# Will my puppy ever calm down and just relax?



## senior chef (Aug 29, 2021)

My new puppy, 8 weeks of age, absolutely refuses to lie on my lap with CALM.  He chews with those needle sharp teeth and "digs' into my skin with his sharp nails AND he wants to jump into my face. Jeez, I sure wish he would calm down, He'd get one heck of a lot more cuddling. Will he ever calm down and just relax ?


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## WheatenLover (Aug 29, 2021)

Yes, when he is no longer a baby. Puppies teethe like human babies do. I used to put twisted wet washcloths in the freezer. He liked chewing on them, and it seemed to help.

If your puppy has sharp nails, and you know how to cut them (especially if the  nails are black), then you may want to do that. If you are concerned about cutting in the quick(s), let a professional do it. And make sure the professional knows you do not want them to take *any* chances that they will cut in the quick. That can make your puppy terrified of getting his nails clipped - for the rest of his life. If the puppy has black nails, the professional can use a dremel -- it's a lot easier than guessing where the quick is, for those who know how to do it.

When my dog was a puppy, his nipping was a real problem. I used a method that was supposed to work beautifully and didn't hurt the dog. It didn't work. I put many kinds of sprays like bitter apple on things I didn't want him to chew on, and it didn't work. Then one of my sons showed me how he trained the dog, and it did work. What we did was very gently hold the dog's mouth closed (so he wouldn't get scared or feel any pain at all), and say "gentle". To this day, I can play with him without getting bitten, even accidentally. He looks like he's going to take a hunk out of me, so it is fun to play these games to horrify people who aren't yet in the know. Yes, it took him awhile to get the idea.

Dogs love faces. Mine always wants to lick people's faces and I don't let him do that to me. So many folks let dogs lick their eyes and mouths. I taught my dog the kiss command. He kisses me - very quickly -- on my cheek between my lips and my ear. 

What breed of dog do you have? It took me 5 months to get used to having a puppy. Part of the problem was that I didn't understand how he thought. It had been decades since I'd had a terrier. And part of the problem was I was so used to the dog I had before him. My Rough Collie was housebroken in 24 hours. He learned every command by the first or second time I went over it with him. He was like having another person to help me with my four kids. Etc.

The only problem we had with the collie was he nipped a lot more than any dog I've ever met (herding breed). So I put clove oil on our shoes, hands, etc. Collies apparently hate clove oil. I do too, but it was better than being nipped. He outgrew that after a year or two (I can't remember which is was).


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## senior chef (Aug 29, 2021)

WheatenLover said:


> Yes, when he is no longer a baby. Puppies teethe like human babies do. I used to put twisted wet washcloths in the freezer. He liked chewing on them, and it seemed to help.
> 
> If your puppy has sharp nails, and you know how to cut them (especially if the  nails are black), then you may want to do that. If you are concerned about cutting in the quick(s), let a professional do it. And make sure the professional knows you do not want them to take *any* chances that they will cut in the quick. That can make your puppy terrified of getting his nails clipped - for the rest of his life. If the puppy has black nails, the professional can use a dremel -- it's a lot easier than guessing where the quick is, for those who know how to do it.
> 
> ...


Breed unknown, BUT he looks vaguely like a terrier. Unfortunately, I never got to see Indy's mother.
He is gaining between 1.5 - 2. 0 ounces /day. BUT he acts like he is a staving wolf.  Am I supposed to give him all of the food he can possibly eat at one sitting ? Tonight, I did precisely that. When he finished his normal amount of food and continued to lick an empty bowl, I gave him another equal size portion, which he gobbled right down. He then went to his bed and acted like a dead man. 
Indy is an incredibly stubborn puppy. I am SLOWLY attempting to leash train him. BUT if he feels the slightest tension on the leash, he will thrust out both fore paws and pull in the opposite direction I am going.  So, I have been saying, "Come" and I hold out a piece of cheese. 90 % of the time , that works but it a long slow process.
One thing that I HAVE been able to teach him is "NO" ! he will always stop whatever he is doing. When I tell him "NO" it is with a deep booming voice. When I say "COME" it is with a soft , gentle voice. 
I was wondering how mom dogs stop their pups from biting ? Does she nip them ?


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## WheatenLover (Aug 29, 2021)

If you click on the envelope icon to the right of your user name at the top of the page, I started a conversation with you.


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## senior chef (Aug 30, 2021)

WheatenLover said:


> Yes, when he is no longer a baby. Puppies teethe like human babies do. I used to put twisted wet washcloths in the freezer. He liked chewing on them, and it seemed to help.
> 
> The only problem we had with the collie was he nipped a lot more than any dog I've ever met (herding breed). So I put clove oil on our shoes, hands, etc. Collies apparently hate clove oil. I do too, but it was better than being nipped. He outgrew that after a year or two (I can't remember which is was).


Good heavens . A year or 2 ?   Heck, I could easily pass on before he calms down.


