She bite me!!!

[Cyber mum]

I would like to ask for so advise on my 5 month old female rottie Cyber.
Cyber thinks it is o.k to bite me I've tred bitter apple, yeaping when she bites even biting her back (she has driven me that far).
Nothing seems to work... she continuasly jumps up at people and bites any vistor to my home or myself quite hard.
Cyber gets on well with other dogs, is well house trained, sits, goes down and licks when she is told to my myself. But then when I'm not looking or walking her she suddenly jumps at me and bites hard enough to draw blood!!! I'm at my wits end with her has anyone any suggestions PLEASE!!!

[WorkinDogz]

OUCH! I believe Cyber needs some "tough love".

I would suggest you search the archives for the thread involving "Withholding Affection".

Your puppy either has no guidelines or chooses to ignore them.

This is a very serious situation that will require the help of a TRAINER. Obedience is more than home-schooling a sit and a down.

It's the laying of guidelines and reinforcement of the "who's who" in the pecking order.

Please, please, PLEASE contact a trainer TODAY before the dogs "playfulness" results in a visit from Animal Control because the dog drew blood (which WOULD BE CONSIDERED A BITE!!!) on a visitor!

Veeeeeeeery serious problem that needs to be addressed with swiftness!!

[Cyber mum]

Thanks for the advise I have contacted a trainer who will start working with me and Cyber from Sunday, I just hope she is good at her job!!!!

[Caleb'sMom]

here's a link I've read, I hope its legal to post!

[I think I'd better just pull the text. Credit goes to Joan Foote, DeBary, FL

Teaching A Puppy 'No Bite'


Puppies are very much like children in many ways. They love to explore their world with all of their senses. They love to put things in their mouths and taste them and chew on them much like children also. When you get your young puppy home at eight weeks of age, he (or she) will have lots to explore. You need to puppy proof your home (electrical cords, no shoes/laundry on the floor, etc). A crate for the puppy is highly recommended also. But that is not what this text is about. This text is about teaching your puppy good manners - and the first big trouble they get into is chewing on YOU. They have grown up chewing on their littermates, and playing (along with eating and sleeping) is just about all they think about at this age. So it is perfectly natural for them to want to include you in this behavior. They will attack your ankles, pull on your pants, chew on your toes (if you are barefoot) and even chew on your hands and arms. The worst part about it is these little guys have got really shart teeth at this age! It is cute at first, but this behavior cannot be allowed to continue or your puppy will be doing it later in life when he is not so small and it is not so cute.

Many people have their method of stopping a puppy from this behavior. It is not actually a terrible crime, just that some manners need to be taught. Many people will tell you to give the puppy a "scruff shake" or even a smack. I don't recommend either. I use the 'nose pinch' method. It's quick and it's easy and I feel less stressful on the puppy than many of the other methods. When 'Junior' decides to munch on you, you are going to give a verbal and physical correction at the same time. You will say "NO BITE" loudly in a harsh voice. At this exact same time, you will reach down and "pinch" his nose. And I mean pinch somewhat hard. If you have done it too softly (and that's how I ususally start out to test how much each dog takes), then he will come right back at you and try to bite you again. This means you didn't do it hard enough - do it again immediately and do it HARDER. If Junior squeeks (now I'm not saying make him scream) then you have done it properly. The trick here is timing. You need to be fast and make this verbal and physical correction immediately as the puppy is biting you.

Properly done, the puppy will stop biting and may even try to run away. Don't let him leave. Keep him next to you, and soothingly pet him. Tell him he's a good boy (the correction should be totally forgotten now by you). There is very little halfway for a bitch - she usually mothers and fusses over her babies but as they get older and more bold, if they antagonize the bitch they get but a small warning growl and if they persist, mother jumps on their head like a Harpie and pounds them into the ground. It's all quite fast and loud and then it's over and there are no grudges, but the pup learned a lesson and knows that mom still loves him and 10 seconds later its like nothing ever happened. This is the philosophy you are to use. Correct Junior and correct firmly, and then forget about the bad behavior (so long as it doesn't reappear in the next few seconds).

Some people like to rough-house with their dog and biting at that time is okay, but the dog must understand that it is only acceptable during those times, and when you want to stop (or the dog gets too rough), you can tell him NO BITE and he should stop. At this point, you don't need to do the physical pinch, just telling him NO BITE should stop him. This technique is also great for the kids to use (once the dog has been taught the NO BITE command by the parents). It saves countless pantyhose, and it is wonderful for when Junior tries to chew on the leash during leash breaking.

The manners your dog will exhibit comes from respect. You must know your Rottweiler well enough to be in control at all times. To be in control, he must RESPECT you, to respect you, he must have DISCIPLINE, and with that you must be consistent. Loving you is secondary to respecting you. They are synonymous in the Rottweiler brain. Without respect, they will love you, but give you nothing. Have you ever seen a dog that listens to the father but not the mother or kids? It is because the dog respects the father but believes himself to be above the others. Instilling respect is accomplished using the "PACK THEORY". A dog pack has a social order, a pecking order. Only the Alpha Dog is the ultimate decision maker and leader of the pack. In descending order, the others fight it out and settle into their places. Because of the dominant nature of this Rottweiler you've taken on, he may challenge you for dominance within the pack, which is your family and now his family and his pack. It is natural. In the wild, dogs do not fight to the death, they fight until one of them surrenders. Starting from puppyhood, you must always be the winner. People training their dogs for Schutzhund don't apply to the above rule. But then this text is not aimed at those people.

Happy training and enjoy your puppy. They do so many silly, fun things when they're little it's worth all the paper towels in the world. Have fun. Be consistent. Be responsible. I'm here if you need me.



[This message has been edited by Caleb'sMom (edited November 30, 2000).]