asgriswold
Rattie
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| 06/07/2007 4:58 PM |
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My 3 month old rattie only bites my son and I don't know how to stop her. She only bites him. Today she drew blood. I put her in her little crate and put a blanket over it. Does anyone know how to stop her??
Stacy |
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DaisysMom
Moderator
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| 06/07/2007 5:05 PM |
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| So we can clearly understand and help you better: How old is your son and what exactly is going on when the biting occurs? Any other family members? How long have you had your pup (and what is her name?) and from where did you get her? |
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Tracey - Darlin' Daisy's Mom
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asgriswold
Rattie
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| 06/07/2007 5:08 PM |
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| Sorry I guess I didn't give you much info. My son will be 9 in July. He was just watching tv both times today. She just attacks him all the time. I do have another son that will be 11 in July and my husband and I. I got her when she was 9 weeks old. We have had her for like 6 weeks....I think. She came from a lady in Baraveld, WI. Her name is Matty. |
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Brandy
Firehouse Big Dog
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| 06/07/2007 5:15 PM |
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| Max bites my five year old, but it is because Blake will put his hands in Max's mouth and play rough with him. He has never drawn blood...but I told Blake that if he does, then Blake is in trouble, not Max. Blake has taught Max that it is ok to play with him that way....even though I don't let him do it. |
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PROUD Home Visit Coordinator for Ratbone's Rescue!!
This is Pirate Country, we bleed Purple and Gold!!!!!
GO ECU!!! |
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DaisysMom
Moderator
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| 06/07/2007 5:18 PM |
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That's ok. Since Matty is young yet, I would make a guess that this is play biting and not aggressive, as she does it more with the youngest son, she may see him more as a sibling rather than "above" her in the heirachy of your "pack". I'm also going to assume (and correct me if I'm wrong) that hard enough to draw blood may be because his puppy teeth are very sharp and your 9 year old has somewhat not-as-tough skin as an adult. Does Matty growl or snarl or anything similar when this is going on or does it appear to you as if she is "playing" with him?
Our training moderator, Nora, always has the most excellent advice and I'm sure she'll post a reply as soon as she sees this (I am moving it to the training forum as I think she checks those posts more often as she's very busy right now - and I will email her a note as well).
She recently address young pups biting in this thread: http://www.rat-terrier.com/Home/tabid/37/forumid/5/tpage/1/view/topic/postid/39364/Default.aspx#39503
You absolutely need to get this behavior stopped now while the pup is still young so it doesn't progress into adulthood.
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Tracey - Darlin' Daisy's Mom
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asgriswold
Rattie
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| 06/07/2007 5:23 PM |
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Matty does not growl or snarl. She bit him in the upper arm. I am hoping she is just playing and I can get this to stop before she is older and tries to bite people.
thanks |
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asgriswold
Rattie
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| 06/07/2007 5:23 PM |
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Matty does not growl or snarl. She bit him in the upper arm. I am hoping she is just playing and I can get this to stop before she is older and tries to bite people.
thanks |
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asgriswold
Rattie
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| 06/07/2007 5:31 PM |
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Thank you for your help |
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DaisysMom
Moderator
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| 06/07/2007 5:33 PM |
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You are more than welcome  Glad you found us. Please stick around and we would love to see some pics of Matty!!! You can get her over this and help her be the wonderful addition to the family that you would like her to be - but it will take time and effort from you and your family as well. I suggest you read the thread I linked to above and read some of the other thread in the Training section as well. There is TONS of invaluable advice there.
Good luck and check in often. I assure you Nora will respond as soon as she can! But it's disheartening sometimes when we never see people again and find out how things went, so let us know!!! |
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Tracey - Darlin' Daisy's Mom
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asgriswold
Rattie
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| 06/07/2007 5:57 PM |
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I will stick around.  I just added Matty to my profile.
stacy |
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DaisysMom
Moderator
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| 06/07/2007 6:12 PM |
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Well, you've already moved up a rank  |
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Tracey - Darlin' Daisy's Mom
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rattytatty
Newbie
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| 06/08/2007 8:31 AM |
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Hello, Stacy. I'm just now seeing this -- thank you Tracey for emailing me.
Stacy, it's difficult to offer advice when I don't know the particulars. Was your son sitting on the couch watching TV ... minding his own business... and the puppy just jumped up and bit his arm for no reason? Dog bites rarely come out of the blue like that. Not saying that it didn't happen... just saying it's unusual if it did. Puppy teeth are sharp. Is it possible that the puppy was trying to play with your son and maybe your son turned quickly and the dog's teeth caught your son's arm? Was your son doing NOTHING at all? Did you see what happened?
