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  1. #1
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    Question 7mo old biting hands/arms when greeting and pulling on leash

    We have a 7 month old lab who gets really excited to meet people and dogs and pulls on the leash to do so and when he gets there, people put their hands out to pet him and he puts it in his mouth. It's usually not a problem except a couple days ago he accidentally broke skin. When we come home, he knows we don't like it so he immediately grabs anything around - a flip flop, a toy, even a leaf on the ground to have something in his mouth, then he doesn't bite, he just wags his tail furiously and walks around us with his ears back happy to see us. Should I just carry something with me to put in his mouth at all times when he meets people? Or should I train him not to bite? My thought is that I'd like to train him not to bite so I don't have to carry something around with me to prevent it.

  2. #2
    Senior Dog
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    I'd work with him to stop it if at all possible. Some dogs are just extremely mouthy and don't mean to be doing anything harmful. Some live their entire lives with human arms/hands in their mouths...leading them around.

    That said, I've known people who've had their dogs carry something themselves on walks...usually a ball or small stuffed toy. One fellow who walked his dogs loose always had dogs with their own leashes folded up in their mouths.

  3. #3
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    This is a pretty common puppy problem and many of us worked to fix it. Basic obedience classes will help you to teach him to not pull on the leash, sit when asked and teach you how to gain his focus. Even outside but it's far easier in class where you usually start inside at a lower threshhold of excitement. You need to act on his behalf and ask people not to reach out to pet him unless you say they can and after he's paid attention to you.

    Lots of dogs need to carry something around in their mouths at home. If that's all it takes to control overly exuberant greetings, me, I'd go for it. I'd make sure he has some favourite toys ready for that. I've seen dogs carrying stuffies on their walks. Not keen on it myself, my dog would lose one a day. But if it helps while you get the training underway it might be worth it, get into a class and ask the trainer.

    He's not biting, he just has not been taught how to greet properly. However he could get himself and you into a whole lot of trouble if he breaks skin on a stranger, worst a kid. Please contact a trainer and see about classes. WElcome to the board. It sounds like you have a typical excessively friendly Lab puppy. Waht's his name? CAn we see a photo?
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  4. #4
    Senior Dog smartrock's Avatar
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    I'm not sure I'd even think of it as biting, it's the puppy being mouthy but sometimes skin can be broken if the person pulls back or something like that. We still have toys strewn all over our house most days from our 4 year old carrying toys around when we come home/come downstairs/she hasn't seen us for some apparently interminable (to her) time period. In the morning she wants to have a hem or some little part of my clothing in her mouth briefly as we make our way downstairs if there's no other toy or object to carry.

    Part of getting my dog not to greet others with her mouth open was to make her sit before greeting others, sometimes stepping on her leash to keep her in place, and then being pretty firm with whoever wants to say Hi not to do it until she seems calmer. If she had to sit or lie there being ignored until the other person and I talk for a few minutes, her energy level would go way down and she could be petted like a professional dog. I agree with classes. If you've taken basic obedience classes, maybe look to find a class to earn a Canine Good Citizen certificate, which works on many of the behaviors you are concerned about. CGC Pledge - American Kennel Club

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    Charlotte K. (10-26-2017)

  6. #5
    Best Friend Retriever silverfz's Avatar
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    Gigi has same.impluse issue and at 18 months and 85 lbs she grabbed a bit too hard few weeks ago and broke skin of a neighbour she has not seen in a few.months


    she has always been like this and wish I started work earlier with impulse control..


    Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

  7. #6
    Senior Dog Macy's Avatar
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    Macy did this as a pup, too. It was definitely not biting but she needed to learn to stop. I think greeting people properly was one of the most difficult things to work on with a friendly, excited lab. I did walk around with an "emergency greeting" item for her to put in her mouth for a period of time. She still walks with her swimmy toy when we go to the lake.

  8. #7
    Senior Dog TuMicks's Avatar
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    So here's the deal. Around us, a "dog bite" is any injury that is caused by the dog, and includes things like a dog jumping up on someone such that they fall. Also a scratch. Also a bruise or any skin break caused by the dog. Basically, if you don't control your dog... you can find your dog impounded and yourself in municipal court. Or maybe you'll be calling your homeowner's insurance company to see if you have an umbrella policy that will cover your liability.

    Another consideration... you're dog is only 7 months old. He will be adding size, weight, and muscle mass. Will you be able to manage your dog when he's grown in to 75 or 80 pounds of determination who'll be hitting the end of the leash like a runaway train?

    Go to a dog training class and get some help with the basics... HEEL/SIT/STAY/DOWN/PLACE. Keep working on it. Takes practice at home and it will require more than 6 or 8 weeks. Basically, classes teach you how to teach your dog.

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    barry581 (11-22-2017)

 



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