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Pupforum presents your training questions answered by professional dog trainers.
Fran grew up teaching everything from chickens and goats to dogs and horses. These days, Fran works with DOG GONE IT rottweiler rescue, is registered with AKC as a Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and continues to train dogs in Las Vegas, Nevada. She also writes a canine question & answer column for a local news paper, The Hilltop & High Desert Shopper News.
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Fran Williams
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[Edit]
2/14/2006
This is my first heeler. I have had 1 Labrador retriever pup before. He was a monster, very aggressive in play, but never bit me because I bit him once good, and he stopped. I tried the tap on the nose with my 2 month old heeler, because I read that this is the best way. But it never seemed to stick, so I tried biting her jowls, and she bit my face, and my chin was drizzling blood. I instantly put her on her back and held her down until she realized I was the boss. She still bites and I am afraid she may think I am not the pack leader. But I don't know what to do. I will not tolerate her biting, so I continue the nose tap, and it doesn't seem to work, she thinks I am playing. But as soon as I give her a good one, she stops for 30 seconds and then either does it to my 5 year old lab or to me again. What do I do to show I am the pack leader, and keep that role? She is not house broken, she dosen't seem to catch on. I think it may be because it is winter. Do you have any advise for me? Thank you for your time!! (raymondraby, British Columbia)
I sure don't know where you READ that it is ok to lower your self to a dogs level and bite them, especially on their face, but do yourself a favor and throw away that book. As you are fast learning Heelers are very strong willed and this dog is a good example of just how tough this breed can be-they have to be tough to handle cattle as well as they do.
First off you are very right this dog has no respect for you. I would put her in a pinch collar (get some one that can show you the right way to size and use this) and just start taking her for walks. On these walks teach her to heel (stay by your left knee with her head) teach her to sit (every time you stop make her sit) and teach her to down (she will probably really fight you on this one-but make her do it) all this is on command fro
m you. Of course you do this step by step, first heel, then sit etc.
If you do not know how to do this PLEASE get to a training class in your area they can help you with all of this. She is so young I really cannot tell you how important it is to get with a hands-on trainer that can help you lay a good foundation with this dog. People simply do not understand how very important leash training IS, it teaches the dog to obey you and it teaches you how to lay a life time foundation with this dog, in other words this is where it all begins. The reason you use a leash is so you can always have control over the dog, you never want to chase her to make a correction, or grab at her.
A class will also teach her to get along with other dogs (not just your dog in your house, this is very important for all dogs but specially for your breed). If she goes after the other dog to bite her again I would grab a leash and noose her around the neck to make a correction/with this dog DO NOT grab the collar or she is going to get you good and hard. Place your hook from your leash in through the handle this give you a noose so you can simply throw it over her neck and make a correction while saying "NO" very strongly.
So get this dog on a leash NOW, find a class to go to and the rest should work its self out. Never put your FACE into the face of a biting dog for any reason-NEVER put your hand where she can bite you when you correct her-do this with the leash. Please also remember to play with her and teach her to play so its not always corrections and not always work, when you feed her make her sit before you feed her, this is another good and easy way to teach her you are the boss. Don't tease her with taking it away just because you can, always be fair with her. Do this right and you will have a dog that you can be very proud of. Take Care Fran Dog Gone It
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