Urbanbike wrote:

Hi all,

I have a quick question concerning our 9 week-old Rottweiler puppy. He
is our second Rottweiler, but I can't remember if we had to deal with
this issue the first time around.

I don't have experience with Rottweilers specifically, but I do have
a breed known for its "dominance," potential brattiness and taking-
over issues, and have raised a number of puppies.

Most of the time, Meeko is a gentle, playful pup. He still tries to
mouth and nip, but it is decreasing.

Good. It sounds as though you're on the right track with the puppy
biting.


The issue I have is that sometimes when we try to discipline him for
something, he goes nuts, barks, and tries to nip at the item in
question:

Two examples.

1) I am sitting on the couch and he wants to get up. He jumps up with
his front paws. I say NO!, OFF! I give him a quick second to see if
he will respond, and when he doesn't, I push him down. This causes him
to become incensed (not agressive, in my opinion, just spoiled
brat-like). He will bark, keep jumping up, and nip at the couch or my
leg.

2) Same idea as above, just with trying to jump up on me while I am
doing something on the floor.

My question is, should I try to control the "testing craziness" by say
NO! and putting him on his back until he calms, or should I leave the
room?

My way of dealing with this is to avoid the issue. I feel that on the
whole it is counterproductive to "discipline" a puppy at this age. In
general I try to avoid "contention" of any kind. I do this by
manipulating the situation so that either the unwanted behavior doesn't
occur, or I am in position to deal with it decisively.

If I sit on the floor, my puppies will jump up on me, and pushing them
off will accomplish nothing. I don't sit on the floor with puppies at
large. I stand up. I bend over to pet them, pick them up to pet them,
scoop them up with one hand under their chest, their hind feet still on
the floor, and pet them. I withhold petting/attention if they put their
paws on me.

My suggestion for the couch is similar. If you don't have a good solution

that works in the situation, avoid the situation. You might sit in a
chair,
pick your puppy up, and hold him on your lap. When you are finished,
you could either crate him, or give him the option of playing *without*
trying to get on the couch, by crating him the moment he starts to jump
up. No admonishment, no fanfare, just a quick trip to the crate.

Reminding you again that I do not have Rottweilers, I would consider
the behavior you describe normal and acceptable in a puppy. They're
oriented to have a playful response. In general, they don't take "pushing

away" as communicating that they should get away--they take it more
as a tease: "come and get me!"

I find that if I don't create the circumstances for repetition of
unwanted puppy behavior, it falls away without need for punishment
as the puppy grows beyond that stage.


I thought perhaps that that I could distract him with a treat or toy,
but I am worried that in his eyes, he has won and gotten a game or
treat for his naughtiness.


I doubt he has the sophistication to comprehend his behavior as
"naughtiness." If you allow it to be repeated often enough, and
inadvertently reward it, it could continue beyond this developmental
stage and be a problem. If you take a few common-sense measures
to avoid reinforcing it, I think you'll find your puppy outgrows it
without any struggle or contentiousness.

Amy Dahl