So sad my dog won't stop biting!

janie1234

janie1234

Cathlete
I'm sorry to dump on everyone again, . . . about my puppy again! I don't know what to do. My husband is giving him 1 week to shape up or he's going to ship out and go back to the rescue which would break my heart .

He keeps biting me.

Here are some pictures and this is only 2 of them. He actually bit me in the face which was the last straw for my husband (way to gross to show a pic of).
Sorry the pictures are kinda gross but not to graphic.
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo127/seelizrun/004.jpg
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo127/seelizrun/013.jpg

We've tried prong collars, choke collars, positive reinforcement, EVERYTHING, . .we've even hired a private behaviorist, . .the only thing we have not tried is a shock collar.
The strange thing is that he's smart, and caring, . . .just out of no where he just up and starts nipping. When I yelp and say "No!" he get more upset and then just bites. There is no bite inhibition at all the teeth come chomping down. I'm scared to death he's going to bite my kids, someone elses kid, or another dog.

I don't know what to do. He just started walking better on the leash. He retrieves like the best of them, he can even catch a flying frisbee, and even is trying to skate board on my husband long board, . . but for the life of me I can't get him to stop the biting. Someone please tell me there is hope for him. I'm willing to do anything but we just can't afford more visits with the behaviorist he's $155 an hour and he's been here 2 times already. Both he and the Vet have said that it is dominance not agression but can turn into agression. HELP!!! I want to do the right thing.
 
Janie, Im so sorry to hear this! I know how much you love that dog! I was told by a trainer and also read in a training book to do the following:

1. When the dog bites at you, say "no" in your firmest voice while simultaneously putting your hand in the dog's mouth and sticking your fingers to the back of his tongue/beginning of his throat (trying carefully not to scratch). It should be uncomfortable but not painful.
2. Pull out your hand and place your open palm (like talk to the hand) right in front of his nose. Your goal is for him to sniff and lick, which earns him a big GOOD BOY! This teaches him appropriate hand to mouth interaction.

It took 50 times doing this with my puppy, but it worked!!! Now, when the mood comes over him, all I have to say is no! And he stops to smell my hand.

Hope this helps...and sending all my best doggy wishes your way!

:) Jonezie
 
Jonezie said:
Janie, Im so sorry to hear this! I know how much you love that dog! I was told by a trainer and also read in a training book to do the following:

1. When the dog bites at you, say "no" in your firmest voice while simultaneously putting your hand in the dog's mouth and sticking your fingers to the back of his tongue/beginning of his throat (trying carefully not to scratch). It should be uncomfortable but not painful.
2. Pull out your hand and place your open palm (like talk to the hand) right in front of his nose. Your goal is for him to sniff and lick, which earns him a big GOOD BOY! This teaches him appropriate hand to mouth interaction.

It took 50 times doing this with my puppy, but it worked!!! Now, when the mood comes over him, all I have to say is no! And he stops to smell my hand.

Hope this helps...and sending all my best doggy wishes your way!

:) Jonezie
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Thanks Jonezie! I'm going to try this right away!! I appreciate this and your past advice. Oh and you are right I do love my dog.
 
Jeez...first of all (((((hugs))))

I have a german shephard/siberian husky mix that just turned one year old. I thought her first 9 months would be the end of me, but she's turned out okay. I missed your first thread about her behavior so I can't comment on that. When my Scout starts to act up, I make sure to take her for a walk or make DH run her. This makes her TIRED and she's much easier to deal with and she takes direction much quicker in a tired state. She was a biter for sure. :(
She still has some behavior issues and when I know they may come up I keep treats on me to give her a positive reinforcement when she does the action I want.
One of the biggest factors that changed and redirected her behavior was getting a second puppy. They may now be partners in crime, but a lot of her energy is spent on her sister and the other dog is calm to her hyper so they balance out.
 
For $155/hour x two visits, what does the behaviorist say? I like Jonezie's idea of shoving hour hand back into the dogs mouth. DH used that trick on our dog as well and it works. When he is out walking on leash, you could muzzle him. That would give you piece of mind outside the home, but is a short-term solution. DH also will grab the dog on the back of the neck HARD when she would go to bite...kind of simulating mother's "bite." Good luck to you. I know how much you wanted George. Hopefully, you will find a solution.

Carrie
 
janie1234 said:
Thanks Jonezie! I'm going to try this right away!! I appreciate this and your past advice. Oh and you are right I do love my dog.
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Janie...I'm telling you from the bottom of my heart, it worked miracles for my guy. It should be immediate (as in immediately following the attempt to bite), make him gag and want to pull away, but not hurt him. And you really may have to do it 50 times...but I just really believe if you are 100% consistent, George will automatically go to sniff and lick when you say no. Also, try not to have emotion in your voice...only authority (which is hard, I'm sure, when you have 75 pounds of biting puppy comin' at you).

I really want you guys to make it...PLEASE keep us posted!

Love to you and George!

:)Jonezie
 
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I have nothing helpful to add Jannie, I'm so sorry. I hope what Jonzie suggests helps your guy. So your family can keep him!! Sending positive vibes your way!

