Biting

[PENELOPE DILL]

Hi Adrienne:

I signed up with your program with the hopes of finding info to help me with my 6 month old german shepherd/golden retriever mix.

I've had her since she was 8 weeks old and the first few days were great.  Then she turned into a biting machine, not just typical puppy nipping.  House breaking went great in just 2 weeks, she sits and stays when treats are involved and is relatively quiet, not a barker. And I have been working with her since she came home including an in class obedience class, another online trainer and several books for reference.  None of the info seems to apply to her.

But her attitude is something I've never experienced before and I've had dogs my whole life.  She ignores me when I try to correct her behavior in the appropriate ways and then she lunges at me and tries to bite me - most of the time.  Not growling or snarling but as if to say "I'm going to do what I want and don't try to stop me".  Maybe trying to bully me so I'll leave her alone?  And she is very destructive if I don't watch her all of the time.  Everything I have tried hasn't worked, she has improved very little.  For example, when she was younger and would bite me, I would yip like a dog and she would immediately go after me even more.  As if it set her off or she was thought it was a game but leaving me bleeding everyday.  And much of the time outside, she suddenly begins jumping on me and biting at me.  I have tried to turn away and ignore her and she bites my legs or tears at my clothes.  The only way to stop her is to try and grab hold of her and drag her into the house and into her pen and ignore her until she calms down.  At 6 months she is already 65 pounds and 25 " at the shoulder so she is a challenge.  She's fine sometimes and always when playing ball but I don't want to have to play ball every single time we go outside.

I've seen her play with dogs her size and the way they act and I feel as if she "plays" with me as if I were a dog.  I'm not afraid of her but I am exhausted and overwhelmed and considering finding another home for her if I can't find some new ideas on how to work with her to where she will begin responding appropriately.  I can't afford a personal trainer and I can't wait 3 years for her to grow calmer.

She gets plenty of exercise, I play games with her, interact with her and love on her and she isn't caged for the most part until bedtime.  My vet just says "that's the shepherd in her' but I need help now.  Can you advise me or direct me to info on your website that will help with her specific behavior? 

Thank you,  Penelope

 

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hi Penelope, 

I can feel your pain because I have worked with dogs who are this way and it's no fun being filled with scratches and black and blues from all the nipping. I have a few questions to better understand your situation:

How is her bite inhibition? Does she break skin?

What do you mean that she sits and stays when treats are involved? Are you showing her the treats and if she doesn't see them she won't stay?

Can you provide more details on the ways you have used to correct her so far? Saying no? Raising your voice? Deepening your tone? Grabbing her by collar (does she try to nip or run away)?  Chasing her around? Have you used any type of physical corrections like scruff shakes, holding the muzzle, pushing her away? 

When you correct her you mention that she ignores you, but then you also mention that after that she's lunging and biting. What happens right before she starts lunging and biting? Are you showing any signs of frustration for her ignoring you? 

What destructive behaviors does she engage in exactly?

How much does she sleep a day? Does she have a quiet spot to retreat to?

Are you able to pet her or does she nip your hands when touched?

Are you able to take her on walks?

Thanks!

[PENELOPE DILL]

Hi Adrienne:

Thank you for your response.  Her bite inhibition has gotten better over the last month - she likes to mouth me a lot.  But when she lunges at me she bites harder.  Without her baby teeth, she doesn't seem to break the skin as much.  Still not desired behavior from her.

Housebreaking went easily and quickly and learning to sit and stay also.  If she doesn't follow through the first time, I have offered her a treat and I realize through your training I need by this time not to show it to her.  But she will sit quickly when I put down her food bowl and wait until the command ok and when going outside I have her sit and stay so she follows me outside, no treat is offered.  She's getting to do something of value to her.

