I have a 5 1/2 month old Dal who bites, not nips. I've had him since 2 months. Shortly after I brought him home, my personal life became chaotic due to personal issues and training was sporadic or none. With his behavior largely unchecked or inconsistent, his nipping became biting and he breaks flesh. The intensity of his bites and the frequency added to an already stressed Mom. Rick tends to be more aggresive with females than men. A co-worker who is a dog person, recognized I was overwhemed and offered to take him home for a few weeks and Rick would come home on weekends. Her husband is a retired police officer who used to train Shepards and would work with him.He came home from his first week much calmer, but then so was I. The biting incidents are reduced somewhat but still occurring. What they have been doing and instructed me to do, was to grab his upper snout and hold his lips under his teeth, then rub my hands over his face and say no bite. He still bit my face during a lunge at me, and broke skin on my arm. He bites less but bites harder. I'm not comfortable with this correction. I had every intention of starting puppy classes and on up,but as I say...circumstances prevented that. I've read through this site thoroughly and am using the articles to work on lesser behaviors. I've raised another Dalmatian from pup to old age and didn't have this problem. They can be testy and stubborn to train but they're wonderful dogs.
The articles addressing bite inhibition seem to apply more to nipping than out and out biting. I've tried to stay aware of what I'm doing prior to his biting but the circumstances are varied. I'm not inclined to hold his gums under his teeth and would like to know if anyone can give me some guidance in eliminating his biting.
