Aggressive 8 week old puppy??

wvKIMwv · #1 10-18-2009, 09:44 AM

My little boxer seems to be aggressive. I need to know if it's normal puppy behavior. She is 8 weeks old...had her since she was 6 weeks. I know...I've read all about how I should have left her with the breeder until she was 8 weeks old...but found that out too late. She mouths all the time, and I understand that behavior. But, when she bites too hard, I've tried everything suggested: yelling "no bite", yelping loudly, putting her in time out away from us...anything I do brings on a growl and bite...like she's attacking me!! I put her in her crate for about 10 - 15 minutes...and as soon as I get her out, she's at it again. This happens even after a lot of exercise outside. Do I have an aggressive puppy or is she too young to show those negative qualities? I'm really considering asking to return her to the breeder and possibly pick a calmer puppy if at all possible. I'm trying very hard to be patient, but I have a 3-year-old toddler, and she has reacted to her like this, too. When she is sleepy, she if very cuddly, but most of the time she is too rough and will not calm down. PLEASE HELP!!!!

**gmacleod** · #2 10-18-2009, 12:23 PM

Forget the yelling "no bite" - it will just make things worse (excite or work her up more). There isn't a lot to be gained from putting the pup in her crate either. These actions have no teaching value, and its teaching that is required here.

What your puppy needs to be learning is how to inhibit the force of her bite. You must NOT try to stop her biting at all until this is learnt (if you do, you will not ever have a dog that is safe to be around children as it will have missed out on fundamental education). A calmer, non-biting puppy is not the answer either - as a puppy who doesn't bite in the first place will also never learn how to inhibit force of bite. That might seem just fine initially - but I guarantee that it will NOT be fine the day someone (likely a child) inadvertently falls on the dog, pokes it in the eyes or slams some body part in a door, and ends with serious bites since the dog was never taught how to use its jaws gently. In short, although an enthusiastic biter such as your puppy is may SEEM a lot of work, this is the puppy that can be properly socialised and taught how to use her jaws gently. A pup that never bites you in the first place cannot, and that's far more of a problem

I would strongly recommend that you get a copy of Dr Dunbar's booklet "After you get your puppy" - it is very inexpensive, but very much worth having. He also has videos on how to train bite inhibition, that you'd find easily with a quick internet search. The following link is an adaptation of some of Dr Dunbar's work - it is VERY much worth your while to read and follow: Teaching Bite Inhibition | Dog Star Daily

wvKIMwv · #3 10-19-2009, 08:56 AM

Thanks so much for your advice. I ordered the book on Amazon last night. I understand that normal puppy behavior is mouthing...biting...teething and all. But what about the times she growls loudly and tries to lunge at me and bite? She goes for my face, nose, hands...whatever is there! Is this part of bite inhibition or is she showing aggression at a very young age? She does this anytime I yelp...it's like she gets excited and starts biting harder.....

**gmacleod** · #4 10-19-2009, 09:47 AM

No, I don't think it's aggression. Just a puppy that doesn't yet understand boundaries and appropriate play

She'll get it in time, and with appropriate work on bite inhibition will come to understand that humans are pretty sensitive critters that can't take that sort of rough treatment. In the meantime though, I'd suggest keeping faces out of temptations way

Once she understands a bit more about appropriate play, then its safer to get down to her level. In the interim though, you should avoid encouraging her too much by having your face down at the same level as hers (it's quite possible to play with her without being down there).

She'll still go for other body parts, of course. But the risk of actual damage is much lower when its hands and feet you're talking about. And when she bites too hard, DO shriek in pain, turn your back and refuse to re-engage until you've "licked your wounds" so to speak. If she won't leave you alone, just get up without a word or a look and leave the room - shut the door so she can't follow. You only need to be absent for a couple of minutes before returning to try again. But if you're consistent with this, she WILL finally come to understand that being too rough means nobody will play, and she'll start trying to moderate the force of her bites.

