[Flylihop]

I have a 10 week old adorable Black Labrador puppy called Roo! She's absaloutly lovely and I have had her just over 2 weeks! About a week ago she randomly started growling aggressivly at my brother! He wasn't doing anything to provoke this, it was like an atitude change. She would only do it for about a minuite but she barks and growls as though she wants to attack! Then she started doing it to the rest of the family! Its so weird because she's so lovely and friendly, its like all of a sudden she turns into a different dog! It can be very scary... For examply today in the garden, she was out on the grassy bit, and I walked over to make sure she was OK. As I walked towards her, I noticed a look on her face and I knew she was going to get aggressive. It seems like she thinks about it for a few seconds! It very scary. I am trying to work out the best method for this, so this time I tried ignoring her, I turned around and began to walk off! She ran at me all agressivly and started beting my legs, and actually ripped part of my jeans! I was of course very angry, but I just carried on walking while she was biting me, completely ignoring her. Then when I got to the passage way down the side of the house I was so angry and I guess upset, I shouted NO at her. She sat back for about a second and then started again! I was so angry because she just wouldn't stop this time, so I put her in her cage and locked her in. And left her for about 5 minutes.
I really don't know what to do, it can happen for no reason and It can hurt! :(
I have tried so many different things
What can I do??
thanks

[bekah876]

Wow, that is so unusual for a lab to be aggressive, but I have seen it. I am kind of stumped here. I suggest trying different things to see what works. I do know that aggression should not be ignored or rewarded, it should be automatically dealt with. I would take your puppy through training or do it yourself. This is a way to let her know who is in charge and train her to be submissive. You have got to start working at this while she is young or you will have a huge problem.
Make sure she doesn't develop food aggression. Give her treats from your hand, take her food away for a moment while she is eating, and even stick you hand in the food bowl. Get her use to someone messing with her food so she doesn't get aggressive or protective about it. If you are afraid to stick your hand in the bowl start with a stick or something to see how she reacts.
Having her trained to sit will come in handy when she gets aggressive. When she does start getting aggressive you can tell her to sit and put her in that submissive state of mind.
Don't ignore her aggression.
Here are some websites I found. Hope it helps.
http://ddfl.org/behavior/dog-agg.pdf
Dealing with Aggressive Dogs
I just typed in aggressive dogs and googled.
Good luck. Keep me updated to what happens.

[bushg]

Do not hit her, nor let anyone tease her! Also I would hand feed her so that she knows exactly where her food comes from or do as the poster above suggested and put my hand in her food to add more so that she knows a hand around her food is a good thing. She would be spayed ASAP. I would get enrolled in an puppy obedience class and also learn the approaches and stares that dogs consider to be a challenge. Also my dogs, when we are playing will growl and act like they are going to eat you but they never put their mouth on us, as soon as we get close to their mouth they drop the toy. Some of it may just be part of her loud playing. Labman may be able to provide you with a sticky that will be very helpful with your lab. But I don't think ignoring her is going to be the answer. You may have a challenge here but at least she is young and you have a better chance to deal with her problems. Edit : I stand corrected 10 weeks and not 10 months you clearly stated that and failed to see it sorry :) with the exception of the spay I think the other ideas are OK

[labman]

I think what you are seeing may be fairly normal for a 10 week old. Up until dogs mature at about 3 years old, they periodically test their limits and try to move up in pack rank. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at Raising Your Dog with the Monks of New Skete Some puppies are more quick to do so, and at a younger age. More so if they see a lack of leadership. At any age, either you, or the dog is in charge. Many Labs are very strong willed, and will take over just like yours is. Here are some gentle ways to let a young puppy understand you are top dog:

''Elevation for small puppies: Sit on the floor and gently put your hands around your pup's middle, below his front legs, and lift him up. He is facing you. Hold him for 15 seconds. Repeat until he no longer struggles. If he is past 10-12 weeks, lift his front feet off the ground, but don't pick him up.

Cradling for small puppies: Hold your puppy gently on his back, as you would cradle a small baby. If he struggles, hold him firmly until he quiets for 10-15 seconds. With larger pups, you can do this as your sit on the floor, with your pup between your legs.

