Doberman Biting New Puppies Neck

[Proud Pets]

Hi Everyone,

I have a 9 month old female Brown Doberman named Mali and an 8 month old kitten Kito. I got them both around the same age/time and they've grown up together very well, apart from the odd chase around the house.

The trouble has started since I added my final fur child, a 10 (now 14) week old male Irish Setter names Jespah. I'm quite concerned about a particular behaviour Mali is showing towards him. When they run around together in the back yard, naturally the new puppy wants to play bite and the like, but Mali will turn around and bite him harshly on the neck. She often wont let go until he wriggles from her grip or yelps loudly. Sometimes she is extremely rough. I keep them separated so that the two of them are never outside together now, and have a separate playpen for him which he loathes.

The funny thing is, as soon as I let them both inside the house they are fine together. Mali will leave him alone, or just tolerate him but wont do her neck biting. They sleep peacefully together next to my bed at night and are fine. Its only when they both go outside together.

Just wondering if anyones experienced anything like this? I thought perhaps it was a dominance behaviour of hers that she'll grow out of when Jespah grows up a little and can fight back a bit more. Or is she trying to kill him??

Mali attends dog training once a week and I let her run in leash-free parks with other dogs. She has never exhibited this behaviour towards any other dog. The exception being when I had my first Irish Setter puppy back in December who sadly passed away at 12 weeks old due to a congenital heart defect. I thought she was just being a puppy then, but as soon as I got me new Setter the behaviour re-appeared.

Concerned and baffled...

Thanks for any advice.

Sheree

[Hazz]

It sounds as if new puppy is being a bit over zealous outside, it's normal for the older dog to discipline the puppy.

Is she leaving any marks on the pup or is it all noise on the puppy's behalf ?

Perhaps keep them seperated whilst outside esp. when playing, at least until the puppy is older and has learnt some basic obedience.

[noisymina]

Have you observed the pup nip or do anything that deserves said response from the Dobe?

If so, natural justice I guess, and if it is not doing damage, then nature can be left to take its course.

However, I see a couple of options. One, as mentioned, is to avoid the situation where it is occurring and maintain supervision until they get a bit older. Another would be to muzzle the Dobe for short periods during the times this happens (if the pup does not deserve the nips, that is) so that the Dobe gets used to dealing withe the pup without using the nipping option.

My Dobe is funny with the horses, some she will nip, others she won't - and I can't work out the difference. It has nothing to do with them kicking her either - the one that kicked her got nipped again, but the one here now has never kicked her, and has never been nipped.

[PAX]

It sounds to me like she is just teaching him his place and her rules for playing.

Perhaps Mali sees something in his play biting that you don't see. Unless she really hurt him i would leave it up to her. Most pups cry very easily, and if she lets go when he yelps that is exactly what is supposed to happen. I would let them play together under supervision. Mali's behaviour sounds very normal to me, she sounds very sweet to be so good with him at other times.

Besides she is a Dobe so she will be Perfect.

[Maile]

My friend told me that his Golden Retriever (cannot remember how old he was, but definitely has been in the house for years) killed his Pomeranian (12 years old) when the Pom went out of the house into the garden (where the GR was) And he bit the Pom's neck off

I was so shocked because my own Ginger (GR) is not at all aggresive towards people or animal. Playful and rough yes, but definitely not a killer. My friend said that the reason is because they live separately all their lives. Pom inside the house, and the GR would be outside the house.

I guess it might be a dominant thing, or a jeolousy thing. Whatever it is, I hope that you can get both of them live happily together to avoid such a dreadful thing.

Best wishes to you.

[Proud Pets]

Wow thankyou everyone for all your responses. I have to admit sometimes the pup Jespah does bite at her legs, but sometimes Mali will bite his neck when he's doing nothing at all. He loves to follow her all around the backyard though, perhaps she's just a bit tired of him. She hasn't left any marks yet though. A muzzle for the time being when they're outside sounds like a great idea that never occured to me!

Thanks for all your advice guys.

All the best with your pets!

Cheers

Sheree

[kirribee]

When our marrema was a pup our dobe would put him in his place and sometimes he would run off yelping and she would end up with a mouthful of fur, this went on until recently Bundy is nearly 2 yrs old and he is the boss ,he started to stand up for himself although he didn't start any blues with Elly our dobe ,she is 5 yrs old,they now seem to have come to an agreement,no more fights, I think your girl is just asserting herself over the newbie ,puppies tend to yelp at the drop of a hat anyway so as long as she is not getting stuck into the pup i would just keep an eye on them.

[peibe]

I do not think that a muzzle is a good idea, it could lead the puppy to think he can walk all over your Dobe when the muzzle is on, if will also leave her unable to correct a naughty puppy when he does need it

I would supervise all play, be the pack leader and not allow things you do not like to go on,

[TangerineDream]

Dobes are often very rough players, and watching 2 together can somethimes give the impression that there is murder about to be committed (even though they are having a ball)...on the other hand I would think (I don't know because I haven't owned any) that Irish are not as 'tough' as Dobes.....is it possible that Mali is playing with Jespah as she would play with another Dobe pup but it's too roough for him?

I'm just thinking of my Dobes when I had 2 and they would belt around the yard interconnected by mouth on neck...but no damage was ever done and they both loved it - but I did have to encourage Tegan (Dobe) not to be too rough with Cadence (GSP) because she was just too rough on him as a youngster......and I wouldn't let them in the yard together until he was about 12 months old for that reason.....even though she adored him, she was just too rough

[TangerineDream]

[dumb computer]

Edited May 16, 2006 by TangerineDream

[Dogsfevr]

Yes irish are much softer & generally submissive in rough play.Irish babies arent normally rough like many breeds & just thrive on following people or other dogs which for some can be annoying alone.They are very clumsy babies even once older.

I too wouldnt muzzle because the dog doesnt now what its getting muzzled for except associating the muzzle with the irish.

I would spend more time in doing small walks together & rewarding,i would monitor play time & where possible get in before anything happens & rewarding both dogs for being good,let playtime end on a high.

You also may find your dobe girl is going thorugh the 9 month puberty stage,trying to establish herself as the queen bee