Big hugs!!
 
Janie - I'm so sorry! I really hope Jonzie's idea works for you! I'll be sending positive energy your way and calming energy to your dog! Let us know how you make out!

Good luck!
 
Get the puppy tired!

Puppies have so much energy, I would take the dog for long speedy walk. As soon as the dog wants to be the boss, I'd nip it in the butt, have a rolled up paper handy.

I wonder if the dog senses that you are afraid and uncertain what to do and that is why the puppy is trying to get the upper hand.

We also have a Siberian Husky mix (I would say part Shepherd but DH has Coyote because of her appearance). She was a terrible, terrible puppy - ate everthing like a garbage disposal. I am surprised she did not die from all the metal she ate. She tried to growl a few times at us and make a stand but we punished that behavoir and now she is part of the family and does not want to lead it.

Just because a behaviorist calls himself one, does not mean he or she is actually trained. Anyone can open a business like that.
 
(((Janie)))

Don't go the shock collar route. I know you're feeling desperate right now, but shock collars (used in desperation) are great ways to instill fear aggression. REMEMBER - As big as he is, he's still a puppy. Unfortunately, bite inhibition is one of those puppy things he still needs to learn. In an ideal world, Georgie would have learned a lot about bite inhibition from his mom and litter mates.

I know you're seeing the behaviorist on an as-needed basis, but maybe something more regular, like once a week obedience class (group setting), would help you and Georgie. BTW - Something like that might cost $155 for 6 weeks, not for each visit.

Does the shelter offer or recommend any training classes? Also, does he do the biting with anyone else or just you?

Does he get to play with other dogs?? SERIOUSLY...other dogs are VERY VERY good at teaching a puppy bite inhibition...because they won't tolerate a bossy puppy biting all the time. They're great at doing the "Tough Love" thing. ;) Doggy daycare maybe?!?!? I'm a BIG BIG fan of doggy daycare.

I've used Jonzie's "hand in the mouth" method and it's worked for me too.

(((more hugs)))
 
No real suggestions here, but my Cheyenne used to be a real biter as a puppy. Dealing with a 4 lb biter is a lot easier than a bigger puppy. She did grow out of it though. Sometimes now when she gets really excited, she'll start mouthing again, but never bites. I'm not sure that we did anything to stop this (we weren't really that good at training our wienies to be honest), but she grew out of it thank goodness. Good luck with your boy. Those bites do look painful. :(
 
Amber, I have a 2 year old mini weinie and I love her to death! She is so lovable to us and our other dogs, but once in awhile, she will meet a stranger and go in to guard dog mode and growl and snarl. I do not trust her when she is like this. We pick her up and scold her, but she is always trying to be the watch dog. Did your weinies ever go through this?
 
dixiedog6 said:
Amber, I have a 2 year old mini weinie and I love her to death! She is so lovable to us and our other dogs, but once in awhile, she will meet a stranger and go in to guard dog mode and growl and snarl. I do not trust her when she is like this. We pick her up and scold her, but she is always trying to be the watch dog. Did your weinies ever go through this?
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Cheyenne and Dakota are totally trustworthy with strangers and babies, but Montana is another story. He is VERY protective of me and if he doesn't like a stranger, he will snarl, growl, and if they attempt to pet him (some people are so dumb about that and will still try to pet a dog that is snarling and growling and has its hair standing on end), he will lunge. He's not like this with everyone, but some people really set him off. So for this reason, I don't trust him at all around strangers and other dogs that he doesn't know. He's a total love bug with all of my nieces and nephews and people he's grown up around (with as many people in my family, you would think he would be super socialized - 13 nieces and nephews), but bring a stranger in the room and he goes into Rottweiler guard dog mode. It's really kind of a pain. When Bryan's family comes to visit, we have to send Montana with his overnight bag to my parents house because he doesn't like the in-laws. Which makes me wonder if he's really a bad dog or just a good judge of character? ;) J/K!
 
What kind of dog do you have? Some dogs (like my lab) are inherently "mouthy" because they are trained to retrieve with their mouths. It's a bit more difficult to overcome the biting with that sort of breed (as opposed to a sight-breed, etc.).

It took me several months to figure out how to get my Maggie to stop biting, and those darn razor teeth are sharp!! What finally worked for me was to scream in a high pitched voice, "OUCH!" -- but really extended and dramatic. Her reaction was shock and dismay. After a couple of days of screaming every single time she bit, it really worked. (I'm sure my neighbors wondered about the screaming, though!) I got this idea from a training DVD I bought at the pet supply store.

Good luck!
 
Janie,
I'm so sorry to hear this! I would encourage you to contact a CPDT in your area who can help you with the behavior in person. You should be able to find one and it should not cost you $150/hour. Your local kennel club or petstore should be able to recommend one. If money is an issue, sign up for a group class (should be in the neighborhood of $90/6 weeks) rather than private consultations. And if you can pull og Jonezie's technique, go for it! Puppies are hellions sometimes. I don't really think Georgie is "bad" or dominant, he's just out of control. You need someone who can help you figure out how to change that in person.
Good luck! PM if you like :)
Lisa
 
He's a puppy, this is totally normal behavior - they bite. This is what you signed up for when you got a puppy, so threats of "taking him back" are totally out of line, in my opinion.

