How do you get your dogs to stop biting each other??

Hi, I am new to this forum, and have an issue I am kind of concerned about...



We have a two or three month old puppy and he's running on instinct big time, whenever we throw the tennis ball or a toy or whatever, the little one(Hoagers) is all over Bandit, the oldest GSD.




It's freaking halarious because hoagie will hop back and forth to each side of Bandit and 'herd' him, while Bandit waits obsessively for the item to be released as a projectile. *boing boing boinng* and then Hoagie wil gnaw Bandit on the back....

if you leave it alone the game will progress to the dogs running laps around the house and hoagie trying to bite Bandit any chance he can, it looks like a good time, lol.

They seem pretty well protected and all on the body but when they get tired they do the rolley thing and start mouthing each other and I don't want them to actually realise their full potential for domination on such tender areas...because they will end up with floppy ears and scarred up chops, Hoagie gets a hold of Bandits front legs and then Bandit will be limping for days.

Aside from negative reinforcement and muzzles I am not sure how to retard this instinct. Does any one have any ideas, do your dogs do this? Should I just not worry about it and let dogs be dogs??

 

i wouldn't worry about. it sounds as though they are getting on fine and just being dogs together. my dogs bite at each other and growl when playing and it's all just doggie fun for them. they know what they're doing.

 

I cant see anyway to get them to even undrestand what it is you want them to stop doing, you might have to just be patient and hope for the best. if you do find a way i would very interested to hear what it is

 

That's how dogs play! They aren't going to sit around discussing philosophy, so they run around like maniacs, and play "Bite." (Which is what we always call it.) There is a variation of "Bite" called "Chase" where one dog lies down, very still, until the other dog runs at him and then the down dog JUMPS up runs about 35 miles an hour until they catch the other dog, and BITE starts again. It is all about Dominence and fun. They, if they are healthy, emotionally sound animals will not hurt each other. Dog fights are actually rare, as the animals know, by instinct who is Dominant, and they respect that. The more Dominant animal will actually be more gentle during play, unless he has to "discipline" the other dog. (Usually this only happens if the Submissive dog is going to do something dangerous. Like eat something bad, or even leave the yard.)

I have a two year old Malamute and a 6 month old Lab mix puppy. They play Bite or Chase most of the day, if they aren't sleepin or eating. Only a sick or very old dog will refuse this game. Sweetie is so big that Luna can actually get UNDER him, where she likes to bite his "pee pee wee wee" or the backs of his ankles just to get him going. Of course, he bites her (gently, if you watch carefully) on the Jugular Vein and the Fermoral Artery. It is also a hunt training game. Wolf pups and dogs in the wild play this game all the time, when they are young.

If they aren't desperately trying to get away (and they would come to you for help, and be whimpering, not barking if this was the case) they are loving it.

Dogs also have an interest in trying to get the other dog to drop the ball. It's all about dominance. The only time I stop a game of "Bite" is when Sweetie, the male, really starts humping Luna, the female too much. He's fixed, so he can't get her pregnant, but it's just not appropriate in my living room. This morning I finally had to kick them both out of my library, I was trying to work and "Bite" got ME bitten (nipped, actually) about six times and I had had it. Outside is a great place to play Bite as well as Chase, anyway.

 

Oh, what to do about it? PUT THEM OUTSIDE! THey can play Bite until they drop. Don't muzzle a dog, unless they are really a danger to someone. And in that case, they need counseling. Muzzeling can cause breathing problems as well as emotional problems in the dog.

Your Shep puppy is really adorable. She looks really smart. Have fun.

 

It's probably open mouth play
My dog even does it to me, she pretends to bite, it's all in play.