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daven · 02-15-2019, 07:34 AM

An update - I still persist in picking her up from behind after stroking. She doesn't seem to bat an eyelid now and I'm getting bravery with lifting her closer to her front. She will let me hold her for up to maybe ten seconds and then scrabbles a bit so I put her down. She very rarely shows any sign of reaching around to bite or scratch while I do this, which is good!

She's happy doing this from her cage (I only ever pick her up from the higher level so she gets a bit of choice!) or from her playpen.

About a third of the time I put her down by some treats so she gets a positive vibe.

I've also made a play pen which she seems to enjoy sniffing around.

I've carried on with the Pringles tube idea - she'll walk out over my hand giving it a sniff on the way.

Interestingly if I let her use her ball, which is transparent, and put it down in her cage with my hand in the way so she has to walk over it, she's not keen - sniffs and walks to the other side of the ball, trying to climb out the closed end!

I think doing this fairly regularly until she climbs into my hand from the ball willingly will be the stepping stone to me being confident (and her being confident!) to walk into my hand and eventually through my hands.

02-15-2019, 07:34 AM
daven Newborn Pup Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Southampton Posts: 8	Re: Confident but bites? An update - I still persist in picking her up from behind after stroking. She doesn't seem to bat an eyelid now and I'm getting bravery with lifting her closer to her front. She will let me hold her for up to maybe ten seconds and then scrabbles a bit so I put her down. She very rarely shows any sign of reaching around to bite or scratch while I do this, which is good! She's happy doing this from her cage (I only ever pick her up from the higher level so she gets a bit of choice!) or from her playpen. About a third of the time I put her down by some treats so she gets a positive vibe. I've also made a play pen which she seems to enjoy sniffing around. I've carried on with the Pringles tube idea - she'll walk out over my hand giving it a sniff on the way. Interestingly if I let her use her ball, which is transparent, and put it down in her cage with my hand in the way so she has to walk over it, she's not keen - sniffs and walks to the other side of the ball, trying to climb out the closed end! I think doing this fairly regularly until she climbs into my hand from the ball willingly will be the stepping stone to me being confident (and her being confident!) to walk into my hand and eventually through my hands.