A couple of questions. I'll make Our pup Logan is 9 and a half weeks old. We've had him around 2 and a half weeks. He's well into a mouthy phase which we worry is rebellious dominance because he knows we don't want him to, what with firmly telling no or putting him in time out if he's very worked up. He doesn't mouth continually, if you pet him when he's lying down he's happy to lie still or show his belly. But that's about the only time. He'll even try to mouth while your putting his leash on, even when he's rang the potty bell to go outside. Also he has no food aggression at all, takes treats very gently, and will usually be very laid back if you need to pry his mouth open to get something out. If you can get his focus on you he's quite good about come, sit, and lie down so far. So in those ways he doesn't show dominant behavior. Is his frantic mouthing just rough play that needs to be trained out of him?
Speaking of rough play, he loves to go after the one year old, very bold, very confident female cat we have. He play crouches in front of her, and throws himself on her if he corners her. But sometimes he seems to be slowly stalking her. She doesn't help by the way, she won't run and I think she sometimes taunts him. By my description does this sound like predator-prey instinct or treating her like another puppy?

Logan, you gotta have a chat with your master/mistress.  I know what to call you but have no idea what to call your owner.

I really think it time that someone writes up a canned answer to this so we can just point to it.  During weeks 7-10 puppies learn so much about how to be dogs and how to interact with other dogs that bringing one home before 8 weeks at a minimum - - well, it should be criminal (in a manner of speaking).

One of the things that a puppy will learn in those last few weeks is something called bite inhibition.  In a simple sentence, bite inhibition is when to bite and how hard they can bite in play.  Logan hasn't learned this very important lesson and you're going to have to teach her.  

What happens in the pack is that when she gets too rough the other pups just "Yipe!" and then leave her alone.  It doesn't take most dogs very long to learn that play time can be fun - but only if they follow the rules.  You have to be absolutely consistent - when she play nips (cause it is play right now) you just turn around and leave her completely alone; if she doesn't get the hint then it time for a time out - someplace where she can see you but not be a part of the "play" and NOT her crate (if you have one, and if you don't then get one!)

What I suggest is that you have you pup on a house leash, when she starts nipping, say "no" (not loud, you're not out to scare her, just correct her) then step on the leash so she has to go into a "down" position.   A house leash comes in handy for all these times that pup decides to get into something they shouldn't.  You use the leash to guide them away from <whatever>.

You can also forget something like 95% of everything you've ever heard about "dominance" and especially with a puppy, they aren't trying to "dominate" anything, they're playing - that's how they learn.  A good experience, from their point of view, will increase the chances that they'll do it again (like a treat when they do what you want); a bad experience (like Ms Cat giving her a face full of claws) is a correction that she'll understand and remember.  

I'd watch the interplay between the two closely and make sure that puppy gets corrected, preferably by the cat - who, as you said, sounds like she may be teasing her.

Al...there is a sticky somewhere on the forum that's about 10+ pages long, maybe longer. And yes I have written 3 replies to similar questions in the last week.

Op....it's not you, it's the fact that it gets frustrating when "breeders" do let their pups go at too young of an age. Puppy mouthing is the biggest issue that everyone has with pups going home under 8 weeks old. And in my book all pups should stay with their litter mates to at least 10-12 weeks old.

I tend to give 3 suggestions, although Al's is excellent, and does help with putting on the leash, and keeping an eye on them, etc...I will address this in a manner to let you the owner understand that your pup is not unusual and it's a behavior issue vs dominance.

You already mentioned 1 of my suggestions, and that is hand feeding. A step further is to feed all meals by hand, forms a bond and trust. but more importantly it makes pup understand don't bite the hand that feeds you. Sit at pups level, and talk in a calm, soothing voice yet firm, place hand palm up with a couple pieces of kibble and say take. If Logan is gentle say yes Logan good be gentle. If Logan isn't a uh uh and again a firm be gentle, reward with praise every time it is done gently.

Second suggestion is to promote calmness, make pup sit and wait at the door to go in and out. Promoting calmness is used in conjunction to what Al mentions above. Calmness is always what you want, and a calm pup will listen better, and will learn more.

Lastly.....beyond the yelp, turning away, walking away and time outs.....be prepared to be a dog....it does sound funny, but puppies have so much energy, and they need both mental and physical exercise. By you starting and stopping all play, and teach enough when you are done, brings the control back to you. I will say, wear crappy clothes, and gloves if you can't handle being bit on occasion. Tugs seems to be a good toy....initiate the tugs game, Logan is bound to drop the tugs at some point, start working on commands...so play, Logan drops it, you say Logan sit, he sits, verbally praise and continue with game. He drops it again another command. If he doesn't you do not continue the game, teach at that moment. Huskies are very intelligent, they don't make the list on the most intelligent breed, because they are aloof, and stubborn and have a bad case of ADD. By doing what I recommend you are teaching him when it is ok to mouth and when not to. You are also exerting him physically and mentally at the same time. In the husky world a tired husky is a good husky. Commands are endless, and are only limited to your imagination. My husky Miya, was a severe case. I can not tell you how many times I cried because she would not calm down and stop biting. We got her at 5.5 weeks old, so she really had no socializing with her litter mates at all. I found those 3 suggestions I gave you the right balance, to make a young puppy happy and playful and I retained all of my fingers.

If you need more help or for me to clarify something just ask. Good luck, and know and understand Logan is just being a puppy, he is not out too dominate your life, unless you allow him to, lol.

