My puppy is attacking me...

Fenhrir
Fenhrir Icon representing the flag French
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Hi everyone.

I'm really shaken up. I've just got back from a walk on the beach with my 5-month-old puppy. Everything was going fine; there was nobody else on the beach but us, so I had him off the lead. Sometimes I call him back to me without clipping him back on, just to get him used to his recall. So, just now, I called him over and he came back all happy as usual, except he started grabbing my leg with his front paws. I told him "no" several times, standing up straight, but it was no use. Then he started nipping my thigh, my crotch, my calves, and my arm—really hard too. I've just checked and I'm actually bleeding!

I tried to calm him down and get him to sit, but I feel like the word "no" just excites him even more! I was told I was using the right tone of voice... I think he actually thinks it's a game, to be honest.

And all that lasted at least five minutes... I really tried everything; I didn't lose my temper even though he was really hurting me.

It eventually stopped when I said "no" twice in a very deep, loud voice... I've lost my voice now! :') It really took him by surprise. I put him back on the lead for five minutes and then let him off again... he then started up again, but this time when he caught my leg, he started humping it. It was the same story—no way to calm him down. I even tried pinning him on his back, which is something I never do... even shouting "no" at the top of my lungs didn't do a thing. He eventually calmed down on his own once he'd had enough.

Anyway, the point is, what am I supposed to do?? There are two of us training my dog, my mum and me. I'm away for a good part of the week, so my mum has him all the time. I've seen his behaviour gradually getting worse, even though everything was fine before (except for the fact he nips my mum's calves, though not mine).

We go to a dog training club for classes, but I don't think the instructor is taking our problem seriously enough. He just tells us we have to say "no". But it doesn't work! I think he associates "no" with playing even more!

My mum lets him get away with it when he grabs her leg—she practically strokes him! Every time I tell her she shouldn't do it, she does it anyway...

She pampers him constantly like he's a big baby! I think he's just a spoilt dog who needs some boundaries. But there's nothing I can do since my mum is the one looking after him most of the time. What can I say to her?

Thanks

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18 answers
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    • Kikaah
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    Try to redirect him with a toy; police dogs use a kind of bite tug like this: https://julius-k9.co.uk/bite-tugs.html

    When he lunges at you, wiggle it right in front of his nose and give it a shake – he should find that much more fun than your legs...

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    Fenhrir
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    Right, I'll see what I can find then, I haven't got a fly zapper ^^

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    Docline
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    Seriously, find yourself some kind of "shield".
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    Fenhrir
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    Ouch. I can see your mum hasn’t quite grasped how potentially dangerous Daïko could be if he isn't raised with total consistency. You need to have another chat with her before her lack of strict boundaries leads to some real trouble. Give the vet a ring to see exactly when he can be neutered, and book an appointment as soon as you get the green light. I’m not usually one for being heavy-handed, but your dog is showing you zero respect right now. I think it called for something like grabbing him by the scruff of the neck and pinning him to the ground until he submitted. What do you take with you on walks? You definitely need a ball; Daïko needs plenty of play. But maybe try a ball launcher too—you know, those plastic thrower things? It could even double as a bit of a "shield" if Daïko has another outburst like that. You know Fenhrir, given what you’ve described, I actually think you handled the situation quite well. Hi docline! It’s so hard to talk to my mum about this. She gets really defensive because she knows she’s in the wrong, but she won't take any criticism... anyway, I’ll try to talk to her again. Our vet told us we could book him in for neutering whenever we wanted from now on, so we’re going to look into that. I did pin him to the ground at one point. He calmed down and went all limp, but as soon as I let him up, he went for me again... it’s all so difficult and I’m honestly at my wits' end. I want to do what’s best but I just can’t get it right... I take a toy he loves with me, but usually he couldn't care less when we’re out; he’s just interested in everything else around him. And he’s not into balls at all, haha! But I’ll try it next time.
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    Fenhrir
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    We go for long walks for an hour or two on the beach where I let him off the lead so he can burn off plenty of energy; I take him out 4 or 5 times a day for at least 20 minutes each time. I’m not really a fan of alpha rolling my dog, I only do it as an absolute last resort but that’s about it... anyway, thanks for your reply.
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    Docline
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    Ouch. I can see your mum hasn't quite grasped how potentially dangerous Daïko could be if he isn't raised with absolute consistency. You really need to talk to her again before her lack of firm boundaries leads to some serious trouble. Give the vet a ring to find out exactly when he can be neutered and book an appointment as soon as you get the green light. I’m usually against using force for the sake of it, but your dog is showing you zero respect right now. In my opinion, it called for something like grabbing him by the scruff and pinning him to the ground until he submitted. What do you take with you when you're out on walks? You definitely need a ball, as Daïko needs plenty of play, but why not get a ball launcher too? You know, those plastic thrower things—it could also serve as a "shield" if Daïko has another episode like that. You know, Fenhrir, given what you’ve described, I actually think you handled the situation pretty well.
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    Fenhrir
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    Even if I put him on the lead, he just keeps biting and getting himself all worked up—it doesn't change a thing! So, the more I tell him "no", the more wound up he gets. If I ignore him or try to pin him down, he just lunges back at me even faster, and so on... he gets even more agitated, and either way, he just won't stop! I can't even take a step; I can't move at all, or he just bites even harder...

    It’s not so much that she’s letting him walk all over her, but she’s giving him such mixed signals. She says "no" to him, but as soon as he jumps up at her, she puts her hand on his neck as if he’s giving her a cuddle... and then she gets all cross as soon as I tell her not to do that. Like you said, it’s her problem, except I don’t want it to become mine—and more importantly, I don’t want my dog to become completely out of control and dangerous.

    I’ve

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    Kikaah
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    It sounds like the "teenage phase" is starting... whenever he bites or misbehaves, put him on his lead and wait for him to calm down. As soon as he starts biting you again, put the lead back on... he’ll eventually get the message that it’s not on with you. When you're at home, put him in a separate room for a time-out. As for your mum, if she just lets him get away with it, well, she’s asking for trouble later on. Tell her that he’s only playing for now, but as he grows up, he could really do some damage. If she doesn’t mind being bitten, that’s her lookout, but if she starts complaining, then she’ll definitely need to take action. At the end of the day, it’s best to deal with it now.
    Translated from French

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