Boxer Dog Training - Biting & Chewing

Chewing in Boxer Puppies

Let's face it... most dogs like to chew things. It's a natural behavior born of their historical need to hunt for food. Unfortunately, puppies haven't yet learned what is appropriate to chew. I've had dogs who chewed up a brand new pair of nursing shoes, furniture legs, dresser drawer knobs, and the like. My brother's dog once chewed up his backpacking tent, his jeans and the family room wall paneling!

Why Boxers Chew

Chewing is usually a developmental phase that puppies pass through to relieve the itch and pain of cutting new teeth. The majority of dogs stop chewing everything in sight once their new teeth are fully erupted, at about 9 months old. The few dogs that do not cease chewing by age 1, either have acquired the habit of chewing from boredom, anxiety, and frustration, or have acquired an unusual gourmet appetite.

So, chewing needs to be channeled, and that's the boxer owner's responsibility.

How to Stop Your Dog From Chewing

No matter why your dog chews, as I described above, the behavior of chewing can be very expensive and very dangerous to the dog's physical well being. But, correcting chewing, or any other behavior problem, requires that someone be present to catch the dog in the act. Showing the dog a shoe that was chewed several hours earlier and yelling at him may make you feel better, but there is little chance that he will connect the correction with the idea that chewing shoes is wrong.

An unsupervised puppy left to roam the house may develop a taste for dangerous chew toys such as electrical cords, cleaning supplies, and other toxic items. The landscaped yard filled with possibly toxic plants, or rocks and wood that can obstruct the dog's intestines is a similarly dangerous environment for the unsupervised puppy. Dogs that chew and swallow rocks or other sharp objects often require costly and risky emergency surgery.

To avoid mishaps when you cannot keep a watchful eye on the dog, confine him in an area where only appropriate chew items such as dog toys, rawhides, or knuckle bones are available. You must exercise caution in which chew toys are left in the crate, because dogs have been reported to choke on some toys and rawhides. If you confine your dog to a crate during unsupervised periods, you don't have to worry about him chewing up prized possessions and furniture, or doing himself harm.

You may choose to dog proof the house by removing any prize possessions until the dog has passed through the chewing stage. Products such as Bitter Apple or Tabasco sauce may be sprayed on furniture and possessions to keep the dog from chewing, but check for staining before using them. Ninety-nine percent of the dogs find the taste of these products repulsive, but a few dogs think they are a gourmet delight.

Your dog should be well supplied with acceptable chew items such as old socks, safe dog toys, rawhides, chew hooves, and knuckle bones. Only knuckle bones are safe; other bones will splinter and get caught in the dog's throat or intestines. If you are worried that your dog will not discriminate between an old chewable sock and a new sock, you may want to take time to play fetch with the dog and an old sock so the item will become his favorite toy. The old sock will carry the scent of the dog, whereas the new sock has your scent. The dog quickly learns the difference between the socks when you praise him for playing with and chewing the old sock and reprimand him for chewing on socks with your scent.

Dogs Who Bite & Are Aggressive

A more serious problem is the aggressive dog. Biting is one form of aggression and can result in someone getting hurt. Other types of behaviors that an aggressive dog may demonstrate are growling, barking, baring of the teeth, and snapping or lunging.

Why Boxer Dogs Bite

Credit: / juL / /Flickr

In general, aggressive behavior is rare in boxer dogs, since they are such a sweet, easy-going, goofy breed. But it can happen, and it can certainly be an issue for boxer puppies with biting and nipping.

Puppies may nip because they are playing and they get carried away and too rough. Very young pups may be also be communicating a need when they nip (just as a baby cries). This behavior must be immediately corrected or it can turn into a larger problem as they get older, have stronger jaws and larger teeth.

But aggressive biting in older dogs usually has other root causes. Some dogs might bite when they are afraid or feel threatened, particularly if they were ever abused in the past. As a teenager, I had an otherwise gentle beagle who started biting after my darling little brother and his friends shot cap guns off around her head.

In a few cases, medical problems might cause aggressive behavior, including biting, so a consultation with your dog's veterinarian might yield some clues, too.

Dog Training for Biting in Puppies

This is a behavior that must be corrected immediately! The following things can help you control mouthing and nipping:

1. If your puppy does not need anything and he still will not quit nipping, crate or isolate him with a favorite bone. Do not scold your puppy as you isolate her. Calmly place the puppy in her area.

2. Whenever your puppy licks you, say "Kisses" and praise her warmly. Encourage licking by slathering your hands with a frozen stick of butter.

3. Withhold your attention when your puppy nips softly. Keep your hand still; withdrawing your hand is an invitation to play and nip harder.

4. If your puppy starts biting down hard, turn quickly, say "Ep, Ep!" and glare into her eyes for two seconds; then go back to your normal routine. If she persists, try spritzing yourself with Bitter Apple or affix a leash onto your puppy so that you can tug the lead sharply to the side. If necessary, place her in a quiet area to cool off.

If you have a puppy who still nips when he is older than 16 weeks, you need to start curbing it now. Although nipping will continue, you need to make clear that it is unacceptable. Following are a few tips to help you:

Credit: Ozone9999, Duke and Sarge/Flickr

1. Stop all challenge games. These games include wrestling, tug-of-war, chasing your dog around, and teasing. When you engage in these types of activities, you're sending the wrong message. These games teach dogs to clamp down hard on any object - a leash, the laundry, your shirt, or even your skin - and challenge.

2. Discourage all nipping, whether it's a bite on your arm or a nibble on your finger. Teeth do not belong on human skin, period.

3. Purchase a few weapons to use in defense, such as Mouth Spray, Bitter Apple spray, or a long-distance squirt gun. Never stare at your pup while you spritz or spray her; doing so turns an unpleasant result into a confrontational interaction.

4. Leave a leash on your puppy so you have something to direct her with and can avoid physical confrontation. If your dog's not wearing the Teaching Lead, place a short lead onto her buckle collar.

5. If your puppy begins to mouth, turn to him, use a lead or collar to snap her head from your body, or spritz the region he is nipping with a spray. Do not glare at him; otherwise, he will perceive your actions as confrontational play.

6. If he continues to nip, ask yourself these questions: Do I look convincing? Am I snapping or pulling? (Pulling encourages play.) Is my dog taking me seriously? You may need more training before you earn his respect.

How to Stop Biting in Older Dogs

Training boxer dogs correctly at an early age can prevent them from becoming aggressive. You have to slowly establish yourself as the leader of the pack by handling your boxer firmly and with leadership. Perform certain exercises such as taking food away from him and returning it with praise. This will prevent him from being aggressive during mealtimes. You can also do the same exercise with his favorite toy or bone.

You can also approach him while he's sleeping, waking him up slowly so he can learn not to be upset when he is most vulnerable. Get him used to strangers and other dogs as soon as possible. Socializing your dog early on will make him feel more at ease with strangers in the future and less likely to be aggressive. Trips to the local dog park can really help with this, in small doses.

Last but certainly not least, you should never punish or reprimand your aggressive dog; this will only make the situation worse. Instead, be firm when saying NO with a disapproving and stern look. And, if nothing you do seems to curb this behavior, then you may need to consult an animal psychologist.

In Summary...

Neither biting nor chewing are behaviors you want to allow to go on uncontrolled. So dog training for biting and for chewing is essential. Don't let it spiral out of control Better to nip it in the bud as early as possible!

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