We got a Great Pyrenese, Black Lab mix when he was 5 weeks old. He is now 12 weeks and we are having a terrible time with him biting. I don't mean the puppy chews, I mean showing the teeth and snapping bites. People are telling us we should get rid of him. I'm already attached to him and he is very smart. He heels, sits, comes and fetches. However, we have 2 grandchildren and I don't want them or anyone to get bit. We thought this type of dog would be good with children and help with guarding the animals around the farm. We have never allowed him to bite or chew on our fingers because we didn't want a dog that would bite. I have had dogs all my life so I feel pretty knowledgeable about them. We have tried holding his muzzle, putting him to the ground, ignoring him, a spray bottle, and sometimes I just have to kick him away because he won't stop. He weighs 28 lbs. already. Do you have any suggestions?

I am stumped as you are. Both good breeds. I would have to say you are going to spend money on a trainer before reforming him.

All dogs have the potential to bite, I really don't think it's a breed thing. The only way you should keep your dog is if you are prepared to take him to behavior modification or obedience. Even then he still may just be an aggressive dog, meaning you will either have to re-home or make sure you avoid putting him in any situation where a child or other animal can be hurt.

Aggression is a symptom of your dog experiencing TOO MUCH ENERGY in any given situation. When your dog is in a situation with the potential to show aggression try giving him a job to do. Sit, down, giving him a bone or toy to chew on can help alleaviate the need to look for a job (protecting his home in you case). Your dog may also feel the need to be alpha and thinks he is protecting his home. Dogs often show aggression to establish their dominance. Dogs who display this type of aggression feel that they are in charge. The growling, snapping, or biting occurs when they feel their dominance is being challenged. You need to make sure your dog knows YOU are alpha. This means not being allowed on furniture or beds, you make all the calls and ask something from him before he gets fed, pet, walked etc... Usually a simple sit command before he gets what he is looking for will suffice.

Fear is another reason a dog might display aggression. Usually, the dog only exhibits aggressive behavior if he feels he is in danger and needs to defend himself. A fearful dog usually only bites when it can not escape from the situation he is put in.

Human aggression is a serious issue, this can mean law suits or even death. A bite from a dog can leave lasting impressions on small kids. It`s inportant as well that your grandkids KNOW how to act and treat your (any dog for that matter) dog.

Here is a great link on body language: Dog Language (http://www.safekidssafedogs.com/html/dog_language.html)

Same site, but here is the link on preventing bites: Preventing Bites (http://www.safekidssafedogs.com/html/preventing_bites.html)

There are lots of great sites out there teaching kids how to act around dogs, have a look and make sure your grandkids understand that your dog may just not be the friendly play pal that other dogs may be. Good luck!

Thanks for the info. We do make him sit before he gets his food. He is no longer in the house and we have been working a lot more with him to work off his energy. He loves to fetch and I think he would do that until he passed out. At least I'm not bleeding from my hands tonight so maybe we're making progress.

What do you mean he is no longer in the house? Isolating him will only create more issues. If your dog is biting you out of aggression, imagine what he would do to a strange child.

I would suggest to purchase a cage muzzle and go about your business and correct him HARSHLY when he snaps.

Puppies really don't show aggression at his young age. I think he is testing the waters to see what he can get away with. If he were 7-10months or even a year or older, than I would deem it as aggression, but because he is so young, I don't think its aggression... like at all.

Obedience is a wonderful too to handle dogs that want to be in charge, however; I have a feeling that he is not wanting to be in charge.

What I would do.. is first, purchase a muzzle of some kind.. Protect yourself. I would suggest a cage muzzle because it will allow the dog to vomit and pant and than I would suggest for you to hold him.. hold him.. hold him and hold him some more. Make him submit to you. When he throws fits.. correct him and continue to hold him through his fits. A 28lb puppy isn't hard to handle.. an 80lb dog will be.

Not every match of dog and human work. If you feel as if you cannot handle this puppy, I would suggest to re-home him. Mixed breed dogs are not a guarantee that both breeds will create a wonderful dog. A lot of mixed breed dogs are biters. If you want a dog that is going to be great with the world, get a purebred. The purebreds at least have some kind of guarantee that they are going to act the way they are going to act.

Besides, do you know for a fact that this dog is a half and half?

Thanks for the info. We do make him sit before he gets his food. He is no longer in the house and we have been working alot more with him to work off his energy. He loves to fetch and I think he would do that until he passed out. At least I'm not bleeding from my hands tonight so maybe we're making progress.


He is no longer in the house because you can't handle him?

I think he should be rehomed while he's still young.

I don't think he's inherently evil.

Lucky's suggestion of a cage muzzle is great advice, and also the suggestion of holding him NOW while it still can be done. I wouldn't give up yet.

Some dogs are just aggressive, there is no rhyme or reason to it. It's not something that anyone person can change and it usually leads to the dog having to be destroyed. I am sure I will get some slack about this, but I see it. It's not a common thing, but it happens. I had a dog that was just plain aggressive. Used Bark Busters, took him to behave mod, he bit a kid. I had him put down. He wasn't even a year old and showed aggression from the first day I brought him home. There was nothing more I could do for him.

I have a dog now that I used to cage muzzle and she got so stressed when I had to muzzle her it created a lot more tension on us as a working unit. However, it was one of the best learning tools I have ever used. Once we got the hang of it, things went a lot smoother. I don't put my dog in situations where she will be around other animals, and it has created a drastic life change for me. I used to camp every weekend, I used to have people visit for weekends, I used to travel for work, now I either have a very close friend dog sit for me when I go camping or when I have guests with small children or animals. My dog has never shown aggression to humans, but she is very animal aggressive, so I choose to not put her in situations where she can become uncomfortable. But, I can tell you one thing, if I had a dog that bit ME, that I was so fearful I did not allow him in my home, I would not have him in my home. I know no one here wants to see a good dog put down, but sometimes that IS the only option.

I have never been a fan of the pin technique, in everything I have been taught in the last few years I've been told it's not only dangerous, but a useless technique. But to each their own.

This dog is 12 weeks old and has been (apparently) banished outside.

The problems are only going to get worse - again, in my opinion.

Isolating the dog from people is NOT going to "teach" him to play nice. It's the constant contact and correction that makes a difference, not putting the dog somewhere where no one has to deal with him.

Here is my complaint with people...

These people purchased this puppy at 5 weeks old, no doubt this pup was a parking lot puppy. Take it home and treat it like a 10 week old puppy.

This dog lost his litter extremely early and his mother. He never got to learn right from wrong from his siblings or mother. He never learned that biting too hard had a consequence and now he is starting to "act out" with the people.

