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Location: cheshire, uk
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23-12-2010, 11:26 AM

How can I stop them from biting each other?

how can i stop my dogs from biting each other?

its when they play, they get too carried away, and asbo starts biting and pulling on daphni's ears and the hair around her neck. its snapping all her hair off, and i cant have that otherwise i cant show her.
daphni grabs asbo's feet and chews his legs.

and to be honest it just gets annoying. they do it at really inappropriate times, like when your just sitting down to eat so then you end up not eating in peace because im constantly telling them to stop.

theyre fine to start with as the game usually starts with them playing with a toy together, which i dont want to stop. but then they get overexcited and start pulling at each other. this is the behaviour i dont want.

they will stop as soon as i say stop, but only for a few seconds then start again.

is there any way i can stop them before it happens? any ideas on how i can stop it?

thanks in advance
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ClaireandDaisy
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23-12-2010, 11:43 AM
It`s playing, so stopping them will be stopping their fun. My dogs play a lot - I think it`s nice. Loud, but nice.
If it`s too loud I chuck a ball into another room and they charge after it. They`re easily distracted.
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23-12-2010, 11:51 AM
Originally Posted by ClaireandDaisy View Post
It`s playing, so stopping them will be stopping their fun. My dogs play a lot - I think it`s nice. Loud, but nice.
If it`s too loud I chuck a ball into another room and they charge after it. They`re easily distracted.
i dont mind them playing, and i dont mind them charging at each other, pulling toys etc. but its when asbo grabs at her coat, because hes ripping it out, its getting shorter and shorter and i dont want it to get to the point where shes starting to get bald spots. plus it takes ages to grow back. its only just started coming through properly from when she lost a load because of the food she was on.
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SLB
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23-12-2010, 11:54 AM
Oh dear if you change Asbo to Louie and Daphni to Sadie - then you have exactly what is happening at this moment in time here

You won't be showing her til next year right? So whats the harm in them playing for now, you can just trim her fur right - or am I being naive?

If you want it to stop badly and they don't stop after I've shouted "Hey" at them - you have to shout because they are noisy, like you, they start playing again after 5 seconds, but if it carries on after I say that I stand up and repeat it, then it if carries on, I separate them for a few minutes - this usually stops it but I like them playing - it's only when people are in bed or the kids are about or my Dad's trying to watch TV that I stop it. I have found a quicker way though - "OUT!" they sit in the hallway looking into the room - like what did we do? then they can come back in after a few minutes (it's like the naughty corner) but I do use a different tone to "out" when we're going out or they're getting out the car.
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Tass
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23-12-2010, 11:55 AM
Play can be a self stimulating behaviour. it can also sometimes have a competitive element to it.

Both these factors can mean the longer play goes on the more stimulated, aroused and so potentially assertive the dog becomes.

In more extreme cases this can be why play can built into fighting.

That outcome can also be influenced by dogs testing through play - in some cases this prevents fighting as they learn about each other in a safe situation as often more allowances are made in play and safety signals are used, in others the increasing arousal leads to fighting, or increasingly rough play fighting.

So potentially play gets more intense as it continues, unless the dogs self-regulate, which yours appear to do as they are not fighting but they are getting rougher with each other.

Hence I would work on two things.

Short term stop the play and give them both a time out to cool down before letting them start again, e.g send them both to separate beds or mats, aside from anything else otherwise this may become established as their play style. Trailing leads can help to establish this.

Longer term teach them to be more controlled and restrained in their play so you can "turn down" the intensity. E.g individually play with each dog and praise and label soft play "gently, good dog".

Gradually get that dog a bit agitated then tell it "gently" and slow down the play/reduce the intensity. Then have both dogs play with you together (i.e you play a tug game with both dogs at the same time, one with each hand), and then have them play directly with each other, so you have then built a "gently" command when they are playing together.

If it was just irritating you can teach them that roughly play is allowed outside some times but not in the house but if you are concerned about coat damage you probably wouldn't want to allow that.

