It's not all fun and games anymore

[kmann]

We're currently at a loss in my household. Griffin will get into these "attack" phases where he'll start jumping and biting at us. When we're inside it's easy to handle as we can just walk into another room and close the door. The problem occurs when we're outside or on walks. Turning our backs and ignoring him doesn't seem to work. He'll start jumping on our backs and biting, and if we try to walk away he'll keep up with us and continue this behavior. Bringing treats on walks to give him commands doesn't seem to work because as soon as I'm done giving him commands he's right back at it, no matter how many times I have to stop and do this. He does this more with my boyfriend than me, so his arms and back look far worse than mine do! If this isn't just a puppy phase I need to stop this now, because at 7 months he's as tall as I am on his hind legs and he is almost stronger than me.

 

[charlieinnj]

Ahhhh.....we've all been there! It very much is part of the bratty puppy phase. My suggestion would be when it starts on a walk....drop any slack you have in the leash to the ground and stand on it so that Griffin can't become airborne.

If he's off-leash and starts up, take one of the treats and use it to get his attention on it. Then toss it and tell him, "Griffin! Go get it!"

 

[Kayak]

I am having the exact same problem with Kayak (8 months old). It's enough to drive you insane!!!! Kayak does the same "attack" mode and if I turn my back to ignore him, he just bites somewhere else. Leaving the room, or putting him in another room helps, however getting him into another room is a challenge. When he starts somewhere like the dog park it gets even more challenging. I hope others have some suggestions for you, I know I could sure use the help.

 

[cmorgan.1505]

Wow. I'm thankful Thor does not do this. He will run and jump on the bed wanting to play, but if I don't give him attention the worse that happens is he whines.

 

[NewfieMama]

Agree with Charlie that when you're outside, stand on the leash so she has no slack. Also, fun is over and we go right home - just like a little kid having a tantrum in a store. You have to make sure you're not rewarding the behavior. Is she looking for a reaction and getting it? Then you're losing the battle.

We all know how hard it is to move a Newf who doesn't want to go...but get her used to it now because it's only going to get harder when she's grown. Seriously, making 130 lbs of deadweight go somewhere she doesn't want to is not pleasant...but my dogs pretty much know they can't fight me at this point, so they will go if I'm firm about it. (Trimming their nails, well there they totally beat me every time...lol).

Good luck and it will get better, as long as you don't feed the little troll monster living in your bratty teenage Newf!

 

[Cascadians]

Orka was so good as a baby, never jumped on me. Suddenly at over a year and a half, blam, it was his favorite sneak attack. So I taught him "OFF!" with hands and knee thrust to chest (never neck) and made him immediately SIT. Then said "Good Sit" and rubbed his chest. Ignoring him only resulted in screaming howls and repeated attempts so I had to teach him a positive immediate alternative.

To this day he'll run at me then sit at my feet and look expectantly for chest rubs. In fact he'll come up to me with a certain look and murmur, sit for chest rubs, then twirl for a butt scratch. He still really would like to jump but knows unless invited with a "HUG" command, that is a no-no. So he asks for chest rubs many times per day.

His urge is very strong and sometimes he literally screams in protest as he automatically sits because he'd rather jump.

With Orka it seems to be emotional overflow and maybe some hormonal dominance thrown in for good measure. But he's big and strong and jumping cannot be allowed.

For moving when he didn't want to, I taught him the "STAND UP!" command. He knows it well but sometimes a soft nudge in the butt is necessary. My very first dog, when I was 6 years old, a big male collie, I taught "TIMBER!" by stepping on him softly. He'd bolt upright when I said it -- haven't repeated that kind of training since I was 6, LOL.

Best success with Orka is training in the house as a game, and outside in various places. Lots of reinforcement. The better he knows the commands, the more he likes it, the more he likes to show it off, the more he craves more. Slack off and he's not so enthusiastic.

 

[knittinnewf]

I agree . Get to "work" mode. That brain needs to be engaged and the body moving . I like puppy push ups. Sit-reward stand -reward sit- reward .....come around reward repeat. Some dogs at the shelter have actually come to a relaxed settle after a few of these with a resigned expression.
You have to wait them out just one turn longer, just like a kid.

