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

Same site, but here is the link on preventing bites: Preventing Bites

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?

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Originally Posted by FarmingNana

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.

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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... :)

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Originally Posted by Lucky098

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

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

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Well, if you do I just neutralized it.

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Originally Posted by JudyKayTee

Well, if you do I just neutralized it.

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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...

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Originally Posted by Aurora_Bell

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.

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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!

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Originally Posted by Lucky098

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... :)

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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.

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Originally Posted by JudyKayTee

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.

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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.

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Originally Posted by FarmingNana

... 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.

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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.

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Originally Posted by JudyKayTee

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.

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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.

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Originally Posted by FarmingNana

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.

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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.

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Originally Posted by Lucky098

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.

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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.

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Originally Posted by FarmingNana

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.

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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?

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Originally Posted by JudyKayTee

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?

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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.

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Originally Posted by FarmingNana

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.

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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.

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Originally Posted by Alty

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.

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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.

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Originally Posted by JudyKayTee

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.

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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.

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Originally Posted by Alty

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. :(

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Originally Posted by FarmingNana

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!!!!

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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?

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Originally Posted by Alty

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

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

I think.

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Originally Posted by Alty

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?

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Originally Posted by Alty

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?

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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.

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Originally Posted by FarmingNana

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.

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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.