Our puppies do not come pre trained and their behaviour is just that : behaviour. It is not a reflection of who they are or a personality trait.

Puppies find flappy items very exciting. They can include dangly leads, pyjama bottoms, and dresses. It is mindful to look at a puppies behaviour from different elements: puppies are teething so it’s likely that this material will feel good, it’s fun for them to tug on items, and it’s a canine behaviour to grab and shake items. We cannot treat a behaviour in isolation without looking at all of the factors as the behaviour will more than likely pop up somewhere else.

What shouldn’t we do if our puppy grabs our clothes?

Tell our puppy off or scream “ow!”

Why?

For some puppies the noise will over excite them. Noise can also be a form of attention so they are getting a response for their behaviour

For some puppies the noise will scare them. It does not teach them what to do instead so they may practice the behaviour. You do not want your dog to generalise noises and become scared of other high pitched noises. They may stop walking because they are scared of the noise, cower out of fear or lunge and bark at what they think is the source of the noise.

What should we do instead?

Take a deep breath and stay calm. Stop walking and moving as this can encourage the behaviour. Redirect your puppy on to a long dangly toy.

What shouldn’t we do?

Engage in game of tug

Why?

Because this is likely to teach them that grabbing on to clothes will result in a game of tug! You’ll probably end up with holes in your clothes and your pup will learn this is a fun game.

What should we do instead?

Try and track moments your dog offers this behaviour so you can pre-empt it. Give them something else to do instead before they do it… afterall.. practice makes perfect. Make sure they have lots of chews and toys to enjoy.

Children and puppies

Management with young children is key. It's imperative that a child is not left alone with a dog. Puppies teeth can be extremely sharp.

If you need further support, book in a 20 minute consultation to find out more about how I can support you.

One of my clients was experiencing this with her puppy a lot. Here is a testimonial from her after we worked together:

"I was surprised by the level of support and advice Lisa provided. She goes above and beyond her responsibilities and shows clear understanding and knowledge, as well as a love and passion for what she’s doing. She also displays kindness and good humour which I always appreciate! The literature, links and videos she sent me has been extremely useful. I am very glad I chose her to help me with my puppy and I feel confident that with her help I’ll have a happy, well trained canine companion.

had been advised to me by countless people. She explained to me why these are not effective."