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 Pet Central
Q&A
Q: My 3-month-old weimaraner is out
of control. I believe she's teething, so her biting is not malicious.
We discourage her by saying "no" and pushing her away, then we put a chew
toy in her mouth. But nothing seems to work. She's a high-energy dog and
she's driving us crazy! What do we do? -- S.H., Cyberspace
A: You're on the right track.
Puppies investigate with their mouths just as toddlers do with their hands.
First off, like saying "no" to
a toddler, the puppy may not understand what you mean. Trainers have various
methods to communicate that "no" means stop. Some recommend flicking the
dog on the nose with an index finger, yelping ``ouch!" like a mother dog
might, or merely walking away. Cis Frankel, a Chicago trainer, likes the
idea of saying "no" while simultaneously clapping your hands next to the
dog's ears. No matter what you do, hang in there; repetition and patience
are the keys.
Frankel recommends simultaneously
teaching your pup the "leave it"/"take it" commands. Feed the dog by hand
and say "take it." Then put food in your hand and repeat the words "leave
it." Don't allow the dog to have this food until you say "take it." When
the dog nips on fingers, say "leave it."
Meanwhile, you're correct to offer
the pup chew toys when it wants to finger nibble. "It sounds like the
puppy just doesn't quite get it," says Frankel. "Motivate the dog to play
with the toys. One way to increase the desire is to begin play, then put
the toy away for a few minutes. Take it back out, then put it away only
moments later while the puppy still wants more."
As for energetic weimaraners,
Frankel ought to know. She lives with three of them. Her advice: "Learn
control from a good puppy class, and provide regular exercise."
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