Now that puppy is over the health crisis (hopefully), he's feeling better. So much better that he's asserting himself all over the place. Dogs show dominance in any number of ways, but the most obvious is physical contact with humans. Puppy mill puppies don't "play". They dominate. They hump legs, they jump up on people, they bite, they lunge. They have no respect for the human owner and if you are afraid of the puppy, you stand no chance of dealing with him. In order to understand why your puppy mill puppy is aggressive, consider his background.

From almost birth, humans haven't been kind to him. They cram wormers and antibiotics down their throats weekly. They give him shots. They keep him in ugly conditions and then they take him from his mother and ship him in a crowded freight truck with no windows to another facility. At this facility, he gets another painful shot (Microchip) and more tubes, pills and other things crammed down his throat. So his experience with human contact isn't sweet, loving, affectionate. It's mean. People do mean things to your puppy, he begins to understand that contact with a human isn't going to be pleasant, and he defends himself by becoming aggressive. He takes an offending posture.

Then your aggressive, skinny puppy is shipped to his new temporary home, the pet store. Here he is in another small cage with a rack for a floor. No comfy blankets, and the only human contact is again jamming things down his throat. Occasionally people take him and hold him and try to play with him. And he's happy for the time out of the bleak cage so he wags his tail. Did you try to turn him onto his back and see if he would be submissive? It's a good test and your aggressive puppy mill puppy won't do it. Did you look him in the eye? Did he look back? Puppy Mill puppies welcome confrontation. If you stare into his eyes, you are challenging him.

If you want to keep your puppy (or you can't return him because it's either (a) been too long or (b) don't like the $300 "administrative charge" the store will charge you or (c) know the store won't resell him and you're afraid of what will happen to him for (d) all of the above), you need to commit to certain actions that will correct your puppy's behavior and convert him from the dominant aggressive dog he is, to the position of pet in the house. This isn't easy and all family members have to follow the game plan.

Here are some steps you must take to ensure consistency and turn puppy's behavior around. These steps come from numerous trainers and numerous methods so it's a mish-mosh of things that work on puppy mill puppies that you don't need to do with non-aggressive puppies. NOTE! IT IS ESSENTIAL TO KEEP YOUR CHILDREN FROM BEING INJURED BY THE PUPPY BY NOT LEAVING THEM ALONE WITH HIM UNTIL THEY AND THE PUPPY HAVE BEEN TRAINED!

1. Jumping On You or Others
This behavior is the puppy's way of controlling you. If you have a small breed, you use a less aggressive method. Since we have a Golden Retriever, we use the knee. When puppy begins to jump up, we raise our knee up like we're marching in a band and apply it quickly to puppy's chest while saying - almost shouting "OFF!". We use the word "Off" because it's not a command or word the dog will come to associate with other things. We say "No" all the time. So "OFF" is essential. This is a command. It means no jumping. We apply the knee or leg each and every time. This doesn't hurt the puppy.
A leash with a line that extends and retracts is also essential. When you're sitting on the floor brushing puppy or playing with puppy, you can't raise your knee or leg. Somebody else needs to hold the leash and make sure that it extends out only as far as the puppy and the human who is in contact with puppy. When puppy begins to jump or climb on the human, and that interaction is not invited, a sharp tug on the leash accompanied with "OFF!" is required. This must be done each and every time the puppy has unsolicited or undesired physical interaction with the human until the puppy understands OFF without the tug of the leash or the knee.

