[PyrNet-L] new nippy puppy

[kemske@wi.mit.edu (Gerry Kemske)]

Just like Ann Wetherilt, we dealt with an extremely dominant, nippy puppy
and all lived to tell about it, and hope you can too.  I still have a pair
of jeans with the bottom ripped out when Travis, not more than two months
old, launched himself from 10 feet away and shredded them as I walked by!  
Boy did he enjoy doing that!  But - as infuriating as he could be, the
little cuss,  poking at us with his hard little nose and nipping with those
vicious sharp little baby teeth, it was always clearly dominance and not
meaness, and he grew up to be the sweetest dog in town. And with him, the
alpha rolls and angry yelling were worse than useless - they always made
him step up his rebellion to the next highest level.  With us, holding him
firmly between our arms and soothing him until the fit passed was the best
way of dealing with most shows of dominance.  That and training for five
minutes twice a day, and puppy classes and socializing, resulted in a dog
who allows you to take food from his mouth at will, does down-stays at the
vets, and treats children, grownups, and animals both small and large as
creatures to be kissed and guarded.  If only he would get over his hatred
of the UPS truck, he would truly be perfect.  Good luck!  We never thought
of euthanizing him, although he did drive me to consider throwing MYSELF
under a train from time to time..

Gerry and Tuff Travis