Hello all, my name is Dana and I live about an hour north of Toronto.
(Yes, it's snowing!) I've had dogs (mostly dobies) for more than 20
years. The vast majority of my dogs have been rescues, and so I don't
have very much puppy experience.

My last dog (of the dogs I brought with me from Florida) died last
Labor Day weekend, and this is the first time in a long time that I
haven't had at least one or more dogs.

My hubby and I bought a dobie puppy from a really good breeder near
our home. We brought him home last Thursday (8 days ago) and he was 8
weeks old yesterday. We've named him Guinness (because he's black and
tan!) and I call him half-pint.

He is a very happy, curious, puppy, (with a bit of a stubborn streak)
and is for the most part behaving fairly well. We're doing well on
housetraining, he's signaling me when he wants to go outside (most of
the time) and sort of listens to me, also most of the time!

Right now my biggest problem is biting and chewing. When he's chewing
on somthing he's not supposed to I correct him ("no chew!") and
substitute one of his dozens of chew toys. Unfortunately he's bored
with all of them and would much rather chew my boots or the carpets.
If he is *really* bad and won't mind (or if he gets aggressive, biting
or chewing harder) I give him a time-out in his crate. (He almost
always falls asleep immediately.) He adjusted to the crate *really*
well, if I crate him when he doesn't want to be there I get a "wah"
and that's about it. He is also biting me more than I'm happy with,
and gets more agressive when I correct him. (Then we do the time-out
thing again.) Oh, and I should say that my corrections *never* include
any physical punishment like slapping, but I do hold his head and look
him in the eye to correct him verbally when he's being really bad. As
soon as he breaks eye contact I let him go. (That's me trying to be
the dominant dog.)

I realize that chewing and biting is how pups his age communicate with
their siblings and their moms, but it's becoming very frustrating, and
I know that when I'm frustrated I'm not teaching him very well.

Is this simply a case of unrealistic expectations on my part? I mean,
he is still really young, but I also know that I can't (and won't)
tolerate a dog that bites people, even if he's just playing. He won't
weigh only 10 pounds for long...

Thanks for any help you all can offer...

Dana and Guinness (who's having a nap.)

Dana Taramina wrote:

Right now my biggest problem is biting and chewing. When he's chewing
on somthing he's not supposed to I correct him ("no chew!") and
substitute one of his dozens of chew toys. Unfortunately he's bored
with all of them and would much rather chew my boots or the carpets.

Don't give him access to his dozens of chew toys, all at once. Keep a
good rotation, so that the toy that is being offered is "new" to him.
Also, make the chewie you're offering (like a cow ear or rawhide) more
interesting by smearing a little bit of Peanut Butter or squirt cheese
on it.

I realize that chewing and biting is how pups his age communicate with
their siblings and their moms, but it's becoming very frustrating, and
I know that when I'm frustrated I'm not teaching him very well.

There is some really good information on how to deal with puppy nipping
and chewing he

http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/pupnip.htm
http://www.animalbehaviorassociates....g_mouthing.pdf
http://www.nomorehomelesspets.org/be...dog/pupnip.htm
http://www.amrottclub.org/nipping.htm

Well, you get the picture. Good luck with your new puppy. Do you have
any pictures of him?

Suja

Dana Taramina wrote:

Right now my biggest problem is biting and chewing. When he's chewing
on somthing he's not supposed to I correct him ("no chew!") and
substitute one of his dozens of chew toys. Unfortunately he's bored
with all of them and would much rather chew my boots or the carpets.

Don't give him access to his dozens of chew toys, all at once. Keep a
good rotation, so that the toy that is being offered is "new" to him.
Also, make the chewie you're offering (like a cow ear or rawhide) more
interesting by smearing a little bit of Peanut Butter or squirt cheese
on it.

I realize that chewing and biting is how pups his age communicate with
their siblings and their moms, but it's becoming very frustrating, and
I know that when I'm frustrated I'm not teaching him very well.

There is some really good information on how to deal with puppy nipping
and chewing he

http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/pupnip.htm
http://www.animalbehaviorassociates....g_mouthing.pdf
http://www.nomorehomelesspets.org/be...dog/pupnip.htm
http://www.amrottclub.org/nipping.htm

Well, you get the picture. Good luck with your new puppy. Do you have
any pictures of him?

Suja

Dana Taramina wrote:

Right now my biggest problem is biting and chewing. When he's chewing
on somthing he's not supposed to I correct him ("no chew!") and
substitute one of his dozens of chew toys. Unfortunately he's bored
with all of them and would much rather chew my boots or the carpets.

Don't give him access to his dozens of chew toys, all at once. Keep a
good rotation, so that the toy that is being offered is "new" to him.
Also, make the chewie you're offering (like a cow ear or rawhide) more
interesting by smearing a little bit of Peanut Butter or squirt cheese
on it.

I realize that chewing and biting is how pups his age communicate with
their siblings and their moms, but it's becoming very frustrating, and
I know that when I'm frustrated I'm not teaching him very well.

There is some really good information on how to deal with puppy nipping
and chewing he

http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/pupnip.htm
http://www.animalbehaviorassociates....g_mouthing.pdf
http://www.nomorehomelesspets.org/be...dog/pupnip.htm
http://www.amrottclub.org/nipping.htm

Well, you get the picture. Good luck with your new puppy. Do you have
any pictures of him?

Suja

Dana Taramina wrote:

Right now my biggest problem is biting and chewing. When he's chewing
on somthing he's not supposed to I correct him ("no chew!") and
substitute one of his dozens of chew toys. Unfortunately he's bored
with all of them and would much rather chew my boots or the carpets.

