Need advise on biting....

[glencorgi]

Why I like Martingales
by Debbie

Short version, in my opinion and experience they are about the most slip proof collar available and they combine the best features of a flat buckle collar and the choke collar.

With rescues I never know whether they have ever seen a collar and a leash before in their lives. The last thing I want to happen is for one to slip a collar, get loose and worse case scenario get hit by a car. (It has happened, not to me, but to someone with whom I'm very close.) The metal choke collars can evoke a very negative response, the martingales are much more comfortable for some people to accept.

They are adjustable, lie flat and just slip over the dog's head. They allow for control and correction, much like a choke does. A slight difference though is they allow for more self correction by the dog than do the chokes. Dog pulls, the collar tightens. Dog stops pulling and relaxes, the collar loosens again.

Among sighthound people (Greyhounds, Whippets, etc.) they are the collar of choice. The design puts less pressure on windpipe, as well as the hard to slip feature.

Debbie

[Milo]

Wow, thank you for the suggestions. I haven't been able to go online for a few days... the thing is I have been walking Milo for a to 3 times aday for the past several weeks (in hopes that the cute pup will have alittle less energy to nip). But its seems that didn't have any effect. He would nap for an hour after the walk and wakes up refreshed and ready to bite.

I also tried the water spray, but that only agonize him to be more aggressive and vocal. Btw, when I ignore him and avoid eye contact, he just kept on jumping and biting till pants, sweaters and arms are slightly torn (will start consider rubber gloves). Even putting him on his back or craddling him like a baby didn't seems to work, his super long snout seeks my arms. So I have been starting to use his leash when I take out in the backyard, that helps me control him to keep him at arm's length (during his burst of attacks - luckily only during the afternoon potty).

He started going to puppy school, but the instructor seems to think that his aggressive play with the other pups is normal (although its weird that Milo is only pup this energized ). Anyways, Milo is a surprised gift from my husband who got it from a pet store, so I am unable to findout about his pup parents. Thank you again for all the suggestions, if I may, I will keep you guys posted with the lil biter

[glencorgi]

Originally Posted by Milo

He started going to puppy school, but the instructor seems to think that his aggressive play with the other pups is normal (although its weird that Milo is only pup this energized ). Anyways, Milo is a surprised gift from my husband who got it from a pet store, so I am unable to findout about his pup parents. Thank you again for all the suggestions, if I may, I will keep you guys posted with the lil biter

A-HAAAA!!! A piece of the puzzle is solved - pet shop puppy. Okay, with pet shop puppies they are usually taken away from their dam and littermates way too early. They don't learn appropriate doggie ettiquette and social skills such as bite inhibition and why you are having the piranha (sp?) moments with him. IF he pulls that kind of stuff with mom and/or brothers and sisters - mom would correct him and put him in his place. Littermates would bite him back. If the instructor at the puppy school understands about pet store puppies, then that is why she is seeing his play as normal. Puppies can get pretty rough in their play even within a litter. If one crosses the line and gets too rough, littermates will put it in its place and it doesn't sound pretty either. (I've just played second "Mum" to a now eight week old litter, so all this is pretty fresh in my mind.) The puppy play school is a real good opportunity for him to learn what he missed out on in his earlier weeks/months.

Debbie

[Chip's Mom]

Chip came from a litter of two and he terrorized his little sister Anyway, he played rough when we first got him and our 10 year old Jasmine started playing with him and mothering him. Needless to say, he is now very gentle.

Debbie

Do you think that a martingale collar would be good for Chip?

[MissGambler'sMommy]

glencorgi: I read your posts with great interest, and I have a question on this topic. Miss Gambler was the first in her litter to be taken away and shipped, at nine weeks, (there was a blizzard and the shippment of the puppies was delayed), and she wants absolutely nothing to do with other dogs. We had a great relationship with the breeder, almost daily photos by internet, questions answered, etc... and they had mentioned, because of the weather, that this litter was an extremely close one. Is there such a thing as a problem arising from the order they are taken away from their dam, ie the first or last?

[mochamix79]

Just finally got a chance to sit down and read the posts for this thread...having a 14 week old puppy myself, this is pretty relevant. Huw was the first puppy taken from his litter at 9 weeks of age. He had two sisters, but he wasn't really attached per se, he preferred to be doing his own thing, and is still that way. He's a very independent puppy. At our puppy socialization class on Wednesdays, he just cruises around sniffing and looking, not really playing like the others. He's not scared or intimidated (well, his first week he was), and just likes to mosey about. He'd rather be with me or Justin. In relation to the biting issue, I'm not sure what is really going on. When we play fetch indoors, he'll go get it, bring it back and growl a little...I'll grab a hold of the toy, and without pulling, tell him to drop it, and usually he does, but last night, he bit my hand before I was ready to throw it again. I scruffed him and pushed him to the floor, and said NO BITE, showing him who was boss (this didn't hurt)...well, he played much nicer after that. I also had to do it when he was chasing Marylin, from then on, I told him to leave it, and he backed away. He wants to please us so much...but he's also a very curious and exploring puppy. The biting thing is a big no-no in our house, but Justin tends to forget that he's not allowed to do it...and then asks me why Huw doesn't bite me....well honey..think about it...I've never let him...DUH!!! Even though Milo is a young puppy...I think some professional assistance would be helpful...and immediately. This will help all three of you to learn what is appropriate and who is the boss. I agree w/ Debbie that puppies taken away too soon can develop behavioral problems because they were never taught right from wrong.

