Puppy Biting Older Dog

[Sonny]

Hi

We have had our boy for nearly two years now and we decided to get him a friend.

The new puppy has been with us for a week.

She is still learning to play but we are finding that she will not stop biting my boys neck and when playing with toys she forgets to bite the toy and bites him instead. When chasing a ball she runs at the side of him and bites his side instead of getting the ball.

My boy is very tolerant and only rarely puts her in her place but she does make him bleed a little, I just don't think he feels it (he's a Bulldog).

She is a little better since she first arrived but we are not having much success with NO, clapping, shouting or yelping to help stop her biting him so we resorted to a tap on the bum and a growl which seems to be working a little more.

We are just looking for some reassurance that this is normal, I guess our boy was very good when he was little and it's not that she is bad but the biting is a problem at the moment (house training and general training is going well).

[Sonny]

Here are some pictures of the two of them.

Edited November 29, 2006 by Sonny

[Sonny]

One other picture

[Dogsfevr]

Whilst your boy may have been great when you got him he didnt have company to do the same things so it isnt fair to compare her to him when the whole scenario isnt the same.

She is doing exactly what littermates do play rough & hard.She has left her littermates & now has a new friend,she doesnt understand that he older just someone new to play with,give them time the novelty will wear off soon & harmony will come but be patient .

If he is happily accepting her behaviour dont get involved,she doesnt understand why your tapping her bum & if your always clapping,calling she will switch off,just like humans after hearing your name get called so many times you get ticked off or just ignore .

Shes been there a week,probaly doesnt now her name fully & is getting use to the whole new routine

[tommy15]

sounds like a happy puppy to me. when she gets a bit older and he figures out that shes a she, he will most likely start playing with her instead of "tolerating" her. I wouldnt interfere if i were you, all she thinks shes doing is playing.

[wolf82]

Lol, familiar story.

If anyone knows how hard Sibe Huskies play with other dogs, you will understand this: We got our sibe when our AmStaff was 7mo, still a puppy himself, our sibe used to hang from his face and neck and play SOO rough, and generally be a little pain in the ass. Our AmStaff never bothered with this and used to play back very gently (this was strange, he was so rough and dominant with other dogs). Long story short, vet said nothing we can do, just scrub the wounds with salt water and take the scab off so infection wont start, it needs to get air to dry etc.

I would just ignore it, our dogs still play like this, the Sibe still causes Loki to bleed and he constantly has cuts on his neck and raised welts on his sides bum, but he doesnt seem to mind. When Odin gets out of hand and does it too much, Loki tells him off, so its all good.

its acctually quite funny, we always joke that Odin is protected by his fur, Loki will bite him back hard but always ends up getting a mouth full of fur when Odin bolts off

Funny stuff

[Akitaowner]

my baby hangs off my older boys face and neck, he lays down so she can reach!!! she also bites his hocks so he stops to let her get the toy hes carrying - she has more recently started nibbling - i think its grooming more tho.

your boy will put her in her place if she plays up - i have found my girl has a much softer mouth much younger than my boy (who was effectively an only child and had to learn from me!). i also find she automatically copies him for good behaviour - she has never touched a plate etc he is teaching her well

[SparkyTansy]

Agree with above there isn't much you can do. My 4yo boys ears are all ratty now because baby hangs off of them!! If he gets hurt he will do something about it. I just let them do their own thing. Dogs will generally be tolerant of puppies up until the age of about 6 months, which is where they start going through adolescence and they need to be put into their place more! My puppy is 5 months and spartan still gives up his toys (and his ears) for his younger companion.

[^TaShiE^]

Hey... My Parents dog bruce lol he is a dashy he is 9 year old... my puppy seems to know not to go near big bad bruce.. he dont mine my pup cleanin his ears but when my pup gets bruce mixed up with him mum tiff when playing (who had him) he knows to back off lol

Tash

[LilyW]

My sister has an American Bulldog and when he was a year old they brought a staffy x maltese, so a much smaller dog (as is every dog next to an American Bulldog). The staffy would constantly bite and hang off the Bulldog and he too is extremely tolerate but over time she settled and they are now best of friends. I took my pup over to their place and Lily did the same thing to the bulldog, she even was biting his gums and drawing blood but he was having so much fun, running around acting like a pup again - we had to remind him that he is nearly the size of a horse and trying to get under the table is not a good thing. The staffy on the other hand wouldn't let Lily go near her, getting all grumpy and growling (funny cause i was thinking that Lily's behavior was what the staffy was doing only 12 months earlier). They will put them in their place if they have had enough but i figure if your older dog is being tolerate you are lucky, just keep an eye on them but i assume the pup will grow out of it.