In the mornings I started to let Breeze of the lead just for a little while when there are no other dogs in the park. She is great most of the time, and she does come to me. The problem is that she goes a little loopy and starts biting my boots or trousers. I don't let her off the lead for long as she is still growing, but need to do this is short spurts. I have tried tucking my trousers into my boots and she still likes to have a bite of them. I take a kong on the rope with me, but she still seems more interested in my boots. I put her back on the lead and she is fine again.

I know that she is still a baby (7 months) but does anyone have any ideas how I can stop this behaviour as I will not want a fully grown Rottie doing this to me in the future? (I have ordered some padded wellies)

Does she do this at any other time?  Do you play with her at any other time?  What do you do when she does it?  Does she have good associations with feet in general (doesn't shy away from them at other times)?  Will she play with the Kong at other times?

Hi digger

She does this sometimes when we play in the garden but I always have some thing I can bang to make a noise and she stops after a couple of times. She has lots of toys at home she can play with and the kong on a rope is one of her favourites. When she does it in the park, I let out an 'ouch' in a deep tone but I may be getting the tone wrong. I put her back on the lead and she is fine. When she was younger, I did have problems with her pulling on the lead, but this has got so much better.

One of the problems is that when she comes bouncing back she hasn't learnt to stop and runs straight into me. This may be because she has only ever been walked on the lead before and this is the first time she has enough room to really run around, my garden in my old house was a little small and now its massive. The park is empty in the mornings, so thought I need to start somewhere with being off lead.

I am not sure what you mean by 'good associations with feet'! She loves my slippers and tries to take them off me while I am wearing them but apart from that she is fine.

Any advice would be great.

Hi Sarah

Will be interested to read any advice you get on this, as our rottie pup is also somewhat obsessed with feet and shoes- keeps pulling my hubbys socks off!

Thank you for your replies :)

Having toys at home is not always the same as having 'play times' when she can play with you - I'd be looking to give her plenty of opportunities to play with you in an appropriate manner.  I think this play may be the result of her need for more time with you.

For the recall problem - as she comes back towards you, ask for a sit before she gets to you, to slow her down a bit.  OR use the toy, by throwing it slightly to one side (alternate the sides so she doesn't anticipate), this again will slow her down, and both times entice her back when she's more under control.

PS - Don't allow the slipper game indoors - perhaps you could stop wearing slippers, or wear a more secure pair so she can't get involved in the game.

HTH

thanks for the advice. Never thought of it like that. Will try what you suggest.

With regards to the slipper game, I didn't encourage it in anyway, and recenlty missed out on a more secure pair of slippers on Ebay so will have to try again. With the builders at home at the moment, I need to wear something, the floor is filthy, plus its getting a little too cold. I started wearing these as she used to take my socks off my feet. She's a very cheeky girl, with loads of character. At least she is not aggressive and just playing, but I need to learn about boundries and how to instill them more than she does after all, she is still a baby.

Once again, thanks

I find owners often don't realise they are encouraging a game, but by simply paying the dog attention when the dog does a particular thing, the dog is getting a reward, particularly if the dog isn't getting rewards from the owner when they aren't doing anything in particular - owners often forget to praise a dog when it's simply chilling out!...