Not Biting?

881 Views 6 Replies 4 Participants Last post by VegasResident, Nov 23, 2010

Punk

Discussion Starter · Nov 18, 2010

Diesel will be coming up on 5 months.

He still is pretty mouthy, but is starting to grasp when he plays to rough he doesn't get attention. I understand fully that he will be like this for another 6 months or so.

However, lately when we are playing with him he goes for your hands. Rather then taking his hand into your mouth he stops short...as if he knows he shouldn't...he backs up and goes for it again...I guess snapping at your hand but never touching your hand. Once in a while he will start to bark while doing this and when he does he will test you a bit and just make contact with your hand. When he does this we will leave the room, however I feel that it is making it worse. His bark is getting more intense and starts to growl a bit.

So what do I do if my dog is Not Biting me but acting like this...is this normal?

Thanks in Advance

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VegasResident

· #2 · Nov 19, 2010 (Edited)

Mine does that to the vacuum cleaner, not my hand.

Body posture is always important to know in dog behavior.

1. When he backs up barking, etc what is his body posture? Does his butt go up and front go down?

2. What is your posture at the time also?

3. What kind of play are you doing?

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Stosh

· #3 · Nov 20, 2010

Mine would snap in the air and bark when I corrected them for nipping at that age. Really cute but I couldn't laugh! They were sitting down, not in an aggressive posture

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Punk

Discussion Starter · #4 · Nov 23, 2010

It happens when we are on the floor and lay down or when he jumps on the bed.

He will start barking...then drop down to completely laying down.

I guess he drops his head down first and his back is in the air for a moment or two.

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VegasResident

· #5 · Nov 23, 2010 (Edited)

Punk said:
It happens when we are on the floor and lay down or when he jumps on the bed.

He will start barking...then drop down to completely laying down.

I guess he drops his head down first and his back is in the air for a moment or two.

It is doggie play behavior. You are one his height level.

What he is doing is what he would do to get another dog to play or playing with them.

If you watch a 5 month old (which I currently have) with another pup, you will see him/her snap towards them not always touching but sometimes touching not hard, play bow on the way down or up (this is the back up for a bit) lunging back and forth while barking with some growling. In fact mine does this in puppy class during free playtime and all the others do also.

Your pup is treating you like a playmate at the time.

I don't get on ground with my pup when he is that mode as I don't want him to play with me like another pup. I keep my height. I do get down with him when petting, etc.

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ZAYDA

· #6 · Nov 23, 2010

What Vegas said.... Be careful if you wrestle with a puppy you can cause him to play rough like that and he won't know the difference when it's a little kid. Just my opinion but I feel if you want a genteeler family pet I would be careful.

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VegasResident

· #7 · Nov 23, 2010

ZAYDA said:
What Vegas said.... Be careful if you wrestle with a puppy you can cause him to play rough like that and he won't know the difference when it's a little kid. Just my opinion but I feel if you want a genteeler family pet I would be careful.

yup, when I am on the floor with my boy, I will actually crumple his muzzle, etc. Everything is gentle. If he gets mouthy at all I get up and stop everything until he realigns for proper play like ball chasing etc. This helps him know the difference between playing with "me" and play "with me"

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