2006-08-03 02:31:30 · 9 answers · asked by brendon z 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
I assume you mean the dog is not BITING (ie, dangerous) or you would be dealing with this by some more immediate and professional level.
So, let's assume your dog is being mouthy and nippy. He is doing this because it is a fun game. This is how dogs play. But he doesn't know or care what you think about this game.
You are reinforcing this game everytime he initiates it, and you need to stop that. If he is playing with a toy with you, and he touches you with a tooth, (not even a real nip, but just touches you) pick up the toy, put it where he cannot reach it and walk away. Come back in a few minutes (2-3) give him back the toy and play again. He touches you with a tooth again, immediately repeat the same thing. Your dog wants to play with you and your play time is a reinforcer. Taking the toy and yourself away takes away the reinforcer. To get back what he wants he will learn that touching you with his teeth makes the fun stop immediately.
OK, now your going to say that he does this while you're wrestling, and there is no toy to take away. Well, actually YOU are the toy in this case. Walk out of the room and close the door. Come back and have fun again in 2-3 minutes. Repeat.
The trick with this is consistency and immediacy. But note: There is a phenomenon called "extinction burst" that will likely come into play. This means that the behavior may in fact get worse before it gets better. Be patient and consistent. If you ride it out the pup will learn that the fun is up if he loses control.
You might also add a marker for the negative behavior. At exactly the moment he touches you with his teeth give a loud sharp EH sort of sound. Short sharp sounds are nearly universally accepted by animal species as being the "no no" sound. Its also quicker and easier than saying no. By being short and sharp it often startles the dog into briefly stopping the annoying behavior.
When dealing with puppies, sometimes they launch into aggressive, boisterous play when they are very sleepy, much like a tired kid misbehaves in order to keep himself awake. If you suspect this is the case, put the puppy in his crate for a nap. I used to put my parent's boxer in what I called the "sleeper hold" when she got nippy. By cuddling her snugly with her legs dangling and her mouth pointed where she could not nip anything, she would begin to calm down and almost immedaitely go to sleep.
Good luck.
2006-08-03 03:50:18 · answer #1 · answered by Robin D 4 · 6⤊ 1⤋
you don't give enough info. Under what circumstances does he bite? How many warning signs are you missing? Are you the pack leader or is the dog? Dogs with serious temperament problems DO NOT benefit from obedience training. This dog probably needs help being rehabilitated by someone who really knows how to handle the strong breeds. On no account lose your temper with the dog, do not scream, do not hit. You need to be calm assertive and be the dog's pack leader.
Get professional help.
2006-08-03 03:41:40 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
a good trainer but if its a serious bite i would consider giving up the dog for the safety of others. ok. . .when they bite u stick ur fist into the dogs mouth and they hate that . they immediately stop and may need to do that a couple times to let the dog know its a no no
2006-08-03 03:23:29 · answer #3 · answered by rockergrl202 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
depends on the age and what he is biting for. a good training program does not hurt any dog. if he is young and teething then one thing that I use is cold, raw baby carrots right out of the fridge or freezer. even if he is teething or if he is older, learning a good "leave it" command would work wonders as well as maybe saving his life one day. they are very smart dogs and are very, very easy to train - and everyone needs a little help from time to time.
2006-08-03 02:58:38 · answer #4 · answered by K G 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Show your dog who the alpha in the house is. Show him that he can't do that and its bad. Slap him like once to show him that what he is doing is wrong. If it persists go see a Behavioral trainer.
2006-08-03 03:00:30 · answer #5 · answered by kim h 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bite the dog's ear when he bites or snaps. Just be careful!!
2006-08-03 02:37:04 · answer #6 · answered by brain~fried 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Training! You need to get with a tainer to show you how to get control over your dog.Try Petsmart.
2006-08-03 02:36:22 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
an animal muzzle would surely do wonders.
2006-08-03 02:39:40 · answer #8 · answered by ice 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
find a good trainer.
2006-08-03 02:36:43 · answer #9 · answered by cpinatsi 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