boy, do we need this group
labazro
months and already bigger than my wife. on a whole, she is good and
sweet dog. however, there are some things we don't know what to do
about.
like many dogs, she wants to bond with us by putting our hands in her
mouth, which is fine (as she is gentle
)--though she doesn't know when to stop. second, she also wants to do
the same thing with our faces! when she gets excited she starts to
lurch at our faces, which is unsettling and not good. we don't want
to discourage affection, and we understand her need to get close, but
we need help in communicating this. any ideas?
Similarly, i'm trying to teach her to fetch, which is more like me
throwing the ball and chasing it. but when i run she keeps grabbing
at my hips and ankles with her teeth. again, this is not aggressive,
but i don't like it. it doesn't feel like good behavior.
much of this has discouraged me from playing with her on the floor ( i
don't want to get a face full of teeth) and from running when she's
around.
none of this is aggressive on bella's part. and she's not short on
love. she likes to play, and she wants to play rough. she doesn't
know when play time is over. she's only kenneled about two hours a
day and gets outside quite a bit. we are starting puppy training next
week.
that's enough for our first post. would love to put a photo up of
her. any insights anyone has would help us a ton--THANKS!
labazro.
Tim & Smiley
First, congratulations on adopting Bella Grace. These wonderful
creatures need safe, loving homes like yours.
Bella Grace sounds like a fun-loving, high-energy Lab. If I were you,
I would start by enrolling her in training classes. Classes can help
her understand what is acceptable behavior inside and outside the
home. Moreover, training classes are fun! They're a terrific
opportunity for you and Bella Grace to create a closer bond. Along the
way, training will help you sort out the "mouthing" (playful nipping)
that she's engaged in.
Good luck!
Tim
Lovealab.com