I actually think at least ten weeks would have been great, and I wanted to give him a couple extra weeks at "home" but the puppies were chosen in order of deposit, we had second pick, and I worried just putting a collar on him would give the other pups an unfair advantage. They were all identical silvers except for a faint streak here and there.
So it sounds like you'd suggest having all his toys put away until we bring one out. Right now they're scattered all over the living room and we praise him whenever he's taking out his energy on chewing them. . To maintain the control that dos make a lot of snse.
Showing him he could tell us when he wants to go out with the bell helped al
One more thing. We crate him at night and he's already very nearly housebroken except for infrequent accidents. I think showing him he could tell uswhen he needs to go out with the bell helped a lot. He crates at night and my husband handles th night potty breaks. (Because I'm 7weeks along) . He takes him outside when he whines which right now is around 1, 3, and 5 am. Then when they come back in he sits up until Logan falls asleep so he isn't forcing him into the crate-he walks in himself, if he's sleepy enough. Long story short my husband is getting no sleep. Is all that really necessary? Is there a better way? Should he just crate him again and let him cry if necessary?
I love that there's this forum! Huskies are such a unique breed that I don't trust a lot of the training info online for just any dog! Also this ain't my first rodeo, I rescued a stubborn jack Russell girl as a young twenty somethin(she's passed on) but I've never raised a puppy.

Sorry about the typos this iPad keyboard sucks

Sounds to me like he is being a normal Husky pup.  We had many of the same problems with Zhukov.   I also taught him to use the bell, but only because he is very non-verbal.  The dog does not bark at all, unless he is chasing a cat.  We have 2 cats also, and Zhukov gets along with them well.  I got him at a little over 10 weeks old, and immediately introduced him to the cats, who could care less about anyone unless you are pouring food into their bowls.  He does just fine with them.


Your husband is a better man than I.  The frequent potty breaks in the night are very common, however, I put Zhukov right back in the crate.  Otherwise he would never have gone back in.  But, if it works for you and your husband, then don't try to fix it.

I have had all kinds of dogs before, but Huskies are the weirdest, funniest, most frustrating, and most interesting breed I have ever dealt with.

Mark Grubbs wrote:

Your husband is a better man than I.  The frequent potty breaks in the night are very common, however, I put Zhukov right back in the crate.  Otherwise he would never have gone back in.  But, if it works for you and your husband, then don't try to fix it.

It certainly works for Logan!
He IS a good man-he's concerned that he'll hate the crate if he's made to go in. But after two weeks of this sleep deprivation is turning him into a very grumpy zombie.......you know, we haven't trained him to go in when he's told, just encouraged him when he's sleepy enough. Maybe it's time to teach him a "crate" command and how to wait quietly? He never goes in of his own accord except at night when he's already asleep and we plop him in front of it.

Well, Zhukov has always hated his crate. He acts like the boogey man is waiting in there for him at night. We started training him to "Kennel up" and feed him in there (which is the only time he will willingly get in the crate, if there is food in there). The first few months involved the every-2-hours potty breaks, and getting him back in was a struggle. He howls, yelps, yips, moans, cries, talks, begs "DAD, DAD, DAD, DAD, DAD, LET ME OUT! I LOVE YOU!"..... for hours.... Granted, I was weak in the beginning... I really screwed up his training by letting him out, but we got back on track, so now he is better. Some nights he goes in with no problem. Other nights it sounds like he is being assaulted by a 300lb gorilla. He destroyed a metal crate, so we got him a very large, heavy duty plastic travel crate which he likes much better.

Maybe start training him to enter the crate on command. Start it by feeding him in the crate and using treats to get him to enter the crate when you want him to. What ever you decide, I sure do hope your husband starts getting some sleep.

Oh, and take lots of pics now... they grow so dang quickly.

I'll start trying to train him to "crate" today with cheese- he's obsessed with cheese. one more thing- what's the best way to actually get and hold his attention when he's obsessing over something. We might as well not be in the world!

Yes Allerlei pick up all toys, if you have a chewy type then allow one. Also you can have a chewy treat and sit with Logan and hold it, this will help, because he will be teething soon. I would like Mark mentions having the crate as positive experiences, so chewy toy in the crate door open may help. Here is a good example of pups, my new puppy Sofie I got at 10 weeks old, she was already familiar with the crate. I stay at home so the crate issue potty breaks were on me. Both girls are silent, so I do watch them, but mistakes will happen. Yes, Sofie is a working line gsd, so different breed, but they are very similar in puppy hood, similar complaints at a gsd forum I belong to. Both breeds are high drive breeds, meaning you have to keep them occupied.

With Sofie I taught her in your crate, you can choose whatever, but I would give her a treat so it was a positive experience for her. The potty breaks at night will lessen. I understand sleep deprivation, but it does get better, and as he ages his bladder will enlarge and strengthen and he will be able to go longer in between potty breaks.

The issue with you leaving I still have with Sofie. Again it comes with age. I actually rather have them scream and cry then what Miya did, Miya would have ate my house because her separation anxiety was at the extreme. I would give some safe tasty treat or a stuffed kong and send him to his crate and just leave. He should munch away and fall asleep. If he is allowed out because he has supervision then an opportunity for someone else to work with him, command training, playing, leash training, etc. Sofie at 7 months still whines some when I leave, she settles down and I think any more it's not because she is afraid I am not coming back, I think it's more she wants to go with me.

Allerlei.....try using a squeaky ball or toy. I do this to get Sofie's attention because she loves the squeak, she also love fetch. So something that makes noise, Miya it was the squeaky too.

Thanks so much! We found out I was pregnant just a couple of days before we were scheduled to pick Logan up; normally m a very patient, adaptable trainer ( I trained my cat to shake, speak, rollover, and come to a whistle) but these hormones have me a little on edge and emotional about all this- not to mention far more tired than I planned on being!! !