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Just a thought about the puppy biting/nipping that I don't think were mentioned - there's 2 products that may help curtail it - Bitter Apple or Yuck! (Yuk! - ?) - the work best when wet and they can be sprayed on shoelaces, hands etc - of course distracting the puppy w/ a bone probably works best. Anyway, FWIW -
I totally disagree about the Bitter Apple stuff. Dogs don't use bitter apple on their littermates they simply set boundaries constantly and follow through.
I totally disagree about the Bitter Apple stuff. Dogs don't use bitter apple on their littermates they simply set boundaries constantly and follow through.
OK, we're going wildly off topic here, but there is no one trainer in the world, and I don't care who s/he is, who has 100% of the answers about everything. Calm assertiveness will go a long way in getting the desired results from a dog, but it's not, behave with calm assertiveness, end of story. And considering we're talking about a puppy and a four year old here, I think the bitter apple is a good suggestion, although if you put it on her hands and her hands go in her mouth, she'll have a "yuk" experience of her own!
My only issue with Bitter Apple is that my puppies didn't seem to care one way or another about it.
We used it to try to save furniture and rugs...no workie.
But a bottle is cheap and worth a try.
When we rescued our bull terrier (he was a year old), we nicknamed him Mr. Bitey. I believe he was taken from his litter too early, and never learned that biting hurt. (He was a Craigslist dog - purchased and sold twice before the rescue found him and bought him). ANYHOW - it took a solid 6 months to train this behaviour out of him. He found my 20 year old daughter his favorite victim (a littermate who didn't bite back) - and she has scarred arms to show from it. There was nothing malicious in his behavior - he was having fun.
So OP - I fully respect your decision, to rehome your puppy. Please try to find a breed specific rescue - and call/email all you can find out of state - even if it's across the country. The rescues have transportation networks set up. Ours takes dogs from all up and down the west coast - we are in CA - dogs have even been rescued from Alaska. The rescues are often on facebook, and will have thousands of "friends".
My only issue with Bitter Apple is that my puppies didn't seem to care one way or another about it.
We used it to try to save furniture and rugs...no workie.
But a bottle is cheap and worth a try.
Bitter apple didn't work with Teddy. I began by exchanging a teething toy for the table leg he was gnawing on. Then I would catch him in the act again and shout "uh-uh!" When he got so he knew he wasn't supposed to chew on the furniture, I employed the citronella collar (thanks, group, for that suggestion). I only needed to use the tone on the collar. He rarely gets sprayed. One tone often stops the behavior, with no lingering fear issues. But every dog is different. You have to be careful with these training tools.
I would love to use 100000% positive methods, but I am realistic.
Oh please do not do this! It's really, really bad advice.
Dog fighters look for free bait dogs and cats and have people who are very good at posing as the perfect family.
Look to responsible breed rescues....you are getting rid of a puppy and the younger the puppy is the more willing rescues will be to take it because it's a fast rehome. Put up a photo and description at your vet, that way you have an instant referral.
Also please do not get another dog, ever.. This puppy is doing what puppies do. That you made an impulse buy without doing sensible resaerch is bad, that you are ready to get rid of a nine-week-old baby puppy without even making an effort is bad, and what message you are giving your kids about making bad decisions and throwing away inconvenient animals is just awful.
I agree 1000000000% on everything you said.
I'm thinking it's not the puppy who needs training.
Yeah, I felt bad, but I tried bitter apple, cayenne, black pepper, tabasco, etc, etc...it's like I marinated the furniture for them...they loved it even more!
Yeah, I felt bad, but I tried bitter apple, cayenne, black pepper, tabasco, etc, etc...it's like I marinated the furniture for them...they loved it even more!
Marinated the furniture -- BAHAHA!!! Tabasco did work, I forgot about that. But I couldn't watch him leap back and go ptooeyptooey more than once. I felt terrible.
OK, we're going wildly off topic here, but there is no one trainer in the world, and I don't care who s/he is, who has 100% of the answers about everything. Calm assertiveness will go a long way in getting the desired results from a dog, but it's not, behave with calm assertiveness, end of story. And considering we're talking about a puppy and a four year old here, I think the bitter apple is a good suggestion, although if you put it on her hands and her hands go in her mouth, she'll have a "yuk" experience of her own!
It's not off topic, the dog is still in the house and she may take the suggest which will only frustrate her more...the problem isn't furniture but bodies. She has more than one child and the one who was bitten before is the one having the most problem with the puppy. Bitter Apple is not going to solve it. She can't be running all over the house spraying the kid in every spot that reaches mouth level anyway. And while she's wearing the Bitter Apple, the dog is going to grab her clothing, shoes, hats, whatever doesn't have Bitter Apple on it if it even works in this case. Bitter Apple will only redirect the dog to another target. It doesn't change the brain to just CALM DOWN.
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HOWEVER, her play with my daughters, mainly the one who was bit, escalates quickly to the point where the puppy is breaking skin and she is holding onto her to the point that my daughter has bruises around the teeth marks on her legs and arms.
I'm keying on "PLAY" and "mainly the one who was bit". Oh and "ESCALATES".
Call me crazy but I see the solution more than anything is stop the PLAY immediately until the family decides what they're doing. They have no idea they can stop the PLAY the minute it escalates. I don't understand why...you wouldn't let one of your own kids keep escalating "play" on a weaker one until bruising starts but there you have it.
There is nothing about a 9 week old puppy that requires "100% of the answers" let's be honest here. And in what world does a 9 week old puppy need an "assessment" especially a Bassett Hound (not including physical problems). No offense to the OP, she has no idea but it's ludicrous. I'm thinking it's code for Meet & Greet before signing someone up for "training". Hopefully the person can help the humans.
Yeah, I felt bad, but I tried bitter apple, cayenne, black pepper, tabasco, etc, etc...it's like I marinated the furniture for them...they loved it even more!
Too funny!
I don't have any expensive furniture. I kept my Bulldog at our dining room during his puppy stage. He polished the lower part of our dinner room set for me and chewed up door frame. As soon as he wasn't going to take off a big piece to swallow, I just let him do it. He finally stopped chewing furniture after one year old. We repaired door frame but leave the dining table set as it is.
My friend, on the other hand, insisted her husband took their expensive dining room set during the divorce settlement. Her husband hated their dog. He didn't know that the dog has "polished" the dining room set for him.
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