Aggression

farwyn

Well-Known Member
I might be making a mistake here but i believe it suits the occasion . Bruna (yes i've given her a name after all) gets kinda too excited when shes next to me during a game or something and although i've introduced her to her chewing-like toy she keeps on biting me . Well this wouldn't be a problem for her age i guess but sometimes during these "gaming" times i cant even lay a hand on her without triggering this sort of reaction . Note : She never gets too harsh with this kind of game except for the times the adrenaline is really rushing which i understand ...

Any suggestions ?

Also she was sick a couple of days ago but now she's fine :)
 

jackienmutts

Honored Member
So how exactly are you playing with her? I'm not really sure. Are you playing tug with her? Is she chewing on a toy and you're putting your hand next to her? Are you trying to take her toy while she's playing, even in fun? I'm not clear on what you're saying - maybe it's just me. But - when she does this, if she's biting you, all games should stop. Keep her "biting" to a minimum (even if it's her game), she shouldn't get the idea that it's ok to have teeth on skin at any time, thats just not acceptable. Let her know she's hurt you - OUCH! and stop the playing immediately, tuck up your hands, stand up, whatever you must do, til she calms for a moment - then try again. If the biting starts again, rinse/repeat.

Maybe a few more details of the "game" (what you're doing, then what she does, how she's biting, etc) would be more helpful. Puppies can indeed be little land sharks! :LOL:
 

brody_smom

Experienced Member
Bruna is a sweet name. How did you finally decide on it?

It sounds like she is testing her boundaries with you. How long have you had her now? She probably just wants you to let her know how far she can push you, or how tough you are. She needs a strong signal that you will not put up with any of that kind of play, so, as Jackie said, a loud "ouch!" or a puppy yelp sound, then get up and walk away for 10-20 seconds, then try again. If it seems she is getting over-excited, I would ease up on the game, talk in a soothing voice, feed treats for calmness and letting you touch her gently. Are you planning on clicker training her? This may be a good place to start, clicking for calmness.
 

farwyn

Well-Known Member
Yeah we play tug indeed and fetch aswell but during these games she never really tries to bite me at all . However the "biting" occurs when i pet her , sometimes she will just turn around and grab my hand with her teeth without any pressure at all ( she aint stacking any force) . When she does that i make sure that i say the stop command aloud and she loosens her grip enough for me to easily take my hand away ( she pulls back most of the time with this command) . There are though some certain times during which she will keep holding my hand with the same force , then i make sure to push her back and distance myself from her for like 10-20 seconds but even after that she does the same thing with me pushing her back again and again . After some several repetitions of this whole situation she finally stops biting and switches to licking my hand and allowing me to pet her without any reactions from her at all which i praise of course .

Yeah Bruna is indeed a nice name ! It was dads idea after all since shes kina brownie atm :)

She never chews on a toy if its not a game or its not moving :p . Even if she does after like 5 secs she abandons it ! During fetch when i try to take the toy from her to play again i do it in such a motion that she simply cant hold on to it and she leaves it (im not hurting her ofc) , but the more we play the game the more she understands that in order for me to throw it she needs to leave the toy . Besides , i only reward her for bringing the toy back and LEAVING it and she has surely figured that one out :) . I have her for 8 days now !
 

brody_smom

Experienced Member
You shouldn't push her, they see that as playing. Just pull your hand back, say "ouch" or whatever command you are using, and remove yourself from the situation. This is seen by the dog as rejection of her actions, that's what her littermates or mother would do.
 

threenorns

Well-Known Member
check her skin and fur. it could be that she's too sensitive and cannot tolerate petting. when dandy does that to me, it is a clear "no - thank you, but... no" signal, and usually is done when i'm picking at his teeth (descaling), clipping his nails, or brushing his tail (he HATES having his tail brushed).
 
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