Help!!! Beckham has become a defiant little man

[lovemyboybeckham]

He was doing so great with the training I have been doing with him at home but it seems he is starting to completely regress!! He is biting more and he is growling at me when I discipline him (squeeze his muzzle after biting) and he comes back to bite again! We are waiting until he is finished with his vaccination series (aug.14th) before taking him to obedience class. Does anyone have any tips to help get this behavior under control?! I know he is just wanting to play, but I am concerned that my daughter could end up getting bit in the midst of his playfulness. We have been trying to keep her off the floor when he is playing but it is very hard to keep the 2 of them apart and that is not something that I want to do at all because they both adore each other. I just need him to chill!!! Help!!!!!:(

[RKCM]

I have always found that a playful puppy would stop the play biting by taking the muzzle and gentle telling the dog NO. You have to be consistant. And until that was under control, I would not play rough with the dog or allow anyone else too. It would all be about loving the dog and teaching him to not bite and all being still for petting.

I am not sure if you are saying the dog tries to bite you or if the dog is just playing too rough. If it is biting, I know that I ]would use a pinch collar and correct them. But frankly, I've never used one and haven't ever had a dog that wanted to bite or hurt me either. I hope someone else can help you.

You absolutely need to take the dog to a trainer or obedience class. You need someone to see what the dog is doing and give you advice. Puppies play bite and we work on that from the beginning. Therapy dogs aren't allowed to lick etc. since they are sometimes around sick people. The biting wouldn't work of me even if it is playing. I think finding a trainer or class to get advice and to a class would be the best solution, like NOW! The sooner the better.

Wishing you the best, but it is not training that I would delay.

[lovemyboybeckham]

I am trying to keep his play as limited as I can and just sitting on the floor and trying to keep him sitting down next to me while I pet him.
He tries to gnaw on my hands when I am petting him also. As soon as he comes to me I give him a toy to try and distract him from biting but he chews on it for a minute and then goes back to biting. I continue to put the toy in his mouth every time he drops it and starts to bite.
We have been grabbing his muzzle and looking him in the eye and sternly saying no. Once we release his muzzle, he backs up with his front paws down and his rear up in the air (he looks as if he wants to play), and then he comes back in for more bites. He also growls while he is doing this. My fiance was playing rough with him and I made sure to put this type of play to an end. He was raised with labs and I told him he cannot play with Beckham like a lab, especially when he is biting and acting as he is.
I would love to start him in obedience training but all of the obedience classes in my area require him to have all of his vaccines before he can start. He will be completely finished with his vaccinations on August 14th so I will not be allowed to start a class until then.
I am definitely taking him to a trainer as soon as I can though! I would not like to wait any longer, but I understand why they are making us wait.
As far as biting to hurt us...I'm not sure if that is what he is doing, I don't think he wants to hurt anyone (I hope), but i did notice that he does not wag his tail while he is doing this and I noticed that when he is playing with other dogs he is always wagging his tail?! I'm in a rut and not exactly sure what to do while waiting for him to start training!
My fiance is taking all of this behavior as aggressive behavior and I continue to correct him. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that he is stereotyping the breed. He continues to threaten to get rid of him in fear for my daughters safety, but I will never allow this to happen. Beckham is a member of the family and I want to fix the problem and not just get rid of him.
Thanks for the insight, and if anyone else has any suggestions I would greatly appreciate them!!!

[Dravens]

He tries to gnaw on my hands when I am petting him also. As soon as he comes to me I give him a toy to try and distract him from biting but he chews on it for a minute and then goes back to biting. I continue to put the toy in his mouth every time he drops it and starts to bite.


I know some will not agree with me on tugging with a pup. It seems to me however that from your statement above that you give him the toy to play/bite which does not keep him occupied because he wants it to be interactive with you. Have you tried playing/tugging with him with the toy instead of just letting him have it?

I agree on getting him into a class when you can after his shots.

[jelly8bean]

The little land sharks are a phase that they go thru. Since I do alot of puppies for the SPCA I have found a towel is the best thing to keep them from ankle biting. It just takes time.. and when you look at it in the life of the dog, not alot. But do be careful with your little one. Beckham will be getting very playful and you will have to be keen to be sure there are no wrong moves.

[RKCM]

I understand it is exercise for the dog to play tug and other games. And I am all far that once the puppy isn't nipping or hurting you. I am wondering if the behavior happens after playing or because he wants to train you to play. Sometimes play is the reward and if you do that after biting at you.....well, you see where I'm going.

You are not that far away from going to obedience classes which will give you more information. Sometimes, it hard to see in our own dogs, like it can be with our own children.

If this was my dog, I would take the dog on short walks. Teach the puppy to sit near me, giving lots of hugs, and absolutely not playing rough with the puppy until he understood limits. Sounds like he is play biting but I understand it can hurt. Doesn't sound like aggressive behavior and sounds more like the puppy is excited and loves to play rough. Pretty normal for puppies. Just watch how the litter play with each other.

I did have a puppy a while back that went to a family that adored the dog but he did the play bite thing and it does hurt. It was corrected when they focused on not playing rough with the dog UNTIL he learned to sit quietly being petted. When they did start playing with pull toys, it was only after the puppy would sit quietly. They did the quiet thing before and after they played with the puppy. When he play bit, they gentle put pressure on his nose. Lots of praise for petting and treats.....it was all about teaching the puppy that this is fun too. The rough housing can come later. It worked for them. The dog loves the towels and pull toys but it had to come after the quiet time. The puppy was just beside himself to have such a fun family and didn't understand. He does now and it made a different. Not all things work with all puppies and you don't want to be harsh. Glad you're going to a class.