Correction so far has been following Doggy Dan's website in the beginning - creating the "pack leader" relationship but very loving and calm.  She simply didn't respond and seemed to be constantly challenging me for authority.  At first distracting her while telling her no as a puppy, then telling her no and giving her a time out after a few months.  For example, I have been trying to keep her out of the kitchen the entire time I've had her.  Put a boundary line down so she could see where to stop, a comfy place nearby so she could see me but after 4 months she still ignores this.  Would guide her out, tell her to stay and she is right back, over and over.  3rd time put her in time out for a few minutes, she immediately goes right back as soon as she comes out of time out.  When you have to rewash your hands 12 times in 6 minutes, it can make you crazy !  I also bought several books that were recommended and same issues - never info on how to deal with this type of attitude.  I recently took her to a beginners obedience class for 5 week whose website said they would address biting, jumping, chewing etc.  But all they taught was sit, stay, and leash walking.  When I asked for help with the problems I had, they said to carry 5-6 tightly rolled up newpapers in your back pockets, taped, and without letting the dog see them, throw and hit the dog when they are doing something wrong.  No help there.

For 15 years we had a golden/wolf mix (according to the vet) 100 lb dog.  She was absolutely an alpha dog but just stubborn, not defiant.  Never behaved like this dog, very sweet and loving to all of the family and I had small children at the time we got her.  Molly seems to just be hyper-focused on whatever and doesn't hear me or listen.  And if I go to her and gently take her collar to remove her from whatever she is chewing on, she tries to bite me immediately.  All of our other dogs seemed eager to please, Molly does not.  She crowds me a lot - no personal space.  Doggy Dan said to gently push them a little away from you and ignore them, she bites.  Ignoring her doesn't work as she just keeps nosing you or shoving you or biting (not hard now but still annoying).

I don't chase her.  For a long time, anytime I was going to correct her by putting her in her crate or time out or wanting her to come inside, she would flip onto her back and claw and bite at me.  So if I could get her collar and some scruff, she would follow me.  I've never hurt her, she has never yipped.  When I tell her no to something, she gets this look on her face like she is going to play - I can't describe it - and then lunges for me and starts biting.  or maybe it's an "oh yeah" look 🙂  By now, I am frustrated and overwhelmed.  I do yell her name at times after her ignoring me over and over.  Destructive behavior is chewing anything; carpet, wooden trim, furniture, books, cabinets, door knobs - you name it she still tries to chew it.  She has great chew toys made for super chewers that she loves and appropriate toys.  She just can't seem to leave anything alone.  She roams the area she allowed in and just tries to chew on everything.

She doesn't sleep during the day.  At times she will lie down but doesn't sleep.  Has comfy beds and quiet areas to retreat to.  She loves to be petted and mouths me, doesn't try to bite.  She seems to have a sweet nature.  She is out of her crate.  I have made her an enclosed area of about 4 x 6 on tile, with a comfy bed and her water. she even has a window.  She can see the middle of the house so she isn't isolated.  We do go out into my backyard which is a good size and she loves to chase balls.  Do this 4 - 5 times every day until she is too tired to continue.  2 weeks after I got her I herniated a disc in my back so that has been healing and we haven't consistently walked because of the pain I have.  This trainer put a prong collar on her at class and she stopped dragging me around.  It's not something I wanted to use but think I will have to until she begins to respond correctly for walks.  I am very conscious of keeping it loose unless she needs correction - she seems to respond well to it and rarely pulls.  She is so huge now that her jumping at me can literally knock me down if I don't see her coming.

I have never had to give away a pet and it brings me to tears at just the thought.  It really has not been enjoyable having her so far but I desperately hope this will change.  I know they use shepherds for military and law enforcement and they seem so well behaved !  I appreciate any help you can give to me.

Thank you,  Penelope

[PENELOPE DILL]

One more comment that might be of interest.

When you feed her anything from your hand, she is extremely gentle.

Thanks,  Penelope

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Thank you for the extra details, they are very helpful! Please see my annotations in non-bold under yours. 

 Her bite inhibition has gotten better over the last month - she likes to mouth me a lot.  But when she lunges at me she bites harder.  Without her baby teeth, she doesn't seem to break the skin as much.  Still not desired behavior from her. One more comment that might be of interest. When you feed her anything from your hand, she is extremely gentle.

OK, I am glad to hear that her bite inhibition has gotten better, and that she's able to take treats gently. The fact that she bites harder and gets rougher when she lunges is because she's over threshold.

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/threshold-levels/

So the key here is to work on lowering those arousal levels which often takes a multi-faceted approach. 

At 6 months, your pup is now an adolescent, and just as it happens with human teens, this is a stage where we often encounter challenges, so much so that this is the developmental stage where most dogs are relinquished to shelters. 

