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Canine Behavior/Puppy nipping

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Follow-Ups to Answer from Expert Susan Downes

Susan wrote at 2011-02-10 20:27:22
Hi there,



I have a bouvier poodle mix as well, and she displays the same behaviour.  We got her from the SPCA when she was about 8 months, and not socialized at all, so we had to spend a lot of time working on it.  She approaches people backwards for pats, and loves getting pats on her chest and belly and having her chin scratched.  I agree with the other post - they are really independent, and may not want to be touched a lot, which can be difficult to explain to people as the mix appears so cute and cuddly.  Start under the head so that it's not so aggressive, and don't push it.  Watch for signs and follow the dog's lead.  Our dog is almost 5 and just this year decided it was a "lap dog" and now frequently wants to laze on us.  They do cuddle.. but they can take a while to feel comfortable, and pushing things can escalate bad behaviour.

Canine Behavior

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Susan Downes

Expertise

As an animal behavior specialist for over 30 years, I can answer your questions regarding training problems, help you solve behavior problems, and help you and your dog have a wonderful, productive relationship. Often times it is harder to train the people than the animals simply because they cannot speak to us to let us know exactly what is happening. So try to be as detailed in your posts as possible. That way I can give you the best answer. It is so very important to get to know the owners as well as the animals. They are the team, the partnership is what we want to improve in this field.

Experience

AS degree in Animal Science, Essex, 1984 Breed specialties: Doberman Pinschers, Terriers, Standard Poodles and many more. Excelled in classes in obedience, advanced obedience, behavior, reproduction, training and more.

Organizations
Service Dog Training Therapy Dog Training, Canine Good Citizens, National Toy Fox Terrier Association

Education/Credentials
AS degree from Essex Ag.& Tech Inst., Hawthorne, MA. 1984. Website: http://downes.8k.com . Offering Advanced classes in animal behavior and training in West Central Florida, located in Brooksville, Florida. We are willing to travel, special requests for training in other locations will always be considered. Contact downesfarm@gmail.com for appointments.

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