Help! My puppy is biting people

Question
I have a 3-month old golden retriever who is very agressive. When we are playing with him nicely all of a sudden he starts growling and starts biting and does not stop until someone picks him off. Is something wrong with him, can this be fixed, and will this continue?

Answer
Hi Crystal!

Remind him who's boss.  The next time your pet growls, spits or bites, give him a firm "No!".  You want the pet to stop what he's doing immediately and show a submissive lowering of the body.  You want it to look like 'Whoa! I dont think I want to do that again.'  It's important, however, not to scare him or cause serious alarm.  The trick is to be firm but not terrifying.  He'll soon get the hint.

Stop him in the act.  Dogs and cats, like children, will occasionally act up when you're too busy or embarrassed to scold them-like when the boss is over for dinner.  Take charde anyway. For scolding to be effective, it has to be delivered within a few seconds of the misbehavior.

Try a time-out.  One of the best ways to discipline an aggressive pet is to separate him from what he loves best-you.  Put him in another room by himself for about five minutes.  Pets don't like being alone.

Shake him up.  Pets hate loud noises, so the nest time your pooch gets aggressive, take him down a peg or two by rattling a shake can. Take an empty pop can, put some coins in it and tape the top shut.  When your pet starts misbehaving, tell him "No!" while at the same time giving the can a quick shake.  The unpleasant noise will help remind him that he's getting out of line.

Save your hands for loving.  It's natural to strike out out at a biting dog or hissing cat, but in  most cases hitting does more harm than good.  In fact, some animals become so afraid of being hit one day that they automatically bute whenever they feel threatened.  Your hand should be you pet's friend.

                 FOR DOGS ONLY

Introduce him to strangers.  Dogs can be very territorial and may get aggressive when strangers-like delivery people and mail carriers- "invade" their turf.  To help your dog make friends of foes, try keeping a stash of treats near the door.  When visitors call, hand then a treat and let them offer it to the dog.  It's hard for your dog to see a person as a threat when that person's supplying food.

Mail him a bone.  Mail carriers often bear the brunt of a dog's unruly behavior. If you have a mail slot leading into the house, you can help your mailman get a first-class reception by taping a treat to the outside of the door.  Then the mail carrier can slip in a peace offering along with the mail.

Sign up for class. Perhaps the best way to prevent young dogs from getting uppity later on is to train themw ell. Puppy obedience classes provide exposure to other dogs and people and also teach the owner to gain and keep control of the dog. Most dogs can start classes between 12 and 16 weeks of age.
                  

WHEN TO SEE THE VET

A grumpy snarl when a toddler touches her tail.  A show of teeth when strangers call.  A flash of claws at passing hands.  Living with a truly aggressive animal is like living with a loaded gun.  IN some casrs aggressive behavior is caused by a painful physical problem-arthritis, for example-that makes a pet cranky.  More often, it's a result of behavioral problems that often can be difficalt to treat.  If your pet is posing a serious threat, don't try to handle it alone. Call your vet or an animal trainer for advice.

I hope this is helpful and I wish you luck! Please keep me updated!Sending wagging tails you way! ...Nikki...