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Bella

Hey guys so i wrote to this trainer that i found in craigslist.

I asked her how much she charges for behavioral training for my Bella who is 3 months old and nips and bites. This is what she wrote back:

ok, I typically don't do agression training, but my boyfriend usually does, but not when you have pit in there, I do pits that are not aggressive, as puppies, but this takes a specialist because you are dealing with a pit, and unfortunately pits are bred to be agressive, no matter how sweet you are to the puppy, I am a dog show handler, I definitely kow about the temperaments that puppies take on, so get someone that specializes in pits that are agressive, you need to curb this now.

What do you guys think about her response?


Asked by Bella on Mar 27th 2009 in Behavior & Training
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Bam-Bam, CGC

Look elsewhere. What Bella is doing is NOT aggression---not even close! Its normal puppy behavior!!! ALL puppies do that!!!


Bam-Bam, CGC answered on 3/27/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


Bandit

I totaly agree with Bam Bam. Look somewere else and Bella is being a normal puppy. Give her a toy when she starts biting, something she can bite. Also if you raeplaying with her and she starts biting then totaly ignore her for a couple of minutes.


Bandit answered on 3/27/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Lola Penelope

oh my... a 3 month old nipping and biting is so normal! Thats how the play, say hello, tries to get attention! I bet the lady isn't a certified trainer. I don't know your story... you may have already tried this, but... have you tried yelping when she puts her mouth on you like another puppy would do? When Lola did that I'd yelp in a high pitch, turn away from her for about 5 sec, then give her a toy and play with her with that toy. Sometimes it takes a couple of weeks for them to get it and everyone in the house needs to do the same thing. Also, until she gets that down I suggest no "rough housing" with her. Sorry if you've already tried this and especially if you still are doing this. I'd also still try to find a good behaviorist/trainer because they can help you on a lot more things. Lola and I are going to one now.


Lola Penelope answered on 3/27/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Kolbe

She sounds completely unprofessional and makes it painfully apparent that she doesn't have any real credentials, and makes it obvious that she has no idea what she is talking about. Run, don't walk, the other way. Her ignorance of the breed is astounding and the manner in which she writes does NOT sound like someone who should be self-labeling themselves as a trainer.

I would get started by looking up certified APDT trainers in your area, here: www.apdt.com -- I would definitely not take a gamble on a puppy's very important training with some random person on Craigslist.

Good luck!


Kolbe answered on 3/27/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


Pippin CGC

I think her reply is truly ignorant!
Bella is a puppy & puppies use their mouth to explore & to play...Yes, it needs to be curbed but it is NOT aggression!
Head over the Dogster's Behavior & Training forum...Lots of training savvy folks over there who would love to help you & Bella!


Pippin CGC answered on 3/27/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


Sparky

Why not take her to puppy training classes at Petsmart or something. They will help you with PUPPY biting. Not aggression. Because what Bella is doing IS NOT aggression. It is normal puppy behavior. Most likely that 'trainer' you are speaking of will not help with puppy biting at all. Because that 'trainer' should know that what Bella is doing is normal. I hope my post didn't sound snippy, but I agree with the other posters-find another trainer.

Good Luck!


Sparky answered on 3/27/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Shelby

Hi Bella,
I'm Shelby and I'm a yellow lab...do not let ANY one tell you that you're agressive...at 3 months I was nipping and biting at everything as I was loosing my baby teeth and my gums hurt and itched! My mommy bought a toy you put in the freezer and I LOVED sucking on it and chomping on it 'cause it made my gums feel better! And if I bit mommy (or daddy) too hard, they would get up, leave the room and not play with me for a while. I would sit there all sad and lonely (for a few minutes) and then one day I figured out that if I do NOT bite or nip them, they play with me for a longer time! And, maybe, I'd get a belly rub for being a good girl. Don't worry, it took me several weeks to figure out the difference between chomping down on my sqeaky toy vesus chomping down on mommy's fingers~ you'll get it. Hang in there...puppyhood is RUFF but it is so much fun too....Shelby


Shelby answered on 3/27/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Max (aka Sebastian)

If she were truely a professional dog trainer she wouldn't have your typical " pitts are bad dogs" attitude. I took in a 90lb pit/lab mix for about a year while his mommy was preggers and couldn't handle him. We did not know him prior and he was the best dog, so loyal and loving and also protective. pitts get an unfair bad rap because of bad people fighting them and not training them.
Bella is a puppy and puppies will mouth until they are taught better, no matter what breed.
If you have a Petsmart I'd go there or maybe call your local akc chapter or humane society and see if any of them can recommend a trainer or classes.
Good luck, and unfortunitly you'll need to get use to ignorant comments like that, or at least I did because even though ours was a mix, and huge, you could see the pit in his head and mouth.
Good luck on the mouthing, and don't worry it is not aggression.


