Problematic puppy

[harleysalpha]

Hi, I have a lab puppy almost 6 months old. We received her from family members who has another dog and couldnt cope with a puppy also. The problem is she is very smart, within two days of having her she could sit,and laydown on command. We have only had her a total of 8 days, now she tends not to listen as well as the first few days. My problem is how long should I have to wait for a response from her for a command that I think she already knows. The loud can thing I have tried and now she is used to the noise. She is nipping everything also, she has tons of toys yet she prefers our hands.

[MaxHollyNoah]

Hi there,

The 6 mos old lab puppy must be very cute when she is not nipping and especially when she is asleep

Dogs behave pretty well for the first few days after coming to a new environment. During that time, they can quickly find out who is the most generous person in the family and how they can get things from that person without getting too much trouble. Besides, your puppy is in an adolescent period and she has a selective hearing

I would like you to be firm and consistent when she does not behave. When she nips you hand, a quick and sharp "No" or "Ouch!" and stop playing with her. You can give her a toy as an exchange.

Also, for ignoring, have you been using treats for her training? Is he food motivated? If so, practice "watch me" for a few seconds as many times you can do every day. When she is playing with a toy, distract her with "watch me" command and if she does give her a tiny bit of treat. When she is across the room, call her and make her sit in front of you and give her a treat. Soon it will be very automatic. When she hear your voice, she pays attention in the hope of getting a treat. You might think it is not your cup of tea to reward her with treats all the time (to be honest, I thought that way too) but this works really well and the goal is to make your dog as alert and responsive to you, the owner. You will be able to lessen the times of treats once your dog becomes responsive as you wish.

Attending a dog obedience class is a great idea since it will help your dog to learn not only obedient behaviors but to build a strong relationship and trust to you.

Good luck