Category: Top Dog

I am thinking about taking my dog to a daycare again but I’m not sure what to expect. I took my dog to daycare once about a year ago. I was super excited because the place seemed really nice. They do a bunch of events throughout the month, send the dogs home with progress reports and art projects, and they post videos and pictures throughout the day. Once my dog got home I noticed her paw pads were peeling and bleeding, so I never took her back. I always thought that it happened due to the staff’s negligence but I recently heard that it is normal for dogs that don’t usually go to daycare. Was I overreacting, or was I right to be concerned?

Warning; long, exhausted, crabby post

I'm doubtful that any strategy is actually effective, and it's just something that has to be ridden out. I feel like these corrections are just a band aid that makes the person feel like they have control over the situation, when in reality time (maturing) and reminders of "I don't like this" is the only thing that will meaningfully change the behavior.

The yelping, the reverse time outs, the ignoring, the cessation of play, redirection, the "bite inhibition" games. Not a single thing has worked in the last 6 weeks of having my puppy. If something does work temporarily, it is forgotten the next day and we are back at square 1.

Has anyone actually had any success with this before their puppy was finished with their teething phase? Has anyone stopped their puppy biting for more than a few hours with any of these methods? Because I'm getting extremely frustrated with the same regurgitated tips, and I genuinely cannot believe these methods work in any meaningful capacity before teething is done.

People never come back with a 3 or 4 month old puppy and go "here's what fixed it". It's always either "My puppy still bites but she bites less if I walk away!" Or "The reverse time outs just started working on my 6 month old puppy, this is great!" And its not the method. It's either you walking away causes your puppy to calm down a bit (not teaching them not to bite, just reducing their immediate stimulation levels), or its the age of the dog.

And yes, I know its a puppy thing and puppies do it because thats what they know and how they explore. It doesn't mean it doesn't hurt like hell, and it doesn't mean that it stops making my puppy miserable to be around without her being tethered out of reach at home, or busy doing something else. It has turned into "if we are not walking, socializing, playing, eating, going to the bathroom, or actively training, she needs to be tethered away from me because I cannot deal". ESPECIALLY now that her adult teeth are cutting in.

The only thing that has come close to reducing biting is redirecting to a toy, and thats because she actively has something else to bite. Which isn't teaching her not to bite me, only tangentially that there are things that I will let her bite without yanking away or getting upset.

This turned into more of a vent sesh but I am at the end of my rope. Or maybe I'm just overtired myself and having my own tantrum.

If it truly is just that we have to wait this process out with frequent reminders that we don't like the biting, we need to say that, rather than offer false hope that there is a way to "fix it" before the puppy grows out of it. Or maybe I'm just particularly bad at correcting the biting, and everyone has a perfect non-bitey 14 week old puppy after 7 repetitions of reverse time outs.

What has everyone else's experience been?

A couple of weeks ago, my eight-month-old puppy started just standing still and refusing to move on walks — before this she was always running and pulling or sniffing (or heeling nicely if I had very good treats). I thought at first it might be that she had an ear infection or something and was feeling wary so I took her to the vet and he said medically she was fine but warned me it could be the beginning of some sort of reactivity (though I think maybe he’d misunderstood and thought she was only doing it around other dogs vs everywhere). Is this something I should worry about? Or just a phase puppies go through? She’s acting normally otherwise but if it is a sign she might be developing some sort of reactivity or have some sort of issue with something in the environment I’d like to try to deal with it early!

so my 6 month old puppy is for the most part a VERY good girl. our biggest problem at the moment is that we/she does not have any doggy etiquette when greeting other dogs! she doesn’t really say hi and will just run up to the dog/s and play bow and bark just and immediately wanting to play- and she really doesn’t like or let other dogs sniff her bum (even tho she will sniff theirs after play has initiated). if she’s on the lead i have to basically drag her past the dog to ‘ignore’ it but she is just sooo interested in other dogs and would always prefer to play with them than any toy/treat i could offer. basically i just want to know how i can teach her doggy etiquette when greeting other dogs- specifically off the lead more so than on the lead as i know that more to do with being able to ignore other dogs walking past and focus on me. i just want her to be able to walk calmly up to other doggos and allow them to sniff her bum while she theirs before any play is initiated. or is this just a puppy thing that she will grow out of and learn herself? i want to be able to help her cuz it is definitely not ideal when she will run up to any dog within maybe 10 metres of us. i’d would be great if i could also teach her to ask my permission before greeting any dog (or person) too but i know that’s a pretty long way off.

Thanks in advance for any advice!