Puppy bite inhibiting
Discussion
Evening y'all
My quandary is thus....
I'm becoming a bit concerned that our older dog isn't doing anything to inhibit the puppy "nips" he receives off our just-shy-of-four-month-old pup.
He's 3, and a entire staffie ,. She's...well, a she, and pretty bite-ey with our other dog still. And he doesn't ever seem to 'tell her no', as it were. On his hocks especially, where there's less fur on him, she's starting to leave scratches that have bled lightly. And she'll hang off his flabby mouth chops until he drops his toy and she can get it....but he'll never tell her to eff off!
I'm starting to fret a little bit that his "too relaxed" behaviour regarding her teeth is turning her into a bit of a bully - she knows that nipping him will make him drop his toy, etc.
Am I right to fret? And what can I do to curb the behaviour? She's pretty good with me, now - she knows not to bite me at all; not even mouth. My OH is still having some problems with her biting him, but we're working on that...
But what can we do to help her inhibit her bites on our other dog?! I know they might not be hurting him, and hence him not being bothered, but I want her bite inhibited to a point where it doesn't draw his blood, and he's not doing that!
Advice?
My quandary is thus....
I'm becoming a bit concerned that our older dog isn't doing anything to inhibit the puppy "nips" he receives off our just-shy-of-four-month-old pup.
He's 3, and a entire staffie ,. She's...well, a she, and pretty bite-ey with our other dog still. And he doesn't ever seem to 'tell her no', as it were. On his hocks especially, where there's less fur on him, she's starting to leave scratches that have bled lightly. And she'll hang off his flabby mouth chops until he drops his toy and she can get it....but he'll never tell her to eff off!
I'm starting to fret a little bit that his "too relaxed" behaviour regarding her teeth is turning her into a bit of a bully - she knows that nipping him will make him drop his toy, etc.
Am I right to fret? And what can I do to curb the behaviour? She's pretty good with me, now - she knows not to bite me at all; not even mouth. My OH is still having some problems with her biting him, but we're working on that...
But what can we do to help her inhibit her bites on our other dog?! I know they might not be hurting him, and hence him not being bothered, but I want her bite inhibited to a point where it doesn't draw his blood, and he's not doing that!
Advice?
Interesting yet annoying problem it seems!
I can't offer advice as such but know of a similar experience.
My sister's Staff is now 2, and loves playing with puppies and adult dogs. His mum recently had a litter, from 4 weeks of age they became interested in him. Playing and biting him all over, he did not inhibit them at all.
He is so gentle yet playful, he even gets bullied by the cats!
It seems some dogs can have that personality so they don't tend to do anything about it. Especially with Staffie's as they have a high pain threshold.
Did your boy have any nasty experiences with other dogs when he was younger? My sister's lad got nipped by his mum when he got too close to the puppies when they were about a week old, so that might have made him a little wary.
I can't offer advice as such but know of a similar experience.
My sister's Staff is now 2, and loves playing with puppies and adult dogs. His mum recently had a litter, from 4 weeks of age they became interested in him. Playing and biting him all over, he did not inhibit them at all.
He is so gentle yet playful, he even gets bullied by the cats!
It seems some dogs can have that personality so they don't tend to do anything about it. Especially with Staffie's as they have a high pain threshold.Did your boy have any nasty experiences with other dogs when he was younger? My sister's lad got nipped by his mum when he got too close to the puppies when they were about a week old, so that might have made him a little wary.
Karyn said:
Am I right to fret? And what can I do to curb the behaviour? She's pretty good with me, now - she knows not to bite me at all; not even mouth. My OH is still having some problems with her biting him, but we're working on that...
Advice?
There are conflicting views on this kind of behaviour, I guess which one you go with is up to you.Advice?
The first is you leave them to sort themselves out, when the puppy crosses the line it will be told off by the other dog.
The second is that when you are unhappy with the behaviour, you stop the puppy doing it. Some say this makes the likelihood of bullying etc higher.
I say *you* interrupt excessive 'badgering' and play yourself. Some (older) dogs are very tolerant (good that your older is to be fair). So, in this sort of situation you'll need to 'referee' and to step in calmly as and when needed.
Keeping a short lead on the pup during such play times should enable you to remove and control the pup quickly if needed. If you can do the same without the lead then fair enough.
HTH,
Nick
Keeping a short lead on the pup during such play times should enable you to remove and control the pup quickly if needed. If you can do the same without the lead then fair enough.
HTH,
Nick
Jasandjules said:
The second is that when you are unhappy with the behaviour, you stop the puppy doing it. Some say this makes the likelihood of bullying etc higher.
How?I don't step in and reprimand, or anything; merely say "enough" (with a super duper hand gesture), with the meaning being taught to 'cease and desist this line of actions rightstraightawaynowthankyou'.
She then knows that "doggy playtime" is over, and (usually) trots off to find a toy to chew, rather than Clyde's hocks.
(I'm also working on the basis that the "enough" command - stopping playing when I say so - will be a bonus when there's 60+kg of dog flying round the living room at inopportune moments, as well as keeping most of the skin on Clyde's hocks...)
