I have an 8 week 18lbs male chessie that already thinks the house is his, my 6 and 8 year old boys are chew toys and an 11 year old golden that he trys to hump and chew his tail. I have had several Goldens both male and female but I have never had a pup that thinks hes in charge from birth both facinating and scary. Ant advice would be welcome and apreciated. I would hate to screw up my hinting partner early in life.

Is he your first Chesapeake? I think a lot of people are surprised at just how busy and nippy they can be. Since you've had him less than a week, remember he's still a baby (though a big'un at 18 lbs!) and only recently removed from his littermates where he may have been used to getting what he wanted by nipping and wrestling.

I do a lot of passive puppy training with treats at this age, luring into a sit or into the kennel with treats, encouraging pup to follow me and come when called, etc., and lots of praise and encouragement however even this young you have to develop a 'no bite' strategy which includes other family members. For a pup that young it works really well to scream OWWWW! really loudly when they nip as it will usually startle them into letting go and it's what their littermates did when play got too rough.

Don't allow any biting, not even your pants legs/shoe laces. If the loud scream doesnt' work, pinch the lip over the teeth and say firmly NO BITE in a mean, growly voice. Sometimes even a scruff shake is needed to get teh point across. If he's relentlessly pestering your older dog, have him
trail a leash so you can stop him. Let your old dog have a safe area or room (where pup isn't allowed) and time to get away from him.

After he's had his shots, enrolling your little heathen in a group puppy obedience class is probably the single best thing you can do to instill a love of learning and basic good manners. Most of us are perfectly capable of teaching puppy obedience, but the class setting is invaluable for socialization and learning to obey with distractions in a controlled setting. Most good puppy class teachers also have a variety of ways to help you deal with puppy things like nipping and jumping up.

Good obedience is the foundation of all his later formal training he'll need to be your gundog and they can learn a lot that first month you have them home.

Thanks I can tell you have experianced this a time or two. Hes funny "Bull" wont hardly bite me at all, he has attached himself to me I walk in a room and he immediatly comes to me. Love it. Absoboutly agree he was twice the size of the runt so no doubt he was throwing his weight around. Workin on inside, outside, and poddy training when in the house. The golden put him down finally he squeeled like a pig then bit the big dog in the mouth would have been good video. they seem to be getting along better but until bull gets bigger I wont let them alone together. Havent ad a pup for 10 years kind of remembering what it was like, thinkin this one came out of the womb with a little more attitude than my golden.

Julie gave you some great advice. I'd like to add that Chessie puppies can be little pests (as you're learning).

I got a new pup back in November '05. She kept pestering my older girl (3 at the time). Finally, one day the old girl (after several warning signals were given to the pup) pinned the little one to the ground.

I was outside with the two, turned my back for a second, and I heard the older dog let out a very fierce growl and then a squealing pup that was screaming bloody murder. I turned around to see her laying on her back peeing on herself.

I checked the puppy over and gave the old girl a pat on the head. She did right by correcting the pesty critter.

The puppy, after that, had a whole new respect for the older girl.

Bull is getting better with all the other family members overall. As of now he will sit most of the time, and half the time wont move till I call him. Knows inside outside and will damn near pee on comand, knows there will be a treat at the end hahahah. I gave him a mallard wing little snot drew blood when i went to retrieve it from him mouth. He then got to feel his own teeth till he learned a new word "GIVE" Damn that hurt. Once again thankyou for your input and advice all is welcome.

I think we are regressing or I dont have enough paticence. Bulls newest trick is so stare down the big golden at about 1 foot and pee, yes in the house he was doing so well. I get the impression that he is challenging my old dog. Fortunatly for bull all I have to do is say my retrievers name when he growls and he stops. On a lighter note bull knocked my 8 year old in the lake twice, 2nd time i could have swore he did it on poupose jumped up and planted both paws on his butt and splash.

We have now gone to a prong coller it seems that i have the most stubborn dog one the planet. Bull had finally learned when my 12 year male golden has had enogh to leave him alone thankfully bull didnt need stiches. Funny now they play together.

Julie_R. That was very sound advice. I'm an OB trainer, and I couldn't agree with you more.