Here is a general guide on what to expect during the adolescent stage, the good news is that knowledge is power and there are several strategies we can use to ameliorate the situation. 

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/survive-dogs-adolescent-stage/

Housebreaking went easily and quickly and learning to sit and stay also.  If she doesn't follow through the first time, I have offered her a treat and I realize through your training I need by this time not to show it to her.  But she will sit quickly when I put down her food bowl and wait until the command ok and when going outside I have her sit and stay so she follows me outside, no treat is offered.  She's getting to do something of value to her.

Yes, we need to fade those treats so that the dog doesn't become overly dependent on them. This could turn training into an act of bribery, where the dog doesn't perform the behavior because the treat is not visually present. This isn't really a dog being stubborn, it's just that the dog truly believes that the presence of the treat is a cue and part of the training. More about this is covered here; https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/dog-listens-treats/ and here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/polishing-up-training/fading-food-lures/

Correction so far has been following Doggy Dan's website in the beginning - creating the "pack leader" relationship but very loving and calm.  She simply didn't respond and seemed to be constantly challenging me for authority.  At first distracting her while telling her no as a puppy, then telling her no and giving her a time out after a few months. 

The belief that dogs challenge us for authority is based on the outdated belief that dogs are trying to be alpha and they perpetuate flawed dominance myths. These type of beliefs promote an adversarial relationship with dogs as they make us assume that dogs are constantly vying for top spot, when in reality, in most cases, dogs are simply engaging in undesirable behaviors because there is type of reinforcement at play.

More about this is discussed here:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/dominance/

One main problem with saying no is that dogs are not really given the opportunity to engage in what we would like them to do instead. This creates a behavior "vacuum." Other problems with saying "no" include: 

• Risking bad timing
• Risking the dog associating our presence with something negative.
• Risking dogs behaving only in our presence.
• Risking not providing enough clarity (exact circumstance, exact behavior.)
• The word may lose meaning/value over time
• For attention seeking dogs, saying no can be a form of attention 
• The word no doesn't offer any additional direction.

In lieu of no, I find a more specific cue such as 'leave it" to provide more information and "drop it" if the dog happens to get something he shouldn't have. These give dogs more direction on what we expect from them, and reinforcement maintains its value. 

These are covered here:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/take-leave-it/

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/drop-it/

For example, I have been trying to keep her out of the kitchen the entire time I've had her.  Put a boundary line down so she could see where to stop, a comfy place nearby so she could see me but after 4 months she still ignores this.  Would guide her out, tell her to stay and she is right back, over and over.  3rd time put her in time out for a few minutes, she immediately goes right back as soon as she comes out of time out.  When you have to rewash your hands 12 times in 6 minutes, it can make you crazy ! 

It sounds like she is very drawn to you and wants to follow you around. Sounds more like anxiety-driven than a dog who is being disobedient. Does she act anxious when she is left home alone? Does she follow you around room to room? Are you allowing her sometimes yes and sometimes no in the kitchen? When you aren't around is she allowed to go there? Does she eat food like crumbs or steals stuff on the counter?  Inconsistencies/anxiety are often at the root of this behavior. 

I also bought several books that were recommended and same issues - never info on how to deal with this type of attitude.  I recently took her to a beginners obedience class for 5 week whose website said they would address biting, jumping, chewing etc.  But all they taught was sit, stay, and leash walking.  When I asked for help with the problems I had, they said to carry 5-6 tightly rolled up newpapers in your back pockets, taped, and without letting the dog see them, throw and hit the dog when they are doing something wrong.  No help there.

So sorry to hear you haven't received details on how to work on her behaviors, and that you were given bad advice. I will provide some information on what typically causes dogs 'to talk back" and how to deal with this type of attitude and will cover more in depth some of the other issues you mention shortly in another post.

So as mentioned, it's important to point out that the term dominant has been misused for a long time and this label has blurred the real motives behind many dog behaviors. This misuse hurts many dog-owner relationships, because it promotes conflict (we need to put our dogs into place because otherwise they'll take over and become alphas!). On top of conflict, it can cause dog owners to build up resentment and frustration. 

It's therefore important pointing out that by "talking back" to you, your dog is not really trying to challenge you. Rather, the talking back is a form of communication. Many dog owners are relieved when they hear this.

