Good Morning Leigh
Its okay, I was'nt reading your post as criticism. I was criticising myself, as I should be more careful with what I say on training subjects.We have to remember people may take it quite literally. I also like to point out that I am not an expert on training so that people know, and can take or leave all or part of what I say. If a person who does do dog training professionaly wants to say that something I am doing is not quite right, I can accept that, and possibly learn from it. Like I said I would rather someone who knows more than me would post on behaviour topics, but if they dont, or their tips dont work, then I will post mine hoping it helps.
Regards Mick.

hello Jessie
This can be a hard one people deal with it in different ways. I dont know how severe the biting is and what seems severe to one may not be severe to another.
What I do with pups this young is try to anticipate the bite coming, put your hand over its nose to put its head down (not a lot of force remember dont want to hurt its neck)and say sharply and loudly no or bad, dont confuse the pup with to many words. If its quite agressive or getting carried away grip it by the loose skin on the side of its face or both sides of its face (cant bite you like this) and get your face close enough to its and again say no/bad in a loud sharp voice. Then put it in its bed/corner/out the room etc. Try to growl and sound as agressive as possible.
All the best have fun Mick.

Hallo Jessie, I just cannot agree with the suggestion Mr Murphy has made. The nose is the most sensative part of the dog and I feel should not be used in the way suggested.
If your puppy is young it is far better to make something like play biting (which is negative) into something positive, like playing such as throwing a toy for him to fetch. Do not play tug of war games though with him and if this has been done in this past then stop it straight away. If he becomes too exited then time out is good too but just for a short period until he has relaxed and become calm. If in play biting he is holding on then a human sound of being in pain will make him realise that this really hurts but do not show aggression in you behaviour towards him. He will learn far more by kindness, positive training and a softly spoken voice than all the shouting, yelling, screaming that some people like to think is the way to train a puppy.

I would imagine Mick meant muzzle and not nose! If you put your hand across the dogs muzzle and gently push head down towards chest, then it cannot bite you, giving time for the No to sink in!

Hello Barbara
Your not so brainless after all. Got it in one.
Regards Mick

It is my favoured method for restraining the dogs for any unpleasant things to be done to them, like jabs, eye drops etc. I have found that grabbing a dog by the muzzle to close the mouth makes them panic/suspicious, and this method gets the control without it. I usually have them backed in between my knees at the same time! :D

My dogs re the same size as your Mr Murphy!

Correct again barbara Dog backed in between the legs hand over muzzle gives you control of the dog without force.
Mick

<<I usually have them backed in between my knees at the same time>>

This is fine depending upon the size of the dog - my Male could just tip me over if he decided to if I restrain him like this as I would be standing on tip toe :)

Christine

It is why I pointed out that my dogs are same size as Micks (around the 20 inch at shoulder mark), there is no way I would have big enough hands or long enough legs (note didn't say big enough thighhs :D :D :D) for a Dobe!! :D

are you insinuating that us dobe owners have big thighs ? ;)
liz

No it is just that I have!!! Even when I was slim I had a male friend call me thunder thighs, now my friend when she has her dobe go around me on flexi, says tree!!!

only joking I never let my thighs out in public without a good coating of lycra !!!!!!:D
covers a multitude of sins ;)
Liz

Hello Pat
I was in no way meaning that you should hit the nose of any dog. I said put your hand on its nose and put its head down. The same way a halti would work.
I did not mean yell at the dog either. I meant loud as in "not quiet" Not screaming or yelling. Also if you scream or yell in pain when my pup plays to hard he just becomes hyper. A sharp no or bad and he is so sorry. I speak very softly to my dogs on the whole. I did'nt mean you have to keep being loud for the dog to behave. Jessie did say she had tried exclusion which would have been my first suggestion.
Mick

me little mutt Dillon still likes to chomp on the odd finger, hand, girlfriends ponytail, lead, mother-in-law, peoples sleeves. stuff like that.
i have tried all the suggestions on here and more and none have worked

I ordered and received this morning some Leos Bitter spray from This place

praise the lord for Leos Bitter Spray :D :D

i sprayed a little bit on my hand and started playing with me mutt
immediately he went to grab my hand

i have never seen him leave anything alone so fast and so definately in his life

4 hours after having washed my hands several times to get rid of it he still refuses to take me by the hand :p

i would call this a resounding success and recommend you give it a try if nothing else works for you

Z

Scotch can have the same effect as the bitter sprays and generally works out cheaper unless it gets drunk

Christine

LOL Christine :D :D

Why waste good Scotch? Just thinking that Gin has to be the nastiest smelling and tasting stuff around plus it tends to be the cheapest ;) :D :D

Then if the dog keeps biting just drink the gin and you won't feel a thing :D
Liz

except sick :rolleyes: ;) :D
That is some really horrible tasting stuff :( :) I'll drink the Scotch first ;) :) :P

What then the gin ?;)
Liz

You leave my malt alone Christine!

