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Guidelines For Playing With Puppies

3K views 13 replies 11 participants last post by  retrevrman 
#1 ·
I just got a female golden pup a couple weeks ago. She is almost 9 weeks old right now. I am in college and live in a house with two other guys. I have told them to not play tug of war with her, and to not let her bite their fingers. They have respected this well. However, sometimes they will wrestle with my pup just with their hands. It gets her excited and she loves the play fighting, but she gets a little aggressive. She was just wrestling with my roommate, then came over to me and tried to wrestle more. I was sitting on the floor and she jumped up and tried to bite my nose. I quickly shoved her down and pinched her snout with a "no bite" command which startled her and made her cry a bit. I then asked my roommates to try not to play aggressively with her. It seems to me like the wrestling promotes biting of the hands/fingers, and punishment for biting the hands/fingers that just aggravated her is unreasonable. It seems like the wrestling just promotes aggressive behavior. Does my logic make sense for a pup this young? I know that they are very moldable at this age, and I really don't want to start bad habits early on. However, I also want to let her be a puppy while she is a puppy. Where is the happy medium? Thanks.
 
#13 ·
#4 ·
It just does not make sense to me. They rile her up by grabbing her face and letting go or lightly pushing her around, then tell her "no bite" when she tries to bite their hands and fingers in retaliation. This can't be ok, right?
 
#9 ·
I guess I see things differently - I rough play with my puppies, I play tug of war with my puppies, I also enforce the no bite if they bite when horse playing - nothing harsh just a calm correction - a puppy has to learn mouth control (bite inhibition) regardless of what the environment is. When I play tug of war it's just to get them to chase, grab and hold on to a toy and then release it when I say...do I play extensively no, but I do play with them and have fun otherwise why have a puppy? Guess there are things I worry about and things I don't. They are only young for a short period and I'm going to enjoy every second of it and so is my puppy...
 
#11 ·
I agree...I have a 13 week BLF and she is all about rough play. I just teach her when enough is enough she responds accordingly. However, I want to be the one doing the rough play. I would not allow anyone else. Let puppies be puppies while they can. Heck, I still rough play with my 2.5 yr old, my thought is when we are not training or running, she is my dog/companion and so I like to do things she like to do...she spends plenty of time doing what I require.
 
#12 ·
I'd have them back off but just purely because she will prolly be all out of cute stuff when she is out chick magnetizing.

All about priorities regards

Bubba
 
#14 ·
Another point about puppies and others who are not "in the know" with retrievers is the whole jumping up and stuff. I have to remind my son and daughter and friends that if you want to pet or play with Remi get down on his level and do not call him up to you, that encourages jumping up or on and then once he is 80lbs it isn't fun anymore.

This is one of my pet peeves with uneducated retriever folks and retriever pups.

Greg
 
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