Keep us updated.

[lovemyboybeckham]

Thank you all so much for the tips. It is a relief to get some ideas and to know that others have experienced this behavior as well. I have been getting down with him and petting him vs playing with him and praising him the entire time and he seems to enjoy this. When he bites, I have tried gently grabbing his muzzle and putting his nose up to mine while telling him no and looking him in the eye and this has been much more effective than simply squeezing his muzzle and sternly saying no. He was starting to bite and then run away when I attempted to grab his muzzle and then he would come back in for another bite. Before holding his muzzle I have been grabbing his collar so he cannot run away. He knows how to sit and stay and how to lay down...but it is very difficult to get him to do these things while he is wanting to play. I am definitely looking forward to obedience class and I will keep you all updated on his progress! Thanks again for all of your input, I really REALLY appreciate it! :)

[Dobs4ever]

Hey guys puppies bite, play bite, bite out of frustration - testing their world. But it is the one thing that I teach unequivocally - Bitingis not allowed. A gentle squeeze on the nose is a waste of time and effort if the puppy is not responding. Take one quick grab squeeze til the puppy yelps and say "NO Biting". Three or 4 times of this and he will stop biting.

When they are young they get too excited for a gentle squeeze and reprimand to have any affect at all and since biting people is a big NO it has to be handled as serious from the beginning so it does not excalate. At this point it has already escalated. The puppy is just telling you hey this is a new fun game. You have to tell him the rules to the game and that he will obey tjhem.

Dravens is so right. Tuggy toy and playing tuggy with them releases some of their frustration with teething and the need to bite. So when the biting starts play tuggy with him to distract him from biting but if he steps over the line then a come to Jesus meeting is called for.

[lovemyboybeckham]

We have tried the quick grab squeeze until he yelps and say "no biting" and he just comes right back at me to bite again and growls when he comes back for more. We are starting him in obedience class either next week, or the week after (I am awaiting a call back to find out when they can get him in) and hopefully they can tell me where to go from here and what to do based on his behavior.

[Dobs4ever]

So what do you do when he comes right back???

[lovemyboybeckham]

We have been grabbing his muzzle again until he yelps and saying "no bite". We just do it over and over again and he continues to come back for more. That is why we are becoming concerned with the biting. We have been consistent with reprimanding him and he just doesn't quit.
It has been a few days since I have played with him...I have been sitting on the floor with him and petting him and praising him when he is not gnawing or biting at me, and gently grabbing his muzzle and looking him in the eye and saying "no bite" when he does bite. I was on the floor this evening playing tug-of-war with him and he seems to be doing better with the biting. He was gentle when coming back for the toy, making sure not to bite my hand when grabbing the toy. I think he may have thought I was playing with him when I sqeezed his muzzle hard and said no bite, although he yelped he always came back for more. When I stop him and gently grab his muzzle and make him pay attention to my command he seems to respond better. Hopefully he is realizing that this behavior is absolutely unacceptable. I am anxious to hear what the obedience trainer has to say. He is a smart boy and listens well to everything other than "no biting". He knows to sit and lay down to signs, no voicing, and he knows to sit and stay when his food is placed in front of him to signs, no voicing, as well. He is a sweet and smart boy, I just hope we break this biting phase soon!!

[Dobs4ever]

Each dog is different and you have to find the thing that works best. Sounds like you are doing a good job. Just don't be concerned. He is not a devil dog. He is just a puppy extremely full of himself right now. Just don't jump to the wrong conclusions - this will pass just keep working consistently on it and training will cure all. Continue to give him release to his frustration and play tuggy with him as you are doing.

[lovemyboybeckham]

I will definitely stay on top of him! Thanks for the tips! And you are very right, he is EXTREMELY full of himself! lol...you should see his strut!! ;)

[Big Dogs]

Two things come to mind are you being bitten while you are playing with the toy or while you have the toy in your hands. And the second thing is how do you say no biting to him? I will give you and example of what I mean I had a girl bring her dog to me because he wouldn't listen for various reasons one of them was when she gave a verbal correction she said no in a very low angry voice with out any volume behind it. I told her not to scream at him but you have to startle them with it to get there attention at that age. Dogs learn quickly to read body language and moods but when there puppies at that age they have to learn most everything.

[tnsteelerfan]

Brody went thru this as well!!! we do not let the kids get on the floor with him and try to get him riled up. My hubby was rough playing with him and he got a bite, now he has even stopped that Brody has huge teeth he now they play but not as rough. He is still abit dominant over my youngest son who is 9 no one else though, i watch them like a hawk. He is alot better though he is now 11 months on the 23 so hang in there.

[jack]

We have a 9 week old Dobermann pup, and I find that when he bites us or tugs at our clothes, all we have to do is make a high pitch yelping sound and walk away, teaching him that by doing that behaviour, he is ignored. He is learning well and does not bite us as much. This method has also worked on a 1 yr old Standard Poodle who persistently bit and tugged at clothes. Generally I find that there is no need to tell a puppy off, as it is our job to teach a puppy its boundaries, as they do not know what is expected of them and they are just learning, so it is not their fault for biting you etc. as they do not know any better.

Hope this helps