be going full force on the time out. thank you all so much for your help! I'm new on this site and I just really want her to grow up to be a good dog just like the boxers I grew up with. I know how wonderful of dogs they are I just feel like a very new mother. so thank you all very much!

mahesh_gkumar · 01-24-2013, 09:19 PM

Its best to give a timeout somewhere other than the kennel. Like a chair (like a previous poster said) or a door knob or something. If you use the kennel to punish the pup, the pup will never want to go in ever. You want your pup to love the kennel, not hate it.

abbygirl · 01-24-2013, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mahesh_gkumar

Its best to give a timeout somewhere other than the kennel. Like a chair (like a previous poster said) or a door knob or something. If you use the kennel to punish the pup, the pup will never want to go in ever. You want your pup to love the kennel, not hate it.

thanks! i'll be trying a chair!

AussieAnita · 01-24-2013, 10:50 PM

I found Sally would bit us incessantly as a cry for attention. usually at dinner time. I would spend 20-30 minutes cooking giving her little attention then want to sit down to eat for 10-15minutes and she would start attacking.
It was made worse because I am ticklish and would squeal which would get her hyped up.
I changed the routine to doing obedience with her while I was cooking, and the problem quickly resolved.
She still would bite our toes, but I knew it was just a cry for attention if it was an appropriate time (while watching TV) I would go and play with her, if it was an inappropriate time (dinner, attacking friends) she gets time out in another room, I always move her away, that way she knows it is her who is in the wrong not me!
It has gotten much better, now she only does it of an evening if she hasn't gotten a walk that day.

Now however we need to work on the licking... she will lick random people on the back of their knees when we are out on a walk if I am not careful!

abbygirl · 01-24-2013, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AussieAnita

I found Sally would bit us incessantly as a cry for attention. usually at dinner time. I would spend 20-30 minutes cooking giving her little attention then want to sit down to eat for 10-15minutes and she would start attacking.
It was made worse because I am ticklish and would squeal which would get her hyped up.
I changed the routine to doing obedience with her while I was cooking, and the problem quickly resolved.
She still would bite our toes, but I knew it was just a cry for attention if it was an appropriate time (while watching TV) I would go and play with her, if it was an inappropriate time (dinner, attacking friends) she gets time out in another room, I always move her away, that way she knows it is her who is in the wrong not me!
It has gotten much better, now she only does it of an evening if she hasn't gotten a walk that day.

Now however we need to work on the licking... she will lick random people on the back of their knees when we are out on a walk if I am not careful!

Abby does the same thing with wanting attention but unfortunatly we're still potty training and shes doing great with it but if you stop playing with her and leave the room she pees on the floor but sometimes only the size of a quarter. like shes saying get in here and pay attention to me!! haha We've noticed she acts better when we're giving her something to do also so that makes sense to train instead. thanks for the advice!

Katielovesleo · 01-25-2013, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mahesh_gkumar

Its best to give a timeout somewhere other than the kennel. Like a chair (like a previous poster said) or a door knob or something. If you use the kennel to punish the pup, the pup will never want to go in ever. You want your pup to love the kennel, not hate it.

Agree

Sent from Petguide.com Free App

01-24-2013, 04:09 PM	#1 (permalink)
abbygirl Intermediate User Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: rapid city sd Posts: 27	Help! Will she ever know our limits?! Hello! I have a beautiful 11 week old boxer puppy named abby shes my first puppy and i want her to turn out great and she's wonderful she really is but we're having a hard time making her understand what our limits are. I know she's playing when she's biting us and grabbing at our ankles but ive tried everything and it gets to the point where shes really really hurting us and gets aggresive. I've tried telling her no. time out.(me going into another room) moving her to a toy, grabbing her muzzel pretty much everything. its really frusterating. i want her to turn out to be a wonderful dog but bitting is not on the list. is there anything i can do?! i dont want to put her in her kennel because we're teaching her its not a punishment but what other options do i have?? HELPPP! helpless mother