If in fact the puppy jumped on the couch and purposely bit your son's arm for no reason whatsoever... that would be one situation versus a situation where your son was playing or "rough-housing" with the puppy and the dog accidentally bit his arm. I'd like to get a handle on which situation it was before I comment on this.
Your puppy is old enough to be taught not to do this. But it's going to take an investment of time and commitment. I guess I personally feel that if someone gets a dog, they are making that commitment... but alas... this is 80% of the time NOT true. They don't train their dogs and then wonder why they act the way they do.
Oftentimes, what is poor and unacceptable behavior to us humans is perfectly normal behavior for dogs. Luckily, the dogs are trainable and rat terriers respond very well to our training efforts. They are smart and responsive animals and I honestly believe once this situation is rectified... you'll be glad you have him.
The dog needs to learn to be a part of your ENTIRE family. Although it's not uncommon at all for a dog to bond closer with one human than another...the dog still needs to co-exist and interact at an acceptable level with ALL family members... not just some of them.
Can you please provide me with the details of the incident so I can give you the best advice I can?
Thank you so much! |
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asgriswold
Rattie
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| 06/09/2007 8:12 AM |
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| My son was just sitting on the couch watching tv. She hasn't bit him since. If I see her start rough housing with I give her a look and snap my fingers at her and then she knows she is being naughty and needs to settle down. This seems to be working. She really likes to rough house with my son and only him. thanks |
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Fenway14
Ratterific
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| 06/09/2007 8:52 AM |
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i have a 5 month old and since i got him when he was 12 weeks he has NOT stopped bitting me, my friends mom works at a vet and she says that there is a place behind his teeth where its only gums and when he bits to put my finger back there and let him chew on that, it helps for a while but most of the time i just tell him NO BIT and close his snout shut. |
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"Always do what your afraid to do"
Megan♥ mommy to Fenway and Covelli
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ladyfern
Bratty Ratty
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| 06/09/2007 10:39 AM |
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| This sounds like something Shiloh used to do, she still does it but has learned not to be so rough. Our youngest, Johnny gets the worst of it too. He loves to be in the floor to watch TV and Shiloh will literally bounce off his back and get a mouthfull of his hair in the process. He'd yelp and grab his head. It seems to mean enough tv watching, come play! She use to nip at him like that too thinking it would entice him to play with her but he yells really loud when she does it and after giving her a good lecture, will completely ignore her. It looks harsh but it works. She hates to be ignored! |
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ladyfern & shiloh
If you want the best seat in the house ... move the dog!
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rattytatty
Newbie
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| 06/09/2007 4:13 PM |
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| I would discourage the rough housing... |
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ladyfern
Bratty Ratty
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| 06/10/2007 9:13 PM |
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| I have and as soon as I explained it to the kids she settled down. Made a huge difference! Now it seems she gets all that rough housing out on her stuffed animals, which is fine! Fluff everywhere is much better than a confused or scared pup and a scratched up skin kid any day! I can easily see how the rough housing starts though, these little guys are just full of spunk and up for any game, any time! lol |
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ladyfern & shiloh
If you want the best seat in the house ... move the dog!
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Miss Molly
Rattie
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| 06/10/2007 9:49 PM |
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| Molly used to nip to roughhouse but now she knows who she can roughhouse with. She and my older son battle all the time. She also likes to wrestle with my husband. |
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Bokilink
Rat Royalty
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| 07/05/2007 2:25 AM |
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boomer tried this too... he foun dout really quick biting is not acceptable all I have to do is say NO in a stern voice and glare at him.... I dont have to YELL or anything. My Son likes to try to pick boomer up and does it in a way that isnt so gentle.. so Boomer growls at him.. I have time and time again told the boy that if the dog bites him I will be mad at HIM not the dog... the dog is ONLY defending hilself the only way he can...
To me the behaviour that has been explained here sounds like this dogs is telling you son that its time to stop being a couch potato and lets play..... I cant imagine a dog who was not abused prior or trained to do so just walking up to a person doing NOTHING and biting them..... she has to have a reason for doing it and to me knowing what I have been learning here about RT's they LIKE their people to pay attention to THEM not others or other things!!!! selfish dogs.... (snicker!!!!) |
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