# Aggression?



## kparsee (Dec 1, 2011)

Hello.

We got our female havanese from a breeder exactly one week ago. She's now 10 weeks old. My wife & I both work, so we have setup a small gated area for her with her crate, potty area, toys & water. 

She's been having less accidents (almost all of her accidents have been poo) so we feel like we've been making progress.

When she's not in her little play area, we always hold her inside the house. She's never allowed to roam around the house unless she's being held.

Yesterday when I came home from work, I felt like it was a little too cold for her to go outside, so I thought I'd play with her inside the house. This was the first time I put her down outside her play area. She started showing sings of aggression... Biting, growling, barking.... Even when I picked her up, she was biting, growling.... I took her outside; she wasn't very active and wanted to come back in. I think maybe because it's a little cold? After I brought her in, she was still being aggressive. This morning the bad behavior continued.

Any advice? We're first time dog owners and I'm sure we're making several mistakes.

Thanks,
Kian


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## DonnaC (Jul 31, 2011)

Biting hard, or playing? She may just not be experienced at playing with someone who isn't a puppy. My puppies, when they were little, thought anyone who played with them was a sibling and, therefore, fair game. So we had to work on "soft biting" techniques. 

Some aggressiveness is normal, and you can work that out with pulling and fetching games and letting the puppy chase you around the house (my son loves this). Sometimes, when Baxter plays too hard, I "bark" at him. I don't really believe he thinks it's alpha behavior or anything, but it does suprise him so much that he'll usually settle down.

Anyone, sounds to me that she needs some practice playing and interacting. I'd get her out more, not less, and have some structured playtime.

And yes, some dogs don't like the cold. My Hav doesn't seem to mind it, but my dachshund tried to refuse going on a walk over the weekend because it was a brutal 50 degrees!


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## dbeech (Jun 16, 2009)

Sounds like normal puppy behavior to me. I am concerned that your pup is alone all day. Havanese are companion dogs and don't do well when left alone for long periods of time, especially puppies. Is there anyway you can have someone come in during the middle of the day to take her out and play with her? I think you will end up with a happier dog if you can make this happen.


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## DonnaC (Jul 31, 2011)

Until my puppies were 16-weeks old, one of us came home at lunch and took them potty and let them play a bit. Is that possible?


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

What you're perceiving as aggressiveness sounds like typical puppy playing, growling, biting. I'm sure because your puppy is left alone in a confined area for long periods of time, she's really excited to be out and playing with her family. The nipping, though normal should be discouraged. I used to say "no bite," when Ruby nipped just a little in the very beginning.

Generally speaking they learn very quickly what is and is not acceptable. Praise her good behaviors to the sky and discourage the unacceptable ones without getting angry. They read our emotions very well and you want a confident, happy puppy.

It's all a learning process for all of us.


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## precious_tan (Nov 13, 2011)

Could that be your puppy does not want to be held anymore? I puppy is not a baby, he rather walk then to be held. Our trainer told us try not to hold our puppy to confine her, let her own will to go in. I find that this is true to our puppy, when we are running out of time to go out, we try to hold her to our kitchen, she started to bark, run, growl anything she can think of to get our hands off her. Our puppy about 12 weeks old also establish the aggressiveness you mentioned, she wanted us to play with her, but at a wrong time, therefore nobody entertain her. Usually it is in the AM when the kids are up and my son and husband getting ready to school and work, then PM when my husband is home to have dinner. For the first time dog owner we really not sure what to do, so we hire a trainer. Two months has passed, we learned how to train our puppy and our puppy learned our playing schedule. Moreover our puppy has gain us confidence since she is doing well in potty training, so she has the roam downstairs of the house, recently we adding our master bedroom. 

At first we let our puppy roam in our kitchen, it was fenced off. I am a stay home mom, so I am in the kitchen quite a lot of time. At that time it wasn't too cold yet, so my puppy has a lot of outside time as well. She gets to come out to play with the kids if she went potty. About an hour or so we will take her outside to go potty again. If she didn't go then she will be in the kitchen. We let her gain more space slowly after we are sure that she mastered potty issue. She will still go in the house, if we forget to hush her out too long. 

If your puppy showing aggression, is her head low and bottom up? That's a playful puppy body language. Our puppy was whole body down, with her tail wagging. Although she was barking, growling and showing teeth, she just meant she wants us to play with her. At first her "aggression" really freaking us out, we thought that she was an aggressive puppy. But after we learn to read her cue, that was what she meant "play with me" in the wrong way. We then ignore her, when she settle down and we are done doing whatever we were at, she gets play time. Sooner or later she learns our schedule and doesn't use her aggressive way as an invitation to play. Now she even finds a way to tired herself out, she ran in circle from our family to stack formal, after about 10 laps, she was dog tired. 

Good luck with your puppy.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Welcome to the forum. Here's an article that might help. http://www.dogstardaily.com/blogs/look-me…-look-me


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

I agree with everyone else you pup is just being a puppy. If you are afraid of accidents on your rugs try playing after he does his business out side. Even if you are kennel training a puppy needs the exercise and play time . Mine learned to fetch balls within a day of being home its a good game because they aren't trying to bite at you. If play gets to ruff just take a time out and offer a chew toy or something. Because you have never had a dog you need to know that there will be accidents so get yourself some good carpet cleaner
We want pictures!


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