Don't give him access to his dozens of chew toys, all at once. Keep a
good rotation, so that the toy that is being offered is "new" to him.
Also, make the chewie you're offering (like a cow ear or rawhide) more
interesting by smearing a little bit of Peanut Butter or squirt cheese
on it.

I realize that chewing and biting is how pups his age communicate with
their siblings and their moms, but it's becoming very frustrating, and
I know that when I'm frustrated I'm not teaching him very well.

There is some really good information on how to deal with puppy nipping
and chewing he

http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/pupnip.htm
http://www.animalbehaviorassociates....g_mouthing.pdf
http://www.nomorehomelesspets.org/be...dog/pupnip.htm
http://www.amrottclub.org/nipping.htm

Well, you get the picture. Good luck with your new puppy. Do you have
any pictures of him?

Suja

On Fri, 14 Nov 2003 11:56:05 -0500, Suja wrote:

Don't give him access to his dozens of chew toys, all at once. Keep a
good rotation, so that the toy that is being offered is "new" to him.

Aha-makes sense. I'll limit him to one or two of the different kinds.
Thanks.

Also, make the chewie you're offering (like a cow ear or rawhide) more
interesting by smearing a little bit of Peanut Butter or squirt cheese
on it.

Good idea-he still has a bit of a tummy upset (the food he was on from
the breeder disagreed with him, so he's weaning off of it onto Science
Diet. Getting better, but I think I'll wait on introducing new food
just yet.

There is some really good information on how to deal with puppy nipping
and chewing he

http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/pupnip.htm
http://www.animalbehaviorassociates....g_mouthing.pdf
http://www.nomorehomelesspets.org/be...dog/pupnip.htm
http://www.amrottclub.org/nipping.htm

On my way to go read, thanks again.

Well, you get the picture. Good luck with your new puppy. Do you have
any pictures of him?

Sure do-is there a binary version of this list?

Dana and Guinness
(Dana needs a Guinness about now...)

On Fri, 14 Nov 2003 11:56:05 -0500, Suja wrote:

Don't give him access to his dozens of chew toys, all at once. Keep a
good rotation, so that the toy that is being offered is "new" to him.

Aha-makes sense. I'll limit him to one or two of the different kinds.
Thanks.

Also, make the chewie you're offering (like a cow ear or rawhide) more
interesting by smearing a little bit of Peanut Butter or squirt cheese
on it.

Good idea-he still has a bit of a tummy upset (the food he was on from
the breeder disagreed with him, so he's weaning off of it onto Science
Diet. Getting better, but I think I'll wait on introducing new food
just yet.

There is some really good information on how to deal with puppy nipping
and chewing he

http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/pupnip.htm
http://www.animalbehaviorassociates....g_mouthing.pdf
http://www.nomorehomelesspets.org/be...dog/pupnip.htm
http://www.amrottclub.org/nipping.htm

On my way to go read, thanks again.

Well, you get the picture. Good luck with your new puppy. Do you have
any pictures of him?

Sure do-is there a binary version of this list?

Dana and Guinness
(Dana needs a Guinness about now...)

On Fri, 14 Nov 2003 11:56:05 -0500, Suja wrote:

Don't give him access to his dozens of chew toys, all at once. Keep a
good rotation, so that the toy that is being offered is "new" to him.

Aha-makes sense. I'll limit him to one or two of the different kinds.
Thanks.

Also, make the chewie you're offering (like a cow ear or rawhide) more
interesting by smearing a little bit of Peanut Butter or squirt cheese
on it.

Good idea-he still has a bit of a tummy upset (the food he was on from
the breeder disagreed with him, so he's weaning off of it onto Science
Diet. Getting better, but I think I'll wait on introducing new food
just yet.

There is some really good information on how to deal with puppy nipping
and chewing he

http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/pupnip.htm
http://www.animalbehaviorassociates....g_mouthing.pdf
http://www.nomorehomelesspets.org/be...dog/pupnip.htm
http://www.amrottclub.org/nipping.htm

On my way to go read, thanks again.

Well, you get the picture. Good luck with your new puppy. Do you have
any pictures of him?

Sure do-is there a binary version of this list?

Dana and Guinness
(Dana needs a Guinness about now...)

On Fri, 14 Nov 2003 11:56:05 -0500, Suja wrote:

Don't give him access to his dozens of chew toys, all at once. Keep a
good rotation, so that the toy that is being offered is "new" to him.

Aha-makes sense. I'll limit him to one or two of the different kinds.
Thanks.

Also, make the chewie you're offering (like a cow ear or rawhide) more
interesting by smearing a little bit of Peanut Butter or squirt cheese
on it.

Good idea-he still has a bit of a tummy upset (the food he was on from
the breeder disagreed with him, so he's weaning off of it onto Science
Diet. Getting better, but I think I'll wait on introducing new food
just yet.

There is some really good information on how to deal with puppy nipping
and chewing he

http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/pupnip.htm
http://www.animalbehaviorassociates....g_mouthing.pdf
http://www.nomorehomelesspets.org/be...dog/pupnip.htm
http://www.amrottclub.org/nipping.htm

On my way to go read, thanks again.

Well, you get the picture. Good luck with your new puppy. Do you have
any pictures of him?

Sure do-is there a binary version of this list?

Dana and Guinness
(Dana needs a Guinness about now...)

Dana Taramina wrote:

Sure do-is there a binary version of this list?

'fraid not. What most of us do is to put up the pictures at one of
those free picture hosting places - I used Yahoo! and Ofoto a couple of
days ago - and post the link.

(Dana needs a Guinness about now...)

LOL! A good sense of humor will serve you well.

Suja