Now everyone is deaming this puppy as aggressive. I realize there are some pups out there that are truly evil. I'm not denying that fact.. but it is also fact that if a puppy is taken away from the mother too early, aggressive acts do happen.. Does that mean this dog is going to be a man eating beast? NO! It means.. the OP needs to sit down, read a book on training a puppy, and DO IT!

Another complaint with the OP.. You claim to have dog knowledge... Why on earth did you purchase a puppy at 5weeks old? Unless you are an experienced dog handler (not owner, handler) than these are the toughest puppies to civilize. They are hard to house train, hard to teach obedience and hard to settle in a home environment. And now that the OP has taken on a challenge far more challanging than a normal puppy, this pup is going to lose his life. That angers me... a lot.

So now.. we have a 10wk old puppy LIVING OUTSIDE. And now we are going to wonder why the 10wk old puppy, purchased as a 5wk old puppy is going to grow up to be a man eating beast.

Dogs were never created to be alone. They do awful by themselves. They need a pack, either other dogs, or people.. they need a pack. They thrive in a pack environment. Even the dogs that are guarding flocks and herds have another dog to be with. They are never alone.

Here is my other complaint.. Everyone is so scared to use a muzzle, crate, pinch collars or shock collar, yet they complain that the dog is unruly and destructive or mean. Those things were created for a reason, as a training aid. Can they be abused? Yes, very severely in some cases. Which is why I always suggest that these people seek professional help with shock collars or pinch collars. If the traditional methods of using treats and luring them into the positions you want don't work, you need to get the dog under control. There is nothing wrong with a cage muzzle for a snappy puppy. But I'm sure the OP thinks its mean. A cage muzzle PROTECTS YOU from your dog biting you. Once you are protected from his mouth, you can actually correct the problems without getting hurt. Like Bella said, it was a great training tool!

Not every dog is the classic happy-go-lucky lab. Some dogs you need to be careful with when small children come or other dogs come over. Does that mean that dog isn't worth keeping alive? Of course not! My own example.. I went from a very friendly dog to a dog that has a "Extreme caution- animal aggressive" on her file at the Vet's office. She is horrible around other dogs, but she is wonderful around me and my other dogs and is extremely friendly around other people. My dog and I just can't go to the dog park like everyone else. No biggie...

This puppy needs training. And not the training offered by Petsmart/Petco. Those classes are great for the puppy needing to learn "sit", not for the puppy that is starting to show undesirable behaviors. Your puppy needs behavior classes. And those are not cheap.

So, OP, I guess its up to you.. do you want to kill your dog? Or do you want to fix it? The choice is yours.. and yes it is that black and white. Puppies that show undesirable behaviors now, will only progress into the "bad" dog no one likes. Puppies can be fixed.. adults -- very hard to fix.

First step, get a cage muzzle and BRING THE DOG INSIDE!

I'm sure I'll get a reddie on this one... :)

First step, get a cage muzzle and BRING THE DOG INSIDE!

I'm sure I'll get a reddie on this one... :)


Well, if you do I just neutralized it.

Well, if you do I just neutralized it.

Lol Thank you very much :)

No reddies from me either... but lots of greenies for every point you scored !

Missed the 5 Weeks age, no doubt the reason for the aggression. Pup wasn't properly socialized. No bite inhibition. No reddie from me. I only disagreed with one part, but I respect you and your advice lucky.

And I one million times agree about banishing the dog outside. I meant to imply that I would rehome or...

What do you mean he is no longer in the house? Isolating him will only create more issues. If your dog is biting you out of aggression, imagine what he would do to a strange child.

He loves being outside. We didn't put him out there because of his biting. He seems to be doing a lot better being able to run around outside and use up some of his energy. Everyone's remarks have been very helpful. I just try to stuff a toy in his mouth when he tries to bite me. He isn't showing his teeth to me or growling anymore. He is now 33 lbs. and very clumsy with his big feet. He loves to sit on the swing with me. I'm feeling much better about him now and I think it is going to work out okay. Thanks!

Here is my complaint with people...

These people purchased this puppy at 5 weeks old, no doubt this pup was a parking lot puppy. Take it home and treat it like a 10 week old puppy.

This dog lost his litter extremely early and his mother. He never got to learn right from wrong from his siblings or mother. He never learned that biting too hard had a consequence and now he is starting to "act out" with the people.

Now everyone is deaming this puppy as aggressive. I realize there are some pups out there that are truely evil. I'm not denying that fact.. but it is also fact that if a puppy is taken away from the mother too early, aggressive acts do happen.. Does that mean this dog is going to be a man eating beast? NO! It means.. the OP needs to sit down, read a book on training a puppy, and DO IT!

Another complaint with the OP.. You claim to have dog knowledge... Why on earth did you purchase a puppy at 5weeks old? Unless you are an experienced dog handler (not owner, handler) than these are the toughest puppies to civilize. They are hard to house train, hard to teach obedience and hard to settle in a home environment. And now that the OP has taken on a challange far more challanging than a normal puppy, this pup is going to lose his life. That angers me... a lot.

So now.. we have a 10wk old puppy LIVING OUTSIDE. And now we are going to wonder why the 10wk old puppy, purchased as a 5wk old puppy is going to grow up to be a man eating beast.

Dogs were never created to be alone. They do awful by themselves. They need a pack, either other dogs, or people.. they need a pack. They thrive in a pack environment. Even the dogs that are guarding flocks and herds have another dog to be with. They are never alone.

Here is my other complaint.. Everyone is so scared to use a muzzle, crate, pinch collars or shock collar, yet they complain that the dog is unruly and destructive or mean. Those things were created for a reason, as a training aid. Can they be abused? Yes, very severely in some cases. Which is why I always suggest that these people seek professional help with shock collars or pinch collars. If the traditional methods of using treats and luring them into the positions you want dont work, you need to get the dog under control. There is nothing wrong with a cage muzzle for a snappy puppy. But I'm sure the OP thinks its mean. A cage muzzle PROTECTS YOU from your dog biting you. Once you are protected from his mouth, you can actually correct the problems without getting hurt. Like Bella said, it was a great training tool!

Not every dog is the classic happy-go-lucky lab. Some dogs you need to be careful with when small children come or other dogs come over. Does that mean that dog isnt worth keeping alive? Of course not! My own example.. I went from a very friendly dog to a dog that has a "Extreme caution- animal aggressive" on her file at the Vet's office. She is horrible around other dogs, but she is wonderful around me and my other dogs and is extremely friendly around other people. My dog and I just can't go to the dog park like everyone else. No biggie...

This puppy needs training. And not the training offered by Petsmart/Petco. Those classes are great for the puppy needing to learn "sit", not for the puppy that is starting to show undesirable behaviors. Your puppy needs behavior classes. And those are not cheap.

