I had a sweet puppy. Just until 3 days ago. Now... I have a terrorist. I see that I have trained him well.

Lately, Memphis does two particular things to get what he wants...albeit it doesn't work unless what he wants is some bitter apple or a good scoulding.

He has taken to following me around BARKING at me....non stop.. when this doesnt work, he grabs hold of whatever clothing i happen to be wearing, growls and plays tug-o-war with it as i try desperately to get our clothing back without any tears (this isn't going so well).

We don't play tug-o-war games.... but he apparently REALLLLLY wants to...

Is this just a phase I wonder? I don't want this becoming a habit.

TIA for any ADVICE...and I mean ANY ADVICE

The joys of puppy ownership.

Try re-directing with him wth a toy. Tugging, yanking and shouting will not work. You will have to make sure you always have a small toy or ball in your pocket then when he grabs your clothing stop dead and try to re-direct him onto the toy saying take the toy or get a toy.

You could also try tasty treats. Again stop dead when he latches on then show him the treat let him smell it, tell him leave and sit and then when he leaves and sits treat immediately praising him all the time.

It will not happen over night it is going to take patience and time but he will get it.

How old is he ? Sounds like he is doing the sort of thing they do with their litter mates grabbing you to get your attention to play this is what he would of done with his litter brothers and sisters.

He now has to learn you will play with him but on your terms not his.

Firm but gentle patience and consistency you will get there.

Lynn hit the nail on the head. Memphis needs to learn that you're the boss and you won't be pushed around. Our Charlie was like that for several months, barking at me, our little dog, the cat, the door, the curtains... And nipping constantly. I made sure that she had lots of toys and took her for puppy training to teach her to sit (that alone took 6 weeks) and walk beside me. When she got all wound up, barking and nipping at me or something else, I would stand up and get in her space and say calmly and firmly "no". She eventually figured it out, so that as soon as I stood up, she would sit down and be quiet (then I would sit down and she would start all over again - they're not stupid). Now at almost 8 months, she barks for a reason, like there's another dog barking, rather than just to get my attention. So like Lynn said, hang in there and Memphis will grow out of it as you help him along.

I've done much of the basic training and then some without assistance. He usually listens pretty well. I have him private classes because when I took him to te puppy class.... The trainer just told me...
Look he isn't on the same page as these other puppies. He is much more advanced and she recommended that we just do the privates at no extra charge because she isn't running any advanced classes right now.

Needless to say... He knows I'm boss.... He just seems to be testing my boundaries... Kinda like my kids do. I've done the diversion thing... Food toys etc... It's just now for whatever reason he wants to defy my authority. I feel that this stage has come a bit early though as he is only 15 weeks.

I guess I'll just keep doing what im doing and hope he grows out of this.... FAST.


Thanks for the help

Maybe he's hit the "teenage phase" early!

Lynn and Charliegirl have some good advice. It you look at it from Memphis' point of view, he's barking and puling on your clothes to get your attention or to initiate play. And it's working from his point of view, even though you pulling away isn't meant to be pulling, and negative attention is still attention!

Barney went through a bratty spell last month and my clothes suffered too, until I started changing into old jeans as soon as I got home. That way, if he did grab a corner and tug, I wasn't as likely to get upset if he put a little hole in them while I was redirecting him or ignoring him until he settled.

Another thing I've found that works is using a command, if there's one that Memphis will consistently respond to every time. For Barney, it's "come", "sit" or "lie down". So whenever he gets hyper or does something that I don't want to encourage, he gets given one of those commands and praise for performing them. It seems to settle him down and get him responding to me. So, if he goes for a rock or something in the yard, "leave it" may not work, but "come" will every time.

Have to agree teenage stage comeearly you may also find you have more than one.

He is being defiant he is being apuppy and likeyou say pushing the boundaries. Bernese are funny dogs they give the impression they are pretty dumb but they certainly are not they are a working breed and need diversion and a job.

Thats why you must stop stand still when he does this behaviour be calm and quiet find a cue word that he learns means stop and sit it can be stop then let it get into his brain then use sit then reward him and not shout or get agitated.

Bernese do not react to a command immediately well a lot don't the odd one might and they might if the command is a constant command eventually it settles in their brain and they act but a lot of people I know me included with Olie say they look at you when given a command think about it then might do it.

I can only say it really is consistency and patience but being firm kindly with these dogs that works. It is difficut to find good trainers that understand their mnd set they are like no other breed.

I've been trying the Drop it, command. He is a bit stubborn with this though. I feel that in his mind he has it... So he isn't going to give it up. I use the "wait" command for a number of things at the front door, before he gets out of his crate, before he eats, etc... I didn't want to confuse him by getting his attention with the "wait"... But maybe I should try it. It's his pause word anyway... Then he gets a command. So I guess it could work for this as well.

Thanks for the help

Bernese do not really have the retrieve gene so giving things up easily doesn't works so well either. I always found a swapsie was good for that unless of course it was something much tastier. Then it went out of the window.

I always found it a good thing not to get into a game of tug if I was trying to get something off Ollie but to patiently wait till he loosened his jaw and then go in or wait till he dropped it then get it quickly then treat him and praise him and he would think he had given it up.

I have also just noticed he is 15 weeks so a week off 4 months old he is still very much a baby and still earning and not realisisng he is doing something he shouldn't.

If you collected him at 8 weks he really hasn't been with you that long, this breed take a long time to mature mentally and physically I feel maybe you are expecting a little too much too soon from him.

You have to build the trust and bond first then start work on commands and alwasy making everything fun together.

We had this too. Molly would act out even tho she knew who was boss. I'd pin her to the ground and she'd go crazy, accomplishing nothing. She grew out of it in time, I just kept doing what I was doing. She's 2 years and still has moments, mostly when we go outside to play ball and I just come back inside and refuse to play with her when she barks at me. OTher than that she's grown out of it
Good Luck!

Bernese are friendly with strangers and generally good with other pets and dogs. Owners will only run into issues with this dog if they do not display a natural leadership towards the breed, treating it more like their baby and lacking the knowledge as to what dogs instinctively need to be stable minded.