# 7.5 week old lab puppy--staying close



## powerhunter1710 (Jul 4, 2010)

Brought my new female lab puppy home last wednesday. She is doing great with crate training and house traingin is coming along ok. The only issue is that when I bring her outside she does not want to always stay close by. I clap my hands, whistle, run a few steps away and she acts as if she doesnt hear me. what can I do about her staying close and for her to realize that coming to me is good?

Also she is a nipper. How do I cure her tendancies of biting.


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## Chaws (Oct 12, 2007)

The puppy can hear you, you're just not important to the pup yet. Put on a collar and a light piece of long rope. That also encourages the dog to respond to your recall command rather than hearing it and ignoring it later in life.

As far as biting, if they bite you, just fold the lip over the K9 tooth and tell them "no bite" and replace your hand with something allowed to chew on.

Here's a great article about puppyhood stuff. http://www.retrievertraining.net/crate/kennel.htm


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

Puppies nip. That's what puppies do. Do the lip-over-canines trick, or ignore the behavior. The pup will grow out of it.

Do yourself a favor and keep at least a feeding of kibble in your pockets at all times. When she's outside (backyard, fenced in, confined space) let her run. And don't say a peep. See what happens. Sit there and watch. If/when she comes to you, praise her! Giver her a piece of kibble! Make it seem like the best thing she's ever done!! Then let her run off. Again, ignore her. Let her sniff the yard, chew on sticks, chase a butterfly. At some point, she'll notice you. If she runs back, praise her again! And look: Another piece of kibble!

At some point, the pup is going to realize that coming to you on a frequent basis is a good thing, at this point I'd start what Chaws suggested and overlapping the "come" or command. Use a nice long lead, not a short six-footer that you'd use for walks. Keep one end in your hand, let her take off a spell, say "come" in a firm but not angry voice, then reel her in. When she's where you want her, give her a piece of kibble! Praise her! Then repeat the process a half dozen times.

Note that puppies at this age have the attention span of a gnat. Keep lessons short, watch for opportunities to lavish positive reinforcement, hold off on the negative reinforcement as much as possible. You're building her desire to please you. She's going to figure out that doing things right get her a pat on the head or a treat or praise. At some point down the line, she'll learn that not obeying the rules gets a knick from an e-collar, or a toe hitch, or an ear pinch, or a growly, angry owner.

But all that comes later. Right now is bonding time. Live it up! It goes quick...


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