hi everyone, i posted a topic last week about my 6 month old GR well I need some help again, the probloem was for the last couple of weeks she has become a nightmare when out on her walks i hasten to add only for me no-one else, she has started for no reason (well none that i can see) jumping up biting growling pulling my clothes nipping grabbing my hands and not letting go, now she can be fine for ten minutes then she will just turn and start to do it, she even does it sometimkes off the lead I have ruled out the fact that she is bored as we play when out and we train she is as good as goold in the house and does not do it indoors, i have tried everything from ignoring her this means standing there for sometimes ten minutes until she is bored but she never seems to learn, i have tried rewarding the good behavoiur playing games being stern, but  i am now at my wits end and every time i go out she does it, it will get to the point soon where i wont want to take her out any advice please as i feel ive tryed everything many thanks

Probably won't work with a water loving retriever, but when my 6 year old came back to me with no manners at 8 1/2 months, and thought I was her persoanl tug toy I used a spray bottle set to jet and squirtd her in the face until she stopped coming.  She would try coming aroun from the side, ducking her head, but I kept the spraying up, until she calmed down.

Now that she knows the boundaries, we can have a rought game, and all I say is 'enough' and she stops.  that was the word I used with the spray.

This is not a method for a sensitive dog, but yours doesn't sound like one

If water doesn't work to halt her in her tracks perhaps a shrill whistle, or as a last resort one of theose dog stop /rape alarms.

I would really hesiotate with the latter in case it badly affected her recall to you.  Consult a good trainer and try everything else first.

hi she is definetley not sensitive and if i squirted her with water she woulod think it was great and a game, I just dont no what to do really as nothing seems to be working i stood there for 11 minutes the other day whilst she was attacking me, until she finally gave up did feel a real fool when people were walking past staring thinking om my goodness look at that naughty dog and the owner that has no control!!!

She basically has no respect for you and doesn't take you seriously. 

I have had the same with my dogs, where one of them Tula would never be taken seriously by the younger dogs, and they would take liberties with her that they wouldn't dare with her mother or her daughter, they just knew she was a soft touch.  She would growl and snap to no avail, but the other two only needed yo give a quelling look and that was it.

Have you ever taken assertiveness training courses?  This is basically what you ahve to learn to do, so that you are not sending out mixed and weak signals, as just like children they know what they can get away with.

I would get a bit more proactive with her, she needs to know you mean what you say and that her behaviour is unacceptable.

You need to be calm and forceful.  Keep you vioice low, and your body movements to a minimum, and your postur3e errect.

If she is on lead I would hold her still until she stops the jumping mouthing, and then very gently praise and walk on.  chat to her in a low soothing voice, not a happy come play with me voice.  Redirect her energy onto a tuggy toy or a ball.

I totally agree with you in that i to think she has no respect as my partner only has to look at her when she is being naughty and she stops training sounds a good idea, dont suppose you would no where i could find classes? also i wonder why she listens to me in the house? as i am no different out, i do all training with her as well which she does very well, and responds to all commands in the house anyway the rrot of the problem is no respect however the question is what do i do about it as the problems occurinhg everytimje were out and it's getting to the point where its no longer enjoyable taking her out!

For the meantime I would use a Gentle leader headcollar to control the end of the dog giving you most trouble.

I certainly would suggest trainign classes.  I rather assumed that you already wnet to classes, as I would always advise all new and most exixsting dog trainers to take a pup to classes, for the socialisation and distraction if nothing else :D

Your Vet is likely to ahve a list of classes.

I suggest you go and watch some and decide which ones methods are likely to suit you and your dog.  they should be primarily motivational, though a little good old fashioned discipline where appropriate is good too.

As Jeangenie said on your other post, if this behaviour doesn't get rewarded then it should stop, so the ignoring should work eventually.  However!

One possibility is that she is still getting some sort of inadvertent reward out of jumping and biting.  Are there times when you've eventually got so fed up (and I can well understand why you might!) that you've told her off and she is seeing that as "any attention is better than none"?  Or that you have tried to grab her collar to hold her still and she is seeing this as a game or a challenge?  Just the other day I saw someone trying to hold a Labrador still and it just intensified his efforts to jump up and really wound him up ready for when they let go!