 

[snowdog]

At 6 months we are having issues with the biting again as well....it got better for about and a month and now we are struggling with it daily, and by that I mean ALL DAY.... I am encouraged to read it may just be yet another phase. Such a bummer to have to put her away each time she gets bitey but hopefully she'll learn to cut it out. ARGH! Our trainer suggested doing a "bite" (similar to the Dog Whisperer) to her neck to get her to quit but that only makes her more feisty and sometimes makes her mad....I wish we had a "NO" command that worked with her at this stage but nothing works but the old time out. Ahh well....just gotta keep at it.

 

[charlieinnj]

At 6 months we are having issues with the biting again as well....it got better for about and a month and now we are struggling with it daily, and by that I mean ALL DAY.... I am encouraged to read it may just be yet another phase. Such a bummer to have to put her away each time she gets bitey but hopefully she'll learn to cut it out. ARGH! Our trainer suggested doing a "bite" (similar to the Dog Whisperer) to her neck to get her to quit but that only makes her more feisty and sometimes makes her mad....I wish we had a "NO" command that worked with her at this stage but nothing works but the old time out. Ahh well....just gotta keep at it.

The old time out is the only thing that worked when we went through it. And the problem we faced was that our Newfy-piranha despised his crate so getting him in it for a time out was impossible. What ended up helping was when he got into his crazy, biting moods, I'd 'yelp' (as if he really hurt me....) then say a marker word like "Uh-oh"....and then I'd leave the room immediately. Somewhere he could not follow. I'd go to the nearest spot like my laundry room or powder room and go there and close the door and stayed there for several minutes. He began to realize that this behavior resulted in me leaving. Just a suggestion....

 

[snowdog]

The old time out is the only thing that worked when we went through it. And the problem we faced was that our Newfy-piranha despised his crate so getting him in it for a time out was impossible. What ended up helping was when he got into his crazy, biting moods, I'd 'yelp' (as if he really hurt me....) then say a marker word like "Uh-oh"....and then I'd leave the room immediately. Somewhere he could not follow. I'd go to the nearest spot like my laundry room or powder room and go there and close the door and stayed there for several minutes. He began to realize that this behavior resulted in me leaving. Just a suggestion....

Thanks for the suggestion, hearing that it gets better helps so much as we are in the thick of it. I like the idea of the marker word of uh-oh, I use that with my furless 4 year old and it works great with him. :allg069: And I must say...just seeing photos of your beautiful pups gives me a lump in my throat, they are so darn adorable. :heart::heart:

 

[MamaSu]

Wow, I'm really glad I'm reading this with a new puppy staring at me! I did not have that problem with my last Newf, my son is having that problem BAD with his Lab mix, and I'm trying to think of what we do different as to training methods......EVERYTHING!! He let's his dog on the bed and she has become the ruler of the house, whereas I was more firm with my Newf as to boundaries. She had to be invited. I also used the uh oh disappointment voice very softly and she walked herself to time out...Now I'm thinking it was beginners luck and I'm in for real trouble this time! I'm thinking I'm VERY glad to have found you guys. I'm starting that sit, stand, come around thing tomorrow!! Good luck! Su

 

[Leonard and his bud Snuffles]

I think my first post on newf.net was for a similiar issue. The viniger/water spray worked for me to stop the behavior. I sprayed it in Snuffles mouth. Check out the thread Wild aggrssive play mode.

 

[kmann]

I'm happy to report that just over a month later things are getting better. We did have an embarrassing incident at the beach yesterday when he got into one of his "modes" so I think I'll be buying a small spray bottle to carry around. And it's nice to know I'm not alone.

Thanks for the thread Leonard!

 

[YorkvilleNewfie]

Agree with Charlie that when you're outside, stand on the leash so she has no slack. Also, fun is over and we go right home - just like a little kid having a tantrum in a store. You have to make sure you're not rewarding the behavior. Is she looking for a reaction and getting it? Then you're losing the battle.

We all know how hard it is to move a Newf who doesn't want to go...but get her used to it now because it's only going to get harder when she's grown. Seriously, making 130 lbs of deadweight go somewhere she doesn't want to is not pleasant...but my dogs pretty much know they can't fight me at this point, so they will go if I'm firm about it. (Trimming their nails, well there they totally beat me every time...lol).

Good luck and it will get better, as long as you don't feed the little troll monster living in your bratty teenage Newf!

This. So very much. A 4-foot lead for leverage, standing on it during freakouts and putting her in time-outs were the only thing that worked on my Mila when she was a young hellion (she was nicknamed Mila Monster at the time.)