Biting Pup? Try Binaca...

[llwaxan]

My pup, Satchmo, is 10 weeks now and is still too young for puppy class. But I spoke with his future trainer and was lamenting the fact that Satch loves to bite my hands, fingers, feet, entire arm, etc.

This wonderful man told me to try Binaca, the breath freshner. I thought he was kidding, but in desperation I bought a family pack of the stuff and lo and behold...it works!

Whe he began to bite me I sprayed a tiny bit in his mouth (be very very careful to spray just a bit in his mouth and NOT his eyes or nose). He hated it! AFter the first spray in his mouth all I had to do thereafter was to spray a bit of the stuff on my hand or on whatever body part he is trying to consume and he immediately stops. I reinforce this with "No bite" command and when he stops he is praised/rewarded.

The quality of life has improved for me and for my 9 year old female, Ester. I think Satch is even happier to have learned a boundary and a new behavior.

Just a tip that worked for me, so I wanted to pass it on.

El

[summit]

I have found the same results with my 9 week old .( not sure yet if it will last) He may start to enjoy the taste?

[sophie's-mom]

I think this is some of the worst advice I have ever read. The potential to cause some serious damage to your dog's eyes is HIGH!! The potential to cause harm to his esophagus is HIGH!!

I guess it IS easier than actually trying to TEACH the dog but it is NOT something I would suggest to ANYONE with a puppy.

[summit]

Sophie's-mom,
Although I don't feel this is a long term solution, I do believe that teaching and patience is the key, however, I do feel there is nothing wrong with trying new methods as long as the dog is not being harmed. Would appreciate any information or studies to prove damage to esophagus.

[llwaxan]

Woooe now, Sophie's Mom. Please chill with your tone and re-read my post. I sprayed Satchmo's mouth 1 time and now spray it on my hands or feet etc. I redirect and praise and AM teaching him. Your judgemental tone and verbiage implied that I am 1.lazy 2. cruel and 3.stupid. Do not presume to know me well enough to implie such things. It is offensive and quite impolite.

The trainer who suggested this happens to be among the most respected in the country with several papers and articles written by him available on the net for all to read. He believes in positive reinforcement and has OB,agility, and therapy trained many fine Rottweilers, in the 20+ years he has been a professional trainer. Also, do a search with the word "Binaca" and you will find that in past pots many of the members here that I respect the most have posted in response to the technique and not 1 offered any concerns regarding it being a dangerous tool.

Where my dogs are concerned, I research, read, and work hard to make sure that they have the best lives possible. I love them both beyond measure and would never, could never do a single thing to cause them harm or put them in danger. The spray has worked for me and I just wanted to share it.

El

[Luvs]

Originally Posted by sophie's-mom

I think this is some of the worst advice I have ever read.
it is NOT something I would suggest to ANYONE with a puppy.

I totally agree!!! I would never use this method on a puppy or any dog for that matter.

[Brooke&Ryan]

Originally Posted by Luvs

I totally agree!!! I would never use this method on a puppy or any dog for that matter.

I agree as well! I want to teach my dog that good things come from my hands...not a spray in the mouth of something nasty.

For the first month or so that we had Jules, I just walked around with a toy in my back pocket that I would use for redirection. It took some time & effort but I was able to curb his mouthy behavior & redirect it into a tug.

[Ilovemypuppy]

INGREDIENTS:
SD Alcohol 38B, Glycerin,Flavor, Sodium Saccharin, Blue 1 .




WARNINGS:

Eye irritant.



Just those ingredients alone are enough to make me cringe....synthetic sweeteners can be carcinogenic....and the 'blue' is a dye :o(

I totally disagree with using adversives in training a puppy, never mind spraying a possible TOXIN in it's mouth or putting it on my hands or clothes..again for him to get in his mouth.

I would suggest that a 'trainer' with no more imagination than that to train puppies, is a very lazy one.

You do NOT want your pup to associate your hands with negatives. Use re-direction as Brooke says, it works and it actually involves training and trust.

Put away your spray bottles...ANY spray bottles and use positive re-direction.

[poohbearsmom]

Why would you rather use a deterrent like this (one especially that can harm your dog) than simply teach your pup through consistant correction/redirection/praise? Learning for the pup takes repetition and patience (and a good sense of humor!).