It may not be incidental that they do it when you are busy, either because there is an attention seeking element, or because there is an opportunity presented.

My dogs and my cats play together and I need the dogs to recognise that they need to be much softer there than they need to be with each other. I also can't have them playing too noisily or boisterously when I am on the phone etc.
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x-clo-x
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23-12-2010, 11:57 AM
Originally Posted by SLB View Post
Oh dear if you change Asbo to Louie and Daphni to Sadie - then you have exactly what is happening at this moment in time here

You won't be showing her til next year right? So whats the harm in them playing for now, you can just trim her fur right - or am I being naive?

If you want it to stop badly and they don't stop after I've shouted "Hey" at them - you have to shout because they are noisy, like you, they start playing again after 5 seconds, but if it carries on after I say that I stand up and repeat it, then it if carries on, I separate them for a few minutes - this usually stops it but I like them playing - it's only when people are in bed or the kids are about or my Dad's trying to watch TV that I stop it. I have found a quicker way though - "OUT!" they sit in the hallway looking into the room - like what did we do? then they can come back in after a few minutes (it's like the naughty corner) but I do use a different tone to "out" when we're going out or they're getting out the car.
shows start again in january... so cant really leave them to it. plus daphni is a powderpuff and they dont get trimmed her hair is meant to be as long as possible.

i might try and teach them a calm down command, so that when they get too hyped, they have to lie at my feet for a couple of minutes or something....
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23-12-2010, 11:59 AM
Originally Posted by Tass View Post
Play can be a self stimulating behaviour. it can also sometimes have a competitive element to it.

Both these factors can mean the longer play goes on the more stimulated, aroused and so potentially assertive the dog becomes.

In more extreme cases this can be why play can built into fighting.

That outcome can also be influenced by dogs testing through play - in some cases this prevents fighting as they learn about each other in a safe situation as often more allowances are made in play and safety signals are used, in others the increasing arousal leads to fighting, or increasingly rough play fighting.

So potentially play gets more intense as it continues, unless the dogs self-regulate, which yours appear to do as they are not fighting but they are getting rougher with each other.

Hence I would work on two things.

Short term stop the play and give them both a time out to cool down before letting them start again, e.g send them both to separate beds or mats, aside from anything else otherwise this may become established as their play style. Trailing leads can help to establish this.

Longer term teach them to be more controlled and restrained in their play so you can "turn down" the intensity. E.g individually play with each dog and praise and label soft play "gently, good dog".

Gradually get that dog a bit agitated then tell it "gently" and slow down the play/reduce the intensity. Then have both dogs play with you together (i.e you play a tug game with both dogs at the same time, one with each hand), and then have them play directly with each other, so you have then built a "gently" command when they are playing together.

If it was just irritating you can teach them that roughly play is allowed outside some times but not in the house but if you are concerned about coat damage you probably wouldn't want to allow that.

It may not be incidental that they do it when you are busy, either because there is an attention seeking element, or because there is an opportunity presented.
thanks for that.. think im going to try the first part by separating them. daphni knows bed already so shes easy enough, just need to teach asbo it.
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Ramble
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23-12-2010, 12:00 PM
I think it's a shame you have to stop them just for showing
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SLB
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23-12-2010, 12:10 PM
Originally Posted by x-clo-x View Post
shows start again in january... so cant really leave them to it. plus daphni is a powderpuff and they dont get trimmed her hair is meant to be as long as possible.

i might try and teach them a calm down command, so that when they get too hyped, they have to lie at my feet for a couple of minutes or something....
Could you put her a thin coat or t-shirt on to stop him from pulling her fur? I realise that with the weather - you'd probably have your heating on but a thin layer just to stop the majority of her fur being pulled out?

BTW - remember when she wouldn't go near him
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ClaireandDaisy
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23-12-2010, 12:14 PM
How about adapting a snood? (to protect the fur)
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