So, OP, I guess its up to you.. do you want to kill your dog? Or do you want to fix it? The choice is yours.. and yes it is that black and white. Puppies that show undesireable behaviors now, will only progress into the "bad" dog no one likes. Puppies can be fixed.. adults -- very hard to fix.

First step, get a cage muzzle and BRING THE DOG INSIDE!

I'm sure I'll get a reddie on this one... :)

This puppy was not a parking lot dog. It came from a family that couldn't afford to feed them, so we rescued him. He has been very obedient and easy to train. He is fully house trained, practically from the time we brought him home. He was very easy to train to sit, stay, heel and fetch. He is not a city dog where he has to sit inside all the time. We have a 50 acre farm with cattle, horses, and chickens. He loves being outside with the other animals. I never said anything about killing him! He is doing a lot better since he is outside. I guess he just needed to run off some aggression. Don't criticize me before you know the whole story, I have worked with animals all my life and loved every one. I am familiar with various training tools and techniques. This was just something I hadn't dealt with before.

This dog is 12 weeks old and has been (apparently) banished outside.

The problems are only going to get worse - again, in my opinion.

Isolating the dog from people is NOT going to "teach" him to play nice. It's the constant contact and correction tht makes a difference, not putting the dog somewhere where no one has to deal with him.

He wasn't (banished) outside. We spend a lot of time outside. He loves to run around with the other animals. He helps me feed the chickens and horses. He just needed a job to do. So everyone that says putting a dog outside will only make it worse was mistaken. Maybe in town it's a bad idea but in the country not so true.

... He has been very obedient and easy to train. He is fully house trained, practically from the time we brought him home. He was very easy to train to sit, stay, heel and fetch. He is not a city dog where he has to sit inside all the time. ...and techniques. This was just something I hadn't dealt with before.

Apparently he isn't easy to train or you wouldn't be "here."

And please don't assume you are the only person who lives in the Country.

And city dogs don't "sit inside all the time."

You didn't want to be judged. Well, you just judged a "bunch" of us. All we know is what you posted - and that's what we answered.

Apparently he isn't easy to train or you wouldn't be "here."

And please don't assume you are the only person who lives in the Country.

And city dogs don't "sit inside all the time."

You didn't want to be judged. Well, you just judged a "bunch" of us. All we know is what you posted - and that's what we answered.

I never said I was the only one who lives in the country. Most country dogs do spend more time outside than dogs in town. I'm sure you know this, that makes sense. I should've stated the reason he was put outside. I didn't mean to judge anyone, I just didn't like people assuming we were bad animal owners. Our animals are very well taken care of.

I never said I was the only one who lives in the country. Most country dogs do spend more time outside than dogs in town. I'm sure you know this, that makes sense. I should've stated the reason he was put outside. I didn't mean to judge anyone, I just didn't like people assuming we were bad animal owners. Our animals are very well taken care of.

I live in the country, and my dogs don't spend a lot of time outside. Coyotes, cars and people who want to poison dogs are running rampant here. I would think that "country" dogs should spend more time inside than city dogs just because of that.

I never said you were a bad dog owner. I'm sure you care for your animals quite well.. however; there are some puppies that need experienced handlers, not owners. There is a huge difference.

I do not agree with putting the puppy outside at 10/12 weeks old. They are still babies. They need a pack environment... and I'm sorry, you cannot establish that with him outside and you inside. Unless you practically live outside, there is no way you can do it.

You're puppy needs some obedience classes. It establishes a relationship and bond with your dog.

I work at a vet clinic, there are many alpaca farms where I live.. all of those dogs are ill-mannered and horrible to work with... and they're close to 100lbs.. all of them.

Bottom line is.. in order to have a well behaved dog in all situations, you need to establish who is in charge, what is right and wrong and how to behave around ALL people...

Banishing to the great outdoors is very poor ownership.. I don't care what your reasons are behind it. I understand some dogs are outdoor dogs, but at 10wks of age, I doubt he is happy sleeping by himself at night. Puppies don't really start separating from everyone until 6-8months of age.

I live in the country, and my dogs dont spend a lot of time outside. Coyotes, cars and people who want to poison dogs are running rampant here. I would think that "country" dogs should spend more time inside than city dogs just because of that.

I never said you were a bad dog owner. I'm sure you care for your animals quite well.. however; there are some puppies that need experienced handlers, not owners. There is a huge difference.

I do not agree with putting the puppy outside at 10/12 weeks old. They are still babies. They need a pack environment... and I'm sorry, you cannot establish that with him outside and you inside. Unless you practically live outside, there is no way you can do it.

You're puppy needs some obedience classes. It establishes a relationship and bond with your dog.

I work at a vet clinic, there are many alpaca farms where I live.. all of those dogs are ill-mannered and horrible to work with... and they're close to 100lbs.. all of them.

Bottom line is.. in order to have a well behaved dog in all situations, you need to establish who is in charge, what is right and wrong and how to behave around ALL people...

Banishing to the great outdoors is very poor ownership.. I dont care what your reasons are behind it. I understand some dogs are outdoor dogs, but at 10wks of age, I doubt he is happy sleeping by himself at night. Puppies dont really start separating from everyone until 6-8months of age.

I have to disagree with some of your opinions. There are ways to keep your dog safe outside. We have owned dogs all my life and I have always lived on a farm. Our dogs have always been very well behaved. Get along great with people and animals. I was always taught that when people ask if your dog bites that you can't say no because you never know what an animal will do in certain circumstances. So I tell people that they have never bitten before. Animals are animals and there are always exceptions to the rule.

Not that it really matters, but he is 15 weeks not 10. I work obedience training with him every night and when I'm home in the mornings every morning. You are just determined that this puppy is doomed. It couldn't be farther from the truth. If you work with animals you should know that some are going to overcome the odds.

So, you can go on saying he needs help but I can assure you he is doing quite well with his routine. He loves playing in his pool, swinging and he goes in his crate at night ready for bed. He knows whose in charge. We are through the biting and well on our way to a long and happy relationship.

I have to disagree with some of your opinions. There are ways to keep your dog safe outside. We have owned dogs all my life and I have always lived on a farm. Our dogs have always been very well behaved. Get along great with people and animals. I was always taught that when people ask if your dog bites that you can't say no because you never know what an animal will do in certain circumstances. So I tell people that they have never bitten before. Animals are animals and there are always exceptions to the rule.

Not that it really matters, but he is 15 weeks not 10. I work obedience training with him every night and when I'm home in the mornings every morning. You are just determined that this puppy is doomed. It couldn't be farther from the truth. If you work with animals you should know that some are going to overcome the odds.

So, you can go on saying he needs help but I can assure you he is doing quite well with his routine. He loves playing in his pool, swinging and he goes in his crate at night ready for bed. He knows whose in charge. We are through the biting and well on our way to a long and happy relationship.