2. Biting
Biting is horrible. Puppies have sharp little needle teeth and they're very fast. If you have children, it's even worse. They come to you scratched and bitten because they were playing outside and puppy decided to assert his dominance over your chld by use of his mouth.
Some methods work better than others. Initially, teach the child that when puppy comes and starts to bother or bite, child needs to stand up, fold his arms up high and look up to the sky. Tell the child "Look for Rain!". If the child is not interacting with the puppy, even negatively by defending himself or yelling at the puppy, the puppy can't really affect the child. But consistency is required and until your child does this consistently, you need to use the leash method. If you have a small child, and you are afraid the puppy will hurt them because standing up and looking for rain isn't useful, the leash method is a must.
But some puppies just aren't willing to give up without a fight and as soon as the child sits back down again, they're on top of them. Puppy has to learn that for every action, there is an equal and immediate reaction. If tugging back the leash every time just isn't deterrent enough, a more serious plan is required. But the adult has to do it. Obviously, you're not going to bite the puppy when he bites you. Put the puppy on his stomach and roll him on to his back. The aggressive puppy will immediately open his mouth, bare his teeth and try to bite you and squirm around. Holding him down will only make him mad, and yelling at him means nothing. When he starts trying to bite, growl at him deeply. Stare him in the eye and growl as deep and as loud as you can. That should get his attention. If he doesn't put his head down and close his mouth, you need to bark loudly and deeply. The only way to win the war of dominance with your puppy is to simply be more dominant. However, even the most stubborn, dominant puppy isn't ready to stop because a bigger dog barked and growled at him. We have a full grown Golden mix. She growls and barks and even bites him and he's still dominant over her. So what will work?
Puppy understands when he is outmatched and when to accept his position in your family as pet when he can't control or dominate you any longer. In extreme cases, you will need to teach him that negative or unwanted physical interaction with you via his teeth will hurt him.
Obviously, you don't want to hurt him, but that may be the only way he's going to get the message. You will need to get some small, thin nails, like those used for picture hanging. See Picture Examples Here. Make sure they are at least a half inch longer than the thickness of your fingers. Place these nails sharp end up in between your fingers at your knuckles. Two or three in each hand. Now again, place puppy on his back and start to brush him or touch his feet. Let him try to bite the back of your hands. You don't need to warn him or yell at him, he's about to find out that like him, you have claws and yours are sharper. Every time puppy connects with the small nail, he's going to pull back. After awhile, he will associate trying to bite you with getting hurt and he's going to stop. It won't take long. He may challenge other family members to see if they hurt, but as long as you maintain dominance and growl at him when he tries to bite one of the kids, he will respect you and should leave them alone.

3. Unwelcome Closeness.
Puppies assert dominance physically. So if he rubs up against you or gets closer than you'd like - especially when there is food present - you need to counter this. With food, puppy will come right up and try to get right into your dish. Push him away from the table or the food. When he comes back, move him away again, this time growl. On the third time, push, growl and bark. This is your food. This is not his food. For any unwelcome closeness, where the dog comes and leans on you, push him away. When you want him close, call him and invite him. Otherwise he must learn to keep a distance. Puppies are smart, they learn fast. Your last resort is the crate. You must have a crate! If nothing works, put him in his crate. He's had plenty of chances. Some time-out in the crate will remind him that he is not in control.

4. Housebreaking Aggressive Puppy.
Probably the most frustrating thing about aggressive puppies is their stubbornness and unwillingness to respect you and listen to you. Puppy doesn't care where YOU want him to relieve himself, puppy will relieve himself wherever puppy pleases.
Your mission is simple - teach puppy that he must relieve himself where YOU want him to or he will spend time in his crate.
If you are training puppy to go outdoors, you will need bells. You can buy brass bells and long string at almost any hobby supply store. Measure the distance from the doorknob to just above the floor and tie bells on to two strings. Hang one on each side of the door. When puppy has an accident, immediately call his name, pick him up and take him to the door. Ring the bells and then put him outside. You'll be surprised to hear him ring the bells to come back in.
Be sure to limit water and food and that puppy is outside ALWAYS for at least twenty (20) minutes after eating. Eating triggers the sphincter muscle so he will need to defecate after a meal.
Ration the water. Give him a cup or two and then put him outside in about ten minutes. Stay with him and praise the bejeebers out of him every single time he relieves himself where YOU want him to. When you're taking him outside after water or a meal, ALWAYS ring the bells. He will associate relieving himself where you want him to with the bells. Of course, there will be times that he will ring the bell and still have an accident. These will become fewer and farther between if you consistently put him outside after he eats or drinks, and make sure he goes outside every half hour or so for the first few months until he's able to control himself for longer and longer periods.


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