7 week old Husky puppy....

Question
HI! We got a husky puppy when he was 5 1/2 weeks old. He is now showing signs of aggression. You can not pet him without him biting and now sometimes when I go to pick him up he growls. If i try to pop him he continues growling. I dont want to give up on him and give him away because I am really attached to him, but I have a 3 1/2 yr old daughter and a new baby due in June so I cant risk having a unpredictable dog around them.. Please help me ASAP.. Thanks

Answer
Hey Jessica,

The first thing I would tell you is that I would not get too worried at this point. The puppy is still young. It is hard to say whether or not it was truly playful or not. I have dealt with puppy that are aggressive and have also been successful with shaping their negative behavior into positive behavior.

I would say that if it happens again (the second she/he starts growling or trying to bite) I would place your hand around the puppy's muzzle and give her a very firm "no!". This will tell him that his behavior is unacceptable. She may be a dominant pup and that is something you want to get a handle on right away. It may not work right then but continue doing it and give him treats if he does it right.

Another good way and should probably be played in combination with what I suggested earlier is to give her NO ATTENTION for a couple of minutes. When she growls or bites, walk away and don't way a word. He needs to also know that this behavior will get her nowhere and most dogs will not like this. She will eventually figure out that biting and growling means people go away. When she is acting appropriately then she should be rewarded and praised.

The other thing is, NEVER hit your dog. Even spanking or slapping his nose could cause aggression and cause the dog to fight back.

Vantressa Brown