Once again "someone" asks for advice because she apparently needs/wants advice and then has an argument against every opinion.

In this instance you are arguing against a well-respected member who is citing her experience AND education.

I can only speak for myself. I don't know you. I don't know your dog. I only know what you posted. Re-read it. The dog was biting, now it's outside. That's pretty much the heart of things. He passed through the biting stage in a couple of days OR you posted prematurely OR you are just saying that to shut off advice you don't want to hear.

Why did you post the question if you already had the answer?

Once again "someone" asks for advice because she apparently needs/wants advice and then has an argument against each and every opinion.

In this instance you are arguing against a well-respected member who is citing her experience AND education.

I can only speak for myself. I don't know you. I don't know your dog. I only know what you posted. Re-read it. The dog was biting, now it's outside. That's pretty much the heart of things. He passed through the biting stage in a couple of days OR you posted prematurely OR you are just saying that to shut off advice you don't want to hear.

Why did you post the question if you already had the answer?

He was biting more than a few days. I just wanted opinions on how to get him to stop not judgement on what a bad dog owner I am for putting him outside. I don't mind the advice, whether I agree or not. But people saying I got the puppy too early, he didn't have enough time with the mother. I understand that but I had no choice. The family couldn't keep the dogs and had to get rid of them. It was take him or he was going to die. The puppy had never even been in a house. They had them outside. We did have him inside for a few weeks and would take him out more and more. Until he got to where he didn't really want to come in. Thanks to those who gave their opinions, some were very helpful. I am going to purchase a cage muzzle to have on hand in case I might need it in the future.

He was biting more than a few days. I just wanted opinions on how to get him to stop not judgement on what a bad dog owner I am for putting him outside. I don't mind the advice, whether I agree or not. But people saying I got the puppy too early, he didn't have enough time with the mother. I understand that but I had no choice. The family couldn't keep the dogs and had to get rid of them. It was take him or he was going to die. The puppy had never even been in a house. They had them outside. We did have him inside for a few weeks and would take him out more and more. Until he got to where he didn't really want to come in. Thanks to those who gave their opinions, some were very helpful. I am going to purchase a cage muzzle to have on hand in case I might need it in the future.


Good, I hope it works out. I've never had a dog that didn't want to come inside, but I supposed they are all different.

Good luck.

Well this is a new record. We cured the dog of aggression in only a few days.

All joking aside, I wish you the best. I know it's hard to take advice on dog behavior because it almost always feels like you are under attack, no one wants to feel like they are bad pet owners, and no one wants to hear that they MIGHT be doing something wrong that encourages their pets bad behavior. I do wish you the best of luck, and if you continue to have problems I really do hope you come back. Believe it or not, we are all very experienced pet owners and a few of us are in school studying animal care/behavior. We only want the best for you and your dog. The last thing we want to see is another dog whose owners gave up on them. Not saying you are, but that really is reality in the rescue biz.

I haven't read all the posts. Too many, and I don't have time.

I saw bits and pieces, and from those bits and pieces I am gathering that the OP has made this puppy an outdoor dog.

My question is this. Do you want a pet dog, or a lawn ornament?

A dog that is sequestered to live outdoor because the owner doesn't have the knowledge to train it, is better of with someone that's willing to put in the time and effort.

To me it sounds like this was an impulse buy, and the OP didn't know, and wasn't able to handle, the challenge of having a dog in his/her life.

A dog that's not a part of the family, part of the pack, that's banished to the backyard because the owner can't handle it, is better off in a new home with an experienced owner.

Again, I didn't read all the posts. If this has already been mentioned, I apologize. If this is not what's actually happening, if the thread went off track because of another poster, I apologize.

My question is this. Do you want a pet dog, or a lawn ornament?

To me it sounds like this was an impulse buy, and the OP didn't know, and wasn't able to handle, the challenge of having a dog in his/her life.


No, you pretty much had it right BUT the dog was a rescue.

My concern? Dog was biting and out of control. Dog found itself living outside. Next thing we knew in three days the dog wanted to be outside, didn't want to come in and stopped biting.

It's frustrating to try to help and then have the question modified to suit the answer.

No, you pretty much had it right BUT the dog was a rescue.

My concern? Dog was biting and out of control. Dog found itself living outside. Next thing we knew in three days the dog wanted to be outside, didn't want to come in and stopped biting.

It's frustrating to try to help and then have the question modified to suit the answer.

Very frustrating.

I've had dogs all my life. I worked in rescue for years. I have yet to meet a dog that prefers to be outside, alone, without companionship.

I call bull on this one. Big time!

I'd bet money that this is a case of the OP (original poster) changing the story so we don't think he/she is a horrible person for deciding to banish the dog outside, instead of finding the dog a home where it can be the dog it's meant to be. The dog stopped biting since it was jailed outside, because you're not outside with the dog! That doesn't mean the dog is happy. It means that you gave up, and the dog is paying the price!

It's laziness, and lack of education. If you don't know dogs, don't get one! Especially don't get a rescue with issues unless you're willing to put in the work, the effort, and accept that you may not be able to change anything. :(

ALL puppies bite. Like babies, the feel everything - explore their new world - with their mouths. They need to be cared for and taught. The behavior is not acceptable, so they have to be taught what is OK for them to put their mouths on and what isn't.

Puppies need chew toys or they will chew on unacceptable things. Your vet or a good pet store can advise you on this. They also need puppy classes to train the owner as much as the dog.

Judy is right that banishing the puppy is the wrong thing to do. You need to learn how to interact with the puppy and let him become part of the family. You also need to learn how to issue gentle but impactful correction to stop unacceptable behaviors of all kinds. When you banish the dog, he does not become part of the family as a member of your "pack" and he does not learn his place in the pecking order. If you are mean to the dog, he will react in fear and scared dogs bite, among other undesirable traits.

It sounds like you don't really have an understanding of dogs - how to care for the, train them, choose a breed that's right for your family and lifestyle. If you aren't willing and eager to learn immediately and take some concrete advise and implement it with a passion, she is also right that you should find a different home for the dog, with experienced dog owners.

There's a saying "it's not the dog, it's the owner". Most bad dog behavior is the result of bad owner behavior - not usually intentional but due to a lack of intent to train the dog and learn how to work with and care for it properly.

It's kind of like deciding that you got a bad child because he arrived in your house at the age of two and was cranky, wetting his pants and pulling the CDs off the rack. If you know a bit more, then you tell yourself "Oh, he's a normal two year old - ok - he needs a snack, a nap and we need to tell him "no" about the CDs and give him a time-out next time".