Down John!

Who mentioned Malt - I just said Scotch - all its really good for is as a repellant - Gordons on the other hand is a wonderful drink

Christine

Pat,

My puppy is 8 weeks old and he has a tendency to bite hands, feet and try to chew furniture. One of his favourite things is the sleeves of my clothes. I have made the mistake of play tug of war games with his toys. Is the best action to just stop doing this and hope that he realises that tugging is not acceptable. Or now that this behaviour pattern has started is it something he will continue?

Hello everyone,what I did to stop my dogs from biting. Since mother dogs will nip and growl at their pups and stop playing to teach them they are playing to ruff,I did the same. I would give them a light pinch on the nose and in a low growl I would say ouch and stop playing.They soon got the picture that when they were being to ruff that play time was over.
I trained one of my dogs on lead and everytime he would nip I would give a side correction on his leash and said ouch. Each time they stopped I would praise for good behaviour. U do want to use one word,try not to use no since the no word is usually used for alot of things....Good luck and hope this helps.

Welcome to the forum Dollface :-)

Thank you, this seems like a great forum...

Would lemon juice on the hand work?
My 7 week JRT chews my hands (and ears - ouch!) constantly. she stops when I growl at her, but then forgets!

Every now and then she will really lose her temper (esp after she's just been woken up) and will be a real spitfire. This is when she REALLY bites
hard. This behaviour esp. I want to stop. I put her in time out for it at the moment til she calms down. (only takes a minute and she sweet again)

I think it just a case of finding out what will work for your pup ...mine likes lemon juice ..and squirted water and various other things. BUT ..he HATES the perfume Dune ;)

Just keep trying and you should find something that the pup doesnt like the taste of

Melody

Mine likes Tobasco sauce :p

I have brought up several puppies in my lifetime, and the trick is to always be clear who is the pack leader. If your pup respects you as a leader, then a firm "no" is the answer, followed by removal from whatever unacceptable thing it is doing, ie pick up pup and place in its bed, repeatedly if necessary.I promise it will get the message eventually. no need for anything stronger than that. Try not to give the pup any kind of attention when it is biting, remove your hand and deny your pup eye contact until it stops. I find the "dog Listener" book is a valuable aid in understanding dog psychology, well worth a read!

Welcome to the forum Catherine :-)

Happy to be here!

I have been trying to be firm with him and assert my place in the pack. The problem is he gets a good grip on your clothes and pulls. He really gets into it and it is very hard to get away from him. When I have managed to get him of I eject him from the room for a few minutes and when I let him back in he is well behaved for a while. Most of the time I think it is a matter of watching him to try and gather what he is going to do next. I have also noticed that he is more snappy when he is hungry or tired.

I assume puppies are just like children in that sense that they get a bit upset and grotty when the are tired or hungry. Or do I jusat have a miserable little boy one my hands???

A method I find works exceptionally well, good for young puppies is to grasp the bottom jaw as the puppy mouths you...do not squeeze, just hold gently for a few seconds ( if the puppy has needle teeth it will hurt you more thatn the puppy ! )...you will see the puppy try to pull away and will not like the sensation of the thing it thought was fun to chew 'getting stuck ' in it's mouth. Do not shout or say anything at all. I would not recommend pushing any part of the top of a dogs nose/muzzle - it is very sensitive. Remain motionless. Feed the dog tit-bits inbetween - teaching the dog to take gently. Allow the dog to chew raggies / toys / doggy playmates - dogs need to chew and play rough tough sometimes - just not with us. Make sure all chewing. rough and tumbel is controlled - ie call the puppy away/take toy of it for ' time out ' - a minute or so quiet - reward with tit-bit. You will find the puppy will soon go off grabbing at your hands. I believe in teaching dogs that hands in dogs mouths are the choice of the owner - not the other way around. Simultaneously, you must teach the dog to accept you opening it's mouth gently - use tit-bits and praise liberally...