Sherwood's Breeding Plans

[YodelDogs]

@renaultf1:

I love it…and too funny that they came up with the same name separately!

The same thing happened when Steph and I co-bred a litter with her dog Luna. For the black male puppy, we both came up with the call name Clipper and Eclipse to be in the registered name seperately from one another. (Clipper aka Sherwood's Eclipse Of The Moon is a littermate to lvoss's Rally.)

[Andrew]

Yay!! I too was wondering if Ayla was from Clan of the Cave Bear!!! Glad it is I LOVE that book & her character!!!
Ayla is beautiful!!! VERY happy to hear Bindi & Jozi are getting along. Does this mean you might be keeping Jozi still?

[saba]

Well, I hate to be repetitive, but I to was wondering if it was connected to Ayla, from the Clan of the Cave Bears :D…

I am actually re-reading the series at the moment, (for the 3rd time I might add...), and thoroughly enjoying it

[Nemo]

@YodelDogs:

Bite inhibition training is almost complete and she is rock solid on startle reflex training. I'm really proud of how smart and easily trained this girl is. She has truly been a joy.

I'm just catching up on this thread…. I've read the link to bite inhibition training lvoss gave in another post. But, how do you know know bite inhibition training is "complete"? Their bite is "gummy" consistently for a period of time? I would have guessed that you would have to keep that up for a while until they are a little older since puppies get so easily excited.

[YodelDogs]

@Andrew:

Does this mean you might be keeping Jozi still?

If the right home comes along I will place her.

[YodelDogs]

@Nemo:

But, how do you know know bite inhibition training is "complete"? Their bite is "gummy" consistently for a period of time? I would have guessed that you would have to keep that up for a while until they are a little older since puppies get so easily excited.

One thing I will never understand is why so many people automatically stick their finger or hand in a puppy's mouth. Then as the puppy grows, they complain because it always wants to gnaw on them or nip. :rolleyes:

From the time my pups start to mouth me, I yelp like it hurts. They soon learn that humans are delicate creatures and they shouldn't use their teeth on them. Visitors are scolded for sticking their fingers in the puppy's mouth and instructed to yelp as I do. It is far harder to train people than it is puppies! New owners are instructed to yelp when the pup mouths them and give the puppy a toy to show it what it should be chewing on. The one's who follow my advice have very few problems with nipping pups.

Ayla presented a new problem. She had no siblings to learn bite pressure from. The adults (nor the cats!) never yelped. Teaching her that a yelp means ouch has taken longer than usual. Consistent reinforcement will halt the behavior though. It just takes time and patience.

[Quercus]

Yeah, I would say bite inhibition training is "complete' at the puppy stage when they stop chewing on you in play. But you won't really know how complete it is as an adult until the dog might be forced into a situation where it really wants to bite either out of fear, or anger. Ideally, the dog would go thru a progression of 'bite' stages starting with an air snap, and then a muzzle punch (where it feels like the dog bit you, but there isn't any teeth marks or blood), and then a there is a bite where the dog opens its mouth and applies pressure, but doesn't break the skin. The idea is that the dog only applies as much pressure as needed in an emergency (in the dog's mind). A dog with no bite inhibition will overreact and inflict multiple skin breaking bites for someone bumping him while sleeping.

That is a worst case scenario, obviously. Lots of dogs wouldn't dream of biting a person; but the idea is to teach a dog how hard is too hard, rather than teaching them to never put their mouth on someone. And, as Robyn mentioned, singleton puppies, or puppies that were removed from their dam and littermates too early often have more trouble learning this.

[renaultf1]

Robin & Andrea…great posts and very timely!! I have a mouthy little girl but since I've been doing the yelping and turning away or yelping and giving a toy, things are DEFINITELY improving. As you've said, consistency is key though...I've been doing it every time and have been trying to get other people to do the same (that's been the tough part).

[renaultf1]

@saba:

Well, I hate to be repetitive, but I to was wondering if it was connected to Ayla, from the Clan of the Cave Bears :D…

I am actually re-reading the series at the moment, (for the 3rd time I might add...), and thoroughly enjoying it

Ha, ha, ha…I'm so with you. When Robin put her name up on here, I was thinking, "I haven't read that in a while, I need to find that series and read it again." :D:D:D

[Nemo]

Thanks Andrea and Robyn,

That was helpful. Zoni isn't horribly mouthy but I definitely have some more work to do with her. I carry a nylabone in my pocket for the occasion.