Stop Biting

Well, Bramble is a demon. It's official! She fully had a case of the wicked yesterday and drove Peerie (and me, my mum, and Stu) mental until Peerie actually lost her temper and barked at her! (which actually I was quite pleased about!) Then she hardly slept last night. Demon!

But what's REALLY driving me mad is she's getting really bad for biting - not a little puppy nibble, a full on bite. She broke the skin on Stu's arm on Sunday and got thoroughly told off, but I don't really know how to stop it. Peerie has never been a biter, except when teething, and it was a table leg that got it! I don't think it's wickedness so much as being totally over excited but still...thoughts on how to stop it asap?

Hmmm... well, when we first got Gus he was a biter too! I just wanted to nip it in the bud straight away, so every time he bit me, I just tapped him on the nose. Hubby let him get away with it with him.... So what happens now???? If mummy's hand is at Gus's face, it gets licked.... If daddy's hand is at Gus's face...it gets chewed!!!!

Just tell her No bite and tap her on the nose. Also I would put her on the floor (if she's sat on your knee or lay at the side of you.) Also give her toy to bite on as it could be her teeth.

For mine I buy them biscuits from Pets at Home they are for teething, they smooth the gums. Also my hubby as brought them all a bone to chew on with the marrow inside.

Hope that helps a bit.

Lol, ooh puppy teeth, they're like pins aren't they?! I'm guessing you've tried offering her an alternative like a toy or something to take her mind off chewing yours and Stu's limbs?
I've never done the nose tapping thing, if one of ours ever got too much...and I don't just mean cute puppy nips lol, - and the toy decoy didn't work it would be game over and we would get up (out of reach lol) and ignore them... ...until they played nice!

Yeah, she's got an assortment of chew toys (including a chewy shoe that she loves!) but when she's decided she wants a chomp of us then nothing will distract her. At the moment we're going with a loud "NO!" and putting her down/away but she tends to just see that as an invitation for a game.

Might try the nose-tap tho...

Squeal, thats what I do when a pup bites and that is what they would hear from their siblings. Then its game over for a while. they soon learn that they are hurting and dont bite so hard. and they hate to be ignored

Please dont tap a puppy on the nose, all the little membranes are swollen with teething and you could cause problems by damaging the cartlidge

Oh, ok - didn't know that! Thanks!

Squealing it is then!

Puppies do need to bite and learn about biting as part of their development as pat has said about their siblings. What I suggeset you use to protect your hands so they can actually develop and learn is a glove puppet (josh loved a furry dog one) and as Pat says if she bites too hard squeal and game over. If you play with your puppy allowing her time to bite and play like she would with her siblings yet not allowing too hard a bite she will learn how hard she can or cannot bite to cause pain to anyone or anything. It is a really important part of the learning process. Some puppies that have never been allowed to bite (who have been stopped completely) have actually gone on to bite people quite seriously because they have no idea of their own strength. I still playfight with Josh though I don't use a puppet anymore (or rarely) and our fights can be quite rough, though he never bites me overhard and if ever my face becomes close tohim he immediately licks me. It is a lovely activity I share with him... something I know he would have had if I had anymore dogs.

As for tapping the nose as pat says you really should not do that as you can really damage - and actually any kind of physical punishment (smacking, tapping or whatever) is really quite an unkind way to train your dogs. People may have trained like that many years ago but
professionals have realised a long time ago that it is not an effective way of training, it produces a negative response etc.

A dog does not understand what the smack is for - its mother, or the pack leader, would not smack it. Discipline in the pack is achieved usual through body language or a fierce vocal reprimand and in extreme cases the dam might scruff thep pup (gently bite by its ear and pin it for a few seconds).

Thanks for that Lesley - I do playfight with Peerie, but even as a pup she only really mouthed, not a full on chomp!

I like the idea of the glove-puppet...that is something I shall def investigate! In the meantime, I'm guessing that the nice thick, long sleeve of my dressinggown would also do it?

Debbie wrote:Lol, ooh puppy teeth, they're like pins aren't they?! I'm guessing you've tried offering her an alternative like a toy or something to take her mind off chewing yours and Stu's limbs?
I've never done the nose tapping thing, if one of ours ever got too much...and I don't just mean cute puppy nips lol, - and the toy decoy didn't work it would be game over and we would get up (out of reach lol) and ignore them... ...until they played nice!

You have the right idea

simbalove wrote:

As for tapping the nose as pat says you really should not do that as you can really damage - and actually any kind of physical punishment (smacking, tapping or whatever) is really quite an unkind way to train your dogs. People may have trained like that many years ago but
professionals have realised a long time ago that it is not an effective way of training, it produces a negative response etc.

A dog does not understand what the smack is for - its mother, or the pack leader, would not smack it. Discipline in the pack is achieved usual through body language or a fierce vocal reprimand and in extreme cases the dam might scruff thep pup (gently bite by its ear and pin it for a few seconds).

