How to stop my pit puppy's biting & improve indoor potty training?

I'm sorry to hear that you're having these problems with Ebby! Puppies this age can definitely be frustrating at times. We actually have a great article on the PetCoach website that discusses housetraining in detail - you can read it here: https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-rules-for-effective-housetraining/0 This should get you on the right track with teaching her to potty outside. If you still have questions about this after reading the article, feel free to post again - we would be happy to try and help :) Biting and mouthing are very normal behaviors for a puppy this age - this is how puppies explore the world, and how they instinctively want to play. This will resolve on its own as she gets older, but there are a few things you can do in the meantime to help. Make sure that Ebby has a variety of different toys to provide an appropriate outlet for this behavior - long floppy rope or fleece toys for tugging, plush toys for biting and carrying, and smaller toys or balls for chasing and fetching. You should also provide lots of different things for her to chew on, such as bully sticks, large rawhide chews, cow or pig ears, and puzzle toys such as a Kong stuffed with peanut butter. If you are playing with Ebby and she bites you, just redirect her to one of her toys and use that to play with her instead. If she bites your hands when you pet her, calmly stop petting and ignore her until she calms down again. This will get better as she grows up, as long as you are patient and consistent.

Watch the level of play! If your puppy is getting increasingly aroused, then STOP play for a few seconds and then give him a toy. This technique will prevent your puppy from reaching the excitement level of play where he starts the nipping behavior – by preventing this escalation you are successfully preventing this intolerable behavior. · Another great option that is highly recommended in addition to the above suggestions is to enroll your puppy in Puppy Preschool – these classes provide an ideal avenue to introduce both you and your puppy to the most modern and humane ways to socialize your puppy to be a valuable member of the family! What NOT to do: · NEVER punish your puppy by hitting, slapping, flicking on the nose, putting fingers down his throat, pinching lips, kicking, or any other physical means, as this will NOT solve the nipping problem. Punishment such as this will only make the problem worse and will instead encourage fear or aggressive behavior in your puppy. · Punishment may escalate the very problem you are trying to avoid and, depending on your puppy’s temperament, it may result in any of the following: o Your puppy may respond in a fearful manner and tremble or shy away when a hand comes near his face, or not come when called. o Your puppy may respond in a defensive manner and bite you. o Your puppy may respond in a playful manner and become even more excited and aroused, thinking that it is all part of the game. · Avoid rough play – this means never play tug-of-war, wrestle with your puppy or allow him to grab your clothes if he is prone to nipping. Games such as this will further promote the very problem you are trying to resolve. Minimize inappropriate behavior and teach your puppy calm behavior. Remember that the focus should be on rewarding acceptable behaviors rather than punishing unacceptable ones. Things to think about: · Understanding the underlying cause of aggression is important in developing a plan to prevent it from occurring. While most ‘puppy aggression’ is play-related nipping or biting that can be addressed with the above methods, more serious underlying problems are possible. The first step in addressing these problems is being able to recognize them so that you can seek advice. Other forms of aggression include human or dog-directed aggression that may be based in fear, dominance, territoriality, predatory or pain-related motivations. · Signs to look for include specific body language and vocalizations. For example, if your puppy’s ears are pointed towards you and his tail is up, then that may be a sign of confident aggression. In contrast, if his ears are laying flat against his head and his tail is tucked under, then that may be a sign of fear and anxiety. Some puppy nipping is not playful, but true aggression. You want to avoid escalation of the problem by seeking immediate advice from your local veterinarian. When to see your vet: If you continue to experience problems with your puppy or have any questions related to your puppy’s health or behavior, do not hesitate to contact your local veterinarian for guidance and management solutions. Again, congratulations on your new puppy and enjoy the many years of joy and happiness this new furry companion will bring to you and your family!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Milo is adorable! Sadly there are some small breed dogs that will just not house train. But I think also that some owners give up because it is so hard. I think Milo needs to be crated when you aren't home due to his destructive nature and because he is not house trained. When you are home he should be leashed to you at all times and taken out very often. If he doesn't go when you think he should, he goes in the crate. All other rooms should be blocked by a door or gate so he can't wander off to eliminate in the house. Use special delicious treats, praise and play with him for 10 mins after he goes outside, even bring a favorite toy. He can never be out of the crate when you aren't home or when you are asleep. You can also train him to ring a bell when he needs to eliminate. It may take 2-3 months but if you are aggressive about it hopefully it will work. Also you may have to consider neutering him to fully eliminate marking behaviors. The destructive behavior will hopefully go away with age, but you can consider doggie daycare during the work week to decrease time in the crate. I hope this helps and I wish you and Milo the best!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I find that flipping puppies that misbehave on their back in your arms or on the ground and holding them in place for a minute or two helps. I've had some fairly aggressive puppies that this trick worked well with. Also, saying in a stern voice "off!" or "stop!" when the unwanted behavior happens can help correct this as well. I would also consider incorporating a spray bottle filled with water and using this every time the puppy becomes aggressive. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. For the puppy biting, this is a normal behavior and many times will lessen as a puppy ages. I find that when a puppy bites, if you insert your thumb under the tongue and hold it there until the puppy is annoyed, they eventually start licking instead of biting. This can take multiple times for the puppy to get it but I find this works quite well. A spray bottle filled with water used to lightly spritz Trixie in the face will help as well while saying "off!". You can use the spray bottle technique as well to stop her from digging holes in the backyard. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If the spray bottle technique does not work well, then leash training him and getting him trained with obedience commands is the next step. You need to train him to sit, stay, lie down, come, etc. This will give you better control over Blaze. I typically recommend having dogs like Blaze go to an obedience training course with a trainer to establish these commands. Once he learns these commands, you can command him to stop the behavior by distracting him with these commands. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any further questions and I would be more than happy to help you further.

I'm not sure if you want to crate train Bud for potty training or for getting used to the crate, so I will give you advice for both. Getting used to a crate: You will have to slowly train him to get used to a crate. Start putting him in it when you are home and sitting nearby so he doesn't think you are abandoning him, and slowly increase the time he is in it. He can have toys in the crate, and puzzle toys with treats in it that he has to figure out how to get the treats out. You can also fill a Kong toy with peanut butter and freeze it in the freezer overnight, then give it to him in the crate. That will keep him occupied for a while. Potty training in general: Start by keeping your puppy on a regular feeding schedule, and taking away his food between meals. Take him out to potty first thing every morning, and once every 30 minutes to an hour. Always make sure he goes out after meals, first thing when he wakes up from a nap, last thing before bedtime at night, and right before you leave the house. Take him to the same spot each time to go potty. His scent there will encourage him to go. Stay with him outside each time he goes to potty, at least until he is fully house trained. When he goes outside, praise him and give him a treat. Crate training is a great tool in potty training. It allows you to keep an eye on him for signs that he has to go potty, and will teach him to hold it until you put him outdoors. The crate needs to be big enough for him to stand up, turn around, and lie down, but it should not be big enough for him to go potty in.