What is your dog though trying to say? Let's take a look at some possibilities and dynamics that may going on. Please note that these are just general dynamics/examples and don't necessarily apply to your specific situation.. 

1) A Desire to Play

Young dogs have a lot of energy and steam to burn and their desire to play is sometimes so great, they'll do anything that grants any form of interaction from their owners.  It may therefore happen that such dogs will "misbehave" on purpose just for the fun of it. 

It may start like this: the owner sits down on the couch to watch TV, but the dog has lots of energy and would like to play. The dog therefore starts barking at the owner, but the owner ignores. So the dog escalates and starts nipping at the owner's arms. The owner gets upset and yells "No!" at the dog and angrily tosses a shoe his way. The dog grabs the shoe and start chewing on it, and the owner frustrated yells at him, the dog runs with the shoe and the owner angrily starts chasing him around the house. 

In this case, the dog has attained what he wanted, or at least some desirable consequence: interaction and a fun game of chase/"keep away!"

2) A Matter of Reinforcement

Many good and bad behaviors in dogs repeat, strengthen and establish courtesy of reinforcement. Reinforcement takes place any time something the dog perceives as good follows a behavior. 

So in the example above, when the owner gets angry, he tossed the dog his shoe (a toy!) and then tries to chase him to get it back (a game of chase!) So the scene repeats over and over every evening or when the dog feels bored and wants to play. 

For many dogs who are young, overly energized, bored, understimulated, anxious, owner attention is very valuable and any type of attention will do, even if it's attention of the negative type (like getting angry and frustrated).

When owners get angry and frustrated, they make eye contact with the dog, talk to him, push him away or even try to grab them and chase them around (either because they have grabbed something  they shouldn't have and want to retrieve it or to try to get a hold of their collar to close them in timeout ).

These all qualify as forms of attention for  attention-seeking dogs so they'll keep on misbehaving just to get that. This is similar to toddlers who start misbehaving when mom is on the phone just to get a slice of her attention. These toddlers aren't challenging their mom's authority, they just like the attention they receive. 

3) Anger/Frustration Becomes a Part of the Game 

As owners keep on getting angry and frustrated, dogs may interpret it as part of the game.  Indeed, if you watch their body language, you'll often notice that they play bow and emit high-pitched playful barks in hopes of getting their owners to interact with them.  

4) Escalation To Anger 

At some point, as these young dogs don't seem to get our point across, it's easy to fall trap into the need for escalating our anger. This is where dog owners may start getting more and more frustrated and may feel the need to use harsher methods.  They may start considering using a shock collar or holding their dogs mouth shut when they bark back or nip or may use an alpha roll.  They may enlist the use of trainers who use physical corrections or tools that cause discomfort/pain. These interventions though risk making matters much worse.

5) Increased Arousal Levels 

When we start getting more and more fed up, our dogs perceive our emotions.  This leads to a vicious cycle where the more fed up we become, the more we increase the arousal levels in the dog. Also getting angry and frustrated with our dogs, proves reinforcing to us as well, considering that we vent and let go of the bottled emotions. As we get more and frustrated though we may use harsher methods and by doing this we prove to our dogs that we are unpredictable and not trust worthy. From their perspective, we go from playing with them, to scaring them. 

6) The "Fool Around" Response

In some other cases, there may be chances that when dogs sense we are getting frustrated, fed up and angry, they get stressed and respond through what's known as the 'fool around' response. The fool around response is one of the 4 F's of survival, that is fight, flight, freeze and fool around. 

Dogs who bark and play bow in response to an owner's building frustration may therefore simply be a dog responding to their cues in a stressed way. These dogs may be hoping to calm the owner down, sending appeasement gestures his/her way, only that these are misunderstood. 

7) Offense is the Best Defense

When we get frustrated, angry or employ harsh methods (for some soft dogs even raising our voice can be harsh), in future interactions, dogs may no longer bark or nip us to play, but they may bark/nip to defend themselves.

Such dogs may have a history of being yelled at or owners may have used physical reprimands such as scruff shakes, muzzle grabs, alpha rolls and being roughly pulled away by using their collar. Even talking to our dogs in an intimidating tone, moving angrily around them or yelling at them, may be enough to turn a dog defensive. Soon the dog learns to utilize the "offense is the best defense" approach. 

