# New member, new puppy, new questions!



## JessicaAleigha (Mar 20, 2012)

Hello!
I'm glad to be here. I have a new puppy! He is a 13 week old cockapoo named biscuit (attaching a picture).

I love him to death but he is proving to be a bit problematic. We chose a cockapoo to minimize shedding but Biscuit sheds terribly all the time. Does anyway have experience with flat coated cockapoos? Do you think he will grow out of it?

He's also pretty aggressive so I want games to play with him that won't foster that (unlike tug, which he loves) and might encourage him to be more submissive. He can get nippy and even though we discourage the behavior and reward nice licks and nose touches and provide him with ample chewing toys, he loves to CHOMP down on your hand.

I got him in hopes of having a sweet mellow low-shedding dog but he is proving to be just the opposite.

The plus side? he is doing great with training. he learns fast and during the training session he does perfect...it's just implementing things like "stay" and "leave it" and "off" into everyday practice.

Also, bonus questions, how do you keep your little guy from running into the street. Do you have a special command or just sit/stay?

Thank you! I'm so glad to be here!


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

Hey welcome. 

Ok first off what you have described of his behavur is just tipical puppy. Every owner goes throuh that. He isnt agressive, he is too young to be agressive. He is just playing they way he would with hus litter matets. Its now up to you to teach him what is and isnt aceptable. 

Keep a light house line on him(a cat lead/leash) and let it drag so if he gets mouthy you dont have to touch him. You can just lead him away. 
Make a loud yelp or scream when his mouth make cantact with your skin.

Tug is the perfect learning game for him. But you must always be the winner. Teach him leave/drop it, eaither open his mouth when saying leave or wait till he gives up or trade the toy for a treat. Then reward with more tug. You want him to let go of the toy when u tell him. Then make a big fuss and start another game. 

I play rugh with my girls all.the time but im the winner, i role them over and they love it. I can get delta so worked up she wants to mouth but as soon as she touched my hand she stops because she knows thats not acceptable. Because i taught her not to mouth.

What do you mean by running into the streat? Do you have him on a lead or is he off lead. Or is thus to stop him bolting out the front door. 
If its the front door, you need to teach the door boundry, never let him cross it first always invite him after. Teach him sit stay. It take time.

Training isnt just sit/down/stay =perfect puppy. You need to use everything in your home life as a training exorsize. 
Have you looked into training/socolisation classes. 

From the photo you boy has defonetly taken the side of the cocker what were his siblings like. Not all cockapoos are non shedding and you can get the on throwback to the cocker that sheds. It mey decrease a little but i very mych doubt he will go curly. but he is a wee Cutie.


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## S.Claire (Sep 1, 2011)

Oh my goodness Biscuit is just stunning. He looks more cocker than poodle so that's probably why he is shedding (picked up more on the cocker traits). This may improve in time though as his adult coat comes in (approx 6 months). 

What you are describing his completely normal. Every owner on here will have experienced at least one if not all of these problems with their puppies. I know i did.

Nacho bit/nipped when he was younger. Try yelping and then ignoring when he does this. In the end I had to shout 'NO' very loudly in his face and pick him up and put him in time out in another room. He soon learnt not to bite. Just be consistent.

Training sounds like it is going very well. They are just so intelligent!

In terms of opening the door and running out, you must teach him to stay. Try using a long lead at first and doing these commands - that way you have control of him if he does bolt out the house. You'll get there - it will take time! 

Can't wait to see more pics.

Susie and Nacho x


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Biscuit is adorable and very spaniel-like so he may well be a shedder unfortunately. Did he have a poodle father? Dexter was a dreadful biter but completely grew out of it when his adult teeth came in. As for the running into the road do you mean the road you live in and he runs out the front door?


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## Amh59 (Dec 22, 2011)

Hi Jessica
Welcome to you and Biscuit. He is absolutely beautiful. When Bo tries to nip my hand or fingers, I just yell ow and she softens her bite. If I have to yell ow a couple of times, she then stops nipping and licks me. If she starts chewing the edge of the rug, I try to distract her with another toy or the small stag bar I got her. We try to keep her away when one of us opens the front door. If you practice recall and come here as much as you can (using chicken or liver), then hopefully she'll come straight back if she did get out.


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## DONNA (Jan 7, 2011)

Hi straight coat types do shed more im afraid,i think as he gets older his coat should become alot more shaggy but it may still shed.

Ive never played tug games your right they can make them worse,he does sound like a typical puppy im afarid and as hard as it is now it will get easier once the teething stage is over around 5 mths.Buddy likes playing fetch (he's only just started to drop the ball though!).

Buddy would always try and shoot out the door if i opened it to anyone so i had a slip lead next to the door which i could put on quickly before i answered the door.He dosnt do it now but i still think if i opened the door wide enough he'd be off.

Get in to a good routine (example of my day with Buddy): nice long off lead morning walk ,give a chew (stag bar ,hoof) when you return home this will carm him down then he will sleep most of the day.Then a shorter walk on the lead in the afternoon then a play when you get home followed by dinner and his chew ,he's usually a sleep by 8pm and you can relax.

Remember puppies should sleep ALOT! if they're over tired they can become a handful.


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## Jukee Doodles (Apr 5, 2011)

DONNA said:


> Hi straight coat types do shed more im afraid,i think as he gets older his coat should become alot more shaggy but it may still shed.
> 
> Ive never played tug games your right they can make them worse,he does sound like a typical puppy im afarid and as hard as it is now it will get easier once the teething stage is over around 5 mths.Buddy likes playing fetch (he's only just started to drop the ball though!).
> 
> ...


Beautifully put Donna - I couldn't have posted it better ! (If I could award you a "Karma point" for that post I would - but I have to spread the love first !)

Stephen X


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## Ali79 (Mar 30, 2011)

Biscuit is gorgeous - love the photo and can't add anything to what Donna and the others have said as they have covered everything


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## ali-s.j. (Jun 6, 2011)

Jukee Doodles said:


> Beautifully put Donna - I couldn't have posted it better ! (If I could award you a "Karma point" for that post I would - but I have to spread the love first !)
> 
> Stephen X


I did it for you x


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## lizzysmudge (Oct 24, 2011)

Welcome.

I think you have been given good advice and agree with what everyone has posted. Puppies are cute, but very hard work. Smudge was very nippy, when she nipped any of us, we would yelp and say no. Every time she licked us, we would tell her good girl, nice kisses and lots of praise. She doesn't really nip at all now, but kisses all the time!! . I read that it's important for puppies need to learn the strength their jaws have, so they can learn not to chomp down hard and bite, smudge now knows her own strength of her jaws, so is gentle now, I also only play tug games, when I say 'play' and I always win. Poor smudge has loads of can and can't do's. It's a learning thing, like everything with a puppy. I also never leave my grandson alone with smudge, my grandson is 3 and very gentle with smudge, but they are both too young th be left alone with each other as exuberent play is inevitable I think. Hang on in there, I think it's a real culture shock the first few months of owning a puppy, not only for the puppy, but the family as well. Smudge is so adorable now. I also run a little business from home, she knows to sit by the door and wait, she is not allowed in the room, and she has learnt to wait at the kitchen door, before she is given the command she can run into anywhere else......so it does get easier, but like with most things, you get out of it, what you put into it, never more true than with a puppy, but you will end up with a lovely dog, you can take anywhere and trust.........well that's the plan for smudge........let's wait and see, but feel we are on the right road! Hope that helps? Golly sorry about the rambling! Cant stop once I start........just love my cockerpoo sooooooo much!


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