Please help me with my new puppy

I have a 10 week old Black lab/border collie....we have had him since he was 6 weeks old. He whines all the time nothing I have tried has worked and the neighbor has called the police. He also gets so excited that my kids dont wanna play with him anymore, even if they are just walking through the yard he will jump up on them and start nipping at them...several shirts and pants have been destroyed. He doesnt listen to my children or my husband at all but will listen to me for most things....I had him house trained in the first week we had him. I know he is a smart dog and I know that he is not trying to hurt anyone but if I cant figure out how to get him to stop these things I fear that we might have to give him away. Please give me any suggestions you have.

 

Obedience school NOW. That pup needs to be trained and a professional trainer will teach you the techniques you will need to work with him. You have a mix of retriever and herder so he is just displaying his genetic nature by chasing and nipping.
Check out your local PetsMart or most any large pet store. They offer reasonable group training which also helps socialize your dog with other dogs.
Have a little patience but please get him into an obedience class. You will both enjoy the experience..

 

thanks I will see what I can do....we live in the middle of farm land...the nearest petsmart or pet store for that matter is 3 hours away...but hopefully we can work something out.

 

You need to start the NILIF program = Nothing In Life Is Free. The dog has to earn everything he likes - food, playing, going outside, going for walks, petting, etc. First, you have to teach him at least one command - sit or down are good ones to start with. Then, the dog MUST obey one command before he gets anything.

So for instance, at mealtime you tell him to sit. If he doesn't, you walk away (bringing his bowl with you) and ignore him. 10-30 seconds later you come back and tell him to sit. Walk away again if he ignores you. Keep doing this until he learns he MUST obey you if he is to get what he wants. (Naturally, be very sure your dog knows what the command means before you do this. Also, start more leniently but as time goes on become more strict - my dog must obey the FIRST time within 3 seconds or I walk away.)

Teach more commands and start mixing them up - sometimes ask for a sit, sometimes a down, etc.

A couple good books you need to get are "How to be Leader of the Pack" by Patricia McConnell and one of Ian Dunbar's puppy books wouldn't hurt. Pat Miller's "Power of Positive Dog Training" is another favorite of mine.

You are going to have a long haul with your pup, but he will turn out okay if you get to work on training him! Border collies are notoriously famous for nipping and labs are also very mouthy because of their retrieving instinct. Both breeds are also very high energy and smart. One of our dogs is a border collie mix (maybe has lab in her too - who knows!) and she is VERY smart and VERY stubborn. We had lots of the same problems you are having with the jumping and the nipping and the torn clothes. She likes to ignore our instructions as well. We have had her for almost a year now (got her around 4 months old) and while still a handful, she is MUCH better.

Some calming down will also come with age, but with the breeds you are talking about it will be a good 2-3 years before he really mellows (if he does at all).

Good luck, keep it positive, and come back here and ask if you have more questions! If I made it through with Nala, I'm sure you can make it through with your dog!

 

Thanks...maybe I wont lose my mind after all I did get Chase into a puppy training class as well....we have to drive 100 miles but I am hoping it will be worth it. Any other tips anyone has would be greatly aprreciated.

 

I'm glad you found a trainer. I've found the NILIF program to be very helpful and its something that the entire family can participate in. My aussie/redbone x was quite a handful as a puppy but was like different dog by the time she was 6 months old. Good luck.

 

"Chase" is a great name

The niping and chasing will deffenitly stop aslong as you handle it the 'right' way.

The books Jamiya mentioned will be a great help, and you can buy them online. Since you have to travel so far for your classes it might be a good idea to get a book and go from that.

Stay patient and make everything fun... even when you're at the end of your tether with him.

You know what's great? In a few months time you'll be sat here giving advice on how you dealt with a boystrous pup, and now have a well behaved dog.

Good luck!