CHEWING, NIPPING, JUMPING, CHASING –oh my!
I’m training a high energy but adorable 9 month old puppy named Sprocket who nips, chews, digs, barks, chases, pulls on leash… on and on and as I write this he’s starting to to chew on my carpet! It’s a good thing he’s so cute…
WHAT’S A DOG TRAINER/OWNER TO DO?
Here are a few things:
MANAGE THE PUPPY so he can’t get into trouble. I’ve set up a Doggie Den in my kitchen with blankets, kennel and lots of chew and food toys for him to chew on. He is on a leash or tether when he’s out of the kitchen and even on a retractable leash in the yard because he digs and barks at a moment’ notice!
FREEDOM IS HIS BEST REWARD. When Sprocket arrived, he has zero freedom; meaning he is on leash or in his “doggie den”. Then, as I begin to trust him, I give him select moments of freedom where he is supervised. I do this after he’s exercised and good and tired. His toys and chews are scattered around so he can be interrupted when he chews or jumps or barks and redirected.
MAKE A LIST OF WHAT HE LIKES and use those as rewards. He likes boxes, KONGS, stuffed toys, towels and blankets, kibble, wet dog food, cheese, sliced turkey and most importantly FREEDOM and ATTENTION. I reward him constantly when he’s doing the right thing…
GET PLENTY OF EXERCISE. He is getting a variety of exercise outlets each day. A morning run on a retractable 26′ leash (because he can’t be off leash…) Several sessions of fetch, a mid-day hike, and an evening brisk walk, and one pre-bedtime session of fetch.
TEACH HIM TO RELAX. Between exercise and training sessions, the puppy is learning to relax with his legal chew toys. When he whines, what do I do? Ignore him! When he settles down I tell him “Thank you” & give him attention. Also, he enjoys massages and this helps him unwind too…
Sprocket Learning to Relax
The box Sprocket is chewing was given to him as a “legal chew toy”.