Posted: 4/13/2016 9:44:04 PM EDT
| Our dog Max is about 14 months old, husky mix. He's a pretty good boy, tries to play with the cats, gets attacked, still gets super excited when we get home and will jump up. Nothing major just still a puppy and can get overly excited at times. However it seems like lately he is really hovering over our two year old girl. And it also seems when she's running around he will try to grab ahold of her hand or wrist. He doesn't hurt her no marks or anything. They get along great, always have. He does steal food from her at times though. Anyways any idea what this type of behavior means? Anything to worry about or just normal puppy behavior? |
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Sounds like he is just playing right now with the grabbing her.
Stealing food from her is an absolute no go. Dog needs to know that it only eats his food. He needs to know the pecking order of the household. The child is above him. You MUST establish this. When you do, that child should be able to take food from the dogs dish while it is eating. You have to be confident of this, and that dog will be the childs best friend, and protector. Raising a dog is like raising a kid, except, dogs are smarter. |
| Not long after we brought him home he snapped at our daughter one time over food, he's never done it again as I put a stop to that real quick. We do things like allow her to put plates down for him and take them away. Also she will give him treats for good behavior. He does mouth a lot. I'm sure that's not the correct term but will try to put our hands in his mouth when we pet him. No biting or anything. We do discipline him, but maybe we are not being firm enough. |
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Quoted: Not long after we brought him home he snapped at our daughter one time over food, he's never done it again as I put a stop to that real quick. We do things like allow her to put plates down for him and take them away. Also she will give him treats for good behavior. He does mouth a lot. I'm sure that's not the correct term but will try to put our hands in his mouth when we pet him. No biting or anything. We do discipline him, but maybe we are not being firm enough. When he starts to mouth or play-nip, break contact and walk away....no harsh discipline needed. That lesson can be taught without punishment, which in fact may not solve it at all (the dog will see that it gets a reaction for mouthing, which although negative is still a reaction). Getting up and walking away, ignoring it, will teach it that such behavior leads to an unfavorable outcome. Likewise, when the dog is calm or playing nicely with your daughter, a treat or praise will reinforce that it's ok and doing what is expected. |
| People are going to disagree with me, I know this ahead of time. I've had huskies, I now have a samoyed, arctic breeds have a tendency to hold arms in mouths. No clue why. My husky would sit next to me on the floor and put my arm in his mouth...and then fall asleep. If I sat on the floor he wouldn't ever sleep until he did it. No pressure, no gnawing just put his mouth on my arm and out like a light. If he is only doing it when she is running around it is probably play. I would discourage it so it doesn't become the norm. Food stealing is not a good thing. If it is her holding food out or waving it around it could be a mistake in signals, i.e. he thinks she is offering it. If he is straight up stealing it, that is no good. My Samoyed does not get anything that is not either in his bowl or he hasn't performed for. If he at the very very least hasn't had to sit and stay for it, he doesn't get it. He won't take a treat now until he has been told to do something. Pretty funny when someone tries to give him something that doesn't know. It keeps him from taking anything strangers offer. I wish I could say that was planning on my part, it was really an unintended bonus. |
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Quoted:
People are going to disagree with me, I know this ahead of time. I've had huskies, I now have a samoyed, arctic breeds have a tendency to hold arms in mouths. No clue why. My husky would sit next to me on the floor and put my arm in his mouth...and then fall asleep. If I sat on the floor he wouldn't ever sleep until he did it. No pressure, no gnawing just put his mouth on my arm and out like a light. If he is only doing it when she is running around it is probably play. I would discourage it so it doesn't become the norm. Food stealing is not a good thing. If it is her holding food out or waving it around it could be a mistake in signals, i.e. he thinks she is offering it. If he is straight up stealing it, that is no good. My Samoyed does not get anything that is not either in his bowl or he hasn't performed for. If he at the very very least hasn't had to sit and stay for it, he doesn't get it. He won't take a treat now until he has been told to do something. Pretty funny when someone tries to give him something that doesn't know. It keeps him from taking anything strangers offer. I wish I could say that was planning on my part, it was really an unintended bonus. I had a husky once and have had somewhat the same experience. I think they like to be around people, their family. I would try a toy that the dog likes and teaching it to sit until it is tossed to him. Then teach your daughter to do that. He will love her to play that way, once you train him do do that. |
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Quoted:
