Dog biting when being told off

?
Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
Report

Hello everyone,

How are you supposed to react when your dog growls at you or bites you just as you've finished telling him off?

Or, what is the right way to scold a dog that is growling at you or trying to bite?

My dog isn't "dominant" with other dogs at all; on the contrary, he tends to be quite submissive and won't even defend himself if another dog tries to attack him.

He is a very affectionate, kind, and generally obedient dog, except when he has picked up the scent of food. The worst part is on walks, where he is always on the lookout for anything lying around, sometimes to the point where he stops listening to me entirely.

On a walk, when he's found something to eat, he tunes me out, and when I try to stop him, he growls at me, shows his teeth, and sometimes bites. I always try to anticipate it with a "leave it" command, but when he's off-lead, it's very difficult. Every time he misbehaves, I make him lie down and wait until he stops growling before praising him. But that doesn't stop him from doing it again the next time. I feel like my approach isn't working at all. He has already managed to bite me; luckily, I was wearing my jacket every time so I didn't feel a thing, but it's still not pleasant. Especially since, in those moments, passers-by look at me as if I'm a bad owner -_-

When he bites me, I grab him by the scruff of his neck and make him lie down again, pressing my hand on his neck to force him to stay down. Usually, I wait a few minutes and then resume the walk. But the other day, when it happened, I was at the end of my tether, so I put him back on the lead and turned back to go home. The walk was a bit of a disaster and I think I was just as disappointed as my dog. When I got home, I put him in time-out, but after an hour he started crying because he wanted to be with me :(

Translated from French
icon info

The forum content is sometimes translated from another language, and posts may concern countries with different animal laws. Do your research before making any decisions.

Since the forum is translated by AI, the translations may contain errors.

Write your message and upload a photo if you want to! Please remain courteous in your exchanges.

Your post will be visible to all members of the international Wamiz forum.

20 answers
Sort by:
    • Yukimi
    Yukimi Icon representing the flag French
    Report
    I’m having a bit of trouble understanding the initial situation. Is he on or off-lead during the walk? I think the walk should be split into: * Off-lead where the dog isn't in any danger; there, you let him do his own thing and sniff to his heart's content. No conflict is possible there. * On a lead, at heel, on a short lead held vertically, where it’s impossible for him to put his nose on the ground. This is for when free walking is no longer safe. Again, there shouldn't be any conflict here if you learn how to hold the lead properly. I didn’t quite get what your dog’s “misbehaviour” consisted of during the walk, or why you were doing “down” exercises mid-walk. Forgive me, but your description didn't really allow me to visualise the situation. - As for the looks you get from passers-by, just decide once and for all that you don't care; that'll be a weight off your mind already. - If your dog has bitten you, it’s no longer the time to analyse past mistakes, but rather to show him clearly that things aren't going to work like that and that you are the one in charge. So yes, holding him down very firmly in a submissive position until the dog calms down seems essential to me. I walk my dog both on-lead AND off-lead. It all depends on where I am: the woods or the town. Here, I’m talking about when my dog is OFF-lead and he eats something nasty or even dangerous and I want to stop him. The result: he runs off, growls, or bites. Every time, I try to get ahead of it with the "drop it" command, but it doesn't work every time, and at that point, he bolts with whatever he’s found and swallows it. He eats anything lying around: old food, horse manure, you name it. That is what I call "misbehaving." I don’t scold my dog for every little thing, but in this case, it can be really dangerous for him. I’m not doing "down" exercises as such. The "down" is what I ask of him when he starts growling at me. I tell him to lie down, wait for him to calm down, and then I praise him. Obviously, I don’t stroke him if he’s just bitten me. If it gets as far as a bite, it’s a firm "no" and I pin his head to the ground to force him to stay in the down position. Then I release him, wait a few minutes, and put him back on the lead for a section of the walk. My question is, is my approach the right one? In your experience, is there a better way to handle it? Because even though I do this every time, I don’t see any difference. Maybe, as @Irisea14 said, I should put him back on the lead until the very end of the walk when he bites me, rather than just for one stretch of the path. **Hi there, I have a Staffy cross that I got from a rescue centre, so I know exactly what you’re talking about. I called in a dog trainer—only a professional will really be able to help you and give you the best answers. Mine can be a nightmare on walks sometimes, but when I needed to get her attention, for example, to get her to come to heel, I had to show her that coming back to us isn't a prison, but a reward. Mine loves playing with sticks, so she comes back, we have a bit of a tug-of-war, we play, and then hop—she’s released again. Then we start over. I think your dog’s "wires are a bit crossed"; try reward-based training, but it’s best to see a specialist for that because you shouldn't give the reward at the wrong moment. Check out some training videos online (like Esprit Dog, for instance); they have good advice and cover loads of different situations... Anyway, I’m no expert, but what helped me—and is still helping—is the dog trainer. You’ve lost your dog’s trust and you need to win it back... Best of luck to you.**
    Translated from French
    M
    Mariehg Icon representing the flag French
    Report

