Advice on 3-month-old lhasa apso/poodle mix behavior

[tifleah]

I just got a lhasa apso/poodle mix (aka lhasapoo) 4 days ago. I am experienced with dogs and puppies, but this is my first small breed puppy. She is 12 weeks old. When I picked her up she was sweet, sweet coming home in the car, not even a whimper; seemed completely adjustable. Doing AWESOME at potty training. She loves everybody usually, my kids, lets them hold her, licks them acts like a cute little puppy. I did lots of research before I got her, just as I have just spent lots of time researching her issue, ha. I mostly found the mixed breed overall is very affectionate, great family dog, loving, good with kids and cats but of course had to be socialized with people and other dogs, and good training to avoid small dog syndrome - no brainer, right? I did find the occasional opinion in a forum and even some websites conflicting that lhaso apsos are not good with children. Anyway, she started growling - growling at my other dog (a 9-month-old great pyrenees, so MUCH bigger than her), growing at us even. She growls at the dog when it passes by her crate, she growls at any of us if we "bother" her sometimes. Sometimes her growls turn into full-on snaps and bites/attacks. Obviously, it's painless for the most part, she isn't even a pound I don't think, but this HAS TO BE CORRECTED NOW. I think it is important to say she either loves everybody (including trying to play with the other dog) or she growls/snaps at everybody (including the dog), meaning I don't think it's a kid thing as she does it to even me.

She is crate trained/ing.

I thought maybe she is just transitioning still? Is it possible my house is too "loud" for her? Could it be fear aggression? Does it sound like something she will grow out of/we can correct? She's a baby for goodness sakes and when she is running around she is a happy-go-lucky puppy and so adorable. So then I thought, no she is testing and trying to be alpha female. It did dawn on me to quit thinking about it and just treat her like any of my other dogs and same rules regardless of her dainty size - that's how they get their reputation. I have always been against it and I fell right into the same shoes in a day, carrying her around and realized wait this is a dog with 4 legs. So maybe overstimulated?? I have tried holding her mouth and other little corrective actions, but they make her react worse/meaner in the moment. So my question is what is the best way to stop this/nip it in the bud right now?

[Bill]

I thought maybe she is just transitioning still?

It's possible but I think she just needs help learning proper behavior. Remember she is a baby and doesn't know proper behavior. I wouldn't worry about the Great Pyrenees. It will tolerate the pup as she learns.

Is it possible my house is too "loud" for her?

It's possible but she should adjust to that.

Could it be fear aggression?

It doesn't sound like that to me.

Does it sound like something she will grow out of/we can correct?

People get hung up on the term "correct". Get out of that mindset. Instead, think of "teach". You want to teach her proper behavior. When you "correct" you teach that a behavior is wrong. When you "teach" you show her what is the proper behavior in that particular situation. Without teaching the pup often has problems learning what to do.

She's a baby for goodness sakes and when she is running around she is a happy-go-lucky puppy and so adorable.

THats exactly what she is but she sometimes dispslays behaviors that humans don't like. She doesn't know any better at this stage.

So then I thought, no she is testing and trying to be alpha female.

Forget the word "alpha". Thats an outdated meaningless term in the dog world today. There is no such thing.

It did dawn on me to quit thinking about it and just treat her like any of my other dogs and same rules regardless of her dainty size - that's how they get their reputation. I have always been against it and I fell right into the same shoes in a day, carrying her around and realized wait this is a dog with 4 legs.

Good, now you are thinking the right way.

So maybe overstimulated??

It's possible.

I have tried holding her mouth and other little corrective actions, but they make her react worse/meaner in the moment.

These are coersive methods of training dogs and usually don't get real good results. Go back to thinking "teach" and teach in a positive way.

So my question is what is the best way to stop this/nip it in the bud right now?

Hopefully thats been answered now. Good luck and keep us posted.

[tifleah]

Thank you, Bill.

When she is growling or snapping at one of us, what would be the right thing to do at that moment to teach rather than correct?

[Bill]

Absolutely yes. This is a puppy. Believe me, he is trying to play. With very very rare exceptions, there is no such thing as an aggressive 3 month old puppy. He is getting a reaction out of you and that's what he wants. One more question ... why is she in a crate while you are home?

[tifleah]

Hi Bill,

I was asking what would be the correct way to teach [each time to be consistent], and your response was "absolutely, yes." I don't understand. Her growl and snap is not puppy play when she does it. I do know the difference. I am just not sure if she is just genetically going to be a growler/snapper or just a stage and will be fine and it is something we can teach her (and if so, HOW I should best handle it without making it worse). You asked why she is in a crate if I am home? I don't understand your question. I've had her a week today, and we are still potty training, which she is doing well, but that is crate training. She doesn't stay in there 24 hours a day. She comes out and eats, potty, and supervised playtime and running around, and supervised playtime with my other dog, and supervised playtime with my kids. In fact, some people advise that when you take them out to potty and they don't, put them right back in for 30 more minutes and try again over and over until they do and not give them any playtime until they potty outside.

[Bill]

The correct way to teach is to ignore the behavior. Believe me, it's attention getting play. Out of hundreds of puppies I have worked with over the years, I only saw one aggressive puppy at this age and it turned out to have serious mental problems and was put down in the end. If the behavior gets no results for her, she will soon stop. The reason I asked why she is in the crate is that idealy she should be out of the crate unless no one is at home or everyone is asleep. She should be allowed to participate in all family activities and watched like a hawk until she is completely potty trained. If you have a task to do and can't watch her for a period of time, then yes, put her in her crate only until you have finished that task.