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## senior chef (Sep 4, 2021)

WheatenLover said:


> Yes, when he is no longer a baby. Puppies teethe like human babies do. I used to put twisted wet washcloths in the freezer. He liked chewing on them, and it seemed to help.
> 
> If your puppy has sharp nails, and you know how to cut them (especially if the  nails are black), then you may want to do that. If you are concerned about cutting in the quick(s), let a professional do it. And make sure the professional knows you do not want them to take *any* chances that they will cut in the quick. That can make your puppy terrified of getting his nails clipped - for the rest of his life. If the puppy has black nails, the professional can use a dremel -- it's a lot easier than guessing where the quick is, for those who know how to do it.
> 
> ...


Boy oh boy. I sure ended up with one very stubborn puppy.  He knows what I want but he has a mind of his own. Take walking for example. We walk down the block with him criss-crossing back and forth between my legs tripping me. When we get to the corner, and I start to turn left, he refuses to move until I start to go RIGHT. As soon as I see that. I pick him up and carry him a few yards in the direction I WANT TO GO. I then set him down and the walk continues. 
He still will try to follow any pair of legs that pass us by. Without a leash that dummy would follow someone else home.


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## Gaer (Sep 4, 2021)

The answer is no.
When he gets to be six months old, I swear, You will look at people and ACTUALLY THINK ABOUT  asking them if they would like a free dog.
Six months is sort of a hump.  After that, they may settle down.  
At six months, when you call his name, he will look at you and think, (they speak through telepathy)  "Why are you calling me THAT NAME?  My name is "YeeHaw!  I can do anything I want!"
Does your grocery have a note board where people post notices?  All the free dog notices will say at the bottom, "six months old"!


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## Pinky (Sep 4, 2021)

You may want to consider using a no-pull harness. You clip the leash to the back of it, meaning there is no pulling around the neck.


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## SeaBreeze (Sep 4, 2021)

You have to devote the time to train him to walk on one side of you at heel.  You have to teach him not to criss cross in front of you.  Get him to walk on your left side for example, and teach him to stay there.  If he starts to cross over in front of you, gently correct him by a short tug to the left, which will get him off balance a bit, and correct him. 

 Do it as often as you need to, do it in a positive way with slight praise or a treat when he walks next to you the way you want.   We can always take casual walks with our dogs and let them sniff, lag behind and go where they like, but there are times, like on a busy sidewalk, that you should have them more controlled and to one side only.  He only knows what you teach him, training is well worth it in the long run, for both of you.


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## senior chef (Sep 4, 2021)

Gaer said:


> The answer is no.
> When he gets to be six months old, I swear, You will look at people and ACTUALLY THINK ABOUT  asking them if they would like a free dog.
> Six months is sort of a hump.  After that, they may settle down.
> At six months, when you call his name, he will look at you and think, (they speak through telepathy)  "Why are you calling me THAT NAME?  My name is "YeeHaw!  I can do anything I want!"
> Does your grocery have a note board where people post notices?  All the free dog notices will say at the bottom, "six months old"!


I once had a very large Malamute. Oh, my goodness, what a great "dawg".  He never gave me a moments trouble.
I did make one major mistake with him, however. My fault not his.
When it was snowing and there was a foot or more on the ground, I'd take him to an intersection (no cars at all) and tell him to "STAY". then I'd walk up the street , about one block. I'd turn and holler "COME" and I'd turn and run away from him. Very, very soon I'd hear him gaining on me. he'd hit me in the back of my legs, knock me down, and we'd play fight as we rolled in the snow.

Sounds like harmless fun, right. Nope, very stupid of me.

I didn't realize it until one day my GF and I went to Yale University so she could register for her Masters. It was snowing that December day as My GF, Simba D Wolf and I walked across Yale commons. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a young co-ed jogging thru the snow. (You hear this coming, right ?) Simba was off in a flash and before I could stop him he hit the young co-ed behind her legs and knocked her to the ground and deeply growled.

My GF and I rushed over and both of us apologized profusely.  She was not hurt at all but, that poor little co-ed was so mad at me. Heck, I couldn't blame her. Needless to say we got to the car ASAP and got out of there.
Thus ended Simba's and my snow fun. Luckily, Simba never did that again .


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## WheatenLover (Sep 4, 2021)

senior chef said:


> Boy oh boy. I sure ended up with one very stubborn puppy.  He knows what I want but he has a mind of his own. Take walking for example. We walk down the block with him criss-crossing back and forth between my legs tripping me. When we get to the corner, and I start to turn left, he refuses to move until I start to go RIGHT. As soon as I see that. I pick him up and carry him a few yards in the direction I WANT TO GO. I then set him down and the walk continues.
> He still will try to follow any pair of legs that pass us by. Without a leash that dummy would follow someone else home.


Well, he's not a dummy. He's a baby. Everything is new to him. Google loose leash walking, look at Kikopup on youtube and watch her videos on how to leash train a puppy. It will take a lot longer than the video does, and high-value treats are involved.


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## Pinky (Sep 5, 2021)

I would use a short leash at this point .. just wind the excess length of leash around your hand.
The puppy is still very young. Patience is necessary. It's unfair to compare breeds. Remember, this pup was
taken from the litter prematurely.


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