Bite bite bite

[kzdalton10]

HELP
I have a 5 month old boxer who i just got named Rocky.
I have to leave the house a lot with work and kids so he's in his crate about1 to 3 hours a day. We take him out as much as we can and he loves to play.
Lately he has been biting and jumping more than offen.
I try to give him more toys to chew and a choke collar but nothing seems to work anyone have any ideas?
:confused:

[luvofallhorses]

Please do NOT put a choke collar on a 5 month old puppy. Sounds like you need to take him to training classes. You need to do NILIF
(Nothing in Life is Free) with him and he may not have any Bite Inhibtion and you need to teach him that as well especially if he didn't learn it from his mom and littermates.

Bite Inhibtion -
http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_BiteInhibition.php

Nothing in Life is Free -
http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm

[Karen]

How do you react when he nips? He is moving into the 'teenage" phase of life, so he'll be testing his boundaries. When he bites, immediately pull your hands away and turn your back on him. Do not "reward" him with any kind of other reaction. Make sure the kids know this as well - he will learn that when he bites, all play stops, so it's just no fun.

Also, now would be a good time to enroll in a basic obedience class with him, it will teach him some and teach you some, and together you can help him become the dog he's meant to be! Boxers will always be bouncy and playful, but they are smart enough to learn rules and thrive with boundaries as well.

I would also skip the choke collar, that's not gonna help right now. okay?

[Freedom]

You hav received great advice already, all I can do is repeat it.

No choke collar on a baby this young.

Classes, classes, classes!

[Pinot's Mom]

I'm repeating...obedience training, watch your response to biting, and, as far as I'm concerned, choke collars are never appropriate.

[kzdalton10]

thanks all for the help i cant afford obidence classes but will try my best!
I normaly respond with a "bad dog" Tap on nose and then if he repeats i put him in his crate.
With the choke collar i will try to wait till he is older but it did seem to start to work.
Who knows? :(

[Karen]

Okay, if you cannot afford a class, go to the library and get a dog training book - everyone has different preferences, but wee which one appeals to you. That's the good thing about the library - it's free as long as you return the book on time, and many will let you renew a book online if you need to keep it longer. Removing your hands and attention from availability is better than the nose tap, tapping him on the nose actually may seem like you are playing as well. Also, make sure you have plenty of chew toys and ropes around, so there are things that are good for him to chew, so if he seems to want to nip you, offer the chew toy instead.

Start with basic leash training, and then on commands like "sit" and "down" - these can even prove useful when training him not to bite, as it will distract him from the biting.

[EddricksMommy101]

It really doesn't matter if the collar "Started to work"
They are never appropriate and even cruel.
Would you put a choke collar on your kids?
No.
He's just a baby.

[luvofallhorses]

I agree, choke collars should only be used in training in PROPER use... no tugging hard on the dog that can cause damage.. but they are NOT safe for a 5 month old puppy. I am not a huge fan of choke collars myself. If you are going to use a choke collar, use it for training ONLY but NOT on a PUPPY!!!

[tofurkey21]

Bite Bite Bite? No, no, no!
Chomp chomp chomp? Yes, yes, yes!
Don't, don't, don't bite your friends!
Don't, don't, don't bite your friends!
-Yo Gabba Gabba haahaa
If the dog jumps up and starts biting, knee it in the chest/stomach to make it stop. This does not hurt him, but teaches him dicipline. After using this tecnique, the dog should stop jumping and biting.
If the dog is biting you when you are sitting, the dog probably wants to play. Playing will most likely lead to biting. When she bites you, shout "ow!" and take the dogs snout in your hands and tell it "no!". Then get up and walk away. This will teach your dog that if she wants to play, she needs to play gently, espacially if you have children.
Choke collars will only make the dog afraid of you and collars, choke or regular. They can also cause damage to the neck area of the dog, especially puppies. Do NOT use chokers unless it is recommended by a veteranarian!
When the dog can play with you gently, reward him with treats. He will realize that playing nice pays well. ;)

[dab_20]

Yes, I agree with the others. Choke collars are a no no with puppies, and I believe they shouldn't be used at all.

Boxers are awesome dogs, they are highly trainable and have a strong urge to please you. However, if not trained, they can easily become uncontrollable with their size and strength. Better start continuous training now because the older he will get the harder it will be to control him.

I agree with Karen, go to your local library and get some dog training books. I believe positive training (no punishments, using your dog's natural sense to please you) works best, instead of negative training (punishing physically or verbally when something wrong is done).
Both can work, but they both can be done wrong. There are plenty of internet sources you can find.

Boxers need plenty of EXERCISE! I'm sure you know this by now. :) They're are an obedient breed and they pick things up easily. However, they remain very puppy like and continue to have a short attention span. Use lots and lots of treats and keep training sessions short. It'll take some time but with training boxers make great pets. (My boxer is pictured in my sig at 6 months old. He's now 2 years :))

Good luck!

[dab_20]

If the dog jumps up and starts biting, knee it in the chest/stomach to make it stop. This does not hurt him, but teaches him dicipline. After using this tecnique, the dog should stop jumping and biting.


I personally believe this method is cruel. Kneeing an animal in the chest certainly DOES hurt, and that is why the stop jumping. It doesn't teach discipline. It teaches that they will be hurt if they jump on you. I don't think you want to hurt your dog.

Simply turning around when your dog jumps on you, ignoring him in every way, should make the jumping subside and stop altogether. The reason he jumps is he wants attention! He will learn he only gets attention if he is calm and doesn't jump.

[Taz_Zoee]

One thing not mentioned here is that the crate should never be used as punishment. The crate should be the dogs safe haven.
All the other advice given is great. I grew up with choke collars on our dogs, but I never use them on my two. Ever. I don't know why. I'm not against them, I just don't use them. But as others said, they should be used properly.