Similarly normal puppies (dogs are puppies at least until they are 2, incidentally, though they mature quickly if you train them during that time), have undesirable behaviors - they pee in the house, bark, get into things, chew on your shoes and furniture and whatever else until they learn what is acceptable and what is not.

It IS appropriate to have a crate for your dog for breaks with regularly scheduled meal times, play time, training time, walks and time to just relax with the family. They sleep a lot but also need interaction, love, affection and work - like training for the reward of a treat.

A lot of people get a dog or other pet just thinking about how cute it is and assume the dog will grow up and change into the perfect dog if they just feed it and let it out. No - the owner has to proactively train them or they will continue to act like puppies.

OK

Very frustrating.

I've had dogs all my life. I worked in rescue for years. I have yet to meet a dog that prefers to be outside, alone, without companionship.

I call bull on this one. Big time!

I'd bet money that this is a case of the OP (original poster) changing the story so we don't think he/she is a horrible person for deciding to banish the dog outside, instead of finding the dog a home where it can be the dog it's meant to be. The dog stopped biting since it was jailed outside, because you're not outside with the dog! That doesn't mean the dog is happy. It means that you gave up, and the dog is paying the price!

It's laziness, and lack of education. If you don't know dogs, don't get one! Especially don't get a rescue with issues unless you're willing to put in the work, the effort, and accept that you may not be able to change anything. :(

OK

You need to read the whole story!!!!!I have had dogs for pets all my life, I showed dogs when I was younger. It wasn't an impulse buy either. Our home is surrounded by 50 acres. We have an inside dog, she likes it in here. He likes being outside. I understand people have an issue with him being outside but like a Border Collie, Australian Shepherd, they love herding cattle and being outside. If you bring him in, he will sit by the door and want out. Me and my husband are outside alot and he is crated at night. I just asked for help on stopping the biting! He hasn't completely stopped the biting but believe it or not, he has behaved better being outside. I can't tell you why only what I see!!!!

I have a border collie right now, just turned 6 months old. I also have a beagle. I've had lab border collie crosses, you name it. All of them were family dogs, none of them were sequestered or put outside because of issues. All of them bit as puppies, but they learned that that behavior is not acceptable. I didn't give up and put them outside so I wouldn't have to train them. That's what it sounds like you're doing. If not, then tell me how.

Here are the facts. Dogs are pack animals, they don't enjoy being alone. Dogs need to explore. You could have 100 acres of land, but you still need to walk your dog and train your dog if your dog is going to be happy and well behaved. A dog that becomes a lawn ornament (sequestered outside because his owners can't handle him) will have even more issues that he did as a puppy that's biting. Puppies bite! All puppies bite! I have yet to have a puppy that doesn't bite. Puppies stop biting when they're trained not to bite. Putting them in the yard doesn't solve this issue.

In your first post you mentioned he was 5 weeks when rescued. How old is he now?

In your first post you mentioned he was 5 weeks when rescued. How old is he now?

12 weeks last week - which translates to 13 weeks this week.

I think.

I have a border collie right now, just turned 6 months old. I also have a beagle. I've had lab border collie crosses, you name it. All of them were family dogs, none of them were sequestered or put outside because of issues. All of them bit as puppies, but they learned that that behavior is not acceptable. I didn't give up and put them outside so I wouldn't have to train them. That's what it sounds like you're doing. If not, then tell me how.

Here are the facts. Dogs are pack animals, they don't enjoy being alone. Dogs need to explore. You could have 100 acres of land, but you still need to walk your dog and train your dog if your dog is going to be happy and well behaved. A dog that becomes a lawn ornament (sequestered outside because his owners can't handle him) will have even more issues that he did as a puppy that's biting. Puppies bite! All puppies bite! I have yet to have a puppy that doesn't bite. Puppies stop biting when they're trained not to bite. Putting them in the yard doesn't solve this issue.

In your first post you mentioned he was 5 weeks when rescued. How old is he now?

OK

I have a border collie right now, just turned 6 months old. I also have a beagle. I've had lab border collie crosses, you name it. All of them were family dogs, none of them were sequestered or put outside because of issues. All of them bit as puppies, but they learned that that behavior is not acceptable. I didn't give up and put them outside so I wouldn't have to train them. That's what it sounds like you're doing. If not, then tell me how.

Here are the facts. Dogs are pack animals, they don't enjoy being alone. Dogs need to explore. You could have 100 acres of land, but you still need to walk your dog and train your dog if your dog is going to be happy and well behaved. A dog that becomes a lawn ornament (sequestered outside because his owners can't handle him) will have even more issues that he did as a puppy that's biting. Puppies bite! All puppies bite! I have yet to have a puppy that doesn't bite. Puppies stop biting when they're trained not to bite. Putting them in the yard doesn't solve this issue.

In your first post you mentioned he was 5 weeks when rescued. How old is he now?

I walk my dog and obedience train my dog. I'm tired of being accused of abandoning him. We are with him a lot. Probably more than some people whose dogs are inside and the family works 40 plus hours a week.

I walk my dog and obedience train my dog. I'm tired of being accused of abandoning him. We are with him alot. Probably more than some people whose dogs are inside and the family works 40 plus hours a week.

Is your puppy 12 weeks old?

You said that you've had dogs all your life. Do you not know that at 12 weeks a puppy bites? It's a form of play, and it's done to relieve the pain of teething. At 12 weeks your puppy should just be leaving his mother. Mommy would have taught him some puppy manners, but it's up to you to teach him the rest.

I'm sorry that you're tired of being accused. But if you choose to do the crime, be prepared to be accused.

My advice to you is to re-home the dog, find someone that's willing to put in the effort you aren't able to put in. That's not judgement, that's what's best for this puppy.

At 12 weeks of age he'll be easily re-homed. After years of being left in the yard, not trained, not properly socialized, when you finally get tired of the barking (he will bark, dogs that aren't allowed to be with a group, that aren't trained, that aren't walked, bark out of frustration) when you're finally tired of the biting when you go to feed him, he'll be impossible to re-home, and harder to retrain.

If you re-home him now he still has a chance. If you keep him and continue doing what you're doing, you'll only damage him further.

I'm really not trying to be mean. I'm not trying to attack you. You can't handle this dog. This dog deserves someone that can handle him and is willing to put in the time and effort. You've given up, which is why he's alone in the yard. Don't keep him just because you feel you have to. Give him up because he deserves a better life.

Edit: My husband and I both work 40 hours a week. I have a 6 month old puppy, and a 3 year old dog. My puppy doesn't bite (he's been trained not to), he's crate trained, comes when called, sits on command, lays down on command, shakes a paw, and much more. He learned all this months ago. We've had him since he was 8 weeks old. He's an indoor dog, a member of our family, and he gets a lot of attention.

