Aggression Advice

[szandor]

hi all,

l'm new to the forum, and have recently been given a staffy x bullmastiff (who we think is 9weeks old). Boof is much more dominant in the looks department of a staffy.

In the last couple of days, he has been a bit more nippy and biting with me rather than my partner. I know he's only a puppy and when he does growl/bark/nip/bite/chew, he does usually have a wagging tail.... but l am concerned it can be an underlining problem that could turn more serious in the future.

We've had him for just over a week now and are trying to toilet train him.

any suggestions?

Thank you,

Szandor

[helen]

puppy biting is very normal behaviour, and you can use it to develop a soft bite and then stop the biting - look on this website under puppy pages for some links http://www.k9events.com

Also, download this free, excellent book from the internet that discusses the problem on page 79 http://www.k9events.com/AFTER_You_Get_YourPuppy.pdf

Edited July 29, 2009 by helen

[persephone]

Hi- and welcome.

Ok

What are your 'house rules ' for the pup? eg. where does he sleep,what do you do at mealtime, how much excercise/training does he get each day..that sort of thing.

How are you trying to toilet train him?

What experience have you had with pups/dogs in the past?

Info like this will help us to provide you with some ideas, based on your situation

here is some 'homework' for you...

"]LINK 1

LINK 2

[Nekhbet]

you need to stop unwanted behaviors when they start. This is not a precursor to aggression at all that is a completely separate thing.

if he bites you grab him by the scruff and tell him off loudly 'grrr NO' then walk off and ignore him. If he does it again grab his muzzle and give it a little squeeze until he squeals or gives in. Nipping is important to stop and he's simply doing it because he thinks he's allowed to

[Dogsfevr]

he has been a bit more nippy and biting with me rather than my partner.

So you need to ask yourself what does your partner do that you dont??

The pup sees you as an easy target so you need to teach him what is wrong/right.

Pups explore with there mouths & when teething chew like made but normal behaviour is also trainable behaviour.

This isnt aggression & maybe the dog is feeling mixed messages from you & you are acting scared around the pup when he mouths .

He is only 9 weeks so he is an untrained pup,its up to you to set the rules & start obedience & training

[poodlefan]

szandor:

In the last couple of days, he has been a bit more nippy and biting with me rather than my partner. I know he's only a puppy and when he does growl/bark/nip/bite/chew, he does usually have a wagging tail

szandor, one of the best pieces of advice I can give you as a new owner of what will grow into a powerful dog is to banish the "he's only a puppy" thought from your head.

Don't allow him to do anything you'd not be happy seeing in him as a full grown adult. That means no teeth on anyone ever, no pulling on the lead ever, no jumping on you or anyone else, ever. He won't simply grow out of any of these behaviours and you'll find them easier to deal with while he's small and hasn't become accustomed to getting away with them.

I'd strongly recommend you do some formal training with him, starting as soon as possible and continuing right through his adolescence.

Getting good manners instilled now may make the difference between you owning a dog that's a pleasure to walk and live with, or a dog that will pull like a train and be hard to handle. Don't teach him to play rough. Reward calm gentle behaviour. Let him trash his toys, not you.

Now's the time to start as you mean to go on.

By the way, a wagging tail doesn't necessarily mean he's happy. It can simply mean he's focussed on the game.

Edited July 30, 2009 by poodlefan