That said, of course, you train them that biting is NOT tolerated. Everyone has given great suggestions - Jonesie's suggestion is a good one, and a very popular one. This will teach that biting => an unpleasant experience for him, sniffing/licking => a nice experience for him. This will take some time though - he's not going to stop biting tomorrow, and you WILL get bit again. I can guarantee it.

How much exercise is he getting daily? How much interaction with other dogs? How much training are you doing on a daily basis? I also HIGHLY recommend getting signed up for weekly obedience classes. One on one might be fine for a tune-up now and again, but you need to get into a group class, ASAP, in my opinion. You'll get some good dog interaction time, which is good for him, as well as regular training that you'll HAVE to keep up each and every week. Focused daily exercise (letting him out in the yard by himself doesn't count - I'm talking about a brisk, long walk, a trail run, etc.), multiple times per day, combined with consistent training, will get you to where you want to be. But along the way, there will be challenges - again, he's a PUPPY.
 
mspina said:
He's a puppy, this is totally normal behavior - they bite. This is what you signed up for when you got a puppy, so threats of "taking him back" are totally out of line, in my opinion.

That said, of course, you train them that biting is NOT tolerated. Everyone has given great suggestions - Jonesie's suggestion is a good one, and a very popular one. This will teach that biting => an unpleasant experience for him, sniffing/licking => a nice experience for him. This will take some time though - he's not going to stop biting tomorrow, and you WILL get bit again. I can guarantee it.

How much exercise is he getting daily? How much interaction with other dogs? How much training are you doing on a daily basis? I also HIGHLY recommend getting signed up for weekly obedience classes. One on one might be fine for a tune-up now and again, but you need to get into a group class, ASAP, in my opinion. You'll get some good dog interaction time, which is good for him, as well as regular training that you'll HAVE to keep up each and every week. Focused daily exercise (letting him out in the yard by himself doesn't count - I'm talking about a brisk, long walk, a trail run, etc.), multiple times per day, combined with consistent training, will get you to where you want to be. But along the way, there will be challenges - again, he's a PUPPY.
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I agree. He's only a baby! You don't give up on kids just because they don't get potty trained immediately, and puppies require the same kind of patience.

Not only do they have to adapt to living with a completely different species, they have to respond to signals in the language of our species, and all of our customs and rules, before they're even grown up! It's totally incredible that they can do it AT ALL. I'm sure you & your husband can come to some sort of understanding. Yes, it's an issue that needs to be taken seriously, but this puppy isn't "broken" - he's just a puppy. He'll get there, if you give him the chance.
 
Janie,

You have children, don't you? If one of them gets bit... what do you think you should do? Safety first.

Good Luck,
You'll know what to do

Linda
 
Trust me Afreet and Mspina I've given this guy a chance. He's been with us for over 2 months almost 3. He IS walked 3 1/2 miles a day. He plays fetch 2 times a day. We've spent a small fortune on the behaviorist. So please don't go that route and say that I am irresponsible for thinking of returning him to rescue. Honestly that just pisses me off and I'm never one to start a flame war but I will if I have to. Unless you KNOW what I've tried and done and been in my house to KNOW and SEE what I've tried don't even go there. The puppy excuse only lasts for so long, . . and is NOT an excuse for biting a child. He has bit me in the face. Badly enough that I wouldn't dare post the pic. He is 5 months old almost 6 months and old enough to know that biting is absolutely unacceptable. He is NOT a small dog almost 50lbs and ALL muscle. He's just getting bigger.

Okay taking deep breaths now. Sorry, . . .I take this personally. I love this dog and I am so sad at the thought of having to return him. I've looked for a very long time for a dog. We've done everything that we should have done. Vet visits, shots, dog insurance, I've spent countless hours reading trust me I have a library here, . .and I've been buging the heck out of Gayle and Lisa (lrayburn). The biting comes out of no where. I don't think he's being mean he just wants to call the shots and because he's big he doesn't know his own strength. You have to understand the look of horror on my husbands face when he saw the blood on my face. It is a reminder that it could have been worse. It could have been the kids.

By the way Gayle yes he is socialized and actually gets along well with other dogs there is a bull mastiff that I think he has a crush on her name is Tiny and she's 150lbs. He really gets along with the dogs that are calm and submissive the yippie small dogs give us trouble, . he'll start to lunge at them.


On another more positive note JONZIE it worked!!! I tried it this morning and it WORKED! I almost cried it worked!!! You are my hero!!! I owe you a latte, . . or a drink, . . for now you'll just have to settle with my extreme gratitude and a cyber hug. I'm going to try not to get to excited because other things have worked temporarily. I'm just going to make sure that both my husband and I are consistent with it.
 
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