Hi all,

Just a quick question RE: Nando tugging on my pants/around my ankles. I understand that baggy pants moving about when you walk is really exciting for a puppy and the automatic response for them is to try and initiate a game of tug. I don't want to turn this behaviour into a game but I'm not 100% sure what the appropriate response from me should be? Currently I've been just stopping in my tracks and ignoring him, and if there's an appropriate toy to hand distracting him. If he gets too over excited about it, I give him a time-out until he is calm.

I don't want to expect too much from him and know the behaviour will probably continue for quite some time, but I just want to know if this is the appropriate response, or should I do something different?

Think you are about right I may add either a NO, or a squeal depending on how old the pup is and if he lets go walk away.

Sounds great to me, you're not adding attention to it by just stopping still and it is fun to grab baggy pants. Time out is fine if done with no verbal/physical attention from you. If it gets worse try using a house line to control pup's movement I just hold it out to the side and say nothing and don't look at the pup.When calm move on again.

He'll be 10 weeks old tomorrow. Thanks for the reassurance, it is like having a new born baby at the moment, constantly wondering whether I'm doing the right thing! He is a very calm and robust puppy, he has settled in so well, he's very attached to me at the moment but day-by-day getting slightly more independent. Currently he is asleep at my feet! He is really well balanced and although he has a mad puppy hour or two during the day. It feels so great to finally have him after so long preparing!

Thanks again,
Josh

His 'time out' area is the conservatory. This is the only place in our house that is closeable as we have an open plan kitchen/living room and Nando has no access to the front room or hallway.  If he can still see me in the time out area (through the glass doors) will it still serve the same purpose?

Would try squealing very loud and high pitched, if he lets go all well and good if it does not work or he becomes more excited then I would say nothing and continue as you are till he has learned what NO or LEAVE means.

Try chucking some tiny treats to distract him - that way he gets his reward by leaving your trousers and taking a few steps away.  You can soon start to team this with an away command.  We use G'way which generally means 'step back' to my dogs.  Very handy to stop begging, staring, tripping you up etc

You could also use leave (once taught) but I prefer to save leave for really important stuff and just use a casual g'way which is more like 'step off' or  'go and find something else to do!' :)

> You could also use leave (once taught) but I prefer to save leave for really important stuff and just use a casual g'way which is more like 'step off' or  'go and find something else to do!'

My dogs understand the term "Shift your b*m" for those times when you want them to move out of the way but there is no great urgency :-)

I like the idea of having two different commands for 'leave' and 'leave me alone.' I think 'leave' would be too easy to overuse with a young pup and might cause Nando to lose it's sense of urgency! He is generally quite easy to distract with a toy but it's hard to have one to hand at all times!

Think the terms you use develop according to your needs, I try to make my commands one word unlike my OH who talks to them in sentences and then wonders why they ignore him. I use back, stay and out all interchangeable (sure that is not approved of) but it has the desired effect because whatever I say they seem to understand that what they are about to do is not required. In the same way I use leave, give or no if I wish them to remove their mouth from something and again they seem to understand, do sometimes wonder if the words used matter that much as they must react to the fact that I have said something and the tone of voice.

Or, as I have often wondered they are mind reader because if I call one by the wrong name almost always the right one turns up. :-)

> do sometimes wonder if the words used matter that much as they must react to the fact that I have said something and the tone of voice.

I use sign language too - do you?  I seem to have developed a fairly effective 'bugger off boys' wave which they clearly understand!

Yes, do use signals.

I actually can't see a problem with teaching a NO/LEAVE, whichever you wish to use, and that's what you say when pup grabs trousers!! At this age it should be dead easy to discourage. Give command, lots of praise when stops doing and divert with other activity.

That hit a nerve,nova!Im constantly,saying"Gwen,JESS dammit,"Forever getting their names mixed up!luckily,as you say,mine seem to answer to both.!

mine seem to answer to both.!

Usually only get the one I want coming to me unless I am offering goodies, or none if I have a shampoo bottle in my hand. Generally they seem to know better than me who it is I actually want not sure how but I don't think I will ever understand the dog entirely and glad for it.

I seem to have come to a milestone with the trouser tugging. This morning I got up to let him out for a wee, he was tugging on my trousers and I ignored him and he got bored within about 2 seconds. He has (Very quickly for a pup of his age) got the message that trouser tugging is not very fun at all. He is quickly learning bite inhibition, too.

Well done, onward and upwards, now is the time their minds are open and they are learning every day what they can and can not do.

The quickest one of my pups learned not to bite at trouser legs was when he caught his tooth in the seam of my jeans and broke it off, must have hurt as he cried out but never grabbed at clothing again. Not however a method I would advise.

I can definitely tell the difference having owned terriers in the past. Perhaps now I am just more 'clued up' and wiser on how to look after a pup, but there is certainly a huge difference whatever the reason.