Big Paws Only Dog Forums
Dobermans => Doberman Discussions => : Shibumi April 19, 2007, 05:54:41 PM
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Is this just a stage, and at 8 weeks does a pup have the cognitive skills needed to correct this yet??
Of course he is chewing everything in sight, so we have LOTS of chew toys and limited access to the house but he bites everyone if he is picked up, and bites at ankles and feet and pant legs constantly!!
Please, any success stories or methods for stopping this sort of behavior at this age? Or just put up with it for now, and if so how old and how to fix the problem? HELP!!!
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the longer you wait the harder it will be to break. just like babies / kids, you don't let them get away with stuff just b/c they're not teenagers yet! squirt bottles work great. put ice in it, and put it on stream, then squirt them in the face. also, squealing to let him know it hurts you (like a litter mate would do) helps with some dogs. others will have more suggestions, but this is completely normal puppy behavior!
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Yeah, he definitely can learn at even such a young age so definitely don't let it go uncorrected. We started teaching them manners right away at 8 weeks. We drove 9 hours to get them and on the car ride back, we started then! I never tried the squirt bottle for that, but I know it works for other things. I never seem to have it handy when I need it though. ::) I know with mine, if you curl their lips over their top teeth and sqeeze a little, that works for them. They put their mouth on me, I do that back and say NO BITING and they don't like it haha, and stop. Definitely completely normal stuff and it will get worse when they're really teething. :o I also think a little time out is good for them being so young and getting so worked up easily. Sometimes they need to settle and will get the message if you put them in their crate by themselves for that. I've gotten really lucky with my pups so far in that they really excellent pups. They have been tremondously easy and well behaved, quick to learn. I've had the nightmare puppies so I do know how hard it can be. Hang in there, he will pick it up and it will get better! Remain consistent though, that is key- just like w/kids!
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there is another thread right now about this too! I have given some hints there.... though every time i give a tip i feel like it gets attacked and destroyed.... :-[
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there is another thread right now about this too! I have given some hints there.... though every time i give a tip i feel like it gets attacked and destroyed.... :-[
Well if it means anything, I love and appreciate your tips so keep 'em coming! ;)
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I'll second the water bottles and yelping when he does it. There's a very funny picture in one of the Volhard's books of a AmStaff puppy nipping its owner as a puppy, and the owner is smiling, and the one below it shows the now adult dog doing the same thing.
Another thing is to give him something else to chew on, and praise him when he does it. Puppies are usually easy to redirect.
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I hate to admit it, but 10 weeks later this still happens! He is a HARD head! He has app. 6-8 chew toys lying on the kitchen floor at the moment, his favorites are the Dingo "Meat in the middle" bones. I've found something better and cheaper though at the grocery store, smoked ham hocks!! :o
Four for $2.50, and one of those will keep him mesmerized for about 2-3 hours.
I know he is major teething right now, and it's like he is OCD compulsive "chew, chew, chew, bite, bite, bite!" right now. He never nips or bites down on people, he just "mouths" us, but it gets a little slobbery, ya know?? Oh well, this too will pass... :)
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I pretty much agree with what has already been said,only adding that a mamma dog wouldn't let them pester her that way.and she wouldn't eat them either.
A great book is Mother knows best by Carol Lea Benjiman deals with all of this puppy stuff in a very practical way and I highly recommend it.
Tricia and the fur kids
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I'm not that familiar with dobes, and what they were initially bred for other than protection! It is typical puppy behavior but for some breeds it's more prevalent, like my GSD!! Who is 5 months and everything goes in the mouth! She doesn't really bite down either, but has to have it in her mouth. Luckily she doesn't chew at this point, she just carries things around and puts them where she wants them (that's the herding coming out). But because of the training that I'm (hopefully) going to try with her I can't make it a negative thing, so I just try to redirect her as much as I can! Good luck, I'm feeling your pain....litera lly!!
Oh, when you pick him up and he struggles, DON'T put him down until he's still for a bit. To a dog that's a submissive position and when they struggle and you let them down immediately they've won, and in some way in their mind they are not submissive to you! I learned that too late with my first GSD, and by the time a trainer told me that he was already too big to hold and a total butt!! So I ended up having to correct my mistakes, not his fault, all mine!! Again good luck!
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At 17 weeks he is now 61 pounds, I don't pick him up much anymore!! Good advice though...