A pup needs to learn the rules by which it will live it's life. Pups learn very easily what is acceptable, and what is not, if we're willing to go about things in a manner they can understand. These are very smart creatures we're dealing with.

The human has the bigger brain. One is only limited by one's imagination as how to tackle some of these issues, but I dare say that dealing with a puppy directly is MUCH better than spraying chemicals into a puppy's face. It's much more humane to be honest with a dog than to surprise it with a face full of binaca - what is that REALLY teaching your pup?

When I say 'honest', I mean "say what you mean, and mean what you say". Reward behaviors that you find acceptable, and simply do not allow behaviors you deem unacceptable. Your pup is simply being a pup and looks to you for direction and boundaries.

The puppy must learn to live in our human world. It is up to us to guide the pup with fair, humane and consistant treatment.

A puppy MUST be allowed to be a puppy before it can be a proper dog. It knows nothing of what's expected of it until we show it the ropes.

There are just about as many calming/redirection techniques as there are puppy personalities. The information on this forum is vast, and you can use the 'search' function in the tool bar above on the right to find out that you're not alone in this puppy rearing game.

Now is the time for you to be getting your pup out and about, exploring, building confidence, and working on creating this relationship with you. Do you want to create a dog that trusts you, or that expects unfair and inhumane corrections at the drop of a hat? It's up to you.

[groupieindenial]

Never heard of Binaca, but I used to rub tobasco sauce on wires so that my guy wouldn't try to chew on them. With their sharp teeth, it only takes a split second for them to slice through the plastic. Only took once, and he never looked at wires EVER again.

I don't think its a lazy way of teaching, more like an effective way. He associated wires with that bad taste. Isn't it the same logic as using that bitter spray (or Binaca)? Cept my pup knew that gobbint all over the object made the bitterness go away. If binaca is toxic, then of course I would steer away from using it. But if its a breath freshener, how can it be toxic? Should remove that product from the shelves. By the sounds of it, people shouldn't be putting it in their mouths.

[SWEETBREW]

I would never spray anything in my pups face or mouth to get him to stop doing anything. But I tried hot sauce on the edges of my coffee table when Brew first cam home and decided they looked like chew toys, but it didn't phase him one bit. so on to redirection we went and he learned that way very quickly...

[summit]

I always keep a small toy in my pocket for redirection and it works great!At the great risk of people YELLING at me (I still believe there is nothing wrong with trying something new to me as long as I feel it will not harm my boy). I could never intentionally hurt my dog!!

[Ilovemypuppy]

OK...as far as I am concerned...using aversive methods like spraying nasty stuff in the mouth or at your dog..putting harmful substances on things to cause aversion to those objects and any other of the insane things that people do...is just in LIEU OF TRAINING.

I am sick for the puppies that are subjected to all this crap and sorry for them that their owners don't care enough to get off their duffs and get to work TRAINING the puppies, by SHOWING them alternatives and re-directing them.

It REALLY bugs me, that novices read this bologna and read some of this drivel ..like.....oh...it doesn't hurt them and oh....I don't spray it in their eyes ....I wish I had charge of the edit button on some of these posts so they would never appear for someone else to take up and try.

Don't get a puppy or dog if you don't have the time or inclination to properly raise it in a humane way.

[summit]

Ilovemypuppy wow you must know everything about me from this one thread, to think that I have no inclination to get off my duff and I am an inhumane person.You are generalizing a lot of people by your "saber rattling"!!!! As far as you being in charge of the edit button I for one am glad your not!! If people are making huge mistakes, in your opinion, you don"t need to insult them and attack their character!!!!(this is my opinion and mine alone)!

[Ilovemypuppy]

Originally Posted by summit

Ilovemypuppy wow you must know everything about me from this one thread, to think that I have no inclination to get off my duff and I am an inhumane person.You are generalizing a lot of people by your "saber rattling"!!!! As far as you being in charge of the edit button I for one am glad your not!! If people are making huge mistakes, in your opinion, you don"t need to insult them and attack their character!!!!(this is my opinion and mine alone)!

Since you have decide to take what I said personally, maybe you will also decide to try training your 9 week old puppy with something besides breathe freshner.