Your argument that your lawn ornament (outdoor 12 week old puppy) gets more attention than someone that works 40 hours a week, doesn't hold true. My dog was better behaved at 8 weeks of age than your puppy is at 12 weeks, and my puppy is a border collie, a working breed, highly active. To top it all off, I live in the suburbs. I don't have 50 acres like you do. So give me another excuse.

My only concern with the OP and this situation, is that instead of solving the problem, she just put it outside because he appears to be better behaved.

The problem was never really addressed, it was avoided. The dog is still going to bite, even if its play bite, because no one told him "no". Instead, the OP claims that due to him being able to run wild outside, that the problem will fix itself.

Rescue or not, a puppy purchased or obtained at the age of 5wks needs a lot more care than a regular puppy bought at 8wks or 12wks.

I agree with Bella.. no one likes to be told they're a bad dog owner, or that they are doing everything wrong. But truth is, you came to us for help because you are having a problem that isn't resolving by what you know.

I think I already told you.. dogs don't really leave the group to be on their own until 6-8 months. Putting him outside at such a young age is going to really damage him.

He needs to either be with people or other dogs. Not alone with you checking in on him every few hours. In home dogs are more involved in our daily lives than people seem to think. Just because you are not playing fetch or making them sit, doesn't mean that your dog isn't part of your life. Dogs like to be couch potatoes and watch TV all day long too.. Its an activity that the pack is doing, and they are more than happy to do it.

You may be a really good animal owner, you may provide for them and handle all their needs.. but behavior training and dealing with bad behaviors are a different ball game. Puppies purchased/adopted/found at 5wks or younger have a lot of behavior issues. It's almost guaranteed that a puppy that young is going to have issues.. And him biting you endlessly and not stopping is one of them.

And him biting you endlessly and not stopping is one of them.

I agree.

And avoiding the problem by putting him in the yard and pretending it doesn't exist will create a whole new slew of problems.

I agree.

And avoiding the problem by putting him in the yard and pretending it doesn't exist will create a whole new slew of problems.

WOW, you all are really getting way off course. Pretending he doesn't exist?? I understand some of you are educated in animal behavior and I respect that but to tell me I need to rehome my dog because I don't know how to care for him is ridiculous. Some one was saying how their dog can sit, stay, whatever. My puppy is staying, sitting, down, heeling, fetching and will give you five. When I was younger I learned obedience training and showed my dog. I know how to train them. You all are assuming a lot.

WOW, you all are really getting way off course. Pretending he doesn't exist???? I understand some of you are educated in animal behavior and I respect that but to tell me I need to rehome my dog because I don't know how to care for him is ridiculous. Some one was saying how their dog can sit, stay, whatever. My puppy is staying, sitting, down, heeling, fetching and will give you five. When I was younger I learned obedience training and showed my dog. I know how to train them. You all are assuming alot.


Nana, in all honesty - why do you keep coming back to this thread to explain yourself? Everyone has had a say.

I think this is beating a dead horse.

Is your puppy 12 weeks old?

You said that you've had dogs all your life. Do you not know that at 12 weeks a puppy bites? It's a form of play, and it's done to relieve the pain of teething. At 12 weeks your puppy should just be leaving his mother. Mommy would have taught him some puppy manners, but it's up to you to teach him the rest.

I'm sorry that you're tired of being accused. But if you choose to do the crime, be prepared to be accused.

My advice to you is to re-home the dog, find someone that's willing to put in the effort you aren't able to put in. That's not judgement, that's what's best for this puppy.

At 12 weeks of age he'll be easily re-homed. After years of being left in the yard, not trained, not properly socialized, when you finally get tired of the barking (he will bark, dogs that aren't allowed to be with a group, that aren't trained, that aren't walked, bark out of frustration) when you're finally tired of the biting when you go to feed him, he'll be impossible to re-home, and harder to retrain.

If you re-home him now he still has a chance. If you keep him and continue doing what you're doing, you'll only damage him further.

I'm really not trying to be mean. I'm not trying to attack you. You can't handle this dog. This dog deserves someone that can handle him and is willing to put in the time and effort. You've given up, which is why he's alone in the yard. Don't keep him just because you feel you have to. Give him up because he deserves a better life.

Edit: My husband and I both work 40 hours a week. I have a 6 month old puppy, and a 3 year old dog. My puppy doesn't bite (he's been trained not to), he's crate trained, comes when called, sits on command, lays down on command, shakes a paw, and much more. He learned all this months ago. We've had him since he was 8 weeks old. He's an indoor dog, a member of our family, and he gets a lot of attention.

Your argument that your lawn ornament (outdoor 12 week old puppy) gets more attention than someone that works 40 hours a week, doesn't hold true. My dog was better behaved at 8 weeks of age than your puppy is at 12 weeks, and my puppy is a border collie, a working breed, highly active. To top it all off, I live in the suburbs. I don't have 50 acres like you do. So give me another excuse.

Believe it or not, I am very much aware that puppies bite. Why are you trying to make me look stupid. What crime are you talking about? You say I've given up, that isn't true either. I didn't say my dog gets more attention than someone who works 40 hrs. a week. I said my dog gets more attention than some people who work 40 hrs. a week. Not all but some!!

Nana, in all honesty - why do you keep coming back to this thread to explain yourself? Everyone has had a say.

I think this is beating a dead horse.

I'm done!

WOW, you all are really getting way off course. Pretending he doesn't exist?? I understand some of you are educated in animal behavior and I respect that but to tell me I need to rehome my dog because I don't know how to care for him is ridiculous. Some one was saying how their dog can sit, stay, whatever. My puppy is staying, sitting, down, heeling, fetching and will give you five. When I was younger I learned obedience training and showed my dog. I know how to train them. You all are assuming a lot.

Read my post again. I didn't say you were pretending he doesn't exist. I said you're pretending that the problem doesn't exist. There's a huge difference between "it" and "he", and reading a post in context.

Here's my exact post word for word;


And avoiding the problem by putting him in the yard and pretending it doesn't exist will create a whole new slew of problems.

As for assuming. Did you or did you not post that he has now been sequestered to the backyard, and that even though you've done this, the biting issue isn't completely resolved. Instead of training him, you've banished him. What chapter of your training book did you read that in?

I'm done!!


Be done from this thread - don't be done with AMHD!

Come and join on another thread. Your dog is a rescue. People are breeding and bragging about it all the time - join in and explain the other side of things, the people who do rescue dogs, the dogs that end up homeless.

Wow... people are harsh aren't they? Also, if you have never owned a Great Pyr - you don't know much about the breed and many of the typical dog advice don't always work. I can understand the OP as a GP owner and as a fellow farmer.