01-24-2013, 04:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
crazyboxerlove Power User Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Gardena, CA Posts: 333	It's ok to put her in a timeout in her kennel. But as a last resort and escalation of correction. Kinda like having your kids go to their room as discipline. That is what I did to my 2, it just sends a message that the last behavior they did was not appropriate, I only kept them there until they calmed down then they were out again. There definitely is a balance. Daisy and Duke are not scared of their crate even if I use it as discipline sometimes. If you choose not to do that....have you tried treats? Daisy and Duke know the "manners" command, when we say "manners" they calm down and sit, then they get a treat and praised for having good manners. Of course, my tone escalates if they do not listen and crating is a last resort. But I reward the behavior I want once they do calm down. It is important to stay calm and not get too frustrated because dogs can sense that from you and they mirror our emotions. Your frustration gets mirrored as aggression in her. Catch her doing the behavior you want and praise and treat. Even if it is at an off time. When she is calm and behaved, praise her and give her a treat and say "good manners". __________________ ~~~~ Chelley ~ Certified PetTech™ Instructor *CPR, First Aid & Care for your pets.* Mom and owned by: ~~~ ~~~ Link: Boxer Meetup Group - Los Angeles South Bay Last edited by crazyboxerlove; 01-24-2013 at 04:25 PM.

01-24-2013, 09:19 PM	#6 (permalink)
mahesh_gkumar Experienced User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 247	Its best to give a timeout somewhere other than the kennel. Like a chair (like a previous poster said) or a door knob or something. If you use the kennel to punish the pup, the pup will never want to go in ever. You want your pup to love the kennel, not hate it. __________________

01-24-2013, 10:50 PM	#8 (permalink)
AussieAnita Power User Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Cessnock, Australia Posts: 481	I found Sally would bit us incessantly as a cry for attention. usually at dinner time. I would spend 20-30 minutes cooking giving her little attention then want to sit down to eat for 10-15minutes and she would start attacking. It was made worse because I am ticklish and would squeal which would get her hyped up. I changed the routine to doing obedience with her while I was cooking, and the problem quickly resolved. She still would bite our toes, but I knew it was just a cry for attention if it was an appropriate time (while watching TV) I would go and play with her, if it was an inappropriate time (dinner, attacking friends) she gets time out in another room, I always move her away, that way she knows it is her who is in the wrong not me! It has gotten much better, now she only does it of an evening if she hasn't gotten a walk that day. Now however we need to work on the licking... she will lick random people on the back of their knees when we are out on a walk if I am not careful! __________________ Mummy of Sally, a Red and white Boxer born end of May 2012!

01-24-2013, 07:01 PM	#3 (permalink)
BayernBoxer Power User Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 443	I agree with CrazyBoxerLove. It is a good idea to use time outs. I used time out not in the crate but leashed to a chair in the kitchen. Super boring. You can still use the crate but sometimes a simply leash to a chair and walking away provide physical limits as to how far she can follow you. I am not saying don't use the crate. The crate is essential. I just found that with my boisterous boy I was running to the crate too often so I found some other time out options. ANd the phrase settle down helped too. When he was settled I would praise in a soft and gentle verbal way. Sometimes a puppy starts to escalate their naughty behavior when they are tired. Like children with temper tantrums. She definitely needs some space. And being firm is good with biters. Don't be afraid to be firm and serious even if it seems like she is ignoring you and continuing to bite. She is listening just pretending she is not. You might feel like you are not making a difference. You are! She is learning. She is just testing the limits. Is she going to puppy kindergarten? If you can find a puppy k class. you will be so happy. They have some great solutions. And getting into obedience early is key to helping her be a GOOD dog. Of course she is already a good dog but this makes her learn her manners so she can be loved by everyone.

01-24-2013, 08:27 PM	#4 (permalink)
MattyM Experienced User Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Milton, ON Posts: 129	The important thing to remember with puppies is consistency. Whether you chose to use time-outs in the crate, or tether your pup to a chair, or to say "no bite" and redirect the behaviour, you have to be consistent and everyone else that deals with the puppy has to be on the same page. Changing directives with how to handle a situation each time the puppy does it just confuses the poor thing. It can get frustrating, but boxers are smart dogs and once you become consistent with corrections, she'll pick up super fast on the behaviour you want (and remember, she's just a baby, she's gonna make mistakes!)

Remove Advertisements Sponsored Links
Boxer Forums Advertisement