Secondly, it could be that the behaviour will get worse before she gives up on it.  Someone once compared it to how you frantically keep trying the ignition when the car won't start - harder and harder before you finally give up and call the RAC.

Finally, have you tried with the head collar at all?

Sorry you are feeling at your wits end - improvement could be just around the corner. :-)

Sararose, whereabouts do you live?  Someone might know of a good trainer in your area.

I would disagree with all this "respect" stuff.  Look - your dog is a young puppy.  She is highly excited when you take her out because there are lots of new smells and sights and experiences out there.  It's not about respect - it's about dogs doing what works. 

I agree with the suggestion of using some kind of head halter like a Halti or a Gentle Leader.  This often works to calm dogs down - some people say because when the mother dog wants to calm a pup down, she puts her mouth gently round the pups mouth - this is what the pressure from the head collar does around the dog's jaw.  So I would definitely give that a go.

Another simple thing to try is to stand on the lead.  Dog starts jumping up, you stop walking and stand on the lead so that the dog only has enough lead to stand and cannot jump anywhere.  Dog tries to jump several times but it doesn't work so dog stops.

I too think she is getting excited when out and is using you as a plaything. I would continue ignoring the behaviour and keep turning your back on her until she stops - as soon as she does praise. Who cares if you look silly to other people - i would prefer a well behaved dog!!
She needs to know this isn't acceptable so dont give in no matter how tempting it is!!

my pup used to do this all the time. i too was at my wits end. the ignoring and yelping did nothing!! we tried the water bottle and it did help but didnt completely stop it. i think she grew out of it as much as anything. she still tries very occasionally and now 'No' is usually enough to stop it. also the training discs you can buy are great! mine used to do it more when we crossed a road, or we walked past somebody!! she just got very overexcited!! dont worry, it will stop!

hi everyone thanks ever so much for the advice it all makes perfect sense, I will percivea (i cant spell just hope you no what i mean sorry!!) and may try the head collar, some really good tips though whcich I will try and fingers crossed ill get somewhere eventually although I no it's a long road and wont happen overnight boo hoo why is it that just when you think great things are going well something pops up and bites you in the bum!! the joy are having pets!!!! it's all worth it though

I agree with onetwothree standing on the lead this is a really good way of stopping the jumping and nipping.
Do you find you wave your arms about and she thinks you have a treat ??
try keeping your hands down or your left hand close your hip if you have a treat.
When you say she is good in the house when training I think it is a good idea to train in the park or other places where you walk etc otherwise she will get it into her head that good behaviour is only for the home.
I train my girls at different times when I have 5 mins to spare eg: while cooking the tea I will do sit /stay or down even heelwork up and down treat then they can go play or in the park find a quiet spot and get her attention even if its just a down for 30 sec .....

Roni

Sometimes with ignoring, it may not work if the dog actually finds what it is doing self rewarding - does that make sense? ie if she's all excited and wound up she may enjoy doing it for its own sake :)

You've got some good tips here, you could try toy distraction, getting an incompatible behaviour such as sit (i've done both of these, I've had 2 dogs who were similar at adolescence stage :P ) and gradually you get more and more listening and obedience and less aggro. It's a matter I believe, of gradually training in the good stuff and trainingout the bad!
Good luck!

Lindsay
x

I remember posting a thread last year the same as this but with merlin, (obviously). I know it seems tough, but the best methods are the ones already advised. Merlin actually drew blood a few times nipping me and he only did it to me. I took the advise and after a few weeks, he stopped doing it. I would turn my back and walk a few steps away and he would follow and carry on, i would repeat this saying a firm no before i moved and eventually he got it. It is a lenghty process and i wouldnt worry about dominance issues with her. Merlin used to curl his bottom lip before he would start and when i saw this i would immediately get the treats out and do some training with him. That could be another tip, find out if there are any tell tale signs of this behaivour starting and go for distraction. Other than that the other advice given especially by jeangeinie were what worked for me. Incidently the little tike licked the water off his face when i sprayed him, jumped up and licked the end of the water pistol. Be patient and good luck and if all else fails she will grow out of it as quickly as she started.