[glencorgi]

Originally Posted by MissGambler'sMommy

Is there such a thing as a problem arising from the order they are taken away from their dam, ie the first or last?

Not that I know or have heard of. There can be what seems to be an overall personality of a litter. My sister's 8 week old Cardigan litter was pretty precocious and confident. It will be interesting to see what the week old litter she has now will be like. I would look for clues and insight into her personality and temperament in the early e-mails the breeder sent you about her.

Bonnie, as far as a martingale for Chip, I doubt if you "need, need" one for him. Where you might find one beneficial is when you travel. Chip's a pretty steady little fellow, but if you were away from home and he should by chance get startled, slip his collar and take off. Finding him in a strange place/town would be a little more difficult than at home.

Debbie

[adkmehrman]

I would think that every dog, including corgi's go through this stage in life and sometimes never outgrow it. If you think about dogs to have hands, so the play with things with their mouth. I always cringe when I see people whaving there hands around infront of a dogs face teasing them. They mean no harm but this does make nipping at hands and people a game and a acceptable behavior.

Our boy Koda whent through this stage of life and still reverts back to it every now then. The thing that worked best for us was to stop using our hands as bait. Like having a toy in your hand and playing keep away with it. When he does get my hand I make a akkkkkk sound and he immediatly stops and sits down. This does not work for my wife though so I think it has to do with the Tone and Pitch of your voice.

So in short don't tease your dog with your hands, even if their is a toy in your hand. The only time that his mouth is on a toy and I have it in my hand is when I gentyl take it away from him by telling him drop it, and then throwing it again for him.

[Chip's Mom]

My sister has a 3 month old puppy who has grown to almost the same size as Chip. They were playing last night and this pup was getting rough biting. Chip put his mouth across her nose and applied pressure. She didn't yelp but she stopped biting him so hard. I just thought that was interesting.

[RealizeDOP]

So as of right now, I've tried the firm ""No biting!" and sticking his toy in his face telling him that's what he is supposed to chew on. I'm not sure this is really working. Any other techniques anybody has tried. I got him one week before he turned 16weeks, so i'm not sure if he is just used to nipping. hahaa i'm finally getting a quite momment! he is asleep under my chair as of now hahaha

[kkaffrine]

Finally.......Molly has learned 'NO BITE'. And we have noticed that she has lost most of her baby teeth and new ones have come in. With that, there has been less and less biting when we play. I realized that you just have to be persistant and dont give up. Molly is such a smart dog and I hoped that she would catch on sooner than she did. To all that may have this issue with their pup, just keep reading all the good advise on this site and continue to reinforce good behavior by praise and snackies and be persistant with your training!!!


Katherine

[Fluffypants]

HOORAY! Great job Katherine! You deserve some praise & snackies yourself!

And it's great that you cam back to post that, because I bet it will be a big help to any new puppy owners who are going through that. Now they know to keep at it!!!

[Delilah]

I just ignore her when she starts to get too rough and nipping alot. I won't play toys with her until she comes over quietly to play....She is a very smart puppy (housetrained within 3 days of coming to us). She knows when she has done something wrong, cause she hangs her head within minutes of it....like the nipping. She will come over and put her head on my foot to be loved on. We play again at that point.

I noticed when she played with 'Checkers' that if she got too rough and was biting that he would pin her to the floor (the kissing picture is one of those times). After she calmed down, he would let her back up to play.

[Cheetah]

I don't see any problem with games of tug, if the dog is taught a proper "drop-it" and if YOU are the one who initiates the game and decides when it's over. Has anyone here read "The Culture Clash" by Jean Donaldson or "The Other End of the Leash" by Patricia McConnell? They both have a very valid point - That the game of tug has NOTHING to do with dominance. It's actually a cooperation between dogs to tear something apart - a pack behavior. When you play tug with your dog, you're taking part in this cooperation. Shippo was the dominant pup in his litter, but after I taught him to "drop-it," tug was no problem. There are rules of course. If the dog's teeth touch your skin AT ALL, you should yelp out a loud "OUCH!!!" and immediately end the game by putting the tug toy up. This helps to teach bite inhibition, and the dog learns that your skin is off limits to his mouth during this game.

I have to say though, I would never recommend using a choke chain on a 4-month-old puppy. If used improperly (most of the time they are), they can cause serious injuries to the dog's trachea/neck. I use a regular flat buckle collar myself, with great results. Martingales are also good. You can get those at Petsmart I believe.