How to Deal With Dogs Who Talk Back

As seen, dogs may "talk back" for a variety of reasons. Following are several tips.

-Embrace Cooperation Rather Than Conflict

To change the way a dog reacts to saying no, it's important creating a foundation of trust and mutual cooperation.  Understand that your dog is not purposely acting defiant, he simply doesn't understand what you would like him to do and is confused in the process. 

Yes, he or she may have high energy levels, but just need you to channel them in more productive ways that are acceptable to both of you. 

Consider that many times dogs who are hyper are also stressed, so by reducing the conflict and working more on relationship-building and trust, you are more likely to reap the rewards, than getting angry. 

-Prevent rehearsal of the problem behavior

The more a dog rehearses a problem behavior, the more it puts roots and establishes. Through strategic antecedent arrangements (preventing the unwanted behavior from happening, providing outlets for natural behaviors) and replacement behaviors we can change their undesirable habits into desirable ones. The process doesn't happen overnight, but with time we should see gradual improvement. 

Teach Alternate Behaviors 

Dogs who "misbehave" are in desperate need of gentle guidance. Consider thinking in terms of teaching your dog what you would like her to do rather than not do. 

If your dog jumps and nips on you first thing in the morning upon greeting you, consider carrying some kibble in your pocket and as soon as she moves towards you say "sit'" and toss a kibble at a distance. When she returns to you, repeat. Rinse and repeat until you have established a new fun routine. This prevents rehearsal of the problematic behavior, while also giving your dog a workout using a portion of food she needs to eat anyways-a win-win!

I will go more in depth on the other things you mentioned shortly!

[Adrienne Farricelli]

When she was younger and would bite me, I would yip like a dog and she would immediately go after me even more.  As if it set her off or she was thought it was a game but leaving me bleeding everyday

Yelping can work for some of the mellower dogs, but in others, it can actually increase their arousal levels making us sound like a squeaky toy and they indeed, can come to think it's all part of play. 

And much of the time outside, she suddenly begins jumping on me and biting at me.  I have tried to turn away and ignore her and she bites my legs or tears at my clothes.  The only way to stop her is to try and grab hold of her and drag her into the house and into her pen and ignore her until she calms down.  At 6 months she is already 65 pounds and 25 " at the shoulder so she is a challenge.  She's fine sometimes and always when playing ball but I don't want to have to play ball every single time we go outside.

Many puppies and young dogs associate yard-time with time to act hyper. The extra space is inviting for stretching those legs and throwing a party. Owners of two dogs know this well based on how they automatically start romping and playing rough when they open the door that leads to the yard. For many dogs, the yard is the canine equivalent of an amusement park, where they get to do their favorite things. 

Many puppies get a case of "zoomies" when they're taken outside. They'll run around and try to engage their owners in rough play. It's not unusual for them to suddenly launch on their owners and nip in hopes of some interaction. This can start early in puppyhood, but it can exacerbate once adolescence is around the corner if not tackled early. 

From 6 months upwards, teenager dogs are bigger and stronger so they may appear more intimidating than a small puppy tugging at your pant legs. 

In particular, puppies and young dogs may launch themselves against their helpless humans when they have pent-up energy and don't know what to do with it. This may be the case when dogs haven't been exercised enough or haven't received enough mental stimulation after days of being confined at home due to bad weather. 

Many puppies and young dogs also crave interaction and attention.  If you go out in the yard and start attending to your garden or sit down planning to read a book, your puppy may try to get you to interact with him. Puppies who deeply crave attention may do anything for a little attention, even if, as mentioned,  that happens to be attention of the "negative type."

In other words, just looking at them, scolding them or pushing them away qualifies as attention to them. And the more you try to push them away, the more they'll engage with you. And if you decide to ignore them, you will have to expect a full blown 'extinction burst.' Which is the behavior getting worse (rougher nipping, more jumping), before getting better.

For example, if a dog was used to pawing at the owner to be petted and the owner complied most of the time, once the owner stops petting, the pawing may increase considerably. This is an extinction burst, which is the dog’s way of saying “hey, I am here, don’t you see me? I guess I must increase my pawing and nudging behavior since it is no longer working to get your attention.” How do you deal with an extinction burst?  By continuing to ignore the behavior and not rewarding it in any way. Rewarding at this point would undo all of the hard work. However, this may not be easy to endure if the dog bites hard and if you try to leave he attaches to your leg. 