Not long after we brought him home he snapped at our daughter one time over food, he's never done it again as I put a stop to that real quick. We do things like allow her to put plates down for him and take them away. Also she will give him treats for good behavior. He does mouth a lot. I'm sure that's not the correct term but will try to put our hands in his mouth when we pet him. No biting or anything. We do discipline him, but maybe we are not being firm enough. Dogs mouths never go on people unless in defense. My rule. Stop that behavior! It leads to nips and bites just like hitting them on the head. Teaches aggressive behaviour if you allow it. |
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Keep a collar and leash on him at all times. Grab and snap the leash when he exhibits this behavior. He is establishing his order in the pack and since your daughter cannot put him in his place and establish her dominance you must do it for her. MUST. This! This also will help him to learn the words "No" or "Out" or "stop" One good correction beats 1000 nagging corrections. When you correct him, MEAN IT! I don't care even if he is just playing, I don't want him gnawing/nipping anyone especially not me. Mouthing is a no-no for me. |
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Ok thanks for the tips. One other thing he does to me but no one else, he licks my feet all the time if I'm sitting in the couch. I'm barefoot all day long so it's not like they sweat and stink. Any ideas? Have you tried saying no, or shaking a penny can at him or squirting him with a bottle? |
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Keep a collar and leash on him at all times. Grab and snap the leash when he exhibits this behavior. He is establishing his order in the pack and since your daughter cannot put him in his place and establish her dominance you must do it for her. MUST. This. Working with my trainer(s) now and my 4.5 MO dobie, and this is the absolute "must" for the first couple months or so to help "me" correct the dog quickly and effectively. Good advise for correcting all behaviors while still a pup, and establishes the comfort of being on leash for the dog. A.W.D. |
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mouthing in puppies turns into problems in dogs. others have identified how to correct it. the leash is one way, shock collar is another. using the leave it or off command is appropriate here.
all dogs do well with hard boundaries, never is handy in dog world. never let your kid feed the dog from the table, never let the dog "take" food from little kids. never let them mouth, it becomes nipping later. jumping can become an issue with larger dogs, it can freak people out. don't feel bad using a pinch collar or shock collar once you read up on HOW to use them for best results. |
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Ok thanks for the tips. One other thing he does to me but no one else, he licks my feet all the time if I'm sitting in the couch. I'm barefoot all day long so it's not like they sweat and stink. Any ideas? hes grooming the pack leader I cant say what it actually is... one of ours does it and only to me she will stop if asked. I let her get it out of her system but call it quits a few seconds later when she runs a tongue between my toes as for him being mouthy. Is this something your wife thinks is cute and allows more than you or is it something you allow because its cute? same dog that licks would take you by the finger and lead you to whatever she wanted wife thought it was hilarious but I had to stop it because it just went on to more mouthyness I can sometimes still catch her trying it with friend in the house... she tries to lead them to the treats (smart little turd) its pretty simple to fix.... at no time should a dogs mouth ever be on your skin |
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Our dog Max is about 14 months old, husky mix. He's a pretty good boy, tries to play with the cats, gets attacked, still gets super excited when we get home and will jump up. Nothing major just still a puppy and can get overly excited at times. However it seems like lately he is really hovering over our two year old girl. And it also seems when she's running around he will try to grab ahold of her hand or wrist. He doesn't hurt her no marks or anything. They get along great, always have. He does steal food from her at times though. Anyways any idea what this type of behavior means? Anything to worry about or just normal puppy behavior? This is a problem. If you want a dog that begs, that's your choice, and a begging dog can be otherwise fine, but a dog only *steals* food from a subordinate member of the pack. |
| Gotta put a stop to the food stealing. My kids are above our dog in our pack. They can lay on her, take her food, take her toys, etc. The only aggression is play when she will hold or gnaw on my arm or hands. Disobedience or any sign of agitation that is mildly aggressive is handled swiftly and is not forgiving. |
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What I've done for "mouthyness" in a Labrador, a GSD, and a spaniel mix, that worked exceptionally well; When they mouth on your hand, and like you describe its usually when they are getting some good scratches/belly rubs when it occurs, put your whole hand in their mouth and make a fist, slightly expanding your fingers. Im not saying to punch them, or cram your hand down their throat. You're basically just opening their mouth wide and they cant get leverage to close it. Bugs the crap out of them, without hurting them or being violent. They all learned very quickly not to be mouthy.
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