We own a GP (have owned a few), and she also loves to be outside and is trained to protect our livestock. She is three years old and the best dog we could have ever asked for. The breed is much more independent and not as "pack oriented" as some breeds. They were bred to be with livestock full time and often the problems come when people try to turn them into "house dogs." There is a HUGE number of them in rescue because of this (I should know as we have adopted our dogs from the rescue and work them on fostering them). It does depend on the lines and their background of course. Crossing the breed can be confusing for dogs as other breeds are more pack oriented and they can wrestle with this internally. They want to be independent and protect your property AND be in your home and protect YOU. So, this can cause issues too. Although, GP traits do tend to over-ride other breeds as it seems to be more dominant.

Our GP is incredibly calm, great around children and very happy to be outside full time (with the occasional bath and brush down and overnight cuddle sessions). She is doing what she was bred for and loves it. If we did it any different, we would start having problems. Independent breeds need different kind of training and attention. We are also outside much of the time, so she is not alone or "abandoned." Most people that own farms are very much active outdoors with their dogs. Such melodramatic language on here!

To the OP, look up "Bite Inhibition" and how to work on softening this. Mouthing is normal for pups, but the focus at this age should be on softening the bite and showing through simple body language, you don't like playing with biters. Since the pup did lose it's littermates at a very young age, this is something you need to take the place of. We have seen very fast improvements in our pups with this training. Also, look up the breed of Great Pyrs. They are rarely biters but I think the problem is occurring due to having been removed from it's litter so young and poor bite inhibition training. Sometimes, this happens due to no fault of our own (rescued, etc) but it's good to know what they still need developmentally. Socializing him around other puppies and dogs can help as well. I also recommend looking up the "five critical stages" for puppies to learn more about what you can do.

So sorry you got attacked on here, not helpful at all! I hope you figured it out and if not, I am willing to offer any advice I can.

I am also posting my response as this may help someone else who ends up in this situation.

Good luck!!

Furryloo, not one person attacked the OP. Not one. She asked for advice and we gave her the best advice we could, not only for her, but for this puppy.

The fact is, putting a puppy outside and ignoring the issues it has, is not the way to train a puppy. If you don't agree with that then I have to ask, what experience do you have with puppies and dogs?

The OP's puppy was 12 weeks old when this thread was started. No dog, no matter the breed, is fully trained and well behaved at 12 weeks of age. Puppies require training, they do not require being sequestered in the yard because the people that had to have the cute puppy, can't handle the puppy.

That's my opinion, and it's a professional one. If you want to challenge it, that's fine, but instead of running off your mouth, show me proof that your way is the right way.

Ookaaay...

Have you ever actually owned a Pyrenees? Pyrenees puppies actually do need to be left outside with live stock to bond to them. Ours were all born in the fields with sheep or goats, etc. Started their training the day they were born. Research the breed as a working dog. Talk with farmers that use them. The earlier the better, often behavior problems comes from people waiting too long to do this and bonding them to the house and people and then dog is confused. But Pyrs love to roam the propery line and guard and guard. They love having a JOB. And yes, as early as 12 weeks. It is in their blood. I believe this person when she said her puppy loves being outside. I don't think for a moment she was being intentionally cruel and abandoning it. And yes, we rescue and foster Pyrenees. They are one of the most rescued breeds as most people don't understand them and usually do a lot of the wrong thing to train them. They are working dogs at heart. Many people adopt them as house dogs when they are truly LIVE STOCK GUARD DOGS.

My intent is to help someone else with Pyrenees and prevent more rescues. We see the sad end of it and a lot of it is people not understanding the breed and expecting them to be house dogs and many trainers make it worse as their taining needs are very different. A few of them do well as house dogs (emphasis on few) but their love is to be with livestock and guard your property.

My only intent is to help anyone that adopts a Pyrenees. I'll be glad to offer training advice to anyone that asks.

I respect your post, and no I've never had a GP (great pyrenese).

Here's where I see an issue. The OP bought this dog as a family dog. She does have a farm, but if you read her post, she bough the dog because she heard the breed was good with kids, a family dog. She bought it with the intention of having a family pet, not a dog used with her livestock or as a guard dog.

She came here for one reason only, and that was the biting issue. She didn't come here to defend the breed. She came here because she's having issues with the breed.

She didn't do her research, she didn't know what to expect from this breed, and now, instead of dealing with the issues she's having, the dog has been put outside. She has no more idea what to do in order to train the dog to be what you say they love to be, than she does to make it what she wanted it to be.

In other words, my advice still stands. The OP should rehome this dog, and at this young age the dog will be easy to rehome, to someone like you that knows the breed and how to train it.

She doesn't, and isn't willing to listen to the advice she asked for.

If that's rude, than so be it. I'm only thinking about what's best for this dog, and the owner as well. This is not the dog she wanted. She should have gotten a poodle.

Often bored puppies bite. Teething puppies bite. Sometimes biting is a symptom of something else. With Pyr puppies, allowing them to work, guard and giving them a lot exercise is crucial. If they are indoors all day, they WILL bite. And really this is true for any breed. We are training a sheep dog puppy. And as long as he gets his exercise training twice a day with the sheep and given lots of chew time - we have hardly any biting at all.

For pyr puppies, I recommend lots of outside time and exercise before trying to train them. We love this breed so much.

I didn't know much about the breed when I got my first Pyreeness either. But with experience, seeking out advice and finding those with actual Pyrenees experience and wonderful people willing to help - we persevered and now I am helping others. I don't think re-homing is the automatic first answer if someone is looking and seeking for advice. And yes, Pyreenes are GREAT with children. Gentle giants. Often if a person has property, they can go on to be loving guard dogs for the home. Biting is a rare problem with Pyrenees and I am not surprised to read that once she started keeping the dog outside more, it stopped. It was probably very bored and needed a job.

I would love to hear an update from her.

Now that I've said this, Furryloo, stick around, your advice is welcome in the dog forum. We do our best here, but we don't know every breed. How could we? I don't own a farm, but I do have a dog that's considered a farm dog. My breed of choice is the border collie, a very famous farm dog, and in my case our latest border collie mix is from a farm, his parents are working dogs.

I live in the burbs, but I make it work, because I know the breed. I also have never had a purebred border collie, which may help a bit, but I have to say, the border collie gene is a dominant one. ;)

Right now my latest border collie mix, Rascal (he's well names) is 9 months old. I've learned to work with this work driven breed, so that he'll not only be content in the burbs, but will be a good family dog, and all of my border collie mixes have been excellent family dogs. My oldest passed away over year ago, and he was 16, mixed with a lab. My second passed away 5 months after my 16 year old, it was very sudden. He was 10 years old. I also have a beagle, a dog known for its training issues. Great family dog, wonderful with kids, but has the attention span of a gnat. Love him to death. :)

What I'm trying to say is that I do know dogs, I do know breeds that are bred to work. I never suggest re-homing a dog just because it's the easiest solution. I really do think that in this case the OP didn't know what she was getting into, and can't handle the breed she chose.

