Help PLEASE Puppy Attitude / Biting is he aggressive or “Normal!”

Raksha

It sounds as if your trainer has given you lots of things to do when your puppy bites, but very little idea of what to encourage him to do instead........ Personally I wouldn't 'grab him and put him in his crate' - this teaches the pup that if you want a chase and rough and tumble game, just bite somebody!

At 8 months most puppies will have learned not to use their teeth too hard on both their litter mates, and any humans they may be living with, so long as they've had the chance.

When I got Barney aged 10 months, he'd spent so long shut in the garden because of the risk to the 2 under 5's in the house, that he simply hadn't had enough chance to 'practise' not biting - my then 12 year old son and I were bruised from elbow to knuckles for several months...... However, we successfully taught him not only not to bite, but to mouth nicely by being consistent - every time his teeth made contact the game stopped! We turned out back and ignored him. BUT we also encouraged him to play tuggy games with us, and his ball obsession really helped. You need a BIG ragger type toy so there is room for human hands and dogs teeth. Most dog toys are actually too small for this type of play

laura1976

How food orientated is the pup? Mine is a lab and almost 2 now, the way we dealt with nipping and over excitement was to have a constant supply of small treats in our pockets. When the dog took something he shouldn't have we didn't chase round yelling (that's a great game and excites them enormously), we told him what a good boy he was and told him to bring it. The sock/paper/cushion etc was swapped for a treat, the dog was not over excited and nobody had toothmarks in their hands. Once he got the idea we started only treating him every other time. Now when the post comes through I can say bring it to mummy and he trots off to get it and brings it back in the hope of a treat, which he sometimes gets and sometimes doesn't.

catlou

THANK YOU all so much for taking the time to read my (long!) post and I really do appreciate all your feedback. I'm glad no-one thinks it's exceptionally bad!

Firstly I do always leave some toys out for him (I realise my post sounds like I don't! ) He's a strong chewer and really likes his nylabone. I will also defo get my mum to feed him more as he really does play her up - I think he sees her as his "litter-mate!" We do try to keep everywhere tidy so as to avoid temptation but inevitably he gets things sometimes.

I have tried just turning my back on him when he jumps up and bites but elsien you are right he then gets more wound up and jumps up to bite my bum etc!! I don't think he is anxious as he is a very/maybe over confident dog and not really scared or wary of many things and because we have had him since a puppy I can't think of any issues that he has to act like this? I feel maybe we have let him down and not taught him this properly.

I have also just tried holding his head down or his mouth closed but he just struggles really hard to get away and gets more wound up so I have to let him go then anyway or I'm fighting with him. I stopped doing those as I don't want to wind him up more to make him aggressive? Maybe it's the in him as I know the only bad thing I have read about them is they are known to be stubborn, so I think he just doesn't want to give in and really likes having his own way.

I haven't really played any tugs games with him as I was told and read to avoid those as it encourages them to bite and sort of "win" by pulling and thinking they are stronger than you? Anyway I can see how this might help him so I will go out and buy something longer asap that I could play with him and do this.

I can't possibly give him my mums slipper!! :eek: :rotfl::rotfl::eek: She is already gutted that he plays her up so much! and gets quite upset because she really loves animals.

Also I am going to put him on adult food in the next couple of months. He is currently on Purina Pro Plan Puppy which I know is a pretty good food but I am thinking of putting him on Burns as it's supposed to be very good - better? and will actually work out cheaper it will be approx £2 a week as he needs less of it don't know if this would make any difference to his behaviour?

I do worry because I just want him to be as well behaved as possible and try and stop him doing this now because I would hate to store up problems for when he is older.

Thanks again everyone :T :A

devotee

Don't worry, he's just a teenager and needs to learn bite inhibition. He has a lot of energy (like mine) and leaving him alone to play with his toys is not always enough. Make sure he has some dogs to play with (his own age is ideal) and definitely initiate playing with him - I do that with any toy by waving it before him and throwing it so he can fetch and I mix it with some obedience training.
Mine used to nip my feet when he wanted to play, but hardly ever does it anymore (he still think me cleaning is something he should get involved in lol) and that's since I started to initiate play myself. Oh and I used to turn my back on him and walk out of the room and close the door...

catlou

devotee wrote: »

Don't worry, he's just a teenager and needs to learn bite inhibition. Make sure he has some dogs to play with (his own age is ideal)

That's one thing he doesn't get to do very often sadly. The people I know with dogs their dogs aren't the right "temperament" my best friend's dog has really bad "fear aggression" and would attack him and some others are too old and he's too boisterous for them so there is only one dog that he gets to play with very occasionally. I would LOVE another dog as a playmate for him but it's really not possible :sad:

devotee

catlou wrote: »

That's one thing he doesn't get to do very often sadly. The people I know with dogs their dogs aren't the right "temperament" my best friend's dog has really bad "fear aggression" and would attack him and some others are too old and he's too boisterous for them so there is only one dog that he gets to play with very occasionally. I would LOVE another dog as a playmate for him but it's really not possible :sad:

Aww sorry about that! Do you take him to a groomer as that could be a good place to meet other dogs and perhaps arrange play dates? Mine meets dogs in the park, he's not very fussy who he plays if they are friendly, but I prefer if he sticks to smaller dogs or puppies as sometimes big powerful dogs can be a bit rough when playing.
And definitely play tug of war as it uses up so much energy, so they are very likely to settle and sleep - and let him win often as he may lose interest if you win all the time.

Raksha

Catlou, are you the one who posted on the Approved Foods thread about Pedigree Dental Sticks?

They are full of sugars and can really make a dog hyper. I'd be prepared to bet if you don't give him those (give him a nice raw bone from the butcher instead) he will calm down.......

catlou

Raksha wrote: »

Catlou, are you the one who posted on the Approved Foods thread about Pedigree Dental Sticks?

They are full of sugars and can really make a dog hyper. I'd be prepared to bet if you don't give him those (give him a nice raw bone from the butcher instead) he will calm down.......

Thanks for your replies Raksha!

The dental sticks post is rather spooky:eek:.......it wasn't me who posted on the approved foods thread......but.......I actually bought some Pedigree Dental sticks this afternoon when I went into B&M to look for a tugger toy (they didn't have any long toys - will try somewhere else tomorrow) - you must me Psychic!! :rotfl::rotfl:I have had them before but he only has them maybe once or twice a week and the behaviour isn't after then so it can't be those.

Would you suggest when I play with him with the tug toy that when he bites and I stop the game should I yelp or tell him off or just walk away? and then should I stop playing for say 5 mins and try again repeat scenario if he bites or just stop the game completely and do it later in the day?

Thanks

devotee

I taught my puppy to kiss me (lick) on command, so if he accidentally nips me when playing I yelp and tell him to kiss or he figures out he's hurt me and does it anyway! When he licks my hand then I resume the play.
In your case if he happens to bites you I'd yelp and walk away and not resume playing until later. He needs to understand that biting equals play over.

sarabe

catlou wrote: »

......... I went into B&M to look for a tugger toy (they didn't have any long toys - will try somewhere else tomorrow)

Thanks

Just tie some string or rope to your tug toy. I have yet to find a tug toy that is long enough for my hound and I'm in the trade.

catlou wrote: »

......... Would you suggest when I play with him with the tug toy that when he bites and I stop the game should I yelp or tell him off or just walk away? and then should I stop playing for say 5 mins and try again repeat scenario if he bites or just stop the game completely and do it later in the day?

Thanks

If you have a long enough tug toy he won't bite you.