So how to tackle this behavior? Here are some ideas/tips.  In most cases,  you will need to take a multi-faceted approach, tackling the issue from a variety of angles. 

-Prevent Rehearsal of the Behavior

Dogs are quite routine-based animals. They like to know what's happening next and they can quickly settle into new habits if we don't nip things in the bud. The more your puppy rehearses out-of-control behaviors involving you in the yard, the more ingrained and habit-forming it will become. Soon, getting out that door will become a cue that "wild play" is on. 

It therefore helps to prevent undesirable behaviors from establishing, and if they have already established, taking a variety of steps to provide outlets and suitable replacement behaviors that dog finds more satisfying than engaging in rowdy play. 

-Provide Outlets for Pent Up Energy

Make sure your puppy receives enough exercise and mental stimulation throughout the day. During the day, offer brain games, food puzzles, durable toys to chew, walks, play productive games that don't involve nipping you directly (fetch, tug, flirt pole).

-Ensure Enough Sleep

Also make sure that your puppy gets enough sleep during the day and night, at 6 months, your pup has still a lot of growing to do. Not sleeping enough is one of the main causes of pups acting cranky and misbehaving. You want nice and deep REM sleep with the body twitching to consolidate what he has learned during the day. 

-Create a New Yard-Time Routine 

On top of the above activities provided during the day, you also want to have a plan in place for when you need to take your dog out of the yard so that your dog has something else to do rather than just think about nipping.

 Following are several options involving the use of kibble/treats. If you are concerned about calories and your dog loves her kibble, you can use kibble only.  This is a great way to put your dog's food to good use rather than just letting your dog wolf it down within seconds from a food bowl. 

Keep some extra kibble in your pocket just in case so that you're ready to redirect your dog as you see her approach you with an intent to bite!

-Turn Yard Time Into a Treasure Hunt Game 

Strategically hide around the yard a variety of kibble/treats so that once out, your dog has a fun treasure hunt game waiting for her.

It may not be easy initially getting her mind off of nipping you, but you can introduce this game by grabbing some kibble as you head together outdoors and tossing some around the yard in a sprinkler manner, as you point and tell her happily to "go find em!" Once your pup is done, the moment you notice her approaching you, you can toss more around for her to find. 

End the session by opening the door as your dog is searching those last kibbles, and then toss some kibble  indoors so that you can both re-enter together without any nipping involved. 

At some point, once your dog learns the ropes of this game, you can also hide the kibble in the yard in many places *before* taking your dog outdoors so once you both head out, you can just tell her to "go find em!" and watch her go on a longer treasure hunt. Here is a guide on treasure hunt game:  https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/elementary/the-treasure-hunt/

-Turn Yard Time into a Treat Toss Game

This is a more dynamic game which allows your dog to also get a little workout. As in the treasure hunt game, grab some kibble as you head together outdoors and toss some around the yard in a sprinkler manner, as you point and tell her happily to "go find em!"

Then, when your dog approaches you, ask her to sit, and toss one kibble far in the yard. Once she eats that, she'll likely come back to you.  Rinse and repeat several times so that your dog is yo-yoing back and forth between sitting and chasing kibble. 

When it's time to go inside, as she catches that last kibble, open the door and ask for a final sit and toss the treat indoors. 

-Provide Independent Activities

Of course, we can't always be out there tossing balls or treats for our dogs, so it can help to encourage independent activities that don't involve us. You will need to find activities that surpass the reinforcement your dog gets from interacting with you though, so this may need some experimenting. 

You can try the following: 

-Provide a stuffed Kong with goodies to keep her occupied. Freezing the Kong provided longer entertainment. 

-Provide a durable and safe edible chew like a Bully stick or Himalayan chew. 

-Try a Bubble Making machine for dogs. These make bubbles that are bacon-flavored.

-Try to use remote chasing toys such as Play Bone or Wicked Bone. Supervise to ensure the toy isn't chewed. I am not sure how these fare with outdoor play and powerful chewers. 