Looking forward to hearing more from you.

Snick

Just got 12 week shots 29 lbs healthy and didnt like all the barking dogs really freaked him out at the vets office. Has stopped biting me well 98% 50/50 with the kids and peeing in the house only for the wife (boy do I take a beating for this too) He seems to grasp the retrieving with verry little effort just bringing him along slow and steady holy crap he can be a stubborn little snot.

Just a warning to all. I knew better aswell as I'm sure all who read this will but I was complacent. My pup found some rat posion the day before yesterday thankfully I not only was present I removed most of the posion from him mouth. I had placed the posion where my adut dogs couldnt get to it last fall prior to having a little nosy inqusitive adventurous pup. Hindsight I should have forced vomiting. (a couple of tablespoons of hydgen peroxside will acomplish this, no they wont like it) Unfortuletly bull started vomiting around 12am and continued to blow up out of both ends til 5am. He is now ok and still at the vet getting vitimin k shots. Fuunny how attatched u get to the little ones in such a short time frame.

Yikes! That's close to everyone's worst nightmare. I'm glad to Bull seems to be coming through this OK.

I found a dead rat in my youngest's mouth and was worried about her picking up enough rat poison to be harmed just from contact with the rat!

Claire

The vet said that is possible but unlikley unless ingested aswell as when the rat died and weight of the dog. Lots of factors best to just pay attention and now your dogs moods and normal behaivior. U see changes start looking for answers. get to pick him up today betting he will wet himself and be a spaz for a while hahaha

Glad Bull is better and coming home........I bet you are looking forward to his crazy, goofy behavior......even wetting himself.....I know I would be if it was my little guy!!!!

Norene S.
Nordom Chesapeakes

Hes home and forgot all poddy training except for getting introuble for it and WOW is he spazing out he will def. sleep well tonight.

New aviator of the little snot.

LOL yes u are right. He is always bright and over happy to see me. He. warms my feet on the cold hard wood floor brings me the water bowl usually empty but sometimes full, well not by the time it get to me. Barks at the door when someone is near whines at 4am when he drank too much before bedtime. The best though is in a sit he looks so stunning picture perfect then u call him and he cocks his hesd as if to say "really?" and he still stares ears up as if to say i didnt hear a please....all the while I stare at him his heard slowly going from cocked to left and to the right as if repeating where is that please come u unpolite bastard then he lauches tward me like something lit his butt on fire (might be he knows I might have a treat). Then we repeat the process his head cocks studying etc..... Yep love my SNOT

Don't know if I follow correctly, but don't be repeating your commands to Young Snot. You don't want him to learn that's an option!

Claire

I would say Im guilty of that. Thinkin Bull is just like my 8 year old son he just negociates diffrently lol. That would be my 8 year old son with two black eyes Bull bit him in the face under both eyes (one bite) and I quote " No Dad I was just laying on the floor petting the puppy" upon asking a second third and fourth time..... "well he did start growling at me before hhe bit me, but i was just petting him" Funny the ONLY time I have heard this pup growl is playing tub of war with the 12 year old golden I also have. My son lookes like I punched him in the nose lets hope he learned somthing.

Is this normal? During the holiday we were at 3 diffrent gramas houses as well as an overnight in a hotel. Lots of new people and several new dogs as well as a flock of over 100 ducks 50 ft from our hotel room (that was cool) 10 farm cats and a HUDGE possom I beat to death with a shovel Ok well none of that sounds normal to start with I suppose but on to the question....At just under 5 mos Bull has decided he does not really like men and only some women will growl and short deep bark as if to say get the hell away from me. He didnt snap or try to bite anyone and I worked him upto anyone he wasnt sure of but he acted like an old stubborn dog whom had never seen more than 5 people in his life. Hoping to chalk it up to lots of activity in a short peroid of time. I did like the fact that he didnt maul the min. french bulldog that wanted to fight nor did he give two shakes about the cats at the farm or attck the possom he just hung out on the porch and waited my return occasionally checking the surroundings overall I thought he was remarkably calm but he deffently has the hmmm do I really want to stick my hand next to that dog growl and bark down pat.