Forgive me for my basic questions, but Gagdet is my first dog since I was a kid, and I'm just looking for a little advice. Any ideas on how to stop the "puppy biting"? I just want to make sure my kids don't a)get hurt and b) don't become afraid of him. It's not bad right now, but I don't want it to get worse.
Puppy Biting?
- Thread starter NJGadget
- Start date
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Well, the technique my husband and I use on both our dogs is pretty gentle, simple, and just takes patience. When they bite during play it worked for us to grab their muzzle, hold their mouth shut and say "NO!" and/or "OUCH!" They do not like you to have control of their face, so they learned quickly that we wouldn't grab them if they didn't bite. Then, we would not play with them for a while (kind of a time out.) It takes patience, but after a few times of this, they just naturally learned not to bite us. They do bite each other in play, but nothing hard or painful.
All puppies instinctively bite and they easily learn not to do it with time training and patience. We would also redirect their biting and energy onto a favorite toy, such as a plush bear, rawhide, rope toy, etc. This really helps. Good luck, I'd just be sure to keep an eye on the puppy/kids interaction for a while, both are new to each other and very curious :D
All puppies instinctively bite and they easily learn not to do it with time training and patience. We would also redirect their biting and energy onto a favorite toy, such as a plush bear, rawhide, rope toy, etc. This really helps. Good luck, I'd just be sure to keep an eye on the puppy/kids interaction for a while, both are new to each other and very curious :D
I agree with everything that was said before, but from experience don't let your kids do the mouth grabbing training, our pups for some reason took that as a play signal from our kids, result- they always got nipped. I think the distraction with a toy works best. The odd thing is, kids need to be trained right along with the puppies on how to deal with a puppy when it gets a little overbearing, my sons instinct was to hit, but we quickly put an end to that by telling him a very firm "NO" or "OUCH" will get his point across best.
DeeDee & Clay Sewell
Boxer Booster
I was glad someone asked about that - meant to do it myself. Jolie is 10 weeks old now and those little teeth are verrrrry sharp. She wants to eat my wrists and hands and ankles. I have a little back scratcher that I have to carry around with me and I tap her with it to keep her from destroying my pants, socks and night gowns/robes. She loves my mocassins that I got to wear when I take her out at night. She thinks those are just for her. I can't take a step without her being all over my feet. And, yes, she hates it when I hold her muzzle - then she barks at me like a little sassy kid. If I pretend to cry when she bites me, she licks it and looks at me with those big eyes - I am so sorry she says but I just can't help it - then she bites me some more. I growled at her some the other day when she wouldn't stop and that got her attention. She jumped in my lap and pretended to be scared. It wasn't a mean growl, just a warning - she sat back on her butt, tilted her head, raised her paw at me and barked then jumped in my lap.She is toooo sweet. But, those teeth hurt and we have to stop this biting stuff. I'm trying to give her lots of things to chew on.
Krikkit
Boxer Insane
This previous thread may be of some help:
http://boxerworld.com/ubb/Forum8/HTML/000021.html
http://boxerworld.com/ubb/Forum8/HTML/000021.html
Tulsa-Dan
Your Friendly Moderator
NJGadget,
Just to give you some hope, now my Maggie is 4 months old and we rarely have any more biting. For the ankle/leg/shoe biting I did this: whenever she started, I stopped walking dead in my tracks, said "NO" and physically stopped her from grabbing my ankles/socks, etc. It took about 2 weeks, but she no longer grabs at my ankles when I walk.
As for biting hands, etc., in play, as in my other post on the obedience forum, I continued my method and now, we play (I allow her to pull and tug on the sleeves of one of my sweatshirts - I shouldn't, but I do - she only grabs my sleeve and pulls, never biting the skin. She is so careful not to bite it is often amusing. Sometimes she'll also "mouth" my hand (like pretend biting but not using her teeth). I have allowed this as long as she doesn't use her teeth.
