Dog's preference in biting?

[JGuitaristR]

Three out of four of my dogs bite me and only me. When Molli, Zoe and Bart are all playful, I am the only one they will bite. Not my mom --- ever. We never taught them to not bite her, they just automatically don't. They all find it okay to bite me though. I don't know why? Does anyone else's babies do this? Thanks! :) :D

[Cincy'sMom]

I assume you mean play biting? My guess would be that they see you as an equal...a playmate, and that they recognize your mom as the alpha. Have they been around anyone else your ago or younger? How do they treat them?

We have taught our dogs it is never okay to bite a human, even when playing. We have young nephews and it was just easier to teach them never, then sometimes it's okay and sometimes it is not.

[JGuitaristR]

Yes, play biting. Nope, the dogs haven't been around anyone that's my age or younger... just older. .

Why do they see me as an 'equal' though?

[primabella]

When Mick and I play, he'll open his mouth and sometimes "bite" me, but he'll never close his mouth. Then if we're just standing around and I'll try to stick my hand in his mouth he won't even open it.

Cincy'sMom kinda said what I would have. They probably see you as an equal because your the one playing with them. (Unless your Mom regularly plays with them too, I don't know)

[binka_nugget]

Yep...I think your mom would be the alpha. You just have to make sure that you're above the rest of the dogs..not necessarily above your mom. When my brother plays with kai, he'll play bite him...also he'll bite when my brother trys to carry him. I'll do the same, and he'll mouth me but I do a stare at him and he knows he's done something bad and stops. To help with this, try some techniques to get you above the rest of the dogs. I saw some on the show "doggin it". There's one where you place some human food..lets say crackers....behind the dogs bowls. Place it so that the dogs think you're eating out of it. Eat a few...ignore them...no eye contact no petting..nothing. After you finish eating, place their food down for them to eat. This shows them that you're above them..you eat when you want...as much as you want and they get the left overs. Another one, is stepping in the house first before your dog when coming into the house. Oh and what i did with kai was when he bites, I close his mouth with my hand. Not too tight but tight enough to keep it closed and say "NO!" and just apply a bit of pressure to show them you're above them. One last one that comes to mind...is when they do something naughty..maybe roll them on their backs. Put them in a submissive position. Hope everything goes well! good luck

[wolfsoul]

Timber sometimes play bites, but I always get to to stop lol. It hurts! She has very sharp teeth! :eek: I doubt that she sees me as an equal though, because I'm the only one she will listen to. My mom has to drag her out the door by her collar, and all I have to do is say "get out." heehee ;)

[G-Diddy]

How old are you? A lot of people say that dogs don't take kids under 14 seriously.

My GSD rarely plays like that with me, will occasionally push the envelope with my wife, and absolutely tries to walk all over my mother but is completely submissive to my father when they doggy-sit. If I let a 12-year old walk her she drags the kid all over the place (even with a pinch-collar on).

Dogs (especially mine) are super-aware of the pack order and a lot of dogs will constantly test to see if they can out-rank someone. My guess is that they either feel they out-rank you or are testing to see where they are in the hierarchy.