Benson Bit My Husband

[marie_231]

last night benson , my 8 month old working cocker , bit my husband  hard enough to draw blood , benson was asleep on the couch , and my hubby saw something in his mouth , he woke benson up , gently , and when he asked for the thing in his mouth , which turned out to be a mouldy old sock he had dug up from the garden , benson growled at him , not thinking that benson would actually bite , he tried to remove sock from his mouth and benson then lunged at him and bit him halfway up his arm , this is the 1st time he has bitten anyone , although he has been getting quite possesive over other things he has taken a fancy to , any ideas on what to do  hes my 1st dog ever and i love him to bits , but its getting harder to trust him  

[PennyB]

You have to work on training out this sort of possessiveness for now exchanging stuff for other stuff rather than just taking. My two never have all their toys out at once and more often than not they are put away in a box so that I have 'possession' over the toys (they become mine not theirs). This is also useful if I want to use stuff for training and bargaining with as they are more interested in toys they haven't seen for a while so have their novelty status.

I'd also practise NILIF (nothing in life is free) or a version of it that suits you, where he has to earn everything from you and doesn't get attention on demand from him but when you want to give him attention

NILIF link

another NILIF link

I always find formal training helps as well. You can learn more from training classes than you think and get some good advice from trainers re all sorts of stuff.

He's going through adolescence now which can produce very challenging behaviour in some dogs. I found retraining in all things was needed at this time to be able to get through this period just to make sure that I kept on top of things so they keep listening to me. Retraining/training basically helps with increasing the bond with your dog at this time (they have more confidence at this stage and therefore a little more independent or would be if you let them, and so will stretch your patience like any human teenager would).

[PennyB]

How's Benson doing

[marie_231]

if anything , hes getting worse , but ive not been able to take him training for a fortnight , we usually go 3 times a week , but unfortunately i broke my leg a nd am gonna be in plaster for at least another 5 weeks , so he isnt getting the walks he is used to either , the kids do try and help , but when i take him he has about an hours offlead run every day , think hes going stir crazy as well , hes never tried to bite me or my older daughter , but has been very growly with my youngest daughter who is 12 , i do take a tennis ball into the garden so we can play and he can have a chase , but i am feeling really guilty at the moment , cant wait to get this dam plaster off  

[PennyB]

Poor you.

Have you thought of getting an outside dog walker so he gets enough exercise as I can imagine a cocker his age has lots of energy. I know mine play up if for some reason I can't take them out for a day (rare but it happens) no matter how much stimulation they get indoors or in the garden.

[Penel]

Have you got any activity toys - activity balls, kongs etc - things that you hide food in to make him work for it.
You could hide treats around the house (or make someone else do it as you have a bwoken leggie !)... he needs to be doing something - working cockers that get bored do tend to get tricky.
Do you do clicker training - you could teach him all sorts of new tricks and tasks from your armchair .... get him to help put the washing in the machine, to take it out - put his toys back in toy box etc....

[bluesmum]

Marie, I've PM'd you    

[cbabe]

Do you do clicker training - you could teach him all sorts of new tricks and tasks from your armchair .... get him to help put the washing in the machine, to take it out - put his toys back in toy box etc....

WOW - i'm getting a clicker!!    


The biting is definatly a problem which can not be tolerated. He is challenging your husbands dominance - and backing of from this behaviour is going to teach him it works!

Keep us informed with how you are getting on
 

[marie_231]

[QUODo you do clicker training - you could teach him all sorts of new tricks and tasks from your armchair .... get him to help put the washing in the machine, to take it out - put his toys back in toy box etc.... ]
  are we talking bout hubby or Benson here ,
                   think ill have more luck with Benson