-Swift Paws is on a very pricey side, but it has many owners enthusiastic about it, especially for rainy days or if owners  can't exercise their dogs as much due to recovering from  a surgery/mobility problems. You'll need to allow your dog to take breaks and talk with your vet before use if you have a developing puppy as you don't want to cause damage to developing joints due to all the fast turns. 

-Since your pup is part herding breed, she may enjoy herding balls. The sport of Treibball keeps many herding dogs happy. At home, you can try a product like Jolly Pets Push n Play, but check with the vet as well. 

Games That Keep the Mouth Busy

-Tug is a good game, but it needs to be played by the rules. 

-Flirt pole poles are great to divert you dog's attention from you to the flirt toy. I use them to train good impulse control as well putting the cues take, drop and wait on cue. 

Make Nipping Less Fun/Reinforcing

-Avoid shoes with laces

-Avoid necklaces, put your hair up and avoid wearing loose clothing that invite dogs to tug (like pant legs and long skirts).

-My favorite option for leg nippers is to wear tall Wellington rubber boots when heading out. There are hard for them to grasp so at least your feet, ankles, lower parts of the legs are no longer attractive. 

-Stick nearby the door: as soon as she shows an intent to nip, "timeout" by removing yourself rather than removing her. Most dogs want us to be out with them. If repeated several times, while offering them alternative things to do,  they may get the idea that we don't  appreciate this kind of rough interaction. 

General Bite Inhibition Games: 

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/bite-inhibition-games/

To lower arousal levels:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/high-school/jazz-up-and-settle-down/

Impulse control games;

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/impulse-control-frustration-tolerance/

 

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Molly seems to just be hyper-focused on whatever and doesn't hear me or listen.  And if I go to her and gently take her collar to remove her from whatever she is chewing on, she tries to bite me immediately. 

Sounds like you will have to go back to basics and desensitize and counter-condition her to collar grabs. After that, you will also will have to toss a treat or toy when you take her to the area you wish to allow her to cool off.  You want her to enter the area voluntarily because great things happen there.

Here is a guide on how to create positive associations to collar grabs, it's under "rewarding collar grabs." https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/exercises-to-teach-puppies-to-tolerate-touch/

Here is a troubleshooting guide on when dogs don't listen to us:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/ignoring-commands/

She crowds me a lot - no personal space.  Doggy Dan said to gently push them a little away from you and ignore them, she bites.  Ignoring her doesn't work as she just keeps nosing you or shoving you or biting (not hard now but still annoying).

When training and doing behavior modification, it is best to avoid touching the dog as much as possible. When we use our hands for collar grabs, to push them away, or even to remove burrs from their fur, they come to form negative associations with our hands and this can trigger more nipping. Puppies need to learn from a young age that our hands are good, and that there's nothing to fear when we touch them, handle their paws etc. 

More on this is covered in the handling section. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/exercises-to-teach-puppies-to-tolerate-touch/

The touch and treat game can come handy. This games turns touching your puppy in different places into a fun game. The goal is to create positive associations. Aim for a lovely positive conditioned emotional response where your puppy goes from disliking or dreading being touched to looking forwards to it because of all the great associations: 

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/conditioned-emotional-response-cer/ 

Touch and Treat Game 

1)Start by touching your puppy briefly in areas he's less likely to react and feed a treat. Rinse and repeat several times looking for that lovely conditioned emotional response.

2) Gradually move to areas where your puppy may dislike being touched like the top of the head, ears or paws. Always feeding a treat to create positive associations. If your puppy tries to nip, split the exercise into smaller steps. For example if your puppy tries nipping when you try to pat the top of the head, start petting the nose lightly or sides of the head and giving a treat until he's comfortable with that before progressing to petting the top of the head.

Another game that may help involves desensitizing to our movements. 

I call it the "observe and behave" game. 

1) Ask your dog to sit and stay

2) Wave your hands/arms around very lightly in front of your dog. Click (or verbally mark) and treat for resisting the urge to nip. You may need to be initially very quick to praise and feed a treat so to catch your dog before she has a chance to think about nipping. If she struggles, practice by presenting lighter versions of the movements. 

3) Practice with more and more attractive movements, going gradually. If any any time she struggles, keep taking a step back and work on lighter/less arousing versions before progressing again. 

