[JamieJo]

Hey all, I'm new to this forum so forgive me if theres already a thread about this. Our basset, Lucy Ann, is 18 weeks old and we're having a heck of a time getting her to quit biting and barking inappropriately. I know that part of the biting problem is teething right now, but I still want her to learn it's not ok to bite people, whether its playful or not. And I understand its in their nature to bark at unknown people, but I can't seem to get her to stop barking after she starts. She also barks inappropriately at random. Is there anyone else who had these problems and if so, how did you resolve this??

Thanks!!

 

[bubbad]

The barking is attention getting good or bad.Praise her( not excitedly) very calmly when she is quiet should help some. And I'm a believer in spray bottles ,don't over use it,put it on stream and if she barks shoot her saying "Quiet". Biting is puppy play , yes, it hurts, but that is how they play with their siblings.If she nips too hard say,"OUCH" loudly,her siblings would squeal loudly.How old was she when you got her.I growl "NO" in as deep a voice as I can muster,which will get their attention,she must learn bite inhabition ,so she doesn't bite so hard. If she didn't spend enough time with her siblings and Mom she doesn't know this. My puppies are 3 months old and I have used "NO" with them for a while now and somtimes a pinch ,not enough to cause pain,just discomfort , on her scruff(the back of her neck).The puppies may mouth you but they do not clamp down.

 

[Mikey T]

In an 18 week puppy both are related to excitement level as well. The problem You are haveing probably relates to this. An overlyexcited dog is not capable of thinking and learn. so 1. you need to start oberving the dog a learning what level it the point of no return and work at keeping the dog below that threashold.

2, we humans tend to make the mattter worse by how react if the dog is getting excited when need to do the opposite slow down move slowly and deliberately act and talk calmly or we feed into the excitement.

3. do a search of the site of "bite inhibition" "puppy mothing" and or "teaching Self Control" will bring up a number of threads on these subjects which contain a lot more details. The last think people or I need right now is another of by 5 page long posts when I have 4 or five of them in the last couple of months.

 

[JamieJo]

Thanks for the feedback! I'll have to try the water bottle trick. We usually do well with not overreacting but sometimes I know our tempers get the best of us. I'll have to try saying ouch when she bites...never thought of that! Thanks again!!

 

[Esther]

Thanks for the feedback! I'll have to try the water bottle trick. We usually do well with not overreacting but sometimes I know our tempers get the best of us. I'll have to try saying ouch when she bites...never thought of that! Thanks again!!

won't have to think to say ouch if she begins biting harder...

 

[Mikey T]

I think with bite inhibition training what people don;t get is is not about stoping biting and mouthing but stoping a hard bite at that instant. Dog bites to hard "ow," 'no!" whatever dog lets up. that is all you are looking for. it is not about stop playing, it is only about hard bites and as such it is momentary in nature.
Ramping down play excitement and keeping to a level which the dog still has its head on is an enterly different matter even though most hard bite occur during exuberent play n they are not the same thing On need to start looking at how you play with the dog. practice ramping up and down the excitement level unless you practicve when you need to do so it will be next to impossible, as you start to get a feel for being able to lowere excitement you can start to work on bite inhibition at more highly aroused state successfully