How to Train a Miniature Schnauzer to Not Bite

Hello, I recommend using a combination of the exercise pen method and tethering method from the article I have linked below for the potty training. Use the exercise pen with a pee pad in the pen to teach her to go potty there. If your long term goal is to train her to potty outside and the pee pads are only temporarily, then I also recommend using a disposable real grass pad instead of a pee pad, since that will cause less confusion later. The following are examples of disposable real grass pads. Some of these brands can also be found on Amazon.com. www.freshpatch.com www.doggielawn.com www.porchpotty.com Have her go to the pen when you know she needs to go potty, rewarding with a treat if she goes potty on the pad in there. Freeing her when you are able to supervise after she goes potty, and keeping her in the pen whenever you cannot closely supervise her, especially at night and when you leave the home. When she is free but is likely to poop again even after she went on the pad, then I recommend tethering her to yourself with a hands free leash, you can turn any 6 or 8 foot leash into a hands free leash by using a small carabiner to connect the leash handle to a belt loop. The leash will prevent her from wandering away to poop without you seeing, which is what most puppies tend to do. It will also keep her close enough for you to notice impending poop signs, like circling, pulling to get away, sniffing, squatting, or whining incessantly for reasons other than attention or wanting freedom. Exercise pen method - can be used with pee pads and grass pads, not just litter boxes. https://wagwalking.com/training/litter-box-train-a-chihuahua-puppy Tethering method - instead of returning outside for potty, you will simply return pup to exercise pen to potty unless teaching outside potty training too. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside For the biting, check out the article linked below. Starting today, use the "Bite Inhibition" method. BUT at the same time, begin teaching "Leave It" from the "Leave It" method. As soon as pup is good as the Leave It game, start telling pup to "Leave It" when she attempts to bite or is tempted to bite. Reward pup if she makes a good choice. If she disobeys your leave it command, use the Out command from the second article linked below to make her leave the area as a consequence. The order or all of this is very important - the Bite Inhibition method can be used for the next couple of weeks while pup is learning leave it, but leave it will teach pup to stop the biting entirely. The Out method teaches pup that you mean what you say without being overly harsh - but because you have taught pup to leave it first, pup clearly understands that you are not just playing (which is what pup probably thinks most of the time right now), so it is more effective. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Out - which means leave the area, is also a good command for you to use if pup bites the kids. Check out the section on Using Out to Deal with Pushy Behavior for how to calmly enforce that command once it's taught. https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Another important part of this is puppy learning bite inhibition. Puppies have to learn while young how to control the pressure of their mouths - this is typically done through play with other puppies. See if there is a puppy class in your area that comes well recommended and has time for moderated off-leash puppy play. If you can't join a class, look for a free puppy play group, or recruit some friends with puppies to come over if you can and create your own group. You are looking for puppies under 6 months of age - since young puppies play differently than adult dogs. Right now, an outside class may be best in a fenced area, or letting friends' pups play in someone's fence outside. Moderate the puppies' play and whenever one pup seems overwhelmed or they are all getting too excited, interrupt their play, let everyone calm down, then let the most timid pup go first to see if they still want to play - if they do, then you can let the other puppies go too when they are waiting for permission. Finding a good puppy class - no class will be ideal but here's what to shoot for: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/puppy-classes-when-to-start/ When pup gets especially wound up, she probably needs a nap too. At this age puppies will sometimes get really hyper when they are overtired or haven't had any mental stimulation through something like training. When you spot that and think pup could be tired, place pup in their crate or an exercise pen with a food stuffed Kong for a bit to help her calm down and rest. Practicing regular obedience commands or having pup earn what they get by performing commands like Sit and Down before feeding, petting, tossing a toy, opening the door for a walk, ect... can also help stimulate pup mentally to increase calmness and wear them out. Commands that practice focus, self-control, and learning something a bit new or harder than before can all tire out puppies. Finally, check out the PDF e-book downloads found on this website, written by one of the founders of the association of professional dog trainers, and a pioneer in starting puppy kindergarten classes in the USA. Click on the pictures of the puppies to download the PDF books: https://www.lifedogtraining.com/freedownloads/ Know that mouthiness at this age is completely normal. It's not fun but it is normal for it to take some time for a puppy to learn self-control well enough to stop. Try not to get discouraged if you don't see instant progress, any progress and moving in the right direction in this area is good, so keep working at it. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

May 24, 2023

Hello, It sounds like pup needs to be desensitized to touch and the grooming tools and process, but it also sounds like there are other forms of aggression present also. Because pup is biting you outside of just grooming times, I also recommend hiring a professional trainer who specializes in behavior issues like aggression, will come to your home to evaluate pup and how they interact with you in person, and who comes well recommended by their previous clients for their work with needs like aggression. With a trainers help, the training will probably in part look like the following: First, I recommend desensitizing pup to a basket muzzle - which is more comfortable than a standard one and will allow pup to open their mouth while wearing it still, and keeping a drag leash on pup while you are home to supervise. Muzzle introduction video - for a dog who is new to the muzzle, progress through the process very slowly over several days, at a pace pup can stay relaxed at, rather than doing it in one sitting like the dog who is already comfortable in the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJTucFnmAbw&list=PLXtcKXk-QWojGYcl1NCg5UA5geEnmpx4a&index=6&t=0s With those safety measures in place, I recommend teaching the following commands, desensitizing pup to being touched and handled, and following the commands from the listening article I have linked below. Out - which means leave the area: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Leave It method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Place command: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O75dyWITP1s Down-Stay: https://www.thelabradorsite.com/train-your-labrador-to-lie-down-and-stay/ Heel- Turns method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-poodle-to-heel Off- section on The Off command: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-train-dog-stay-off-couch/ Listening methods - all three - including Working method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-doberman-to-listen-to-you To work on getting pup used to touch and handling use pup's daily meal kibble to do this. Gently touch an area of pup's body while feeding a piece of food. Touch an ear and give a treat. Touch a paw and give a treat. Hold their collar and give a treat. Touch their tail gently and give a treat. Touch their belly, their other paws, their chest, shoulder, muzzle and every other area very gently and give a treat each time. Keep these times calm and fun for pup. When pup is okay with the touches, then hold the paws with a little pressure - like you do when clipping a nail, giving a treat each time you take a paw into your hand and keeping this brief. As pup improves, hold that paw for longer, giving another treat every couple of seconds until pup is fine having you hold their paw for as long as a nail trim would take. Next, take the clippers and simply touch pup's paw with your hand and hold the clippers still in your other hand then give a treat - not clipping or touching them to the paw yet. Repeat this over several separate sessions until pup enjoys this exercise also. Next, take the clippers and just touch them to a nail without clipping then give a treat. Repeat until pup is comfortable letting you do this will all the nails. Next, clip just the tip of the nail, rewarding right after each nail, or even sprinkling a couple treats for pup to be eating while you clip. As pup gets comfortable, work up to really cutting them. Spend time learning how to locate the quick and not get too close to it though, or the nail trims will hurt and pup will dislike it again. This process will need to be repeated with each grooming tool, whether that's a brush, tooth brush, nail clippers, scissors, water, ect... After the trainer evaluates pup and their interactions with you, likely some additional training that addressed that aggression will also be done. For example, if pup lack respect for you, obedience commands and more structure will probably need to be added into pup's routine. If pup is fearful, trust be build. If pup is resource guarding items, areas, people, or other animals, the resource guarding addressed through both respect building and counter conditioning. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Jan. 17, 2022