# Teaching 6 month old puppy to bite and hold rag



## LisaX (Mar 17, 2015)

I'm coming across an issue. My puppy loves chasing the rag but she won't bite down and hold the rag. She tugs for a bit and then releases.

What can I do to get her to bite and hold?


----------



## ILoveBella478 (Mar 13, 2015)

Maybe the rag isn't what she want have you tried a toy? my puppy loves tugging with her toes and then we move to old bed sheets


----------



## ILoveBella478 (Mar 13, 2015)

I said toes I meant toys Lmaooo


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

make her work harder to even get it...then she'll want to possess it. Flirtpole works great for this. After she wins it, let her prance around with you holding tension on it. She may still be teething so it hurts to hold/tug.


----------



## Sammiegirlgsd (Jul 23, 2014)

I have a question. Did she recently stop gripping, or did she not have a good grip a month ago? My pup did the same thing at this age. She was loosing teeth! When she lost her last baby tooth it was on again. If it is not her teeth, I agree with the flirt pole. And remember it is prey. A bunny never jumps into a dogs mouth. So the rag should always be moving away in an irradic sort of way. And when the dog grips, apply a very gentle pressure and add pressure slowly. I always let my pup win and offer praise for winning. I have one dog that likes the kill more than the chase, so I let him win and destroy the toy to get the most out of him.


----------



## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

Where are you in California? I only as because I'm also in California. If we are close I can help, if not I may know someone close to you who can help. 
How old is the puppy?
Can you get video of how you're playing with the puppy?


----------



## LisaX (Mar 17, 2015)

mycobraracr said:


> Where are you in California? I only as because I'm also in California. If we are close I can help, if not I may know someone close to you who can help.
> How old is the puppy?
> Can you get video of how you're playing with the puppy?


I'm in Fresno, CA. Zoey is 6 months old. We are aiming for BH first when she is old enough but I was advised to gently brace into tugging if I want her to advance into IPO. Getting a video is kind of hard - I can't really hold the phone right and record. lol


----------



## LisaX (Mar 17, 2015)

Sammiegirlgsd said:


> I have a question. Did she recently stop gripping, or did she not have a good grip a month ago? My pup did the same thing at this age. She was loosing teeth! When she lost her last baby tooth it was on again. If it is not her teeth, I agree with the flirt pole. And remember it is prey. A bunny never jumps into a dogs mouth. So the rag should always be moving away in an irradic sort of way. And when the dog grips, apply a very gentle pressure and add pressure slowly. I always let my pup win and offer praise for winning. I have one dog that likes the kill more than the chase, so I let him win and destroy the toy to get the most out of him.



I purchased a flirt pole. She definitely has the drive to chase it but once she gets it, she doesn't want to hold onto it. She may still be teething as someone said down below. I'll have to check her teeth again. She was the runt so maybe her teeth hasn't fallen out yet. Two weeks ago at the vet, he said she still had baby teeth.


----------



## LisaX (Mar 17, 2015)

Looks like she's still teething. I think I'm just panicking and expecting so much too early. Here's a picture of her teeth.


----------



## Ace GSD (May 30, 2014)

ILoveBella478 said:


> Maybe the rag isn't what she want have you tried a toy? my puppy loves tugging with her toes and then we move to old bed sheets


She is much more flexible than me


----------



## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

LisaX said:


> I'm in Fresno, CA. Zoey is 6 months old. We are aiming for BH first when she is old enough but I was advised to gently brace into tugging if I want her to advance into IPO. Getting a video is kind of hard - I can't really hold the phone right and record. lol


Are you training with Joel Monroe's club Lisa?


----------



## LisaX (Mar 17, 2015)

No, I will be training with a gentleman named Don.


----------



## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

No club though?


----------



## LisaX (Mar 17, 2015)

No club yet.


----------



## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

I'm in the Bay Area, I have friends that train with Way Out West and come over to Morgan Hill also. If I was over your way, that's probably where I'd go. But with that extra canine still in there, she may not want to tug or bite hard right now, but like Onyxgirl mentioned, a little tension when she catches it. Gentle tension, side to side, real subtle.


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

keep a close eye on those teeth, her dentition may be screwed up if the puppy teeth are retained for much longer.


----------



## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

I'm with Steve, Joel Monroe's is where I would go. You will get all the help you need there.


----------



## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

Here's another option, right in Fresno Lisa. I don't know him personally, but I've watched him work dogs at Dogstock and other's have told me he does good helper work.

Team Driven


----------

