Biting

[travis ronni]

Ronni here..... Again..... We picked up our now 11 week old DS last Friday and things started out well. He took to us instantly. He hates the crate but is getting better, but is now biting uncontrollably. I understand he is teething and nips and bites will happen however this seems to be more than that. He is CONSTANTLY biting me HARD! He hasn't drew blood but a few times I've been nervous that he has. He will nip at Travis and bite him but not nearly as bad. I am the one he is home with all day. Travis works weird hours so Olek is with me all the time. I'm not sure what to do at this point. We've done a lot of reading and nothing that I have tried helps, he just comes back harder.

Thanks in advance

[centrop67]

The trick is to redirect him to bite things that are okay to bite (Toys, chews, ropes, etc.). You should have these things at the ready.

Alternatively, stand up and turn away or even leave the room for a minute. Removing attention can be a strong motivator.

[Dutchringgirl]

oh he is a baby ! I will agree with Centrop, also, you can hold his mouth shut with your hand, this is how mom dogs punnish, Thalie does this to sadie all of the time LOL

[travis ronni]

Thank you. I'll try standing and turning. I'll also try holding his mouth again. I know he is a baby. I understand it's going to happen. He is just different with me than he is with Travis. Travis can get him to stop. I have tried redirecting his attention, he spits the toy out and comes back. I've tried ignoring him, he bites harder until I react. I have tried taking him outside and playing more, he wants nothing to do with that. I've tried playing in the house more, he wants nothing to do with that. I was recently told to grab the bottom jaw under his tongue and try that that isn't working. I was told to pinch him, I'm not comfortable with that. I just don't know what to do they aren't little nibbles he really clamps down and it really hurts.

[centrop67]

...he spits the toy out and comes back

It may take finding the right toy. Even to this day, my dogs have 3 identical red Kong balls, but there's one they won't play with for anything. In other words, they can be picky. You can also make a game of replacing you with a tug.

An old school "Lab" trainer twenty years ago taught me to grab the upper snout where your thumb and pointer finger pinch the canine teeth against their skin to give them a feel of the bite pain.

[travis ronni]

Thank you so much! Everything seems to be helping! Today hasn't been nearly as bad as yesterday was.

[Dutchringgirl]

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

be consistent

[travis ronni]

Thank you!! We will be

[Owned-By-Hendrix]

Land shark! Lol. That's why we lovingly call them alligators.

So, if he's going to be going into a bite sport, I highly encourage redirecting. This takes time. They spit out and come back and you mark no and make the toy move. Simulate prey. The will come off, especially if you're still. You can also make a high pitched yelp, mark no, and move the toy. If they know you move and make a fuss they'll keep biting. My arms and legs were torn up until H was 6 months. They're mouthy little land sharks.

Depending on the dog, holding the muzzle can make them get mad and redirect onto you, or it can do nothing, or it can make a softer dog loose all willingness to bite and be handled around his mouth. The dog will tell you what it needs. I would also encourage if this technique works to also work on desensitizing to hands being near the mouth and not holding. It will make dental check ups easier if every time a hand comes near the mouth it's not to correct.

[travis ronni]

Lol we have been calling him our little land shark. That and a piranha! That is a good point! Makes a lot of sense! He is such a sweet and lovable boy when he's not trying to eat mommy. He has done a lot better today. I'm starting to think that he was hot and cranky yesterday and maybe that's why it was so bad! His biting had been excessive but tolerable days before, but yesterday was just out of hand. I couldn't do anything without getting bit! We will continue to work with him to be a nice boy. thank you!

[k9lexi]

Sounds like Lexi when she was a pup. I wonder if the mother was pulled from the liter before the puppies sold if that makes it any worse. I'm just guessing. I remember those days. Lexi was 80% devil and 20% angel. Most days I really didn't look forward to seeing her after work. Now she is 80% angel and I always enjoy spending time with her. Our new pup, maybe an akita mix, is very easy to get to stop biting. Just yell ouch and she stops and then licks you. What a contrast. ... even with the big differenc3, I see myself getting another dutch shepherd when lexi dies of old age. Lots of extra time and work, but from my experience well worth it. Just keep telling yourself what awesome dog you will have ... or take to alcohol like so many others on this forum recommend.

[travis ronni]

He was with mamma until we brought him home. The first night we had him he just screamed and cried all night! It was terrible! Luckily he is getting better at being in his "bed"! Yesterday was so bad that I made myself a mixed drink! He is usually such a love bug with occasional outbursts but not yesterday! I only work 2-3 days a week so I'm home with him all the time. I told Travis that if it continued he could stay home and I would work 60+ hours a week! I'm glad that there is hope that he will get better, because he really can be such a sweet boy! I am so glad we found this forum! It has been tremendously helpful!

[ICE]

When ICE was a pup I had about 20 braided fleece tugs (easy on their baby teeth) I kept one in every room and in every pocket, LOL. They are super cheap and easy to make. Whatever I was doing - it usually included tugging ICE with me from one of those toys. It kept me and my family safe from those sharp little teeth..
For the night time - put his crate on your nightstand so he can see you. It does wonders. I have done that for all my pups.

[travis ronni]

Thank you! I'll have to look into making those! Travis got him a toy that looks like a stick that he is just in love with and that has been helpful when I'm on the couch but it's a little too heavy to have all the time he has a hard time carrying it around. Lol. He is starting to do better in his crate at night. I've been working on day crating with him so that if we need to leave him he will be "okay" he does much better at night than during the day. We have found that if we play heavy rain on our zen app it calms him. He also has specific toys that he can only have when he is in bed. He needs the house silent during the day if I crate him and I take full advantage of having a minute to myself by doing the housework that he isn't as willing to sit thru.

[Hoops+1]

I am going through this same thing with my 15 week old. We just brought him home on Friday. He is so smart and doing well except the biting. Last night I came home from work and he was so excited he literally attacked me for five minutes. I have also tried everything that you all have stated. How loud would you recommend saying "No" it seems to work sometimes when I grab his mouth but other times it makes him want to bite me more. I definitely do the redirecting. I was trying to ignore at first and not give it attention but the woman at the animal supply store said with this breed you can not be passive and since then I have been trying the grabbing the snout and saying No. Sometimes I feel like I yell to loudly because he doesn't listen. Are we going to have a break from this at some point!