Max (aka Sebastian) answered on 3/27/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Valentine

Like everyone else, I say this is typical puppy behavior. Go elsewhere for training. If you happen to be in the Houston area, the SPCA has a drop in puppy socialization class on Saturdays at 4 pm. Valentine has been attending this class and it has done wonders for her bitey behavior. Try to find something like this for Bella. It is at least a good start.


Valentine answered on 3/27/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Bianca

Lots of red flags with this one . . . I would stay as far away from her as possible. This woman clearly knows very little about puppy behavior in general, and even less about pit bull type dogs.

Bianca used to nip and bite for three reasons:
- to get attention
- as a part of play
- boredom

We learned to tell the difference and treated each one appropriately. When she bit/nipped for attention, she was ignored. When she stopped biting, she got attention. It took her about two days to figure out that biting gets you nowhere in that department.

When she bit/nipped during play, we immediately redirected her toward a toy, and praised her for biting/chewing the toy. This was the same thing we did when she chewed other things she was not supposed to chew (shoes, etc.), or nipped out of boredom and it was very successful.


Bianca answered on 3/27/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Jack

I think you dodged a bullet with this person, frankly.

She obviously doesn't know enough about dogs to have even very basic knowledge about dogs, otherwise she'd not have said some of the things you put here.

This person is a show dog handler, not a trainer. There is a huge difference. Sometimes, people who train show dogs or show them THINK they are equipped to train dogs, but it takes more than love for a partiuclar breed to make a good trainer.

My advice? Start with your local shelter to get recs on a good trainer. This is a great resource as the staff usually know the best trainers in town - and who to avoid.

Also, trainers and vets are like doctors; you don't generally want to seek out one who seems desperate for clients. So, if you see a lot of ads or find someone on craigslist,ask yourself this: Isn't a REALLY good trainer so busy they can't even fit you in for a few days? A good trainer isn't on C-list or advertising non stop. A good trainer is busy!

Good luck!


Jack answered on 3/27/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


Mouse

I hear her but I dont think she knows pits. They arent bred to be aggressive they are trained to be aggressive. They can be a normal loving family pet if given the right exercise and attention and training. Find another trainer. What city are you in or near - maybe we can help find one with you


Mouse answered on 3/27/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Dieta

I don't know any 3 month old pup out there who doesn't nip/bite/ play like they should.
Your pup is normal...... And let me tell you I have owned pitbull before and she is nutty. My dog was so loving. He was great with other dogs and children. Where I live we had rattlesnakes and he would use his body to block me if I didn't see one. So they are great dogs. They just get a horrible rap that's all.
This is not a trainer who knows dogs. And your dog is 3 months why would she say that? Do me favor ask her what dog school she graduated from. And ask her how long she has been trainer. If she can not answer directly then don't worry she is all talk.


Dieta answered on 3/27/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Guest

We had the pleasure of living with a 10-week old Amstaff/Pitt puppy. Oh my God we fell in love with this breed! When my family member took him(Raider)and her 4-boys to her new home we missed Raider more than the boys!The Dog was loving,gentle,cuddly,funny,playful
and tolerated all the physical play the boys
subjected him to. He loved the boys and us. It bothers me this person has this breed tagged for aggression.Total Ignorance on her part.We now own a 9-week Amstaff, and are
looking for a female. They are the sweetest Angel dogs ever.Sure they nip and try to bite but they have milk teeth that hurt.I tell him "NO" and I look at him eye to eye and he actually does not nip at me he looks at me with all the love a puppy can have for his master.Sure He forgets again and does it and backs off again. I see he is really trying not to nip at me.NOT AGGRESSION/just a puppy and a baby.Don't like her response at all!!!!


Guest 701328 answered on 3/27/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


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