[MacTheBeagle]

About 2 months ago I brought home a 9 week old pure bread beagle puppy (His name is MacReady, pronounced MaCreeedy). Everyone warned me that housebreaking or paper training would be very difficult since they are a stubborn bread. So far, with the help of crate training and his favorite treats, housebreaking has been a breeze!

The only problem that I have is this:
My puppy and I have certainly bonded and as such two things occur.

1) When I leave the house MacReady stays in the kitchen with the rest of my family, the room has a baby fence on the door since we are still paper training and haven't given him full range of the house yet (he stays under constant supervision and if he cant be supervised his is in his crate). He becomes very sad and frantic when I leave, crying, trying to climb the fence (which he has learned to do) and is inconsolable for at least 10-15minutes.

2)When I return, after several hours or even minutes, when I great him he jumps up on me and usually licks my face and shows signs of affection, however, recently instead of puppy kisses, he tries to nip my hands, arms or even face.

I am not sure how to deal with this issue since I am a first time dog owner...Any suggestions would be extremely helpful!!
Thanks!!

[cigwyllt]

I think you need to practise leaving him more and more. Over the course of the day or the evening just walk out of the room without looking at him, without saying goodbye. As soon as he has settled come back in and ignore him completely - even if it means you have to stay standing up and constantly turning your back to him. Don't give him any attention at all until he is calm then you can make eye contact and smile at him - until then nothing at all, no speaking, no touching, no eye contact.

I know the nipping is unpleasant but if you refuse to engage with him when you come back to him he won't be able to do it. Remember he is teething at the moment so make sure he has lots of chewy type toys to play with.

[millsandbones]

You need to enroll him on obedience training.

[Lara's mom]

I guess I'm the dissenting voice but, I see that as pretty normal puppy behaviour.

[cigwyllt]

It is very normal puppy behaviour but if it continues to be rewarded with the owner getting down to his level so that he can be nipped and chewed on it will carry through to adulthood and will be a lot more annoying/uncomfortable. My parents had a young dog who had never been taught to "grow up" and what is amusing in a tiny puppy is downright painful from a medium sized adult dog LOL

I do agree with you though that people do not realise what is normal behaviour in a pup and panic that their dog is turning nasty when it just wants to explore with its mouth.

[MacTheBeagle]

Thank you for your replies!
I realize I should try to detach somewhat emotionally from my pup for his own good, (not to make him so dependent and needy) but I am finding it so hard to resist his puppy appeal (he makes my heart melt!!!)


Since the post, I have tried to avoid him when I come home until he calms himself, however, when I do finally great him he bites/nips!!! ALSO, if I wait too long for him to calm down, he will pee on the floor ( i guess for him negative attention is better than no attention at all!!)

EEK! any suggestions!?

[german sheep]

Take the energy your dog offers you and direct it into your idea.
Leave some of its food outside and before you enter the house take one or two handfull of this food and work in that moment you open the door.

Let your dog praise itself at your hand by the food, leave your hand at your side of your leg and show him to sit down, to lay down to walk between your legs and bring him with this leesons to its place wher he can lay down.

After the second day he has no reason to jump and nip because he has had an alternative for his energy.

LG
gs

[BozzyBoo]

I cured my rotty from nipping, gnawing, biting when he was a puppy by yelping sharply as if he "hurt" me. I wanted him to know when he was being too rough so I played like I was another dog, it worked for me and now he is extremely gentle when playing and taking food from my hand.