    Hi, I’m having exactly the same issue with my 10-month-old German Shepherd. We’ve had problems since the day we brought her home; she used to attack us out of frustration (whenever we told her off, stopped playing, or tried to head home at the end of a walk). We brought in a behaviourist who explained that:

    1. The advice from the dog trainers, which involved pinning the dog on her back or grabbing her by the scruff of the neck, was completely wrong. In our case, our dog didn’t understand these gestures and interpreted them as an attack.

    2. She likely missed out on some vital socialisation with her mum, which explains a lot.

    We stopped doing those things and everything went back to normal.

    But every now and then, every few weeks or so, she starts up again. The problem is she no longer has the strength of the 4-month-old puppy she was when the behaviourist first came out; she really sinks her teeth in now. Even if it’s just "play" to her, it feels like an actual attack to us.

    The issue is that we usually distract her when it happens—we give a command, she obeys, we reward her, and the walk carries on as normal. Except now... the walk doesn’t just go back to normal. She keeps lunging at us even while we’re moving forward. And she’s attacking BOTH of us.

    We’re at our wits' end because even though it only happens occasionally, it’s scary. She’s getting older and stronger!

    It’s not for lack of being firm, and we certainly don't hit her! We come back from these walks exhausted and she is an absolute nightmare for the rest of the day.

    The only dog trainers who seem qualified to handle this kind of case are miles away from where we live, and the behaviourist is running out of solutions...

    Translated from French
    R
    Roukia83690 Icon representing the flag French
    Report
    Hi there, I can see exactly what kind of issue you're having with your dog. The problem is that your dog lacks confidence around others. In this specific situation, it's up to you to protect them from other dogs, but be careful not to get stressed yourself, as that can make things very dangerous. As for the lack of obedience whether on or off the lead, I’d recommend a training lead, like the slip leads used in dog shows. If you place it high up on the neck, it won’t hurt them and it will allow you to lead them much more easily. When it comes to the biting or growling at you, you need to say "no" in a firm tone without shouting. If they bite you anyway, don't just end the walk and head home angry, as they won't understand why. You need to get them onto their side in a submissive position and not give them a choice. If they resist when you try to get them down, give them a little nudge or trip them slightly while pressing on their flank to get them to lie down—not too hard, but not too soft either. Once they are lying on their side, make them keep their head on the ground without letting them get up. You're the one in charge, not them. Once they've settled and stop trying to get up, wait five minutes, put the lead back on, and go home. Put them in their bed, but don't leave them entirely alone. If they whimper, say "no" and ignore them. Most importantly, don't praise them once they've calmed down, otherwise they'll think they're doing it just for a treat or a fuss. It needs to become normal for them. My method might seem a bit firm, but don’t worry, I’ve rehabilitated plenty of dogs like this and they are absolute sweethearts now; it doesn't hurt them at all. If the problem persists, go and see a more experienced dog trainer. Thanks, bye for now, give your pooch a pat from me and best of luck.
    Translated from French
    ?
    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
    Report
    Personally, I asked my breeder about this, and when mine doesn’t listen, I don’t get worked up—shouting is pointless. Stay as neutral as possible, frown to show you’re unhappy, and then put him in a separate room for 5 minutes. After that, open the door and just ignore him. Now, you might ask: what do you do on a walk? You can’t exactly put them in a separate room! Personally, I don’t think their bed should ever be used for punishment. When we’re out, my dog is usually quite well-behaved, but she does have moments of madness that I try to manage as best I can by getting her attention back, then making her do a "sit-stay" and giving her a reward. In your case, he’s biting and being aggressive, so the best punishment is to ignore him. Give a firm "NO", put him back on the lead, and then ignore him—don’t look at him, don’t get angry, and just go home. Once you’re back, take away his water and his food bowl, and keep ignoring him. (That was advice from a vet.) I’ve also been using a method that was recommended to me on this forum, and it worked today. You lift him up by the lead when he gets aggressive. Basically, you lift his front paws off the ground while his back legs stay down. In this position, the dog is powerless. Hold it until he calms down, then put him back on the ground and make him do a "sit-stay". If he starts again, do it again. It worked for me today, though the situation might be different for you. Either way, it’s still a non-violent approach.
    Translated from French
    ?
    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
    Report

    New !!! HERE IS A PROVEN AND effective method to train your dog in just 15 mins a day

    http://go.banajo.neoaid.3.1tpe.net

    Translated from French
    ?
    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
    Report

    Hi there, I’ve had to deal with this exact same issue myself.

