barking, biting, is it all a game?
not been on in a while, i was away to spain last week, and arrived back home to better weather than when in spain. anyway, alfie is coming on fine, and he's growing at a rapid rate (i'll post some pics later), and he's been enjoying walks in the park. i have discovered a new "trick" lately. alfie is still biting a lot, which i normally say "no biting" and replace with a rubber squeaky bone, which had been working. lately when im sitting watching tv, alfie stands up on the sofa with his two front paws... i say in a quiet, but firm voice "down" which he used to follow... now though, he begins to bark at me quite agressively... to this i lift him down from the couch by his belly, and alfie responds by biting my arm. on one hand i think this is a game to him, because its happening quite often, and also his tail is wagging while doing it, but his biting is becoming harder which seems to me that he is not playing, and his bark is pretty agressive.. most of the time, if alfie is not settling down, ie ignoring the toys and keep biting and barking then i give him a 2 minute time out in the bathroom, and i also must admit that on ocassion, if his biting seems to be in an agressive rather than playful manner then i have hit him on the front of the nose.. this "game" only seems to be happening with me, and im not sure if its because im the man of the house he needs to play a bit rougher with me, or i have caused it with my "behaviour" does anyone have any ideas as to what can be causing this, and/or what to do about it? alfie is also set to start puppy classes pretty soon, which should help. |
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| Switch the word to "off" as down will be used for laying down. It will confuse him, and you, later on.
Others with better training ideas will chime in later. Perhaps some "Nothing in Life is Free" to remind him who is the boss? I am babysitting my son's rescue during the day this summer. She is a Blue Heeler and a natural "nipper." After two weeks of "no bite," immediately replacing a body part with a toy, what seems to work best with her is when I make a "puppy cry" sound when she bites. She immediately backs off and looks at me with that "what the heck was that" expression. The nips are less often and much gentler than when we started. She gets her next round of shots this week, so my son can take her to puppy class (she knows sit, thinks her name is "NO!" or "OFF!" and can walk on the leash okay). |
| my dog was doing the same this to my husband, my husband and son rough house with her. Son no more she is almost as big. The biting we did the toy thing also worked great. When she wants to play she goes to my husband no one else. We just no her alot and finally slowing down on it. But we play tug of war with her with a play rope and she loves that. Seems to be a trade off for her. |
| Max does this to me as well...he will not play rough with my wife...if he wants to play he comes to me and starts bitting around. Sometimes harder than others and more aggressive. I heard the more you rough house with them the rougher they get when playing with you. Making the puppy sound or "ouch" seemed to work well for me...I also tried to put a toy in his mouth but you don't always have a toy laying around or in your pocket. Hope things work out. |
| Another thing that could be happening: He could be pleased that when he barks, you touch him (even if you're moving him away from you). I would try and "catch him in the act" of being quiet and during these times lavishly shower attention on him. When he is annoying or barking you could ignore him and leave to a place he can't follow. As soon as the barking stops you return and praise him. |
| ive lately been employing a sort of 3 strikes process.
alfie climbs on the sofa, i say "off", if he gets off then great but if not i lift him down and again say "off" this happens 3 times and then he gets put in the bathroom for a 2 minute time out seems to be working so far.... does this seem reasonable? |
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