aikoflavored Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 My 11 week old, Sophie growls and tries to bite me when I go to pick her up. When we first got her, she would kind of make a grumble noise when I went to pick her up. Now it's progressed to an all out aggressive growl. I pick her up when she's sleeping in the kitchen or on the bed to move her to her bed since when she's tired, she won't move even if there's a fire! I try telling her No in a firm voice, but she doesn't seem to get it, the growling first made me mildly uncomfortable, but now that she's trying to bite me, it's become a problem. I thought maybe I was hurting her when I picked her up, but she growls when I simply place my hand under her. I've tried picking her up a bunch of different ways, but she still growls. The only times she won't growl is when she wants to get on the bed, when she wants to get in the car or if we're at the park or store. It's the only aggressive behavior I've seen in her, she let's me take her toys from her and won't snatch them away, she waits till I put it back on the floor and give her permission to grab it. She doesn't do it if I take her bowl while she's eating, or her bone while she's chewing on it. She's very sweet and very submissive toward me, she never steps through a doorway until I've passed through, and she's picking up house training fairly quickly, she cries or tries to dig at corners when she's wanting to go out. She sleeps through the night and plays during the day. I love her dearly, but the aggression toward being picked up is scaring me a little.. Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyra Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 At her age it probably isn't actual aggression. She might just be trying to figure out where she stands with you, or it could be that she's not used to being handled that way yet. How much positive reinforcement have you tried with her? When she's relaxed, are you touching her feet, petting her belly, touching her ears, etc? Give her treats while you're doing these things, as long as there's no growling, so she'll hopefully start to associate being touched/handled in various areas as a good thing. You can give her treats when she doesn't growl after picking her up as well, such as when she's getting on the bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darc-Brittany Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 My 11 week old, Sophie growls and tries to bite me when I go to pick her up. When we first got her, she would kind of make a grumble noise when I went to pick her up. Now it's progressed to an all out aggressive growl. I pick her up when she's sleeping in the kitchen or on the bed to move her to her bed since when she's tired, she won't move even if there's a fire! I try telling her No in a firm voice, but she doesn't seem to get it, the growling first made me mildly uncomfortable, but now that she's trying to bite me, it's become a problem. I thought maybe I was hurting her when I picked her up, but she growls when I simply place my hand under her. I've tried picking her up a bunch of different ways, but she still growls. The only times she won't growl is when she wants to get on the bed, when she wants to get in the car or if we're at the park or store. It's the only aggressive behavior I've seen in her, she let's me take her toys from her and won't snatch them away, she waits till I put it back on the floor and give her permission to grab it. She doesn't do it if I take her bowl while she's eating, or her bone while she's chewing on it. She's very sweet and very submissive toward me, she never steps through a doorway until I've passed through, and she's picking up house training fairly quickly, she cries or tries to dig at corners when she's wanting to go out. She sleeps through the night and plays during the day. I love her dearly, but the aggression toward being picked up is scaring me a little.. Any suggestions? I know a lot of people would probably not like this, or frown upon it... But, when Kira was little and he was being nippy, I'd gently take is ear and bite down on it. I'd start off really light and slowly increase the pressure until he made a little noise and then let go, kind of like how when dogs play with one another, they let the other one know if they are getting too rough by letting out a yelp. I'd try other ways before this one, but they didn't seem to stop him so I resorted to this. It worked really well, it only took a few bites and he smartened up. I don't think it's a cruel way of teaching them that biting will not be tolerated, however, I do believe highly in positive reinforcement and that's the only "abuse" my dog has had to endure. As for the picking up... Hmm... Maybe treat before picking up, have a handful of treats and pick her up while treating. While in your arms, keep treating... Hopefully then she will attach being picked up as a good thing. Slowly fade out the treats and replace with affection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aikoflavored Posted January 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 I constantly pet her, she has never ever had an issue with me touching her ears and I wipe her paws off every time she comes inside, which she seems to actually enjoy. She loves her belly rubbed and I can touch any and every part of her without an issue, which is why it's weird that she would growl at me when I try to pick her up. I've carried her a lot since I first got her, less in the past few days because her growling is scaring me. I praise her when I have her in my arms, and I'll often give her treats. She really likes to sit on my lap or rest her head on my knee. If I lay down on the bed, she'll come over and lay right next to me with her head on my shoulder looking at me. It makes me sad that she's doing this, I don't know what to do.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyra Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 I know a lot of people would probably not like this, or frown upon it... But, when Kira was little and he was being nippy, I'd gently take is ear and bite down on it. I'd start off really light and slowly increase the pressure until he made a little noise and then let go, kind of like how when dogs play with one another, they let the other one know if they are getting too rough by letting out a yelp. I'd try other ways before this one, but they didn't seem to stop him so I resorted to this. It worked really well, it only took a few bites and he smartened up. I don't think it's a cruel way of teaching them that biting will not be tolerated, however, I do believe highly in positive reinforcement and that's the only "abuse" my dog has had to endure. As for the picking up... Hmm... Maybe treat before picking up, have a handful of treats and pick her up while treating. While in your arms, keep treating... Hopefully then she will attach being picked up as a good thing. Slowly fade out the treats and replace with affection. Before anyone jumps all over you, I understand where you're coming from. To each their own. I'm pretty sure Aaron and I have both "bitten" Lyra on the neck before. Not with teeth, but a hard gumming. Our primary method to get her to stop nipping