sweet little monkey (sometimes)

[rsjenni]

Austin is 17 weeks ( just about 4 months) and getting huge! about 26 pounds! gonna be a big boy i think. so my question is behavioural...feel free to move this post if you want i just thought it would get more attention here. He is very playful and I can't for the life of me figure out how to play with him without him biting my sleeves off, or my ankles. He still doesn't really understand "NO" or "no biting". Are there any tricks you guys use?
Also, when is the right time to use a halter, or something to prevent him from pullying on the leash... he's getting bad! lets see what else...i guess that's it! thanks ahead of time!

 

[swatman]

Your pup is just that a puppy and the issues you are having are very common and will subside with training and time. As far as biting goes, when your pup starts biting you you must convey to him that this is not acceptable, using the yelp and retreat, or the yelp, retreat and ignore. Your pup should realize that biting leads to no more fun. You can also try redirecting his behavior by stopping play saying no bite and giving him a toy or bone (redirection). There are many threads on this here that go into more detail on this. Leash pulling is very common and has been discussed at length as well, a quick search here will give you more than enough info. to help you. Again it boils down to repetition and training and showing him that you are in control (positively). Good luck, our babies often seem hard headed and difficult to train, but then again the best things in life never come easily. Boxers actually learn very quickly and training periods should be kept short (15 min or so), because they learn quickly they also become bored quite easily and then can become very creative. Good luck, it will be fun, don't get frustrated it is worth the time and effort.
Mike
_________________________________________________________
Kaiser 1989-2000 beautiful flashy fawn boy, waiting at the bridge
Gunther 1999-2004 beautiful and courageous flashy brindle boy, waiting at the bridge
Jacquets Ramos 8 mo old flashy brindle crazyman, s/d in training

 

[rsjenni]

great idea

thanks for the advice! Where are you located in MA? I am along 495 near hopkinton...

 

[daisyscrazy]

I know that this might sound mean but I would lay in the bed at night and Daisy would out of the blue bite the living pee out of me... I mean hurt... At only a couple months old... I asked our neighbor who worked at PetSmart how to handle this... She replied..."when a dog bites you grab the bottom jaw and say no... Hold it and stare them down until they look away... When she would snip my 3 yr old my skin baby bit her back one day... Daisy doesn't bite... Also she said walk away from them or put them in their crate... Time out... Then take her out and reassure her that you are boss... Biting can turn ugly... YOu have to make them stop if you don't they think its ok... Show them dominance. Its hard I know but I would ask my husband why she didn't bite him and he replied because you don't show her dominance. So now she knows who is boss... It TOOK FOREVER though... On the leash... I would use a halter now... Stop her every few feet and say no when she pulls... or take her back home and give her a time out...

 

[Poetic_thing]

Oooh, Austin is at a great age now. Kirra will be 4 months next week and currently weighs in at 22.4 lbs. For quite some time now Kirra has been playing great. I have some stuffed squeakies, rope toys and bungee ball. She will now 'get ready', 'go get it', 'take it' and 'bring it here' very well. What I started out doing was getting her really interested in the toys - when she went for my arm/hand I would say "uh uh" and stop what I was doing. If she continued I stood up and turned my back to her for about 30-60 seconds. I would then get down with her and the toy and try again. I'm happy to say she no longer goes for my hands/arms intentionally, the occassional accident will happen though . Now if I could only get her to do that with her ball, instead she pounces it all around the house and has no desire to bring it here .

As for the halter / harness, you can use one now but have you tried just stopping and waiting for him to come back by your side before you continue on when he pulls? I have been doing this with Kirra and she has been responding pretty good. Sometimes you look silly standing there waiting for the dog to come back - but they do. On occassion when she pulled more than usual I turn and walk the other way. So far these things have worked pretty good for her not pulling. The other thing you can try is to entice Austin to stay by your side with a really irresistable treat - hold it lower for him to smell and keep praising him for walking nice. Good luck with Austin

 

[rsjenni]

I actually got the name of my breeder from a show in Falmouth this summer. We make tons of trips out to the cape during the summers. Do you ever let him/her go in the ocean? how does that go over? just wondering b/c i know if a few hotels that allow dogs and i would love for austin to play in the ocean! think he would love it

 

[daisyscrazy]

Poetic...
Have you tried soccer with Kirra? We tried it with Daisy since she likes to pounce her balls... Kinda keeps them mixed up... She also likes the $2.50 huge balls at Walmart... She loves to chase them and jump on them... with Daisy I took and would go inside when she wouldn't bring it... But she loves to play soccer.

 

[Poetic_thing]

Not yet to the soccer - LOL tuff with 3 feet of snow in the yard and temps at -30, but def will try in the spring, I'm sure she will love!!

 

[daisyscrazy]

Snow.... Oh yeah... Some people get snow... We get rain and sun.. NO snow for us... Daisy has never experianced snow... I am scared she will get lost in it... She is so short... Just like her skin mom... Soccer is fun for boxers if you are like Daisy and use your paws to hit it.

 

[sandy's mom]

You can try bitter apple spray. Spray it on your clothes, hands, etc.
It taste horrible and make the biting stop. It worked for me.

good luck!
Debbie