I'd love to discuss this with you further, and hope that you stick around. Maybe after you read a few thousand posts in the dog forum, you'll understand why we come off as curt, or harsh. I've been here 5 years, and I've seen it all. I have to say, sugar coating things went out the window around 4 years ago.

Stick around. Your knowledge about this breed is something we welcome. :)

I didn't know much about the breed when I got my first Pyreeness either. But with experience, seeking out advice and finding those with actual Pyrenees experience and wonderful people willing to help - we persevered and now I am helping others. I don't think re-homing is the automatic first answer if someone is looking and seeking for advice. And yes, Pyreenes are GREAT with children. Gentle giants. Often if a person has property, they can go on to be loving guard dogs for the home. Biting is a rare problem with Pyrenees and I am not surprised to read that once she started keeping the dog outside more, it stopped. It was probably very bored and needed a job.

I would love to hear an update from her.

I do agree that re-homing isn't the automatic first answer when someone has an issue with a dog. If you read the other posts in this forum, you'll see that 99% of the time re-homing isn't even suggested, at least not when the owner is having behavioural issues.

I will concede that I don't know anything about this breed. I know a lot about working dogs, as I mentioned in my previous post, but not this particular breed. Here's where I have a major issue. You said that you didn't know a lot about this breed when you bought one. But, you did your research. Granted, I would have rather you did your research before you bought the dog, but, in the end it worked out, you figured things out, found people that know about the breed, and you made it work. Now you offer advice to other people with this breed.

I will say that you got lucky, and please don't take my next statement as an admonishment, but, you should have done things the other way around. No one should buy a dog before they research the breed and know everything about it.

This OP not only doesn't know a thing about this breed, but she also doesn't know that buying a 5 week old puppy is not only illegal in most states, but also morally not right. No dog is ready to leave its mother at 5 weeks of age. The legal age is 8 weeks, 12 weeks is better. At 12 weeks this dog was already put outside because she couldn't handle its behaviour.

Are you seeing where I'm coming from now? Why I suggested re-homing? She doesn't know a thing about this breed. Do I? No. Does anyone on this site? Well, you do, but you weren't here when she asked. The thing is, as the owner, it's her job to research the breed.

I didn't go to school to learn what I learned about dogs. I learned because I put in the work. I adopted a beagle knowing full well what I was getting into. I did months of research before I even found a breeder. All of the dogs I've had were not bought on impulse. I knew what I was getting, and what I would have to do to make it work. The OP didn't, and still doesn't. That's why this dog is not for her.

Like I said, based on what she wrote in her post, what she expected from this dog, she shouldn't have gotten this breed, which would mean that the dog would be better off in a new home, and at it's age that would be the best option, before the OP makes it impossible to re-home the dog because she has no idea how to care for it properly, which includes training.

Indoor dog or outdoor dog.. that dog's behavior was unacceptable and instead of trying to fix the problem, they solved it by putting the dog outside.

I have met many guardian dogs.. and they were all very well behaved, not leashed trained, but accepting of restraint and handling. This dog; already acting like he is going to bite at 12 weeks, is going to be a nightmare when its older.. and it's the owner to blame.

That's great that you know how these dogs act and how they enjoy to live their lives.. but I still stand by saying.. indoor dog or outdoor dog, a dog that bites is a bad dog and these people need to work with the dog on it.. But they won't, because putting him outside magically cured him of his bad behavior.

Thanks Alty. I appreciate that. I discourage re-homing a Pyr, especially if you have property and a farm. They are VERY easy to train once you know a few basics. The problem with rehoming is they usually get rehomed repeatedly and before you know it, they are a 90 pound puppy problem.

Often, lots of exercise, allowing them work at a young age, chew opportunities (raw marrow bones are great for GP) are easy ways to curb behavioral issues. I also believe in Bite Inhibition training and 12 weeks is a perfect age to start (sooner is better). If a Pyr is bored, indoors all day, has nothing sufficient to chew - they are going to mouth and bite. I believe biting is the SYMPTOM of something else usually and often you just have to find out what they need. I love the yelping and ignoring approach when teaching softer bite inhibition. Pyrs really need this training because they can actually chew through steel. So yes, they need to be taught a softer bite as soon as possible.

Usually when they are rehomed, they often become rescue dogs very quickly because they are quite literally an energetic 90 pound ball of energy. Lol. And we have found that people often rehomed them on advice of a trainer that was just overwhelmed and didn't understand the breed.

A working Pyr is a happy one. Give them lots of time to use this (can we say running the fence line for hours?), chew opportunities and bite inhibition training and you will have a GREAT dog on your hands. :). Also, you do need to be a leader with them just like any breed of dog really.

Also, it helps to know, they are "puppies" until 2 years old. 90-100 pound puppies at that!

I feel like I am repeating myself now. Lol!

Really Pyrs are easy to train! And 12 weeks is not too late to teach them appropriate bite inhibition. I've done bite inhibition training with older dogs. It is very easy.

I feel like I am repeating myself now. Lol!

Really Pyrs are easy to train! And 12 weeks is not too late to teach them appropriate bite inhibition. I've done bite inhibition training with older dogs. It is very easy.

I agree, it's not too late to teach the dog. But that's the issue here, that's the very reason all of use told the OP to rehome the dog. She's not willing to train. She put the dog outside so she could avoid having to deal with the biting. She's not training, and despite may of us telling her that's what's needed, she refused. She wants to continue ignoring the problem, and the dog. The dog isn't being given any training at all, it's been pushed outside, fed, but that's it, no other interaction, no training, nothing. The OP can't handle this dog.

I agree with you 100% that this dog needs training and is young enough to do well with training. But the OP wouldn't accept that advice, she wanted an easy fix, a 1 minute training tip that would cure this dog of everything that's going on. We all know that's not possible.

She's not willing to put in the time or effort, which is why I suggested re-homing the dog to someone that is willing to train it.

Just saying: research and first-hand experience are two different things. I actually did research the breed obsessively for almost a year before we got our first Pyr. Saw them in person, etc. Still wasn't prepared for the experience though! Lol.

I agree, 5 weeks is too young. No arguing that. I do know of people that take puppies that young for rescue reasons. Not always by choice. That's why researching "the five critical stages" is important if this happens.

Just trying to keep the tone of this thread helpful for other Pyr owners and hoping they learn something. I'm really not interested in being right or argue with anyone by any means. Would like to hear an update on this Pyr puppy as well.

Good luck with the update.. Typically we never get an update on the dog.