kid question

[slickerk]

ok, I have a question. I know it is normal for pups to play and I am doing ok with subsiding the puppy biting. My son is almost 4, but he is a terror himself and he bolts around the house. The dog follows and tried to bite his shorts or pull his towel off, things like that. Is this ok? I was just wondering, because of the whole alpha thing I guess. The dog thinks that my son is little and kinda treats him like a sibling, climbing onto his head and pulling at his clothes.
She starts obedience classes at the end of the month. I should probably take my son with me, huh?

[Anky]

Look at it this way (We tell perspective Dane parents this all the time).  If you don't want them doing it when they're full grown, don't let them do it when they're a baby.  Sure, it's cute now, but when your son is six, he isn't gonna want the 70 pound Rott yanking on his shorts.  If I were you I'd nip it in the bud.  I speak from experience.  I thought it was cute for my Dane puppy to give me hugs and now he does it whenever he feels like it, usually right after drinking when he's all slobbery, and he can rest his chin on the top of my head.  I go through a LOT of shampoo and Conditioner.

Ang

[moonlitcroatia]

I agree with Anky.  Later it becomes a hassle for all.  Manners, in the end, turn out to be a better deal.  Unless, of course, you want your son to be a squeeky toy.

[lins_saving_grace]

Oh definately.  I'll third that!  we have a couple of bad habits to break that were once cute.  of course they were cute when the dogs were about 30 pounds and less and we could easily pull them off their fixation.  Now...Lady at almost 100 pounds and Grace at 62 pounds...it's not so easy to recoup from a giant hug (Lady litteraly pins me to the couch for about 5 minutes) or pull Grace out of the toilet bowl. 
Icerotti posted some tips for "behavioral conditioning" on another thread.  Those may help in this situation too.  Look under NEW GUY WITH ROTT PUPPY. 
I also suggest getting the Rotts for Dummies book at your local pet store.  Great tips in there. 

[Icerotti]

We are going through the same type of behaviour with Farley and my daughter who is 5 years old. Farley does not really listen to Lexi because she has a little voice and tends to the things you shouldn't do like run away, pull things away from the dog etc. She is learning though and I am taking her to obedeience classes with me too.
Another thing I find works really well is that I bought a small spray bottle from the dollar store and filled it with water. Lexi will carry it with her when Farley is in one of those wild crazy puppy moods. She just squirts him with the water and says "no Farley". This seems to be working the best right now and I noticed he is starting to listen to her even without the bottle a little more.
Best of Luck.

[slickerk]

The water bottle may work, thats how we used to keep the cat from attacking him. But she may get used to or my son might too and think its a game. I don't know. I have been trying to keep her form doing it. But he doesn't help, because he runs around here like a maniac.
I was going to go pick up that book. I was planning a trip to Barnes and Nobles on Sunday. I am dealing with the toilet thing too... but she isn't doing too bad. She has only stuck her head in there twice and I have told her no and she gets down. I am onto to begging now too! She is getting to be a little handfull... ha ha ha

[Icerotti]

Yeah--we have to keep an eye on the water  bottle too. Lex gets a little squirt happy.
I gave up on the toliet thing--the rotti keeps doing so will Farley
 Farley begs b/c the rotti begs too --plus Lexi always ands up dropping stuff at the table--which does not help. When Alexis was little Puck was permanently under the high chair.

Farleys big thing now is jumping on the kitchen table aghhhhhhhh I bough snappy trainers. They seem o be working for now.

Well let me know what you find out about the kid stuff....any tips would be great

[slickerk]

will do

[brigid67]

Willow definately needs some manner classes.....al though my Poms are doing great it making sure a lot of house rules are followed....ca n't wait for my crate to get here
Timmie

[Icerotti]

The toilet thing is impossible to break, Puck too learned it at his first home. He even knows how to open the lid! Other than short of putting a babylock on it I have tried all else. My daughter and husband would just have too hard of time with the lock.lol

[moonlitcroatia]

What if you spray bitter apple around the toilet seat...just inside?  Even if it is done infrequently, since many people do not remember to put the lid down, perhaps a bad taste of that will deter further toilet diving...

[moonlitcroatia]

What are snappy trainers?  Is this something that fits to their hind legs to prevent jumping up?  Betti is really strange lately...espec ially in her choices when it comes to stealing.  She takes the carved stone horse and sea lion from the side table in the living room.  She loves magazines.  She loves sunglasses.  She chooses the most bizarre items to get into.  She also gets up on the counter.  Will the snappy trainers help with that?  Usually, as always, it happens when no one is there to see it.