I note that this has helped in her play with other dogs too. She doesn't bite hard when playing (other dogs sometimes do and we have to stop play).
I think the keys are to establish yourself as Alpha Dog, make sure she understands "NO" means NO and make sure she understands which behavior you disapprove of. Give her alternatives (my old sweatshirt sleeve) and lots of praise when she does the right thing. In a matter of a few weeks, you'll have a dog who understands and if she gets carried away, a simple NO will stop the action. It has worked for me and I am so proud of my Maggie for the way we play now.
We even go to the park and wrestle around in the grass together, her pulling my sleeve or grabbing my baseball cap and running with it (great fun for her) and I can get really rough with her rolling around, but she does not bite my skin. She's quite amazing, I think.
Good luck. Persistence and continuity are keys here. One note: I did have to get pretty stern with her at one point about the biting since she equates it with playing and thought my reprimands were play. But once I started getting serious with her, she understood I was NOT playing and that playing was done without biting. A couple of weeks after that, we had no more biting.
Keep us posted on your progress.
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Dan from Brooklyn
Proud Pappa to Maggie Mae
Born 6/16/00
Flashy Fawn, docked tail, natural ears.
Pictures: http://www.d-batt.com/Maggie.html
Just to give you some hope, now my Maggie is 4 months old and we rarely have any more biting. For the ankle/leg/shoe biting I did this: whenever she started, I stopped walking dead in my tracks, said "NO" and physically stopped her from grabbing my ankles/socks, etc. It took about 2 weeks, but she no longer grabs at my ankles when I walk.
As for biting hands, etc., in play, as in my other post on the obedience forum, I continued my method and now, we play (I allow her to pull and tug on the sleeves of one of my sweatshirts - I shouldn't, but I do - she only grabs my sleeve and pulls, never biting the skin. She is so careful not to bite it is often amusing. Sometimes she'll also "mouth" my hand (like pretend biting but not using her teeth). I have allowed this as long as she doesn't use her teeth.
I note that this has helped in her play with other dogs too. She doesn't bite hard when playing (other dogs sometimes do and we have to stop play).
I think the keys are to establish yourself as Alpha Dog, make sure she understands "NO" means NO and make sure she understands which behavior you disapprove of. Give her alternatives (my old sweatshirt sleeve) and lots of praise when she does the right thing. In a matter of a few weeks, you'll have a dog who understands and if she gets carried away, a simple NO will stop the action. It has worked for me and I am so proud of my Maggie for the way we play now.
We even go to the park and wrestle around in the grass together, her pulling my sleeve or grabbing my baseball cap and running with it (great fun for her) and I can get really rough with her rolling around, but she does not bite my skin. She's quite amazing, I think.
Good luck. Persistence and continuity are keys here. One note: I did have to get pretty stern with her at one point about the biting since she equates it with playing and thought my reprimands were play. But once I started getting serious with her, she understood I was NOT playing and that playing was done without biting. A couple of weeks after that, we had no more biting.
Keep us posted on your progress.
------------------
Dan from Brooklyn
Proud Pappa to Maggie Mae
Born 6/16/00
Flashy Fawn, docked tail, natural ears.
Pictures: http://www.d-batt.com/Maggie.html
DeeDee & Clay Sewell
Boxer Booster
Dan, that's exactly the two problems I am having - her teeth are getting very sharp and sometimes when we pull our hands away from her - it really hurts. I will start doing the stopping when you are walking thing immediately. It may take me three days to get across the room (ha-ha) but we shall see. Now, about the sweatshirt sleeve - is that just one shirt that you wear all the time to play with her or what - what happens when you are not wearing that shirt don't mean to be stupid - think I know what you mean but just want to be sure. Thanks for the help.
Tulsa-Dan
Your Friendly Moderator
Yes, my hands were a nicked and scabby mess for a couple of weeks (finally healing up) from jerking away from her sharp teeth. It is a problem. But if you can watch her and anticipate (they do give clues) when she's going to start nipping, perhaps you can avoid some of the nicks and cuts.