Jasandjules said:
The viewpoint as I understand it is that when you interfere you stop the dogs sorting themselves out and therefore the more dominant mutt will continue to try and dominate the other dog when you are not around.
Ah... I suppose it sort of makes sense... although, surely the more dominant dog will dominate the other dog anyway?! On account of... well... being dominant?
It puts me in a better frame of mind, though - I'm not actually reprimanding her, as I said. Or letting her know that I'm protecting Clyde... I suppose as far as she's (pup) concerned, sometimes, Mummy Just Says No!
She's a little darling, now, anyway - well on her way to becoming a normal dog! My proof of this is in the fact that my OH will actually engage with pup of his own free will, now! Previously, he pretty much avoided her, as she was a pooping, biting, fidgiter!
It's a tricky one this. In an ideal world, dogs would sort themselves out. Sometimes though, they don't. This may then lead to pup learning that being a bully is OK (and likely to get caught out big time later on with another dog) and the older dog becoming withdrawn.
The older dog may be allowing a bit of 'puppy license' at the moment. Won't last much longer though
I would step in if necessary and perhaps give pup a calm 30 second time out, ie no chasing around the room to grab hold of her or anything.
The older dog may be allowing a bit of 'puppy license' at the moment. Won't last much longer though
I would step in if necessary and perhaps give pup a calm 30 second time out, ie no chasing around the room to grab hold of her or anything.Mrs Grumpy said:
It's a tricky one this. In an ideal world, dogs would sort themselves out. Sometimes though, they don't. This may then lead to pup learning that being a bully is OK (and likely to get caught out big time later on with another dog) and the older dog becoming withdrawn.
That's what I've been worrying about - she's beginning to learn that whatever Clyde has, she can just take off him. We had a bit of a problem only last night - gave them both identical rawhide chew bones with a cheeky pork inside bit. Both loved then; Ella dropped hers whilst carrying it, so went to go and get Clyde's. And Clyde turned into a basket case. Wouldn't drop it, wouldn't make eye contact, avoided being face to face with us... clearly this was one thing she wasn't allowed to take, but he still didn't tell her where to go. Just ran out the room, and then wouldn't drop it on command.Eventually, some 15 minutes later and some distraction, he dropped it.........
Not Good, though, which has confirmed my suspicions that he's not going to tell her, so she'll become a bully.
Mrs Grumpy said:
The older dog may be allowing a bit of 'puppy license' at the moment. Won't last much longer though I would step in if necessary and perhaps give pup a calm 30 second time out, ie no chasing around the room to grab hold of her or anything.
There's no doubt about it; he's granting her one hell of a 'puppy license'.... but I think it's going to continue ad infinitum! I would step in if necessary and perhaps give pup a calm 30 second time out, ie no chasing around the room to grab hold of her or anything.We'll see how it goes - I'll keep breaking up any play that is too bitey...
On another note, if she bites either of us, whilst playing, she gets a time-out in the kitchen! She knows when that's coming though - immediately after making the noise (a la Ms Stilwell!), she freezes, and waits to be picked up and transported to the kitchen.
Cheers for the input everyone.
Mrs Grumpy, I'll keep you posted on the progress of it, so you can let me know when 'puppy license' should have expired!
I know you're all on tenter-hooks about this...
So, puppy license is on its way out; teeth are no longer allowed as a way of starting a game! Sadly this means that the nipping has been susbstituted with "play with me!" barks.
<sigh>
But pup is top dog. Older dog doesn't follow through anywhere near enough to teach her place, so she drinks his water before him (they've got separate bowls, but she'll drink his - I can't catch her in time every time), she barges him out the way to go through doors first, et al.
Other than her little-madam ways, though, they get on fine. And the older dog is doing OK - we've been on the look-out for withdrawal symptoms and changes in behaviour, but so far, nothing.
Top pup dog it is.
So, puppy license is on its way out; teeth are no longer allowed as a way of starting a game! Sadly this means that the nipping has been susbstituted with "play with me!" barks.
<sigh>
But pup is top dog. Older dog doesn't follow through anywhere near enough to teach her place, so she drinks his water before him (they've got separate bowls, but she'll drink his - I can't catch her in time every time), she barges him out the way to go through doors first, et al.
Other than her little-madam ways, though, they get on fine. And the older dog is doing OK - we've been on the look-out for withdrawal symptoms and changes in behaviour, but so far, nothing.
Top pup dog it is.
She doesn't even go for them anymore, to be honest, and she's (happily) responsive to "leave him" on the rare occasions now that it looks like she's going in for his legs.
In fact, the nips on either the dog or my OH have pretty much dried up -she's a doll, now. A real peach Sunbathing as I type!
In fact, the nips on either the dog or my OH have pretty much dried up -she's a doll, now. A real peach
Sunbathing as I type!Karyn said:
She doesn't even go for them anymore, to be honest, and she's (happily) responsive to "leave him" on the rare occasions now that it looks like she's going in for his legs.
In fact, the nips on either the dog or my OH have pretty much dried up -she's a doll, now. A real peach Sunbathing as I type!
typical bullie why chew on toys when theres a bit of flesh there to be had lolIn fact, the nips on either the dog or my OH have pretty much dried up -she's a doll, now. A real peach
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