Bitey Puppy

[dididog]

My 12 week old Great Dane x Mastiff puppy is very well behaved for the most part except about 3 or 4 times a day she will get really wound up. Despite playing with her or walking her during these times she always reverts to biting... hard. She used to chew on hands before we redirected the chewing to bones and toys but now when she's in a playful mood she barks and growls and bites arms, hands and clothes. Ive tried yelping, ignoring her, redirecting the bites to toys and even growling back and pinching her neck to simulate a nip from a dog. Nothing works and in my frustration she normally ends up outside until she calms down. I really dislike physically reprimanding her and chucking her outside but absolutely nothing is working and my mum no longer wants to be around her. Is there anything I'm doing monumentally wrong, should I seek professional help as even at 12 weeks and 11 kilos she is powerful and causes damage so I don't want this to continue when she's 50+kg.

Thanks!

[persephone]

hi-

it varies with each pup/household, of course - but the basics are teaching the rules from day 1. Teaching ... be calm... 4 feet on the ground, etc . have you been using N I L I F? it may help :)

there is just SO much info here on D O L - many new owners have a similar problem , so I will put some links below with different dog/owner cases . Hopefully they will help you.

LINK

LINK

LINK

[Nekhbet]

I think a bigger lesson is required and be consistent. In a few short weeks you've done 10 different things, and I cna tell you dogs take advantage of lack of consistency very quickly as you see. If she gets too riled up, put her straight outside. If she bites you, thumb under the tongue and press down hard until she's learned, then outside.

You're right, she's too big a dog already to put up with that and mastiffs are not softies at the best of times. Don't feel sorry, one lesson is better then months of pushing the proverbial wheelbarrow uphill with no little results.

[Taliecat]

Our amstaff boy was very much the same at that age.

No hands, feet, pant legs or jumper sleeves were safe.

Practicing NILIF helped a lot, it wasn't instant but by 16 weeks I wasn't getting nipped anymore and I haven't had any more jumpers or pants ruined.

When ever we were nipped, dozer went straight in the laundry for a time out until he calmed down. Oftwn he'd have 4 or 5 trips in a row until he realised that he got no cuddles until he wasn't putting his mouth on us.

Now at 6 months old he's a very different dog.

[dididog]

Thanks for the suggestions. I by chance tried spraying her in the face with a spray bottle and saying NO! in a growly voice which was good because it a) snapped her out of it and b)let her know that bite=punishment=not good. Since doing that her biting has reduced a lot and when she does start its much easier to get her to stop and even though I obviously can't have a spray bottle on me all the time but now she associates the NO! with she needs to stop as what she's doing is wrong. Hopefully if we keep doing that and not giving her attention when she's all riled up she will get the point that biting and being crazy gets her nothing but playing nicely and being calm gets her cuddles and food and toys.

Don't worry though she still loves water and getting sprayed in the face with hose when she chases it around the backyard!

[ChewieTAG]

I saw a YouTube clip where this trainer trained the big puppy dog bite inhibition.

The way he did it was to play with him as usual and when the puppy started to bite / mouth, he will give a loud no, fold his arms and turn his back then walk away.

Come back few minutes later to repeat the same thing until the puppy gets it.

Sometimes he won't say No but just fold his arms and turn his back, and slowly walks away.

You can walk away from the room or his kennel or his play pen, which ever he is located at.

A friend of mine did it and she got good results.

It's all about consistency and practise it through the puppyhood. So be patience.

[Sares]

What we have found works best with both our dogs when they were pups, was when they were getting really bitey, we would put them in another room and close the door. They would whimper and scratch for a short time but once they are quiet, which is usually after about 30 seconds, we calmly open the door and let them come back in the room. We dont continue any play but just ignore them and let them walk off to do their own thing. We consistently do this each time and they both learnt very quickly that biting equals quiet time and no more play.