Help with biting

[NC Harley]

Hi all. I hope I'm posting this to the right forum. Harley is 11 weeks old and I've had him 3 weeks. Although I'm experienced with dogs/puppies, Harley is my first boxer. My problem is his biting. I've tried the hands behind the back, ignoring, sharp "no" and walking away. I've done everything I know to do (I don't spank). Harley goes through about 2 one hour periods per day that he's like a wild thing. I have so many cuts on my hands from the biting that my neighbor asked what was wrong with my hands. I spoke with his vet on Fri. and she said I'm doing everything right but I don't see any improvement. And this was one of the quiter ones of the liter! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. :confused: Harley & Wanda (cheez mom I don't mean to hurt ya)

 

[Titans world]

I also had the same problem. Titan now barely ever goes around play bitting unless we let him know that its okay.

This is what I did.
Everytime he starts to play bite I would grab his muzzle and give him a firm NO, then I would redirect him to one of his toys and as soon as he started playing with his toy I would praise him. I found it to be very helpful. He caught on really quick.

Hope this helps.


Take care

 

[neilsmom2000]

I remember puppy teeth!

Dang those puppy teeth are sharp!

Sounds like you're doing the right thing. I would offer your pup something else to chew when he starts getting rowdy. However, make him do something first, like a sit or lie down, so he doesn't think the way to get a chew toy is to bite you first!

Good luck and hang in there! It does go away!

 

[Tulsa-Dan]

Yes, I found redirecting the biting energies to an appropriate toy or bone to be most effective when Maggie went through the bite and slash period

As soon as she'd bite me, the very FIRST instance, not after two or three bites and then it hurts, I would YELP and get up (I always sat on the floor - not lying down - when we played as a puppy) and then hand her an appropriate toy to bite. When she took the toy, she was praised highly and played with again.

If she bit me again, same thing. It took a few weeks, but by making associations to the names of toys "Maggie, bite your bone or ball or whatever" she now goes to get her bone when I say, "Maggie, go chew on your bone if you're bored!"

Good luck.

 

[NC Harley]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll keep working at it and maybe soon my parana will learn that I am not a chew bone. :p Other than the biting issue, he is the sweetest thing. :D Harley & Wanda

 

[Nicole510]

Tulsa-Dan I thought I was the only one that yelped at my dog!!

In this crazy video I saw it recommended making some kind of high pitched yelping noise at your dog when it bit you. I felt like an idiot at first but it worked much quicker than 'no' or 'stop'. Gradually I worked the yelp into an 'ouch'. If we're playing and one of them gets too rough I say 'ouch' and the play stops immeditaley. It's amazing.

 

[gordsan]

I've still been battling the same problem with Mason and he's almost a year old. I tried everything - distracting, yelling, yelping - nothing worked - until I tried the squirt bottle - just with water! I only have to show it to him now and he backs off! I always show it and say 'off' firmly. If I have to squirt, again, I'll say 'off' firmly. It's also worked wonders for 'off' in general and he responds when I say it, rather than just looking at me and continuing on with what he was doing!

I now have a squirt bottle in every room and one in my dog walking coat - he's not bitten me since I started using it and if he starts to get too wound up and I sense a playful nip coming, I just grab the bottle, say off, he backs off and we'll play nicely!

 

[NC Harley]

Some great advice here. I've tried the high pitch, etc. but it hasn't worked much for my parana. Probably some of it due to my own fault. Sometimes when he bites it hurts so bad I forget to use the same command and use a choice word that I usually try not to say (it just kind of comes out). I have noticed a small improvement in Harley the last 2 days though. He's still bitting but not quite as often. I'm going to have to try the water bottle idea. That sounds harmless enough! :p The cashier at the grocery store asked me if I had been working in the garden. When I said no she said "Oh I thought a rose bush got your hand". <sigh> She looked at me like I was totally insane when I explained about Harley. :rolleyes: Thanks everyone. Harley & Wanda (Mom can we get a blue water bottle?)

 

[FURIOSMOM]

I had the same problem. My previous boxer never bit or nipped from the time he was a puppy. Furio's biting came as a shock to me. I tried everything- the squirt bottle - the ouch- the chew toys- a firm no- nothing worked. Then the strangest thing happened. My husband had Furio nipping at him and he made a strange cry of desperation. Something like bug - a bug a boo boo . Or what you would say trying to play a monster for small children. There were no real words and he said it real loud while he twisted his head in a circle. Furio stopped on a dime. Then he backed up and laid on the floor. The next day Furio started to get nippy with me and I repeated the same thing. He stopped immediately. It also works when we want him to drop an object or stop chasing madly around the house. It may not work for anyone else but it has been a lifesaver for us.

 

[NC Harley]

Thanks everyone for all of the advise. Harley and I went shopping today and bought a couple of water bottles. So far I've used it 3 times when he does the bitting. I have it set on just a little more than a mist. When he bites I squirt with a "no bite". He's backed off every time so far. :D I'm keeping my fingers crossed (and behind my back:p ) but hopefully this will work. I'll let you know after a couple of days of testing. Harley & Wanda