Hi All

purplelori · 02-23-2009, 04:03 PM

We are the proud 'owners?' of a Boxer/English Bulldog cross named Wally. He is 13 weeks old, and so far we have trained him to sit, and (sort of) wait until we say it's ok to eat his meals. Potty training is spotty (no pun intended!), but at least there hasn't been any pooping in the house for a couple of weeks!
Our biggest problem with him is getting him to STOP BITING! Such a mouthy guy! We've tried turning around and ignoring him when he bites us---which allows him to bite us on the behind!
Any suggestions? They would be MOST welcome!

Lori

(I'm totally new to posting in these things, so please forgive me if I make any faux paus!)

jena · 02-23-2009, 04:25 PM

hi welcome nice to see someone else on here with a cross to stop mine from doing things i dont want i got an empty bottle and put some stones from the garden in it and when she does something i dont want her to do i shack it she soon stopped

Ron · 02-23-2009, 04:31 PM

welcome to the site!!

i love the name Wally

bruinsBoxers · 02-23-2009, 04:54 PM

Hello and welcome .

The best way to get them to stop biting is to ignore the behavior . It does not happen overnight, most likely a few weeks - but they will get the idea . Try letting out a yelp type noise when they bite , this is what other puppies will do , then turn your back on him and walk away .

You have to be consistant with the method of training or he will get confused .

JoeV · 02-26-2009, 08:05 AM

Hi there Lori. I agree with bruinsBoxers that you have to be consistent with training. I had the same biting problem with Lucky when she was younger. Basically, they are infatuated with hands, and you just have to keep your hands away from their face/mouth when they are trying to go for them. Keeping a good tone to your voice helps a lot also. "Good Boy" in a high tone for whe he isn't biting while your playing or petting him. "NO" in a lower tone when he is bitiing and remove your hands completely and turn away from him and even walk out of the room. He will eventually understand that when he bites, he won't be given attention. Yes, the yelps help out also but in conjunction with the approach above is most effective. I've actually had someone tell me to hold her mouth and sweeze the jowls into her teeth when she bites so she feels a little pain... tried it and it was not the right thing to do... you have to be consistent with any approach and being consistent with that one was too difficult because it is too much to do everytime they bite. Another approach we were told is to tap them in the nose when they go for your hand, again too much to do all the time and not very effective (at least for us). So, all in all, try the tones and leaving the room... I think after a week he'll be better.

KeeperBoy · 02-26-2009, 08:18 AM

I would mash down on Boo's tongue when she was doing her puppy biting. I would push down fairly hard and make a yelping sound. It worked after only a few weeks.

purplelori · 02-26-2009, 04:08 PM

I have tried several of them, with varying levels of success---most likely because I wasn't consistent. I DO know that holding his head so he's looking right at me and saying "Stop BITING ME!" doesn't do much good! (I think he thinks it's a new, cool game, 'cause then he does that alligator mouth thing.) One thing that we have had success with is just shoving a toy in his mouth everytime he comes at us. He's SO sweet and funny, we just need to work on the 'not socially acceptable' parts of his personality! This is a great site, thanks again!

KeeperBoy · 02-26-2009, 04:18 PM

Our Boston was a nipper and keeping a toy in her mouth does really help! Your pup is SO young, so it will be a long road. Now when someone comes over Boo will go and grab a toy, she wants to get all excited but knows she can't be mouthy so she will grab her toy, it is so cute.