was to hold her muzzle shut or to force our hand to the back of her mouth, making her let go of us, simply because the yelping didn't work, and our apartment isn't set up to easily ignore her. But back to the growling issue! You know, it sounds like you're doing everything right. It could simply be a phase she's going through. Lyra had this thing for a couple of months where any time we were outside she attacked our pants and ankles and growled/nipped at us. With various training methods (both positive reinforcement and corrections), she eventually grew out of it. Hopefully more members will have advice for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aikoflavored Posted January 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 I guess I felt like I was doing things right, she's great with everything else, I'm just feeling very discouraged because of this behavior. I thought the grumble was just kind of her way of saying "aw mom, I was sleeping" and figured it would gradually go away, but telling her No, giving her treats when she's good about it isn't working and last night she bit me pretty hard and I growled at her like I do when she misbehaves sometimes, (she usually stops what she doing immediately and runs up to me and licks my chin/neck then lays on her back with her belly up to show she's submitting, but when I growled back at her, she showed her teeth and tried to bite again, so I kind if nipped at her neck like I disapproved (gently, it was just a gesture toward her) and she jumped up and growled at me. So I won't be doing that again.. It would seem to me that she's acting like the alpha with this, but with everything else, she knows for damn sure that I'm the alpha of this household and as stated before, she's very submissive.. I just hope it really is a phase and fades away, I would hate for it to develop into something worse.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arooroomom Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 Mishka used to do this when I picked her up. First off let me make this disclaimer: This worked for us, we had tried other methods and it failed. I'm not promising it will work for you but it worked for us and i'd like to share. Some people may not agree, but again, this worked for us. I would set up time to practice this. I would go to pick her up and she would growl I would freeze (in whichever position I was in) and wait for her to stop or relax. Reward the quiet/relax. If she goes to bite (she's so young it's not going to cause you pain,) let her but don't move. Reward when she's calm or when she's stopped. Put her back down. Repeat. Continue doing this until you can pick her up without her reacting. It may take 1 night, it may take a week. Once she's reliably allowing you to pick her up without issue have someone else try and encourage them to follow the same structure. Honestly, it just sounds like she's trying to get her own way and Huskies are just mouthy little brats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginty Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 You have some good advice there and i think that she thinks that she is the Alpha and you just need to let her know that this is not the case, when she growls at you or trys to bite you try your hardest not to pull back or jump as she will know that when she growls or snaps the she knows how to put you in line, but i do think she is testing the water with you has my girl tryed the same around the same age and like some one else saind bite the ear, dont be too scared my girl as a pup was very dominant and when i picked her up she did somthing wrong that her mom didnt like and her mom gripped her neck and pushed her to the floor with a big growl still she submitted, i had im my head ohh lol did i pick the right one but it soon passed and she is the best dog in the world. Also forgot to add was if my girl bit me i would yelp and then ignore her, this worked really well for me and even till this day she hates it if i ignore her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darc-Brittany Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 Also forgot to add was if my girl bit me i would yelp and then ignore her, this worked really well for me and even till this day she hates it if i ignore her. That's a really good point that I forgot to mention. If my guy bites now, usually by accident when playing tug of war with a toy, I will say "OUCH" in a really high pitch tone without moving. You'd be surprised how they react, they usually back up and give you room or look sorry, haha, least that's what my guy does. He'll also look for approval to go back to said toy after the accidental bite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 i wonder if you could get a house line and keep that on here (a house line shouldnt rly have a handle to get caught on stuff) that way when u want her down u can pick up the line/lead and - lead her out to where you want - she might just not like being picked up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sid_Wolf Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 She growls when you pick her up to move her into her bed. its obvious, you shouldnt just pick up a sleeping dog, same as you dont just hug a sleeping dog, some will be cool with it, others wont. She wants to sleep, if you woke me up by picking me up i'd probably bite you aswell! Wake her up by saying her name and stroking her gently, get her to move for the treat, if she wont then occupy her with the treat while you pick her up Would you randomly pick a sleeping human up?? no, because you'd probably get an earfull Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aikoflavored Posted January 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Haha, I know about the sleeping thing, I just about kill my husband when he wakes me up, but I do stroke her and talk to her to wake her up before I just scoop her up, I also take my time to pick her up gently, since I don't think it's fun to be jerked away when you're drowsy. But there are times when she's not sleeping, sometimes just laying down and I go to pick her up and she growls. I've been working with her a lot and she seems to be getting better, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Try not to focus so much on every behaviour problem being the dog trying to "take over" and "dominate" you or "be the alpha". Biting a dogs ear? Hmmm. I don't see any reason or need to actually BITE my dog. Sounds bizarre to me. What on earth is it going to prove? Some puppies do not like being picked up and cuddled. My youngest HATED it and I actually had to train her to be used to being handled. That's not unusual. Some dogs are not touchy feely dogs. I'd stop trying to smother/cuddle her and work on getting her comfortable with you touching and moving her - start small and reward her for being calm whilst you move her. Don't just pick her up - she's already warned you she doesn't like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulusworm Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Stick with it Acacia. Sophie will get the message eventually . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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