As for the sweatshirt, I have only one which I allow her to pull on. She at first tried to pull on other shirts and other sweatshirt sleeves and particularly my good leather jacket. However, now that she knows what "NO" means, she stops immediately when I tell her NO. She seems to understand that there is only one shirt involved in play. It is the one your wife would want to throw out (if I had a wife) because it is so old and worn, and it is the one I wear around the house all the time.
Hope that helps and answers your questions.
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Dan from Brooklyn
Proud Pappa to Maggie Mae
Born 6/16/00
Flashy Fawn, docked tail, natural ears.
Pictures: http://www.d-batt.com/Maggie.html
As for the sweatshirt, I have only one which I allow her to pull on. She at first tried to pull on other shirts and other sweatshirt sleeves and particularly my good leather jacket. However, now that she knows what "NO" means, she stops immediately when I tell her NO. She seems to understand that there is only one shirt involved in play. It is the one your wife would want to throw out (if I had a wife) because it is so old and worn, and it is the one I wear around the house all the time.
Hope that helps and answers your questions.
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Dan from Brooklyn
Proud Pappa to Maggie Mae
Born 6/16/00
Flashy Fawn, docked tail, natural ears.
Pictures: http://www.d-batt.com/Maggie.html
A good way to get your hands out ot their mouth once they've clamped in is to squeeze the cheek area and press that skin into their teeth, they wind up biting themselves, open up and you can retrieve your hand then.
Also we did the muzzle grab with SUmi and I added a little twist - after she bit and I said "No" and she stopped, I'd reoffer her my hand - everytime that she went to bite it (which she did at first) I said "No!" again, then she'd just sniff it and she'd get praised for that eventually she started licking my hand when I'd "offer" it to her after the first "OOpps I was just too excited and forgot nip".
Try not to play tug of war or other games that will make your puppy "mouth oriented".
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mama to:
-Sumi, lab mix "pound puppy"
-Casper, white boxer rescued from the Dade County Animal shelter
Also we did the muzzle grab with SUmi and I added a little twist - after she bit and I said "No" and she stopped, I'd reoffer her my hand - everytime that she went to bite it (which she did at first) I said "No!" again, then she'd just sniff it and she'd get praised for that eventually she started licking my hand when I'd "offer" it to her after the first "OOpps I was just too excited and forgot nip".
Try not to play tug of war or other games that will make your puppy "mouth oriented".
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mama to:
-Sumi, lab mix "pound puppy"
-Casper, white boxer rescued from the Dade County Animal shelter
Tulsa-Dan
Your Friendly Moderator
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Lisa M:
A. . . Try not to play tug of war or other games that will make your puppy "mouth oriented".
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I agree Lisa. I know I should not have started the sweatshirt thing, but I did against my better judgment. There are some puppy things I simply cannot resist. She'll grow out of it eventually and I'm sure I'll be at some point trying to get her to tug on my sleeve and play with me and she'll be totally mature and uninterested. I'll sure miss that puppy play then.
BAD DADDY!!
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Dan from Brooklyn
Proud Pappa to Maggie Mae
Born 6/16/00
Flashy Fawn, docked tail, natural ears.
Pictures: http://www.d-batt.com/Maggie.html
A. . . Try not to play tug of war or other games that will make your puppy "mouth oriented".
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I agree Lisa. I know I should not have started the sweatshirt thing, but I did against my better judgment. There are some puppy things I simply cannot resist. She'll grow out of it eventually and I'm sure I'll be at some point trying to get her to tug on my sleeve and play with me and she'll be totally mature and uninterested. I'll sure miss that puppy play then.
BAD DADDY!!
------------------
Dan from Brooklyn
Proud Pappa to Maggie Mae
Born 6/16/00
Flashy Fawn, docked tail, natural ears.
Pictures: http://www.d-batt.com/Maggie.html
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