    Puppies generally explore everything with their mouths. At the start—and even now and then today, though less often—my girl eats poo; it’s like truffles to her! Personally, I don't think your dog understands why you're scolding them.

    I’d suggest starting the training at home first of all. And keep in mind that a dog growling before biting is actually a good sign—they are "warning" you, even if, like you, I don't tolerate that kind of behaviour.

    One day we gave our dog a bone. I was on the phone when I heard growling and shouting; I found my boyfriend with a rolled-up newspaper in his hand and the dog with her teeth bared... Whoa! He told me, "I wanted to take her bone away to give it back later." I stepped in, took the dog, and put her in a separate room. We called our breeder to ask for advice.

    She told us that if we want to take something away from a dog, we just need to do an exchange. "I’ll take the bone, but I’ll give you a bit of cheese" (for example). This is because a dog doesn't understand why we're taking something away for no reason that makes sense to them.

    And it really worked! If you can, avoid giving them treats in their bed (since that's the dog's own space).

    Try giving them something, like a bone. Approach them and get their attention with something even tastier. Give them the treat and take the bone. Then give the bone back; repeat this several times. That way, your dog will think, "It’s fine, she’ll give it back to me!"

    But a word of warning: this is most effective if you catch it early. Don't push your luck though! Some vets or trainers told me to just leave her to it. I didn't agree; personally, I think you shouldn't bite the hand that feeds you. After all, what if they pick up the remote or a lighter? How do you get it back if they're behaving like that?

    So, I used this method gently and it worked. It took patience, but since my girl was small at the time, I can now take absolutely anything away from her and she doesn't show any signs of aggression anymore.

    Translated from French
    Kikaah
    Kikaah Icon representing the flag French
    Report
    The dog is already aggressive enough as it is, and their relationship is already strained whenever food is involved. I don't think this method is the best way forward, far from it... besides, flipping a dog over isn't that easy; he might not be a big dog, but unless she’s a bodybuilder, she’s going to struggle... and he’ll almost certainly bite her!
    Translated from French
    ?
    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
    Report
    I think that’s a good approach, but maybe try putting him on his back in a submissive position. He needs to realise that you won’t stand for that and that you’re stronger than him!
    Translated from French
    ?
    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
    Report
    Evening, Growling is perfectly normal behaviour for a dog; it’s their way of letting you know that they aren’t happy with a situation or your behaviour, or that they’re feeling stressed or scared. The trainers at the dog club we go to, who use positive reinforcement training, explain it well: a growling dog is a dog that’s giving a warning. If you use harsh or coercive methods to stop them from growling, there’s a massive risk that one day, in a stressful situation, they’ll bite badly without any warning (i.e., growling) because you’ve essentially taught them not to warn you. We have a puppy who growls in certain situations, and since we’ve started trying to understand the "why" (he doesn't like being handled when he's being told off), he hardly ever does it anymore. I’d really recommend seeing a dog trainer who uses positive methods or looking into a local training club that does the same. I’m convinced it’ll sort the problem out because they’ll try to understand why he’s growling in those specific moments. We don’t have any issues with our dog now, even though we had loads before – growling, nipping, etc. – and all that without ever using any punishment other than a few seconds of "time-out". Best of luck! :)
    Translated from French
    Kikaah
    Kikaah Icon representing the flag French
    Report
    Is he eating enough and is it the right kind of food? A lot of dry food is poor quality, so even if you give him plenty, the ingredients mean he’s still hungry... you should definitely look into that. I’d also suggest working on things at home where it's quiet, specifically the "no eating off the floor" rule. Instead of waiting for him to grab the food so you can tell him off, get him to sit or lie down at a distance and ask him to wait. There will be the odd setback, but keep at it... food on the floor is a big no! But when he takes something he shouldn't, instead of getting worked up or frustrated and rushing over to him, offer him something more tempting (keep some bits of meat handy).
    Translated from French

  • 10 comments out of 20

    See more
    • Do you have a question? An experience to share? Create a post on our forum!
    These topics could be of interest to you!
    Find out more