Puppy Biting

Hi all,

I have a 10 week old dog that is biting and nipping and it bloody hurts!
I generally discourage him with a firm NO or some time out in a pen if that doesn't work.
He is getting better - so this seems to be working.

He also absolutely loves to play tug with a leather bite rag - was just wondering wether I should hold off on the tug play until he gets out of his biting phase ( in case he is confused with being allowed to bite and then not allowed).

Any advice is much appreciated.

Cheers

 

When he bites, give a firm NO and then give him the leather bite rag. The dog will figure out the difference. It will take time since the dog is only a pup.

 

No tug for pups you don't want biting. Orrrrr... When they bite, YELL no, ouch, or something to let the pup know that hurt. Follow that with "no bite, no biting" or whatever you choose. Then hold their mouth shut until you feel he/she gets it. They usually whine pretty good. Most folks will get soft and let go when the pup starts to fight and whine. Don't give in first or he/she wins. Make this as unpleasant as possible with going overboard. Sounds harsh buts works for me and all I've shown

 

IMO he will figure out "if I bite him, I will get a toy!" Say something, walk away and let the pup think about what he/she did. Then after a few minutes give em the toy.

 

Not at all saying you are wrong Michele.

 

The dog will figure out what to bite and what not to bite. You are replacing a negative with a positive.

 

One of the first things a pup will learn is the word " no". When they bite I lightly swip their nose with my pointer finger, look em dead in the eyes and say " No " with a deeper voice. When he stop, praise him.

Dogs are very good at learning facial expression and tone of voice. He's 10 weeks old....... just wait till he's teething, thats the fun part.

 

What I did with my young dog, though he was older than your pup, was every time teeth contacted me instead of a toy i would alarm him with an exaggerated "OUCH!" and also stop playing or giving attention, whatever it was. After he settled down I'd resume whatever it was we were doing before. He eventually figured out that if he bites, not only does the fun stuff stop but i also make an unpleasant exclamation. Now, if he starts to do anything mouthy I can just quietly say "ouch" and he will immediately stop what he's doing and look to me.

 

Thanks all. Haven't had the chance to log in - so missed all your great replies.
I have continued with the 'NO' , walk away and timeout if needed - the little guy has really improved quickly - and now only mouthes hand instead of a bite if he makes contact.
And still playing tug games which he loves!

 

I have a 4 month old and it took about 2 months to get the bitting under control. He still bites when we play rough, but the pressure is a hell of a lot lighter. What worked for me was i would yell ow and tether him to something and walk away. If the dog sleeps in a creat, dont put him in that to punish. It takes some time but they will come around.

 

Are we talking about children here or animals, time out? lol

Like stated pups learn quickly what makes you happy and unhappy. Ouch is not a command, so use NO!

A rolled up magazine or newspaper is the best training tool, as the crack gets their attention without hurting the dog or pup. The APBT is a very head strong and physical animal, it is best they are taught early to respect your boundaries if they are going to be your pet. A well trained APBT is the most awesome dog on the planet.

If you don't set strict boundaries and discipline your APBT it's going to cost you down the road. You'll either come home to a destroyed home or worse dead neighboring animals.

Be a responsible APBT owner!

 

I did that with my last dog. He ended up being scared of me. New tactic.

 

I would continue with the play tugging as long as you’re gentle on his teeth and jaws. The puppy explores the world and environment through its mouth. A 10 week old should not be struck or treated harshly for something it does naturally. There are some good ideas in this thread for redirecting to a safe toy, teaching boundaries, unpleasant experiences and disapproval etc.. End goal is to have a confident and obedient dog that knows when it’s okay to bite and on what. Lol or who.

 

Bulldogs should not be phased by a confident firm handler. These dogs are not made for the meek mild minded person. They are a high powered athlete that needs a structured environment to excel.

In almost 25 years with the breed I have never raised an APBT that was scared of me or lacked confidence to complete any task I asked of them.

Having said that I know all to well lots of dogs are bred who lack the mental and physical soundness the breed should poses.