Aggressive 8 week old puppy??

[Mesquite]

I'm sure it will get better. I just don't remember my first boxer being this bad. But, I did have 3 school aged children back then so maybe he was busy playing with them.

Although I love snuggling with a tired puppy, I'm counting down the days until puppyhood is over.

 

[logiesmom]

I know what you guys are going through. My Logan will be four months on the 22. I too had major puppy regret for a while there!! Logan was so relentless in his nipping/chasing of my eight year old, that she was crying all the time and "hated" the dog. She was very sad and thought that the dog didn't like her and refused to play with him. He went through a very bad phase of this between 9-13 weeks old. Luckily, with bite inhibition stuff(took about two weeks for him and using time outs) he has quit doing this. We have learned that we can not have any "family" time in the living room in the evenings....seems to be his insano time. I usually crate him in the evenings when i am getting the kids/house settled for the night. I did keep a log in the begining for a few days and tracked when his behavior seemed to be the worse...his was in the evening when my husband and older kid got home. I just crated him at that time. I supervise all interactions with the children and choose to let him be with the kids when he is more tired or his behavior is in check. I try not to set him up for failure and have their interactions all be positive ones. I also let the older one be involved in his training...let her be the one to feed him(he has to sit and wait permission)..and be the one to give him his treat when he crates. This has made a huge difference. I don't tolerate any rough housing with him...my husband is bad about that. We have taught him a few constructive and appropriate games like fetch and so forth that he can do with the kids in the yard. I also keep him on a long lead in the yard so that i have control of him if needs be. My older one is also going to puppy classes with me so that she can see we are not the only ones. It is all a process and you do have to have lots of patience. This too will be our last pup.....i love my Logie, but I can't do this again...will definetly rescue an older dog!!

 

[HostelDog]

Our pup was the same, but I found that once she started playing a lot with other dogs she almost immediately stopped biting as hard. She is 5 months now and whilst she will sometimes still put her mouth around my hand, she never bites down hard (the exception is with my boyfriend, but he encourages her so I have no sympathy!).

Good luck to everyone going through this, it's a painful time

 

[ehayes21]

I know what you guys are going through. My Logan will be four months on the 22. I too had major puppy regret for a while there!! Logan was so relentless in his nipping/chasing of my eight year old, that she was crying all the time and "hated" the dog. She was very sad and thought that the dog didn't like her and refused to play with him. He went through a very bad phase of this between 9-13 weeks old. Luckily, with bite inhibition stuff(took about two weeks for him and using time outs) he has quit doing this. We have learned that we can not have any "family" time in the living room in the evenings....seems to be his insano time. I usually crate him in the evenings when i am getting the kids/house settled for the night. I did keep a log in the begining for a few days and tracked when his behavior seemed to be the worse...his was in the evening when my husband and older kid got home. I just crated him at that time. I supervise all interactions with the children and choose to let him be with the kids when he is more tired or his behavior is in check. I try not to set him up for failure and have their interactions all be positive ones. I also let the older one be involved in his training...let her be the one to feed him(he has to sit and wait permission)..and be the one to give him his treat when he crates. This has made a huge difference. I don't tolerate any rough housing with him...my husband is bad about that. We have taught him a few constructive and appropriate games like fetch and so forth that he can do with the kids in the yard. I also keep him on a long lead in the yard so that i have control of him if needs be. My older one is also going to puppy classes with me so that she can see we are not the only ones. It is all a process and you do have to have lots of patience. This too will be our last pup.....i love my Logie, but I can't do this again...will definetly rescue an older dog!!

Sounds like you are doing a great job! I think everyone about to get a puppy should read this thread...they are so much work. And even then your job is not over...you get a little break and then you hit the terrible teens. And that makes puppyhood seem like childs play.

 

[Mesquite]

I too had major puppy regret for a while there!! Logan was so relentless in his nipping/chasing of my eight year old, that she was crying all the time and "hated" the dog. She was very sad and thought that the dog didn't like her and refused to play with him.

That made me laugh, although I can totally sympathize with your child. The puppy thinks its all a big game. Boxer puppies can make a game out of anything. Sometimes I think they don't realize that they're dogs and we aren't and maybe that's why they can't understand why we don't like biting games.

Jake has been better the past few days. The minute he starts nipping, the game is over and I stand up and walk away. I think it's starting to sink in that "mama don't play that".

 

[logiesmom]

I know...It seems to me that Logan could pick out the "weakest link" in any crowd of kids! It's like he knows he can get a rise out of her and make her cry to mommy!! He doesn't do this anymore and has also stopped with the sassy "back talk" when he is told to do something that wasn't on his agenda. He has really turned a corner recently and it seems that things are clicking for him...either that or he dug up some extra brain cells in the yard !! It seems he is finding his place in the family and getting a handle of the rules of the house. I love him dearly...he's my man! Puppies don't get to be those fabulous boxers everyone raves about by themselves....you gotta show them the way. I have never seen anything more capable of making your blood boil and your heart melt all at the same time than a boxer puppy!

 

[SweetCody]

He doesn't do this anymore and has also stopped with the sassy "back talk" when he is told to do something that wasn't on his agenda.

The sassy back talk is very much boxer and will return. Both Cody and Aniah are very back talky....even as they are quitting the bad behaviour they are running their mouths.
Good to see you on here girl.

 

[mplahtinsky]

Lol I'm looking at my red patchy hands as I type this note. We come home with a 6 week old boxer last weekend. I have affectionately nick named called him "Little Satan". I have been working on bite inhibition training for a week now and I would say that 9 times out of ten if I yelp that makes him more aggressive. When he is in his aggressive mood if I yelp and walk away he follows me biting my feet. The first few days that we had him it seem that the yelp would make him stop for a few minutes, but now it does the complete opposite.

This weekend I tried something different that only after a day has made a huge difference. I have taken his 6 foot leash and tied it to the front door. I still yelp when bit but if that doesn't work and he continues to bite me I'll tell him "Settle Down" and walk him over to the door and clip him on his leash for a time out. Me and the family will continue to play within eye site but completely ignore him for a few minutes. This of course drives him nuts b/c all he wants to do is play with us. He ends up talking to us the whole time complaining about his time out. After his time out he is always much calmer and we continue playing.

After practicing this all weekend I tell him to "Settle Down" he immediately stops biting. I still yelp at getting bit before I tell him to settle down as to teach "little Satan" his bite inhibition but at least this seem's to make him much easier to deal with.

I know others have mentioned using similar techniques without luck but just wanted to share a positive note as this seems to be working for us at the moment.

Matt

Sambo aka "Little Satan" 7 weeks old

 

[NativeCS]

Re

it is normal for pups to bite as they need to chew. We did experience an unusual about of biting from our Husky and we took him to puppy class. He is so much better. However, you don't want to aknowledge the behavior. Turn your back to the puppy and before petting him (you usually can't start training until 12 weeks) or giving any attention require your puppy to sit. We have to do that with our 3 pups now. Our oldest, who is a boxer was the easiest dog to train in the world and I now know how lucky I was then!! He is being mean to the male husky, so I would say if you ever plan on getting another dog, don't wait. Do it soon!!! That was just a side note, from what i am seeing with my dog. However, he will be getting fixed tomorrow!!! Good luck!!!