The goal is for her to learn that the game is to resist the urge to nip no matter how distracting the movements. You can get creative then and practice with other distracting things like resisting to nip a string that you drag, a cheap necklace you dangle near her face, or flapping pant legs. 

Ideally the handling games are done when we first get our puppies, but I have used these exercises with dogs even 8-12 months old and they responded well, although it took a bit longer. I asked earlier how your dog's bite inhibition was because pups may occasionally nip us when we do these exercises, so it may be difficult if they have little inhibition. However, the ultimate goal is to minimize the chances of nipping by using baby steps and keeping an eye on the dog's body language. If too much nipping occurs, we need to make the exercises easier or do some troubleshooting.

Please use caution and get professional help if your pup nips hard or shows signs of aggression. 

I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any questions and keep us updated!

Happy training!

Adrienne 

Disclaimer: behavior modification comes with risks. If your puppy or dog shows signs of potential aggression (lunging, barking, growling, snapping, biting) for safety, please consult with a dog behavior professional who uses force-free behavior modification techniques (no shock, prongs, or physical corrections) for direct in-person guidance. Articles, videos and general info found in the forums or course (or any online source) are not meant to replace in-person training/instruction. By using this course and forum, you are waiving any liability claims or other type of claims related to any dogs' behavior against you or others.

[Adrienne Farricelli]

I am back, I seem to have missed a few things. 

Destructive behavior is chewing anything; carpet, wooden trim, furniture, books, cabinets, door knobs - you name it she still tries to chew it.  She has great chew toys made for super chewers that she loves and appropriate toys.  She just can't seem to leave anything alone.  She roams the area she allowed in and just tries to chew on everything.

When dogs are adolescents, they are known for going through what they call a "second teething stage." It takes place between the fourth and ninth month, and your pup may be more destructive than ever now since she's blessed with stronger jaws. 

It may help to swap the chew toys with food puzzles (Kong Wobbler, Kong, Buster Cube, Topples) to keep her more interested in these. Some dogs may stop chewing things if Bitter Apple Spray is applied, but some dog actually like the taste and will chew regardless. 

Since she's so mouthy, maybe you can clicker train her to do some tricks that use her nose/mouth  (like pick up toys, ring stackers, turn on the light trick).  In many cases, these dogs with so much energy and so interested in being around us are misunderstood geniuses that can achieve high results if provided with guidance. 

She doesn't sleep during the day.  At times she will lie down but doesn't sleep.  Has comfy beds and quiet areas to retreat to.  She loves to be petted and mouths me, doesn't try to bite.  She seems to have a sweet nature.  She is out of her crate.  I have made her an enclosed area of about 4 x 6 on tile, with a comfy bed and her water. she even has a window.  She can see the middle of the house so she isn't isolated. 

It's important that dogs and puppies get sleep during the day! She may be too aroused/excited to relax or may have deep fear of missing out (FOMO). These dogs need to learn how to relax. Here are some tips. 

-Bring your puppy to a quiet place where they usually sleep (crate, exercise pen). Remember though that puppies being very social, are always happiest being near you.

-Remove access to overly stimulating toys.

-Encourage calming activities by offering snuffle mats, Licki-mats, and food puzzles.

-Provide a chew toy or edible chew to gnaw on top of a mat/ dog bed (these can act as pacifiers).

-Talk to your puppy in a quiet, soothing tone of voice.

-Act calm. This will help your puppy calm down too.

-Close all curtains and blinds.

-Turn lights off (or place a blanket over the crate).

-Play calming music (like Through a Dog's Ear) so to cut down on any residual background noise.

-Praise your pup when showing calm behaviors. 

Anxious pups may benefit from calming aids such as DAP diffusers, DAP collars or DAP sprays. Calming supplements for dogs may be sold over the counter-check with your vet first. 

She crowds me a lot - no personal space.

This guide may help: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/following-owners-around-house/

[PENELOPE DILL]

Hi Adrienne:

Thank you SO much for your time and advice.  i appreciate the links also.

I will hopefully be able to send an encouraging response soon !

Take care,  Penelope

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hi Penelope, you are very welcome! Looking forward to your updates.

Feel free to post any challenges or if you're stuck on anything or need clarifications and we can always do troubleshooting.

You're not alone!

Best,

Adrienne