Quiet lying down: Place your pup on the floor on his side, with all 4 legs pointing away from you. Use your hands on his neck/shoulder area and middle, to hold him in this position. When he is quiet, praise him. Lengthen the time that you keep him quietly in this position. When he accepts this position well, handle his paws and muzzle, while keeping him quiet.''

The quotes mean this isn't my original work. It is copied from my Puppy Raising Manual. I have long used these or minor variations of them, and they are very effective. You may want to give him a belly rub while he is on his back too. Helps bonding. There is a big difference between him rolling over and demanding a belly rub, and you choosing a time to roll him over and rub his belly. The latter cements your place as pack leader.

Your puppy is much too young to consider spaying or obedience classes. The current trend is toward spaying earlier, but usually not before 4 months. Go with your vet. It is also possible it may still go through a window where it is very vulnerable to parvo and other diseases even with the best shot program. See Canine Parvovirus, What you should know about

I trust the AVMA site. I can't say the same for the above sites. Google is a very blunt tool for finding reliable information on dogs. There is just too much garbage out there on the web about dogs. I have seen links to sites here that go from useless, to counter productive to actually dangerous. I have Googled topics where I have a good enough background to sort out the good and the bad. Everything on the first page was trash. I took time last week to check a link somebody posted, https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/i...light=ivillage Did you come here hoping somebody would do the same Google search you could have, or that somebody with more experience and training than you, would share it? I hate to be so negative, but many of the forums in home and garden have real experts able to provide sound advice.

I have put some of what I know in a sticky starting at https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/i...tml#post251802 I have checked out some other web sites and found most of their advice above average including Establishing and Keeping Alpha Position and Woodhaven Labradors Articles Skim through the ''My dog won't eat'' section of the sticky and note the link on evaluating your puppies weight. Cute, chubby Lab puppies grow up to have more joint problems.

[bekah876]

Wow, I feel like I was bashed by labman. I am sorry if my advice wasn't correct or good enough. What I know is from working in a vet's office, raising puppies, and raising a seeing eye dog for the blind. I don't have near as much experience as labman, but I still feel like I gave good advice. Labman said your dog was too young for obedience class, but I know with seeing eye dogs we get them in a puppy class before 6 months of age to work on submissive activities and basics, such as sit, down, stay, and come. I do agree that 10 weeks is too young for obedience, but not too young to start looking around your area to see what is offered.

[Flylihop]

Thanks guys it was really helpful my dog is now 13 weeks old now and is much better! The only thing we're trying to work on now is the biting... she never usually bites hard but she still has to learn not to do it. We are currently trying at the moment wheneva she bites to put her straight in her crate! Though its hard to keep up with it because she does it very lightly playfully at times and that seems rather harsh punishment because she doesn't mean to hurt you. I also realise she is teething at the moment, and it's very easy to tell as she will lie down and start just biting nything that is near her... often her arm! :S so I no she is finding it difficult.
Do you have ny other suggestions for this?
p.s she also has this gross habit of eating her own poo! Its so gross - what can I do?

[labman]

Young Labs, which I know best, and other puppies tend to very bad about
Biting. You see a litter of them, and all the ones that are awake are biting
Another one or themselves. I am not even sure they realize that when they are
Alone, if they quit biting, they would quit being bitten. At 3 to 4 months
They are getting their adult teeth, and it seems they spend every waking
Moment biting or chewing. One thing you can do at that stage is to knot and wet a piece of cloth. Then freeze it. The cooling will soothe the gums. Only let the puppy have it when you are there to watch it. I maintain a Lab's favorite chew toy is another
Lab. Otherwise they settle for any person they can. They keep hoping to find
One that won't yelp and jerk their hand away, or growl "Bad dog." and clamp
Their mouth shut. Then offer a chew toy. They keep trying despite hundreds
Of corrections. Another good technique is to quit playing and go away. Be
Sure to praise them when they are playing nice and not biting.

Eating feces isn't uncommon. I usually work at cleaning them up before the puppy get to to them. You can add things to their food to discourage it. Pineapple juice and canned pumpkin come well recommended. There are the commercial products, Deter and Forbid.