Biting Update

[GretaJack]

Tanner's biting is getting a little bit better. I can usually manage to prevent a biting situation when he wants attention. When he starts getting pushy and I can see that he wants to get mouthy, I just turn my back to him and sit on my hands (since 90% of the time it is my hands he wants). I am not sure if he is learning since I am actually avoiding the problem. Advice on that?

But yesterday he bit me when I was pulling the burrs out of his tail. Please remember when I say biting I do not mean hard but more like teeth on my skin, which I still do not tolerate at all. Or if I have to push his rump down for a sit, he goes for my hand, or if I use the pressure point on the shoulders for to get him to lay down, same thing.

I know that these things are not hurting him. Irritating him, yes but hurting, no. I am thinking that he is because he grew up with some young kids before his previous owner was divorced. They probably pulled and hurt, even if not intentional.

But yesterday, I was in a crabby mood since I have been sick and when he went for my hand as I was pulling out the burrs I popped him on the side of the face. Not a normal response for me by any means. It was out of frustration and I do regret doing it because I know that can only make the situation worse.

How can I get him to understand that teeth on skin=No, nope, not allowed. In a situation like this, I do not feel that a muzzle is going to make him comprehend. That is too much for him to grasp and it is not that he is hurting me. But if he were to do that to my neighbor kids, I am sure that they would f*reak out and tell Mom that he bit them.

P.S. my neighbor kids do not play with my dogs unattended, it was just a what if scenerio.

[BabyElephant]

Great job on the attention bit, BTW I don't think you're avoiding the problem by turning your back on him, you are teaching him that you will not tolerate biting - so I don't think what you're doing is a problem. Poppy sometimes does this "mouthing" (and my friend says her flat coat retriever x lab does the same thing) and what I do is to say "No" then put her in a sit/stay position, the theory being "I am not going to allow you to do that and you WILL do what I say". Then I praise her for being good (again, this was another tip from Jan Fennell)

Another thing I used to do when she was smaller was to "yelp" or yell "ouch" really loudly and then walk away, this is what I read in a book, the theory here being you are their alpha, you are hurt, they must respect you and not bite you again. I have to say that Poppy got used to that very quickly and after a time it had no effect whatsoever.

Whatever you do, I'm sure you'll continue to make good progress with him.

[Lessica Jake]

Glad to hear he's doing better. What you're doing is great, and it seems to be working well for you.

I'd try what BabyElephant said. I haven't personally had any real success with anything but the muzzle.

I know you don't think the muzzle will help him, and that's perfectly reasonable, but I'd like to explain Bailey's learning curve anyway. Maybe as a last resort.
The behaviors you described where he's holding your hand are exactly what I bought the muzzle for with Bailey. I would be grooming her and she'd whip around and put her mouth (gently, but still.) on my hand. Now, I'm not going to tolerate that, but I'm not going to let her learn that if she does that and gets sent away, then she doesn't have to put up with it. That's the way her mind works. Now I keep the muzzle within arm's reach when I'm doing something I know she won't appreciate, and if she tries to grab me again, on goes the muzzle and I go back to doing what I'm doing. I allow her to poke at me with her nose, but no teeth. When I'm done, the muzzle comes off. She figured out after like 3 times what was going to happen, and I haven't had to use the muzzle in months. Now we only use it for vet trips, but she's even getting better about that.