Do hang in there - it's not going to be a five minute lesson, but rather a process that will take some weeks before you really see tangible progress (actually months, for complete learning). But it's very much worth your while. If you need to take a bit of the load off, you might consider enrolling her in some puppy kindergarten classes, and/or arranging play dates with other puppies near her own age. Naturally, she'll bite them too! But they'll react in the same way as described above, and hence help the learning process along.

wvKIMwv · #5 10-19-2009, 10:31 AM

You are definitely easing my mind!! She was too rough last night when I was putting my daughter to bed...so we put her in the hallway and shut her out of my daughter's bedroom. She was not happy and was lying in the bathroom floor looking quite pitiful when I went out to check on her a few minutes later. She is so persistent with playing rough - I just have to be as persistent as SHE is about "appropriate playing rules!!!" I'm sure I'll be on here again need more encouragement!! Thank you so much!!!

momtobrndon · #6 10-19-2009, 06:28 PM

I am having the same trouble with our 11 week old boxer female...When we try to play outside with the kids she just goes nuts and "attack" the smallest one and if I try to intervene she goes after me. She bites VERY hard and we all have many bite wounds from these past few weeks. It is actually quite frustrating and I am not enjoying her too much honestly. I feel bad but, boy it is not fun trying to pry a dog off of your 4 year old who is getting bit. I will look for that book previously mentioned!

ehayes21 · #7 10-19-2009, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by momtobrndon

I am having the same trouble with our 11 week old boxer female...When we try to play outside with the kids she just goes nuts and "attack" the smallest one and if I try to intervene she goes after me. She bites VERY hard and we all have many bite wounds from these past few weeks. It is actually quite frustrating and I am not enjoying her too much honestly. I feel bad but, boy it is not fun trying to pry a dog off of your 4 year old who is getting bit. I will look for that book previously mentioned!

Unfortunately this is the epitome of a boxer pup....they are mouthy, they are growly, but they really mean no harm. You most definitely need your sense of humor when dealing with a puppy of this breed. Your best bet is to prevent the pup from latching on to the four year old.

While it's great that you would like your kids and your pup to play together, but supervision and redirection is a must.

EAO76 · #8 10-20-2009, 01:48 AM

I know how you feel. When my female was a pup she would bite my nose too. At 1st I was also concerned that she was destined to be an aggressive dog. These pups can be little monsters…but rest assured its normal pup behavior.

Now I volunteer & help do placements for a boxer rescue. I cannot tell you how many people that have small children insist on getting puppies. I always tell people that toddlers/ very young children & puppies are not the best match. Not because the pup cannot be taught but having squirming kids around these crazy pups tends to exasperate these training challenges. For anyone w/small kids that is considering a boxer I encourage you to consider adopting an adult boxer that has already been well socialized around children. That way you & your kids can enjoy your new dog right from the beginning.

I know people love tiny puppies because of the cuteness factor but honestly that stage of puppyhood is very short lived. I have raised puppies & I have adopted adults…and I would take an adult over a puppy any day!

RockyCody · #9 10-20-2009, 10:25 AM

Rocky is 10 weeks now and just started becoming more agressive and confident in his ways. He used to lick all the time giving us "kisses" but now is starting to bit..kind of hard. Sometimes he doesn't mean to like if he's playing with a toy on my lap and he bites my leg by accident, but sometimes he looks at me and snaps at my chin. He got me last night, multiple times and I was nearly bleeding from the last one.

I've tried "no bite" I've tried muzzling his mouth and saying no bite, i've tried walking away. if we walk away he just barks and whines constantly or will start biting the couch.

What should we do? I hate feeling "annoyed" or upset that we got the dog, I'm starting to get frustrated as well.

**gmacleod** · #10 10-20-2009, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockyCody

What should we do?

Same advice as further up in this thread. Quit muzzling his mouth or telling him "no bite" - the puppy doesn't understand English and won't have a clue what you're trying to achieve with this. If he's the feisty sort, you'll end making things worse and encouraging him to fight back. And if he's the sensitive type, you'll just squash it out of him without actually ever teaching the lesson he MUST learn - which is how to be gentle.

You are better off reacting in ways he is capable of understanding. If he hurts with his biting, squeal with pain - just like his littermates, and in fact, just like the infants of just about every mammal on the planet (including humans - that's what we do as kids when someone else cracks us on the head or bites). You make a big show of pain and of refusing to play whilst you recover. And if you need to escalate things, you get up and walk away - leaving him by himself for a few minutes. The message here is clear - if he bites too hard, it hurts. And if he hurts, nobody will play. *Gradually* this lesson will sink in, and he'll learn to be more gentle - since he *wants* to play.

Do not expect it to be a 5 minute lesson though - that's living in a dreamland. Even human kids, who have far greater capacity to understand than puppies do, take months if not years to learn to play nicely. A puppy takes months also - learning is a process, not an event.

If the above article link doesn't help enough, do go ahead and get the booklet recommended (there is even a video available if you need more - easily found with an internet search for either Dr Dunbar and bite inhibition or sirius dog training and bite inhibition). So plenty of resources to help you train!