Pets
Play and Exercise
If your puppy is excessively biting and jumping, it does not necessarily mean that he is wild or out-of-control. The problem is often lack of adequate exercise. When your puppy does not get enough exercise he becomes frustrated, and when left to his own devices, will find his own "entertainment." If you do not provide a constructive outlet for your puppy's play drive and energy, you will have many more behavior problems, including biting and destruction. This can be avoided by giving your puppy lots of constructive exercise and play.Remember that your puppy is learning every waking minute. He learns a lot when you play with him. You want to teach and play games that encourage positive behaviors.
Exercise
Puppies need to run. Find a safe environment (fenced-in area, tennis court, etc.) and allow him to run free and play with you. Reward him every time he returns to you to check in. Don't rely on leash walking as his primary form of exercise. Even though this is good exercise for both of you, it is not enough for the puppy.
Using a long line to keep him safe and under your control, take your puppy for a hike, a swim, a walk on the beach, or a romp in the park. The more time you spend with your puppy doing fun, positive things, the deeper the bond between you will grow.
Games
Left to their own devices, puppies will teach you how to play. Instead, start to teach him games that you like and want to encourage.
Roughhousing with your hands should be completely avoided. This teaches grabbing, biting, and causes your puppy to be very "mouthy." Any "game" that brings out these types of behaviors should be completely avoided, especially with children.
Make sure your pup knows which toys are his. If you want him to play only with his toys, then he must be able to distinguish them from everything else. If his toys number in the dozens, then he will never be able to do this. Many people protest that even though the dog has "tons of toys, all over the house" of his own, he still takes things that are not his. Often that is the very problem -- he has so many toys strewn around the house amongst the children's toys, sneakers, shoes and articles of clothing, he cannot possibly keep straight which are his and which are not. Anything he can grab is a toy to him.
Consider designating a special toy box for your puppy's toys. Take him to his toy box and teach him the meaning of "toy box." Say "toy box", and when he takes a toy from his box, praise him like crazy, and join him in play with the toy. He will learn that if he wants something to play with or chew on, he just has to go into his toy box and retrieve a toy. Periodically, hide yummy treats or stuffed Kongs in his toy box to increase its attraction.
Games which encourage positive behavior such as retrieve, catch, hide and seek, find it, FrisbeeTM, tug and soccer are encouraged. Do not allow a puppy to jump up to get the FrisbeeTM or ball. While he is still growing, his bones are fragile and jumping should not be encouraged at this age. A wonderful toy that you might not have thought of is an empty hard plastic bottle (such as an empty laundry detergent or 2-liter soda bottle). Puppies love to chase and knock such a bottle around because it slides or moves around easily and they cannot hold it in their mouths.
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PETsMART Accredited Training Instructors, in addition to their previous experience, receive a minimum of 120 hours of training in a curriculum which includes: Canine Behavior, Learning Theory ("How Dogs Learn"), Problem-Solving, Classroom Management, Equipment, Handling Skills and more. Where possible, hands-on training is completed in partnership with local shelters, using shelter dogs to demonstrate training methods, behavior assessment and handling skills. This enables us to accredit our instructors while contributing to the community, as we help to make these dogs even more adoptable.
Suzanne Hetts Ph.D. is certified as an applied animal behaviorist and co-owner of Animal Behavior Associates, Inc., in Denver, CO.
Terry Ryan is the well-known author of training books such as The Toolbox for Remodeling Your Problem Dog and The Bark Stops Here.
Pia Silvani is the Director of Pet Training and Behavior at St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center in Madison, N.J.
Mary Lee Nitschke, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychology at Linfield College, an Animal Behavior Therapist and the Director of Training for Animal School in Portland, OR.
Trish King is the Director of the Animal Behavior and Training Department at the Marin Humane Society in Marin County, CA.
Pamela J. Reid, Ph.D. is a certified applied animal behaviorist and assistant professor at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, where she teaches veterinary students courses in Applied Ethology and the Principles of Learning.
Information and advice contained on this site is for your consideration only. Please consult your veterinarian for specific advice concerning the care and treatment of your pet.
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