Oooops, sorry! Nys, disregard what I said!!!! I know in your last paragraph you are just using the word "smack" as an example Lesley. But I just wanted to point out that I personally have never "smacked".

We found just distracting molly as a pup when she went to mouth your hand worked wonders, and with all the chewey things about we did'nt really have any bother

love maggie and molly

Nyssa wrote:
I like the idea of the glove-puppet...that is something I shall def investigate! In the meantime, I'm guessing that the nice thick, long sleeve of my dressinggown would also do it?

Lol, or an oven glove.

Yes glove puppets are a great idea Wispa has a Pudsey glove puppet and she loves to play what we
call the hand game with her, and she has never tried to bite any of us, Poppy has not bothered with nipping or biting any of us, but perhaps
that is because she has Wispa to do play biting with, and she soon
tells her off, if she gets too boisterous.

My Spanner loves to mouthe your hands he does it all the time in play but he is realy gentle and rarely leaves any mark except when he gets a bit excited but he dosnt hurt. Its part of play and how they would play in the wild so it is just about them learning to bite gently as Lesley says if they never learn to bite gently thats when problems can arise. I never thought of a glove puppet and thats a realy good Idea

Lynne & Gus wrote:

simbalove wrote:

As for tapping the nose as pat says you really should not do that as you can really damage - and actually any kind of physical punishment (smacking, tapping or whatever) is really quite an unkind way to train your dogs. People may have trained like that many years ago but
professionals have realised a long time ago that it is not an effective way of training, it produces a negative response etc.

A dog does not understand what the smack is for - its mother, or the pack leader, would not smack it. Discipline in the pack is achieved usual through body language or a fierce vocal reprimand and in extreme cases the dam might scruff thep pup (gently bite by its ear and pin it for a few seconds).

Oooops, sorry! Nys, disregard what I said!!!! I know in your last paragraph you are just using the word "smack" as an example Lesley. But I just wanted to point out that I personally have never "smacked".

Lynne I wasn't aiming that at you love - I know you absolutely adore Gus... I used the word "smack" to cover any type of physical discipline cos it was just easier and quicker to write. I wasn't implying anyone on here has "smacked" their dogs - just generalising and trying to explain to people how to think more like a "dog" when they try to train their animals.
i did think when I had posted I might have upset you all but I wasn't getting at anybody - you kow me - I have to say it like it is!!

Nyssa wrote:Thanks for that Lesley - I do playfight with Peerie, but even as a pup she only really mouthed, not a full on chomp!

I like the idea of the glove-puppet...that is something I shall def investigate! In the meantime, I'm guessing that the nice thick, long sleeve of my dressinggown would also do it?

I have to say Josh was a bit of a tyrant when we play-fought when he was a pup Nyssa - I often came into work with slashed arms lloking like a self-harmer cos I didn't move fast enough or hand bothered to use my puppet. I have to say though that the glove puppet thing is a lovely experience for me when Ipaly - cos as you know Josh is the only "lone" pup I have had and I worried he would miss outon play with his "kind" but he actually plays with the glove puppet as if it is a real dog... it is so cute to watch and great fun to play with him and obviously nowadays he doesn't hurt me - it is not painful anymore

simbalove wrote:

Lynne & Gus wrote:

simbalove wrote:

As for tapping the nose as pat says you really should not do that as you can really damage - and actually any kind of physical punishment (smacking, tapping or whatever) is really quite an unkind way to train your dogs. People may have trained like that many years ago but
professionals have realised a long time ago that it is not an effective way of training, it produces a negative response etc.

A dog does not understand what the smack is for - its mother, or the pack leader, would not smack it. Discipline in the pack is achieved usual through body language or a fierce vocal reprimand and in extreme cases the dam might scruff thep pup (gently bite by its ear and pin it for a few seconds).

Oooops, sorry! Nys, disregard what I said!!!! I know in your last paragraph you are just using the word "smack" as an example Lesley. But I just wanted to point out that I personally have never "smacked".

Lynne I wasn't aiming that at you love - I know you absolutely adore Gus... I used the word "smack" to cover any type of physical discipline cos it was just easier and quicker to write. I wasn't implying anyone on here has "smacked" their dogs - just generalising and trying to explain to people how to think more like a "dog" when they try to train their animals.

God I know Lesley... just wanted to clear that up for myself! I know you well enough to know how you meant it!

poppyjosh wrote:My Spanner loves to mouthe your hands he does it all the time in play but he is realy gentle and rarely leaves any mark except when he gets a bit excited but he dosnt hurt. Its part of play and how they would play in the wild so it is just about them learning to bite gently as Lesley says if they never learn to bite gently thats when problems can arise. I never thought of a glove puppet and thats a realy good Idea

I have one which is a furry grey and white puppy (think it is meant to be an old english sheepdog) and Josh treats it like a sibling - it is fab ... best £2 at a charity function I ever spent