Biting Puppy on ear.

[scooterjohansen]

This is inspired by another Thread currently going at the moment.
We have used for many years a technique that involves giving the pup a simple bite on the ear when it is attempting to bite. This together with ignoring the pup has always worked very well with no side effects or issues developing. Our dogs have never bitten anyone and have great understanding of how there mouths work. Obviously this is only a technique we use to correct the biting/ mouthing issues and we practice positive reinforcement with all other areas. We apply a common sense approach and fair is fair philosphy.

Judging by other views previously expressed I am going to get a flogging for this post. I believe this technique works not from reading books or hearing about it but from actually practicing it. Real experience.

Comments would be great

[JeanT]

I think that is a very odd technique. Only from your other posts in which you really seem to respect and love your dog do I assume that you are not Hannibal Lector in exile.

[Anne]

Hey Scooter. My dogs have a good understanding of how their mouths work and they too have never bitten anyone.

All this happened without me ever even thinking of biting an ear.

How do you figure that a human biting the ear of a dog teaches him anything apart from the fact that he needs to sleep with one eye open because humans do very strange things?

[Teej]

Hey scooter I am with you. Dogs do not have the emotional capability of understanding what we are doing to them if its a bite back on the ear or a swift correction with the lead or a submissive down. As long as it quick and gets the point accross. Now of course the bitting on the ear is not somthing done whenever a dog needs a correction or out on a walk. It is at a time when the handler is willing o stoop to the dogs level. And prove even if I acted like you you dumb "jerk" I am still your ALFA !!!!!! :)

[Burnsway]

Psyche was such a sassy bitch as a pup if I had bit her on the ear to teach her not to bite, I would have lost my nose in the process. And I couldn't have blamed her a bit. Alpha rolls, Spanking a dog, biting a dog back and rubbing their nose in their crap for potty training is all old school and people had no other education or tools to use. Now we do, and dogs can be brought up,trained, and raised in a much more humane way that they understand much better then "hey my owner can inflict pain too".

Anyone who tries these techniques, remember if you have a hard strong willed pup he/she will grow up to have a full set of teeth that they know damn well can take you out.

For those of you with a weak nerved dog.......well just be prepared to have a nut case on your hands if you try these old school ways........

[RottiMomCT]

BITE THE PUP ON THE EAR? ARE YOU INSANE?!?! Well, yeah, you seem to be but I can't say for sure because I don't know you personally...

Hey scooter - I know of a VERY sassy non-rott pup...fresh as all get out. She loves her. I'm going to see her this weekend. I am also going to show the owner all of the info you have posted. When she stops laughing (and I know she will), I'll let you know what she has to say. Don't expect good things.

She is a VERY knowledgeable dog owner, has raised pups before, and I can guarantee you she'll have some pretty funny responses to your 'information' you've shared with us...of course, I'll have to edit them for posting...

The "BAH" thread has already been a great source of comedy for us.

[LavenderRott]

My ex-husband bit our collie on the ear once. She pierced his in return.

[Major]

Originally Posted by RottiMomCT

BITE THE PUP ON THE EAR? ARE YOU INSANE?!?! Well, yeah, you seem to be but I can't say for sure because I don't know you personally...

Hey scooter - I know of a VERY sassy non-rott pup...fresh as all get out. She loves her. I'm going to see her this weekend. I am also going to show the owner all of the info you have posted. When she stops laughing (and I know she will), I'll let you know what she has to say. Don't expect good things.

She is a VERY knowledgeable dog owner, has raised pups before, and I can guarantee you she'll have some pretty funny responses to your 'information' you've shared with us...of course, I'll have to edit them for posting...

The "BAH" thread has already been a great source of comedy for us.

Normally I would delete this post as it adds nothing to the thread. The OP is open to discussion on a training technique he believes in and he gets a post such as this. When posts like this get deleted in the future, please do not ask why.

[Major]

Please confine your discussion to the post topic.

[scooterjohansen]

Thanks guys so far thats great

[JeanT]

Scooter, for both the ear biting and "BAH" techniques, I expect that there are many factors having to do with dog behavior, your own personality and relationship with your puppy/dog that allow them to work for you.

Some explanations were given in the "BAH" thread. Since that technique does not involve physical contact, I do not see any danger in offering it for conideration. For the ear biting, I do not think it is safe to offer it as a training technique. Maybe as a personal example of what has worked for you, but not as a suggestion that others try it. As some have already suggested, it could result in the "bite-er" being bitten back. Or some not-so-nice "bite-er" taking a chunk out of a puppy's ear.

[mook1620]

I am curious now, as to how many dogs you have trained this way? And how old are those dogs? And how long you have used this method?

[scooterjohansen]

Originally Posted by JeanT

Scooter, for both the ear biting and "BAH" techniques, I expect that there are many factors having to do with dog behavior, your own personality and relationship with your puppy/dog that allow them to work for you.

Some explanations were given in the "BAH" thread. Since that technique does not involve physical contact, I do not see any danger in offering it for conideration. For the ear biting, I do not think it is safe to offer it as a training technique. Maybe as a personal example of what has worked for you, but not as a suggestion that others try it. As some have already suggested, it could result in the "bite-er" being bitten back. Or some not-so-nice "bite-er" taking a chunk out of a puppy's ear.

I think this is great advice. Thanks very much JanT some intelligent constructive input into the topic. The variables that are involved do need to be considered. With the 'Bah' anyone can use it. If someone was to read this and want to know about the 'Bah' they need to read the 'Mother Wolf' thread.

Ear biting it seems is a different thing all together. Yes I use this technique and it works for me. There are plenty of other people that use it too. Teej had a good response and I can tell just by Teej attitude that you understand what I mean
I do know what I am doing. In light of the varied levels of experience, attitudes etc with posters on this forum the potential for misuse of this technique is way too high. The potential for misuse is more likely the owner biting the puppy ear too many times or to hard etc. Using the technique incorrectly. So again is comes back the the owner not the dog. Also noting the level of understanding about ear biting, does not instill any confidence at all in me to continue this thread. This is obviously why few people have heard about it. Some things are best kept secret.

I initially did not even consider that people did not know about puppy ear bite training as I have only used this way so I ignorantly assumed that lots of other people did too. Thats the great thing about forums like this you never stop learning.

[scooterjohansen]

Originally Posted by Anne

Hey Scooter. My dogs have a good understanding of how their mouths work and they too have never bitten anyone.

All this happened without me ever even thinking of biting an ear.

How do you figure that a human biting the ear of a dog teaches him anything apart from the fact that he needs to sleep with one eye open because humans do very strange things?

Congratulations. Yes humans do do very strange things..... LOL

[scooterjohansen]

Originally Posted by Teej

Hey scooter I am with you. Dogs do not have the emotional capability of understanding what we are doing to them if its a bite back on the ear or a swift correction with the lead or a submissive down. As long as it quick and gets the point accross. Now of course the bitting on the ear is not somthing done whenever a dog needs a correction or out on a walk. It is at a time when the handler is willing o stoop to the dogs level. And prove even if I acted like you you dumb "jerk" I am still your ALFA !!!!!! :)

Thanks. You understand where I am coming.

"Now of course the bitting on the ear is not somthing done whenever a dog needs a correction or out on a walk."

I am pretty sure there would be people would try it though