So back from hols, went round to see Amber. She’s a cutie. Very friendly, a bit bite-y.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/KSDAkm]Amber – 7 weeks[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/KNFQY4]Amber – 7 weeks[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/KL9YAd]Amber – 7 weeks[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/KujpKh]Amber – 7 weeks[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

Off to the Vet for 2nd jabs on Weds and then hopefully home with us on Thursday. Need to pup proof the house before then. I reckon Murf (our current 8 year old Lab) is going to love it. Although that might take a while!

I now want another Labrador.

Nice! Red Fox or gold? She looks quite dark.

Gold. Not a pedigree and a throwback as parents are black. I’d possibly use the word ‘Russet’ but I’m not sure I know what it means 🙂 They all go a bit darker as they get older. Current one is black with flecks of grey.

Drac – Go on. You know it makes sense!

One for the win Alex. 🙂

Make the most of them when they’re that size, they grow up far too fast 🙁

Ickle puppy eyebrows and giant puppy feet – too cute!

Oh she is beautiful!! I remember the bitey stage!! 😆

Is it possible to stop her biting? I wouldn’t fancy a puppy if it meant I was going to be mauled!

Alex wins the internet today.

it’s part of play, they all do it and if you’re consistent with dealing with it they all grow out of it.

Basically you act like another dog and yelp if she bites you, just as her litter mates would. And if she persists, stop playing. She soon works out that biting stops the play, and she wants the game to go on.

https://www.cesarsway.com/dog-behavior/biting/nipping-nipping-in-the-bud

Yep that’s it. They explore the world with their mouth (like babies!). You just need to set the line and be consistent. Labs are petty good, they are easy to train as if you offer food for good behaviour, they’ll do ANYTHING 😉

But she’s only 7 weeks so you have to go slow and deal with setbacks. I am sure some homework will be eaten!

Is it possible to stop her biting?

Yes it is perfectly possible to dominate a puppy and crush the spirit so that the puppy stops being inquisitive or ‘bitey’ 😆

But for the sake of the puppy’s character and personality I would advise learning to understand the puppy’s behaviour rather than forcing the puppy to conform.

They naturally stop being ‘bitey’ somewhere between 1 and 2 years old.

PS; she’s a cutie and we called our Irish Setter Amber – I miss her everyday 😥

I am completely revolted today as mine has just poo’d out a load of worms!!!! (triggering mad dash to buy some treatment)

But here’s a pic anyway…

Yes it is perfectly possible to dominate a puppy and crush the spirit so that

the puppy stops being inquisitive or ‘bitey’

But for the sake of the puppy’s character and personality I would advise learning to understand the puppy’s behaviour rather than forcing the puppy to conform.

I agree with this. One thing I hate seeing is “broken”, subservient dogs.

Teeth like needles 😆

Our chap was really bitey little nips and chews, but he’s a gun dog breed, retrievers are mouthy by nature. We would let out a little Yelp when he nippy too hard, and he learned not to.

He two now and is perfect in how he plays with me the kids anyone. It’s a puppy thing, don’t worry but don’t try to break them of the habit the little Yelp works. He can pick the post up with out leaving so much as a tooth Mark! 😆

MOAR PHOOTOOS!!!

The kids have load on their phones from yesterday. No access to those at the mo, so here are a few from the ‘amber archive’ 🙂

[url=https://flic.kr/p/KpFb5K]Amber – 5 weeks old[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/KAaFSz]Amber – 6 weeks old[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/KAaFHr]Amber – 6 weeks old[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/KvEJUV]Amber – Six and a bit weeks![/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/KvEJ3V]Amber – Six and a bit weeks![/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

Got to let the pup be a pup. They’ll learn the ‘right’ behaviour happily if you don’t try and impose loads of rules they don’t understand. When they are this young and in a new environment, what they need most is reassurance and a lot of TLC…

I agree with this. One thing I hate seeing is “broken”, subservient dogs.

You prefer ones that dominate their owners?

From experience, dogs are happiest when they know their position, far more important than what that position actually is. They get companionship, shelter, attention, food, praise. In turn, they obey some simple instructions every now and then.

No-one likes a dog that is beaten into submission but that’s not what’s being suggested here.

Mouthing play is all part of being a puppy. If it gets too hard, then you yelp and stop the game. Just as if they were with their litter mates. It’s not ‘crushing their spirit’, it’s helping them to find the boundary between play and too rough. My 3 year old pup still plays mouthing games when we invite it, and she ‘play fights’ with her walking friends at times but she understands the game both as a giver and receiver of play biting. It’s funny at times to see 3 of them in a ‘circle jerk’ but each one with one of the other’s back legs in their mouth – they seem to like it and understand the rules just fine.

You prefer ones that dominate their owners?

Where did I say that? You are reading between the lines and getting it wrong: I’m actually agreeing with you. A gentle yelp, or put down, is far better than punishment. I see far too many dogs being yanked around on chains by their owners and they never look happy.

Our puppies were always encouraged to be themselves up to the point where it went too far and then gently rebuked. You’ve got to let dogs be dogs: That’s where the fun is.

OK, misinterpretation based on your earlier comment about crushing their spirit. “Broken” dogs – 100% agree. Subservient is many shades of grey and as i said, knowing limits, boundaries and status is important; the right shade of grey.

Apologies.

No worries. Now back to the puppies

a bit bite-y

I’d not take the chance, that sounds like it could get serious.

I will of course help out and take this terror off your hands. Cos i is nice.

Our wee thing;

[/url]Brambles first day by Phillip Dalton, on Flickr[/img]

And now

[/url]Untitled by Phillip Dalton, on Flickr[/img]

He’s grown a bit 🙂 Also appears to have fallen into a river!